02):%3 &2/- $7 0!

#)&)#

8*/ $25-3 !.$ 0%2#533)/.
!.$ :),$*)!.

6!,5%$ !4 /6%2
  (05:& 
3&"%&34
10--
3&46-54




4HE 7ORLDS  $RUM -AGAZINE *ULY 

 ,*--&3
#&"54
4/ %80!.$ 9/52
$25- . "!33 #/.#%04

%301
5)&
56%&
!.$ '%4 ')'3

3":
-6$"4
3/5, ,%'%.$

* ,* ,9½-

//Ê
* ,
/ Ê/
Ê"Ê ,1Ê/"7

*/'-6&/$&4
45&1)&/
1&3,*/4
+0)/
#-"$,8&--
(&"34
61
%*3&
453"*54
1*$,
8*5)&34
-ODERN$RUMMERCOM
3&7*&8&%

(3&54$)
#300,-:/
4&5

4/"3&4

539
/3(4

(3007&
+6*$&

/&8
%8
)"3%8"3&

.9-
%36..*,*/(
,*54
 Volume 36, Number 7 • Cover photo by Sahisnu Sadarpo

CONTENTS
MODERN DRUMMER
2012
Sahisnu Sadarpo

Ash Newell
READERS POLL
Winners
18 2012 READERS POLL RESULTS
There’s so much drumming talent today, across so many
different styles, that it’s a miracle MD readers are able to choose
favorites. But choose you did, and once again we’re excited and
honored to share those picks.

MATT HALPERN

Paul La Raia
48
by Ken Micallef

The exceptionally diverse, super-polished pounder is at the forefront of

a scene that shows little interest in what can’t be done on the drumset.

58 RAY LUCAS by Jim Payne

12 UPDATE He jammed regularly with Hendrix, shared stages with Ringo at

Brian Nevins

• The Meters’ ZIGABOO MODELISTE the height of Beatlemania, and set a standard that some of the
world’s greatest players aspired to.
• Pop-Star Drummer GOTYE
• The Mars Volta’s DEANTONI PARKS

36 WOODSHED MIKE JOHNSTON of MikesLessons.com

Alex Solca

42 PORTRAITS Red Fang’s JOHN SHERMAN

44 FIRST PERSON PARENTING PERSPECTIVES

Appreciating the Sacrifices of My Father
by David Ciauro

84 WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT...?

Dire Straits’ PICK WITHERS
64 INFLUENCES:
ENTER TO WIN ONE OF THREE
INCREDIBLE PRIZES FROM DW, PACIFIC
DRUMS AND PERCUSSION, AND ZILDJIAN!
STEPHEN PERKINS
by Stephen Bidwell

4,700!
Contest Whether he’s playing just a shaker and a pair of bongos
valued
at over
$ page 89
or bashing home the finale of one of Jane’s Addiction’s
more heady epics, his drive and feel are inspirational.
Education 30

66 CONCEPTS
The CRASH Course to Success Part 3: Attitude
by Rich Redmond

68 STRICTLY TECHNIQUE
Polyrhythmic Coordination
Part 1: One- and Two-Note Base Rhythms
by Ari Hoenig

70 THE JOBBING DRUMMER

Popular Play-Alongs Part 1: Timber Grooves
by Donny Gruendler

72 ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC

Metrically Modulated Drum ’n’ Bass Using Triplets to
Imply Faster Tempos by Andy Shoniker

74 JAZZ DRUMMER’S WORKSHOP

Swingin’ the Clave 88 92

Paul Natkin
Advanced Exercises for Developing Independence
by Steve Fidyk

Departments
8 AN EDITOR’S OVERVIEW
You Never Know... by Michael Dawson

10 READERS’ PLATFORM
16 ASK A PRO Gregg’s Big Dozen • Back Through
the Stack with Brad Wilk • Ask a Friend

22 IT’S QUESTIONABLE 24
Tom Mics • Mind Matters: A 25-Hour Day?

80 SHOWCASE FEATURING DRUM MARKET

88 CRITIQUE
92 BACKBEATS In Memoriam: Willie “Big Eyes” Smith,
Tom Ardolino • Cornell Dupree Memorial Concert

96 KIT OF THE MONTH

You’re Surrounded!
34
Equipment
24 PRODUCT CLOSE-UP
• GRETSCH Brooklyn Series Drumset and Snares
• TRX NRG Series
• GROOVE JUICE Stick Grip
• DW 5002 AD4 Double Bass Drum Pedal
Afshin Shahidi

and 9000 Series Airlift Hardware

30 ELECTRONIC REVIEW MXL Drum-Miking Kits

34 GEARING UP Prince’s JOHN BLACKWELL
MD DIGITAL SUBSCRIBERS!
When you see this icon, click on a shaded
76 COLLECTOR’S CORNER box on the page to open the audio player.
Note: Shaded boxes appear when you first
LEEDY Orchestra Snare by Harry Cangany view a digitally enhanced page, and then they fade; they will reappear when
you roll over the area. Sign up online!

78 NEW AND NOTABLE

 AN EDITOR’S OVERVIEW MODERNDRUMMER
FOUNDER MODERN DRUMMER ADVISORY
BOARD: Kenny Aronoff, Eddie Bayers,

You Never Know…

RONALD SPAGNARDI Bill Bruford, Harry Cangany, Dennis
1943–2003 DeLucia, Les DeMerle, Len DiMuzio,
Peter Erskine, Vic Firth, Bob Gatzen,
Danny Gottlieb, Jim Keltner, Paul Leim,
PUBLISHER/CEO Peter Magadini, George Marsh, Rod
Morgenstein, Andy Newmark, Neil Peart,
ISABEL SPAGNARDI
I t’s funny where life as a musician can

Rob Mazzella
Ed Shaughnessy, Steve Smith, Billy Ward,
take you. Six years ago, I visited NYC Dave Weckl, Paul Wertico.

session drummer Shawn Pelton at his SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
Manhattan home studio for a LORI SPAGNARDI Patrick Berkery, David Ciauro, John
Emrich, Mike Haid, Dr. Asif Khan, Rick
Woodshed feature. I expected to come Mattingly, Ken Micallef, Mark Parsons,
VICE PRESIDENT Martin Patmos, Jeff Potter, Will Romano,
out of that experience mesmerized by
KEVIN W. KEARNS Bernie Schallehn, Ilya Stemkovsky,
his super-cool setup yet completely Stephen Styles, Robin Tolleson, Lauren
frustrated over what it would take for Vogel Weiss, Paul Wells.
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
me to be able to achieve something TRACY A. KEARNS MODERN DRUMMER magazine
similar in my own home. What I discov- (ISSN 0194-4533) is published
monthly by
ered was the exact opposite. All I’d need EDITORIAL DIRECTOR MODERN DRUMMER Publications, Inc.,
to start cranking out my own recordings 12 Old Bridge Road, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009.
ADAM J. BUDOFSKY PERIODICALS MAIL POSTAGE paid at
was a nice laptop, a multi-channel inter- Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 and at additional
face, and some decent mics. (That’s all mailing offices. Copyright 2012 by
MANAGING EDITOR MODERN DRUMMER Publications, Inc.
Shawn had at the time, and his stuff MICHAEL DAWSON All rights reserved. Reproduction without the
sounded great!) So I made the invest- permission of the publisher is prohibited.

ment and quickly got to work to see what I could produce. ASSOCIATE EDITOR EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING/ADMINIS-
Fast-forward to the spring of 2012, after hundreds of hours spent research- BILLY AMENDOLA TRATIVE OFFICES: MODERN DRUM-
MER Publications, 12 Old Bridge Road,
ing and experimenting with mic placement, drum tuning, drum software Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. Tel: (973)
plug-ins, and so on, and here I am putting the finishing touches on a full- ASSOCIATE EDITOR 239-4140. Fax: (973) 239-7139.
Email: mdinfo@moderndrummer.com.
length album featuring live drums, bass, guitar, and baritone saxophone, all of MICHAEL PARILLO
which was recorded by me in my studio. And you know what’s the real kicker? I MODERN DRUMMER welcomes manu-
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR scripts and photographic material but can-
didn’t play a single note! Somewhere along the way, I went from being a not assume responsibility for them.
drummer with a hobby studio to being hired to engineer and tech my musi- SCOTT G. BIENSTOCK
SUBSCRIPTIONS: US and Canada
cian friends’ projects. I’ve also done a few dozen drum tracks for other artists, $34.97 per year; $56.97, two years.
ART DIRECTOR Other international $59.97 per year.
and I’m slowly putting together compositions for a solo album that may or
GERALD VITALE Single copies $5.99.
may not see the light of day. (Whether it actually does or not doesn’t matter;
I’m having a ton of fun entertaining my muse either way.) SUBSCRIPTION CORRESPONDENCE:
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Modern Drummer, PO Box 274, Oregon,
Am I getting million-dollar sounds out of my ramen-noodle-budget stu- BOB BERENSON IL 61061-9920. Change of address:
dio? And am I getting calls to produce, engineer, or play on Warner Bros.’ Allow at least six weeks for
a change. Please provide both old and
next big hit? Of course not. But what I’ve realized is that instead of con- ADVERTISING ASSISTANT new address. Call (800) 551-3786
stantly apologizing for what I don’t have and what I haven’t achieved, I’ve or (815) 732-5283. Phone hours,
LASHANDA GIBSON 8AM–4:30PM Monday–Friday CST,
learned to embrace whatever life offers up and make the most of it. It’s not or visit Subscriber Services at
about owning the best gear or having a perfectly tuned room and using www.moderndrummer.com.
DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
the most expensive microphones. Rather, it’s more important to develop EJ DECOSKE MUSIC DEALERS: Modern Drummer
the confidence to know what results you want to achieve and to have the is distributed by Hal Leonard Corp.
(800) 554-0626. sales@halleonard.com
focus and determination to make it happen to the best of your abilities— MUSIC ENGRAVER www.halleonard.com/dealers
with no excuses. WILLIE ROSE
INTERNATIONAL LICENSING
There’s a thread of similar sentiment running through this issue, from REPRESENTATIVE: Robert Abramson
the bold, genre-blending style of Stephen Perkins (this month’s Influences & Associates, Inc., Libby Abramson,
President, PO Box 740346, Boyton
feature) to the fearless, aggressive approaches of cover artist Matt Halpern MODERN DRUMMER
Beach, FL 33474-0346,
PRO PANEL abramson@prodigy.net.
and up-and-comer John Sherman (Portraits). You’ll also discover practical
tips on how your overall attitude plays a major role in your success, in this MODERN DRUMMER
PRO PANEL
POSTMASTER: Send address changes
month’s Woodshed feature with online educator Mike Johnston and in to Modern Drummer, PO Box 274,
2012 Pro Panel
Oregon, IL 61061-9920.
the third installment of Nashville-based studio/touring drummer Rich Chris Adler
Redmond’s motivational “CRASH Course” series. We hope you find some- Gregg Bissonette Canadian Publications Mail Agreement
Terri Lyne Carrington No. 41480017 Return undeliverable
thing valuable in these stories that helps push you further along on your Canadian addresses to: PO Box 875,
Matt Chamberlain Stn A, Windsor ON N9A 6P2
own individual path. Bob Gatzen
We’re also excited to reveal this year’s Readers Poll results. Check out the Gerald Heyward MEMBER: National Association For
winners on page 18. We want to say thanks to everyone who participated— Music Development, National Association
Jim Keltner
Of Music Merchants, Percussive Arts
it was another year of record-breaking entries—and to congratulate every- Brian Reitzell Society
one who placed. Enjoy the issue! Jim Riley
Antonio Sanchez MODERN DRUMMER ONLINE:
www.moderndrummer.com
Gil Sharone
Billy Ward PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES

2011 Pro Panel: Jason Bittner,

Will Calhoun, Jeff Davis,
Peter Erskine, Daniel Glass,
Horacio Hernandez, Susie
Ibarra, Allison Miller, Rod
Morgenstein, Chris Pennie,
Chad Smith, Paul Wertico

8 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 R E A D E R S ’ P L AT F O R M
DANNY more deserving to be in the Hall of Fame. points should be made for the purpose of clari-
SERAPHINE Maybe next year! Thanks for reminding your fication. It should be understood that the fascia
I just opened the April readers of this incredible drummer and ground- is the connective tissue that surrounds and pro-
2012 issue of Modern breaking band. I’m off to the kit to play along tects the muscles, bones, and joints in the body.
Drummer to find two with Danny to Chicago V, one more time! In addition to releasing trigger points and
articles about the Ted Lane reducing accumulative scar tissue within the
original Chicago muscles and fascia, SMR can help to alleviate
drummer (and my THE OFFICIAL 26 POLYRHYTHM chronic pain and increase blood flow to the
personal favorite), RUDIMENTS treated areas, which aids in healing injuries and
Danny Seraphine. In I just saw the April 2012 issue, and wow, in repairing microscopic trauma and tears within
Ask a Pro, Gregg the upper left-hand corner: “The Official 26 the fascia. The technique can also help to cor-
Bissonette discusses the album Chicago V and Polyrhythm Rudiments”! You know it took rect certain postural deviations, which many of
how Danny’s playing has been one of his brave guys to make this (rudimental) statement us suffer from as a result of improperly slouch-
hugest influences. In the new Get the Best an “official” reality. And now it is for all to ing on a drum throne for much of our lives.
department, Ilya Stemkovsky features the com- see. As a side note (for myself and all who It should also be pointed out that, when
pilation album The Very Best of Chicago: Only the feel the same), this hopefully puts an asterisk encountering a tender spot, the participant
Beginning. Chicago was everywhere in the late on the traditional twenty-six drum rudiments should reduce the range of foam rolling to a
’60s and ’70s. Their music was exceptional, as being the benchmark for all drummers in few inches and concentrate on working that
melding rock with the jazz and big band har- all genres. area for a short period, until the pain encoun-
monies of the generation before. Danny’s cre- Also, what an issue to be in—lots of cool tered there begins to diminish. Those new
ative drumming on those early albums provid- stuff, including my northern California drum- to SMR will likely find it a bit awkward and
ed a textbook for the rock drummer. ming peer George Marsh, and my student Mike uncomfortable at first, and miraculous results
Like Gregg, I would set up my kit next to the Johnston enjoying a full-page ad, plus every- should not be expected overnight. But if they
stereo and play along to their records. To this thing else going on in the April MD. Thank you! stick with it, they will find the benefits in
day I wonder what inspired Danny to imagine It means a lot to this career. decreased muscle tension and improved
licks like the catchy intro to “Saturday in the Peter Magadini biomechanics, both essential concepts in
Park” or the timeless break from “Make Me improving one’s drumming.
Smile”—perfection! I finally got to meet Danny HEALTH & SCIENCE Gary D. Gochenour
last November at the Montreal Drum Festival. As a drummer and certified personal trainer, I
It’s great to see him back in the spotlight. Each appreciated Shirazette Tinnin’s article on self-
year I look for Danny’s name in the MD Readers myofascial release (SMR) in the September 2011 HOW TO REACH US
letters@moderndrummer.com
Poll nominations; I can’t imagine any drummer issue. However, I feel that a few additional
UPDATE

ZIGABOO MODELISTE
A new multigenerational project shines
a light on the Meters’ legendary groover.

Mark Ronson and Zigaboo on the set La Modeliste’—I thought when Ronson told Zig about the upcoming
of the video for “A La Modeliste” he was joking! I wasn’t project and asked if he’d be involved.
expecting that at all, but I A few weeks later, the drummer was
was happy to be part of headed to New Orleans—he now lives in
this wonderful project.” the Bay Area—to rehearse and record with
The project that Ronson, the Dap-Kings, Trombone Shorty,
the legendary Meters Erykah Badu, and Mos Def. “When it came
drummer speaks of is to the music,” Modeliste explains, “I didn’t
Re:Generation, a docu- have anything to listen to in advance to let
mentary created by me know what the song was going to be
GreenLight Media in like.” Ronson had sampled one of Zig’s leg-
association with the endary second-line grooves off an old
Grammys that follows record as a template for the track before
five of today’s top DJ/ Modeliste even arrived at the session.
producers—Ronson, The musicians had only three days to get
DJ Premier, the Crystal to know each other and create the song,
Brian Nevins

Method, Pretty Lights, which would be performed at Preservation

and Skrillex—and chal- Hall in New Orleans’ historic French
lenges them to collabo- Quarter. “Mark put me in a comfort zone,”
rate with a historically sig- Zig says, “and I was just concerned with

“A s human beings, we all want to be

loved and admired by our peers and
our families,” explains the King of the Funky
nificant musical artist. When Ronson, a 2008
Grammy Award winner, was picked to work
within the genre of jazz, he didn’t hesitate
doing a good job. I enjoyed it very much. I
felt like an apprentice, learning all the
music on the spot.”
Drums, Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste, one of to contact Modeliste. The seeds of their To watch the results of this collabo-
the most prolific musicians to ever come out partnership were sown earlier, at Ronson’s ration, go to the Recent Videos page at
of New Orleans. “So when [British musician, wedding in France, when Zig said to the moderndrummer.com.
producer, and DJ] Mark Ronson told me he newly married groom, “If you ever need any- “Pistol” Pete Kaufmann
was going to name the song after me—‘A thing, please don’t hesitate to ask.” That’s

GOTYE
Damn the pigeonholing: This drummer, songwriter, and sampling
artist defies comparisons. May Update subject Sarah Tomek
catches up with the hotter-than-hot multi-threat musician.
one else would come to that conclu-
P laying on and producing nearly all of his third release, Making
Mirrors, the internationally acclaimed artist Gotye (pronounced
“GO-tee-yay”) flirts with Motown, indie, electropop, and experimen-
sion, however, after watching
Gotye behind his setup of three
Stephanie Hayes

tal rock, with an original flair. The combination has led to great suc- toms, a snare, cymbals, various percus-
cess, first in Gotye’s home country of Australia and then in Europe. sive gadgets, and pads. Rhythmic
This year, with a sold-out U.S. tour spurred by the hit “Somebody brilliance runs rampant throughout
That I Used to Know,” Gotye’s diverse and highly musical produc- his live show, in songs like
tions seem poised to conquer the States as well. Tellingly, the multi- “Learnalilgivinanlovin,” Gotye’s vehicle
faceted artist attributes his sense of rhythm and melody to his being for showcasing his soloing chops, and “Smoke and Mirrors,” where
a drummer at heart. band members put down their main instruments, grab various per-
Belgian-born Wouter De Backer (he moved to Australia at a young cussion pieces, and trade rhythms with kit drummer Michael
age) displayed an early interest in music, nagging his parents for a kit Anderson. “It’s important to keep musical communication and inter-
at fourteen years old. Inspired by Stewart Copeland’s feel and Buddy action as part of the show,” Gotye tells MD. “It’s a primal thing when
Rich’s intensity, he spent his formative years in local rock bands. He people play drums.”
didn’t entertain the idea of singing or fronting an act until bassist If Gotye defines anything, it’s diversity. “Listen closely to drums in
Lucas Taranto left the band for music school. The group’s disintegra- other genres of music,” the artist advises, “and always attempt to
tion was the perfect opportunity for moving to center stage, and experiment on other instruments. The way it feeds back on the ideas
Gotye—a variation on the French translation of his given name— you bring to the kit is how you keep it fresh.”
was born.
Today the thirty-one-year-old musician feels he is “still an inspired For a glimpse of Gotye’s working style, go to the Recent Videos page at
and practicing drummer trying to find his own voice on the instru- moderndrummer.com. And to read about Sarah Tomek’s career, see the
ment,” but also admits that he’s not as “gig fit” as he once was. No May 2012 issue of MD.

12 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 DEANTONI PARKS
he Mars Volta
You want physical drumming? The
current Mars Volta man is all about it.

López’s many solo projects, he was also forward and reversed patterns at the same
T has seen
more drummers
under consideration before Pridgen took the
chair. Parks’s work on the Mars Volta’s new
time—you can hear it. [That approach]
doesn’t happen that much on the record,
than an old bass one, Noctourniquet, is some of the most nat- but it’s cool. Some parts are programmed;
drum has gone ural and relaxed drumming to grace the the songs do have that element.”
through heads. band’s many CDs. As the Mars Volta drum chair is very
From early kit “They wanted to switch it up to more of a demanding, it’s fitting that Parks, whose
keepers Jon raw sound,” Parks says, “and that meant a credits include John Cale, Meshell
Theodore and more ‘see through’ path for each part. It’s Ndegeocello, and the band KUDU (and its
Blake Fleming to like letting people see inside a little more. recent incarnation, Art World Killer), views
more recent That goes perfectly with my style.” Parks’s drumming as a sport. His warm-up is thus
recruits Thomas drumming, particularly on “The Whip dual-faceted. “Before a show I watch UFC
Pridgen and Dave Hand,” “The Malkin Jewel,” and “In fights,” D explains. “I warm up with the
Elitch, the band Absentia,” is a study in evenness, hard fights, old school. I’ll do eight and twelve
has certainly groove, and flexibility. strokes on each hand, on a pillow. And I do
found some technically incredible drummers “The band did some postproduction, tons of stretching all day. I prep my body to
to play its muscular, exhilarating psy-rock. like reversed parts and such,” Deantoni goes do the things physically that I need it to do. I
Latest addition Deantoni Parks is, hopefully, on. “Most of the time the drum sound have the emotion, but I need something to
on a more enduring path to Volta success. A is a hybrid. There’s one track where they stir it up physically. It gives me that extra fire
contributor to TMV guitarist Omar Rodríguez- reversed my drums and actually played the when I hit the stage.” Ken Micallef

OUT NOW NEWS

As we were in production for this issue, we learned
CDS of the passing of drumming legend Levon Helm.
Wayne Krantz Howie 61 (Vinnie Colaiuta,
Stay tuned for MD’s tribute.
Keith Carlock, Anton Fig, Charley Drayton,
Nate Wood, Jeremy Stacey, Kenny
Wollesen) /// Shadows Fall Fire From the
Alfred Music Publishing is celebrating the twenty-fifth
Sky (Jason Bittner) /// The Cult Choice of
anniversary of Alfred’s Drum Method, Book 1. The
Weapon (John Tempesta) /// Garbage Not Your Kind of
beginning snare drum tutorial, which was created by
People (Butch Vig) /// Brian Jonestown Massacre Aufheben
Dave Black and the late Sandy Feldstein, has sold more
(Constantine Karlis) /// Cherri Bomb This Is the End of Control
than 500,000 units worldwide. The instruction focuses on
(Nia Lovelis) /// Silversun Pickups Neck of the Woods
rudimental studies, roll studies, contest solos, and bass drum and
(Christopher Guanlao) /// Everyone Orchestra Brooklyn
cymbal technique and includes twenty-three solos suitable for
Sessions (Jon Fishman)
recitals and contests.
BOOKS
Carlos Aldama’s Life in Batá: Cuba, Diaspora, WHO’S PLAYING WHAT
and the Drum by Umi Vaughan and Carlos Aldama New Sabian artists include Dave Briggs (the Cab), Adam Gray
/// Drumming Up Vibrations by Paul Francis (Texas in July), Terrence Houston (George Porter Jr., Dark Matter),
Dante “Taz” Roberson (the Whispers, Cameo, Night Calls), and
Shirazette Tinnin (the Shirazette Experiment, Tia Fuller Quartet).
DVDS
The Strange Case of Alice Cooper: Live 1979, Protection Racket has signed the following drummers to its family of
the Madhouse Rock Tour (Pentti Glan) /// Hit So endorsers: Clem Burke (Blondie), Chris Fehn (Slipknot), Richard
Hard: The Life & Near Death Story of Patty Jupp (Elbow), Dane Campbell (Straight Lines), Todd Demma (Avril
Schemel (Patty Schemel, Alice de Buhr, Izzy, Lavigne), Chris Bond (Ben Howard), Luke Harris (Wretch 32), Jesse
Debbi Peterson, Kate Schellenbach, Gina Schock, Dallas Grant (Devlin), and Mike Pitman (Xerath).
Taylor) /// Sade Bring Me Home: Live 2011 (Peter Lewinson)
Ahead Armor Cases has announced the addition of Adrian Young
(No Doubt), Derrick Wright (Adele, Toni Braxton), and Richie Gajate
ON TOUR Garcia (Diana Ross) to its roster of endorsers.
Zach Hill with Death Grips /// Phil Selway and Clive Deamer
Steve Smith (Vital Information), Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction),
with Radiohead /// Jamie Perkins with the Pretty Reckless ///
Tony Braunagel (Robert Cray), and Richard Jenkins (Anthony
Brian Dugan with Candlelight Red /// Scott Mercado with
Hamilton) have joined the Cympad artist roster.
Candlebox /// Jared Champion with Cage the Elephant ///
Jason Garner with the Polyphonic Spree /// Donald Barrett
Jen Lowe (Ed Roland, Kevin Griffin, Ed Kowalczyk, Emerson Hart) has
with Colbie Caillat /// Mike Bruno with JT and the Clouds ///
joined LP’s artist roster.
Simon Kirke with Bad Company /// Jay Lane with Primus ///
Dan Whitesides with the Used /// Matt Garstka with
Matt Garstka (Animals as Leaders) has joined Meinl’s endorser list.
Animals as Leaders /// John Tempesta with the Cult

14 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 ASK A PRO

a c k BRAD WILK More Fixes

B
Thro gh the
u In April 2003, the drummer had
The April issue of
Modern Drummer

Stack
recently joined his Rage Against the featured Benjamin
Machine bandmates Tom Morello Homola’s Shop Talk
and Tim Commerford in the new piece “9 Household
group Audioslave, with Soundgarden Fixes for Common
singer Chris Cornell. We asked what Drumset Problems.”
the transition was like. We recently posted an
open question to our
Facebook friends asking
In Rage Against the them to suggest their
Machine, [vocalist] Zack own home remedies,
de la Rocha rapped, and and, unsurprisingly, we
playing extremely per- got lots of interesting
cussive hip-hop-style suggestions. Here are
a few.
beats sounds great over
rap. But Chris says a lot
without a lot of words, Kirk Anderson tells us, “I once used my key ring to replace a broken
and there’s a lot of connection between my bass drum spring and the beater. Still
space. Playing super- there to this day.”
percussive stuff over
that tends to sound Regarding the common problem of snare drum lugs backing out or
cheesy to me. So I had loosening, MD Education Team member Bill Bachman suggests, “Go
to completely rethink to the hardware store and buy #12-24 stainless steel nuts. Thread
my style of playing. them onto your rods, and then, once your snare is tuned to your lik-
I put most of my cre- ing, tighten the nuts down against the lugs. You can smash all day,
ative energy into the and they never go anywhere. In fact, you can punch in to a record-
stuff that’s going on ing long after the fact, and the drum will still sound exactly like it
between the beats— did the first time. If you want to change the tuning, loosen the lug
the ghost notes that are more felt than heard. It gives more with a drum key, and it will unlock the nut. You can keep a little
space to the music and works a lot better with Chris’s vocal wrench in your stick bag for this purpose. The solution allows the
approach. It makes the grooves lean or swing one way or the rim to flex down under a rimshot, and the nuts are dirt cheap.
other. That’s what sets drummers apart from each other, I think. You can see these on the cover photo of my book Stick Technique,
At the time I was reading Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse and recently published by Modern Drummer. The main snare and
books on Buddhism, which is all about simplifying—the whole 10" snare have all the lugs locked down.”
less-is-more philosophy. So the parallels were right there in my
face. It was about taking a step back and yielding to the song And Boris Tomakic ‘ offers this tongue-in-cheek suggestion, which all
more than anything. of us can surely relate to: “I sold the drums right after the last song,
so I didn’t have to load them into the van.”

GREGG’S BIG DOZEN

This month, MD 2012 Pro Panelist
Gregg Bissonette shines a light on
the Police’s Stewart Copeland.

Stewart Copeland writing out twenty or so thirty-second snip- Impossible III track with him years ago,
pioneered a lot of pets of Police tunes, and I edited them all because he doesn’t like to play on his own
what’s going on together with a buddy of mine and played stuff that he produces. So I emailed him,
now. You talk to this thing at my clinic. And Bill Bruford and he told me he was in São Paulo playing
Taylor Hawkins or came up to me and said, “I haven’t heard with his drum ensemble. He had a night off,
other popular rock that many Police songs at one time.” I don’t and he came to the show and we got to
drummers— know if he was that into Stewart Copeland, hang out. So I got a chance to sit in a room
Stewart absolutely but it kind of made him go, “Wow, that guy in between Stewart Copeland and Ringo.
changed the way really broke a lot of ground.” And I’m just going, “God, thank you for this
drummers play. Then we were in São Paulo, Brazil, a few moment!” But sitting there, I realized how
I remember about eight years ago at a months ago, doing two nights with Ringo. similar these two guys had it, because they
clinic in England wondering what I was The Beatles never played South America, were both influential, style-changing drum-
going to play. Everyone was on the bill— and all the shows there sold out in like two mers in bands with these legendary singer-
Terry Bozzio, Thomas Lang, Marco minutes. A buddy of mine called and said, songwriter guys—it was heavy.
Minnemann, Kenny Aronoff, Ed Thigpen, “Hey, Stewart Copeland’s going to be down
Jeff Hamilton…. I decided to spend a day there while you are.” I’d done this Mission:

16 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 There’s so much drumming talent today,
MODERN DRUMMER across so many different styles, that it’s a mir-
acle MD readers are able to choose favorites.

2012
READERS POLL
But choose you did, and once again we’re
excited and honored to share those picks,

Winners
beginning with your recognition of a true
drumming giant who may or may not
share his percussive gifts ever again….

H A L L O F FA M E

PHIL COLLINS
Phil Collins came to prominence in the mid-’70s as the drummer in the British band
Genesis, which spearheaded a style of progressive rock that featured long, multi-part
compositions, odd times, and dramatic shifts in dynamics, tempo, and mood. As new
wave and punk ascended at the end of the decade, Genesis was among the few
bands that deftly absorbed more modern sonic elements, and its popularity grew
with each succeeding album. Collins simultaneously began an enormously successful
solo career, beginning with the perennially popular air-drumming track “In the Air
Tonight.” Around this time Phil also indulged his acting skills in feature films and TV
(a sideline he’d explored well before joining Genesis) and guested on a variety of top
artists’ recordings, making him one of the most recognizable entertainers on the
planet. Sometimes lost in discussions about Collins, however, was his downright
monstrous drumming prowess, defined not only by his ability to play very complex
arrangements but also by his hugely soulful groove, unique tom sound, and innate
understanding of pop songcraft. Though he decided to retire in 2011—injuries sus-
tained to the vertebrae in his neck made playing painful, and he wanted to focus his
energies on raising two young sons—Collins has remained in the public conscious-
ness, recently releasing the Going Back CD, which features renditions of his favorite
R&B songs, and the Live in Montreux 2004 DVD.

PAST HALL OF FAME WINNERS

2011: Jim Chapin 2004: Mike Portnoy 1997: Terry Bozzio 1990: Bill Bruford 1983: Neil Peart
2010: Hal Blaine 2003: Simon Phillips 1996: Vinnie Colaiuta 1989: Carl Palmer 1982: Keith Moon
2009: Mitch Mitchell 2002: Steve Smith 1995: Elvin Jones 1988: Joe Morello 1981: John Bonham
2008: Ginger Baker 2001: Dennis Chambers 1994: Larrie Londin 1987: Billy Cobham 1980: Buddy Rich
2007: Jack DeJohnette 2000: Dave Weckl 1993: Jeff Porcaro 1986: Tony Williams 1979: Gene Krupa
2006: Charlie Watts 1999: Roy Haynes 1992: Max Roach 1985: Louie Bellson
2005: Stewart Copeland 1998: Ringo Starr 1991: Art Blakey 1984: Steve Gadd

MVP MAINSTREAM ROCK

MIKE MANGINI TAYLOR HAWKINS
Paul La Raia

As the central figure in one of the most It seemed obvious to most

talked-about drumming stories of the rock fans in 2011: It was the
new millennium, Mike Mangini did the year of the Foo Fighters.
seemingly impossible by replacing the Bandleader/singer/song-
figurehead of the most visible modern writer/drummer Dave Grohl
progressive-rock band on the planet. Of (who, incidentally, topped
course, Dream Theater’s decision to turn this category last year)
the process of replacing recently exited spearheaded one of the
drummer Mike Portnoy into a veritable most buzz-worthy albums
online reality show didn’t hurt Mangini’s of the year in Wasting Light,
profile. But Mangini’s almost absurdly futuristic drumming concepts and
and the Foos seemed to
complete readiness for the challenge—not to mention his ability to transfix
represent for many the
audience members back to the very last row—catapulted him to near
Rahav

proud glory of real rock ’n’

mythic status among prog-rock fans. Mike’s unbridled performances on
Dream Theater’s 2011 international tour and superhuman approach on his
roll in an era of increasingly
debut recording with the band, A Dramatic Turn of Events, truly made him automated beat making. In
the most valuable player on last year’s drumming scene. drumming terms, Taylor Hawkins’ pure zeal and old-school
2. Vinnie Colaiuta • 3. Chad Smith • 4. Josh Freese • 5. Matt Chamberlain charm were truly heroic—on record, in concert, and in two
Grammy Awards performances.
2. Chad Smith • 3. Travis Barker
18 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012 4. Jason Bonham • 5. Brian Tichy
 Alex Solca
STUDIO
JOSH FREESE
The studio scene might not be what it used
A LT E R N AT I V E POP to be, but there’s still room for the unshak-
able masters to make their mark. Last year—
THOMAS PRIDGEN LARRY MULLEN JR. like most years—Josh Freese was busy mak-
ing the most popular artists of the day
Thomas Pridgen left such an impression during his U2’s epic 360° world tour was another record sound great. Among his significant 2011
2006-09 stint with the Mars Volta that his reputation breaker, and after nearly thirty uninterrupted gigs: Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes by
for blistering, otherworldly drumming drama has years as one of the most consistently intrigu- Social Distortion, Goodbye Lullaby by Avril
nearly taken on a life of its own. Pridgen introduced a ing acts in the world, it’s clear that the group’s Lavigne, Ghost on the Canvas by Glen
new band project, a three-piece called the Memorials, unstoppable rhythm section is at the heart of Campbell, Christmas by Michael Bublé,
whose self-titled 2011 debut album featured such enduring appeal. Stronger by Kelly Clarkson, and Memories of
Thomas’s completely over-the-top, take-no-prisoners 2. Matt Flynn a Beautiful Disaster by James Durbin.
approach to shredding rock and soul. 3. Scott Underwood
2. Matt Chamberlain
2. Brooks Wackerman • 3. Dale Crover 4. Patrick Carney
3. John “JR” Robinson
4. Glenn Kotche • 5. Jay Lane 5. Nate Morton
4. Chad Cromwell • 5. Jay Bellerose
Alex Solca

Alex Solca
Andrew MacNaughtan

PROG R&B
NEIL PEART TONY ROYSTER JR.
As the old joke goes, if an entry for progressive With each passing year, the mention of Tony
rock drummer were in the dictionary, it would be Royster Jr.’s introduction to the world in the JAZZ
Peart’s face that you’d see. Neil’s a bona fide cul- ’90s as a child drumming prodigy seems less
tural touchstone, nearly forty years into his and less pertinent. At this point Royster’s pro- JEFF HAMILTON
career—but somehow he seems more active than fessional résumé—which includes work with
Small-group leader, keeper of the big band
ever. Last year saw the Rush drummer/lyricist Japanese superstar Hikaru Utada, bass monster
flame, irreplaceable rhythmic foil to the
appear on MD’s December cover, release the Francisco Fattoruso, and rap mogul Jay-Z—is
world’s greatest vocalists…Jeff Hamilton is
book Far and Away: A Prize Every Time, participate compelling enough to explain why Modern
unique, compelling, and, above all, swinging.
in the legendary Canadian band’s Time Machine Drummer readers singled Tony out this year
Hamilton detailed some of his recent musical
tour, release the DVDs Taking Center Stage and among the world’s top R&B drummers. Among
accomplishments this past February in his first
Fire on Ice: The Making of the Hockey Theme, and his 2011 highlights were performing on the
MD cover story.
anchor the first drum solo week on Letterman. second drum solo week on Letterman and tour-
2. Jeff “Tain” Watts
2. Mike Mangini • 3. Todd Sucherman ing with Joe Jonas.
3. Terri Lyne Carrington
4. Marco Minnemann • 5. Carl Palmer 2. John Blackwell • 3. George “Spanky”
4. Adam Cruz • 5. Jamire Williams
McCurdy • 4. Chris Dave • 5. Gerald Heyward
 M E TA L FUSION COUNTRY
CHRIS ADLER STEVE SMITH JIM RILEY
A new Lamb of God CD and tour, When you think about

Rahav
sold-out clinics, two instructional it, who better repre-
books (Lamb of God: New American sents the concept of
Gospel and Lamb of God: As the fusion—the blending
Palaces Burn)…2011 certainly was a of multiple disciplines
busy and successful year for the MD into one distinctive
Pro Panelist, who’s now taken the and nuanced
top metal spot two years in a row. approach—than MD
2. Matt Halpern Hall of Famer Steve
3. Charlie Benante Smith? In 2011 the perennial favorite per-
4. Jeremy Spencer formed at the World’s Greatest Drummer
5. Brann Dailor Concert, a tribute to Gene Krupa, Buddy
Rich, Louie Bellson, and Joe Morello, and at
the Guitar Center Drum-Off in Los Angeles
Courtesy of Mapex

(covering “Salt Peanuts” with Jeff Hamilton);

played festivals with Vital Information; con- This makes it two years straight for Mr. Riley at
ducted clinics; appeared at Drum Fantasy the top of the country category. The Rascal Flatts
Camp with Chris Coleman, Dave Weckl, drummer had yet another banner year, conduct-
Gavin Harrison, and Peter Erskine; toured ing a master class at MD Fest 2011, releasing the
with the Hiromi Trio; and, with the release of well-received instructional manual Song
Journey’s Greatest Hits 2, reminded the Charting Made Easy, appearing on Surprise,
world of his faultless approach to arena rock. Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular Part 1—and, as
2. Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez usual, touring, touring, touring.
3. Omar Hakim • 4. Lenny White 2. Chad Cromwell • 3. Rich Redmond
5. Mark Guiliana 4. Chris McHugh • 5. Ben Sesar

PERCUSSIONIST
UP & COMING
LUIS CONTE NAVENE
KOPERWEIS
Heinz Kronberger

C L I N I C I A N / E D U C AT O R

Scott Hansen
CHRIS ADLER This year makes it four in a row that Luis
Anyone who’s met or read about Chris Conte has topped the percussionist category
Adler knows that he’s constantly look- in the MD Readers Poll. Among Conte’s
ing for ways to up his game, and it was recordings in 2011: the soundtracks to
in the spirit of helping other drummers Happy Feet Two and Rise of the Planet of the
improve their own playing that he Apes, Patti Austin’s Sound Advice, Journey Though he’s since left Animals as Leaders,
launched a string of highly regarded Around the Sun by Strunz & Farah, Sundays Navene Koperweis captured the imagination of
clinics across the U.S. for Mapex. Given in New York by Trijntje Oosterhuis with the many drummers last year with his work with the
Adler’s second win in our Readers
Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Negociaré progressive metal band. Koperweis’s Portraits
Poll’s metal category, it’s no surprise
con la Pena by Pepe Aguilar, and the per- piece in the January issue of Modern Drummer
that attendees were lining up for
cussionist’s seventh release as a leader, En explored advanced concepts of meshing
hours to witness these educational
Casa de Luis. Conte also conducted a series acoustic and electronic drums.
appearances.
2. Billy Ward • 3. Mike Johnston of clinics and toured with the legendary 2. Elaine Bradley (Neon Trees)
4. John Riley • 5. Jim Riley singer-songwriter James Taylor. 3. Eric Slick (Dr. Dog)
2. Taku Hirano • 3. Pedrito Martinez 4. Jonathan Schang (District 97)
4. Richard Bravo • 5. Bashiri Johnson 5. Chris St. Hilaire (The London Souls)

E D U C AT I O N A L B O O K E D U C AT I O N A L D V D RECORDED PERFORMANCE
RUDIMENTAL JAZZ TAKING CENTER STAGE MIKE MANGINI
BY JOE MORELLO BY NEIL PEART A DRAMATIC TURN OF
EVENTS (DREAM THEATER)
2. The Breakbeat Bible by Mike Adamo 2. Methods & Mechanics II by Todd Sucherman
3. Song Charting Made Easy by Jim Riley 3. Double Bass Drum Freedom by Virgil Donati 2. Taylor Hawkins, Wasting Light (Foo Fighters)
4. Systems: Book 1 by Ari Hoenig 4. Life on Drums by Billy Martin 3. Steve Gadd, Live at Voce (Steve Gadd & Friends)
5. The Complete Guide to Brushes 5. Wicked Beats by Gil Sharone 4. Brann Dailor, The Hunter (Mastodon)
by Florian Alexandru-Zorn 5. Dale Crover and Coady Willis,
Sugar Daddy Live (the Melvins)
 IT’S QUESTIONABLE
I’m currently putting together a studio in my

TOM MICS house for recording drums. What are the best
microphones for toms?
Robert

There are a lot of options for tom mics, and just about every manufacturer has
models that would sound great. For years, the industry standard has been the
Sennheiser MD421, which has a large-diaphragm dynamic element that can han-
dle high sound-pressure levels. Sennheiser also makes a very rugged clip-on mic,
the e604, that’s designed especially for drums. In MD’s studio, we use Shure Beta
98AMP clip-on mics for rack toms and Shure KSM32s for floor toms. Shure Beta
27s are also very good, especially for larger drums, and you can even get nice tom
tones from the basic Shure SM57. In addition, we’ve had excellent results using
the Audix D2 in the studio, and the MXL Cube condenser is super-affordable and
very clean sounding. You should also investigate options from AKG, Audio-
Technica, and Beyerdynamic, among others.

M I N D M AT T E R S by Bernie Schallehn
A 25-Hour Day?
I’m a seventeen-year-old high school stu- upset, and he lost a few gigs, but he had to think drum practice?
dent, and I’ve been playing drums since I of himself. If he burned out, he and others would Your letter lists a wealth of activities in which
was eight. I play in my school drum line and lose out big time. As he continued to say no, his you’re involved. In a year or two, you’ll be out of
orchestra, and I gig regularly in a couple dif- days became more manageable. He had to high school and working toward a career. Good
ferent bands. I recently started working a become a bit more selfish. questions to ask yourself now are: Where do I
part-time job, which leaves me with little You might be thinking, Selfish? Isn’t that a bad want to be in five years? Ten years? Twenty
free time to practice. How can I keep my trait to have? Shouldn’t we always be giving to our years? Look at your present-day life. Anything
skills sharp? fellow man? Well, I’m going to suggest an alter- that doesn’t fit with your goals might have to be
BDM nate definition of selfish. tossed out of the basket of your hot-air balloon.
Think of selfish as taking care of yourself, Sometimes it’s the little five-pound weight, but
I applaud the full life you’ve made for yourself. attending to your needs, and going after what other times it’s the bigger twenty-five-pounder.
But your letter also tells me that you may have you want. Behaving selfishly in this context is It’s simple to get rid of things, but it’s not always
packed your schedule a little too tight. The last engaging in necessary “me” time. This doesn’t easy, because it may involve dealing with nega-
thing you want is to experience burnout with mean you become a narcissist, calculating tive reactions and feelings from others.
an activity that gives you such pleasure and ful- behaviors that will only benefit you. It’s a ques-
fillment, which in this case is drumming. Severe tion of finding a balance. STOLEN MOMENTS
burnout could even lead you to abandon music Reliability, trustworthiness, competence, and Even in such an action-packed life as yours, I
completely. Here are some things to consider. friendliness are positive aspects of your character guarantee you can find some spare minutes
that others saw when they bestowed so many to practice. I suggest that you always carry a
THE POWER OF NO responsibilities on you. Own those traits, and be pair of sticks and a small practice pad in your
In the 1970s, there was a world-class session proud that you possess that type of personality. backpack. Bust them out and work on your rudi-
drummer working in New York City. In an inter- Sadly, though, individuals like you can become ments while waiting for class to start. Do you get
view, he spoke of how work was pouring in at an like overloaded pack animals, continually being breaks at your part-time job? If so, “par-a-did-dle,
astounding rate—so much, in fact, that he was saddled with backbreaking obligations that keep par-a-did-dle.”
starting to burn out. He feared he’d soon be you from engaging in your true passions. Acoustic drums are loud. I’m guessing your
as crisp as an overcooked Pop-Tart. His first In your case, you’re struggling to find time to folks have a cutoff hour for any nighttime practic-
strategy was to leave the studio scene for a few get behind your drumkit for some solo practice. ing. But you can also purchase an electronic kit. I
days and hide out in the clubs at night. When he We all get only twenty-four hours in the day. bought an entry-level set a few years ago for less
came back to the studio, however, messages Learn to say no in a polite but authoritative than $500. Can’t afford new? Buy used. With an
requesting sessions had piled up. (Remember, manner if you’re asked to take on a responsibility electronic kit, you can steal more practice
there were no cell phones back then.) This that you don’t want or have time for. Brace your- moments later in the evening. Also, set your alarm
super-busy drummer hadn’t escaped anything; self, because the person asking may become clock for half an hour earlier than normal so that in
he’d just delayed dealing with reality. Eventually upset. Learn to deal with that, and stick tight to the morning you can groove on the e-kit or work
he started to turn down some sessions in a your decision. on your chops on a practice pad. With your bed-
polite but definitive way. Sure, some artists were room door closed, others in the house should hear
JETTISON THE EXCESS WEIGHT only a light tapping of the sticks. If the tapping is
Bernie Schallehn has been a drummer
Sometimes weights have to be tossed out of the bothersome to someone else, set up your elec-
and percussionist for over forty-five years.
He holds a master’s degree in counseling basket of a hot-air balloon before the balloon tronic kit or pad in the basement or attic.
psychology and, while in private practice, will climb to amazing heights. What can you let With your drive and ambition, you’ll do well
held the credentials of a certified clinical go of in your life to make more time for solo in life. Best of luck!
mental health counselor and a certified alcohol and
substance abuse counselor.

HOW TO REACH US iq@moderndrummer.com

22 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012
 PRODUCT CLOSE-UP

Gretsch
Brooklyn Series Drumset and Snares
by Michael Dawson

24 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

F rom 1883 until 1970, the Gretsch factory was
based in Brooklyn, New York. These days, all
Gretsch USA Custom drums are handcrafted in a
BROOKLYN SERIES SNARES
The GB-R844 Brooklyn series shell pack comes
facility in Ridgeland, South Carolina, but to commem- with a matching 10-lug, 61/2x14, 6-ply maple/
orate its roots, the company recently launched the poplar snare that features 30-degree bearing edges,
new high-end Brooklyn series, which is available in Gretsch’s slick and simple Lightning throw-off, a
six different shell packs and in four satin finishes and coated single-ply batter head with a white dot under-
four Nitron wraps. neath, and twenty-strand snare wires.
We were sent the GB-R844 configuration, which Gretsch also offers a few metal snares in the
comprises an 18x24 bass drum, 9x13 and 16x16 toms, Brooklyn series. We were sent 5x14 and 61/2x14
and a matching 61/2x14 wood snare, in Tabasco satin chrome-over-brass models. (A 61/2x14 hammered
finish ($3,495). Gretsch also threw in two of its new brass drum is available as well.) The 5x14 has eight
lugs, and the 61/2x14 has ten. Both feature the same
Brooklyn series metal snares: the GB-4160 8-lug, 5x14
heads, bearing edges, Lightning throw-off, and snare
chrome-over-brass ($460.99) and the GB-4164 10-lug,
wires as the matching wood snare.
61/2x14 chrome-over-brass ($510.99).

BROOKLYN SPECS
Like USA Custom drums, Brooklyn series shells are
6-ply (without reinforcement hoops) and have
30-degree bearing edges with Gretsch’s classic
Silver Sealer interior. The difference is that instead
of being all maple, Brooklyn shells are a combination
of maple and poplar. “We tested many wood combi-
nations to engineer the Brooklyn sound we were
looking for,” Gretsch rep Joe Mazza explains. “We
wanted a sound that had its own personality, but at
the same time they still needed to have a ‘Gretsch’
sound. The 6-ply maple/poplar was the best combi-
nation to fit our goals. The shells are made to Gretsch
specs, but they’re slightly thicker than the 6-ply USA
Custom shell.”
Also new to the Brooklyn line is the 3 mm,
double-flange 302 hoop, which is a throwback to
the hoops Gretsch used on all of its drums until the
mid-’50s. (USA Custom snares and toms come with
die-cast hoops.) The 302 hoop, plus the maple/poplar
shell, helps bring a more lively, ambient characteristic
to the Brooklyn series, while retaining the punchy,
warm, and focused sound that Gretsch drums are
known for. “The combination of the shell and 302 few dB of high-end boost. The floor tom was especially
hoops gives a more open tone that has a little more strong and lively sounding, and it had a super-fat tone.
high-end presence,” Mazza says. If you’re a fan of that rumbling classic-rock-meets–
The Brooklyn series is finished off with Gretsch Buddy Rich sound but you want a little more modern
USA hardware, including suspension mounts for presence (think Jean-Paul Gaster with Clutch or Patrick
rack toms and a new black and pewter round Keeler with the Raconteurs), these drums, tuned this
badge, which is also a tribute to the original way, would be an excellent choice.
Brooklyn-era drums. U.S.-made Gretsch drums are also highly coveted
by studio drummers because their punchy, rich, and
TO THE DRUMS focused tones translate so well on recordings. To get
Out of the box, the six-lug 9x13 rack tom and eight- a more studio-ready sound out of the Brooklyns, I
lug 16x16 floor tom, which came outfitted with replaced the solid front head of the bass drum with
Remo-made coated single-ply batters and clear one that had a 4" port, and I stuffed a bedroom pillow
single-ply bottoms, were tensioned with both inside. I also backed off the batter heads on the
heads at about medium-high. This jazz-like toms to about the lowest point they would go before
tuning provided a full and round sound the tone started to distort. The floor tom sounded
with nice stick response and was a perfect absolutely killer no matter how I tuned it, but the
contrast to the low-tuned but wide-open rack tom took a little longer to get dialed in. Once I
18x24 bass drum. The kick came with a found the sweet spot, which was a bit higher than I
Remo Coated Powerstroke 3 batter and a expected, the rack tom’s tone had a really nice pitch
coated single-ply resonant (no porthole), dip, a moderate sustain, and a snappy attack, all of
and it produced a huge sound with nice sus- which recorded well. The muffled and ported kick
tain and clear, punchy articulation. drum also had a strong, fat, and punchy sound with a
As Gretsch intended, the Brooklyn toms had a clean attack and plenty of low-end boom. If you’re
crisp, vibrant attack, which made their otherwise clas- after a big studio rock drum sound, à la Taylor
sic, warm sound a bit brighter and more articulate, Hawkins with Foo Fighters or Brad Wilk with Rage
as if they were being run through an equalizer with a Against the Machine, the Brooklyns have that too.

July 2012 • MODERN DRUMMER 25

 STRONG, STURDY HARDWARE brackets a few extra turns so that the duced when tuned tightly, while the
I applaud Gretsch for its straightforward, memory locks have enough clearance to 61/2x14 chrome-over-brass sounded very
no-frills philosophy when it comes to pass by the hoop without hitting it. I usu- fat and open when tuned medium-low.
drum hardware. Everything on this kit is ally loosen the thumbscrews just enough (The 5x14 also produced a fat, spraying
designed to be simple, solid, and stable. that the legs move freely, but when I honk at lower tunings.) The matching
The 302 hoops are super-strong; the rack did that with the Brooklyn floor tom, I maple/poplar snare felt most comfortable
tom suspension mount allows the drum couldn’t get the legs off the drum. It’s a in the medium range, where the shell was
to resonate fully yet doesn’t cause it to minor detail but one worth mentioning. able to speak with a rich, full voice for
bounce around; and the bass drum spurs more all-purpose playing. This snare also
are big, chunky, and easy to adjust, and THREE FOR ALL sounded excellent when tuned super-low
they have a spiked tip with removable Each of the three Brooklyn snares we and muffled for a darker, tubbier vibe.
rubber feet. The floor tom legs are stout reviewed had a wide tuning range and With just these three drums, you’d have
and hefty, and they come with large produced a sensitive yet strong sound all your basic snare tones covered. Again,
memory locks, which helps make setup that would work well within many differ- Gretsch’s practicality, as well as its strong
quicker and more consistent. One minor ent playing styles. They also functioned sense of what drummers actually need,
word of caution, though, with regard to great as a trio, with each tuned differently wins out.
the Brooklyn series floor tom legs: Make for specific sounds. I loved the super-clean gretschdrums.com
sure to loosen the thumbscrews on the and articulate pop that the 5x14 pro- •

TRX
NRG Series
by Ben Lauffer

T he NRG (“energy”) series is

handcrafted in Turkey,
combining ancient metallurgi-
cal techniques with modern
ideas to create vintage-
inspired cymbals that
deliver the power and
projection needed by
today’s aggressive drum-
mers. TRX sent us a tasting
of this series, consisting of
10" and 12" splashes ($200,
$225); 16", 18", and 20"
crashes ($325, $375, $475); a
21" China ($550); a 22" ride
($525); and 14" hi-hats ($550).

FORM AND FUNCTION

Hardcore drummers appreciated
TRX’s Icon series but requested—if
not demanded—a cymbal with a
less “pretty” quality. TRX’s answer is
the NRG series. The cymbals are heavy,
with a very aggressive taper and profile.

THE NRG OBJECTIVE

The NRG series consists of handcrafted cymbals devel-
oped to meet the needs of today’s hardcore and metal
drummers. All NRG cymbals are made with B20 bronze and
have brilliant, polished bells and natural-finish bows.

26 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

These features not only increase the vol- CRASHES thing you throw at it. The bell was really
ume but also raise the pitch, allowing the I’m often afraid that a 16" crash is going to pronounced and maintained a consistent
cymbals to cut through in just about any give out when played very loudly. But this sound, even when struck in different spots.
situation. The bells of all of the models little guy stood its ground. Bigger cymbals This ride is a bit too thick to crash, but it
have a brilliant polished finish, which fur- have more mass, resulting in more energy will clearly articulate fast patterns with
ther allows the cymbals to sing and be when they’re struck, which we perceive as ease and leave you with a long decay.
heard through the music. The bodies sound. This explains why it’s somewhat My favorite cymbal of the NRG series
of the cymbals have a natural finish, unfair to compare the 16" crash to a 20". is the 21" China. Chinas seem to be sepa-
helping to create multiple colors of highs However, the 16" NRG did make a nice fast rated into two categories: mellow and low
and lows and bringing back a touch of crash that could certainly handle a beating. pitched or harsh and high pitched. The 21"
vintage-style complexity. The 18" model had a great wash but NRG China offered the best of both worlds.
lacked a little low-end presence due to its It had the complex overtones found in
HI-HATS extremely steep profile. I found that each mellower cymbals, and it combined the
The 14" hi-hats had a very focused sound cymbal in the NRG line, including this one, attack and abrasiveness of a high-pitched
when played with the tip of the stick. They had a definite fundamental pitch, but with China without being too harsh. Believe it
never sounded thin, and they retained the its own unique complexities. The distinc- or not, I found this to be the most musical
musicality that’s often lost with heavier tive lathing and hammering process, com- cymbal of the group. If you’re looking for a
cymbals. When I played with the shaft bined with the large, thick bells and exag- China that can cross genres from metal to
of the stick, I found that the sound got gerated taper, allows many of the over- pop, hip-hop, and jazz, this is it.
beefier but not clunky. These hats had a tones to be heard.
lower tone than I expected. They displayed The 20" crash would make a great pri- WRAP-UP
the fullness and body of 15" hi-hats, while mary crash or crash/ride. The initial attack TRX’s NRG series is taking Turkish cymbals
holding on to the clarity and articulation was very loud and in your face, but the beyond what we would classify as a
you’d expect from 14s. sustain rounded out the sound a bit. “traditional” sound. While sacrificing
This cymbal is thickest at the bell and grad- some warmth and musicality, the line
SPLASHES ually thins out toward the edge, allowing gains the projection and “energy” needed
Though the profile is less apparent on the for a clear, loud attack while retaining the to hold its own for today’s hardcore and
splashes, these small cymbals still had a lot inherent washing capabilities of such a metal drummers.
of high-end overtones. The 12" splash large crash. trxcymbals.com
sounded somewhat brittle, with a bit of
pitch dip. The 10" version had a more full- RIDE AND CHINA •
bodied sound and was able to retain its The 22" NRG ride is a very heavy cymbal
fundamental tone at high volumes. with a glossy ping that cuts through any-

Groove Juice
Stick Grip by David Ciauro

N o drummer revels in the experience of dropping or inadvertently hurling a drumstick during a

performance. Yet the occurrence is almost inevitable—not only to our own embarrassment but
also to the chagrin of the unfortunate bandmate or audience member that just got smacked upside
the head. Stick Grip by Groove Juice offers drummers the option of an invisible remedy in their pur-
suit of limiting, if not eradicating, incidents of projectile drumsticks.
In testing, the spray was easy to apply, dried in less than a minute, and provided a secure grip
without leaving any residue on the fingers or palm. The product successfully endured a solid week-
end of sweaty drumming, showing no decrease in its sufficiently tacky grip. Impressively, Stick Grip’s
bond with the drumstick was not undone by scratching, and the grip maintained a consistent feel. It
was always tacky but never icky. If desired, the product can be removed with some isopropyl alcohol
and a soft, wet cloth.
Stick Grip is invisible, which would be a selling point for drummers who don’t like the look and/or
feel of gloves or stick wraps. If you use drum gloves, Stick Grip provides additional tack, akin to base-
ball players putting pine tar on their batting gloves. Or perhaps your hands sweat excessively or you
have a tendency to alter how firmly you hold your sticks in certain playing situations. In either case,
Stick Grip offers an effective solution that doesn’t alter anything aesthetically and also doesn’t dra-
matically change the feel of the stick in your hand.
groovejuiceinc.com
•

July 2012 • MODERN DRUMMER 27

 DW 5002 AD4 Double Bass Drum Pedal
and 9000 Series Airlift Hardware
by Mike Haid

grip pad underneath the baseplate. This easier adjustment once the pedal is
D W recently added several innovative
upgrades to the 5002 double bass
drum pedal, a longtime favorite of the
replaces the previous hook-and-loop-
fastener backing that held the pedal in
attached to the hoop. All three are worth-
while and thoughtful improvements.
company’s pedal family, and introduced a place. Now, with the new rubber backing,
new pneumatic hardware design, called the pedal stays firmly planted but is much AIRLIFT TOM AND SNARE STANDS
Airlift. Let’s take a look at each. easier to adjust from its position on the The DW Airlift power-assist pneumatic
bass drum hoop. The rubber grip also system, designed by the hardware inven-
IF IT AIN’T BROKE… worked surprisingly well on the slave tor Randall May, is an extraordinary
So what’s new with the updated DW 5002 pedal, even on thick carpeting. And you innovation that helps eliminate the
AD4 Accelerator double pedal ($699.99)? can always utilize the metal spikes to pre- backbreaking struggle of adjusting
Most notably, a 9000-series-style cam fol- vent the pedal from nudging forward, if the height of your drums once they’re
lower (Dual Bearing Spring Rocker) for the you have powerful double bass technique mounted on a stand. This has always
master and slave pedals that works or a tendency to dance on the pedals. been a challenging task, where you have
together with the spring assembly and The 5000 series bass drum pedals still to support the weight of the toms while
stroke adjustment to relieve stress and fric- offer the same drive-system options, alu- loosening the wing nut in order to pre-
tion from the pedal. This small but mighty minum hex shafts, pedal plates and link- vent the bottom tom hoop from taking a
upgrade adds a smooth, responsive feel to ages, 101 two-way beaters, and built-in chunk out of your bass drum shell.
the solid, heavy-duty 5000 frame, creating spurs. As the DW specs read: “The When the toms are mounted to the
a perfect balance of substance and finesse. Accelerator (AD4) drive system offers an 9900AL Airlift double tom stand ($349.99)
Other improvements include the eccentric motion that creates an indirect and the wing screw is loosened, the
versatile Tri-Pivot toe clamp, which was relationship between the sprocket and the drums literally float on an air cushion pro-
designed by DW R&D specialist Rich Sikra. footboard, increasing the velocity of the vided by a built-in pneumatic shock. This
This ingenious system utilizes circular pedal by shortening the length of the allows you to effortlessly lift the toms to
rubber reinforcing discs—one underneath stroke. It is recommended for situations the desired height and position and then
the toe clamp and two on the footplate. that require increased speed and sensitiv- simply tighten the wing screw to lock
All three pads swivel in place to accommo- ity. The Turbo (TD4) concentric drive sys- them in place. Just be cautious and make
date any thickness and/or diameter of tem maintains a direct relationship sure you have hold of the toms as you
bass drum hoop. I tried the pedal on between the sprocket and the footboard loosen the wing screw, so that the tom
several hoops of different sizes, and each to provide a solid, powerful, consistent feel stand doesn’t turn in the direction of the
time it locked in with a solid grip, without and response.” The innovative upgrades bass drum and bump the shell.
any slippage. to this already popular pedal help loosen
There’s also a nonskid, textured rubber the feel, strengthen the grip, and allow for

28 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 These heavy-duty stands still offer all
the same high-end features we’ve grown
accustomed to in the hefty 9000 series.
The double tom stand features double-
braced legs and a frame made of heavy-
gauge tubing, with plastic tube insulators
and oversize joints to minimize wobble.
Hinged memory locks keep everything
firmly in place. The tom arms are
designed to fit DW TB12 brackets, and
there’s a DW auxiliary clamp for mount-
ing cymbal arms.
This Airlift technology is also a blessing
with the 9300AL snare stand ($316.99),
especially when you’re using a heavy-
weight drum and trying to position the
stand at just the right height—between
songs in the middle of a gig. One com-
plaint with the snare stand is that it
doesn’t quite go low enough to accom-
modate deep drums. But if you need
extra height, it works well, especially as a
rack tom stand. It can certainly bear the
weight of the heaviest of snares with
its heavy-duty construction, double-
braced legs, and memory locks. The
offset basket and toothless tilter are my The DW Airlift system is a very wel- mer and make drum and hardware
favorite features for pinpoint positioning, come, and long awaited, feature that’s placement quicker is an important
because they allow this behemoth to sure to change the way drum hardware is and worthwhile investment.
twist and turn in any direction, with mul- designed for the future. Anything that dwdrums.com
tiple angle adjustments. can take the heavy lifting off the drum-
 E L E C T R O N I C R E V I E W

MXL Studio Drum Kit

DRUM-MIKING KITS
by Mark Parsons

M XL has come out with three new drum-miking

packages, each with an intended application—
the Studio Drum Kit, the Club Drum Kit, and the Kick
& Snare Kit. Let’s take a look and a listen.

STUDIO DRUM KIT

This is MXL’s flagship drum-miking package, consisting of six
mics (bass drum, snare, overhead pair, and tom pair). The set comes
with a sturdy aluminum flight case, a pair of shock mounts for the
overheads, and clips or mounts for the other mics.
The A-55 Kicker—a cardioid dynamic model designed for bass
drum—is a relatively large mic, but that’s mitigated by the built-in
pivot, which contains both the threaded stand mount and the XLR
output. This makes placement a bit easier, although it was a tight
squeeze to get the mic through a 4" port. Club Drum Kit
My overall impression is that this is a well-balanced kick mic,
with a good blend of classic and contemporary sound. It
had a full low end (a little boost around 100 Hz) and
good snap on top (slightly enhanced beater
articulation at approximately 5 kHz), with a
broad but shallow reduction through the
mids. This all combined to provide a fairly
“finished” kick sound, yet one that was not so
pre-equalized that it wouldn’t work in a wide
variety of styles. Very nice.
The kit also contains a pair of 603S small-
diaphragm condensers for use as overheads.
Constructed like typical pencil mics (7/8x51/4),
these are ostensibly cardioids, although “wide car-
dioid” might be a better description. In an X/Y (coinci-
dent pair) configuration they didn’t exhibit as much separation
on the cymbals as some other small condensers I’ve used. However,
this isn’t necessarily a dig at the 603S, since there are benefits to hav-
ing a broader pickup pattern, especially in
the common spaced-pair configuration.
Kick & Snare Kit
The 603Ss were fairly linear through the
midrange, and there was a little lift in the
8–10 kHz range, making the mics some-
what sparkly sounding. We ran these
models alongside Neumann KM184s—
similar-size cardioid condensers, albeit
pricier—which are considered somewhat
bright sounding themselves. The 603S
was in roughly the same ballpark up
through the upper mids but was a little
brighter on top. If you use extremely
bright cymbals and you whack the heck
out of them, these mics might give you a
cymbal-centric overhead mix. But in
other cases they’d put the right amount
of sparkle in the overheads without your
having to reach for excessive EQ.

30 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

ELECTRONIC REVIEW
For the snare, MXL includes the 606 small condenser. It
looks like the 603S, only 1" shorter and with the addition of
two switches—a high-pass filter and an attenuation pad.
The 606 sounded quite a bit like the 603S and worked well
on the snare. In this application it sounded like a nice
dynamic mic, only with better extension on the top end,
which allowed me to get the crisp snap I often have to dial
in after the fact.
The 606 also had a hotter output signal than a typical
dynamic would, but even when used to close-mike loud
rimshots on a snare, it didn’t distort and the pad wasn’t
required. Likewise, we didn’t use the high-pass filter in this
application, as we wanted to capture the meat of the tone.
The Drum Cube is a relatively short, squared-off large
condenser mic (cardioid only, with no switches) designed
for use on toms. It captured a big and full sound with very
good stick articulation. As a bonus, this model also sounded
very nice when used as overheads.
The MXL Studio Drum Kit lists for $1,099, offering a seri-
ous bang for the buck if you’re looking to start tracking
your drums with fidelity and clarity.

CLUB DRUM KIT

This package has the basics covered, with bass drum, snare,
and overhead mics. The bass drum mic is the same solid A-55
Kicker, but the overheads are a pair of 606s. As indicated pre-
viously, the 606 sounds similar to the 603S, with the bonus of
a pad and high-pass filter.
For the snare, this kit includes an LSM-5GR, which is a
dynamic handheld vocal mic, roughly similar in size and
shape to a Shure SM58. When compared with an SM58,
however, the LSM-5GR had less transient response on top,
and the presence peak was at a lower frequency, making it
a little thicker sounding in the mids. But with a little EQ, it
worked fine in the mix.
Personally, I would have preferred another 606 for the
snare, but that would undoubtedly raise the price. At just
$399 for the package, though, you could look at the LSM-
5GR as a freebie to go along with the A-55 Kicker and pair
of 606s. An aluminum flight case is included.

KICK & SNARE KIT

This package comprises the core of drumset sound rein-
forcement for a smaller venue—bass drum and snare
mics—and the choices here are good ones. The bass drum
mic is again the A-55 Kicker, and the snare model is the 606
small condenser. Here’s an example of where the broader
polar pattern of the 606 is a benefit. If you’re miking only
the kick and snare on your drumset, you’ll likely want to
back off the snare mic a little in terms of proximity and let it
also capture some hi-hat and other nearby pieces. With its
good transient response, full range, and wide cardioid pat-
tern, the MXL 606 worked well in this application. The Kick
& Snare Kit lists for $259 and includes an aluminum flight
case and shock mount for the 606. Another great deal!
mxlmics.com
 Drumkit Details,
GEARING UP On Stage and Up Close PRINCE’S JOHN BLACKWELL

34 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

2 5
8 3
3

6
4
C D
B

7
1
A

G E
G

F
 Interview by Billy Amendola • Photos by Afshin Shahidi

Drums: Tama Starclassic Cymbals: Zildjian

(bubinga and cordia) 1. 14" K hi-hats (from the 1940s)
A. 5x14 JB signature steel snare 2. 19" K Custom Hybrid China
B. 5x10 tom 3. 18" K China (with sizzles)
C. 5x12 tom 4. 12" splash (from the 1930s)
D. 6x13 tom 5. 18" K Custom Dark crash
E. 14x14 floor tom 6. 22" K Dark Medium ride (with sizzles)
F. 14x16 floor tom 7. 13" Avedis hi-hats (from the 1920s)
G. 14x26 bass drum 8. 18" K Constantinople crash
“When the Welcome 2 America tour was “My hi-hats are original K’s from Istanbul.
in development, Prince and I were talking I love to collect old cymbals, and I also use
about the structure of the kit,” Blackwell prototypes. I’m grateful to the Zildjian family
explains. “He wanted more of a traditional for letting me make my sounds and ideas
rock ’n’ roll setup, so he asked me to have become a reality. Also, it’s a request from
Tama make two bass drums. I never played Prince for what he wants to hear out of my
kick drums this big and never had an inter- cymbals—especially when it comes to play-
est in trying. But Prince always tells me to ing stadiums and arenas.”
trust him, and I always do. Needless to say, I
was amazed by the sound of drums that Hardware: Tama Road Pro, including a lim-
size. Prince’s first word was booty, meaning ited edition chrome Iron Cobra double
the kick had a lot of boom to it. Now, a 22" pedal and Iron Cobra hi-hat stands
bass drum looks so small to me.
“The depth of the rack toms is different Heads: Remo Emperor X or Vintage
too, because I wanted that quick response.” Emperor snare batter, Vintage Emperor or
clear Pinstripe tom batters, Powerstroke 4
Electronics: Yamaha DTX-MULTI 12 and bass drum batters, and Coated Ambassador
DTX electronic pads front heads
“Under the stage, I have a DTX900 elec- “I’ve been using Pinstripes to give me a
tronic brain, which runs all the pads on sound with a lot of tone, which Prince likes
stage. We use it to sample Prince’s sounds to hear. I use Coated Ambassadors on the
from his Linn LM-1 drum machine, and then front of the bass drums because Prince likes
we trigger them from the pads. I use two to write graffiti on the heads every night,
pads, because on certain songs I have to which means we have to change the heads
play hi-hat and snare with the left hand after every show.”
while the right hand plays samples for
songs like ‘1999,’ ‘Baby I’m a Star,’ and Sticks: Zildjian John Blackwell Jia model
‘Controversy.’ For ‘Controversy,’ I have to
play keyboard parts and other samples
while also playing the hi-hat and snare
drum, so being left-handed and playing a
right-handed kit is very helpful.”

July 2012 • MODERN DRUMMER 35

MIKE JOHNSTON WOODSHED
MikesLessons.com
Folsom, California

Story by Michael Dawson

Photos by Sasha Leahovcenco

S ix years ago, the Sacramento-based drummer

Mike Johnston had to figure out a way to keep his
private students’ lessons on track during the weeks
when he was on the road with his band Simon Says
or other projects. “When I would do short tours,”
Johnston explains, “I would film lessons for my stu-
dents and put them on this brand-new thing called
YouTube. Then, when I’d get back, the video would
have something like 35,000 views, even though I only
showed it to five or ten students. It was crazy, but I
started researching and realized how much of a need
there was for quality education and high-quality
sound on the Internet. That’s how I got started.”
These days, Johnston runs one of the most Control room
successful drum education websites in the world,
MikesLessons.com, which includes a deep catalog
of downloadable video instruction and play-along
MP3s, plus subscription-based live lesson streams
(broken down into beginner, intermediate, and
advanced levels). He’s also an in-demand clinician for
Meinl cymbals, Gretsch drums, DW hardware, Vater
sticks, Ahead Armor cases, and Aquarian heads. And
he hosts seven-day drum camps from March through
October out of a beautiful building in scenic Folsom,
California. “When I knew that we wanted to make
MikesLessons.com its own stand-alone facility and
do drum camps,” Johnston says, “we wanted to find
something that was within walking distance of a
hotel, so that whoever came here wouldn’t have to
rent a car or anything. We searched all over northern
California and found this spot, right in the same park-
ing lot as a hotel by the American River.”
The current MikesLessons.com facility is set up, as
Live lesson and drum
camp classroom
36 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012
WOODSHED
Johnston jokes, “like a drumming day spa,” complete with a
seating area for students and parents, plus a big flat-screen TV
constantly spinning Modern Drummer Festival Weekend DVDs; a
private lesson room with two Gretsch drumsets and Meinl
Byzance cymbals (“We don’t treat the student as less than the
instructor, so both use high-end equipment”); a practice room
outfitted with Yamaha DTX electronic drumkits and laptops so
campers can Skype with their families; a control room with

Lesson room

Practice room

Main kit

audio/video equipment for moderating the live lessons; and

a large classroom with eight DW Go Anywhere practice kits
and a Gretsch Renown or USA Custom drumset, which is what
Johnston uses to conduct group lessons during camp and to
film live and archived content for his website. HD cameras are
mounted throughout the room, and all the wires are hidden
behind the walls, as Johnston explains, “to give a very clean look.”
Prior to leasing the building in Folsom, Johnston and his wife,
Amber, created all of the prerecorded content and ran the live
WOODSHED
online drum instruction for MikesLessons.com out of a spare
bedroom in their house. “We took the doors off the closet, and I
put a computer in there,” Mike recalls. “That was where Amber
was set up, just three feet away from me. The Q&A in the live
lessons was so disjointed, because she would have earplugs in
and I’d have to shout to her, and she’d shout questions back to
me. It was like the Wild West, because we had no one to look at
and copy. We were just doing it on our own.”
Johnston spent two years producing prerecorded content for
YouTube and MikesLessons.com before investing in the tech-
nology required to stream live lessons over the Internet. “The
trigger for live lessons was an interview for a drum magazine
from South Africa called SA Drums & Percussion,” he says. “They
said they wanted to thank me because they didn’t have many
drum teachers and they were learning to play from my
YouTube videos. I found that unacceptable, because those
videos were just meant to be tips and tricks. I would never want
someone to go out and only play my YouTube videos on a
gig—you’d be fired in a heartbeat. So I decided I had to find a
way to give those guys forty-five minutes’ worth of education,
instead of just the ten minutes that I could post on YouTube at
the time.
“I researched live broadcasting, and I found that the Chicago
Cubs were broadcasting their games and letting their fans talk
to each other via a chat room,” Johnston continues. “I contacted
their IT director and asked him how he was doing it. He didn’t
give me the recipe for his chocolate chip cookies, but he defi-
nitely pointed me in the right direction.”
The drum camps came about a few years later, in an effort
to provide a more affordable and valuable experience for
MikesLessons.com students and YouTube followers who
wanted to come to California to study with Johnston privately.
“People were starting to fly in from around the world to take
lessons with me for a month or so at a time,” Mike says. “They
would stay in a hotel and maybe get one lesson with me every
two or three days. It was astronomically expensive for them,
so I decided to find a more efficient way to do it. That’s what
this facility is for. Luckily, MikesLessons.com had a strong
group of 5,000 or 6,000 students at the time, so I was able to
poll them to see if they would be interested in coming to a
camp. Once we had about 300 people say yes, we felt comfort-
able investing a lot of money in this place. It was a risk, but
since we opened, the camps have been sold out at least a
year in advance.”
With such a packed schedule, you’d think it would be tough
for Johnston to find time to work on his own drumming. But he
learned a valuable lesson on time management from fellow
Meinl artist Benny Greb. “We got to spend a week together
doing a drum camp here,” Johnston explains. “When we sent
the campers back to the hotel at 10 P.M., he and I would stay
here until 1 A.M. practicing and sharing ideas. I asked him how
I could get some German-style efficiency going on, and he rec-
ommended writing down every minute—not every hour—of a
day, from the moment I woke up until the moment I fell asleep.
He guaranteed that I could find two or three hours of extra
time in there. I didn’t think it was possible, since I’m already
so busy. But what I discovered was that while I thought I was
going all the time, what I was really doing was Facebooking,
or Tweeting, or doing something unproductive, like spending
an hour eating lunch at a restaurant when it would only take up
fifteen minutes if I brought in my own food. I’ve been practicing
religiously ever since.”
 PORTRAITS

JOHN SHERMAN
He’s a bit of a cutup, Red Fang’s drummer is. But don’t let that
wicked smile fool you—what he and his bandmates hit you with
live and on record is some of the most serious hard rock around. by Billy Brennan

J ohn Sherman is all lively eyes, clownish grins, and swinging

fists as he provides the backbone to the irresistibly head-
banging riffs of the Portland, Oregon, rockers Red Fang.
When asked to comment on his band’s sound, Sherman
chooses to eschew genres in favor of pointing to one of his
personal mottos: Keep it tight and loose. “I think that really
describes our music,” he says. “It’s tight and loose at the same
time. It works!”
Last year the band released its first proper album, Murder the
Mountains (a previous self-titled release collected two limited edi-
tion EPs), and secured premier tour spots on the Mayhem Festival,
and, later, in support of Mastodon. The album and live show
left many heavy-rock fans buzzing, but Red Fang is hardly an
overnight sensation. “We’ve been together for six years,” Sherman
explains, “and we’ve played everything from the smallest, dirtiest,
darkest clubs to gigs with crowds in the thousands. We hope to
keep it going—we’ve got big plans for the future.”
Despite these recent successes, Sherman is fast to insist that he
and his bandmates are “still the same goofballs.” He adds with a
laugh, “Even on the Mastodon tour, we were the only ones without
a bus. We still had our ’90s van—without a trailer. We just strap
James Rexroad

everything in and sneeze all over each other.”

Still riding high from 2011’s momentum, John took the time to
give MD a glimpse at what makes him and Red Fang tick.

MD: How did you start playing drums? a snare or kick head in the middle of a time signatures and fifteen parts. We’re
John: I was always drumming on things song, you’re screwed. So I try to change not about that anymore. We’re trying to
growing up, but it wasn’t until sixth grade my heads as often as possible. make…songs. [laughs]
or so, when I was able to take band class, MD: What’s the songwriting process like in MD: So what’s your approach behind
that I actually began to play. Plus a friend Red Fang? the kit?
down the street had a kit, so I would John: It’s pretty collaborative and usually John: I try to let the guys suggest options
always be over there trying to play. starts with a little seed that we all put our for things that I could do, because it’s hard
My first kit was a crappy old set from bit to. Sometimes it’s super-awesome and to be objective. Your instinct is to throw
the ’60s, but it did have a gold-sparkle fin- works great; other times it’s super-painful every little trick you know into everything,
ish. It looked really cool, and back then and takes forever. We’re four different but that doesn’t make for a great song.
that’s all I cared about. But I only had like guys, and if it’s not just one of us who’s Sometimes it’s great to have a really sim-
half of a bass drum pedal, so I took an old the songwriter, everyone has to be happy ple rock beat, and then, all of a sudden,
broom handle, cut it down, and wrapped and sign off on it. there’s that one moment where you do
it in duct tape for a beater. One of our mottos is definitely “Keep it something that makes people go, “Oh,
MD: Does being on the road almost non- simple, stupid.” If you keep messing with man, what was that?” And then you’re
stop affect your drumming? stuff, you end up with a song that doesn’t back to the beat. That’s way better than
John: Being on the road keeps me play- make sense at all. We used to love doing a nonstop barrage of drum licks. To me,
ing and makes me sharper. Plus we’re that and having songs with eight different at least.
always touring with other bands, so I can
get together with their drummers and TOOLS OF THE TRADE
swap stuff.
MD: What’s the best piece of advice Sherman plays a Darwin kit with an 11x14 rack tom, a 16x18 floor tom, and an 18x24 bass
another drummer gave you on tour? drum. He alternates between two snares: a 61/2x14 Pearl Steve Ferrone signature model
John: The best advice might have been to and a 61/2x14 Ludwig Supra-Phonic. His cymbals, all from Paiste’s Alpha series, include
always change your drumheads before it 15" hi-hats, 19" and 20" Rock crashes, and a 24" Rock ride. John’s hardware includes a
DW 5000 single bass drum pedal, a DW 5000 hi-hat stand, and three straight cymbal
becomes absolutely necessary. If you bust
stands made by various manufacturers.

42 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 FIRST PERSON

PARENTING PERSPECTIVES
Appreciating the Sacrifices of My Father
human to a fault. He’s always been too
humble and self-deprecating to under-
stand how he could ever be perceived as
my hero, and he’s never been the best at
conveying his emotions in his words. His
actions, though, have served as uninten-
tional life lessons that have made a pro-
found impact on me.
My father played drums professionally
for many years, while also holding a day
job as an electrician. He started his own
company the year I was born, 1977, and
worked seven days a week from dawn to
dusk, building his business and then gig-
ging on the weekends in a wedding band.
His musical aspirations eventually gave
way to his business, but the number of
hours he worked never changed. I often
felt his absence as a child, and I lived for
the moments we shared together jamming
in our music room.
As I got older, I started to resent his hav-
ing to work so much. I misinterpreted his
EJ DeCoskie

little gestures—such as taking the time to

stop at a local music store during his hectic
workday to pick up a magazine he thought
I’d appreciate and dropping it off so it
would be there when I got home from
school—as his way of buying something
to placate my frustration. Sadly, it wasn’t
until very recently that I understood the
subtext and nuance of those gestures.
They were all he could do at the time, and
it was his way of letting me know he was
thinking about me. I didn’t realize he was
working so much to enable me to have the
opportunities he didn’t have.
Although he may not have agreed with
many of the decisions I made through my
life, he also never tried to project his life
experiences and the choices he made on
Like many of us whose lifelong passion is drumming, MD me. He never pushed me into being an
electrician so I could one day take over his
writer David Ciauro has traveled a somewhat crooked path business. He supported my drumming,
to success. It wouldn’t have been possible, he suggests, and our shared love of drums was always
without the support of an understanding dad. the glue in our relationship, but he also
supported my decision not to go to a
music college after high school. He sup-
through the pages and recapture a faint ported every band I was in, even if he did-
N ovember 1989. That was when I
received my first issue of Modern
Drummer magazine. I came home from
taste of that innocent youthful giddiness. I
recently experienced an interesting shift in
n’t care for the music. He supported me
when I informed him of my decision to
school one day to find cover artist perspective in this nostalgic tradition. The switch majors in college from business
Jonathan Mover’s face staring back at smile on my face was not for me; it was in to English.
me when I went to put my backpack recognition of my father, the man who sat In 1999, he supported me when I chose
down on my desk. I froze in excitement me on his lap when I was a toddler and a job in project management instead of
and confusion. What is THIS? And where first introduced me to the drums. one that involved writing. In 2001, he sup-
did it come from? I was eleven years old at I was overcome by gratitude and appre- ported my decision to leave that job to try
the time, and although I’d been drumming ciation for his being a constant pillar of my hand at working with the special-needs
since the ripe ol’ age of three, I define this support in my life, and for the sacrifices he population as I considered the idea of
as the moment when I officially became made so that my sister and I could be becoming a teacher. In 2003, he supported
a drummer. afforded opportunities he didn’t have my going back to a corporate job after I
I still have that timeworn issue of MD, growing up. Moreover, he’s the best role realized I didn’t want to teach. And, in
and every now and then I like to flip model you could ask for, because he’s 2006, when my daughter was born, he

44 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

FIRST PERSON
supported my leaving behind the corporate
world to be a stay-at-home dad while I figured
out a career path that I would find more fulfilling.
In November of 2009, happenstance found
me at the offices of Modern Drummer, where I
was picking up my first piece of gear to review
for the magazine. Exactly twenty years after my
father bought me my first issue, and ten years
after graduating with my BA in English, I was
finally going to be combining two things I
loved dearly: drumming and writing. At the
same time, I was about to start a master’s pro-
gram in mental health counseling, once again
with my father’s support.
Since then, my father has seen me hit my
stride both personally and professionally. I can
now see that he knew more than I ever did, that
I had the potential to do whatever I wanted.
Instead of faulting me for taking longer than
some to realize what I wanted to do, or feeling
disillusioned by my numerous changes in direc-
tion, he quietly watched from the sidelines as I
tried to find myself. He never viewed anything I
did as a failure; rather, he saw it as a process of
eliminating things I knew I wouldn’t be happy
with or be good at doing.
On my current career path I may never reap
the monetary rewards to allow me to offer my
daughter the same luxuries I had growing up,
but I know that the time I’ve been able to
spend with her, and the appreciation I have for
my father’s hard work and support, will offer
her a different path of opportunities. Similarly, I
may never be able to buy my father a Cadillac
for his retirement, but the times we share
now, and how close we’ve become over the
past few years, are greatly due to the ways
that he’s been a part of my life. As a parent,
I’ve learned that life unfolds as it should—
and typically doesn’t follow the design of our
initial intentions.
My being a part of Modern Drummer has
brought my father and me closer than we’ve
ever been. Whether it’s him coming over to the
house to check out some gear I’m reviewing,
talking about a drummer I got to interview,
being able to bring him backstage at the 2010
Modern Drummer Festival, or getting to take
him to the 2010 winter NAMM show—these are
all things that would not have been possible
without his support. They also wouldn’t have
been possible if he had pushed me to do things
he felt were for my own good rather than let
my life take its own course.
I know my father is proud of me, but to be
able to pay this small tribute to him in the mag-
azine that he introduced me to is perhaps the
most fitting way for me to let him know how
truly proud I am to call him Dad.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad.
 With one foot in tradition and one in the future, the exceptionally
diverse, super-polished pounder is at the forefront of a scene that
shows little interest in what can’t be done on the drumset.

Periphery’s
Matt Halpern
Animals as Leaders. His star began to rise in earnest

M
att Halpern first appeared on the
cover of Modern Drummer at age when he joined Periphery in 2009, a gig that seem-
thirteen. Well, sort of. When visitors ingly left every drummer who shared the stage with
entered the after-party of his bar mitz- the band an instant convert to his otherworldly
vah, the first thing they saw was the young drum- rhythmic ideas and unstoppable energy. Halpern
mer’s face on a mocked-up cover of MD. “Matt appears on Periphery’s self-titled 2010 album, the
Halpern: Drummer to the Stars!” read the headline, 2011 EP Icarus, and the brand-new long-player,
and if the guests were lucky, they might hear the which is also titled Periphery. The first two releases
young lion perform a solo on his Ludwig kit. Even were recorded piecemeal, with Matt playing a
then Halpern had big goals. Fifteen years later, his V-Drums kit and replicating rhythms programmed
musical dreams have come true, and he’s enjoying by guitarist/composer/mastermind Misha Mansoor,
his first Modern Drummer cover story, for real. one of contemporary heavy music’s true visionar-
While Halpern is often lumped in with the pro- ies. For the band’s new release, however, the drum-
gressive metal trend known as djent (a term he mer recorded on an acoustic Mapex set.
downplays—“It’s simply the sound of a certain type Throughout, Halpern’s playing is an attention
of palm muting on a guitar string”), the twenty- grabber. The half-time rhythmic stomp of “JI” is
eight-year-old Baltimore native is a fan of drum- matched by the tom fills on steroids of “Make
mers as wide-ranging as Dennis Chambers, Mike Total Destroy,” where Halpern’s snare drum slap
Mangini, Stewart Copeland, and Roger Taylor. And and hi-hat slash are as powerful as his double-
Halpern’s technique is as unusual as his taste is pedal fury. “Mile Zero” begins with a nearly classic-
diverse. Watching him play his stripped-down rock groove, but Halpern’s lockstep with bassist/
three-piece set, you might first notice his some- producer Adam Getgood—his patterns vacuum
what bizarre technique. Halpern changes stick grips sealed and madly electronic—are anything but old-
constantly, to match the music and to implement school. Elsewhere, Matt double-fists a pummeling
ideas that blast from his kit like shooting stars tom-filled attack on “Ragnarok,” revs up his inner
across a midnight sky. Whether he’s using a Dave Lombardo for “Scarlet,” and performs a flexi-
German, French, or American grip, he bastardizes ble, extremely inspired solo within the slippery
each for ultimate fluidity and flexibility, as his groove of “Erised.”
drumming flashes through rock, metal, reggae, and MD spoke with Halpern as Periphery was putting
jazz styles with equal smoothness and passion. the finishing touches on the album that, years from
Halpern first came to many people’s attention as now, will likely be viewed as the breakout perfor-
a member of the progressive metal heat seekers mance of a truly monstrous drummer.

Story by Ken Micallef • Photos by Sahisnu Sadarpo

48 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

July 2012 • MODERN DRUMMER 49
 “I work out ideas in front
of an audience. I’ll think
about what I want to
play, then I’ll go for it.
If I nail it in a high-
pressure situation,
that proves I can do
it at any time.”

MD: Periphery has a great presence getting signed, Misha had released 130 site, Bandhappy.com, which is about
on YouTube and on the Internet in free downloadable tracks. That free musicians reaching out to their fans.
general. music really built our foundation as MD: When did you begin playing
Matt: When Misha Mansoor began an Internet band. Once the album was drums?
writing songs for Periphery, he’d also released and we began touring, we Matt: I had my first kiddie set at three;
been playing drums. Then he began built on that momentum. All of us in I got a Ludwig kit at six. Through a
programming drums with Toontrack’s Periphery [which also includes gui- couple local teachers I learned rudi-
EZdrummer and Superior Drummer tarists Mark Holcomb and Jake Bowen ments, time signatures, rates, and
programs. Whenever Misha recorded and singer Spencer Sotelo] are very dynamics. One teacher focused on
a new song, he would post it on active on the forums—we all teach jazz and Latin fundamentals, and the
SoundClick.com. Prior to the band lessons—and I am very active on my other opened me up to Screaming
Headless Torsos and that style and
feel. I practiced the twenty-six rudi-
INFLUENCES ments and worked out of books, and I
Queensrÿche Operation: Mindcrime (Scott Rockenfield) /// Screaming Headless mixed and matched different hand
Torsos Screaming Headless Torsos (Jojo Mayer) /// Dave Matthews Band Under patterns to replicate the rudiments
the Table and Dreaming (Carter Beauford) /// Queen Greatest Hits (Roger Taylor) between the hands and feet.
/// Dream Theater Images and Words (Mike Portnoy) /// Deftones Around the If you play a paradiddle between
Fur (Abe Cunningham) /// Rush Moving Pictures (Neil Peart) /// Metallica Master
your hands and feet, you can turn it
of Puppets (Lars Ulrich) /// The Police Greatest Hits (Stewart Copeland) /// James
Brown Greatest Hits (Jabo Starks, Clyde Stubblefield, others) into a beat. I really focused on the

50 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

paradiddle; I would note if a pattern on the cowbell while playing a groove
sounded like a paradiddle groove or a with the right side of my body. And I A Happy Band
double accent. I also learned albums
by Queensrÿche, Led Zeppelin, the
was never afraid to solo and perform.
MD: Why the simple setup of just bass
Makes a Happy
Police, the Beatles, James Brown…. drum, snare, and floor tom? Drummer
I was in a serious band on the week- Matt: That began when I played in
ends; we played Foo Fighters kind of local bars and needed to get offstage “Bandhappy
stuff. Before that I played in Dream fast. I enjoyed how easy it was—and came to be out
Theater– and Rush-style cover bands. how my performance improved. The of necessity,”
Learning the music of those bands is smaller set gave me more room to Matt Halpern
says of the web-
why I’ve connected with the progres- move around. When you’re touring,
site he founded,
sive side of Periphery. I learned how to less is more. Because I had played in which acts as an
dissect rhythms and songs at a young clubs on a small kit, I was comfortable online market-
age. I was recording instrumental with fewer toms and cymbals. I can place for musicians who want to teach or
music when I was seventeen. perform all my music on this kit. In a take live lessons. “I needed to support
MD: What did you woodshed while in live setting, if you don’t have a roadie, myself financially as a touring musician,
high school? it’s hard. The smaller set allows people so I began teaching on tour as a way to
supplement my income. On tour with
Matt: I’d learn an entire album—Dave to see my emotions and my move-
Periphery, I teach students in every city
Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Alice in ments better as well. we play, all over the world.
Chains—and practice soloing. I’d MD: There are fills on mounted toms “When I started, I noticed a few things.
watch videos by Dennis Chambers, on the new album. Fans and students previously had no other
Mike Mangini, Steve Smith, and Matt: I used one mounted tom and way to sit down for thirty or sixty minutes
Walfredo Reyes Jr. I tried to learn two floors on the recording. And I had and have a personal interaction with their
Dennis’s singles technique, that sweep a bunch of cymbals. We wanted to get favorite artist. In a music lesson, fans can
ask questions, learn directly from the
around the drums between his right the tones and the vibes. For the
source, and build a deeper relationship
hand and right foot. From Reyes I upcoming shows, I may incorporate with their favorite players, all rooted in
learned how to subdivide the left hand more into the set. education. It strengthens the bond
between fans and musicians substantially,
and that’s great for both bands and fans.”
MATT’S SETUP When Halpern came off the road and
continued his lessons with international
students, including many touring musi-
cians, via video chat, he found that the var-
ious platforms necessary to make his
2 teaching business work—PayPal, email,
Facebook, Skype—made the process time-
5 consuming and cumbersome. The drum-
mer’s solution was to start Bandhappy.
C 4
“Whether the individual is an aspiring
3
drummer wanting to learn from their
favorite drummer, an up-and-coming busi-
6 ness mind who wants to start a record
B label and wants guidance from a reputable
1 A
manager, a school music teacher who
wants to expand their after-school lesson
roster or bring international artists into
their classroom, or a touring musician who
wants to connect on a deeper level with
fans and supplement their income through
teaching, Bandhappy offers those opportu-
Drums: Mapex Cymbals: Meinl nities. We provide all of the scheduling,
A. 61/2x14 Black Panther 1. 14" Byzance Sand Hats communication, payment, promotion, and
Sledgehammer snare 2. 19" Byzance Medium Thin crash lesson tools for students and teachers to
B. 16x16 Saturn birch/walnut floor tom 3. 18" Byzance Dark China/ connect live and in person, either via our
C. 18x22 Saturn birch/walnut 16" Byzance Thin crash stack custom live video-chat lesson platform or
bass drum 4. 22" Byzance Extra Dry ride face to face when bands are on tour.”
5. 18" Byzance Medium crash Currently Bandhappy has attracted
Heads: Evans Black Onyx snare batter 6. 22" Byzance China more than 350 teachers and 10,000
(not shown) and clear 300 bottom, G2 students and has lessons taking place
tom batter and G1 bottom, and EMAD Hardware: Mapex, including Falcon online and in person in more than a
bass drum batter double pedal hundred countries. •
Sticks: Pro-Mark 5B
July 2012 • MODERN DRUMMER 51
MATT HALPERN

MD: On the “Improvised Grooves” fills mesh well with the bass drum
video at Bandhappy.com, you play because I’m hitting the floor tom at a
quick semi-rimclick patterns and use lower volume to match the volume of
a fast glancing motion between the the bass drum. And I’m playing ghost
snare and floor tom. notes on the snare, so they can be
Matt: The hand movement is left to more layered to match the bass
right, right to left, left to right, right to drum. I’m not putting a lot of force
left. That’s Dennis Chambers’ into it. It’s also the tone, or the ring,
Baltimore sweep. He leads with his of the bass drum and snare mixing
right hand: snare, floor, kick, kick; together that helps me move between
floor, snare, kick, kick. Then with his the drums more easily and at a higher
left hand: snare, floor, kick, kick; rate of speed.
floor, snare, kick, kick. As you do it up MD: Your technique is so fluid, and
to speed, the wrist movements your grip seems to change constantly.
become shorter between the two What does that give you?
drums, creating a swaying motion, Matt: It’s all out of necessity, though
allowing you to go back and forth. It it happened almost by accident.
looks as if I’m lightly sweeping each Playing so many styles of music—
drum, but I’m kind of bending my metal, where you have to be precise
wrist both ways to hit the drums. but you also have to hit very hard;
Then filling in with your foot makes rock, where you’re beating the crap
the motion more fluid. out of the drums; jazz, where you
Dennis did it as top, top, bottom, have to use a softer feel—it’s about
bottom. But you can also try top, bot- being comfortable with different
tom, top, bottom, or top, top, top, dynamic ranges. So I don’t try to play
bottom. The trick is dynamics. If with one grip all the time; all the vari-
you’re just playing drum fills, the ables make my style unique.
dynamics don’t matter because there My focus is to use a large spectrum
isn’t necessarily a backbeat to follow. of dynamics. If I let the stick fall from
But in “Improvised Grooves” I’m a high place and I want it to have a
playing with a backbeat in mind. The free range, I hold it very loosely.
MATT HALPERN
When I’m closer to the drum, I may Toontrack’s Superior Drummer to
hold the stick differently from the way program a basic drumbeat. So he’ll
I would when I’m farther away from give me a full demo with a drum
the drum. When I’m playing a loud part and fills and groove ideas and
rimshot, I use more of a whipping sectional ideas that I then make my
motion, almost like a Moeller whip, own. There are songs where I com-
and when I hit the snare drum I pletely composed the drum ideas,
clench up and use an American grip. and on other songs I embellished the
But when I’m playing ghost notes, it’s other songwriter’s ideas and made it
more of a French grip, because I use my own feel. The final takes are me
fingers and a looser wrist bounce. doing three or four passes and getting
When I’m playing the right hand on comfortable and then compiling a
my hi-hat and accenting an 8th-note drum part from the best takes.
downbeat, I may use my shoulder MD: So you assembled your drum
to push it and have my hand in a parts.
French grip—it depends on the Matt: I’d punch in and redo a section,
velocity [at which] I’m pushing the or I’d redo the entire take to get a bet-
stick into the hi-hat. ter feel. We didn’t cut and paste drum
MD: Do you use a click live? parts in Pro Tools. “Mile Zero” was
Matt: Yes. I use a 16th-note click, one take, start to finish. I hadn’t
because that way, whether I’m playing played it before we recorded it. We did
in four or five, it’s very easy to count quantize the drums after that, lining
and feel the different changes and them up on the grid. That’s a big part
feels. Playing ghost notes is also a of Periphery’s sound, being very tight
great way to feel the spaces between rhythmically.
the larger quarter or 8th notes. MD: You’re very precise, but your
MD: You’ve explained before that you recordings sound like an actual drum-
learned polyrhythms by singing them mer. Some progressive metal drum-
to yourself first. Did you approach mers sound too mechanical, too
other drumming principles by inter- calculated. You sound natural.
nalizing them? Matt: That’s a great compliment.
Matt: Often I can’t sleep because I Thank you. I hope that comes across. I
have rhythms in my head or I’m recorded the first Periphery album on
grinding my teeth to create grooves a V-Drums kit, then we edited the
with my mouth. I don’t count them takes in Superior Drummer. So it’s my
out first; it’s a feel thing. Often I’ll have feel, but with sounds from Superior
an idea and tap it out with my hands. Drummer. It was important this time
If I can tap out a full song on my steer- to get all live drum tones. We wanted
ing wheel, then I can apply it to the it to sound as natural as possible.
drumset. With one hand on a table I MD: Do you lock in your bass drum
can copy a bass drum and a snare patterns with the bass guitar in a tra-
drum and put it all together and make ditional sense?
a groove. If you ask me to play a Matt: The bass is all played, not pro-
groove on a book, I can do that. grammed, and we lock. And we have
Sometimes it’s easier to learn some- three guitar players. Two play a rhyth-
thing on a small scale. mic part, then the other will play a
MD: When recording, does Periphery more melodic harmony or layer. On
grid everything? Do you do any live “Erised,” I’m following the bass part in
takes? And are you replicating Misha the first verse, but in the second verse
Mansoor’s programmed drum parts? I’m accenting the vocal lines. In other
Matt: On the new album we tracked songs it’s about being truly tight with
everything separately with real drums the guitars and bass. That’s a staple of
and real amps. We wanted to do a full our music.
live album, not in terms of us record- MD: Are there multiple meters in
ing live in a room together, but sepa- “Make Total Destroy”?
rately the performances are live. Matt: It’s all in four. If you listen to the
Whoever writes the song usually has downbeat of the cymbal, you’ll hear
an idea for the drum part. Misha uses that it’s 8th notes all the time. But we
 MATT HALPERN
play around with different rhythms to utes, you’ll find that for every inch
make it sound like we’re playing with you go back, the harder the exercise
the feel. becomes. That really builds power
MD: Periphery plays a lot of odd and agility. I always work on the feet
time signatures. together, because you never know
Matt: Watching Dream Theater when you’ll need that.
rehearse on this latest tour we did MD: Some of your recent YouTube
with them, we’d see them messing videos, such as “Improvised Grooves,”
around with twenty-six and eleven are as informative as the Periphery
and nineteen. We like to incorporate records. One thing is obvious: You
those ideas into our music too, and don’t always rely on double pedal.
we want it to be digestible so that the Matt: During high school I was in a
audience is always bobbing their band playing reggae, acoustic rock,
heads. It’s putting odd meters into a and dance music, all of it on a simple
certain master rhythm. kick, snare, hi-hat setup. I really
MD: “Erised” has shades of Allan worked on my single-kick technique
Holdsworth, as well as killer 32nd- to play a dynamic range. I practiced in
note fills and a drum solo. live situations playing bass drum pat-
Matt: The solo was one pass. Nothing terns alternately with my left and right
was planned; it was improvised. I like foot. I never enjoyed practicing
the randomness of it. monotonous things like RRRRRR,
MD: What do you practice now? LLLLLL. I’d do it live in front of an
Matt: I’m always working on creating audience. That forces you to get it
new grooves. Mike Mangini can play right. You have to figure it out, and
with his left hand in one meter while you can’t screw up.
his right hand and right foot are in MD: You didn’t drill Stick Control with
another. Then he subdivides more a metronome?
meters between each limb. That’s Matt: No. I’d always play songs or
inspiring to me, so I’m working on albums or work on freeform soloing,
that. I have an upcoming Meinl clinic as opposed to reading a chart or
that will include Benny Greb, Mike working with a metronome. I work
Johnston, and Hannes Grossmann, out ideas in front of an audience.
so I have to pull something out to I’ll think about what I want to play,
hold my own. I’m conceptualizing a then I’ll go for it. If I nail it in a high-
performance—there will be a start, a pressure situation, that proves I can
middle, excitement, peaks and val- do it at any time. Then I go back and
leys, and a finish. It’s more event work on it. By improvising I come up
focused than technique focused. with things that I can use in songs.
MD: What do you do to maintain MD: That’s risk taking.
your technique? Matt: I was talking to Mike Mangini
Matt: For speed I’ll play on pillows or about this. He spends a lot of time
work on wrist exercises. To practice practicing, but he really implements
subdividing hands and feet I work on it in front of an audience. Now, I
different patterns where I don’t need wouldn’t try to play a really crazy
a drumset. I take a basic rudiment or Horacio Hernandez left-foot-clave
pattern and apply it to each limb, solo in front of an audience. I don’t go
then combine all that. I work on play- off on a tangent and throw people off.
ing linear grooves with one hand. On It has to pertain to what I’m doing.
airplanes I place my feet in front of But if you have a way to accent a
me at a 90-degree angle, so they’re brand-new rhythm that incorporates
flat. Then I pitch my heels as high as some of the things you’ve worked on
they’ll go, so I’m flexing my calves. but isn’t run of the mill, then go for it.
Then I simultaneously drop down the If it steps on the band or confuses the
heels on both feet. I do that as fast as audience, don’t do it. I improvise
possible, for five minutes. After five where it’s appropriate. But the best
minutes I move my feet back one inch drummers are risk takers; you have to
and repeat. Doing that for forty min- take the risks to get the rewards.

56 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 RAY
LUCAS
He jammed regularly with Hendrix, shared
stages with Ringo at the height of Beatlemania,
and set a standard that some of the world’s
greatest players aspired to. Noted R&B/jazz
expert Jim Payne tracks down the elusive
groove pioneer and captures an era when
sophisticated soul ruled.

R
ay Lucas is an unsung drum hero who made significant con-
tributions to the history of R&B, jazz, and funk. His incredible
touch and time feel inspire even bona fide groove masters
like Bernard Purdie to describe him as nothing short of phenome-
nal. “Ray had great time and a superb touch,” Purdie says. “He
was like an acrobat—so light on his feet. He danced on the ped-
als. He could take sticks and make them sound like brushes. He
could be the quietest person in the world and be in the groove,
and when he had to be fatback, he had no problem. And he
had no problem swinging either.”
Lucas was an important part of New York City’s dynamic
soul and R&B scene in the ’60s and ’70s, appearing on
record with legends like Aretha Franklin, Roberta
Flack, Jimi Hendrix, and George Benson. But he’s
never gotten the credit he’s owed or even had his
story told. This is partially due to the fact that after a
ten-year stint with Dionne Warwick, Ray suddenly
dropped out of the music scene. In fact, I’d wanted
to include him in my book Give the Drummers
Some! back in 1996, but I couldn’t locate him.
Turns out Lucas was alive and well and living in
New York City, the town of his birth. He just likes
his privacy. But we finally connected, and he
consented to an interview. We spoke on a park
bench on Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper
West Side of Manhattan.

58 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 Paul La Raia

MD: How did you get started with had to play everything: calypso, jazz, MD: Did you woodshed?
the drums? Spanish music, polka, bar mitzvahs— Ray: I used to do that all the time. I played
Ray: I was playing when I was in high whatever. The way I look at it, that educa- paradiddles and all that, mainly on my
school. I heard Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, tion was perfect, just as if I went to music own. After a while I got to the point where
Big Sid Catlett, and the rhythm sections of school. There are some things you can everything was in really good control. You
Count Basie, especially with Sonny Payne learn that a school could never teach. So can’t force it. You’ve got to relax and let
on drums, Walter Page on bass, and that was pretty much my education in your fingers do it. The best thing that ever
Freddie Green on guitar. At that time you music, and it never stops. happened to me was I learned to listen.

July 2012 • MODERN DRUMMER 59

 “There are a lot of well-trained
musicians, but I realized that it
goes both ways. I had something
that they didn’t have.Otherwise
I wouldn’t have been there.”
My thing was, you play the record one that came in, they never
time, I got it. left. They were moved.
MD: How did you first get in the King When we came on that
Curtis band? stand, we took care of
Ray: I was still in high school when I heard business. Even the most
“Yakety Yak” by the Coasters, with King non-musical person
Curtis on sax. At that time I was playing couldn’t leave that table
bebop and jazz. I didn’t care nothin’ about without shaking back
rock ’n’ roll. I was born and raised in and forth a little bit. I
Harlem. All I knew was New York and thought that was heaven.
bebop. If you didn’t know Blue Mitchell, It couldn’t get any better
Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon, you weren’t in than that. We always
my league. But Curtis had a unique style of had a good audience.
playing, and when I heard him on that [Comedian] Redd Foxx
Coasters record, I was knocked out. would come in. He was
Eric Gale, the guitar player, was the one the funniest dude.
who got me the audition with King Curtis. He’d look at me and
It was downstairs in the basement of say, “Look, there’s God
Small’s Paradise. It was King Curtis, me, and on the drums!”
Roy Haynes. He had Roy come in to check Every now and then
me out to see if I was all right. No piano, no we’d do something like a Coasters. One time we drove from New
bass, no organ, no guitar—just Curtis on Clifford Brown tune, and I’d have to take a York to Columbia, South Carolina, for a
sax and me on drums. solo like Max Roach, in that style. Curtis one-nighter. When you’re young you
The most important thing about being a knew I liked Basie, so sometimes we’d do can do anything. I didn’t care. As long as
drummer is listening. If he played the “One O’Clock Jump” or “Jumpin’ at the I was playing.
melody, I had to hear that and what the Woodside.” You had to play different styles MD: The King Curtis band opened for the
rhythm section would play. You’ve got to of music in the types of clubs we were Beatles on their second U.S. tour. What was
be able to do your own thing by yourself working in. You worked in the club to it like playing on a bill with the Beatles?
with just the melody. I had heard his band, please the boss and the audience. Ray: It started at Shea Stadium. We played
so he could play any tune he wanted and I MD: When King Curtis played the Apollo some of Curtis’s tunes and backed up some
pretty much knew it. Theater, he’d use the Apollo horns but his other acts from the States that were open-
Afterwards Roy looked at Curtis and own rhythm section, and you would also ing up the show. We really didn’t have to
said, “That’s a good kid. He’s all right.” I was back up the other acts on the shows, like be there. We just added more excitement
nineteen or twenty at the time. I played Otis Redding, Little Willie John, the to the fact that they were coming.
with Curtis from 1961 to 1966, and that Coasters, the Falcons with Wilson Pickett, Ringo and I had never met, but we had
was the best band I was ever in. the Supremes…. Tell us about playing at the exact same drumkit, Ludwigs, oyster-
When I came in the band it was Al Casey the Apollo. gray pearl. He’s lookin’ at me and I’m
on guitar, Jimmy Lewis on bass, and Paul Ray: The Apollo Theater will always be lookin’ at him…. [laughs] We spoke a few
Griffin on piano. Now and then Curtis my Carnegie Hall. When I think of the times. On the first two or three days we all
would augment it, but that was the basic people who stood on that stage—Louis rode on the same plane. After that they
band. Man, could he cover some ground. Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Big Joe Turner, had their own plane and we had ours.
And that’s when you’re good—when you Ella Fitzgerald, Art Blakey—that’s where When they checked into a hotel they
can make it sound bigger than you are. We the best played, as far as contemporary had three floors. They were in the middle,
recorded “Soul Twist” in 1962, and that rhythm and blues and jazz was concerned. and they had security above and below.
became a number-one R&B hit. It was a I got out of high school but didn’t go to And every day it was a mob. I’d never seen
half-time shuffle with a backbeat. college, and I was on the same stage as anything like that. People just wanted to
Later Chuck Rainey came into the band them. That was special. be around the Beatles. They were magic.
on bass. What a lot of bass players are During the week it was five shows a day. At the Cow Palace, there were 55,000
doing now, he did forty years ago. Then Saturday and Sunday it was six shows. I people in front of the stage. They were sold
Cornell Dupree came in on guitar [see this was making $129 a week. After we got out everywhere, all the biggest places. The
month’s Backbeats for more on Dupree] through at the Apollo, sometimes we had crowd was always screaming. You couldn’t
and George Stubbs on piano. to go play a dance at the Audubon even hear their singing! After that tour was
MD: You played a lot at Small’s Paradise. Ballroom. We also traveled a lot, all up and over, we had to sign a waiver. We couldn’t
What was that like? down the East Coast. We went on the road associate ourselves with the Beatles at all.
Ray: When we played there, the people with the Supremes, Patti LaBelle, the We couldn’t even have a marquee outside

60 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 Recordings
King Curtis Soul Twist, Soul Serenade, Plays Hits Made by Sam Cooke, Live at
Small’s Paradise /// Various artists Apollo Saturday Night /// Mongo Santamaria
Watermelon Man /// Illinois Jacquet Desert Winds /// Bobby Timmons
Workin’ Out /// George Benson It’s Uptown, The George Benson Cookbook ///
Hubert Laws The Laws of Jazz /// Freddie Roach The Freddie Roach Soul Book
/// Brother Jack McDuff Do It Now! /// Curtis Knight with Jimi Hendrix
The Summer of Love Sessions /// Junior Mance Harlem Lullaby /// Stanley
Turrentine Common Touch /// Roberta Flack First Take, Chapter Two /// Aretha
Franklin Spirit in the Dark; Young, Gifted and Black /// Charlie Mariano Mirror ///
David “Fathead” Newman Lonely Avenue /// Bette Midler The Divine Miss M ///
Donny Hathaway Extension of a Man /// Ray Sharpe and the King Curtis
Orchestra with Jimi Hendrix “Help Me (Get the Feeling)” parts I and II /// King
Curtis & the Kingpins with Jimi Hendrix “Instant Groove”

a club that said, “Just back from a tour with my drumming. There are certain
with the Beatles.” things some drummers do and certain
MD: King Curtis always had a featured things other drummers do. I felt bad. But
singer or player. After the Beatles tour, he when I look back on it, it was the same
added Jimi Hendrix, who’d worked with thing as when I came in the band and
Little Richard and the Isley Brothers, replaced Belton Evans. I was the young
among others. upstart drummer then.
Ray: Jimi Hendrix, man, you’re talking MD: Around this time you were doing a
about one of the nicest guys. He was so lot of studio work.
kind and courteous. He played with his Ray: Cool ain’t nothin’ when you go in
teeth and all that, but he could play. Jimi the studio. When you go in the studio
would play Curtis’s tunes and then do you’ve got to know how to make things
some of his own. He would sing more or work. You’ve got to find the part that
less down-home blues, rather than the works for the song, and you have to set
psychedelic things he got into later. We the pace of the song. Without that it’s just
were doing mainly contemporary tunes.
He stayed with us for about six months,
and then he went on his own.
Jimi and I used to play together in the
studio, just me and him. He’d try all kinds
of different things. He’d plug into the
Leslie speaker from the organ. I’d play a
backbeat or a shuffle or whatever. This
went on for maybe two or three weeks. It
was a studio on 54th Street. That’s how
he built his recordings. I never heard any
of the final versions.
One day a little later I ran into Jimi on
the street downtown. He said, “Hey, Ray,
what are you doing?” I said I was in
between gigs. He said, “Man, I got my
passport and my papers from the State
Department. I’ve been trying to do my
thing here, but it’s not working out that
great. I just got an offer from England. If
you want to do it, I can get the finances
together. Do you want to come with me?”
Of all the drummers he knew, he asked
me. I told him I couldn’t do it, and in less
than two years he was the biggest thing
out there.
MD: In April of 1966, King Curtis broke up
his band.
Ray: When Aretha came on the scene and
Curtis started working more with her, he
decided to dissolve the band and change
things around. I thought the world was
over. But I didn’t fit. It had nothing to do

July 2012 • MODERN DRUMMER 61

 RAY LUCAS
a bland song. [Lucas looks at a list of his cated, well-trained musicians, but I didn’t Most people listen, but they don’t really
recordings.] Honestly, I forgot how many do that. That’s when I realized that it goes get into what the other person is saying.”
things I played on. I just played and went both ways. I had something that they I’ve been lucky. I played with some
on the next session. When l look at this list didn’t have. Otherwise I wouldn’t have great musicians. I was a part of that. Miles
I really can’t believe it. I was lucky. I had a been there. If you had any sense—which Davis was the best-paid jazz musician in
chance to work with some of the best I thought I had—you’d just shut up and the world, but he still wasn’t happy. He
musicians. So if my landlord gets on me listen. That’s all I had to do. I worked with wanted an audience like Jimi Hendrix’s.
for not paying the rent, I should show him Dionne for ten years before I stopped With me, if the music’s good, that’s good
this list, right? [laughs] playing. enough for me. There’s nothing like play-
MD: How did you get involved with MD: Why did you decide to leave the ing in a good live band.
Dionne Warwick? business? I’ve got a friend, and every time I see
Ray: The guys wanted to keep me in New Ray: The music changed. I couldn’t stay him he says, “Boy, I sure would like to have
York to do studio work, but I always pre- with the disco. Some of it was good, but a million dollars.” I say, “Don’t you look in
ferred playing in a live situation. The you can’t change everything. I’m not the mirror? Look in the mirror, man—
opportunity came up, and the money was against it, but it wasn’t my taste. You have that’s the only million you’re gonna get.”
good, so I went with Dionne Warwick. She to be who you are. I always wanted to We take so much for granted. That’s how I
was looking for a drummer, and I had share something with the people I was feel. And then on top of that I was able to
always admired her singing. playing with. But if you want to say, “This be a musician? I’m cool. I’m seventy-two
MD: She was doing the music of Burt is how it’s got to be done,” then get some- years old, and it’s not over yet. Maybe next
Bacharach at this point? body else. I didn’t want to jive around with week I’ll be playing again.
Ray: Yeah. Now, that’s something I something that had been so good to me.
thought I could never do: play 2/4, 3/4, Either you do it or you don’t. For more on Ray Lucas, go to
6/8, all in one song. And there I was in MD: What do you think was the secret to moderndrummer.com.
Lincoln Center with Dionne. It was a full your success?
hall. I can’t read an iota of music, and all Ray: Being with good musicians. And Jim Payne has played with Maceo Parker and
these symphony musicians were there I’m not talking about name musicians. the J.B. Horns and has produced records for
with the conductor, and everybody was I’m talking about listening to good musi- Medeski Martin & Wood. He teaches funk and
looking at the music. But I knew the music. cians and being very conscious of what R&B drums online for the Berklee College of
I always thought that you don’t have to they’re doing. Music, and his book/DVD Advanced Funk
Drumming is available from Modern
go to one of these great conservatories Ahmad Jamal once told me, “If you got
Drummer Publications.
and say you studied with so-and-so to be a sense enough to listen to what somebody
good musician. There are a lot of fine, edu- else is saying, hold your peace and cool it.

62 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

  I N F L U E N C E S 

Alex Solca

64 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 S T E P H E N P E R K I N S : Rolling Thunder
His eternal smile and energy are impossible to carefully and you can pick out cup chimes,
blocks, bells, splash cymbals, and a
forget, and whether he’s playing just a shaker descending timpani glissando played with
and a pair of bongos or bashing home the finale sticks. The chorus follows with a go-go-like
bongo funk figure that you’d assume is the
of one of Jane’s Addiction’s more heady epics, his product of overdubs—but Perkins is play-
drive and feel are inspirational. ing the groove in one pass.
Stephen’s’ long-running Banyan project,
When Stephen Perkins made his record- John Bonham, Stephen rocked out but still which features the legendary Minutemen
ing debut on Jane’s Addiction’s self-titled had a swing to his playing. bassist Mike Watt, Wilco guitar genius
1987 album, he brought a highly distinc- While the inaugural Lollapalooza tour Nels Cline, and trumpeter Willie Waldman,
tive style utilizing elements of punk, funk, of 1991 was supposed to be Jane’s provides a more experimental setting for
world music, and arena rock. His approach Addiction’s farewell trek, Perkins didn’t the drummer’s signature rolling momen-
continued to evolve on the next two remain idle for long after the bus tum. A YouTube search finds the band
Jane’s albums, as well as in his work with dropped him off in L.A., joining the tearing through original freak-funk
Infectious Grooves, Porno for Pyros, and Suicidal Tendencies offshoot Infectious assaults like “Oh My People” from the
his own Banyan collective. Grooves. In fact, for a brief period you album Live at Perkins’ Palace, as well as a
Perkins started playing at eight years could catch him funkifying the band’s fiery reading of Funkadelic’s cosmic blues
old and bought his first real drumkit in collaboration with Ozzy Osbourne, classic “Maggot Brain.”
1980 with bar mitzvah money. Most of the “Therapy,” on MTV’s Headbangers Ball, No matter what project he’s focusing on
standard drummer rites of at any given time, Perkins has
passage followed: Stephen always been up for the chance to
took private lessons, with Jim contribute to the music of his
Engle of the Pro Drum Shop peers, and he’s tracked drums or
in Hollywood, who helped percussion with No Doubt, Peter
instill a strong work ethic; his Murphy, Red Hot Chili Peppers,
cousin Joel Gallant was also a Broadcast, Rage Against the
drummer and hipped him to Machine, Nine Inch Nails, and
Max Roach, Art Blakey, and Tommy Lee’s Methods of
Elvin Jones; and he played in Mayhem. But the opportunity to
his high school drum line, reconvene with his mates in
with future bandmate Dave Jane’s Addiction is always some-
Alex Solca

Navarro. Perkins absorbed thing he’s made room for. The

the sounds of classic rockers group staged a comeback tour in
like John Bonham, Keith 1997 and again in 2001, after
Moon, and Mitch Mitchell, the which it released the album
Like many fans of Stephen Perkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers
punk energy of Earl Hudson Strays. The reunion didn’t stick,
drummer Chad Smith is drawn to his full-kit approach. “Perks’
of Bad Brains, and seemingly though, and in 2004 Perkins and
rolling bombastic tribal feel is what propels Jane’s,” Smith
every other type of drum Dave Navarro started the group
insists. “It’s as simple as that.”
influence he encountered. Panic Channel. Jane’s did reunite
Over the course of his career once again, however, in 2008, and
Perkins has amassed a houseful of percus- and then see him channeling Earl Hudson in 2011 the band released The Great Escape
sion instruments from his travels, and he on “Punk It Up” on 120 Minutes. Artist, which it’s been touring behind.
remains a voracious listener of music from Perkins’ drumming approach can be As Perkins once said in an MD interview,
all over the planet. likened to that of Keith Moon or Elvin drums are “for anyone who can get enjoy-
For many, Jane’s Addiction’s early per- Jones; he focuses on the entire kit in a very ment or healing or spiritual power from
formances were a religious experience. unified way, giving equal attention to all of them,” and he’s taken this sentiment to
Examining a set list from a 1991 the components. In 1992 he began work- heart by facilitating drum circles for dis-
Lollapalooza show reveals the breadth of ing in a new project, Porno for Pyros, with abled children and co-designing the LP
feels that Perkins pulled off night after Jane’s frontman Perry Farrell, and in this Go-Jo Bag mutable shaker, which is
night, guiding the roller-coaster ride that setting he furthered his concept by incor- intended for use by music therapists and
was a Jane’s show. There’s the expansive, porating the timbales, bongos, blocks, percussionists in general. In a sense, such
rolling triplet feel of the mostly instrumen- bells, and timpani that he’d added to his activities are really just an extension of
tal opener “Up the Beach,” the rocking setup. Perkins’ innovative style can be Perkins’ inclusive worldview, which is
two-handed ride work of “Whores,” seen in the video for the hit song “Pets,” always defined by his ability to feature as
the 16th-note funk workout “Standing where he rides quarter notes with his left many styles and sounds as his playing can
in the Shower…Thinking,” and the tribal hand on a timbalito while playing a steady accommodate. It’s perhaps this sense
tom pummeling of “Ain’t No Right.” backbeat between his signature cracking of inclusion and exploration that best
Meanwhile, slower numbers like “Up the snare and a very wide-open kick drum. defines Stephen’s contribution to
Beach” and “Summertime Rolls” showcase Another example of Perkins’ multi- modern drumming.
the roundness in Perkins’ time; like Black timbral approach is his kitchen-sink pat- Stephen Bidwell
Sabbath’s Bill Ward and Led Zeppelin’s tern on the verse of “Packin’ .25.” Listen

July 2012 • MODERN DRUMMER 65

 CONCEPTS

The CRASH
Paul Griffin

Course to Success
Part 3: Attitude
by Rich Redmond

T his article focuses on the third por-

tion of my CRASH concept (“com-
mitment, relationships, attitude, skill,
brought to my drumming career, with
great results.
I believe people from all walks of life
and winning attitude.
My job is to serve the music, lift up
the songs, drive the band, and inspire
hunger”) for attracting success to your are subliminally attracted to those who the artist to perform at his or her best.
drumming career—and that’s attitude. have a great attitude. You can set your- I’m willing to do anything to make that
Attitude is everything in life. It will self apart from the pack by wielding a happen—show up early, stay late, take
make or break just about anyone on winning attitude like a sword. There direction, offer suggestions.... It’s
any career track, but especially musi- are many
cians. Music is about communicating
on a deep, almost telepathic or even
drummers
across the
Focus on giving more than receiving,
spiritual level. I don’t know anyone globe who and the phone will ring off the hook.
who wants to communicate, even share skill
superficially, with a person who oozes sets. They may all have great gear, be important to be open and always play
negativity. As a drummer, you can able to read music, have knowledge of from the heart (“Play from the heart—
spend years developing flawless tech- song structures, and be versatile it will set you apart.”) And I do it all
nique, speed, and power yet never enough to cover many styles, program with a smile on my face. Hopefully my
share the stage with other musicians loops, play comfortably with a click, employers notice this and will want to
because you have a horrible attitude. and overdub percussion. These are call me again. Focus on giving more
Conversely, if you make it to the big expected skill sets for the city I live in— than receiving, and the phone will ring
stage, a bad attitude can take away that Nashville—and the music scene I work off the hook.
privilege just as fast. in. Not all drummers, however, have Remember, your playing may get
that winning attitude that people want you in the door, but it’s your attitude
THINK POSITIVE to surround themselves with time and that will keep you there. Your attitude
Did you know that it takes almost time again. The ones who have it work is the thing most people will remember
twice as much energy to generate a all the time. about you, more than any of your
negative thought as it does to create a other traits. A great attitude means
positive one? Why work so hard? ATTITUDE IN ACTION you must be open to suggestions. You
Develop the habit of staying positive, Here’s an example of how having a have to be willing to change time sig-
and let your team-player spirit shine positive attitude can help your career. natures, forms, beats, subdivisions,
through. People will be attracted to A top-notch-producer friend called me grooves, fills, colors, and textures on
your energy, and you’ll be able to pur- a few years back to record drums with the fly. This rule applies whether
sue your purpose in life every day. a band. My friend wanted to get com- you’re working for an artist or band,
I was attracted to the idea of positive plete takes, like they did in the old live or in the studio. If the producer
thinking at a young age. My mother Motown days. There would be less wants you to use mallets on the toms,
collected books by authors like sonic scrubbing and no “we’ll fix it in play a rivet cymbal with brushes, or
Napoleon Hill, Zig Ziglar, Leo the mix” with this project. He wanted tap a light backbeat on the underside
Buscaglia, and Tony Robbins, who’ve the full rhythm section to get keeper of a snare drum, do it! Don’t make the
written about the power of the mind performances, and he knew that not all mistake of being negative or closed off
and how our thoughts can become drummers would have the patience for to suggestions.
reality. She encouraged me to absorb this type of approach. He knew from I’ve witnessed situations where a
this material, and absorb I did—like a hiring me in the past that I would be paid musician is difficult to work with.
sponge. I’m so grateful to her for that able to keep the energy level up and The whole gig becomes uncomfort-
encouragement. (Thanks, Mom!) maintain a positive mental attitude for able, and that musician is never called
“Change your mind, change your life” one or fifteen takes. So there you go: I again. Over time, that person might
is a fantastic thought process that I’ve got hired because of my team spirit develop an unfavorable reputation.

66 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

Reputation is vitally important, so why physically. It’s the physical manifesta- open to musical and verbal sugges-
jeopardize that? I’ve been at recording tion of who I am as a person. I notice tions from my fellow musicians.
sessions where the morale has slipped that as soon as I get near my expres- Attitude rocks, so let yours shine.
and the negativity has hung so thick in sion zone—a drumset—I assume a See you next time!
the air that you could cut it with a certain attitude. I know that I was put
Rich Redmond is a Nashville-based touring/
knife. When that happens, you can here to play drums. I own every second recording drummer with the multiplatinum
ease the tension with a joke or by of it, from the click of my sticks for the country rocker Jason Aldean. He has also worked
expressing how excited you are to be first count-off to the very last cymbal with Kelly Clarkson, Bryan Adams, Jewel, Ludacris,
Lit, Joe Perry, Miranda Lambert, Steel Magnolia,
there and be part of the project. A pos- blow. I’m performing from the first Thompson Square, Rushlow, and others. For
itive attitude is contagious. moment I step on stage, and I’m per- more info, visit richredmond.com.
In this fast-paced world, you have to forming with attitude. I strive to always
run just to stand still. This means you maintain that confidence, while being
need to consistently go above and
beyond expectations and deliver the
goods with a smile on your face. Many
people talk about vibes. How many
times have you heard “The vibe in that
room is way off” or “Man, that dude
has a really dark vibe”? It happens all
the time. All people can sense and feel
when someone is thinking negative
thoughts. It’s called intuition. It’s been
proven that negative thought patterns
actually manifest themselves in a mol-
ecular way. That’s why it’s so impor-
tant to stay positive.
Here’s another example of attitude
in action. I work with my 3 Kings
rhythm section at the same studio in
Nashville 90 percent of the time.
Recently the studio manager pulled us
aside and told us he loved having us
around because there’s always positive
energy in the building when we work
there. We let our attitudes show. As a
result, we attract other like-minded
people to the studio, who end up
booking more sessions. That’s a great
scenario for a studio owner!

BE GREAT
We couldn’t have a conversation about
attitude without discussing some of
the kick-butt drummers. I immediately
think of Gene Krupa, John Bonham,
Tony Williams, Carmine Appice,
Kenny Aronoff, Tommy Lee, Alex Van
Halen, and Dave Grohl, among many
others. We’re not talking about ego or
arrogance here. I’m referring to an
utter confidence in their playing and
their approach that lights a fire of
inspiration in the musicians who play
with them.
There’s tremendous power in play-
ing with attitude. Drumming is the
way I express myself spiritually and
 S T R I C T LY T E C H N I Q U E

Polyrhythmic
Coordination
Part 1: One- and Two-Note Base Rhythms by Ari Hoenig

MUSIC KEY
A ll drummers have moments when we
want to practice but aren’t able to,
whether it’s due to sustaining an injury,
having an uptight neighbor, or losing our
drumset in a hand of poker. Over years of
drumming, I’ve relied on mental practice to be a big part of
my development. In fact, there are many things that are eas-
ier to learn away from the drumset.
One idea for mental practice is to teach yourself to hear
rhythms that you couldn’t hear before. Remember, the idea Now change the left hand to base rhythm 2 (half notes). If
is to expand your vocabulary—not to annoy your band- you think of the subdivision, which is notated above the
mates with fancy licks. What you can hear and understand staff, it will be easier to match the left and right hands accu-
is more important than what you can play. Once you can rately. If you find that any of the transitions are awkward—
feel these rhythms comfortably, they will come out in your between four and five notes, for example—go back and
playing, hopefully in a musical way. forth between the two for a while before moving on. An
Rhythm and time are two of the best things to practice entire practice session could consist of just trying to master
away from the drumset. The exercises in this article were the transition between those two subdivisions.
originally written for a friend who’d been in an accident. When working on the quintuplets (five notes per mea-
Although he really wanted to practice, he physically sure), remember that the second note of the left hand falls
couldn’t do it because he had multiple fractured bones. exactly between beats 3 and 4 of the right. With septuplets,
He could, however, tap his hands in his lap. the second note of the left hand falls exactly between beats
What I’m striving for with these exercises is the ability to 4 and 5 of the right hand. There are many of these types of
place one to eight notes evenly in a measure while playing relationships, so it’s important to take note of them when
one to eight notes over that with a different limb or limbs. It you find them.
may sound easy, but the patterns are very difficult to per-
form correctly.
We’ll start with the left hand playing base rhythm 1
(whole note). Think of the base rhythm as the time signa-
ture. Play each bar at least four times before you move on.
We’ll start with one bar equaling 54 bpm (whole note = 54).
The left hand is the bottom line, and the right hand is the
top line.
When you’ve reached eight notes per bar, go backward
from eight to one. Make sure to line up the notes with the
metronome. If it’s done correctly, this will likely be some of
the most concentrated, and possibly the most tiring, prac-
ticing you will ever do.

68 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 After you’ve practiced these exercises forward and
backward, try jumping randomly from one subdivision
to another while still keeping the four-bar form. Also try
counting out loud, first along with your left hand and
then with your right. Then try going back and forth
between the two. You should also switch the hands so
that you play the base rhythm with your right hand.
These exercises are meant to bring improvement
technically before they can do so musically. Don’t be in
a rush to apply any of this material during a gig. Always
use a metronome, or play along to a recording, and feel
free to vary the tempo. I like to use a different tempo
each day.
Next time we’ll move on to using three and four notes
per measure as the base rhythms.

Ari Hoenig is a New York–based drummer/composer/

bandleader and a faculty member at New York University
and the New School in Manhattan. He recently released a
quartet album (Lines of Oppression), a method book
(Systems), and an educational video (Melodic Drumming),
all of which are available at arihoenig.com.
 THE JOBBING DRUMMER

Popular Play-Alongs
Part 1: Timber Grooves
by Donny Gruendler

‹œo œ
MUSIC KEY
open Pop music is all over the airwaves.
Drummers need to realize that the
Each letter, A and B, also denotes an eight-bar phrase.
Therefore, the A section features eight bars of the 8th-note

œ()
HH
SD music on the radio is vital and deserves our hi-hat groove (play the two-bar pattern four times), and let-
BD
Ghost
attention as aspiring working musicians. ter B indicates eight bars of the quarter-note groove.
Note
Today’s radio hits will be tomorrow’s stan-
dards and will likely show up on our future gigs.
A
o + o +
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
÷ 44 œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
This five-part play-along series is designed to help you
understand popular song forms, rhythmic figures, transi-
tions, and drumset sounds. Practicing these songs will not
only expand your groove vocabulary and widen your feel
but will also increase your odds of getting work. You can ÷’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
download the play-along MP3s (with and without drums)
and charts at moderndrummer.com. ÷’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
GENRE: TOP 40 1 2
“Top 40” is industry shorthand for the most popular, best-
selling, and most frequently broadcast songs within a given ÷’ ’ ’ ’ .. œ . œ œ œ œ œ Œ
week, month, or year. Over time, it has also come to repre-
sent any popular song from a particular era. This “Timber
Grooves” play-along is a Top 40 dance/pop tune in the tra-
B
+ o +
‹ œœ‹ ‹ œœ‹ ‹ ‹
dition of Justin Timberlake, the Neptunes, and Timbaland.
÷ 44 œ œ œ ’ ’ ’
STRUCTURE: AABA 32-BAR FORM
This chart employs the traditional AABA thirty-two-bar ÷’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
form. It consists of two sections, A and B. Each section has
three key musical attributes: a different rhythm, an eight- ÷’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’
bar phrase, and a particular riff and chord structure. Let’s
examine these elements individually. (8) >>>>
÷’ ’ ’ ’ œœœœ
There are two grooves present within this chart. The
A section is a two-bar phrase that features a straight-8th ’ ’ ’
closed hi-hat over a syncopated 16th-note bass drum
pattern. Both sections are also centered on a particular riff and
chord progression. In this case, the A section utilizes a
A
o +
Light tightly closed HH:
o + unique riff based on the tonic (I) chord, while the B section

‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ is based on the subdominant (IV) chord. Listen to the MP3

÷ 44 œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ to hear the changes.

A
The B section is a one-bar phrase and features a quarter-
note hi-hat and bass drum pattern with an open hi-hat on ? 44 Œ Œ
the “&” of beat 4. œ œ bœ œ. œ œ œ œ œ

o
B
+
B Louder tightly closed HH:

? 44 ‰ œ.
‹
÷ 44 œ œœ‹ ‹ œœ‹ ‹ .. ˙ œ. œ œ œ œ œ. œ
œ
? ‰ œ.
˙ œ. œ œ œ œ œ

70 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

PERFORMANCE NOTES: SOUND Each hi-hat opening should be played as an accented
This chart utilizes a very staccato, bury-the-beater bass note, immediately followed by a closed stroke.
drum sound alongside strong rimshots on the snare and
light but thick hi-hat articulation. Let’s take a look at how to
achieve these sounds.

BURY THE BASS DRUM BEATER

The bass drum pattern should be played forcefully, with a
staccato articulation and at a loud dynamic. This can be
accomplished by utilizing the following strategies. First, use
a plastic or wood bass drum beater. Many pop drummers
make this choice because it gives each stroke’s impact a
detailed punch and attack, rather than a warm “oomph,”
which helps to cut through the aggressive distorted synths You should now have a strong, punchy, and present bass
and thick-textured bass lines. drum sound, an open rimshot, and a thick, articulate hi-hat.
Technique-wise, after each stroke, try keeping the beater This approach perfectly complements the spacious and
pushed into the drumhead. Not only does this muffle the rhythmic textures of the chart.
drum, but it also adds extra attack to the initial stroke. Just
be careful that you press firmly enough to avoid any TALK-DOWN: ENSEMBLE FIGURES
unwanted beater buzz. Now that you understand the form of the song and the
Most drummers use mostly their ankle for each stroke, proper articulations for the drumset, let’s look at a few
which results in a fast, accurate tone. That technique isn’t performance details.
appropriate for this chart, however, because it lacks projec- Letter A has an ensemble figure in bar 16 (the second
tion and power. I suggest that you use your entire leg and ending). This same figure shows up again in the last mea-
foot to make each stroke. This can be accomplished by plac- sure of the chart (the coda). Here’s what’s notated:
ing your foot on the pedal footboard, lifting your leg straight
upward, and using your entire body weight to strike the ÷ 44 œ . œ œ œ œ œ Œ
drum. Your back should be perfectly relaxed (although
straight), and your posture should be normal. Don’t lunge Here’s one way to interpret that figure on the drumset:
forward when playing the bass drum.
> > > > >
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
SNARE DRUM RIMSHOTS
The snare drum should be played very consistently and at a
÷ 44 œ ( œ) ( œ) œ ( œ) œ ( œ) œ œ Œ
medium-loud dynamic. Each hit should be played as a
rimshot, which is executed by hitting the center of the Letter B has an ensemble figure in bar 8. I suggest that
drumhead and the rim at the same time. Many drummers you play all four 16th notes on the snare as rimshots.
think a rimshot is played with a caveman-like arm motion.
Actually, the rimshot is loudest—and most effective—when

÷ 44 ’
Play ensemble figures as snare drum rimshots
the stroke is started by the wrist and finished by the fingers.
’ ’ œ œ œ œ
Let’s examine this technique.
While aiming for the center of the snare head, start the
stroke with your wrist. Just before hitting the rim and center
of the drum, grab the stick with your back three fingers. This NOW MAKE MUSIC
lends a nice, crisp attack to an already powerful stroke. You could play thousands of intricate variations and fills in
this chart. But the goal should always be to make the most
LIGHT, SHOULDER HI-HAT STROKES danceable music possible, by playing an appropriate
The 8th-note hi-hat pattern in this chart should be played groove, keeping your place in the form, and employing a
evenly, at a medium-soft dynamic. In order to achieve this stylistically correct drum sound. Best of luck, and have fun!
sound, use the shoulder of the stick midway down from the
tip, and strike the edge (not the top) of the cymbals. The hi- Donny Gruendler is the director of performance programs at Musicians
Institute in Los Angeles and the creator of Hudson Music’s download
hat should be closed with your foot, but not so tightly that it
series Seeing Sounds and Private Lessons. Donny has performed with DJ
chokes the tone. Rather than an articulation of “chick,” Logic, Rick Holmstrom, John Medeski, and Rhett Frazier Inc. For more
think of your hi-hat saying “chunk.” info, visit donnygruendler.com.

July 2012 • MODERN DRUMMER 71

 ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC

Metrically Modulated
Drum ’n’ Bass
Using Triplets to Imply Faster Tempos by Andy Shoniker

MUSIC KEY
O ver the past decade, the drum ’n’ bass
style of drumming has taken off in a big
way. Many drummers tend to emulate this
style by simply playing in double time. For
example, if your band is grooving along at
85 bpm, you could just jump to 170 bpm. That’s a very logi-
cal and easy method, but I’d like to present another option
for transitioning into a drum ’n’ bass feel that’s a bit less nat-
ural but sounds amazing.
We’re going to use the three-over-two polyrhythm as the
basic structure for these patterns. By accenting every other
triplet partial, you can imply a new quarter-note pulse. Think
of the triplet partials as 8th notes, and play any drum ’n’ bass
groove to create a crazy polyrhythmic feel that still locks in
with the original pulse. This technique allows you to make a
groove feel as if it’s speeding up, without actually changing
the tempo. For example, if you’re originally playing at 110
bpm, when you modulate to the triplet-based 8th note, it will
sound like you’re playing at around 160 bpm.
Here are a dozen drum ’n’ bass grooves that use the three-
against-two polyrhythm as the pulse. The examples are writ-
ten in 12/8 for clarity, but you could think of each three-note
grouping as a triplet in 4/4.

72 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

Andy Shoniker is a professional musician living in Toronto. He’s a
graduate of the Berklee College of Music and endorses SJC drums,
Paiste cymbals, Vater sticks, and Evans heads. He is also the creator of
the Rhythm Trainer app. For more information, visit andyshoniker.com.
 JAZZ DRUMMER’S WORKSHOP

Swingin’ the Clave

Advanced Exercises for Developing Independence
by Steve Fidyk

MUSIC KEY
I n jazz, the ride cymbal is the focal point
for creating a flowing, swinging time feel.
In Afro-Cuban music, the clave assumes this
ADD THE TRIPLETS
Once you have control of the basic clave/ride rhythms, the
next step is to add the different triplet subdivisions with
role. Essentially, clave is to Afro-Cuban your left hand. Practice each example slowly, focusing on
music what the ride cymbal beat is to swing. one triplet rhythm at a time until each pattern begins to
The fundamental style, pulse, and feel are built upon those groove. As you work through these patterns, listen closely to
rhythms. This article combines swing and clave as a vehicle how the rhythms relate to one another. Also, be sure to have
for developing left-foot independence on the drumset. a consistent balance of sound between your upper and
The exercises specifically deal with playing 2:3 and 3:2 lower appendages.
clave rhythms with your left foot as you swing on your ride The following examples are the various ways in which you
cymbal with your right hand. Many contemporary drum- can divide quarter notes using an 8th-note-triplet subdivision.
mers, like Antonio Sanchez, Robby Ameen, and Dafnis
Prieto, use this technique effectively when accompanying 5
soloists or as a foundational rhythm to solo over.

BASIC RIDE/CLAVE COMBOS

Highly developed independence helps you build the confi-
dence needed to improvise freely. Below are some clave and
6 7
ride cymbal ostinatos to practice first.

3:2 son clave

1 8 9

2:3 son clave 10 11

2
APPLICATION
Practice playing the triplet subdivisions with each of the
3:2 rumba clave clave and ride cymbal patterns in Examples 1–4. The combi-
nation possibilities are endless. This next example com-
3 bines 3:2 son clave with the triplet subdivision in Example
10 on the snare and the triplet subdivision in Example 8 on
the bass drum.

2:3 rumba clave 12

4
In this next pattern, we’re combining 2:3 rumba clave
with the triplet subdivision in Example 7 on the snare and
the triplet subdivision in Example 11 on the bass drum.

74 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 These are just a few possibilities. Experimentation is key
13
to coming up with ideas that sound fresh. For even more
advanced coordination practice, try assigning a triplet subdivi-
sion to your left hand, and improvise with your right foot. Then
You can also try layering other Afro-Cuban rhythms. Here’s a do the reverse. Have fun!
combination of a 3:2 rumba clave in the left foot, a cascara pat-
tern in the left hand on cowbell or pandeiro, and the tumbao Steve Fidyk co-leads the Taylor/Fidyk Big Band (with arranger Mark
Taylor), freelances with vocalist Maureen McGovern, and is a mem-
rhythm in the right foot.
ber of the jazz studies faculty at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Fidyk is the author of several instructional books. His latest, Big Band
14 Drumming at First Sight, is available through Alfred Publishing.

Also experiment with different time signatures. Here’s an

example in 7/4 that incorporates a cascara pattern with the
left hand. Check it out—there’s
always something new at
15
moderndrummer.com
 collector’s corner

Leedy Orchestra Snare

by Harry Cangany

drum is the Combination strainer, which

I f we could go back in time to some-
where between 1906 and 1911, odds
are we would find quite a few of this
was designed by Charles Wanamaker. This
strainer allows the drummer to easily get Leedy Combination strainer
month’s featured snare, which is a 3x15 a tom-tom sound by activating the
Leedy with a patented 1907 Combination spring-loaded lever on the throw-off. Prior has an internal spring that allows the cas-
snare strainer and muffler. The shell is to this invention, drummers would have ing to be raised or lowered and that pro-
solid maple with huge reinforcement to place a drumstick between the snares vides tension. If the strainer is lowered,
hoops, and the Leedy name is stamped and the bottom head to create a tom the snares are lowered on one side, which
into the interior wood. The drum is single sound, because the older strainers had creates a diagonal line with a bit of the
tension, with the thumb-rod tensioning just a simple threaded rod that went into snares touching the bottom head.
system pioneered by Ulysses G. Leedy, the a lower jaw that held the snare wires. The Combination strainer was renamed
founder of the company. Snares back then were often held in by 1916 as the Ideal and stayed around
I’ve never been a fan of single-tension a leather butt plate that was grabbed until about 1920. Leedy introduced
drums; I often refer to them as museum by the bottom hoop. With the 1906 another strainer, the Utility, which existed
pieces. The reason is that the tensioning design, the strainer mechanism and the through the Leedy & Ludwig days into
of two heads to the same degree pro- butt side were actually screwed into the the 1950s.
duces a limited sound. Changing a head bottom hoop. Special thanks to John Ridder, who
on one of these drums can be a night- Here’s what Leedy said about the found this snare and brought it to our
mare too. Most collectors prefer vintage Combination strainer in its 1908 catalog: attention. I would value this “museum
drums with separate tensioning, which “The snares are disengaged by a downward piece” at about $250. It originally listed for
started appearing just a few years later, pressure on a thumb bracket provided on $32.25 in 1910 and was available with a
when Leedy was building drums at the the casing and returned to action by a solid maple or solid walnut shell, in six dif-
Indianapolis factory. mere touch of the friction key on the ferent sizes. The 15" model here was a
The most interesting thing about this opposite side of the casing.” This strainer favorite among orchestral players.

76 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 LP Jingle Qube

NEW
LP has taken the technology used in
its award-winning Qube shaker and
created a jingle version. Inside the
Jingle Qube is a combination of flat

and and dimpled brass jingles. This mix is

said to deliver a combination of crisp,
articulate highs and resonating middle

NOTABLE
tones. Like the Qube shaker, the Jingle
Qube can be played a variety of ways—
front to back, side to side, and in a
circular motion—to produce a myriad
of sounds. List price: $55.99.
lpmusic.com

ZILDJIAN K Constantinople 22"

Renaissance and 20" Bounce Rides
Developed in conjunction with the renowned jazz drummer
Adam Nussbaum, the 22" K Constantinople Renaissance ride
features smoother lathing on both sides and a bell that’s
unlathed underneath to add stick definition. Three rows of
overhammering and four large hammer clusters give this
medium-thin cymbal a dark spread and a bit of trashiness.
The 20" K Constantinople Bounce ride is a smaller version of
the popular 22" model launched two years ago. Like the 22"
cymbal, which was developed in conjunction with jazz great
Kenny Washington, the 20" Bounce ride is medium-thin in
weight and features traditional K Constantinople hammering
and eight unique cluster hammer marks on top. The 20" model
has more pronounced lathing and tonal grooves to produce a
darker wash and sustain.
zildjian.com

SPAUN
TL USA and
TL II Series
TL USA drumkits
are made in Chino,
California, and
include 8-ply maple
shells, double
TOCA Adjustable Barrel Conga Stands 45-degree bearing
edges, SSS rack tom mounts, Extreme Isolation
Toca’s new barrel-style conga stands feature an floor tom feet, and Evans drumheads.
improved design in which the legs are positioned wider The TL II series is made with North American
and more proportionally around the drum. This helps hard-rock maple shells (7-ply, 5.9 mm bass
prevent the drums from moving during play. The drums and snares and 6-ply, 4.8 mm toms).
stands are made from sturdy yet lightweight steel and Other features include double 45-degree bear-
are powder coated in black. Soft padding cushions the ing edges, tube lugs, 2.3 mm triple-flange
drum in the stand to prevent scratches. The smaller hoops, and suspension mounts on rack toms.
stand, for 10" and 11" drums, lists for $65. The larger Finished in high-gloss lacquer, these kits are
size, for 121/2" to 133/4" drums, lists for $69. designed to offer professional quality, sound,
tocapercussion.com and performance at an affordable price.
spaundrums.com
78 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012
 ALESIS Pro X Kick Pedal
Made for use with acoustic or electronic
drumsets, the Pro X Kick pedal has a
double-chain-drive system for power and
an ultra-tight response, a two-sided beater
with memory lock, a gearless stroke-length
adjustment, a toothless X Cam, and an
offset hoop clamp. The entire assembly is
locked to a solid-steel plate. Estimated
street price: $49.
alesis.com

AVID Mbox, Mbox Mini, and Pro Tools Express

Portable, professional-grade Mbox ($499) and Mbox Mini ($299) audio
interfaces now come with Pro Tools Express software, which allows
you to record, edit, and mix up to sixteen stereo audio tracks.
avid.com

DRUM CLINIC HD
Drumming App
Drum Clinic HD is an educa-
tional app for the iPad, iPhone,
and iPod Touch featuring
drummer Hans Eijkenaar. The
clips in the app, which include
demos, lessons, and play-
alongs, are recorded in HD
audio and video.
drumclinichd.com

BILLDIDIT
KG CymbalBlast Rim
This device provides a surface
for resting your stick in order
SONOMAX Eers Custom Earbuds
to perform gravity blasts/rim Eers custom-fit earbuds feature Sonomax’s
rolls on cymbals. patented SonoFit system, which allows the buds
billdidit.ca to mold to the unique shape of your ear canal.
Two models, the mid-level PCS-150 and the
professional-grade PCS-250, are available.
myeers.com

MEINL Brann Dailor 21" Mb8 Ghost Ride

Developed in cooperation with Mastodon drummer Brann
Dailor, this cymbal features a unique look and has a sound that’s
said to combine a glassy ping and warm shimmer. The raw black
bell delivers a cutting, clear punch.
meinlcymbals.com

July 2012 • MODERN DRUMMER 79

 SHOWCASE

80 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 Do You Want To
Improve Your
Chops and Talent
at the Drumset?
Don’t Forget
to Request a
FREE SAMPLE
of One Page
From Each
of my First
Five Books at
Howie Reider
P0 Box 203
Greenfield
Park, NY
12435

If so, come study with me at Howie

Reider’s Drum Studio located in
Ellenville, NY. My way of teaching along
with a quality system of practice will
not only develop your drum reading
skills, but also deliver to you good
results that you will see and feel.

For all inquiries check out

mysticdrummer.com

845-647-3683
July 2012 • MODERN DRUMMER 81
Para i les Drum Shop
the on-line drum accessory company

info@paradiddles drumshop.com
www.paradiddlesdrumshop.com

SAM ULANO’S
CALL TO DRUMMERS
“I can come to your home and teach
you to read” with my 12 Drum Reader
books and my 12 CDs—GUARANTEED,
no matter where you live! There is noth-
ing like these books and CDs, and no
other teacher can make this claim. I CAN!

The books and CDs cost only $300.

Order now.
Send check or money order
(I’ll pay postage) to:
Sam Ulano
127 W. 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
212-977-5209

You’ll never regret it!

 For rates and information, please contact LaShanda Gibson.
DRUM MARKET Tel: 973-239-4140 • Email: lashandag@moderndrummer.com

FOR SALE artists. All welcome. “It’s about time.”

Eames hand-crafted North American Tel: 914-591-3383, 914-674-4549.
birch drum shells in Finetone, www.edbettinelli.com
Naturaltone, Mastertone, and Vintage E
series. Eames Drum Co., 229 Hamilton St., Baltimore-Washington: Grant Menefee’s
Saugus, MA 01906. 781-233-1404. studio of drumming. B.M. Berklee College
www.eamesdrumshells.com of Music. All styles and levels.
Tel: 410-747-STIX.
STUDY MATERIALS
Free Drum Chart! Instant download of MISCELLANEOUS
the best charts ever! New releases! N.A.R.D. Is Back! The National
www.DrumChartsInternational.com Association of Rudimental Drummers.
Approved by Ludwig. www.nard.us.com
Drum-Set Systems: Improve fills, solos,
reading, and approach to playing. 39-track Paying drummer jobs since 1969. 818-
CD. www.mattpatuto.com 888-7879. www.MusiciansContact.com

“Play 2 bass drums in a jazz feel.” Double VINTAGE SHOWCASE

Bass Drum Drops by Tony Shay. PO Box The Ludwig Book! by Rob Cook. Business
6444, China Village, ME 04926. $15.00 history and dating guide, 300 pages (64
includes shipping. color), Wm. F. Ludwig II autobiography,
books on Rogers, Leedy, Slingerland, calf-
INSTRUCTION skin heads, gut snares, and more. Contact
NYC Drummers: Study with John Rebeats, tel: 989-463-4757,
Sarracco, one of the most knowledgeable Rob@rebeats.com, website:
pros in the NY area. Accepting only the www.rebeats.com
serious-minded for drum instruction
the professional way. Staten Island Vintage: Snares, sets, singles, cymbals,
studio locations. 718-351-4031. hardware, logos, and trades. Look/see,
www.drumatix.com.
NYC—Westchester. Learn the art of play-
ing the drums. Students include platinum
 WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT...?

PICK WITHERS
He bowed out of the limelight just as Dire Straits was about to reach
massive international fame. But this is one musician without regrets.
by Nick Lauro

through which Withers connected with earplugs,” Pick continues, “as Dave had a
D avid “Pick” Withers came into the
world in 1948 in the East Midlands city
of Leicester—not exactly the swing capital
singer/guitarist Dave Edmunds (“I Hear You
Knocking,” “I Knew the Bride,” “Girls Talk”).
very loud Fender Goliath amp, and I was
terrified of it. He was a big fan of the Beach
of post-war England, but still providing “When Spring ran its course,” the drummer Boys and announced one day that he’d
opportunities for budding young drum- explains, “there was an attempt to create a found the ultimate sound for guitar—
mers via the local Boys Brigade band. “I house band at Rockfield. I ended up doing a double tracked sixty-three times! Appar-
was aware of playing on biscuit tins with tour for Dave Edmunds to promote ‘I Hear ently sixty-four was too much. But he’s got
knitting needles as a child and asking my You Knocking,’ in a band that included a great pop voice, like the late Gerry
parents for drums,” Withers reminisces. Andy Fairweather Low, and a few years Rafferty, who I also recorded with. Those
“But I was never allowed them. In those later I ended up touring in Brinsley Schwarz guys have a tone in their voices that sits
days the Boys Brigade would march every with Edmunds and Nick Lowe. The tour so beautifully on the track. The other
month, and you could run out and march was recorded, and some of the tracks instruments don’t need to be compressed
with them. Somehow, that idea got into ended up on Edmunds’ Subtle as a Flying underneath. It’s all there; nothing swamps
my head and I joined up. But I knew why I Mallet album. their voices.”
was joining—I wanted to get a drum!” “This was also the first time I wore By 1973, Withers was making a name for
By the end of the 1950s, England’s
Gail Hadani
teenagers were being turned on to
American rock ’n’ roll, but unlike his peers,
Pick focused his attention on more home-
grown talent. “My first influences were the
Shadows,” he says, “because they gave you
a great basic principle for playing in a
combo, and they had good drummers.”
Come the early ’60s, Beatlemania was
influencing an entire generation of inner-
city adolescents to pick up guitars in musi-
cal revolution. “I’m eternally grateful to the
Beatles,” Withers says, “because they
opened everything up for me. By the time I
was eighteen I was playing in Europe.”
Following three successful years in Italy
with the English band the Primitives,
Withers returned home and joined Spring.
That group was based in the now legendary
South Wales recording studio Rockfield,

Withers back in his Dire Straits days (left) and today

84 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012
 PICK HITS
Spring, Spring Dire Straits, Dire Straits
One of Pick Withers’ After recording and performing with a wide variety of artists during the beginning of
earliest recordings is the decade, including the future pub-rock star Dave Edmunds, the British neo-folk
the 1971 self-titled guitar great Bert Jansch, and the popular folk-rock band Magna Carta, Withers set-
album by the melodic tled in with Dire Straits, whose debut album was a surprise hit in 1978. The band’s
Leicester, England, prog band Spring. straddling of old- and new-wave sensibilities made for a perfect environment for Withers, whose cool
Many of the drummer’s attributes are but playful, almost Southern-soul-style grooves helped Mark Knopfler’s Dylan-inspired songs res-
clearly evident even at this point in his onate with a wide audience. In the main article, Withers says that the famous lick around 3:40 into
career, including clear articulations, the breakout smash “Sultans of Swing” isn’t a paradiddle. It’s pretty darned close, though, in the first
a relaxed yet sophisticated sense two beats—the bass drum simply replaces a couple of the notes that would be on the snare. The
of groove, and an easy way with second half is similar, but more like the type of linear Latin sticking that Stanton Moore uses on New
rudimental-style drums, particularly Orleans rumba-style grooves. Throughout the track, Withers flits nimbly between the hi-hat and the
on the track “Shipwrecked Soldier.” ride, catching upbeats and dancing gracefully on the cymbals.

himself on the London studio scene, but his

big break would come with Dire Straits’
1978 self-titled debut album. That record-
ing includes the cut “Sultans of Swing,”
which propelled the band into the top
ten on both sides of the Atlantic. “Sultans”
also introduced a myth into the world of
drum folklore. During the verse that fea-
tures the line “…and says at last, just as the
time bell rings,” it’s often assumed that
Withers is playing a paradiddle broken up
between the snare drum and ride cymbal,
but this is not the case. “It’s not paradiddle
sticking,” Pick says. “I borrowed it from
drummer George Grantham, off a live Poco
record. I learned it off a lick that starts on
the cowbell.”
Following Dire Straits’ second album,
Communiqué, Withers played on Bob
Dylan’s platinum-selling Slow Train
Coming—on a recommendation from
Straits leader Mark Knopfler, who played
guitar on the Dylan LP—pushing his repu-
tation to yet another level. “It was like being
a professional footballer waiting for that
million-pound transfer deal,” the drummer
says. “Doing Dylan was a big a change for
me, a benchmark. When I came away from
that, I felt I didn’t have to prove myself to
anybody anymore. My only reservation was
that Slow Train was Dylan’s ‘religious album,’
and I was so looking forward to doing some-
thing like Blood on the Tracks or Desire. But
no matter—it was still Bob Dylan.”
Slow Train was recorded at the famed
Muscle Shoals studio, with Barry Beckett
and Jerry Wexler producing. It was a historic
meeting of gargantuan music talents, but
not without differences of opinion. “Dylan
likes to have everyone there from day one,”
Withers says. “He doesn’t do overdubs, and
he doesn’t do guide vocals; the vocal he
sings on the first take is the master vocal. I
have tremendous admiration for him. That’s
why you get such wonderful energy on the
tracks. But Wexler was determined that we
wouldn’t do this, and he sent various peo-
ple home. Dylan was quite suspicious but
went along with the approach and eventu-
ally relaxed into it. There was one track that

86 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 Dire Straits, Making Movies Bob Dylan,
Featuring significant contributions from E Street Band Slow Train Coming
keyboardist Roy Bittan, Making Movies indeed reaches The iconic singer-songwriter surprised many
heights of ambition and mood reminiscent of Bruce in 1979 with this, his first “Christian” album.
Springsteen’s early work, especially the classic Born to Brits Withers and Knopfler joined American
Run. Sporting a noticeably bigger drum sound, Withers alternately studio/stage vets Barry Beckett (keyboards) and Tim
grounds and pokes and prods Knopfler’s greatest set of songs. It’s all Drummond (bass) and the Muscle Shoals Horns, making for a
about timing and taste with Pick, and at every turn he’s there with slick yet soulful rhythm bed upon which Dylan placed his
fresh ideas that serve the songs’ trajectory. Check out the break at newly focused lyrics. Withers has lots to work with here;
about 3:30 on the regal opening track, “Tunnel of Love.” Switching Knopfler’s uniquely rhythmic guitar playing never fights
from 8th-note ride cymbal to double-handed hi-hat 16ths, punctuated Pick’s penchant for creative drum orchestration (“Slow Train,”
by snare and tom jabs, Withers adds further drama to an already cool “When You Gonna Wake Up”), and stately cymbal work and a
deviation, then moves into a quick but exciting joust with Knopfler throbbing bass drum add new levels of detail and heft to the
that leads into the guitar solo. Equally fun and dramatic moments are album’s opening hit, “Gotta Serve Somebody.”
scattered liberally throughout the album. Adam Budofsky

was about fifteen verses long that Wexler Movies, spawned the hit “Romeo and After the release of 1982’s Love Over
wanted to edit. So we cut the tape down Juliet” and features some of Withers’ best Gold album, Withers feared that Dire
to about seven verses, and Dylan over- work. The track “Skateaway” in particular Straits was moving further into stadium-
dubbed his new vocal. He didn’t like [the is a lesson in laid-back but precise in-the- rock territory and made a graceful exit.
way that sounded], so it was re-edited pocket playing. Recorded in America with Despite leaving at a pivotal point in the
using the original vocal take. It was so Jimmy Iovine and Shelly Yakus, Making band’s career—on the brink of reaching
much better, as you could hear us Movies allowed Withers to experience A-list international status with 1985’s
responding to his voice.” new approaches in achieving drum Brothers in Arms—Withers says he has
Though Withers says that in the end he sounds. “We used Remo Diplomats on the no regrets about his decision, as it
spent only ten days with Dylan and hasn’t kit,” he says. “Three takes, and we threw allowed him to spend more time with
seen him since, he believes the bard was them off. We used torque keys for the his family while continuing to work
pleased with what he played. The record- tension. It was worth it for the sound, with artists like Brian Auger, Dennis
ing process certainly left a great impres- but it was hell. Shelly had some hi-hats he Locorriere, and Joan Baez. These days
sion on Withers. “I learned something wanted me to use that were rather dull— Pick splits his time between selective
during that session about recording and almost like a dustbin-lid sound effect. But gigs and teaching.
keeping one’s integrity,” he says. he EQ’d them, and the payoff was that
Dire Straits’ third album, 1980’s Making they didn’t bleed.”
 Classic Excellent Good Fair Poor
RATINGS SCALE

Alive on Arrival
Recent live audio and video releases reveal the musicality and
muscle of some of drumming’s greatest living practitioners.
by Ilya Stemkovsky

SANTANA ARRIVAL LIVE (CD/DVD)

GREATEST HITS LIVE This set by the RUSS MILLER–led Arrival trio
AT MONTREUX 2011 (DVD) features the hit-making pop drummer, along
This three-hour concert from the tireless with bassist Jerry Watts and keyboardist/singer
Santana band features red-hot versions of all Rick Krive, plus special guests, running a varied
the hits, plus cool covers of “Back in Black” and mix of tunes, from standards like “The Nearness
“Sunshine of Your Love.” If you want fire, drum- of You” to Radiohead’s “15 Step.” Miller lays
mer DENNIS CHAMBERS and percussionists down studio-ready backbeats and swings nicely throughout the
RAUL REKOW and KARL PERAZZO provide it, vocal-heavy concert. Check the companion DVD to see the drum-
with incredibly tight interplay on “Gypsy mer playing along to an onstage screen showing footage of Steve
Queen” and “Batuka.” CINDY BLACKMAN sits in on a couple of Smith and Steve Gadd. (russmiller.com)
tunes, but it’s Chambers’ metric-modulation-heavy, head-scratch-
ing solo in “Soul Sacrifice” that’s the real show-stopper. And yes, VARIOUS ARTISTS GOLDEN GATE
he’s chewing gum the whole time. (Eagle Rock) GROOVE: THE SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA
LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO 1973 (CD)
STYX THE GRAND ILLUSION/ After nearly forty years in storage limbo, this
PIECES OF EIGHT (DVD) historic CBS Records convention show featur-
Performing classic albums front to back is all ing the O’Jays, Billy Paul, and Harold Melvin &
the rage these days (see the Rush review the Blue Notes is finally released, highlighting
below), and Styx jumps into the fold with a the stage prowess of Gamble and Huff’s Philly-soul house band,
2010 presentation of two of its best-loved MFSB, and its drummer, EARL YOUNG. Young, who would later
records, 1977’s The Grand Illusion and 1978’s play on the Trammps’ “Disco Inferno” and is sometimes credited
Pieces of Eight. TODD SUCHERMAN simply rips with inventing disco drumming, supports the hits, including “Me
on the material, infusing original drummer and Mrs. Jones” and “Love Train,” with fatback grooves and solid
John Panozzo’s album parts with tremendous timekeeping. Makes you wonder what other treasures are collect-
power and whipping out amazing fills and double bass work ing dust on those shelves. (Sony/Legacy)
throughout the show. Dig the blazing tom rolls on “Come Sail
Away”—this is certainly not the radio version. (Eagle Rock) RUSH TIME MACHINE 2011:
LIVE IN CLEVELAND (CD)
B.B. KING LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT Rush has been documenting every tour of late,
HALL 2011 (DVD) with the latest release, Time Machine 2011: Live
The thrill was not gone when eighty-five-year- in Cleveland, reminding us that NEIL PEART’s
old blues legend B.B. King recorded this loose powerful playing has yet to diminish. The treat
but fun star-studded affair with guests Derek here is the band’s 1981 classic, Moving Pictures,
Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Ronnie Wood, Mick performed in its entirety; hearing Peart tackle deep cuts like “The
Hucknall, and Slash in London last year. Camera Eye” and “Witch Hunt” with enthusiasm is worth the price
Longtime drummer TONY COLEMAN knows who the stars are, and of admission. Each tour also sees a slightly made-over drum feature,
his playing has the mature restraint that only a million gigs can and Peart crams “Moto Perpetuo” with waltz ostinatos, wacky elec-
develop. Also available as a Blu-ray disc. (Shout Factory) tronic sounds, and a “play-along” to the swing classic “Love for
Sale.” (Roadrunner)
BILLY KILSON’S BK GROOVE
RHYTHM DANCER (CD/DVD) MATS/MORGAN BAND LIVE (CD)
Drummer BILLY KILSON grooves mightily on This reissue of a 1999 Mats/Morgan Band date
this energetic live set of tight funk/fusion, from Sweden is a great entry point for those
never eschewing musicality for showmanship unfamiliar with the long-running keys/drums
or chops, but providing plenty of excitement duo and its brand of psycho jazz-fusion.
along the way. His displaced snare and ghost- Drummer MORGAN ÅGREN is a hyperkinetic
ing pattern on “Same Clothes, Different Day” is a head-bobbing ball of mayhem, and he works out like a man
delight, and he slowly builds a beat from nothing during the keys possessed over the odd times of “Jigsaw Variations” and the Zappa-
solo of “And Eye You (BC),” adding each element one by one, like a esque disco-funk of “Min Häst.” There’s ample support and soloing
producer. Some different tunes and an interview appear on a wel- from the guitarist and bassist here, but the in-your-face keys and
come companion DVD. (billykilson.com) drums should exhaust your ears all by themselves. (Cuneiform)

88 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

 ENTER TO WIN ONE OF THREE INCREDIBLE
PRIZES FROM DW, PACIFIC DRUMS AND
PERCUSSION, AND ZILDJIAN!

4,700!
Contest
valued
at over
$

1ST PRIZE:
PDP Concept Maple CM7
drumset in Transparent
Walnut with 3000 series
hardware and a box set
of A ZILDJIAN cymbals

The all-maple PDP drumkit

features F.A.S.T.TM sizes, Remo
heads, STM mounts, and True
PitchTM tuning. The prize
includes 7x8, 8x10, and 9x12
rack toms, 12x14 and 14x16
floor toms, an 18x22 kick with 2ND PRIZE: DW Collector’s 51/2x14 3RD PRIZE:
bass drum mount, and a Black Nickel Over Brass snare drum DWCP5002AD4 double pedal
matching 51/2x14 snare drum.
The rolled 1 mm shell includes a rolled bearing edge This pedal features a Tri-Pivot toe
and snare beds, a MAG throw-off system with 3P clamp, Dual-Spring Rocker, Delta ball-
The A Zildjian box set includes
(three-position) butt plate, True Tone snare wires, bearing hinge, lightweight aluminum
a 21" Sweet Ride, 16" and 18"
True PitchTM stainless steel tension rods, 3.0 mm design, nonskid rubber pad, DW 101
Fast Crashes, and 14" New
steel True Hoops, and DW Heads by Remo USA. two-way beater, and durable bag.
Beat HiHats.

Consumer Disclosure: 1. To enter, visit www.moderndrummer.com between the dates below and look for the DW/PDP/Zildjian Drums Contest button (one entry per email address). 2. ODDS OF WINNING DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE ENTRIES RECEIVED. 3. CONTEST BEGINS
April 1, 2012, AND ENDS June 30, 2012. 4. Grand Prize Drawing: Winner will be selected by random drawing on July 12, 2012. Winner will be notified by phone or email on or about July 16, 2012. 5. Employees, and their immediate families, of Modern Drummer, Drum Workshop,
Zildjian, and their affiliates are ineligible. 6. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, misdirected, and/or delayed entries. 7. Open to residents of the U.S. and Canada, 18 years of age or older. Void in Quebec, Canada; Florida; and where prohibited by law. 8. One prize awarded per household
per contest. 9. Prizes. First Prize: one (1) winner will receive a Pacific Drums and Percussion 7-piece maple kit with 3000 series hardware and the A Zildjian cymbals box set. Approximate retail value of prize: $3,385. Second Prize: One (1) winner will receive a DW Collector’s 5.5x14
Black Nickel Over Brass snare drum. Approximate retail value of prize: $667. Third prize: One (1) winner will receive a DWCP5002AD4 double pedal. Approximate retail value of prize: $699.99. 10. Approximate retail value of contest: $4,752.00. 11. Sponsored by Modern Drummer
Publications, Inc., 12 Old Bridge Road, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009, 973-239-4140. 12. This game subject to the complete Official Rules. For a copy of the complete Official Rules or the winner’s name, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Modern Drummer
Publications/PDP/DW/Zildjian/Official Rules/Winners List, 12 Old Bridge Rd., Cedar Grove, NJ 07009.
 MULTIMEDIA
THE LANGUAGE OF DRUMMING BOOK BY BENNY GREB
BOOK/CD LEVEL: ALL $19.99
The German mastermind drummer details his unique binary code (introduced on his top-selling DVD) to
create a rhythmic language that’s easy to understand and incorporate at every playing level. The system
is based on twenty-four combinations of 16th-note and triplet (ternary) groupings. Greb starts by clap-
ping the rhythms, then moves to the snare/pad and incorporates patterns with accents, eventually
bringing it all to fruition on the kit, dividing the rhythmic alphabet among all four limbs. As in any lan-
guage, letters form words and then sentences. Advancing into the more difficult odd groupings, Greb
uses syllables to describe them, offering challenging exercises that open the mind to endless possibili-
ties. The accompanying CD covers most of the written content and includes a bass guitar “Jam Track” to
explore your newly discovered language. (Hudson) Mike Haid

OUT OF TIME (DRUM

VIDEO SERIES VOL. 1)
FEATURING
NARADA
MICHAEL WALDEN
DVD LEVEL: ALL $24.95
It’s almost enough just to
see the master play, but
hearing Narada Michael
Walden’s stream-of-consciousness thoughts on
whatever he’s throwing down at the moment is
both hilarious and highly informative. Out of
Time focuses on different odd meters, and there
are plenty of full-band segments where Walden
cuts loose with his famous fusion and funk
skills. But the interviews are the X factor.
Walden speaks about rolls, balance, wearing
gloves, and his musical heroes, but also
reminds the viewer to “be a kind person, tell
your mother you love her, and wash your
hands.” It’s not just about drums—it’s about
life. Bring on volume two! (Drum Channel)
Ilya Stemkovsky

YOUR FIRST DRUM

LESSON
DVD LEVEL: BEGINNER
$24.95
Several topics touched on
in this DVD would certainly
be important at a first les-
son, including stick grip
and how to strike a
drum—covered here by Joe Porcaro and Ralph
Humphrey. Elsewhere, Stephen Perkins dissects
the drumkit, Gregg Bissonette testifies about
tuning, and Chad Smith teaches a basic rock
beat. Unfortunately, since the DVD is mostly
made up of previously released Drum Channel
classes, it can feel more like an infomercial than
a progressive instructional video. As helpful as
the individual chapters may be, beginners could
be even better served by one inspiring up-and-
coming player presenting a more cohesive
package. (Drum Channel) Robin Tolleson

90 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

IN MEMORIAM

Paul Natkin
WILLIE “BIG EYES” SMITH
in the blues icon’s success on
W illie “Big Eyes” Smith, one of the great practitioners of a true
American art form, was lost to blues fans around the world
when he died last September 16 at age seventy-five. The drummer,
Grammy-winning albums such
as Hard Again, I’m Ready, and
harmonica player, singer, and songwriter, who gained international Muddy “Mississippi” Waters: Live.
notoriety as Muddy Waters’ longtime bandleader, was fighting bone Like many artists of the genre,
cancer when he was felled by complications from a stroke. Smith found that his greatest
Smith was born in 1936 and raised in Helena, Arkansas. Like his fel- acclaim seemed to come in his
low Arkansan Levon Helm, he was weaned on live radio via the King later years. In 1980, he started the Legendary Blues Band,
Biscuit shows. Motivated by the dynamic harmonica playing of which backed the illustrious John Lee Hooker in the hit movie
Sonny Boy Williamson, Willie learned the instrument himself, and at The Blues Brothers. Recording seven albums with the LBB, Smith
seventeen he followed the music to its source, Chicago. also began to hone his already fine singing skills. High points
Smith’s arrival on the national scene came in 1955, on Bo Diddley’s during this period included touring with Bob Dylan, the Rolling
“Diddy Wah Diddy,” which was recorded for impresario Leonard Stones, and Eric Clapton.
Chess’s Checker label. Around that time, Smith switched to drums In 1995, remaining true to his traditional roots, Willie began a
and began to play and record with Muddy Waters. He became a reg- series of solo works starting with that year’s Bag Full of Blues. Way
ular band member in 1961, taking an innovative approach to blend- Back, from 2006, featured many of his own compositions and netted
ing Delta blues with more urban forms. His style—largely the result a Blues Foundation Award in the drum instrumentalist category.
of playing left-handed on a right-handed kit—was at once laid-back Smith’s talents were acknowledged once again this past February,
and energized. And whether Smith was playing a slow 12/8 or one of with a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album for Joined at the Hip,
his patented shuffles, hitting just behind the beat, he drove a band Willie’s 2010 collaboration with the legendary blues pianist
like no one else. Apart from a period of several years in the mid-’60s, Pinetop Perkins.
Smith remained with Waters until 1980 and played an important role Bob Girouard
 TOM ARDOLINO
a year. For a while,
T om Ardolino, who spent thirty years as the drummer for NRBQ, died
this past January 6 at age fifty-six. Ardolino and Joey and

Anastasia Pantsios/Kaleyediscope
Ardolino was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on January 12, 1955, Johnny Spampinato
and learned to drum by playing along to records. When he was fifteen, he (the latter had replaced
saw NRBQ at a gig in Springfield, and afterward he began corresponding Anderson) toured under
and trading tapes with group leader Terry Adams, subsequently becom- the name Baby
ing friends with the other band members as well. At the end of a show a Macaroni. During
couple of years later, the audience demanded an encore, but drummer NRBQ’s hiatus, Ardolino
Tom Staley had already left the stage, so bassist Joey Spampinato told released a solo album,
Ardolino, who was in attendance, to play. Ardolino fit in so well that gui- Unknown Brain. He also
tarist Al Anderson didn’t realize it wasn’t Staley until the song was over. produced several com-
Staley left the group in 1974, and Ardolino was invited to join. “Terry pilations of song-
found me at my job at Kmart—the only other job I’ve ever had—and poems, vinyl records on
asked if I wanted to join,” Ardolino told Modern Drummer in 1984. “It just which amateur lyricists, for a fee, could have their words set to music and
about knocked me over, but I knew all the songs.” recorded by professionals. Ardolino did some recording with Bob Dylan,
With NRBQ, knowing all the songs was a tall order. Besides tunes Brian Wilson, and John Sebastian as well.
recorded by the band, Adams was likely to call just about anything, When Adams sought to reassemble NRBQ, the Spampinato brothers
whether it be rock ’n’ roll, avant-garde jazz, blues, rockabilly, swing, polka, decided to pursue another project. Adams made some other recordings
country, R&B, or folk. The biggest requirement for the group’s drummer on which Ardolino played, including a reunion with founding NRBQ gui-
was the ability to adapt to any style at any moment. tarist Steve Ferguson called Louisville Sluggers. Adams then launched a
Ardolino proved to be perfect in that regard, his relaxed demeanor new version of NRBQ, but Ardolino was suffering from bad health and
behind a no-frills kit and under a mane of curls belying the solid but was unable to tour. He did, however, play on two tracks of NRBQ’s recent
loose groove he was laying down. “It seems like hardly anyone really album, Keep This Love Goin’, and he created the cover art.
swings anymore,” he told MD, “and I like my playing to be more feeling “We’ve been best friends since we met, years before he joined the
than technical.” band,” Adams said when Ardolino died. “I guarantee that as we tour, we
Ardolino played with NRBQ from 1974 until the band went on hiatus in will have Tom’s spirit with us.”
2004, appearing on fifteen studio albums and typically playing 250 shows Rick Mattingly
 CORNELL DUPREE MEMORIAL CONCERT
took the place of three.”
T hink back to the opening guitar riff of
Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” or the soul-
ful fretwork on Brook Benton’s “Rainy
The concert in memory of the great
Dupree, at New York City’s B.B. King Blues
Night in Georgia”—that’s Cornell Dupree. Club & Grill this past February 7, was R&B
The guitarist, who played on more than drum heaven. Sitting in the drum chair at
2,500 recordings, with artists such as various times during the “School of
Paul Simon, Joe Cocker, Lou Rawls, Cornell,” as the event was billed, were
Barbra Streisand, Lena Horne, Miles Steve Gadd, Bernard Purdie, Steve Jordan,

Paul La Raia
Davis, Wilson Pickett, Ringo Starr, Lou Chris Parker, Steve Ferrone, Clint de
Donaldson, and Etta James, passed away Ganon, and Buddy Williams. Other per-
on May 8, 2011, in his native Fort Worth, formers included Steve Cropper, Danny Buddy Williams
Texas, at age sixty-eight. Kortchmar, John Scofield, and Ray Parker
The writer and musician Josh Alan Jr. on guitar; Eddie Gomez, Will Lee, Bernard Purdie slowly added the ingredi-
Friedman characterized Dupree as “the Gordon Edwards, Willie Weeks, and Frank ents and got the pot boiling for “Memphis
ultimate unshowoff.” Indeed, Cornell, who Canino on bass; Paul Shaffer and Leon Soul Stew.” Lenny Pickett played a very
was also a member of the original Saturday Pendarvis on keyboards; Randy Brecker on respectful rendering of King Curtis’s classic
Night Live band, played the parts that fit, trumpet; and Alex Foster, Ronnie Cuber, sax tone and riffs on “Soul Twist.” And on
the parts that worked, and in many cases and Lenny Pickett on saxophone. the “Way Back Home” finale, everybody
the “unshowoff” parts that glued the song The evening included numerous high- got a chance to play, and everybody
together into a hit. In the liner notes to the lights, and the grooves, from tight to laid- played tastefully—just as Cornell would
guitarist’s Bop ’n’ Blues album, the famed back, were incredible. Steve Jordan played have done.
Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler a solo on a mini set of a bass drum, snare As the guitarist once told a newspaper
said, “When Mr. Dupree, the pride of drum, ride cymbal, and pair of hi-hats. reporter, “I’m about a feeling…and play-
Fort Worth, came to our rescue, it was Clint de Ganon performed with the new ing the right thing at the right time.” The
bye-bye to multiple guitarists because— Stuff, and Chris Parker played with the old feeling for Cornell was definitely there, and
miraculously, it seemed to me—one man Stuff. Steve Ferrone was on a mission to the time was right.
playing rhythm and lead at the same time move the crowd—mission accomplished. Jim Payne
Photo: Melanie Ross

The Rhythmic Arts Project empowers people with various

disabilities to succeed in the world. We integrate drums and
percussion instruments as creative learning tools that address
life skills and enhance the mind, body and spirit.
Find out more at www.traponline.com

EDDIE TUDURI- FOUNDER & MENTOR

Proud Sponsors

94 MODERN DRUMMER • July 2012

YOU’RE SURROUNDED!
O ur latest outfit, an oversize Yamaha Recording Custom kit, comes from
Chicago’s Kenny Bernardi. “This is not just a drumset,” Bernardi says. “This is a
diatonic and chromatic musical instrument.”
The setup also features two Peter Erskine piccolo snare drums, along with LP
cowbells, woodblocks, and John Dolmayan mini timbales. The cymbals are by
Zildjian and Sabian, and the drumheads are by Remo and Aquarian. The Club
Jordan cocktail kit includes a hi-hat with a drop clutch that, Bernardi explains, “I
fabricated from my own custom chain-driven reverse foot pedal for the floor tom.”
Indeed, the pedal setup is especially impressive. “One of my beaters hits a cow-
bell at the same time it hits my bass drum,” Bernardi says. “The mini-tom beater hits
a bass drum at the same time as well. I have seven beaters working and fifty-five or
more toys to hit. And believe it or not, I’ve calculated for room to grow it even big-
ger and better.”

Photo Submission: Hi-res digital photos, along with descriptive text, may be emailed to
kitofthemonth@moderndrummer.com. Show “Kit of the Month” in the subject line of the message.

COMOMDERINNDGRUMUMPER REGGAE DRUMMING

Featuring Carlton Barrett, Lloyd Knibb, Santa Davis,
IN Sly Dunbar, Gil Sharone, and Adrian Young
PLUS: The Evolution of the Style, Getting Reggae Sounds in the Studio, and Much More!