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Toto’s
Shannon
Forrest The Quest For Excellence
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CONTENTS
Volume 40 • Number 10
34 On the Cover
Toto’s
Shannon Forrest
“There was something in me that said: You need to do this. Listening to myself
and deciding to do things that were uncomfortable ended up opening doors.”
Like the audience at MD’s 2010 Festival, where he was conducting his first-ever
drum clinic, the Nashville studio great had no idea at the time that his performance
there would eventually lead to a gig with Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen—or his current
one with Toto. by Michael Dawson
Cover and Contents photos by Chad Crawford
FEATURES
22 Catching Up With…BUN E. CARLOS and the 54 GREAT ’80S DRUM PERFORMANCES, PART 1.
Yellowjackets’ WILL KENNEDY Everything changed for drummers when the ’70s gave
way to the ’80s, not least of which was the arrival of
44 CHARLES HAYNES. Groove master? Technical drum machines. But tons of great records were still being
marvel? Production whiz? The veteran drummer who’s made. This month we look at some of the best, by hot
worked with Kanye, Gaga, Latifah, and Ndegeocello is all new-wavers and classic rockers alike. by Adam Budofsky
these things and more. by Ken Micallef
60 SETTING SIGHTS: NAVENE KOPERWEIS comes
50 STEVEN WOLF. His fingerprints have been all over out the other end of a demanding stint as a one-man
the pop charts for more than a decade, and his golden band to power the new tech-metal supergroup Entheos.
touch is stronger then ever. by Billy Amendola by Ben Meyer
EDUCATION EQUIPMENT DEPARTMENTS

64 Teacher’s Forum 26 Product Close-Up 8 An Editor’s Overview
Education Through a Different Lens Roland TD-25KV V-Drums Kit What Makes Them Tick?
Drumming Is More Than Doubles and Bosphorus 20th Anniversary by Michael Dawson
Paradiddles Series Cymbals
by Martin Urbach Turkish JC Soundscape Series 10 Readers’ Platform
Cymbals Favorite 1980s Drum Performances
65 Concepts Cask Drum Craft Block- and
It’s Time to Retool! Segment-Shell Snares 14 News
Adjusting Your Business Plan for Index Drums Forest King Series Butch Walker, Islander, Tegan and Sara,
Optimal Success Wooden Drumheads and more
by Russ Miller
62 Gearing Up 20 It’s Questionable
66 Basics Ani DiFranco’s Terence Higgins Drummer Royalties
Fundamental Fills
Part 3: Right-Hand Lead 74 Shop Talk 78 Showcase
by Donny Gruendler Thrift-Shop Finds featuring Drum Market
Restoring a Vintage Snare Drum
68 Strictly Technique by Chris Lee 82 Critique
Swiss Rudiments Matt Wilson album, Kinks reissue,
Part 1: Basel Drumming Basics 76 New and Notable Tobias Ralph instructional video,
by Claus Hessler and more
70 Rock ’n’ Jazz Clinic 88 Inside Methods

Groove Construction Hal Leonard’s Drum Play-Along Series
Part 6: Ghost Notes Using an
Intertwined Approach Enter to win one of three 90 Encore
by Jost Nickel incredible prize packages The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds
72 Rock Perspectives from Tama and Meinl 92 Backbeats

The Notes We Don’t Play The 2016 Chicago Drum Show
Incorporating Rests Into Odd Subdivisions
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AN EDITOR’S OVERVIEW
What Makes Them Tick? Founder

Ronald Spagnardi
1943–2003
Senior Art Director
Scott G. Bienstock
Editorial Director
Publisher/CEO Adam J. Budofsky
O ne of the most rewarding

components of my gig at
Isabel Spagnardi
Managing Editor
John Leiby
Modern Drummer is getting the Senior Vice President Michael Dawson
opportunity to sit down with some Lori Spagnardi
Associate Editor
of my favorite drummers and pick Vice President Willie Rose
their brains about what they’ve Kevin W. Kearns
practiced or focused their atten- Editor at Large
tion on to get their artistry to such Associate Publisher Billy Amendola
a high level. Unlike professional Tracy A. Kearns
sports stars, who are often born Business and
Advertising Director Content Development
with near-superhuman physical Bob Berenson Miguel Monroy
attributes—whether it’s throwing a
ninety-five-mile-an-hour fastball Advertising Assistant Digital Media Director
with laser-like precision or being LaShanda Gibson EJ DeCoske
able to thrust a 6' 11" frame 39.5" The MD Pro Panel: Chris Adler, Gregg Bissonette, Jason Bittner, Will Calhoun,
into the air—world-class drum- Terri Lyne Carrington, Matt Chamberlain, Jeff Davis, Peter Erskine, Bob Gatzen,
mers are often average-size people Daniel Glass, Benny Greb, Matt Halpern, Horacio Hernandez, Gerald Heyward,
Taku Hirano, Susie Ibarra, Jim Keltner, Pat Mastelotto, Allison Miller, Rod Morgenstein,
with average athleticism. Yet Chris Pennie, Stephen Perkins, Dafnis Prieto, Rich Redmond, Brian Reitzell, Jim Riley,
they’ve somehow managed to rise Antonio Sanchez, Gil Sharone, Chad Smith, Steve Smith, Todd Sucherman, Billy Ward,
above the crowd. Why? And how? Kenny Washington, Paul Wertico
That’s what I try to tap into every MODERN DRUMMER ADVISORY BOARD: SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S. $29.95, Canada
time I author a story. Kenny Aronoff, Eddie Bayers, Bill Bruford, $33.95, other international $44.95 per
This month I chatted for a few hours with Shannon Forrest, who’s Harry Cangany, Dennis DeLucia, Les year. For two- and three-year subscription
DeMerle, Peter Erskine, Bob Gatzen, prices go to www.moderndrummer.com.
one of my biggest inspirations of the past ten years. Shannon has
Danny Gottlieb, Jim Keltner, Paul Leim, Single copies $5.99.
played on more hit records coming out of Nashville than we could Peter Magadini, George Marsh, Rod
ever list, and he’s currently touring the world with the iconic pop-rock Morgenstein, Andy Newmark, Neil Peart, SUBSCRIPTION CORRESPONDENCE:
band Toto. But he doesn’t relish the spotlight, very rarely plays drum Steve Smith, Billy Ward, Dave Weckl, Modern Drummer, PO Box 274, Oregon,
Paul Wertico. IL 61061-9920. Change of address:
solos, and has only done one drum clinic to date, which was at the 2010 Allow at least six weeks for a change.
Modern Drummer Festival. (The significance of that particular event CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Please provide both old and new
on Shannon’s career trajectory reveals itself in the story.) There’s an Patrick Berkery, David Ciauro, address. Call 800-551-3786
John Emrich, Bob Girouard, Mike Haid, or 815-732-5283. Phone hours,
undeniable truth in his playing—and in his words—that lets you know, Dr. Asif Khan, Rick Mattingly, Ken Micallef, 8AM–4:30PM Monday–Friday CST,
on a visceral and intellectual level, that this is what being a professional Mark Parsons, Martin Patmos, Jeff Potter, or visit Subscriber Services at
musician is all about. What I’ve been able to deduce is that Shannon Will Romano, Bernie Schallehn, www.moderndrummer.com.
Ilya Stemkovsky, Robin Tolleson,
has taken many of the personality traits that we all possess—passion, Lauren Vogel Weiss, Paul Wells. MUSIC DEALERS: Modern Drummer is
compassion, thoughtfulness, perfectionism, honesty, and humility— distributed by Hal Leonard Corp.,
and created a powerful form of artistic expression that inspires the best MODERN DRUMMER magazine 800-554-0626, [email protected],
(ISSN 0194-4533) is published monthly www.halleonard.com/dealers
of the best to want to work with him. Is there any higher affirmation of by MODERN DRUMMER Publications,
success than that? I don’t think so. Inc., 271 Route 46 West, Suite H-212, INTERNATIONAL LICENSING
In addition to checking out all the great lessons, tips, and stories Fairfield, NJ 07004. PERIODICALS REPRESENTATIVE: Robert J. Abramson
MAIL POSTAGE paid at Fairfield, NJ & Associates, Inc., Libby Abramson,
from Shannon and the other featured artists and columnists in this
07004 and at additional mailing offices. President, 7915 Via Grande, Boyton
issue, I’d also like to invite you to check out our free podcast, which is Copyright 2016 by MODERN DRUMMER Beach, FL 33437, [email protected].
available on moderndrummer.com, iTunes, and most other podcast Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
delivery systems. Each week I sit down with my good friend and regular Reproduction without the permission of the POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
publisher is prohibited. Modern Drummer, PO Box 274, Oregon,
MD contributor Mike Johnston and discuss various topics. We dig a IL 61061-9920.
bit deeper into the artists featured in the magazine, share extra insight EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING/
into some of the drums and cymbals that are reviewed in print each ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES: Canadian Publications Mail Agreement
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you can find by searching for “Modern Drummer Podcast With Mike 4140. Fax: 973-239-7139.
Email: [email protected]. MEMBER: National Association for Music
and Mike,” is to bring the magazine to life and to build a stronger sense Development, National Association of
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Enjoy the issue!
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES
Music Key
8 Modern Drummer October 2016

ARTIST SERIES SNARES
Bone-dry, winter-sharp; the ghost notes whisper

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READERS’ PLATFORM
Favorite 1980s Drum Performance? For me it’s Larry

This month we’re taking a look at twenty-five great drum Mullen Jr. on U2’s
performances from the 1980s, so we asked our Facebook and “Sunday Bloody
Instagram followers for some of their favorites. While the respective Sunday.” It’s one of
catalogs of Toto’s Jeff Porcaro, the Police’s Stewart Copeland, and only a few songs in
Genesis’s Phil Collins were among your most popular choices, Rush’s which everybody
seminal prog pioneer Neil Peart took the top spot for most mentions, knows it by the
by a comfortable margin. Here are some responses. drumbeat, and
he’s supporting
Neil Peart’s “The Rhythm Method.” This live performance redefined the message of
the drum solo as more than speed or the successive demonstration of the song in a
rudiments by introducing the robust palette of his monster collection very good way.
of percussion instruments scattered around his kit. It became a part of He’s a brilliant
the performance that you didn’t dare miss. drummer and
Richard Roberts this is a fantastic
performance.
Liberty DeVitto on Billy Joel’s “Captain Jack” off Songs in the Attic. The Lasse Corus
verses and choruses intensify as DeVitto slowly builds to the crescendo
during the outro. It’s a wonderful live track, and if you turn up your My favorites will always be by Sheila E. She showed many young girls
stereo loud enough and close your eyes, it’s almost like you’re in that we can be drummers, just like the boys.
the arena. Kelly Homer
Andrew DeLaubell
Simon Phillips on the entire Join Together record by the Who, and
“Caught Somewhere in Time” by Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain. It has especially on “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” He brought that song to a
the fastest single bass drum part I’ve ever heard and still continues to new level—signature groove, signature licks, great drum and bass
amaze me. Also, “Nothing Left to Say” by Mark Zonder of Fates Warning interaction with the late bassist John Entwistle, and it’s still a pure Who
showed me how progressive the band could be and that they’d turned performance. I miss Phillips on Townshend songs these days.
from a hard rock/heavy-metal band into a true progressive act. Zyad M. Akawi
John Cahill
The one that really stands out to me is Ndugu Chancler’s drumming
The ones that really blew my mind and got me practicing like on Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” It sounds simple but is so incredibly
there was no tomorrow—or the “big three” as I call them—are Neil well done, and it’s one of the purest beats ever. In my opinion, it’s the
Peart’s performance on Moving Pictures, Stewart Copeland’s work ’80s beat.
on Synchronicity, and Nicko McBrain’s sick single-kick work on Iron Fabian Schindler
Maiden’s Somewhere in Time. I still practice and play along to these
albums on a regular basis. Phil Collins and Chester Thompson’s drum duet from the Genesis Live
Patrick Handlovsky at Wembley Stadium DVD. The whole thing had a tribal nature, but
contained themes, variations, dynamics, small hints of big band
There are so many to choose from so I’ll suggest something subtle setups and fills, and some special sauce from both of them. It’s an
with a pure groove: “Physical Presence” from World Machine by Level 42 amazing composition.
with Phil Gould on drums. David Anania
Michael Conway
I’ll be “that guy” and say “YYZ” by Neil Peart and Rush. I didn’t
If I had to choose one performance, I’d have to say Neil Peart on come across this song until the mid-’80s. But as a young and very
“Xanadu” from Exit…Stage Left. The first time I saw that performance impressionable drummer, to hear those guys trade licks in the middle
on DVD, the whole thing mesmerized me: the atmosphere, the music of the song was just otherworldly for me. At the time nothing was
behind it, and even the visual aspect. As far as his performance goes, more satisfying to me then hearing a tom run from the 6" to the 16".
he absolutely nailed it, especially when the song transitions to 7/8. Scott Sparks
All in all, it’s a great song by a great band that’s led by a spectacular
musician. Nicko McBrain, “Where Eagles Dare.” The second that intro started I
Justin Kitzmiller was hooked. I saw him do it at a clinic and was blown away seeing it
up close.
Terry Bozzio with Missing Persons on “U.S. Drag.” The timing alone in Charles Allison
this song is mind blowing. As it progresses, he keeps adding elements
to the beat. Of course the fills are very nice as well. Simple Minds, “Don’t You (Forget About Me).” Killer groove and that fill
Christopher Walls coming out of the breakdown with one open hi-hat note. Mel Gaynor
is a god!
I’d say Tony Brock’s playing on “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” from Rod Malcolm Larri
Stewart’s concert in Santiago, Chile, in 1989. It’s on YouTube now, but
I’d recorded a VHS off the TV broadcast when I was ten years old. I think Want your voice heard? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram,
Brock is a very creative drummer and connects well with his audience. and look out for next month’s question.
Robert Fuentes
HOW TO REACH US [email protected]

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October 2016 Modern Drummer 11
Now on
.com
PRODUCT CLOSE-UP
Video demos of the Roland TD-25KV V-Drums
kit, plus Bosphorus 20th Anniversary and
Turkish JC Soundscape series cymbals.
8:49 AM
BRENDAN BUCKLEY
Shakira’s drummer, who’s out with Tegan and
Sara, offers tips for staying organized and
7/21/16
healthy on the road. MARK STEPRO

Getting deep into the
THE INTERTWINED APPROACH TO GHOST NOTES making of Butch Walker’s
latest, Stay Gold, and the fine
1
Jost Nickel lays out a four-step approach to working ghost notes into grooves.
art of juggling gigs.
remo_pinstripe-md_1016_fp-v1.pdf
THE NOTES WE DON’T PLAY

Incorporating rests into odd subdivisions is only tricky at first. Aaron Edgar puts us on
our way to internalizing an exciting new rhythmic tool.
Plus the greatest drum-related prizes online,

news from around the world of drumming,
exclusive MD podcasts, and much, much more.

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NEWS
Out Now
Butch Walker
Stay Gold
When he’s not busy producing big-time artists
like Pink or Taylor Swift, Butch Walker records
his own music, and his latest album, Stay Gold,
rocks that much harder thanks to drummer Mark
Stepro. Along with help from guests like Ryan
Adams and Roger Manning Jr. (Jellyfish, Beck),
Stay Gold is pure 1970s rock, with big hooks,
catchy vocals, and drumming constructed to get
the head bobbing. “For that style of music, our
reference points are Springsteen and the Eagles,”
says Stepro, who also tours in Walker’s live band.
“It’s like a natural home base for us stylistically.”
Stepro’s parts on barnburners like “East Coast Girl”
play to the back of the arena, mainly because
he doesn’t sound like a hired gun. “I wanted to
approach the record somewhere between ‘studio
guy’ and ‘I’m actually in this band,’” Stepro says.
“I drove around in my car internalizing Butch’s
demos, because I didn’t want to be writing out a
chart, having heard the song forty-five seconds
before I was to record. It’s that whole ‘thoughtful
practicing leads to thoughtless playing’ thing. That
style is a language and a vocabulary, and there are
certain things you do and certain things you don’t
do.” (Dangerbird Records) Ilya Stemkovsky
Islander
Power Under Control
Former Avenged Sevenfold drummer
Arin Ilejay has joined the Greenville,
South Carolina, rap-rockers Islander and More New Releases
is featured on the band’s second Victory Warren Wolf Convergence (Jeff
Records release, Power Under Control. The “Tain” Watts) /// The Apocalypse
muscular “Darkness” and “Bad Guy” rip open Blues Revue The Apocalypse Blues
the collection and announce Ilejay’s arrival Revue (Shannon Larkin) /// Uri Caine
with authority. Power Under Control, which Calibrated Thickness (Clarence Penn)
features an entirely new band lineup aside /// Of Montreal Innocence
from founding member and vocalist Mikey Reaches (Clayton Rychlik) /// The
Carvajal, was recorded in early 2016 at NRG Color Morale Desolate Divine (Steve
Studios in North Hollywood. Fusing elements Carey) /// Dream the Electric Sleep
of ’90s nu metal, radio-rock tunefulness, and Beneath the Dark Wide Sky (Joey
Carvajal’s broad palette of vocal abilities, the Waters) /// Soilwork Death Reso-
album is evidence that Ilejay can support the nance (Dirk Verbeuren) /// Carnifex
song and still kick some ass when it counts. Slow Death (Shawn Cameron) ///
The set was produced by Cameron Webb The Amazing Ambulance (Moussa
(Pennywise, Motörhead, Alkaline Trio), whom Fadera) /// Skillet Unleashed (Jen
Ilejay had previously collaborated with on Ledger) /// Ed Roth Mad Beatnik
Confide’s Shout the Truth album. “He’s so (Chad Smith) /// Courtesy Tier
much fun to work with,” Ilejay says. “He wants Everyone’s OK (Layton Weedeman) ///
what we want. Our methods work together, The Pineapple Thief Your Wilderness
and it just got better and better as we spent
time in the studio together.”(Victory) For more with Mark Stepro
Ben Meyer and Arin Ilejay,
visit moderndrummer.com.

September 2016 Modern Drummer 15
NEW S continued
On
Tour
Brendan Buckley with Tegan and Sara

Brendan Buckley is well known as Colombian superstar Shakira’s And they wanted to get away from their previous arrangements from
regular drummer. But the New Jersey native’s résumé is deep, wide, prior tours. Therefore, qualities like flexibility, patience, and sensitivity
and multinational. Skim his workload over the past few years and you’ll were all equally important as playing to a click.”
notice performances with pop singer Miley Cyrus, alt-roots vet Shelby For a musician who’s unbound by style and location, scheduling
Lynne, and indie chanteuse Minnie Driver, as well as live dates with can be among the most demanding and frustrating aspects of the
Chinese singer Jason Zhang, Chilean rocker Beto Cuevas, Singaporean business. For his part, Buckley relies on more than his own organization
multi-talent JJ Lin, and Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos. Right now skills to avoid conflicts. “Although I keep a very detailed and organized
Buckley is out with the Canadian pop duo Tegan and Sara, a gig that iCalendar,” the drummer says, “everything always seems to shift around,
makes lots of sense for someone with his varied skills and modern shorten, double, or get postponed or canceled. And when jobs overlap,
disposition. “It was important for me to be able to offer them a variety it’s important for you to handle it professionally. Fortunately, I have
of approaches for each of their songs,” Buckley tells MD. “The fully some fantastic drummer friends that can fill in and slay the gig on a
sampled electronic version. The acoustic drum version. A broken-down, moment’s notice. A network of talented peers is priceless.”
unplugged version. They wanted to experiment a lot during rehearsals. Adam Budofsky
For more with Brendan Buckley, go to moderndrummer.com.
Also on the Road

Riley Breckenridge with Thrice /// Bill Stevenson with Descendents /// Mike Calabrese with Lake Street Dive /// Dennis Wilson with Saves the
Day /// Steve Gere with Built to Spill /// Nekoro Williams with People’s Blues of Richmond /// Emmett “Murph” Murphy III with Dinosaur Jr. ///
Matt Hayward with Band of Skulls /// Ted Poor with Andrew Bird /// Blake Richardson with Between the Buried and Me /// Kenny Bernard with
Ra Ra Riot /// François Comtois with Young the Giant /// Sal Rodriguez and Marcos Reyes with War
Who’s Playing What

New Vater artists include
Bisquera Curt Bisquera (Michel
K enneth K earney
Polnareff, pictured), Stacy

Jones (Miley Cyrus), Chesley
Allen (Meghan Trainor),
Longineu Parsons (This
Legend, Ten Foot Pole), and
Jimmy D’Anda (Lynch Mob).
P eter T horn
D ennis Jackson
Omar Donn
HakimGarrett (Brilliant
Benny Greb is using has joined the Woodstick)
Mis-Takes,
Vic Firth drumsticks. has joined
Earthworks the Mapex
roster.
artist roster.

Jason Mag eau
The Story Continues...

For the first time in its history, Yamaha Recording Custom Series snare drums are available in a variety of metal
shell options. Utilizing the invaluable insight from Steve Gadd during the entire design process, the simple snare
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Give the newest snare drums a listen here: 4wrd.it/RC_Snare_Solo
www.yamahadrums.com
N E WS continued
Joshua Simonds Named Ukraine’s Victor Gerchev Wins DW’s

PAS Executive Director “White Room” Competition
The Percussive Congratulations to Victor Gerchev on winning DW’s White Room contest. To enter, contestants
Arts Society submitted a video of themselves performing a drum cover of “White Room” by Cream.
has appointed Representatives from DW, Zildjian, and Modern Drummer narrowed submissions down to
Joshua Simonds ten semifinalists before Cream’s Ginger Baker personally selected the winner. Gerchev’s
to the position of grand prize included a trip to the Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp in Los Angeles last November, a
executive director. custom DW snare played by Baker during the camp, a set of Zildjian cymbals, and a one-year
Simonds, who subscription to Modern Drummer magazine. A video of Gerchev’s performance can be found
has held that title at dwdrums.com/whiteroom.
with the Chicago
Youth Symphony
Orchestra, holds
a master of arts in
arts management
from American
University in
Washington, D.C., and a bachelor of arts in percussion
from California State University, Long Beach. During
Simonds’ tenure with the CYSO, the organization
built one of the largest youth steel pan programs in
the Midwest, performed with Chicago’s Blue Man
Group in the city’s Millennium Park, collaborated with
the Third Coast Percussion ensemble on multiple
occasions, and most recently secured Glenn Kotche as
2016-2017 composer in residence.
“I’m honored that the board of directors has
entrusted me with leading this distinguished
organization and am eager to start working with
members around the world to build on fifty-five years
of amazing history,” Simonds says. “Together we’ll
ensure that PAS continues to be the global leader in
percussion and drumming, and, as our mission states,
inspire, educate, and support percussionists and
drummers throughout the world.”
Pearl Welcomes Artist

Relations Manager
John Farquharson
Pearl Corporation
recently appointed
John Farquharson
to the position
of artist relations
manager.
Farquharson, a
native of Grand
Rapids, Michigan,
and a graduate of
Berklee College of
Music with a degree
O leksand r “ AZ art” Z hy tko
in music business
management
and marketing,
completed
internships at Zildjian and Pearl before accepting the
new position. “Pearl is an iconic brand with legendary
artists, and it’s my privilege to be a part of this team,” John Martinez (Chuck Rainey Coalition)
he says. “I look forward to building on the relationships has joined the Noble & Cooley roster.
with each artist.”

mfg
U.S.A.
IN THE POCKET
IT’S QUESTIONABLE
Drummer Royalties: Am I Missing Out?

Iplay original material for a band. I write
and record the drum parts, we play gigs
regularly, and our songs are often played on
heart of the drummer royalty dilemma. You
mention that you don’t write the melodies
or the lyrics and that, despite writing
in the song’s vibe, melody, or lyrics? If so,
you can request to receive a percentage
of the copyright. That negotiation should
the radio. I’m not credited as a songwriter in the drum parts, you aren’t credited as a occur before the copyright is filed. However,
the band, however, as I don’t have any input songwriter. The ownership of the copyright the songwriter is usually under no legal
on the melodies or lyrics. Am I missing out generates royalties, and the only things that obligation to grant your request. Be
on royalties? you can copyright are lyrics and melodies. judicious as to when you ask, and make sure
Finn “But you can always advocate for an you’ve outlined a good case.
agreement with the songwriter that states “It’s not uncommon for a band to share
Entertainment attorney Paul Quin responds: that your drum part is integral to the song. copyright among all members, which can
“This is a great question that gets to the Did your contributions lead to a change help prevent a lot of arguments down the
road. That can be outlined on a song-by-
song basis, or the band can agree to split
all royalties equally. If you and your band
decide to go down that road, make sure to
commit the agreement to a signed contract.
In order to collect future royalty payments,
you must belong to a performance rights
society, such as BMI, ASCAP, or SESAC.
“Performance royalties raise a different
issue. Unlike in Europe, in the United
States performance royalties for songs
played on terrestrial radio are generally not
recognized. Performance royalties can be
available for songs played on satellite radio
and other digital platforms, however. The
legwork to register these performances
can be a little daunting, but it can be quite
lucrative in the case of a major hit. To learn
more, visit soundexchange.com.
“Performance royalties are split between
the owner of the sound recording copyright
(50%), which is often the record company,
and the featured performer (45%). The
remaining 5% is for non-featured artists,
such as session musicians, and is distributed
through a royalty pool managed by the
American Federation of Musicians (AFofM)
and SAG-AFTRA. The SoundExchange
program is run through the federal
government, and the website is self-
explanatory.
“There’s a current movement to urge
the United States to fall in line with other
countries and pay musicians performance
Whether you’re an Acoustic Player, EDM Artist, or Studio Producer, the royalties regardless of the radio platform.
NSPIRE Series brings your imagination to life with the highest quality, You can become involved through
most complete assortment of real-sized electronic drum components musicfirstcoalition.com and futureofmusic.
available on the market today… NSPIRE to build the kit of your dreams. com. Good luck in negotiating with your
bandmates!”
Watch a demo by Russ Miller at Paul Quin is a partner at the law firm of Saxon,
youtube.com/watch?v=hMtSVzLdyFg Gilmore & Carraway, PA, where he focuses his
practice on entertainment law. You can contact him
directly at [email protected].
HOW TO REACH US [email protected]

P E R F E C T LY U N I Q U E 2
B u i l d y o u r o w n a t s q 2 - d r u m s y s t e m . c o m
STEVESMITH
Journey
Steve Smith’s SQ2 Kit

(UPID 144766997722-1)
u s . s o n o r . c o m
CATCHING UP WITH…
Will Kennedy
Feeling good to be right back in the Yellowjackets’ swing of things.
T he future was a mystery for

Will Kennedy at the turn of the
millennium, after he announced that
he’d leave the high-profile electric jazzers
Yellowjackets to focus on other projects.
Now, after returning to the band in 2010,
he’s sounding fresher than ever all over
the group’s latest release, Cohearence.
“It was like riding a bike,” Kennedy says
of being back in the fold. “Yellowjackets
have always been a family environment. I
thought I had put my time in and it came
to a conclusion. Even though I was out
for ten years, we remained in contact. We
did a gig on the side at the Baked Potato
in L.A., calling ourselves the Hornets. A
seed was planted. We tried it on and it
felt good. And here I am. I’m happy. It
feels like home.”
Has anything changed now that the
band is thirty-five years into its career?
“There’s something special that occurs,”
Kennedy says. “Of course you have to get
along personally. It’s important to like
and love the people you’re performing
with. When you’ve spent that length of
time with a musician, there’s a built-in
exploration that occurs. You know where
to stretch somebody or when to give
Will Kennedy last graced the

cover of Modern Drummer in
December of 2000, when he
was set to take a hiatus from
the Yellowjackets. Kennedy,
who has won numerous
readers polls in the magazine,
has been the house drummer
for The Wayne Brady Show and
The Martin Short Show and
toured with Chaka Khan, Lee
Ritenour, and Jonathan Butler.
To watch Will’s performance
at the 2014 PASIC convention,
go to Modern Drummer’s
YouTube page. And be sure to
check out Kennedy’s YouTube
channel—search for Will’s
Music Room.

Bun E. Carlos
These days it’s out with the old and in with the new for the
them a little push or when to lighten former Cheap Trick drummer.
up. You get a good idea of how to
W
nurture or develop someone’s solo. hile the current members of Cheap Trick used the run-up to the band’s
You know how they speak on their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction to promote a new album and
instrument. You develop an unspoken take potshots at former drummer Bun E. Carlos in the press, the famously
vocabulary.” bespectacled sticksman seized the opportunity to make the solo album
Cohearance, which features new he’d been forever threatening to release. Carlos describes Greetings From
bassist Dane Alderson (“He has a Bunezuela! as “a drummer’s mixtape,” with musician friends including Guided
knack,” Kennedy says, “for settling by Voices’ Robert Pollard, Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner, Wilco’s John Stirratt, and
into a groove and making it feel like original Cheap Trick singer Randy Xeno joining him for obscure rock covers
a big living room couch”), continues that sport his typically punchy pulse.
the band’s tradition of beautifully “I’d been talking about this since the 1970s,” Carlos
crafted tunes that are hummable but says. “Then the Hall of Fame made its announcement
also act as springboards for soaring in December. And in January, much to the dismay of
improvisational flights from each everyone, I said, ‘Yeah, this is a good time—I think I’ll do
player. Kennedy’s tricky “Fran’s Scene” this.’ And management said, ‘Okay, we need it in six weeks.’”
fits the bill with excellent cymbal work Beyond a couple of shows in the Midwest, Carlos
and dynamics. “An odd-meter groove doesn’t see himself doing many gigs to
can sometimes feel a little strange,” promote the album. “I’m not going to throw
the drummer explains. “I found some the drums in a van and drive a thousand
approaches that gave the odd meter miles to go play a club in North Dakota or
an even feel. The faster 7/8 can be something,” he cracks. Carlos has got plenty
counted in the longer seven that to keep him busy these days anyway. He’s
begins the tune. Sometimes your playing regularly with two local groups,
chords sound bigger when you leave the Monday Night Band in his hometown
certain notes out. The same with a of Rockford, Illinois, and the Jimmys in
groove. There’s a lot of 1’s that I’m Monroe, Wisconsin. And a new album from
leaving out. To not mark where the 1 is, Candy Golde, a group that includes Stirratt
it gives the illusion of a longer bar.” and Rick Rizzo of Eleventh Dream Day, is
After all the touring that the being shopped around.
Yellowjackets have continued to do, Bun E.’s celebrated collection of drums
Kennedy still finds time to connect has also been occupying a fair amount
with other drummers. “Clinics continue of his time recently, because he’s in the
to evolve,” he says. “Lately I’ve had so process of downsizing. “I’m actively
much fun making the clinic interactive. disassembling it,” Carlos says. “I turned
So it’s not just me up there blowing sixty-five in June. It took me about thirty
away and then standing up and asking years to put together, and I figure I’ve got
if there are any questions. I’ve grabbed about ten years to get rid of this thing, if
people from the audience and had I’m lucky, before I fall over walking down
them demonstrate some of the points the street one day.
that I’d been making about drumming “So last year I started calling people
or music. Suddenly you see that and saying, ‘Before you go to the
epiphany in their eyes when they’re [Chicago] Drum Show, come over and
playing it. That makes it almost like a have a look.’ The guys from Canopus
one-on-one drum lesson in public.” came over and bought four kits. A
Matthew Bow ie
As for the future of the band, couple guys got some snare drums.
Kennedy says, “I’m looking to grow, Another guy was over recently and
expand, and bring in new ideas. It’s bought some stuff. I’ve still got about
a never-ending cycle. You can never forty kits and a couple hundred snare
know it all. I’m just keeping open ears, drums. But a lot of my eye candy is going
keeping the inspiration going, and away really fast.” Patrick Berkery
hoping to keep inspiring up-and-
coming musicians.” Ilya Stemkovsky

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PRODUCT CLOSE-UP
Roland
TD-25KV V-Drums Kit
Exceptional sounds and functions plus more tactile
adjustability.
Roland recently made some changes to its V-Drums lineup, including discontinuing the TD-15
series and adding two mid-level kits with the TD-25 module. This new series capitalizes on a lot of
the technology found in Roland’s flagship TD-30 line, but delivers kits at a lower price point.
The TD-25 kits offer a beautiful playing experience and a lot of great features that can be
utilized both for practice and performance. We were sent the TD-25KV model for review (list
price: $3,499).
What’s in the Box?

The TD-25KV came equipped with two PD-85BK 8" pads for rack toms, two PDX-100 10" pads for
the floor tom and snare, one KD-9 kick pad, two CY-12C 12" crash cymbals, one CY-13R 13" ride
cymbal, the VH-11 V-Hi-Hat, which mounts on a regular hi-hat stand (not included), and a rack
with all the necessary clamps and boom arms. The lower-priced TD-25K kit ($2,499) comes with
just one crash and includes two PDX-6 6.5" pads for the rack toms and one PDX-8 8" pad for the
floor tom. Everything else is the same.
Drum and Cymbal Pads

Roland has been a long-standing industry leader in electronic drum and cymbal pads because
of how well they perform and look. With the TD-25 module, the PDX-100 mesh-head snare
pad responds to “positional sensing,” which provides the tonal characteristics that you would
experience by playing on different areas of an acoustic drum. This technology translates incredibly
well as you explore tight rolls at the edge of the drum, soft ghost notes, and hard rimshots. In
addition to responding to chokes, Roland’s CY-12C cymbal pads also provide bow and edge
sounds. The ride cymbal pad has three different playing zones: bow, edge, and bell. Those three
playing areas transition very naturally to offer a lot of dynamic expression and creative freedom.
The same can be said for the VH-11 V-Hi-Hat, which is mounted on a conventional hi-hat stand.
The hi-hat pad allowed for foot splashes, and it’s exceptionally responsive to quick flurries of
double strokes or a subtle release of the foot for a hint of partially open slosh.
The bass drum and tom pads expressed articulate patterns wonderfully as well. The kick pad
responded great to as much double-pedal madness as we could dish out.
TD-25 Module
The TD-25 module was designed with one main theme in mind: to put the user in control of
the sound. The higher-end Roland TD-30 module offers tons of preloaded kits and customizing
options that are built deeper into the menus. The TD-25 has thirty-six kits, and you can easily
change the instrument, tuning, muffling, and
balance by twisting dedicated knobs on the
face of the module. (If you aren’t interested in
messing with the nuances of drum and cymbal
sounds, you may want to check out the TD-11
kits. Those run about $1,000 cheaper and have
fifty preset kits.)
Adjusting parameters for the drums
and cymbals on the TD-25 module is easy;
just strike the desired pad, and then turn
the appropriate knob. All changes are
automatically saved. The toms can be adjusted
as a group or individually, which we found to be a great timesaving feature. It was also
very easy to restore kits to their original version. The eighteen preset kits are divided into
six musical genres, which are selectable by the large dial on the module.
The module also features a dedicated knob for adjusting bass and treble frequencies,
backing-track volume, and master volume. There’s a knob for the metronome as well,
which allows for easy tempo adjustment.
The TD-25 module also incorporates Roland’s SuperNATURAL Behavior Modeling

For a video demo
of this kit, visit
moderndrummer.com.
feature. This technology was originally created for Roland’s flagship practice functions; the ability to play, loop, and tempo-adjust WAV
TD-30 module and is a big part of what makes playing a Roland and MP3 files; and the option to record and save performances
kit so special, as it enables the module to respond to your touch and play-along tracks to a USB memory stick. You can also utilize
in the same way that an acoustic kit would. From cymbal swells to the .125" input to connect an external audio device, and Roland
rimshots, rimclicks, and sensitive snare strokes, the TD-25 pads and included a USB port for recording audio and MIDI data into DAW
module provide a realistic and inspiring playing experience. software on your computer. High marks all around!
Other important features of the TD-25 module are the Coach Miguel Monroy

PRODUCT CLOSE-UP
Bosphorus
20th Anniversary Series Cymbals
A throwback to the ’60s, with musicality and expressiveness at its core.
Bosphorus, one of the leading cymbal manufacturers in Turkey,

is commemorating two decades of operation with the new 20th
Anniversary series, which comprises a limited range of thin, vintage-
style pies. These cymbals are made from the same bronze formula
as all other Bosphorus series, and they feature a dark-gray, antique-
looking finish and a simple white twentieth-anniversary logo. We
were sent a pair of 14" hi-hats, 16" and 18" crashes, and 20" and 22"
rides to review. (The series also includes 13" hi-hats, a 17" crash, and
a 21" ride.)
The Look and Feel of Yesteryear

Since its inception, Bosphorus has focused a lot of effort into
recreating the classic warm-sounding and soft-feeling cymbals
of the ’60s, which can be found in various series, such as the all-
purpose Traditional, the softer Master, and the drier, unlathed Master
Vintage. (More contemporary tones are also available in the bright
and crisp-sounding Gold series and the raw, dark Turks.)
The 20th Anniversary series sits somewhere between the Master
and Master Vintage lines. The cymbals are lathed on top and bottom
like a traditional cymbal, but they’re treated with a special process
that darkens the appearance to make them look like they’re decades
old. They’re not raw and earthy like the Master Vintage, but the
bronze isn’t clean or fresh looking either. Swipe away the white
logos, and you’d swear these were some pristinely preserved old Ks.
The bells on the 20th Anniversary rides and crashes are fairly wide
and flat, while the bells on the hi-hats are smaller and steeper. The
16" and 18" crashes are thin and flexible. The 20" and 22" rides are a
little more rigid, with the 20" being the firmer of the two. The hi-hats
have a medium-thin top and a medium bottom. The crashes could
be classified as paper-thin, the 20" ride is medium-thin, and the 22"
is thin.
Sensitive Old-School Sounds

We tested the 20th Anniversary series cymbals in a jazz/funk style in
the recording studio and on a few moderate-volume club gigs that
included a wide range of genres, from Dixieland to progressive rock.
For recording drummers, these cymbals are a great option for
situations where you need rich, smooth, and warm sounds that
speak quickly and easily but don’t get overly loud. Even when I
struck the crashes hard and laid heavily into the hi-hats, they never
oversaturated the mix with excessive wash or harsh overtones.
The crashes opened up immediately with a fully realized tone from
super-soft strokes, and they stood strong against harder hits without
choking or spraying too wildly.
The 22" ride has a tendency to get washier than the 20", especially
when played at faster tempos and at higher volumes. The 22" wasn’t
ideal for the aforementioned club gigs, which demanded a lot of
stylistic and dynamic versatility. But for lighter contexts, like acoustic
jazz and more subtle recording applications, it provided a lusciously
dark and warm tone that blended well with the kit. The bell sound
is complex and integrated, so striking it activates a fair amount
of wash. The 22" ride also crashes very well, producing a huge,
dramatic push when hit on the edge with the shoulder of the stick.

The 20" ride has a slightly cleaner stick attack and more focused respond to subtle shifts in dynamics and touch and because they
overtones, making it better suited for a wider range of styles and don’t throw out so much sound that they bleed into all the mics on
applications than the 22". It’s medium-thin, so it won’t cut through the kit. They also have a dark yet clean foot chick that’s great for jazz,
loud or dense mixes, but it records beautifully, has very even and and they have a pleasant, soft feel that made them a joy on live gigs.
balanced sustain, and has enough control to work as a main ride for I had a great time exploring their nuances of texture and tone within
lower-volume jazz, singer/songwriter, and soft-rock gigs. slippery, funky grooves like the Meters’ “Cissy Strut.”
The 14" hi-hats fall in line with the rest of the 20th Anniversary If you’re in the market for some thin, dark, and expressive cymbals
series, providing a warm, balanced sound with crisp but complex with a classic old-school look, then check these out. They’re spot-on.
articulation and controlled volume. They would be an excellent Michael Dawson
choice for most recording situations because of how well they
For a video demo of these cymbals, visit moderndrummer.com.

PRODUCT CLOSE-UP
Turkish
JC Soundscape Series Cymbals
Esoteric and worldly tones for those exploring the unknown.
The Soundscape series is a collaborative collection designed by percussion concerts, and
U.S.-born/Europe-based drummer/percussionist Jarrod Cagwin and studio sessions.
the Turkish cymbal company out of Istanbul. Much of Cagwin’s work
is in traditional Middle Eastern and Northern African genres, world- Snake Hi-Hats
influenced jazz, contemporary classical, and film scoring. To suit and Ride
those specialized situations, Cagwin sought to develop a unique Like the Atacamas, the
palette of sounds that exhibits a wide range of earthy tones with 12", 13", and 14" Snake
controlled volume and the flexibility to be expressive when played hi-hats and 21" ride are
with hands, mallets, and brushes in addition to drumsticks. unlathed and heavily
Each of the JC Soundscape models is named in relation hammered everywhere
to something in nature, such as wind, water, snake rattles, but at the bell. They have a
geographical climates, and astronomical events. The series is very dry, dark tone, but they
organized into five groups. There’s the super-dry Atacama, which also feature rivets to provide
includes a 14" Arid crash and a 20" Precision flat ride; the 21" Snake some extended sizzle. The hi-
sizzle ride and 12", 13", and 14" hi-hats (with rivets); ultra-thin Water hats, which have a thin top and
crashes (18", 20", and 22"); 9", 10", and 11" Satellite discs; and a trio medium bottom, come with two
of effects cymbals (6" and 7" splashes and a 22" China). Let’s take a clusters of two rivets installed on the
look at each. top cymbal and one cluster of two rivets
on the bottom. The rivets add a controlled
Atacama 14" Arid Crash and 20" Precision Flat Ride rattle to the cymbals’ minimal sustain when
The Atacama is a large desert plateau in the Andes Mountains of struck partially or fully open or when splashed with the
South America that’s known as the driest place on Earth. As you’d foot. The sizzle is subtle; you don’t really notice it, but it gives
expect, these are super-dry, earthy, and raw cymbals. The 14" crash the cymbals’ sustain a darker and more complex tonality with no
is thin and completely hammered except for the bell. This cymbal clear, discernable pitch.
has a dark and splashy sound with minimal overtones and The 12" hi-hats are a good choice for quiet playing, as well as
a fast decay. It’s great for lower-volume live for electronica-inspired beats or for use as higher-
gigs or recording situations where you pitched secondary hi-hats. The 14" hi-hats,
want to be able to hit quick accents which were my favorite, provide a
without them being too loud, wider, darker, and less defined
bright, or excessively sound that translated well on a
“splashy.” moderate-volume club gig
The medium-thin where I wanted the hi-hats
20" Atacama flat to blend with the band
ride sounds rather than cut above it.
extremely dry The 13" Snake hi-hats
and has almost split the difference
no overtones, between the others,
which results providing quick
in incredible articulation for
articulation modern jazz and
and utmost fusion playing
dynamic styles while
control. remaining dark,
This would complex, and
be the controlled.
cymbal to The 21" Snake
go to when ride has eight
all other ride rivets around the
options at perimeter that
your disposal simultaneously
simply produce control the cymbal’s
too much volume, sustain while also adding
such as light jazz an underbelly of complex
and unamplified world rattle to each stroke. The bell
percussion gigs, chamber is wide and flat, which produces

a rich, integrated tone. drummers/
Crashing on the edge percussionists
elicits a dark, moody looking for
texture, and riding on the unusual sounds
bow gives off a warm, for super-quiet
classic “old K” vibe with situations.
tight sustain and defined
articulation. This is another Splashes
excellent choice for gigs and China
requiring extreme control Rounding out
and expressivity. the Soundscape
series is a pair of tiny
Water Crashes cymbals—a 6" Gamma
If surrealist Salvador Dalí had splash and a 7" Löß—and
designed crash cymbals, they’d a larger 22" Karaburan China.
look like these. Available in 18", 20", The 6" Gamma splash is the most
and 22" sizes, the Soundscape Water conventional model in the series.
crashes are extremely thin, unhammered, and It’s unhammered but features regular
intentionally warped to give them a floppy, droopy lathing and a shiny brilliant finish. It’s designed to
appearance. Striking them causes the entire cymbal to produce a sharp, short sound, which is why it’s named after an ultra-
shimmy. The shimmy adds visual drama, but also vibrato to the penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation called a gamma ray.
sustain. Water crashes are designed to produce a concert gong/tam- This clean, glassy-sounding splash provides a nice contrast to the
tam sound rather than a traditional crash. They are super-expressive dry, dark tones of the rest of the series.
at all volume levels and respond well when struck with all types of The 7" Löß splash, which is named after a very thin and fragile
implements, including fingers. rock, is a paper-thin accent cymbal with a brilliant outer edge, a
The 20" Water crash was my favorite of the three. It has the most regular-finish inner bow, and a raw bell. It sounds wider and less
balanced blend of clean attack and trashy overtones, and the focused than the Gamma, and it has a touch of China-like trashiness
vibrato is less dominant. The 22" can double as a unique-sounding that allows it to blend well with any type of cymbal setup. It has a
specialty ride in lighter situations, and the 18" has a more flashy attack, rich sustain, and fast decay—all of which is
splashy and wobbly tone when struck aggressively. exactly what I look for in a splash cymbal.
Definitely not for all-purpose use, the Water The 22" Karaburan China takes its name
crashes would be something to consider when from the powerful wind that blows across
you need a dramatic gong-like tone from the Gobi Desert in central Asia during the
a more portable and easily mountable spring and summer months. Fittingly, this
instrument. cymbal possesses a deep, dark tone that
can wash away everything in its path when
Satellite Bells played aggressively while also providing
The most esoteric items in the Soundscape an amazingly dry and articulate tone when
series are Satellite Bells. These small, flat coaxed with more gentle strokes. I loved its
discs are essentially miniature versions of rich and controlled ride and bell sounds, and
the flat ride—they’re unlathed and heavily it produces an awesome deep, funky crash
hammered—and they come in three sizes (9", when hit to accentuate fills and phrase endings.
10", and 11"). The volume output of these cymbals The flange at the edge of the cymbal is less acute
is very limited; the 9" barely puts out any audible sound than it is on most other Chinas, which helps minimize
when hit like a splash within a moderate-volume harshness and tame a bit of trashiness. While it
funk groove. But they’re quite expressive at could be used as a massive accent cymbal,
low volumes. You get identifiable bell-like the 22" Karaburan China also functions very
tones when you strike them with fingers naturally as an alternative ride source.
and mallets, and you can get articulate ride Michael Dawson
sounds when struck on top. Harder hits on
the edge bring out a choked splash effect For a video demo of these cymbals,
with some interesting metallic undertones. visit moderndrummer.com.
These would be unique additions for

PRODUCT
PRODUCTCLOSE-UP
CLOSE-UP
Cask Drum Craft

Block- and Segment-Shell Snares
Dense, gorgeous drums that sound as good as they look.
The Cask Drum Company is a boutique
manufacturer out of Post Falls, Idaho,
owned and operated by Micah Doering.
He sent us two snare drums for review.
The first has a 6.5x14 block shell made
from a hand-selected piece of lacewood
and bubinga inserts. As Doering
explained to me, the lacewood proved to
be quite a challenge during construction
because its deep grain pockets drank
twenty-two coats of high-gloss clear coat.
The shell is .625" thick and features solid
bubinga inserts that accent the badge.
The shell features an inside 45-degree
bearing edge and a round-over back cut.
The drum is fitted with black chrome
hardware and black die-cast hoops,
which further add to its elegant look. The
tube lugs are beautiful complements for
this drum.
It could be an illusion caused by the
grain of the wood and the joins of the
blocks, but the shell of the lacewood
snare looks somewhat like a barrel on the outside. The blocks seem At a medium tension, this drum has a pleasing, thick tone. The
to meet at an edge under a sea of lacquer. The shell is gorgeous, and lacewood shell lends a dry, controlled tone. Ghost notes are a
no attention to detail has been overlooked. The deep pockets of pleasure to play, and when struck in the center of the head, the
grain reflect the clear coat in a striking manner. drum gives off a fat, woody crack. I cranked up the tuning a bit and
found that the thick throatiness remained intact. This drum has a
wide tuning range with a lot of fatness. It sounds thick at all tunings,
doesn’t become flabby when tuned down, and can go quite high
before choking.
Although the lacewood drum is responsive, it seems to be
missing some wire sensitivity at low volumes. I also found that
its rimclick was just slightly metallic sounding. Yet I got a strong,
guttural knock that was full of pleasing overtones when I laid into
the drum with rimshots. List price is $799.
The second drum is a 5.75x14 beauty featuring a thick segment
shell made with a whopping 240 blocks of South African bloodwood
and American maple. This drum is perfectly made and features ply-
maple hoops with a bloodwood outer veneer. The top hoop also
features a black walnut star inlay. The staggered single-point gold
lugs are offset to accentuate the spiral look of the shell blocks.
This drum knocked my socks off. It has a crisp, woody bite that
makes its presence known without being overbearing or painful to
the ears. I played this snare on modern country gigs over a couple
days, and it sat perfectly within the music. Tuned down, the tone got
swampy and fat, but the drum never lost sensitivity. It choked just a
little at high tension. Rimclicks were woody and sweet, and rimshots
were thick and authoritative. Snare sensitivity was excellent, even at
the lowest volumes. And the wood hoops helped reduce the drum’s
overall weight. List price is $1,350.
Nick Amoroso

PRODUCT CLOSE-UP
Index Drums
Forest King Series Wooden Drumheads
Earthy percussive sounds for your everyday drumset.
If you’re looking for new
percussive sounds for low-volume
gigs, then you might appreciate
what the Forest King line of
wooden drumheads from Index
Drums has to offer.
We received a set of Forest King
heads for a bop kit with 12" and 14"
toms (top and bottom), a 14" snare
(top only), and an 18" bass drum
(front and back). The snare batter is
the 125 model, which denotes its
125mm thickness. The rest of the
heads are 100 models. All of the
heads are made from three plies of
luan mahogany.
The heads were easy to mount
on the drums; just replace your
normal heads with them as you
would any drumhead. I found that
I needed longer tension rods for
the bass drum to accommodate for
the fact that the Index head doesn’t
stretch to conform to the curvature
of the bearing edge. The bass drum
resonant side head has a hexagonal
port for miking purposes, but it can
be ordered without a port. Ports are
available on 18" to 24" heads.
With the Forest series heads
mounted, my drums took on a
different tone that I wasn’t used to hearing. When I kept them loose I
was able to get a nice slap between the head and the bearing edge,
which added an appealing percussive texture. I could get an earthy,
musical timbre out of the drums by tuning up the heads a bit and
hitting them with my hands. Using mallets on the toms produced
a round, warm, and full tone that was almost bell-like. Rods,
broomsticks, and brushes brought out a dark, slappy “thwack” that
I’d never experienced with Mylar or calfskin heads. The bass drum,
when set up with no muffling and hit with a square felt beater,
sounded big and warm with pleasing, round overtones. Using
a vintage-style lamb’s wool beater made the drum sound even
rounder and warmer.
When I outfitted my 6.5x14 wood snare with the Forest series
batter head, I had a blast playing a train beat with plastic brushes. playing. My advice is to use a light touch with whatever implements
All of that awesome midrange “honk” you get when you hit a regular you strike them with, and the heads will likely last for a long time.
snare with a brush is there—and then some. Even playing the Index- Likewise, I don’t recommend using anything denser than a felt
outfitted snare with my fingers sounded cool. It was easy to get a lot beater on the bass drum head.
of earthy, out-of-the-ordinary tones. Obviously, these Index Forest series wooden drumheads serve
The only implements that weren’t quite at home on the Index a niche market and aren’t meant to replace Mylar drumheads for
heads were regular drumsticks. They produced a lot of attack but everyday use. But if you’re looking for different percussive voices,
not nearly as much tone as when using softer mallets or multi-rods. they’re worth your time. Prices range from $18 for an 8" model to
Although the manufacturer says that sticks are relatively safe to $40 for a 24" ported bass drum head.
use on the wood heads, the company advises against hard-hitting Nick Amoroso

SHANNON
FORREST The twenty-five-year Nashville
session vet has spent his entire
professional life in pursuit of total
excellence. So when he was offered
the chance to man the throne with
the pop/rock icons Toto, a position
previously held by some of the
greatest drummers of all time,
he was already at the ready.

Story by Michael Dawson • Photos by Chad Crawford
S hannon Forrest has won the Academy
of Country Music’s award for Drummer
of the Year seven times in the past decade,
him, including top influences like Bernard
Purdie, Steve Gadd, and the late Toto
drummer Jeff Porcaro, Forrest enters
of yourself? And what do you think you
should expect in return?”
Those are poignant questions, and if
has played on thousands of sessions since the studio with one objective in mind: you’re really honest with yourself, the
arriving in Music City in 1991, and has to provide excellence. And in an era answers could be tough to swallow.
provided the rhythmic bedrock for dozens when some drummers and producers But if you have aspirations to do what
of number-one hits by country music’s are content to allow lesser performances Forrest is doing, whether it’s recording on
most successful artists, including Martina to slide through and be “fixed in major-label records or touring the world
McBride, Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, Blake the mix” later due to advancements with icons like Toto, Boz Scaggs, Michael
Shelton, Darius Rucker, Rascal Flatts, and in editing technology, Shannon’s McDonald, and Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen
many others. But the focus for this session determination to always serve the music (the drummer supported the latter three
ace, who has also spent the past two-plus in the most complete, compelling, and from 2010 to 2012 on Dukes of September
years stepping outside the studio to tour compassionate way possible is what tours), then maybe it’s time to reevaluate
the world with the legendary pop/rock makes him a hot commodity among your own efforts versus expectations. For
band Toto, has never been on building those who understand that there’s more Forrest, success has not come via crafty
an impressive résumé.“When I’m on a to producing a successful song than marketing ploys or leveraging one gig to
session, I’m not done until I feel like you writing a catchy chorus. get to another. Rather, it’s been a direct
could start over with my drum track and “I believe that the reason the music result of a relentless inner drive toward
the vocal and still have a hit record,” says industry is struggling has much less to excellence that permeates every note he
the forty-three-year-old drummer from his do with piracy and much more to do plays when he sits down at the drumset.
commercial-quality home studio outside with apathy,” says Forrest. “If you’re not We begin our conversation with
of Nashville. “Whether it’s for a demo, a working hard enough to develop your Shannon by discussing how he ended
new artist, or someone I’ve wanted to skillset to the point where you don’t need up stepping outside Nashville’s sphere
work with for a long time, the motivation that safety net of technology behind you, of influence to take over the drum seat
is the same.” or you’re willing to accept being edited, in one of most revered bands of the past
As did all the session greats before then how much are you really giving up forty years.

MD: How did a top Nashville session session career, when I was nineteen, I’d met
musician end up drumming in Toto? David Hungate, the original bassist in Toto.
Shannon: You have to have something
in your résumé that will reach their ears;
you can’t be completely out of context.
“The biggest That put me on Toto’s radar much earlier
than what we’re talking about now, which
gives you an idea of how long it takes for
thing you can do

I’d worked my way into being a session things to transpire.
musician in Nashville because I wanted to But through working on my own music
play on records. That’s a separate thing and working with Mike, I established myself
to combat losing
from being a broader musician outside in a different form of music, and I was no
of that community. So I started turning longer dealing with being known as just a
down sessions in ’98, and in 2000 I started country musician.
a rock band. That became this energy of MD: You had an opportunity to play with
pursuing my own voice. It was music that
reflected me.
But really the thing that led to the next
work is make Toto for an awards ceremony a few years
back, right?
Shannon: Yeah. In 2010, Toto was being
sure you’re still

thing was when I met Mike McDonald. I was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame,
recording with my band at his studio, and and David asked that I “sit in” for Jeff. That
he heard what we were doing and asked me was the first time I played with those guys.
to stay set up to record something the next I knew [Toto guitarist Steve] Lukather from
day for an artist he was producing. I ended
up staying set up there for seven years.
Through Mike, I started to build
moving forward several years before, but we hadn’t played
music together.
But it was a limited thing—we only
something that was more relevant to
somebody like Toto. He was working with
Boz Scaggs, so through Mike’s management
as a player.” played four of the hits. There are a lot of
other things they do that are more complex,
so even though I played with them, I hadn’t
I got introduced to Boz. And earlier in my really qualified myself as being up to the

task. Then, through Mike McDonald’s YouTube to check me out. The only things MD: What do you think Paich heard in
management, I ended up recording with that came up were clips from the festival, your playing that ultimately led to him
Boz Scaggs, and he brought in David Paich, and I was playing specific things like the suggesting you for that first tour with Toto?
the keyboard player in Toto, to record at my half-time shuffle. I’d never done a drum Shannon: When I was sending tracks
studio. After that, we had a much deeper clinic before, so I was really insecure about back and forth to him, it was the grungier
knowledge of each other. doing it. But there was something in me rock stuff that my band was doing that lit
MD: You also mentioned that your that said: You need to do this. So listening to him up the most. I think that was because
appearance at the 2010 Modern Drummer myself and deciding to do things that were he was hearing me in a sound that was
Festival played a role in your branching out uncomfortable ended up opening doors. unique to me, and he could recognize
beyond country music. Another thing that led me to Toto was something about that more easily than
Shannon: Right. After I did the record with producing a record for Mike McDonald. We when I was playing in a context that was
Boz, he called up [Steely Dan frontman] brought in David Paich to play B3 [organ]. more reminiscent of Jeff [Porcaro] and the
Donald Fagen to get me on the Dukes I spent a couple days at his studio in L.A., things they were doing with Toto. I think
of September tour, which was Boz, Mike so he heard me on a bunch of those tracks, having something musically of your own
[McDonald], Donald, and most of the which gave him additional context to put to goes much further to open other doors than
Steely Dan rhythm section. Donald went to my name. playing 3,000 sessions. The session thing
feeds a different goal, and it bears fruit there
but not really outside of that.
MD: Were there any surprises when you sat
Favorites in the drum chair with Toto for the first time?
Toto IV, Kingdom of Desire (Jeff Porcaro) /// Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy (John Shannon: The biggest thing is that they
Bonham) /// Steely Dan The Royal Scam (Rick Marotta, Bernard Purdie) /// Sting Ten all have incredible time. From playing in
Summoner’s Tales (Vinnie Colaiuta) the studio with different rhythm sections,
I learned how to dictate the time to hold

everything together when guys would rush a transition and bringing the acoustic get loose and sloppy at times wasn’t getting
or pull back. With Toto, that’s not necessary. guitar player back into the pocket. With loose and sloppy when I was playing drums.
I’ve played for so long being malleable Toto there’s none of that, which gave me MD: Why do you think that was the case?
and compensating that it was a bit of a more subconscious space to reach for other Shannon: Like I said, I learned to play time
challenge to turn that off. The adjustment things in my own playing. in a way that I could make fluid adjustments
was to let go of my role as caretaker of the MD: When you’re talking about adjusting without anyone feeling it change. That kept
time and just ride along. It’s a very positive the time in the studio, is this with click tracks the band tighter. For example, when you
change, but I had to get used to not falling or without? play a fill going into a chorus, some people
into old patterns. Everybody in Toto listens Shannon: Both. Luckily I did a lot of sense that energy and start rushing. As a
acutely, so the reaction time is quick and recording in my youth without click tracks, result, the first backbeat is flammed. To keep
effortless. We had a technical issue with so I had to be able to keep good time and that from happening, I subconsciously took
monitoring one night and a phrase moved not speed up. When I started playing with on an approach where if I wanted to lean
by about a quarter note, and everybody clicks, it was off-putting, because I could on top of the beat for a fill going into the
turned the phrase back around before a already do what the click was trying to do. chorus, I would pull back a little bit over the
measure went by. That’s how dialed in and And the click would have an adverse effect course of the two measures before the fill
focused everyone is. on other people’s time. to free up some space. You’re not going to
Learning as a session musician how to When I started playing on records, it was hear those two measures slowing down. I’m
negotiate the best-feeling groove ultimately a few years before we started using audio just trying to buy myself ten milliseconds to
ended up compromising my own time. I editors like Pro Tools. So what was getting give me enough room to play the fill with
was constantly changing things to make me work was that producers were noticing some energy and still land right on the click
the track tighter, like reaching out through that the same rhythm section that would when we get to the chorus. I also pick a click
Shannon’s Setup
3 4
5
2 D
B C
6
G
E
1 A
Drums: Pearl Reference Pure Cymbals: Paiste (various) Heads: Remo Coated Ambassador snare
A. 6.5x14 or 5x14 Hybrid Exotic 1. 15" hi-hats batter and Clear Ambassador snare-side,
cast-aluminum snare 2. 18" crash Coated or Clear Ambassador tom batters
B. 8x10 tom 3. 19" crash and Clear Ambassador or Diplomat
C. 8x12 tom 4. 22" ride resonants, and Coated or Smooth White
D. 9x13 tom 5. 20" crash Ambassador bass drum batter and Ebony
E. 16x16 floor tom 6. 22" China Ambassador front head
F. 16x18 floor tom
G. 16x22 or 14x24 bass drum Sticks: Innovative Percussion 8A, nylon Hardware: Pearl, including Redline pedals
brushes, and various mallets

sound that’s short enough to be defined but
not so short that it exposes every little flam. Recordings
MD: Is it a shaker? Brooks & Dunn Steers & Stripes /// Tim McGraw Two Lanes of Freedom /// Michael
McDonald and Robben Ford Unfinished Business /// Mindy Smith One Moment More
Shannon: Yeah, it’s a Roland shaker sample
that I’ve used since ’91, and I roll off the high
frequencies so it’s a little duller sounding. As
things have evolved with Pro Tools, I’ll just 4. You should be able to find something to exception, you’re probably not going to go
play to whatever is in there, like Cowbell 1, make yourself sound unique. When things deep enough with the music to find the
and put on a low-pass filter at 3 kHz. It’s a get manipulated, that’s taken away. things to help express the song in the best
horribly nonmusical thing to play to, but it’s The thing that makes a musician or way possible.
better than some of the other things people artist great is their commitment to their MD: I find it impressive how you’re able to
use that sound like your spinal cord is being own excellence, and I’m not talking about throw in some more adventurous fills and
assaulted with a rubber mallet. [laughs] technical precision. You can be a sloppier groove variations without them sounding
MD: With the tendency for people to grid player, but you have to refine that style out of context, even on huge hit records. Is it
everything in Pro Tools, are you still focusing to a point of excellence. Bob Dylan is in because you have such control of your time
on these nuanced adjustments to the time? complete control of his approach, even that you’re able to play a bit more freely?
Shannon: It depends on who I’m working though it’s a looser style. And the level of Shannon: For every level of nuance and
for. I’m also an engineer and producer, precision on Steely Dan records is massively dynamics you want to introduce into a
so I’m always evaluating things from that appealing because that’s them being a phrase, there’s another muscle memory
perspective. How tight does it need to be? hundred percent true to who they are. That’s that needs to be developed. So it’s good
What does it need to feel like? You have to their form of expression. to work on everything at every volume.
get beyond five milliseconds to actually I think the same thing that makes Play something loud, and then see if you
hear separation between the parts. That’s guys work toward a level of excellence can play it soft. The things I love about
pretty damned tight in most instances. in execution also makes them great at someone’s playing are the dynamics.
But the implementation of audio editors interpreting someone’s songs and coming Think about a great orator who speaks
has marginalized everything. The great up with great parts. When musicians are passionately. There’s always a lot of up and
thing about playing on a recording is being content with—or dependent on—being down to the volume of the phrases. It’s a
able to hear yourself back. But the second corrected by a machine, that’s a telltale point of emphasis, and that should be part
it’s manipulated, it’s not you anymore. The sign of something being flawed. You’re not of our playing.
clock in Pro Tools is so infinite that it feels taking ownership, and I can’t relate to that. The drummers that I tried to emulate
inhuman. When I hear quantized music from As drummers, we tend to focus on time early on had a similar thing. Jeff Porcaro
a computer, I immediately know it. It hits relative to a click track. If you’re willing to had infinite control of the inner dynamics,
something in my psyche that feels wrong. look at your time honestly and work to and that’s why he sounds so expressive.
Human beings don’t make those sounds, improve it, then that’s also the thing that The reason his half-time shuffle sounds so
and I think that has had a massive impact on gets you to the level where you’re listening great is because there’s a lot of distance
the human spirit in music. much more reverently to evaluate what the in volume between the accents and the
MD: How so? song needs. Maybe I’d like to be playing in-between strokes. And for every one of
Shannon: The way I approach playing a something more complicated, but the those nuances, there’s a neural path that
track is to create something that’s a hook, song needs something else. It’s that kind of you have to develop. That was always my
even if it’s within the groove. There should humility that leads to the refining process. point of emphasis. I wasn’t sitting around
be something in it that’s beyond just You can’t just say, “The computer is going blasting rudiments and odd time signatures,
squared-up 8ths and backbeats on 2 and to fix my time.” If you’re willing to make that even though I do now as a practicing tool.
What I was spending my time on was being C
able to have control of the tempo so I could M
Toto’s Steve Lukather on Shannon Forrest introduce some snaky little thing between
the hi-hat and snare and it wouldn’t feel like Y
“I first heard about Shannon through our original bass

the time shifted. I want it to feel fluid, likeCMit’s
player, David Hungate,” Toto guitarist/songwriter Steve
breathing and moving in the same wave as
Lukather says. “David also helped [original Toto drummer] MY
Jeff Porcaro get his career started when he was seventeen the rest of the groove.
on the Sonny and Cher gig. So when Hungate talked, we Jeff ’s playing was always so wrought with CY
listened. He said, ‘There’s this guy in Nashville, Shannon control of those things. The inner dynamics CMY
Forrest, and he’s the closest thing to Jeff I have played with of his fills is what gave them attitude. It’s
K
since Jeff ’s passing.’ Those are some heavy words. Hungate expression on a much deeper level than
would never say that unless he felt it was something real. blasting an even series of notes really fast
“The first time we all played together, it just clicked in a and loud. But when you add those inner
huge way. Shannon had studied Jeff, and it is very clear to dynamics, all of a sudden it’s a lot harder to
R ob Shan. ahan
hear—but he has his own thing as well. He knows all our

keep the time together. The half-time shuffle
songs better than I do! He kills it every night, and his time,
can sound like a rudiment gone wrong if
groove, and taste are world class. It’s no accident that he’s
top call in Nashville. We’re honored to have him with us.” you don’t play with the right dynamics.
What makes it sound fantastic is when
you have infinite range within the sticking

without breaking the time. Shannon: I think it’s really important to play work flow in Nashville. The pace is so fast
I’ve seen many YouTube posts of guys live, because in the studio everything is at that there’s no time to change out drums.
playing things that I’d have to work really such a fast pace that there’s no time to be So what happens is guys put up something
hard at to play. What usually puts me off is creative. You have to bring creativity with general that gives them a clean and up-
that every note is at the same dynamic. But you. You’re going to play the same type of the-middle sound. I usually set up four
when someone like Vinnie Colaiuta plays songs a thousand times, and you might toms, and then I pull down whatever I’m
relentlessly like that, he’s able to feather in only play it down four or five times, so it’s not playing on that song. I use a 22" bass
dynamics. That’s why he’s Vinnie. He knows hard to steer the ship toward anything new. drum most of the time. I’ve gravitated to
it’s about expression and communicating Playing live gives you the chance to discover the drums I use because they can cover the
emotions. new approaches that you can then bring to most ground. That’s why I used Gretsch for
MD: How do you maintain a session career the studio to keep things from becoming so long, because I can tune them high or
when you’re touring most of the year? stagnant. low and they sound great. And I can make
Shannon: The first thing you’re supposed to MD: How much of your session work is my 22" Brady sound like a 26" with the right
do is call everyone and let them know when transferring over to your studio? heads and tuning.
you’re coming back. But I’ve never called Shannon: As budgets are different, MD: How do you pick your snare?
anybody for work, so I just come home and everybody thinks they can fix whatever’s Shannon: If you reduce it down, it’s the
word spreads. It’s been slower lately, so wrong with things in the computer later. snare, kick, and hi-hat that set the feeling
thankfully I’m doing enough other things. And to some extent you can—you can use of the groove of the song. Lower tunings
If I were solely dependent on sessions, I Steven Slate Drums or retrigger anything to give the snare a longer note. So at faster
would have to make those calls. The people bring in different room sounds. But any time tempos, lower-pitched drums can feel like
that really want me to play are going to call somebody looks to book a session, and it’s they weigh it down. In certain styles, that’s
whether I’m home or not, and those are not at Ocean Way or Blackbird, I try to get a really cool thing. But typically I’m feeling
the people I want to work with anyway. But them to come to me, because I feel that my the tempo and thinking about how much
the biggest thing you can do to combat room sounds better than any other room weight I want the backbeat to have. That
losing work is make sure you’re still moving in town. weight is created from your placement, the
forward as a player. That way they notice MD: Do you
AHEAD-SwitchKick_JohnnyRabb_HalfAd_ModDrum_FINAL.pdf 1 have one kit4:26
6/23/16 that’s
PM always set length of the note, and the balance of the
what they were missing while you were out. up, or do you build it from scratch per song? overtones to the center pitch. That’s why I
MD: Does playing live affect how you Shannon: When I’m at home, it’s song- have a lot of drums with me; I want to have
approach sessions? specific. But that’s not conceptually the as many options as possible.
“THE AHEAD SWITCH KICK ® ALLOWS ME

TO CHANGE MY BASS DRUM SOUND,
SPEED AND PERFORMANCE WITHOUT
FUMBLING AROUND FOR A DRUM KEY,
BOTH LIVE AND IN THE STUDIO.”
JOHNNY RABB
Collective Soul, Author, Clinician
REVOLUTIONIZE
YOUR BASS DRUM
IN SECONDS
AheadDrumsticks.comOctober 2016 Modern Drummer 41

MD: What would be your snare palette drum. I’m also really enjoying some new MD: Is your tuning different live versus in
if you couldn’t take all of your drums snares by Angel Drums. But if I can take the studio?
with you? something that’s 6.5" deep and something Shannon: The snare is tuned the same,
Shannon: I’m not looking for a drum that that’s 5" deep, I’m pretty confident I can get but I’ll swap drums a few times throughout
does just one thing; I want it to be able to whatever we’re going after. the show, because the snare sound really
cover everything. Can I tune it low in an MD: Do you have a starting point for changes the emotion of the song. When I
Al Green kind of way? Will it tune in the tuning the snare, or does it change from was playing the song “Hey Nineteen” with
midrange? A deeper shell gives you more drum to drum? Dukes of September, I used a lower-tuned
resonance, which supports lower tunings, Shannon: I always have the bottom head drum that’s closer to the original, because
but it doesn’t drop the basic pitch that the cranked, even when the top is pitched I was trying to make it feel like the record. I
head can make. So a 14" drum should be low. Then I look for a spot where the drum tune the toms a little higher to get my fills
to articulate a little better in bigger rooms.
MD: How much higher?
Shannon: It’s probably a major second, so
it’s not that much. I just tighten the heads
so the in-between notes speak faster.
MD: What are you practicing these days?
Shannon: I spend a lot of time on muscle
development. I found that I had started
playing the bass drum a little flatter, so
I wasn’t able to articulate certain things
like I wanted. I’m working on getting up
on the ball of my foot and sliding more.
The muscle groups change dramatically
when you make that adjustment, so I’m
doing things to address those muscles
while keeping the other ones in shape
so they don’t atrophy. I also started
messing around with double bass a couple
years ago because I want to get a better
command of it.
I’ve found that the things I really want to
improve—time, groove, and articulation—
are getting much better when I’m working
on things that aren’t specifically related to
them. You really can’t work your muscles
hard enough to develop a high level of
control of nuances by just playing grooves
and fills. So I practice a lot of things I’m
probably not going to implement, like
speed metal, just for the impact they have
on other things. I’m practicing more now
than I ever did in my youth.
MD: What inspires you to practice? Is it
something that arises on the gig, or is it a
able to tune up as high as a piccolo, but produces the most resonant note with the result of your own curiosity?
that extra depth might make it too thick or fullest fundamental and the best balance of Shannon: It’s a combination of both. My
choked sounding. overtones. If I’m looking for a certain pitch point of emphasis has never been drum
Chris Brady made a baritone snare that or length of decay, I pick a drum based on aerobics. But what I’ve found as I’ve spent
can sound like a wood or metal drum. It’s where that center point is. I try not to make more time with the drums on my own is
the one drum that I feel can do everything a drum do anything outside that range. that the opportunities that have come up
with no compromise. But you can always And I like to use Coated Ambassador heads have looked significantly different. I still
take a 6.5x14 Ludwig Black Beauty to a because I like to let the drum be wide open prefer playing songs and grooving behind
date and be able to pull off just about and then find ways to get rid of certain a vocalist, but as I’ve dug deeper into the
everything. And one of my favorite drums frequencies with tuning. Heads with a dot instrument I’ve realized that that is what
is a 5x14 chrome-over-steel Ludwig from knock down some of the high-frequency has put the energy out there to get me on
the late ’60s. I prefer it to the Supraphonic response, so it’s not as crisp and bright. the radar for these other things. It’s been a
because it’s a little more centered in the But I like to keep that brightness, because reawakening. You have to make the effort
overtones. You can tune it low and it gets the more you can get that at the drum, the first. Find something that feels sincere and
really grippy with the snares for that Stax less high frequency you have to add at the genuine to you, and go toward it. It will
type of thing. It’s a Swiss Army knife–type microphone, which means less hi-hat bleed. bear out well.

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Charles
Haynes
The secrets to this multi-threat’s success?
Do the work, and know your worth.
Charles Haynes is a true drumming multi-talent. The
forty-year-old Boston resident has toured the globe with
the pop stars Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran, and
Queen Latifah. His beefy beats and crafty production
have invigorated the R&B of Meshell Ndegeocello, the
jazz of saxophonist Marcus Strickland and keyboardist
Jason Moran, the blues of singer Ruthie Foster, the
fusion of bassist Marcus Miller, the big band blowouts of
Kendrick Oliver’s New Life Jazz Orchestra, and Latifah’s
early-jazz tribute soundtrack, Bessie.
Performing with keyboardist BigYuki’s trio at Revive Records’ recent ten-year anniversary
concert at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City, Haynes took that old Frank Zappa adage
“beat it with your fist” to new heights. BigYuki’s music is equal parts progressive hip-hop
and power-driven prog, melded into a kind of super funk-fusion. Staring down his kit like
an action hero, Haynes delivered deep funk satisfaction with his monster beats and silken
grooves, while his blazing combinations dazzled the audience and fired the music. Haynes’
flashy groupings impressed, while his alternate left-hand snare drum recalled an old-
school Akai MPC and acted as a trigger point for myriad sampled sounds.
Beyond the beat, Haynes has provided production skills for Ndegeocello, Latifah, country
singer Christa Gniadek, jazz keyboardist Brett Williams, and gospel artist Isaiah Grigg. And
he’s written for almost as many acts as he’s produced. Across all of these platforms, and
with all of these artists, he’s had one goal in mind: to serve the music.
Story by Ken Micallef • Photos by Paul La Raia

Carl G lov er

MD: You drummed on Kanye West’s Glow in
the Dark tour from 2008 to 2010. What’s the
most important thing the drummer has to “I played with triggers with BigYuki, Marcus
be aware of on such a major gig?
Charles: With Kanye I played drums, Strickland, and Jason Moran. I’m infusing the
percussion, and timpani. One of the hardest
things was being on point with the timpani. pop world into the jazz world.”
Luckily I could draw on the timpani lessons
I had in my high school years. I also went for blood, because his music is not your on to. At that time we played the record,
to Eastern Illinois Percussion Camp in the regular mom-and-pop music. If you’re straight up, though we did have [live]
late ’90s. We had great teachers, including playing it right and it feels right, that is an arrangements and segues. I did Ed Sheeran
Ndugu Chancler, Buddy Williams, and Lewis accomplishment in itself. in that time too.
Nash. We studied marimba, timpani, and MD: Was there any triggering with Kanye? MD: Was working with Meshell Ndegeocello
drums. Kanye’s gig brought me back to Charles: I used a Roland SPD-SX for claps a door to playing with bigger artists?
that. I’d be playing to a click and playing in sampled from the record. But he was in his Charles: Producer Jeff Bhasker is a friend,
the pocket, then jumping up, tuning the organic mode then. and he helped a lot. He called me for Kanye.
timpani real quick, and—boom!—into the MD: And what was the challenge working He and Adam Blackstone were the MDs for
next song. It was a serious multitasking gig. with Lady Gaga? Kanye. Queen Latifah came from Blackstone;
MD: Did Kanye express what he wanted Charles: I worked with Gaga for four I played on her new record, which will be
to hear from you, or were you expected to months while I also worked with Kanye and released next year.
replicate the record? M.I.A. Sometimes she said what she wanted MD: Did Queen Latifah request specifics?
Charles: We had to play the record. I to hear, but not very often. And that can be Charles: We turned on the click and she
had moments of freedom. We would do a problem. Some artists don’t know how to said “Play.” We developed a song as she
duets where I would play breakbeats as express what they want to hear. Every blue was singing. A vibe would happen. Then
Kanye rapped. Playing that show is going moon Gaga gave me something to grab she would pick a part she liked and piece it
Haynes’ Setup Drums: SJC Custom

A. 5x14 10-ply
birch snare
B. 6.5x14 steel
Cymbals: Zildjian
1. 16" hi-hats
(A Thin crash top and
Constantinople bottom)
snare (left of 2. 18" A Custom EFX crash
hi-hat, not visible) 3. 20" Trash crash
C. 10x12 tom 4. 20" prototype ride
D. 16x16 floor tom 5. 15" hi-hats (K Custom
2 E. 18x20 bass drum Hybrid Trash crash on top
of an A Custom crash)
6. 17" K Custom Hybrid crash
3 Sticks: Vater 8A wood-tip
1 sticks, medium-hard mallets,
and heavy wire brushes
C
A 4
E
5 6

together on the spot. Pure improvising in the right manager, they will insist the artist MD: In a Zildjian online interview you talk
the studio. I’m going to tour with her soon, spend time with the band. We rehearsed for about playing the rudiments backwards.
and I have a coproduction credit on her three weeks with Gaga, twelve hours a day. Charles: I had an instructor who asked
album. I played on the soundtrack to her With Kanye I learned the show on the plane me to play in reverse. In college I would
movie Bessie. to L.A., landed, and we rehearsed until 2 a.m. challenge myself to be different. When
MD: When did you work in Meshell’s band? The next day we rehearsed all day, left for the Beastie Boys’ PauI’s Boutique came out,
Charles: For three years between 2005 China, and toured for two years. I wanted my drums to sound like that. I
and 2008. I’m still in her band. Deantoni MD: On “Celestelude,” from Strickland’s Nihil didn’t know the drums on that record were
Parks also does the gig. I left Meshell for Novi, you play very linear patterns that recall programmed. But I wanted to challenge
Kanye’s gig, but I still play with her and do David Garibaldi or Dennis Chambers. Did myself. I didn’t want to sound like anyone
production on her records. Working with both drummers influence you? else. I realized that all the drummers I
her led to Jason Moran. She told him, “If you Charles: I am so happy that somebody respected had their own sound: Garibaldi,
want a hybrid drummer who can play hip- actually noticed that I’m playing some Dennis Chambers, Jack DeJohnette—all
hop and jazz and Afrobeat, call Charles.” straight-up David Garibaldi! I had his Future those guys playing the same four-bar
MD: When producing artists, as you did Sounds book in high school, and I sight-read pattern would sound entirely different. I
on Marcus Strickland’s Nihil Novi, are you and shedded out of that book. I’m a huge wanted to be that guy.
drumming and programming? Garibaldi fan. That’s “Oakland Stroke” all MD: Did you play rudiments backwards as
Charles: Yes. Marcus’s album is 95 percent day! I’m doing David Garibaldi with a little J a routine?
natural drums. I play the deeper left snare Dilla on it. A lot of people don’t give it up for Charles: Some rudiments I would play in
as part of my setup there. That’s my secret Garibaldi. If it wasn’t for David Garibaldi, a reverse; a lot I couldn’t play in reverse. It
weapon. Everybody tries to steal that SJC lot of drummers today wouldn’t be playing was a challenge to see how far I could push
snare drum from me! I spent a lot of time what they’re playing. myself beyond my ready-set-go chops. But
getting that drum to sound like a snare from MD: And you’re also a fan of Jack I never worried about patterns or licks—I
an old-school hip-hop, boom-bap record. DeJohnette? worried about being consistent.
I tune it down, find the sweet spot. I finally Charles: DeJohnette, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Elvin MD: What else did you focus on when you
put a new head on it. Jones, and Philly Joe Jones were my guys in attended Berklee College of Music?
MD: Are there any similarities between high school. They were all I listened to then. Charles: Again, being consistent. Can I
working with Kanye West, Meshell MD: When you’re soloing, are you thinking play eight bars exactly the same way? Can I
Ndegeocello, Queen Latifah, and Lady of the form of the tune, or is your approach sound like an MPC? If I need to loosen it up,
Gaga? looser than that? can I do that? I shedded playing everything
Charles: Kanye and Latifah are both MCs, Charles: It really depends on what I’m evenly. I learned the entire E.S.P. record by
so they want the drums to feel like the playing and who I’m playing it for. If there is Miles Davis, then Missy Elliott’s second-to-
records. With Gaga, she cared for the music, a form, then yes, I play the form, but if not last record with Timbaland, This Is Not a Test!
though not as much as she does now. We then I’m in my own little world. People ask MD: Did you study staples like Morris
would rehearse, then she’d be off to dance what I’m thinking when I solo, and for me it’s Goldenberg’s Modern School for Snare
rehearsal or something else. Some artists like crashing buildings and butterflies. That’s Drum, Ted Reed’s Syncopation, and George
will trust you, some won’t. If an artist has my thing. Lawrence Stone’s Stick Control at Berklee?

Charles: Definitely. John Ramsay was called me for that in 2006.
my instructor. At the time I couldn’t MD: How do you typically negotiate
afford a set to practice on. My first year your fee on tour?
at Berklee, I was the best air drummer Charles: I look at it like the stock
you ever saw! There were no drums market. I just did a gig with Smokey
at Berklee in 1995. Later they had Robinson at the Rock and Roll Hall of
practice sets. Fame. After that my stock went up! You
MD: What did you practice to become have to be smart. If it’s a first-time pop
so exceptionally fluid around the kit? artist, not jazz, which is totally different,
Charles: Playing at all dynamic levels. play it by ear. They should know your
Drummers are often told we’re playing worth and try to reach a decent number
too loud. It springs from that. Can I play with you. If I’m with a new artist, I will
super-intense, on the edge, but not do it for $3,000 or $4,000 a week. They
blast the musicians out of the room? might want to pay you $2,000 a week,
MD: Can you give some tips on developing facility around the kit? so that’s when you negotiate something on the back end. That’s
Charles: Back to the world of rudiments! I’m bobbing and weaving where my production [business] kicks in. I ask for time in the studio
like Muhammad Ali! Being dynamic gives the music shape. with the artist to write. It’s a give-and-take.
MD: You have deeper jazz roots than most guys we see on a major MD: How do you produce an artist?
pop or hip-hop gig. Charles: I write beats but also cover melodies and arrangements.
Charles: I’ve learned that when you’re playing in an arena, all the Sonically I have a good ear. I produced Christa Gniadek, a country
crazy notes are not going to mean a damned thing. Genesis playing singer-songwriter, for her record Leaving Boston.
live with Chester Thompson? He’s not playing super chops. You need MD: Are you using any electronics in your kit?
the drums to project to 20,000 people. Simplicity projects. People can Charles: I played with triggers with BigYuki, Marcus Strickland, and
feel it and hear it more than a bunch of ghost notes. Jason Moran. I’m infusing the pop world into the jazz world. I have
MD: How did you develop your speed, as on the BigYuki gig? triggers on the snare and kick and the pads. I have a Roland SPD-SX
Charles: I practice differently now than I did in college. I practice and my laptop running Logic Pro’s MainStage 3 program. It lets me
on the drum pad with marching-band sticks. I play rudiments, access different software.
top to bottom. I don’t try to play them fast; I try to play them with MD: Is the competition for the major hip-hop and R&B gigs intense?
consistency and at a medium tempo. It springs from that. Charles: There’s room at the top, but it’s very thin up there. Last year
MD: What was your breakthrough gig? I was with Ed Sheeran. You have someone like Brian Frasier-Moore—
Charles: Arturo Sandoval, when I was in high school. He played in he’s on top of the pop world; he did two years with Madonna. He’s
our high school band as guest trumpeter, and afterwards he wanted undeniable. There’s only a few guys who can play the giant gigs, and
me to tour. My mom said no, but I did some dates with him and my it’s about more than the drumming. Are you cool enough to hang
mother came with me. I was so happy to play drums; I didn’t really out with after the gig? That’s a huge thing, man. I learned that with
self-promote. Patti LaBelle. Are you reliable? I’m super-reliable. If it’s about reading
After Arturo I went to Berklee, and those were my heavy woodshed charts, I can do it. I can play big band, Motown, and read charts.
years. Then I played in the New Life Jazz Orchestra; the leader and Whatever you’re doing, it has to be undeniable. That is my motto
Jason Moran knew each other from school. That’s how I got that gig. when producing artists now: No matter what the style is, it has to
Meshell’s gig came from working with the bass player, Mark Kelly. He be undeniable.

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Steven
Wolf
The modern-day hit-making
machine has all the chops
you’d want, grooves like a
feel-good metronome, and
programs drum parts that
make you think, Are those real
drums…or is it programmed?
Most of the time, it’s both.
Story by Billy Amendola • Photos by Paul La Raia

Steven Wolf—simply Wolf to many
of his friends and associates—has
played on countless hit records,
including three of the biggest chart-
toppers of the past decade: “I Kissed a
Girl” by Katy Perry, “Girlfriend” by Avril
Lavigne, and “Wrecking Ball” by Miley
Cyrus. In recent years he’s largely
made his contributions behind
the scenes, but over the course of
his twenty-five-plus-year career,
the Berklee-trained drummer has
made a huge impact on the musical
landscape, playing, programming,
producing, and writing for a wide
range of acts, from the pop and soul
singers Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan,
Joss Stone, and Britney Spears to
the jazz and fusion artists Screaming
Headless Torsos, Tribal Tech, Larry
Coryell, Lenny Pickett, Patti Austin,
Alex Bugnon, and Grover Washington
Jr. “I loved playing with Grover,” says
Wolf, who worked with Washington
until the saxophonist’s passing in
1999. “I learned a lot from him. We MD: What’s a typical day in the studio for you today?
stretched out, and there were drum Steven: It’s always different. It all depends on who I’m working with, the type of
material, and what they need from me. Most producers I work with know I play drums
solos, but that gig was always about
and program, and they have me do both. But there are producers who only use me as a
the groove.” drummer and other producers who only use me as a programmer. Usually—and more
It’s no surprise that Wolf embraced and more—it’s a pretty even mixture; people are hiring me to drum and program on
Washington’s rhythmic side so fully; the same tracks.
according to his mother, Steven was I do a lot of programming work from home. On Beyoncé’s 2014 self-titled album, I
already drumming when still in her did numerous sessions. I think she recorded at least thirty songs and then narrowed
it down to whatever ended up on the album. On some songs they gave me minimal
womb. (“She told me that when she direction and let me go wild, while on others they had very specific grooves in mind. I
was pregnant with me, whenever mostly played live drums on those sessions, but I ended up doing a little programming
music was playing I’d start kicking on one of the tracks.
repetitively.”) Growing up, music The only consistent aspect of all the sessions I do is the approach to the sounds.
was always in the air at home—on On pop records especially, the drum sounds are just as integral to the recording as
the drum parts. Recording is a very different headspace. You’re under the microscope.
the radio, on the stereo, and during
You’re taking part in the creation of a piece of art for mass consumption. Granted, many
jam sessions led by Wolf’s father, people wouldn’t necessarily consider a Britney Spears record a work of art, but it very
who played piano and trumpet. much is.
It was the perfect environment MD: How did you get into session work in the first place?
for a budding musician. These Steven: I was always interested in recording, and when I was a kid I’d do makeshift
days Wolf is still kicking—often, multitrack recording at home with two boom boxes, bouncing tracks back and forth.
My first recording sessions in real studios were when I was in high school, with friends.
and with great success. In this, his That was the first time I ever played with a click. When I was at Berklee I did more
first Modern Drummer feature, he sessions at school and around Boston.
shares his honest assessment of Sessions didn’t start to become a priority for me until the mid-’90s. The first hit record
the difficult new reality of studio I played on was on Celine Dion’s album Falling Into You. I basically got the call because
drumming but offers plenty of tips Steve Ferrone wasn’t in town. I was on the road with Annie Lennox at the time, but I
Carl G lov er
was off that week and happened to be home. Anyway, there were charts, and it was a
and encouragement for those who
full band but no singer. I didn’t even know who the artist was. Then the album came
believe they have what it takes to out and it went multiplatinum and won two Grammys, including Album of the Year. I’d
break in. played on a platinum record prior to that, with the Bee Gees. But the Celine Dion album

drummer and producer], turned me on to
Steve Gadd. Around that time I also saw my
first drum clinic, with Simon Phillips. I’d never
heard a drummer play that way. I wanted to
know about Simon’s influences, so I checked
out Billy Cobham, and when I heard Billy,
that was it.
Then I started appreciating all the top
session guys, listening to the records they
played on. Bernard Purdie is one of my all-
time favorite drummers. The guy’s feel is
untouchable. I also love Clyde Stubblefield,
Jabo Starks, Al Jackson Jr., Benny Benjamin,
Roger Hawkins, Greg Errico, Carlton Barrett,
and Zigaboo Modeliste. I listened to all the
jazz legends coming up as well, and I focused
on all the chops guys. But now I really prefer
listening to guys like Jimmy Cobb and Art
Blakey. My jazz playing got way better when I
stopped trying to emulate my heroes and just
focused on grooving.
MD: Did you play along to records when you
were coming up?
Steven: Yes, I’d get a Billy Cobham or Tony
Williams record and put my hand on the vinyl
to slow it down, and then learn the parts.
was massive [it eventually achieved diamond are the records I remember holding in my I also began attending local drum clinics
status for selling more than 10 million hands. I picked up a lot of Ringo’s drumming whenever possible.
domestic copies], and it really put me on the subconsciously, just from listening to so much MD: What was your practice routine besides
map as an “official” session drummer. Beatles. But I never really focused on him listening to records and playing along?
MD: Let’s go back to the beginning. You’ve back then; my appreciation for his drumming Steven: If I wanted to fine-tune something, I’d
said that you were immediately drawn to genius would come later. Ringo is the most isolate it. To get my double kick chops up, for
the drums. important influence on me in terms of being instance, I’d put a metronome on and just play
Steven: When I was five my parents wanted a session musician on pop records. He wrote rudiments with my feet. To work on my hands
me to take piano lessons, and I did, but my the book on creating simple but effective I’d do a lot of pad work, sometimes focusing
heart wasn’t in it. So they finally agreed to get drum parts that completely support and on particular exercises. After seeing Billy
me drum lessons at a local music store. They uplift the song. John Bonham also had a huge Cobham in person for the first time, I spent
got me a practice pad and said that if I stuck influence on me later, as did Phil Collins—Phil a lot of time working on finger control. Two
with it, they’d eventually get me a real kit. is so underrated as a drummer. I didn’t realize books that really helped were Stick Control
Eventually I began taking lessons with Elaine just how important he was until I started and especially Accents and Rebounds [both by
Hoffman-Watts, who’s a highly respected making records for a living. George Lawrence Stone]—the conditioning
teacher in the Philly area. I still have my copy MD: Who was your first “Wow!” drummer? my hands got from that book made it easier
of Jim Chapin’s book Advanced Techniques for Steven: The first drummer I got into strictly for me to play all kinds of subtle ghost notes.
the Modern Drummer with her notes in it. She’s as a drummer was Keith Moon. When I was MD: Did you play in local bands?
still teaching today. One of her first students about ten I became a Who fanatic. The next Steven: Yes, I did that throughout high
was Gerry Brown, and I remember her telling drummer who caught my attention was Steve school, until I left for Berklee, where I studied
me about him. Knowing that one of her Jordan. I didn’t know his name at the time; with Tommy Campbell, Skip Hadden, Joe
students was a successful pro drummer was my dad took me to see him play live with the Hunt, and Ed Uribe, who recently passed. I was
very inspiring to me. Gerry was one of my first Blues Brothers. It felt so good, and it had a very honored, by the way, to write the tribute
drum heroes. feel I hadn’t really heard before. Then a friend to Ed in Modern Drummer’s May 2016 issue.
Toward the end of high school I began of mine, Andy Kravitz [now an L.A. session MD: How did you get involved in
taking lessons with Carl Mottola, the house
RECORDINGS
drummer in popular Atlantic City casinos. Any
major act that came through A.C. hired Carl.
He subbed on the road with Elvis and Sinatra. Beyoncé Beyoncé /// Pink The Truth About Love, I’m Not Dead /// Sugababes Change /// Kelly
Clarkson Stronger /// Katy Perry One of the Boys, Prism /// Avril Lavigne The Best Damn Thing
Carl was a really great guy and a monster
/// Natalie Imbruglia Male /// Annie Lennox Medusa…Live in Central Park /// Cher It’s a Man’s
drummer. Sadly, he passed a few years ago. World /// Celine Dion Falling Into You, These Are Special Times /// Leona Lewis Spirit // Bee Gees
MD: Who were some of your earliest Still Waters /// Daniel Merriweather Love & War /// Rufus Wainwright Want One, Want Two ///
drumming influences? Jennifer Hudson I Remember Me /// Daryl Hall Can’t Stop Dreaming /// The Veronicas The
Steven: My earliest favorite records were my Secret Life Of… /// Will Young Keep On /// Hiram Bullock Way Kool, Too Funky 2 Ignore /// Oz
Noy Who Gives a Funk /// Stevie Salas Colorcode Be What It Is /// Grover Washington Jr. Soulful
father’s—the Beatles’ Abbey Road and Meet Strut, Grover Live, Breath of Heaven /// Holly Cole Holly Cole /// Toninho Horta Foot on the Road
the Beatles, the Jackson 5’s Third Album. Those /// Bo Bice The Real Thing

Drums: vintage Ludwig Heads: Evans G1Coated snare
Wolf’s Setup A. 5x14 Acrolite snare

B. 9x13 tom
and tom batters, EQ4 Coated bass
drum batter and EQ3 Coated front
C. 16x16 floor tom head
2 D. 14x22 bass drum
Alternate sizes not in photo: Hardware: Gibraltar single bass
4
1 3 6.5x14 Acrolite snare, 8x12 tom, drum pedal, hi-hat stand, throne,
14x20 and 14x24 bass drums snare stands, and cymbal stands
B
Cymbals: Zildjian Percussion: Rhythm Tech
1. 16" K Constantinople hi-hats tambourine, Eggz, and
(crash top, Suspended bottom) Studio shakers
A 2. 20" K Constantinople extra-thin
D C crash (prototype) Sticks: Promark (various models)
3. 22" K Constantinople
Overhammered Thin ride Accessories: Humes & Berg cases,
4. 20" K Constantinople extra- Sennheiser headphones, Mytek
thin crash with three rivets Private Q headphone mixer
(prototype)
programming? LinnDrum side-stick. the era of the studio musician, but I basically
Steven: I was born during what I consider Later, when I was still at Berklee, I got my watched the entire recording industry change
the golden age of music, the late ’60s. My first name touring gig with Hiram Bullock, around me.
adolescence coincided with the birth of hip- who was signed with Atlantic Jazz at the time. And remember that your primary role is to
hop, and the sound of drum machines—and I got an advance on my pay and I bought a groove. Having a great pocket will never go
soon after, samplers—resonated with me. drumKAT, a sampler, some Dauz pads, and out of style. If you have a great feel and you’re
I wanted to be able to create those sounds shell-mount triggers, so my live setup was musical, people will always love working with
and grooves in addition to playing acoustic a full acoustic kit plus the sampler, a drum you. Chops are impressive, but a deep groove
drums. The first time I heard “Sucker M.C.’s” machine, and multiple pads, plus triggers on will give people an emotional reaction, and
by Run D.M.C. and “P.S.K.” by Schoolly D, I my kick and snare drums. This was in the that’s what will leave a bigger impression,
was hypnotized by the programmed drums. late ’80s. especially when it comes to getting work.
The first time I heard “I Know You Got Soul” MD: You’ve gone from being a touring and I’d also recommend to anyone wanting to
by Eric B. & Rakim, I was hypnotized by the recording drummer on instrumental albums do session work that they should not only
whole production, which was a combination to playing on the biggest pop records of know how to program but also have some
of programmed drums and samples. The first the day. What words of wisdom do you grasp of modern record production. Pro Tools
time I heard “777-9311” by the Time, it was have for drummers who want to follow in is the industry standard, so you should know
like hearing a different language. I thought your footsteps? your way around it.
the band’s drummer, Jellybean Johnson, was Steven: My advice is to practice and listen Know your sounds and feels from every
playing what I was hearing, so I took it upon to everything. Play with people as good as era, and stay current. If you want to work on
myself to transcribe the groove and play it or better than you, and spend time with records in the pop world, then be prepared
on the kit. Then I realized it was a LinnDrum drummer friends and shed together. Also, take for producers and artists to reference certain
machine. On a side note, years later I met care of your body. If you want to play your things, from a particular snare sound to a
Jellybean and [Time leader] Morris Day, and whole life, the better care you take of your specific fill or groove. One of the reasons I get
they told me that David Garibaldi had done body, the longer you’ll be able to play. Pain work is because I know my sounds and I know
the programming on that beat! can be an indication that your technique is how to achieve them. It really helps if you
So after that, when I was still in high off, so make sure your technique is okay, and have a working knowledge of engineering
school, I bought my first drum machine; it if you’re not sure, find a good teacher. Also, as well, so that you can communicate with
was a Yamaha RX-something—basically a make sure that you’re setting your kit up so the engineer.
poor man’s Linn. My next drum machine that it’s ergonomically practical for you. Take Back in the day I’d sit in every situation
was a Roland R-8, and I got every sound card care of your overall health—not only your possible. I would take any and all gigs that
they made for it. Then I got an Akai MPC60 body, but your psychological health too. The came my way. The more people who are
from Hiram Bullock, and then I bought my life of a professional musician is full of ups and aware of you and dig what you do, the more
first of three MPC3000s, and that was my downs, and many well-known musicians have work it’ll lead to. Word of mouth is everything
programming workhorse for years. I had three suffered from depression, anxiety, and more. in this business. Social media didn’t exist back
because I was so busy that I needed one at If you’re interested in making a career in the day. Now there are multiple ways to
my home studio, one to take to sessions at out of session drumming, go into it with the make people aware of you, so definitely have
other studios, and one as a backup, because I understanding that the era of the studio some sort of Web presence.
usually had one in the repair shop. musician is effectively over. That doesn’t And finally, be reliable, and be someone
I’ve always been into electronics. In high necessarily mean that you can’t get work. who people like working and hanging with. If
school I saved up and bought the first self- It just means there’s much less of it to go you’re difficult, eventually no one will want to
contained Simmons pad, the SDS1—it could around. So you have to be exceptional, and hire you, no matter how great you are.
only play one sound, so I loaded mine with you have to have the appropriate skill set for
the “Prince sound,” which was a detuned the times. I was lucky to catch the tail end of

Great ’80s
Drum Performances
Part 1: New-Wavers and Classic Rockers
by Adam Budofsky
The era known as the ’80s, roughly the Though the ’80s are still sometimes their ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s predecessors. While
period between the dawn of punk and rap maligned as a time when music retreated future chapters will highlight tracks from
in the late ’70s and the rise of indie rock and creatively, the following tracks, and those R&B, jazz, metal, and other genres, here
hair metal in the middle of the next decade, in subsequent parts of this feature series, we focus on artists associated with the oft-
was a time of great change in pop culture. tell a different story. Many of the cuts we misunderstood category dubbed new wave,
Like the fashion of the day, the songs—and, examine this month were hugely successful as well as several already established acts
by extension, the drumming on them— radio hits in their day, and nearly all of that, in their own unique ways, successfully
were largely about big, bold statements that them are the work of top-level drummers appropriated some of that style’s artistic
were fun and memorable, and perhaps most successfully expanding upon, and in some principles.
important, sounded new. cases brilliantly simplifying, the strides of
Big Country U2
“In a Big Country” “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
“Big Country’s music was very Celtic and anthemic,” Mark Brzezicki once Also in 1983, Larry
said in a Modern Drummer interview, “and it stirred me to approach it in Mullen Jr. had perhaps
a slightly military way.” Indeed, this leadoff track (and single) from the an even more explicit
Scottish quartet’s 1983 debut album, The Crossing, charges out of the reason to take a
gate with six measures of the drummer’s unaccompanied beat, which “military” approach
goes far to set the tone, not only for the song but for the band’s whole to this number-seven
aesthetic. “My rudimental playing might be quite bad if you judge it single from the Irish
according to formal pipe band standards,” Brzezicki explained, “but I group U2’s third album,
adopted that kind of feel while incorporating some funk patterns on War. The song, inspired
the bass drum. I had this idea for ‘In a by the decades-long
Big Country’ to use a ‘Let’s Dance’–type conflict in Northern
bass drum pattern with a constant five- Ireland known as “the
stroke roll happening on the snare, and Troubles,” also begins
getting the hi-hat in as well to produce a with a solo drumbeat, one of the most identifiable in rock
dance feel. Producer Steve Lillywhite was history and a favorite among drummers. In the August 1985
very open-minded; if it was different, he issue of MD, U2 lead singer Bono said that Mullen’s playing
wanted it on a record. It was stirring and early on was “florid,” in the mold of Keith Moon, but that he
passionate to match Big Country’s songs; “devolved” in a sense, learning that less can mean more.
it helped to give the band an identity.” “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is as good an example of that
concept as any.

Blondie Burke
“Dreaming”
And then there’s this track, from the New York/New Jersey
band Blondie, featuring the unabashed Keith Moon
fanatic Clem Burke. Like many of Blondie’s biggest hits,
the lead single from the group’s fourth album, Eat to
the Beat, smartly updates elements of ’60s music, in this
case Brill Building girl-group pop and swinging-London-
style blazers like “I Can See for Miles” and “Leaving Here.”
Effectively a three-minute tribute to the nearly nonstop
style that Moon was famous for, particularly in concert,
“Dreaming” finds Burke spattering fills pretty much
throughout the entire tune, except, somewhat perversely,
during the fade-out, where drummers are often tossed a
bone and “allowed” to do their thing. “Honestly, even I was
surprised that one got through like that,” Burke told MD in
June of ’99. “But we were on a roll then, so producer Mike
Chapman kind of gave us free rein on Eat to the Beat. So
we were like, ‘Let’s go for it!’”
Elvis Costello and the Attractions the Pretenders

“Lipstick Vogue” “Tattooed Love Boys”
“When I was young,” Pete Thomas told Modern Drummer in The original lineup of American expat Chrissie Hynde’s Pretenders
December of 1995, “I used to hitchhike out to Mitch Mitchell’s was an endlessly adaptable ensemble. British drummer Martin
house. He was my hero, and he lived in this house not too far from Chambers slugs it out ferociously on the band’s self-titled 1980
where I grew up. I used to stand by the gate, and eventually I got debut, even on tricky tracks like this one, which features alternating
asked in and he showed me around. It was the greatest thing.” It’s bars of seven and eight. New wave rarely sounds more adventurous
not hard to hear a little of the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s legendary or incendiary than it does here.
drummer in this track from Elvis Costello’s second album, This Year’s
Model, which was the first to feature his long-running group the
Attractions. Thomas fiercely attacks the snare and toms throughout Adam and the Ants
the recording, providing an urgency that defined much of the “Antmusic”
post-punk music that flooded the American market in the wake of Under the tutelage of Sex
revolutionary bands like the Clash and the Sex Pistols. Pistols manager Malcolm
McLaren, the British
the Knack new-wave band Adam
and the Ants presented
“My Sharona” Gary a highly stylized sound
Speaking of urgency… and appearance, a mix of
This classic from L.A.’s punky guitars, chanted
the Knack is practically choruses, and faux-African rhythms. McLaren soon nicked the entire
bursting at the seams band—and its unusual sound—and began a new outfit, Bow Wow
with teenage angst, Wow. But lead singer Adam Ant simply hired new players, including
and the late, great dual drummers Chris Hughes (aka Merrick) and Terry Lee Miall.
drummer Bruce Gary The pair’s Burundi-inspired beats—all rimclicks and pounding floor
communicates that vibe toms—still sound fresh today, as evidenced by this popular track
with an avalanche of from 1980’s Kings of the Wild Frontier album, which was reissued this
full-set fusillades. Like year as a deluxe double CD package.
many of the songs on this
list, “My Sharona”—an
iconic new-wave track
if ever there was one—
begins with the drums
pounding out the main
riff ’s rhythmic base sans
accompaniment. Unlike
most of the tracks in this roundup, however, “My Sharona,” from
the group’s debut 1979 album, Get the Knack, features an extended
guitar solo. No navel-gazing ’60s exercise here, though; the section
is a steadily building, hugely exciting trip that Gary swings into bad
health, double-timing it near the end and sending listeners into
aural ecstasy. The Knack would never reach these heights again,
artistically or commercially, but we should be wholly satisfied that
the band gifted us with this much sheer energy—and provided such
Hughes Miall
a timeless platform for Gary’s talents.

the Icicle Works Devo
“Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)” “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
You can still hear this track often on ’80s-style radio, and for a number Chances are, no one’s ever described Devo as classy, but that doesn’t
of good reasons. Not least is Chris Sharrock’s gloriously pounding mean the group from Akron, Ohio, didn’t possess copious charms
rhythm track, featuring timbale and backwards-sounding snare of its own. Before they crashed unexpectedly into Middle America’s
overdubs, gargantuan snare accents, and a continuous bed of tom living rooms with the truly strange MTV video for 1980’s synth-
singles and doubles. Like so many new-wave groups, Icicle Works hit heavy megahit “Whip It,” drummer Alan Myers and crew were a
the U.S. charts in a major way only once, but if you have to strike gold more guitar-oriented punk band—if an extremely odd one with a
a single time, this is a noble way to do it. Sharrock went on to join singularly well-thought-out worldview that provided the basis for
several other notable acts, including the La’s, World Party, Del Amitri, their lyrics, visuals, and sound. This take on the famous Rolling Stones
Robbie Williams, and Oasis. hit, from 1978’s Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, is one of the
great pop covers of all time, and a significant reason is Myers’ choppy
the Cure factory-floor drumbeat, which completely reimagines Charlie Watts’
original groove to immensely fun effect.
“Just Like Heaven”
When Boris Williams joined
the legendary British band the Missing Persons
Cure in time to record 1985’s “U.S. Drag”
breakout album The Head on the Missing Persons put the new in new wave more aggressively than
Door, he brought a higher level most. Putting aside the band’s avant-garde visual appeal, the music
of sophistication to the band’s these musos concocted was, for a short time at least, utterly fresh,
drum chair. By the time of ’87’s
double album Kiss Me, Kiss Me,
Bozzio
Kiss Me, he was fully integrated
into the group’s idiosyncratic
style. The hit single “Just Like
Heaven” features many of
Williams’ charms, including his
stylish and integrated use of China cymbals, solid time sense, and
fondness for a nimble floor-tom-to-crash-on-the-2 maneuver.
Simple Minds
“Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
E bet R oberts
Gaynor
matching singsong melodies, squeaky girl-group exclamations, and
rhythmic sophistication far beyond your average pop band’s. Terry
Bozzio, a veteran of Frank Zappa and the Brecker Brothers’ bands,
Another ’80s band that can claim one gargantuan U.S. hit, Scotland’s as well as the modern-leaning prog supergroup U.K., was able to
Simple Minds has in fact enjoyed a fruitful career of nearly forty years. filter all his interests through MP’s aesthetic, and this track is a classic
Longtime drummer Mel Gaynor has left the group a couple times example of how he applied his adventurous inclinations. The main 6/4
during its long run, but he’s consistently manned the throne for the groove of “U.S. Drag,” from the band’s 1982 debut LP, Spring Session M,
past fifteen-odd years now. He’s also the drummer whose stomping deceives the ear: Wait, where’s the 1? Oh, there it is. Odd turnarounds in
beat and tasty fills largely define this track from the soundtrack of the vocal sections further throw us off balance, but the darned thing
1985’s famous coming-of-age film The Breakfast Club. Gaynor can still grooves like mad. Search YouTube for Bozzio playing “U.S. Drag”
rightfully lay claim to one of the great air-drumming moments in live, and marvel at how fully he throws himself into his performance—
pop history, the nimble snare-centric fill at the end of the tune’s quiet and then how he takes an over-the-top solo at the outro. Some kind of
breakdown section. Listen carefully for the subtle double crash at its a drumming bar is raised here, some kind of a border moved.
conclusion—classy stuff.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
“Here Comes My Girl”
Hitting the charts in the late ’70s just as new-wave bands
began to draw attention in the States, Florida native Tom Petty’s
Heartbreakers melded a soulful vibe to heartland Americana, but
with enough of a modern flavor that they still made sense in a
scene that welcomed Elvis Costello and the Ramones. Drummer
Stan Lynch was featured on all of the Heartbreakers’ albums
through the early ’90s, and this track from the group’s hit 1979
third release, Damn the Torpedoes, benefits greatly from his sensual
groove, impeccable time, and song intelligence. Lynch plays it cool
throughout but still manages to provide just enough tweaking at
the fadeout that without even being aware of it, you look forward
to his repeated snare fills and nudging crash cymbal hits every time
the song comes on the radio.
New Order
“Age of Consent” Billy Joel
New Order consisted of the surviving members of Joy Division, the “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”
Manchester, England, band featuring singer Ian Curtis, who took his
own life in 1980 on the eve of the group’s first U.S. tour. The new act
DeVitto
successfully shed the musical ghosts of Joy Division with its second
album, 1983’s Power, Corruption, and Lies. Much of this progress was
aided by the increasing adventurousness of drummer Stephen
Morris, who began to embrace electronics while continuing to
challenge himself with double-handed multi-surface workouts like the
one on leadoff track “Age of Consent.” Morris’s hypnotic yet surprisingly
nuanced beats can be great fun to play at the kit, and “Age of Consent,”
with its brisk pace, alternating left- and right-hand snare hits, and
pounding four-on-the-floor bass drum, is one of his best.
the Police
“Message in a Bottle”
Ask drummers to tell you the first name they think of when you
say “the ’80s,” and it’s a good bet Stewart Copeland will be the
answer. The Police became one of the decade’s most iconic bands by
blending post-punk attitude with third-world rhythms—a subject
that Copeland, the son of an American CIA officer and a Scottish
archaeologist, was familiar with due to his having grown up in
the Middle East. “Message in a Bottle,” the opening track on the
The Police: Sting,

Stewart Copeland,
and Andy Summers
Another long-serving drummer to a ’70s-into-’80s megastar, Liberty

DeVitto came to prominence on elaborate Billy Joel tracks like
“Captain Jack,” “Prelude/Angry Young Man,” and “Scenes From an
Italian Restaurant.” Joel only got bigger in the ’80s, adapting to
the world of short haircuts and three-minute pop nuggets with a
seemingly endless string of hits, including this track from 1980’s
Glass Houses. The lyrical sentiment is clear, but Joel has his cake and
E bet R oberts
eats it too, arranging the song in a contemporary way, with DeVitto

staying completely away from cymbals in the verses, even down to
avoiding the common crash at the end of the super-dry, in-your-
face tom fills. When Liberty enters the bridge section with sloshy
hi-hat accents on the 2 and 4, it’s that much more powerful due to
Police’s 1979 sophomore album, Reggatta de Blanc, features many the previous absence of bronze—but he doesn’t linger long, pulling
elements of Copeland’s much-lauded style—a skittering and driving the hats right back tight in perfect service of the song’s dynamic
rhythm, offbeat snare and tom accents, playful rimclick work, and downshift. He then ends the section with a long, brash 16th-note fill,
surprisingly timed fills like the classic one at 3:41 during the outro. again avoiding the crash at the end.

Bruce Springsteen Pete Townshend
“Born in the U.S.A.” “Give Blood”
One of the most flexible and consistent drummers to come out
of England in the ’70s, Simon Phillips was an intriguing choice
Weinberg to support the solo work of Pete Townshend, whose long musical
relationship with Keith Moon in the Who was perhaps the most
explosive and unpredictable in rock history. Townshend’s solo
albums allowed him the opportunity to try things outside of the
Who’s comfort zone, though, and this track from 1985’s White
City, featuring Phillips’ total control of ghost notes and penchant
for elegantly dropping out backbeats at just the right times, is a
highlight of the guitarist’s post-Who work. “I’m always looking for
something a little different to do,” Phillips told Modern Drummer in
December of 1986. “[The drum part] needed to be something that
wasn’t too complicated, where the backbeat would cut through
but there were other things happening that would chug it along. At
Max G old enberg

clinics I’m always asked about the little notes that you sort of hear. I
like that sort of playing, as well as keeping a good ‘crack’ going.”
the Power Station

Yet another ’70s icon who fared well in the following decade,
Bruce Springsteen ruled the music world in 1984. The often “Some Like It Hot”
misunderstood title track to his seventh album, Born in the U.S.A.,
featured the E Street Band’s “Mighty” Max Weinberg slamming Thompson
out the kind of anthemic beat and cascading fills that earned
him his nickname. As Springsteen moved past the wordplay and
involved arrangements of his ’70s records, his music became less
self-consciously clever and more direct, and Weinberg reacted
accordingly, finding inspiration in Bruce’s workingman rock.
Journey
“Don’t Stop Believin’”
“When coming up with drum parts for the tunes we did in Journey,”
R ick G ould
Steve Smith says in part two of his self-titled Alfred instructional

video, “I had the luxury of being in at the ground floor as the tunes
were being written. I’d try to think of clever ways to make it sound
more interesting for me, the song itself, and the listeners. [‘Don’t
Stop Believin’’] is an example of a tune where I got to really put
some of my own personality onto the drum part.” Smith did that Featuring soulful British singer Robert Palmer and members of the
by weaving the cymbal bell and the toms into the main beat while new-wave hit-makers Duran Duran, the Power Station—named
keeping the hi-hat going with his left hand. The result is a track for the famous New York studio where the group’s self-titled 1985
that delivers the goods all the way to the back of the arena but also debut was recorded—benefitted greatly from the wallop of ex-Chic
allows for a level of sophistication missing from many ’80s anthems. drummer Tony Thompson. “Those rooms at the Power Station are
The approach has placed the tune among drummers’ all-time so big and resonant that a 10" mounted tom ends up sounding
favorite tracks to cover. like a big floor tom,” Thompson told MD in his December 1985
cover story. And sure enough, the drummer’s explosive beats and
tumbling hard-funk fills come on like mini explosions in the mix,
making it a hugely powerful and appealing drum performance.
John Cougar
“Jack & Diane”
John Cougar Mellencamp achieved his greatest artistic heights
on 1985’s Scarecrow, featuring the impossibly solid thumping of
his regular drummer, Kenny Aronoff. But Aronoff had earned a
permanent place in our hearts a few years earlier, on this hit from
1982’s American Fool. Another ’80s production that achieves a
certain power precisely because of the exclusion of cymbals (there’s
a lesson there, kids), “Jack & Diane” is partially famous for Aronoff ’s
classic air-drumming moment at 2:30, a tumbling two-bar fill that,
sure, is nothing fancy on the surface of it but is brilliant nonetheless.
And maybe that’s Aronoff ’s genius—a highly educated musician, the
Lissa Wales
drummer went on to become one of the most successful freelance

Steve Smith (left) and musicians of all time by knowing the exact sweet spot where
Kenny Aronoff. advanced technique and bald-faced hookiness meet.

Rush MD readers figure out his beloved drum part, saying that now we’d
be able to “rip off ” the same beats from John Bonham and Bernard
“The Spirit of Radio” Purdie that he’d borrowed years earlier. But as most of us are
There are other cuts that Neil painfully aware, knowing how to play a famous beat and performing
Peart–o-philes inevitably mention it as well as a legend like Jeff Porcaro are two very different things.
when asked for their faves. But But we can try. We can always try.
it’s tough to overstate the level of
appreciation that classic-rock fans
have for “The Spirit of Radio,” from Phil Collins
Rush’s 1980’s release, Permanent
Waves. That album finds the
“In the Air Tonight”
progressive Canadian trio dabbling
in new-wave flavors, and its opening track, which tore out of FM
radios with its opening salvo of roundhouse fills, perfectly balances
pop hooks with Rush’s famous sense of adventure. (It even clocks in
a second or two under five minutes!) Peart is the expected picture of
technical authority, from his pristine ride cymbal pinging to his turn-
on-a-dime control during the feel shift at 3:36.
Van Halen
“Hot for Teacher”
Van Halen
Lisa T anner
Collins
Song intros don’t get much wilder or woolier than this one from the Slithering along ominously for nearly four minutes before the
legendary L.A. band Van Halen’s sixth album, 1984 (named, naturally, drumkit finally kicks in, Genesis drummer/lead singer Phil Collins’
for the year it was released). The song begins with Alex Van Halen debut solo single, from 1981’s Face Value, is to many ears the iconic
pounding out a fairly complex floor tom pattern featuring the ever- drum track of the decade. After a slow build featuring a tricky
popular hairta rudiment, played over shuffling double bass drums. Roland CR-78 drum machine loop and some ominous synths and
Add some tom hits and then a driving ride cymbal, and you’ve got lead guitar, Collins brings his vocal to a boil and gives way to “the
one of the most classic drum tracks of the ’80s—or any decade. fill.” You know the one. Made up of a three-note grouping between
the toms and bass drum, and ending with two thunderous floor tom
hits, it breaks the tension with a bang, ushering in a groove of just
Toto kick and snare with some spicy ghost notes thrown in. It’s actually
“Rosanna” only the first of many wicked fills, a succession of variants that
“When I first heard [Toto blur the downbeats with the hippest kick, tom, and snare combos
keyboard player] David you’d likely hear on Top 40 radio then or today. And the sound of
Paich play ‘Rosanna,’” Jeff the drums was almost as shocking as the part itself. The “gated
Porcaro told Modern reverb” approach actually originated a year earlier, when Collins and
Drummer in February of engineer Hugh Padgham were both working on former Genesis
1983, “the Bo Diddley singer Peter Gabriel’s third album. Gabriel, who famously eliminated
groove was very obvious. cymbals for the recording, noticed how cool Collins’ drums sounded
Because the tune was a through the control room talkback mic in Townhouse Studios’ “stone
shuffle feel, I felt that the room.” Besides inspiring a million air-drumming moments, “In the
half-time shuffle thing Air Tonight” led legions of engineers down a path to re-create the
R and y Bachm an
would feel the best. The song’s unique sonic properties.

tune also reminded me
of New Orleans–type Thanks to Modern Drummer contributor Ilya Stemkovsky and Howard
second-line drumming.” Porcaro Massey’s excellent book The Great British Recording Studios on the “In
Porcaro went on to share the Air Tonight” entry.
written exercises to help

SETTING SIGHTS
Navene Koperweis
After taking time away from doing the band thing to focus on his solo
electronic project, Navene K, the multi-instrumentalist is relishing the
struggle of leading a group again.
by Ben Meyer
N avene Koperweis is used to getting a

lot done in relatively little time. The
multi-instrumentalist has been a
After focusing on his demanding
electroacoustic one-man-band project,
Navene K, which produced two EPs and
drummer. Whether I like it or not, it is what
it is!”
Entheos’s rise to self-sustainability has
respected member of the progressive several singles and toured Europe opening been meteoric, progressing from just an
metal community since he was in his for Tesseract and Animals as Leaders, idea among friends to a full-blown band
teens, most notably as the drummer with Koperweis was ready to get back to playing with its own van, trailer, merch, record
acts like the Faceless, Animosity, and some good ol’ metal in a band situation. deal, and packed touring schedule. “It has
Animals as Leaders. Recently he’s been “I’m always going to be striving for some happened remarkably fast,” Koperweis
making waves with the quartet Entheos. sort of goal,” says the thirty-one-year-old agrees. “We’ve only been a band since
Soon after being founded in late 2014, West Coast native, whose far-reaching December of 2014. The Primal EP came
Entheos released the Primal EP, landed a talents behind the board could conceivably out in March of 2015, and then The Infinite
deal with Artery Recordings, and toured enable him to make his mark in the Nothing came out this past April 1. So the
North America with Veil of Maya, Oceano, production world. “If there’s no struggle, I band formed, there was an EP two months
Monuments, the Contortionist, and don’t think I’ll play drums. I thought that later, and then an album a year later.
sleepmakeswaves. This past April the I wanted to [follow a production career The whole thing has been moving really
band released its debut album, The Infinite path], but the same amount of passion is quickly. It’s territory that we’re all familiar
Nothing, which it supported this past not there. It took everything I’ve made and with, so it’s easy to do what we want to do.”
summer on a domestic tour with Intronaut everywhere I went to realize that the thing In addition to composing much of
and Moon Tooth. I’m best at is operating in a band as the Entheos’s material, Koperweis produced

and mixed the band’s releases—surprisingly, behind them. “There are fewer electronic
with the exception of the drum tracking. beats on The Infinite Nothing,” Navene says.
“The sessions for both records were done “I was trying to use more noise and create
at the same place,” Navene explains. “I don’t scarier interludes. I did a few electronic intro
like to be the engineer on the drum side, things that were more similar to what’s on TWO NEW
KEG
so I go to a guy named Zack Ohren, who Primal, but I’m leery of repeating myself,
produces projects at Sharkbite Studios in so I always try to think of new things to do.
Oakland, California. It’s a beautiful studio. There are two intros on The Infinite Nothing
“For Entheos, I take learning the material that I spent more time on, and there’s more
very seriously—I learn all of it before I synth work within the songs than there was MODELS
track it. I think a lot of modern recordings on Primal.” Same dimensions as our top-
are done in a way [where the music is] When MD spoke with Koperweis, who selling 5A and 5B but with a
hodgepodged together. The technology was touring with a stripped-down four- Keg / Barrel shaped tip for great
is so advanced that you don’t really need piece kit, only a few cymbals, and a modest cymbal articulation and tone.
to know how to play your songs. You can track-playback rig, he said that his attitude Now available through your local
kind of play with it and program. Our songs regarding triggering his kick live was on the Vater Drumstick dealer.
are all written and arranged piece by piece verge of change. “I’m tired of dealing with
through email. But when it comes time it,” he explains. “I think I like playing without
to record the drums, I want to make it a it more. It’s more fun—but you have to
realistic representation of what I actually write material that accommodates playing
play, not do it all through programming and without it. I can’t say, ‘I’m not going to
then try to learn it later.” use triggers anymore,’ and then try to
Koperweis, who’s known for being
efficient and highly driven in the studio,
do 16th notes at 220. You have to write
different parts.” KEG 5A
L 16" • 40.64cm D .570" • 1.45cm
ripped through his parts for both of Koperweis employs a 2box DrumIt
Entheos’s releases in record time. “For the Five sound module triggered from his 18" VHK5AW
drum tracking for Primal,” he says, “I just acoustic bass drum, and uses a sample from
booked one day in the studio. For The Superior Drummer (Toontrack) for his live
Infinite Nothing I booked three days but did kick sound. “It’s multi-sampled,” he says,
it all in two. I just think where my head is “which is cool. The 2box allows you to put as
going now, with modern metal being so many samples as you want in there, and it
sterile—with everything being quantized cycles through them all. It’s a cool feature. It
and sound-replaced and all that—I just want
to get back to live performance more and
sounds great. When I watch videos of us live,
the kick is just ripping. If I’m going to ditch KEG 5B
L 16" • 40.64cm D .605" • 1.54cm
more. That’s pretty much what I dedicate it, I need to really think it through and get
all my practicing to. I brought my practice- something really good going.” VHK5BW
pad kit on tour, and I practice all the time. Driven through the mundane realities
My main goal is to get back to live takes, of touring North America in a van by the
or as close to them as we can do. All of the ecstatic response Entheos has received both
drum tones on the Primal EP are acoustic online and at shows over the past year and
except for the kick drum, which is a blend of a half, Koperweis says, “It’s that sort of thing
acoustic and trigger. Then it’s edited to be that really keeps me going personally, as
exactly on time. I’m personally getting tired cheesy as it sounds. People like the band,
of the ‘perfect’ sound. It’s almost come and it’s encouraging to me to keep going.
full circle.” The reaction that we’re getting off our first
Carrying over from his time working on album is really great. People come to the
TACKY SACK
Navene K, Koperweis has laced both of show and they tell me how long they’ve
Entheos’s releases with rich, highly detailed been listening to my drumming, and it
electronic elements that help to create makes me feel like I’m doing the right thing
VTS
something different from other technical with my life.
A grip enhancing rosin powder that
and progressive metal acts. Featured both “I don’t think I’ve put this much work
absorbs moisture and provides added
in song intros and within the dense textures into anything else I’ve done in my whole
control of your drumsticks while performing
of the material on The Infinite Nothing, life,” Koperweis adds. “I feel responsible for
in humid and sweaty conditions. Gently
Koperweis’s electronic ideas go well beyond the band. I write a lot on guitar, so it’s cool
“clap” your hands on the Tacky Sack to
offering mere bleeps and blips with a beat to have an outlet for that stuff again. We’re
apply rosin powder to your palms. Cord
playing the long game. We know our day
included to hang Tacky Sack from your
Tools of the Trade is coming—but it’s not right now. Right
snare drum, stick bag, hardware etc.
Koperweis plays Tama drums and Meinl now, it’s just put your head down and do
cymbals and uses Promark sticks, Evans
heads, 2box electronics, and Gator cases.
the work.”
#SWITCHTOVATER
VATER.COM
ON STAGE
Ani DiFranco’s GEARING UP AND UP CLOSE
Interview and photos by Sayre Berman
Terence Higgins
Drums: Pearl Session Studio Classic in Heads: Remo Coated Vintage
sequoia high-gloss red lacquer finish Emperor tom batters and Clear

A. 7x14 Dunnett titanium snare with Ambassador bottoms, Coated CS
custom top wood hoop snare batters, and Powerstroke 4 bass
B. 6.5x14 Pearl Masters snare drum batter
C. 7x10 tom
D. 14x16 floor tom Hardware: Pearl BC-100 cymbal
E. 15x24 bass drum stands, H-2000 hi-hat, H-1030
and H-930 snare stands, and Pearl
Cymbals: Sabian Eliminator pedal
1. 17" Legacy crashes (used as hi-hats)
2. 22" HH Remastered Thin crash Sticks: Vic Firth 5A and 85A sticks,
3. 24" Big and Ugly HH King ride mallets, beaters, and brushes
4. 20" Hand Hammered Thin crash
5. 20" Paragon Diamondback Chinese Percussion: RhythmTech Hat Trick
crash G2 hi-hat tambourine, LP Mountable
Cyclops tambourine, Russ Miller
Electronics: Audix D series Groove Wedge, Pearl trap table,
microphones, Ultimate Ears in-ear African seed rattles, various shakers,
monitors, and a Shure 600 belt pack and an Indian ghungroo bell string
for in-ears
“I think my ears matured as I got older,” says Terence Higgins. “I started

demanding more warmth and clarity from my cymbals. I also needed a wider
range of cymbals for all the different genres I play. One day I might head over to
my storage facility to pick up some jazz hats for a jazz gig. Another day I might
have to switch them out for a more rock ’n’ roll sound.
“Sabian recently introduced the HH Remastered line, and I really love them.
The hand-hammering gives me short decay, warm crashes, and crisp accents.
They consistently cut through, regardless of the genre. I’ve gravitated to bigger
cymbals overall, and I’m really digging the Big and Ugly ride. I use that with Ani
DiFranco because when I crash it, it gets out of the way. Ani’s ears are super-
sensitive—she picked up on the fact that I was using 17" hi-hats the moment she
heard them! I think she likes them because they aren’t abrasive. They have a really warm foot chick, Higgins adds that his side snare is tensioned super-loose for a contrasting tone to his warm
and when I open them they have a really quiet, dark sound. This cymbal combination is perfect for and more traditionally tuned main drum. “I play that on some of the slower songs,” he says, “and it
folk music; they’re warm, quiet, and dark, but they can still cut through. sounds massive.”
“I use a variety of different Pearl sets,” Higgins continues. “For this gig, I’m using the Session Studio Notably absent from Higgins’ current setup are electronics. “Everything we do on this gig is
Classic, and I like the shorter toms and the shallower bass drum. The bass drum isn’t as boomy, but organic,” he explains. “It’s live and in the moment. We don’t use tracks, and we aren’t using any
it’s still big and warm, and it cuts through really well. Ani’s music doesn’t require a lot of bombastic samples. We may do one rehearsal before a tour, and then hit the road. Ani keeps it interesting. She’ll
drumming. When I record with her, I use a 26" bass drum with a fluffy beater to get a more pillowy, throw us some curveballs every night, but she trusts us as a band. It’s a blessing to still be able to play
warm thump. For live gigs, I use a 24" bass drum, which isn’t as punchy [as a 22"] but still gives me a real music.”
pillowy, warm sound that complements my cymbals and snares.”
2
3
C 4
B E
5
1 D
A
TEACHER’S FORUM
Education Through a Different Lens

Drumming Is More Than Doubles and Paradiddles
by Martin Urbach
As music educators, we have the duty of teaching our students between them. What would happen if you played a very long
all the technical and rudimentary things that pertain to our drum fill while the singer is singing lyrics? Now what would
particular instruments. But as artists, we have the gift to go happen if you play the same drum beat throughout quiet and
above and beyond the basics to teach our students the more energetic parts of the song without changing it in any way? Then
intangible and magical aspects of music. I ask them to put the beats and fills together in a way that makes
By luck or fate, most of the teaching I’ve done in the past ten sense—like in a song.
years has been with young students. I currently teach children I don’t ask yes-or-no questions. My questions allow room
as young as two, and the bulk of them are between five and for interpretation, so there are often no wrong answers. Even if
eleven. In this article I’ll share a few students answer with something that’s not
things that I’ve learned through my
journey.
I strive to create a fun what I expected, I can usually find a way to
make their response relate back to what I’m
environment for my students, trying to teach them.
The Fun Factor
Drumming is fun! I’m interested in whether we’re shedding Sparking Exploration
teaching kids how to play the drums,
but it’s more important to me for them
paradiddle-diddles or simply I believe that a very important part of
being an artist is developing your own
to learn to love the drums. I feel that if letting our inner crazy voice, which is achieved by exploring all
kids have fun doing whatever they’re
doing, they’ll grow to love it and will monkey go wild. possibilities instead of being spoon-fed
stock ideas. Most kids aren’t required to do
want to do it often. I often remind myself any kind of self-exploration in their day-to-
of how excited I was when I received my first drumset for my day life. Phrases like “Don’t do that,” “You’ll break it,” and “That’s
twelfth birthday or how proud I felt the first time I was able to too loud” are used too often when adults interact with children.
play a basic rock beat for more than one bar at a time. When I think drumming is a great vehicle for anyone, young or old,
we associate drumming with those kinds of fun thoughts, it’s to learn how to express whatever he or she wants. Sometimes
pretty hard to not want to spend time at the kit. I strive to create in my lessons we’ll counter the “That’s too loud” response by
a fun environment for my students to learn the wonderful art exploring super-soft playing and everything in between. That
of drumming, whether we’re engaging in rhythmic call-and- type of exploratory practice prepares students for when the
response games, shedding paradiddle-diddles, or simply letting time comes to make music and they have to make informed
our inner crazy monkey go wild. decisions on how loud or soft they should play.
In my journey as a musician who spends lots of time working
The Connection with children, I’ve found an immense stream of inspiration.
The relationship between a student and a teacher is unique. A Once I asked a four-year-old student what he thought about
good teacher has the ability to adjust his or her attitude to reach music. He said, “Music is magic.” When I asked him to explain
many kinds of people. Of course it’s not possible to like or be that, his answer was, “Music is magic because when you play an
liked by everyone, but we can at least try to be open-minded, instrument, music comes out.” When I think of music through
warm, respectful, and giving. I believe that as a teacher, it’s that lens, I don’t sit at the drums wondering what I should
important to connect with kids at their level and listen to what practice. Music flows much more freely from my inner self when
they have to say. When you do that, a channel of trust can be I think of it like a rabbit jumping out of a magician’s hat.
built and information will flow in a more organic way. Another perspective-changing answer came from an
In this quest to better connect with our students, we must eight-year-old student. I was struggling to find a way to teach
learn how to explain the same information in many different her about upbeats and syncopation. As an activity, I asked
ways. A teacher’s job is not to simply pass along the information; her to stomp and clap in a steady beat. Then I asked her to
that’s what instructional videos and method books are for. explore other sounds that fit between the steady stomping
Our job is to make sure that the information we’re sharing is and clapping. Shortly after, she said, “I get it! Syncopation
assimilated in the most organic way. is what makes you want to dance!” Had I tried to explain to
her that syncopation is when you play an upbeat instead of a
Questioning downbeat and use rests to offset some notes against the pulse,
During my lessons, I tend to not play very much. I feel that she would still be wondering what syncopation is. Instead, she
the student will benefit most from having as much first-hand figured it out in a way that made sense to her, and in turn she
experience as possible. I only demonstrate things if I really feel reminded me, in the most perfectly simple way possible, what
that I need to in order to reinforce the ideas that I’m teaching. syncopation is really all about.
But I do ask a lot of questions to get the students to think and
make decisions. Martin Urbach holds a BA in jazz performance from the University of New
Orleans, an MA in jazz arts from the Manhattan School of Music, and an
For example, I might ask students to come up with a beat advanced certificate in music education from Brooklyn College.
and a small drum fill. I then ask them to explain the difference

CONCEPTS
It’s Time to Retool!

Adjusting Your Business Plan for Optimal Success
by Russ Miller
I came to the realization a few years ago that to maintain success, in stores, and then going on tour to sell more is over. But there are
I have to constantly adjust, retool, forecast, and create new business new business plans now.
plans.
This is true in any business. People in other industries do it all the Define Your Own Path
time. We musicians, however, often hate to change our approach. There have been several times in my career when I caught myself
I’ve seen many friends and colleagues (who are very successful thinking, “Unless I get that gig with so-and-so, I’ll never be as
musicians) struggle with this. They kept the same attitude and successful as that drummer.” But you can’t force other people’s
approach for twenty-five years, and when business started to wane, business plans into your life. Of course there are scenarios that I
they got depressed and declared, “This business is dead.” But in would love to be in, like playing in my favorite band or working as
reality it’s the business plan they’ve been using that’s dead. a sideman with an amazing artist. But you have to be in a position
There isn’t just one path to success. Drumming is artistry, not to achieve those dreams, and you have to have a business plan
sport, and there is subjectivity to art. Many times the best players designed to allow you to accomplish those goals.
aren’t the most successful in music. In fact, it’s quite often the There’s a great quote by the business philosopher Jim Rohn: “Your
opposite. Now, to be clear, I’m defining “success” in this context life doesn’t get better by chance; it gets better by change.” If you
want to get gigs with top artists, then you need
“Don’t get stuck on a business plan just because it was to have a plan to execute that goal. Do you live in
the area by those artists? Do you know anybody in
your business plan.”
those bands?
— Ryan Kavanaugh (film producer) I have many goals that I’ve been working
on for years. Some of them are lofty, and I’ve
as fame and money. But having fame and money doesn’t mean been cultivating them for a long time. I’m continually setting new
someone is a great musician. For me, fame and money are byproducts goals, and I regularly adjust my plans for the previous ones. I ask
of my skillset—they’re not my goal. Fame and money come and go, myself questions like: Are these goals still worth working on?
but your musicianship does not. When I had nothing, I was playing Has technology or an unseen circumstance rendered that goal
drums and making music. When I had a beautiful home and cars, I unrealistic? Technology changes industries all the time. I often see
was playing drums and making music. When nobody knew me at artists doing huge shows where the main drum parts are being
all, I was playing my drums and making music. When I was signing played back via Pro Tools. The live drummer is barely in the mix.
hundreds of autographs, I was playing drums and making music. But So does that artist need an amazing (and expensive) drummer?
along the way, I made sure to maintain a business plan. Apparently not. Regardless of how successful that artist may be,
being the drummer on that gig will never yield the same income and
Observe, Assess, and Adapt prestige as that sort of position did years ago.
Many businesses fail because they continue to implement the So what will the new plan be? It’s up to you. People create
same plan for too long. I’ve seen this happen for players, labels, new business plans and succeed at them all the time. Look at
and instrument manufacturers. Many drum companies that haven’t Mike Johnston, of mikeslessons.com. His position as a teacher of
taken steps to change with the marketplace are now gone or much thousands of students via the Internet didn’t exist ten years ago. He
smaller than they used to be. It’s the same with individual drummers. retooled his business plan as a drum teacher and achieved great
It’s easy to get to a point in your career where things are semi- success. I started doing sessions in Los Angeles in the early ’90s and
comfortable and you can just let it ride. But often when you do that, was blessed to catch the end of the previous business model. I had
your business ends up heading backwards. You have to continually three drumkits rotating between major studios around town five
adjust your plans to stay ahead of the curve. days a week. But technology changed that business model, and I
I’m writing this column from a hotel room in Hong Kong. I’m here adapted by building a studio of my own so that I was in position to
with my touring band, Arrival. We’re recording the shows in Asia for compete in the new marketplace.
a future release. To do this, I had to bring quite a few cases of gear The great clinician/educator Dom Famularo once said something
with me. I was talking to a friend about all the gear the day before to me that really resonated: “We’re both successful businessmen. Our
we left. He said, “Why are you spending all that bread? Records don’t business is drumming. We need to be constantly investing in our
sell enough to do that anymore.” My response was, “I’ve never made playing, musicianship, relationships, and our overall personal brand.”
records simply to profit.” They’ve all ended up profiting, but that was I also carry a quote by Talking Heads singer David Byrne in a journal
never my initial goal. My albums create a musical legacy and push that reads, “Why not invest in the future of music instead of building
me to be better. They give me an outlet to continually develop my fortresses to preserve its past?”
production and writing skills. They are great business cards to supply Keep growing and changing!
to clients, and they provide material that I can use for promotional
videos, clinics, and lessons. The recordings also provide content for Russ Miller has recorded and/or performed
with Ray Charles, Cher, Nelly Furtado, and the
social media and marketing purposes, and are still viable to sell
Psychedelic Furs and has played on soundtracks
at gigs. for The Boondock Saints, Rugrats Go Wild, and
My friend is right about one thing, though: the era of having a Resident Evil: Apocalypse, among others. For
business plan that involves making records, selling a bunch of them more infoormation, visit russmiller.com.

BASICS
Fundamental Fills
Part 3: Right-Hand Lead
by Donny Gruendler
During the 1980s and ’90s, fusion monster Dave Weckl and
session master John “JR” Robinson, among others, revived
the silky smooth right-hand-lead 16th-note fills that were
previously made famous by studio greats Steve Gadd and
Bernard Purdie. Today these fundamental yet sophisticated
fills have regained popularity in the playing of contemporary
> > > > > >

drummers like Anika Nilles, Chris Coleman, and Daru Jones.
÷ 44 œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ ..
This month’s installment of Basics will help you develop
4
‹ ‹
right-hand-lead fills on the snare and around the drumset.
The following exercises build upon part one of this series and
should open many creative doors for your own ideas.
R L L R L L R L R L L R L L R L
Right-Hand Lead Once the previous steps are comfortable, freely move each
Let’s work though a series of 16th-note right-hand-lead fill of the six accented 16th notes around the drums. Here’s one
> > > > >

ideas alongside our 16th-note ostinato. Here’s the main voicing.
>
pattern.
œ œ œ
÷ 44 œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œ ..
5
1
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
R L L R L L R L R L L R L L R L
The following one-measure fill fragments show the accent
pattern that the right hand will be playing once we start Also try playing the accents with the cymbals and bass
creating our phrases. drum. The hi-hat foot will continue playing beats 2 and 4 as it
÷ 44 œ . œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ .. .. œ . œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ ..
2
> > > > > >
did in the main ostinato.
6 ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
÷ 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
‹ ‹
÷ œ . œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ .. .. œ œ œ . œ œ œ . œ œ .. R L L R L L R L R L L R L L R L
Follow this same procedure with another fill fragment. In
First x only this case we’ll use measure 4 from Exercise 2.
÷ .. œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .. .. (œ)œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ .. ÷ 44 œ

7
œ œ. œ œ œ. œ œ ..
÷ .. œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
Again, using a metronome set to 80 bpm with an 8th-note
subdivision, play snare rimshots on each accent, and fill
in unaccented 16th notes with the left hand. Remember to
> > > > > > >

continue the main ostinato’s foot pattern.
Fill Creation
4
8
Here’s a demonstration of how to work through each fill
‹ ‹
fragment alongside the main pattern. First, pick one measure
from Exercise 2. In this case we’ll use bar 1.
÷ 44 œ .
3
œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ ..
R L R L R L L R L R L L R L R L
Once that’s comfortable, move the accents around the
> > > > >

drums.
Using a metronome set to 80 bpm with an 8th-note
q= q > >
subdivision, play snare rimshots for each of the six accented 9
‹ ‹
16th notes, and fill in each unaccented 16th note with the left
hand. Continue the quarter-note pulse from the main ostinato
with the feet. Put together, the exercise looks like this.
> > > > > > >
> > > > >
Here’s another voicing.
> > ÷ 44 ’ ’ ’ ’ .. œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ ..
10
4 œ œ
÷ 4 œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ .. ‹ ‹
‹ ‹ Once that’s comfortable, orchestrate the exercise around
the drums. Here’s an example. Repeat this process for each fill
Finally, place the accents on the cymbals along with the bass fragment.
> > > > > > >

drum. The hi-hat remains on beats 2 and 4. Repeat this process
÷ 44 ’ ’ ’ ’ .. œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ ..
for each fill fragment.
> > > > > > >

11 ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
÷ 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
‹ ‹ Although the orchestrations and variations you can create
using these ideas are endless, try to remain within the confines
of the concepts discussed in this lesson. The goal is to develop
Fill Practice commanding, confident, and consistent fills. Best of luck, and
Once you’re comfortable with the previous exercises, pick have fun!
any groove within your repertoire and practice fills using the
method below. To start, play three bars of time and then a fill in Donny Gruendler is a Los Angeles–based drummer and president
measure 4. The following exercise demonstrates this method of Musicians Institute in Hollywood. He can reached at
using the fourth measure of Exercise 2. [email protected].
“Powerful & consistent, proudly playing

with AHEAD Drumsticks for 15 years!"
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AHEADDRUMSTIC S COM
STRICTLY TECHNIQUE
Swiss Rudiments
Part 1: Basel Drumming Basics
by Claus Hessler
Welcome to the first of a four-part series on Swiss rudiments and Basel

drumming. In this lesson I’ll focus on some specialties of the Basel style that aren’t
usually included in the standard list of forty Percussive Arts Society rudiments. The
accompanying video, available at moderndrummer.com, demonstrates this style’s
feel and includes some additional explanations.
To increase authenticity I’m using a notation method, developed by the late, respected Basel
instructor Dr. Fritz Berger, that’s similar to how the Swiss might write these patterns. In this lesson’s MUSIC KEY
key, notes above the staff line indicate right-hand strokes, while notes below the staff line indicate
left-hand strokes. The small lines attached to the tops of some note heads indicate flams.
One major difference between U.S. and Swiss traditional rudimental drumming is the prevalence of
a pattern known as the doublé (pronounced “doo–blay”). This figure is basically an inverted flam tap
but with a special phrasing. Exercise 1 will help you develop a better understanding of this pattern. In
this exercise, I’m using a strategy Jim Chapin developed in which he collapsed rudiments by changing
the distance between a rudiment’s strokes without altering the sticking.
Here are some additional ideas for mastering the doublé phrasing. Measures 1 and 2 demonstrate a
straight approach while bars 3 and 4 offer a more stylistic interpretation.
÷ 42 œl œ œl œ œl œ œl œ œl œ œl œ œl œ œl œ œl ≈ œ œl œ œl ≈ œ œl œ œl ≈ œ œl œ œl ≈ œ œl œ ..
Exercise 3 incorporates a common accent variation and a pataflafla at the end of the phrase.
Exercises 4 and 5 introduce another typical Swiss pattern: the flammed five-stroke roll. In this
rudiment, a grace note is placed before the first double stroke of a five-stroke roll, and we also have
to watch out for some dynamics. Here’s a flammed five-stroke roll and pataflafla combination pattern
with a right-hand lead.
>œ .. œ >œl >œ >œ >œ

÷ 42 ‰ œ œl œl œ œ œ œl œl œl ‰ Jœl ..
5
5 5 5 5 5
@J @ @ @ @ @
l l
f F f F p f f

And here’s a flammed five-stroke roll, doublé, and pataflafla combination that focuses
on the left hand.
Exercises 6 and 7 cover another rudiment known as the complete final stroke of 7. This figure is
more difficult to phrase into a regular grid of 16th notes, so using a quintuplet subdivision helps get
closer to the authentic feel. As with the doublé, accents may vary. Exercise 6 is useful for developing
this phrase, while Exercise 7 puts it into a musical context.
Finally, I present a short piece called the “Morgenstreich,” which is usually the first tune played at 4
a.m. during a three-day Swiss festival called Carnival of Basel. This reveille is based on an old military
signal for assembly and includes all of the aspects covered in the previous exercises.
5 >
2 œ
÷ 4 @Jl . l l . œ œ œ œ œ œ
œl l œ œ œ
œl l @l @lœ œ œ œ œ œ 5 œ> œ
œl l ( œ) œ œ l œ ‰ l .. œ Œ
œ
5 5
5 5 5 5 5 5 5
@ @ @ @ @ @ @J
f p f p f
f
> > > 5 > >
÷ .. œl œ œl œ œl >œl œl œ œl œ œl œ œl œl >œl œl œl œ œl œ œl œ œ œl œl œ œl œ œl œ œ œl œl ( œ)5 œ œ >œ œl œ Œ ..
5 5
@ @ @ @
Í f Í f Í Í f
For more on the history and background of European rudimental drumming, check out the
international version of my latest book, Camp Duty Update. If you have any questions, feel free to
email them to [email protected].
Claus Hessler is an active clinician in Europe, Asia, and the United States. For more, visit claushessler.com.
Check out a video demo of these examples at moderndrummer.com.

ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC
Groove Construction
Part 6: Ghost Notes Using an Intertwined Approach
by Jost Nickel
In this month’s lesson we’ll continue working with

ghost notes by incorporating them into grooves using an
intertwined approach. When using this method, the ghost-
note phrasing is interlocked with the bass drum pattern.
Let’s introduce the four-step approach. We’ll start with a hand
pattern using 8th notes on the hi-hat and snare drum accents
> >
on beats 2 and 4.
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
÷ 44 œ œ ..
Now add a bass drum pattern taken from the rhythms

notated at the end of this lesson. For this example, we’ll use
the first measure of Exercise 11. Here’s our isolated bass drum
pattern followed by its placement in the groove.
÷ 44 œ Œ œ œ Œ > >
‹ ‹
œ‹
‹ ‹ ‹
œ‹
‹
> > ÷ 44 ..
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
÷ 44 œ œ
œ œ
œ .. Now take the first measure of Exercise 13 (notated in
Exercise 7) and apply it to the bass drum (Exercise 8).
r j
Next add ghost notes on all of the remaining 16th notes.
÷ 44 œ ‰. œ œ ‰ œ
> >
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ > >
÷ 44 œ ( œ) ( œ) ( œ) œ ( œ) ( œ) ( œ) œ ( œ) œ ( œ) œ ( œ) ( œ) ( œ) ..
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
Playing all of the 16th notes as ghost strokes can sound
÷ 44 œ œ
œ œ
œ
œ
..
good at slower tempos (60–85 bpm) and can be a great
challenge when playing at faster tempos. But in general, I
Play ghost notes on all of the remaining 16ths.
> >
suggest omitting some of the quieter strokes to produce a
clearer sound. In our final step, we’ll omit any ghost note
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
÷ 44 œ ( œ) ( œ) ( œ) œ ( œ) ( œ) œ œ ( œ) ( œ) ( œ) œ ( œ) œ ( œ) ..
that occurs directly before or after an accent. In addition,
we won’t play more than two consecutive 16ths in a row, as
> >
demonstrated in Exercise 5.
q=
5 ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
÷ 44 œ ( œ) ( œ) œ ( œ) ( œ) œ ( œ) œ œ ( œ) ( œ) ..
Next omit the ghost notes before and after the snare
accents. Again, the left hand doesn’t play more than two
consecutive strokes.
> >
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
Next we’ll utilize the intertwined approach using the
first measure of Exercise 13. Here’s our primary groove with ÷ 44 œ ( œ) ( œ) œ ( œ) œ œ ( œ) ( œ) œ œ ( œ) ..
the hands.
q
q =
q =
r j r j
Here are three sets of one-measure reading exercises that
you can use for your bass drum patterns. 4
÷4 œ ‰ . œ œ ‰ œ œ . œ œ
‰ ≈ ≈ . œ œ
j
÷ 44 œ Œ œ œ Œ œ ‰ œ œ Œ r r
÷ œ. œ ‰. œ ‰ œ œ ‰. œ œ. œ ‰ œ œ ≈ œ œ Œ
j j j j
÷œ ‰ œ ‰ œ Œ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ The intertwined approach is applicable with any bass drum
pattern and works as well with grooves where the snare doesn’t
accent beats 2 or 4, so apply this method to your own phrases.
r j
If you’re interested in checking out more groove ideas, check
÷ 44 œ . œ Œ œ. œ Œ œ ‰. œ ‰ œ Œ
out my book, Jost Nickel’s Groove Book.
For a video demo of these examples, visit moderndrummer.com.
Jost Nickel is a top session and touring drummer in Germany, and he
r j
endorses Sonor, Meinl, Aquarian, Vic Firth, and Beyerdynamic.
j j j
÷ œ. œ ‰ œ ≈ œ . ≈ œ . œ ≈ œ œ ‰. œ ≈ œ .
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ROCK PERSPECTIVES
The Notes We Don’t Play

Incorporating Rests Into Odd Subdivisions
by Aaron Edgar
Adding rests to complicated subdivisions can be an intimidating endeavor.

But just like when you’re learning how to play a 16th-note rest on beat 1,
or an accent on the middle partial of a triplet, it’s only tricky at first. After
some diligent practice, you’ll find that you’ve internalized an exciting new
rhythmic tool.
To count quintuplets, I like to use an Indian counting system with the
syllables “ta, ka, din, ah, gah.” It’s imperative to hear “ta” as the dominant
note, as it represents the quarter-note pulse. Before jumping into Exercise 1,
make sure you’re comfortable counting and playing quintuplets on a practice pad.
To practice the following example, count out loud and alternate between a measure of quintuplets and the
first measure of Exercise 1. In bar 1, we’re only skipping three notes: “din” in beat 3, “ta” in beat 4, and “ka” in
beat 5. The goal is to make the partials on either side of the rest feel as solid as they do when you’re playing all
five notes. Tapping quarter notes with your foot helps solidify the pulse, but be careful not to become reliant
on it. After you’ve mastered measure 1, repeat the same process for bars 2, 3, and 4.
Once you’re ready to put all four bars of Exercise 1 together, experiment with voicing the rhythms on
the drumset. Start simply with a pair of surfaces, such as the snare drum and floor tom, and improvise the
rhythm’s orchestration between the two. Eventually expand into improvising over the entire kit. The more
comfortable you are with the rhythms, the more creatively you’ll be able to apply them to the drums.
When experimenting with Exercise 1, don’t be afraid to modify it. You don’t need to use the entire four-bar
phrase; you can use pieces of it to fit into different musical contexts.
Exercises 2, 3, and 4 show some of the many ways we can apply these rhythms to the drumset. In Exercise
2, the first four quarter notes of the second measure of Exercise 1 are used as a drum fill.
Here’s a groove that applies measure 4 of Exercise 1 to the hi-hats.
This next example uses the rhythm from bar 3 of Exercise 1 as a syncopated bass drum pattern in the
context of a progressive-metal groove.

We’ll close out the quintuplet portion of this lesson with one of my favorite grooves—the main beat I use in
the song “Van Halien,” the closing track on Third Ion’s 13/8Bit record. [You can hear the song on the October
2016 playlist at Modern Drummer’s Spotify page.] This groove uses a twenty-one-note bass drum pattern
within quintuplets across four bars of 4/4. There are twenty quintuplet partials in a single bar of 4/4, which
means each measure of this groove has essentially the same kick pattern displaced forward by one quintuplet
partial. The pattern has six note groupings (one, two, three, two, five, and two), and each grouping is followed
by a single rest. Just like we did with Exercise 1, make sure you practice slowly and count out loud. You may
want to isolate the bass drum rhythm on a practice pad first.
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
÷ 44 œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œœ œ œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œœ œ ≈ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ œ œœ œ œ ≈ œ
5
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
÷ œ ≈ œ ≈ œ œœ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ œ œœ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ ≈ œœ œ ≈ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œœ œ œ œ œ ..
Exercises 6 and 7 incorporate rests into septuplets. Just like we did with Exercise 1, practice each of these
into and out of full septuplets. Make sure you go slowly and count out loud. The syllables I like to use for
counting septuplets are “ta, ka, din, ah, ge, na, gah.” Again, make sure to feel “ta” as the dominant pulse.
After mastering Exercises 6 and 7 on the practice pad, work on applying the rhythms to the drumset. You’re
only limited by your imagination. Here are some ideas to help kick-start your creativity. Exercise 8 applies
the last four beats of Exercise 6 across two pairs of hi-hats in the context of a four-on-the-floor groove. Using
this bass drum pattern emphasizes the quarter-note pulse. Keep practicing the example until your septuplet
rhythm feels comfortable and fluid over an unwavering snare and bass drum groove.
>7 > >7 >

Alt. H.H.
7 7
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ œ‹ ≈ ≈ ‹ ≈ ≈ ‹ ..
÷ 44 œ ‹
8
≈ œ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈
œ œ œ
L R L R L R R L R L R L R T R R
In Exercise 9, the right hand plays the first four beats of Exercise 7qwhile
= q the left hand and bass drum fill in
the spaces. Be mindful of your dynamics. Playing ghost strokes and unaccented notes too loudly in a busy
pattern like this can end up sounding barbaric rather than tight and funky.
> 7 > 7 > >7 > >7

9 ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹
÷ 44 œ ( œ) ( œ) ( œ) œ œ ( œ) ( œ) œ ( œ) ( œ) œ ( œ) œ œ ( œ ) ..
R L L R R L R L R R L R L R R L R L R R L R R R L R R
These rhythms are often considered odd only because we don’t hear them often. But with diligent practice
they won’t feel strange at all. I recall the tipping point in my own progress where phrases like these started to
feel so natural that I thought I was actually playing them incorrectly. Beats with odd subdivisions can feel just
as good as any other groove if you allow yourself to become immersed in them.
For additional rhythmic material to experiment with, check out one of my all-time favorite books, Rhythm
& Meter Patterns by Gary Chaffee.
Aaron Edgar plays with the Canadian prog-metal band Third Ion and is a session drummer, For a video demo of
clinician, and author. He teaches weekly live lessons on Drumeo.com. You can find his book, Boom!!, these examples, visit
as well as information on how to sign up for private lessons, at aaronedgardrum.com. moderndrummer.com.
SHOP TALK
Thrift-Shop Finds
Restoring a Vintage Snare Drum
by Chris Lee
P hilip Cosores
After
Before
You’re walking through a thrift store, and sitting on a shelf
among old flower vases and juice glasses is a horribly neglected
vintage snare. Although everyone else might see nothing but a
weathered piece of junk, your mind is going wild with all of the
possibilities.
It’s always exciting to restore a vintage drum to its former glory,
whether it’s a bass drum, floor tom, rack tom, or snare drum.
But the restoration process for old snares is an especially unique
experience, since they tend to have a mystique of their own.
I’ve dealt in antiques for years, and I rarely come across a
complete drumset at a basement bargain price. But old snare
drums are relatively plentiful and can often be found at thrift stores,
rummage sales, and yard sales at very reasonable prices. The vast
majority of the secondhand snares that you encounter will have a
metal shell and can be easily revived with some new heads, a set or water damage, since those are nearly impossible to repair. The
of replacement wires, and an afternoon spent detailing with steel resonant head should be translucent, or non-existent, so examine
wool and chrome polish. Once in a while I do come across a snare the inner shell from the bottom. You should also gently feel around
with a wood shell, though, and in these cases there are additional the outside of the shell and look for any give in the wood. Constant
things to consider before deciding to purchase and restore such an exposure to moisture and temperature changes can lead to the
instrument. separation of the inner plies. If the drum is covered in a plastic
finish, examine the seam and make sure it’s still tight.
Inspect Before You Buy The next step is to examine the muffler, throw-off, and butt plate.
Whenever you buy something secondhand, it’s best to first take a With a modern entry-level snare, these parts can often be replaced
deep breath and consider what you’re looking at before making with aftermarket items fairly easily. But with a vintage drum, you
the transaction. Closely examine the shell and look for any mold should avoid using modern parts, since that affects the drum’s

resale value. If any parts are missing or damaged, then that’s another Heavy Metal
consideration when negotiating the sale price. There are numerous ways to clean old metal parts, but my preferred
Finally, note any pitting in the metal components. Small scratches method is to first run the larger metal parts through a cycle in the
and tarnish can be dealt with, but pitting can’t be buffed out. dishwasher. The lug casings will need to be placed in the silverware
basket, but make sure you remove the springs and nuts.
Research Before Rebuilding The dishwasher might eliminate the need for any further
In the days before the Internet, drummers who needed information cleaning, but you will probably have to do a second cleaning
about a newly acquired drum were often at the mercy of their local with steel-wool soap pads in the sink. Once the parts have dried
shop owners. But these days, social media has changed everything. thoroughly, I treat them with chrome polish to ensure that they look
There are numerous online groups with members who are more beautiful for years to come.
than happy to share knowledge and offer advice on the restoration.
When I posted a picture of my newly acquired Ludwig Pioneer, I Don’t Throw Out the Throw-Off
made it clear that I wasn’t interested in selling the drum, but I was The throw-off is the vulnerable part on a snare since it sticks out
wondering if anyone had any information about it. One of the from the shell. The brackets on my drum were bent, but I was able
members had a picture of the drum in a Ludwig catalog from 1966. to bend them back into shape with needle-nose pliers. The original
This model was an entry-level drum at the time it was made, but holes of a wood-shell snare shouldn’t be tampered with for any
it’s a prized collectible today. Knowing that guided every decision I reason, so I try to make every effort to use the original throw-off, or I
made in the restoration process. locate a comparable vintage replacement.
Keep Calm and Organized Save Miscellaneous Parts

When I first started restoring drums in high school, I would take a drum Most of us would never hesitate to discard old heads and snares. In
apart and place all of the nuts, bolts, tension rods, washers, and other the past I thought that these parts were like belts and hoses on a car,
various metal bits in an old coffee can. This made sense at the time, and that if they were heavily worn they were completely useless. But
since all of the parts were in one place, thus minimizing the possibility these days any part from an old drum can be considered collectible.
that anything would be lost. When I later reassembled the drum, I’d The same goes with old snare wires. Even a rotten shell will have
often end up with some extra parts. But that didn’t matter to me; the some collectability if the original badge is intact. As they say in
drum was in working order again, and that was all I wanted. practically every thrift shop around the world: “One man’s trash is
Thirty years later, I now take steps to ensure that I will be able to another man’s treasure.”
reassemble a drum properly. First, I take several close-up pictures of
the drum and all of the hardware, in case I have trouble recalling which
washer goes where. I then work in a careful manner as I remove the tiny
nuts and screws. These parts can be extremely delicate, so loosening
them too quickly can cause them to break.
As I remove each part, I keep everything organized by placing the
parts on paper plates or in plastic bags. My method is to place the parts
for the throw-off, butt plate, and lugs in three different places. If the
muffler on a vintage drum is in perfect working order, then I typically
leave it in place and give the handle a few swipes with steel wool.
Cleaning the Shell NEW

I’ve recovered many drums, but unless the covering is already falling
off, I don’t recommend trying to remove it. A thorough cleaning of the
original shell is always the preferred method, but even a seemingly
simple cleaning can ruin the finish if you’re not careful.
I always begin by cleaning the shell with glass cleaner. Then I treat
it with petroleum-based wax to bring out the shine. If there’s residue
on the shell, I recommend using natural substances, such as mineral
oil or olive oil, and slowly scrubbing the residue away with light steel
wool. If the natural oil isn’t strong enough, you can try a chemically
based solvent. The solvent should only be used on a specific area,
and you’ll want to thoroughly clean the area with glass cleaner once
the residue has been removed.
Someone had applied masking tape to the shell of my Pioneer. Moongel is the #1 most effective dampening gel
Burgundy sparkle drums are notorious for fading, so I was reluctant on the market for any of your percussion needs
to use anything other than oil. As the lighter options weren’t
working, I had no choice but to use a heavy solvent. This thankfully
did the trick, and the finish made it through the procedure just fine.
The inner shell should be cleaned with warm water and bleach or
with bleach wipes. Just be careful not to clean away date stamps. I
also caution against painting the inner shell, as that can also affect
the resale value.

TRX
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TAMA
Star Single Tom Stand
The Star single tom stand features
an extra-heavy tripod base, oversize
rubber feet, and retractable spikes
for solid footing. The L-rod mount
coupled with Tama’s Glide-Tite Grip
Joint construction is said to enhance
the tom’s resonance and sustain. The
upper rod section is 10.5mm and has
VATER a slight angle for maximum stability.
Tacky Sack Toms up to 13" in depth can be used
with this stand.
Tacky Sack’s grip-enhancing rosin powder is said to absorb
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performing in humid and sweaty conditions. A cord is
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bags, and hardware. List price is $19.95.
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GROVER PRO
Spanish Silver Tambourine
This lightweight single-row instrument has twenty-four hand-fluted silver alloy jingles
that are said to control resonance while adding focus and richness. A natural-skin
head helps dampen the sound while providing a textured surface to help facilitate
finger rolls. The shell is made from ash. List price is $180.
groverpro.com
BETTER DRUMS
Drumstick Trainer
The Better Drums Trainer attaches a drumstick to the thumb while
allowing the stick to rotate freely. With this device, drummers can
practice without having to squeeze the sticks too hard between
the thumb and index finger.
betterdrums.com
LUDWIG
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The all-inclusive four-
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CRITIQUE
RECORDINGS Taking the Reins
Shaun Cruz
Matt Wilson’s Big Happy Family Beginning of a Memory
The drummer/leader offers a diverse rumination on life and
community, with a tinge of the bittersweet.
The raucous, bluesy opener “Lester” suggests

the spirit of a New Orleans farewell, reflecting a
tone of deep loss mixed with grateful celebration
that defines Beginning of a Memory. This inspired
jazz outing commemorates the 2014 passing
of Wilson’s wife, Felicia, following her bout with
leukemia. A violinist, Felicia performed with
the Matt Wilson Quartet Plus Strings. The “Big Happy Family” band
is a stellar gathering of closely knit members from Wilson’s various
ensembles, performing new renditions of his previously recorded
compositions with an emphasis on Felicia’s favorites. There are
throat-tightening moments, such as the gorgeous “Flowers for Felicia
(Orchids-Wildwood Flower),” during which Wilson plays moving,
expressive solo brush passages. But amidst the sorrow is plentiful joy;
Wilson’s characteristic humor and high-spirited drumming remain
unbridled. From the traditional to the subversive, the rascally drummer
John Abbott
swings, grooves, rocks, and thoroughly thrives on the unpredictable.
(Palmetto) Jeff Potter
Ferit Odman Dameronia With Strings

The Turkish drummer’s third outing as a leader bursts with melody, wit, and rhythmic joy.
Ferit Odman has made the jazz rounds in New York City, but he’s best known as an in-demand
drummer in his native Turkey. For this, his most ambitious disc as a leader, Odman returned to the Big
Apple, assembling a topflight quartet augmented by a string sextet for a tribute to the legendary yet
under-recognized pianist/composer/arranger Tadd Dameron. Reinterpreting Dameron’s idiosyncratic
orchestrations, arranger David O’Rourke skillfully utilizes the strings as an active jazz component. The
core quartet is sensitive to the shifting string lines, leaving space in all the right places. Odman drives
the irresistible set with a smooth, classic swing undercurrent while spiritedly prodding the soloists. On
ballads, his brushwork is lush and painterly, while on “Look, Stop & Listen” he busts out a dazzling solo.
Trumpeter Terell Stafford, pianist Danny Grissett, and bassist Peter Washington lend a warm, full-bodied
aura to the smartly sculpted tracks. (Equinox) Greg David
MULTIMEDIA
Tobias Ralph Hi-Hat Substitutions, Broken Doubles, and More
An instructional DVD gets us closer to a unique player’s perspective.
Tobias Ralph (Adrian Belew, Lauryn Hill) steers clear of the usual licks-and-tricks fare on
his DVD, instead choosing to break down certain key components of his own style and
their drumset applications to open up your playing. Of note is a variety of cool warm-up
exercises that get the blood flowing and the mind working. Ralph brings these to the
entire kit, and while your hands alternate between the toms, snare, and kick, you actually
end up playing a hip metric-modulation pattern that’s musical while also serving its purpose. There’s informative
stuff on breaking up double strokes across different sources, such as a groove Ralph lays down with his right
hand playing a double on the ride and quickly moving to play a double on the floor tom, and a chapter on hi-hat
substitutions where he subs a stepped hi-hat for a kick drum, which is subtle but wild. Freeform solos and live
performances with a fusion trio show many of the concepts at work. ($19.99, tobiasralph.com) Ilya Stemkovsky

The Pedrito Martinez Group Habana Dreams
Following up on his band’s Grammy-nominated debut,
the percussion wonder keeps the groove-o-meter
pinned to the red.
In a set recorded in Cuba, Pedrito Martinez’s rhythm-

exploring unit once again intersects tradition with the
cutting edge, mixing Afro-Caribbean styles, jazz, funk, R&B,
and pop. A concern for this sophomore release was the
absence of former pianist Trujillo, whose diva-level lead
vocals complemented Martinez’s own strong voice. But
current keyboardist Edgar Pantoja-Aleman fills Trujillo’s
shoes impressively, and Martinez ups the vocal ante with
numerous guest stars, including Rubén Blades, Isaac
Delgado, and Descemer Bueno. The music’s heart and
soul remains the astounding interplay between Martinez’s
conga, batá, and cajon polyrhythms and Jhair Sala’s
masterly bongo/percussion work. The tightly locked duo
astonishes with sudden gearshifts into rhythmic orbits
Lucas Beck
beyond. Some will want to
analyze their complexity.
Others will just want to
dance deliriously. (Motéma)
Jeff Potter
Michael Weintrob
Karl Latham Living Standards
A funky and fun electric jazz date with musicians who love to play.
We’ve heard grooving jazz arrangements of classic-rock staples before, so drummer Karl Latham and his
guitar/bass/drums trio aren’t reinventing the wheel here. But the sensitivity with which they approach
the material makes for an enjoyable listen. “Cinnamon Girl” gets a 3/4 reading, as Latham caresses his
ride before taking an understated solo with some rolling snare and cymbal work. The drummer brings a
spacious second-line flavor to the opening of “It’s Your Thing” before shifting gears into a light medium
funk for the rest of the tune. He and bassist Mark Egan sound great together, not only providing a thick
bed for the guitar solos but themselves stretching out in the trio format—though this isn’t an aggressive
fusion date by any means. Looking for some well-executed small-group jazz that has more heart than
notes? Here’s your stop. (Dropzone) Ilya Stemkovsky
Linear Jazz Drumming and Similar to its rock parallel, Linear Jazz Drumming largely deals
Drummin’ in the Rhythm of Rock by Joel Rothman with building patterns around a ride cymbal melody in 2/4, 3/4, and
4/4 meters—only this time with a triplet subdivision. Once again,
Author and educator Rothman adds two titles to his deep
the book begins with three-voice independence before adding the
catalog of nearly a hundred methods, this time focusing on
fourth limb in its second half.
linear drumming.
Rothman employs an almost mathematical yet musical approach
A simple and effective, if somewhat formulaic, methodology to instruction in both methods. Covering the entire spectrum of
complements these books’ abundant linear exercises. In Rhythm unique 16th- or triplet-based four-beat linear patterns would be
of Rock, Joel Rothman introduces a set of one-beat 16th-note nearly impossible in one book, an acknowledgment the author
cells constructed around the ride cymbal’s placement in the himself makes. Instead, by predetermining ride cymbal patterns
subdivision before diving into a series of linear patterns built around and building grooves around them, Rothman provides usable,
a predetermined ride cymbal melody. Two-, three-, and four-beat real-world ideas. Students would be wise to explore the concept
phrases are covered while generally emphasising the 2-and-4 further with their own linear grooves based around the ride cymbal
genre-defining snare backbeat. The method splits three- and four- foundations. ($19.95 each, JR Publications) Willie Rose
limb grooves between its two parts.

CRITIQUE continued
IAMTHEMORNING Lighthouse
Gavin Harrison weaves in and out of this prog duo’s intense Years” and the perfect snare ghost notes
sonic world. on the half-time shuffle of “Matches” for a
taste of Harrison’s contributions. Mixed by
IAMTHEMORNING is a Russian progressive rock duo featuring Marcel van Limbeek (Tori Amos), the music
Gleb Kolyadin’s piano and Marjana Semkina’s vocals in a is balanced and sharp, and the prominent
rich tapestry of odd times and soaring melodies. Gavin vocal/piano blend is reminiscent of Amos’s
Harrison appears on about half of Lighthouse, providing compositional nature. The detail is there to
smooth percussive embellishments and vibe; along with his hear in the drums, and the only complaint is
Porcupine Tree mate Colin Edwin on bass, he steers the ship that there isn’t more Harrison on the rest of
with precision. Check out the linear hi-hat work on “Too Many the album. (Kscope) Ilya Stemkovsky
The Kinks Everybody’s in Show-Biz (Reissue) shines, with dropped snares and
flipped beats adding soulful shades
Founding Kinks drummer Mick Avory never sounded as suitable
to “Here Comes Yet Another Day,”
for the band as he does here. Totally in-tune playing from one of
“Maximum Consumption,” and “Unreal
the unsung greats.
Reality.” Avory’s easy shuffle brings a
In a July 2015 feature highlighting some of his finest recorded joyful bounce to “Hot Potatoes,” and
moments, longtime Kinks drummer Mick Avory told MD, “If it never his dynamic lifts add elegance to
got beyond the hard-hitting things, I wouldn’t have been very the classic “Celluloid Heroes.” As for
suitable.” This expanded reissue of 1972’s half-studio, half-live album the hard-hitting stuff, the fills on a
Everybody’s in Show-Biz finds the Kinks and Avory several years previously unreleased live take of “Till the End of the Day” (one of
removed from the proto-punk teen angst of “You Really Got Me” seventeen bonus live and studio tracks) are wonderfully unclinical,
and “All Day and All of the Night,” channeling American roots music and the garage-rock spirit is infectious. (Sony/Legacy)
in Ray Davies’ road-weary tales. Admitted jazzer Avory’s versatility Patrick Berkery
David Fiuczynski Flam! Blam! Pan-Asian MicroJam Drummer Alex “BisQuiT” Bailey (Marcus Miller) goes along on the
adventure with enthusiasm, laying down a drunken, stumbling
Bird songs? Pan-Asian harmony? Just another day at the office swing on “Loon-Y Tunes” and some attitude on “Flam” that’s all huge
for these jazz mavericks. snare backbeats, 16th-note hi-hat work, and jarring, syncopated
Guitarist David “Fuze” Fiuczynski’s recent crashes. On “Waldstimmen,” Bailey throws down a
experiments with microtonal music culminate with wicked gospel-chops solo over a walking vamp, and on
this latest release, which pushes the boundaries of “Loon-Ly Solitaire” he engages with guest saxophonist
jazz past the beyond. Inspired by composer Olivier Rudresh Mahanthappa with some over-the-top
Messiaen’s work with bird songs and by hip-hop interplay. This stuff is way out there, but the attention
producer J Dilla’s flammed beats, the material to detail from the kit is a wonder to behold. Your brain
ranges from the call of the Carolina chickadee as tells you that harmonically and rhythmically things
transcribed for fretless electric guitar to slamming aren’t quite lining up. And your brain might be right.
drums you’d hear underneath modern rap tracks. (RareNoise) Ilya Stemkovsky

TAMA, MEINL, & Modern Drummer are
offering one lucky winner their choice of
one of these new Retro finish Limited Edition
Starclassic Performer B/B kits. Each is complete
with hardware, hand-picked MEINL cymbals, and
a one year subscription to Modern Drummer.
To enter the contest and for complete contest
details and pricing, go to moderndrummer.com
OPTION 2
6pc 16x22˝BD limited edition Starclassic
Performer B/B kit complete with hardware
and MEINL Byzance cymbals
Tempest Green (TGS) finish
Total Value:
$6,981.61
Consumer Disclosure: 1. To enter, visit www.moderndrummer.com between the dates below and look for the TAMA
Drums Contest button (one entry per email address). 2. ODDS OF WINNING DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE ENTRIES
RECEIVED. 3. CONTEST BEGINS SEPTEMBER 1, 2016, AND ENDS NOVEMBER 30, 2016. 4. Prize Drawing: Winner will be
selected by random drawing on December 6, 2016. Winner will be notified by phone or email on or about December 8,
2016. 5. Employees, and their immediate families, of Modern Drummer, TAMA Drums, Meinl cymbals, 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; New York; and where prohibited by law. 8. One
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prize awarded per household per contest. 9. One (1) winner will receive from TAMA, MEINL, & Modern Drummer their
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INSIDE METHODS
Hal Leonard’s
Drum Play-Along Series
by Michael Dawson
O ne of the most effective and time-tested ways to absorb the

language of drumming is to play along to classic recordings.
You can learn so much by studying what the top drummers played
and then jamming along. Touch, time, feel, and fills are just a few
of the crucial skills that get developed naturally and organically
when you practice that way.
When you’re ready to see if you can make it through a classic
song without relying on the original drummer’s tracks as a crutch,
consider picking up one of Hal Leonard’s Drum Play-Along book/
CD packages. To date, the company has released thirty-six volumes,
with each containing an average of eight note-for-note re-creations
(with and without drums) and full transcriptions of the original
drum parts. The collection includes hit pop, rock, funk, punk,
metal, blues, reggae, and
swing songs.
“We publish titles in the were notated and recorded by Schroedl’s brother, drummer/
series based on the artists and producer Scott Schroedl, are incredibly detailed, and the audio
songs we represent, and of quality of the remakes is equally accurate. “Scott records all
course we also consider what the drums for the audio at his home studio,” Jeff explains. “It’s a
we think we can effectively meticulous process that’s the backbone of the entire publication.
sell,” says Hal Leonard We also have editors and proofreaders who check each note after
executive vice president of we receive the manuscripts from Scott.”
product development Jeff The rest of the audio (guitars, bass, keyboards, etc.) is often
Schroedl. “We’ve had success recorded at Paradyme Productions in Madison, Wisconsin, which
with play-alongs based on is located near Hal Leonard’s headquarters. “We have a regular
individual artists, such as group of session musicians,” Jeff Schroedl says. “They’ve recorded
Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana, thousands of songs for us over the years. And they’ve had to re-
as well as mixed collections create some incredible sounds, from the coins at the beginning of
with titles like Funk and Songs Pink Floyd’s ‘Money’ to the crazy beginning of ‘Won’t Get Fooled
for Beginners. We put a lot of Again’ by the Who.”
thought into which tracks are According to Schroedl, the most popular title in the series is
best. Sometimes we have to Classic Rock, which includes “Come Together” by the Beatles, “Walk
avoid epic tracks that are more This Way” by Aerosmith, “Radar Love” by Golden Earring, and other
than ten minutes long, due to legendary tracks. One of Hal Leonard’s newest titles was also one of
the cost of creating the sound- the most challenging to produce. “I know the team is really proud
alike recording and the sheer of the Slayer book and recording,” Schroedl says. “That was insanely
number of pages required for difficult.” Other choice volumes are those featuring the music of
the transcription. But we try Bob Marley, the Police, Steely Dan, and James Brown, as well as the
to fill each volume with songs Blues and Motown volumes, which contain many classic R&B hits.
people want to play on the Future titles are in the works for the music of Ozzy Osbourne,
drums.” Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Guns n’ Roses, so be sure to check out
The transcriptions, which halleonard.com for the most current list.
Study Suggestions
Hal Leonard doesn’t include vocals in its on the backing tracks, which often ebb we decided to map the moving tempos
Play-Along series, so you have to be very and flow just like the original recordings. and lay a varying click beforehand
confident with the drum parts in order “Several years ago, we had to redo [for recording purposes only]. It’s
to get through the songs without losing a recording because the artist said it unorthodox, but it’s really the only way to
your place. Also absent is a metronome, was too slow,” Jeff Schroedl explains. “In authentically re-create some older songs
which means you must rely heavily on reality, the original recording sped up where the chorus needs to be a little
your internal pulse to keep the groove and slowed down—the tempo was all faster than the verse.”
solid while also keeping your ears locked over the place. From that point forward,

ENCORE
The Beach Boys

Pet Sounds
Earlier this year Capitol/UMe commemorated the golden anniversary
of this masterpiece of pop arrangement with an expansive reissue
campaign, reminding us what a wonderland of rhythm it is.
W ow. Pet Sounds turned fifty this year.

Fortunately, the album that evaded
the commercial heights of previous
by unorthodox elements, and a full-
on drumset isn’t always the primary
beatkeeper on the reverb-drenched
Beach Boys releases in its day has gained album. For “You Still Believe in Me,” the
legendary status over time. Even Beatles harpsichord-driven groove is punctuated
producer George Martin famously noted, by timpani, finger cymbals, and the Pet Sounds (1966)
Wouldn’t It Be Nice • You Still Believe in Me •
“Without Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper wouldn’t bell and horn from a bicycle! (All were
That’s Not Me • Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on
have happened.” holdovers from the composition’s original My Shoulder) • I’m Waiting for the Day • Let’s
Indeed, it was the excellence of the incarnation as “In My Childhood.”) A rolling Go Away for a While • Sloop John B • God Only
Beatles’ 1965 LP Rubber Soul that fired floor tom, a tambourine, and a mysterious Knows • I Know There’s an Answer • Here Today
the competitive spirit of the Beach Boys’ wooden instrument breathe life into “That’s • I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times • Pet
leader and resident musical genius, Brian Not Me,” the lone track on Pet Sounds to Sounds • Caroline, No
Wilson, to attempt to create “the greatest include drummer Dennis Wilson and other
Brian Wilson: piano, organ, bass, vocals
rock album ever made.” As career pressures Beach Boys as instrumentalists. Dennis Wilson: drums, vocals
mounted, the fragile Wilson retired from An air of stillness and intimacy floats Carl Wilson: guitar, vocals
touring in late ’64 to sharpen his focus with tremolo guitar and Fender bass as a Al Jardine: rhythm guitar, vocals
on a forward-looking vision for his hit- brushed cymbal carries the pulse on the Mike Love: vocals
making group in the studio. He dropped stunning “Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Bruce Johnston: bass, vocals
Hal Blaine, Frank Capp, Jerry Williams,
symphonic hints along the way, pointing to Shoulder).” Session great Jim Gordon drums
Julius Wechter, Jim Gordon, Gary Coleman,
the musical invention that would later fully on “I’m Waiting for the Day,” fashioning Terry Melcher, Steve Korthof: drums and/or
flower on his masterpiece. ground-shaking dynamics against Gary percussion
By the time recording began for Pet Coleman’s timpani. It’s possible that many Steve Douglas, Bill Green, Plas Johnson:
Sounds in mid-’65, Wilson had already aspiring musicians unwittingly gained horns, percussion
forged a sympathetic creative relationship a sense of playing orchestrally from this Produced by Brian Wilson
with Hollywood’s Wrecking Crew (which number and the Spartan tone poem
also helped build the Wall of Sound for “Let’s Go Away for a While,” even if it was Pet Sounds’ 007-inspired exotica title
Wilson’s hero, Phil Spector). Together they the number-three smash “Sloop John B” track rings with a percussive orgy of Coke
crafted a song cycle that reverberated (a trippy take on the folk standard) that cans (through a Leslie), tambourine,
with rich sonic textures. Each selection helped sell the LP to thousands of kids. bongos, and guiro, with Ritchie Frost (Ricky
conjured a different world, yet they all Paul McCartney has been quoted as Nelson’s late-’50s/early-’60s drummer)
stacked up to a cohesive whole. Many saying, “Pet Sounds blew me away,” and on kit. An overturned plastic Sparkletts
fans—understandably—had difficulty he cited the pocket symphony “God Only water bottle answers gentle tambo hits
processing the colossal artistic leap from Knows” as one of his favorite songs. The to send “Caroline, No” aloft with a delicate
late ’65’s unplugged Beach Boys’ Party! and clip-clops played on plastic juice bottles tension that’s broken by a tumbling snare
its number-two blockbuster, “Barbara Ann.” are joined by sleigh bells, muted piano, fill before the longing lament for the loss of
Numerous luminaries hit and shake and guitar that play against the graceful innocence fades. A coda emerges with the
things on Pet Sounds, but the main man on tug from the kick and bass guitar and Doppler effect of a passing train and the
drums is the redoubtable Hal Blaine. The incidental snare. barking of Brian Wilson’s dogs Banana and
LP starts off with a bang, literally, as three Solid verse/chorus dynamics frame Louie to signify that a transforming journey
bars into an aromatic guitar intro, Blaine the cosmic-cartoonish “I Know There’s an has ended for the artist and listener.
blasts off the monolithic hit “Wouldn’t It Answer,” where tambourine and timpani Later in ’66, Wilson set out to concoct
Be Nice” by walloping the big backbeat on ground the feel, and “Here Today,” with his epic Smile (which he wouldn’t
snare and floor tom in tandem. Guitars, cascading snare/tom runs played by complete until 2004), and the Beach
keyboards, accordion, and mandolin fill jazzman Nick Martinis. Boys would again top the charts with
the sonic space typically taken by the ride Blaine’s pounding 4/4 snare and floor the groundbreaking “Good Vibrations,” a
cymbal or hi-hat. Breathtaking builds and tom, along with timpani and an arresting cut originally initiated and intended for
dynamics lead into and out of the bridge, temple blocks/wooden cups pattern served inclusion on Pet Sounds. But that album still
and a ritard signals a final B-section before by another studio heavy, Frank Capp, stir the sounds unlike anything that proceeded or
a head-turning timpani/snare call-and- dreamy confessional of “I Just Wasn’t Made followed it. Dennis Diken
response cues the outro. for These Times,” whose theme regrettably
The landscape is sometimes colored befits both the album and its creator.

BACKBEATS
The 2016 Chicago Drum Show
T his past May 21 and 22, the Chicago Drum Show brought more
than 140 exhibitors, an international crowd of drum enthusiasts,
and a slew of vintage and state-of-the-art drums, cymbals, and
full of chops, playing tips, and career advice. A performance by the
Masai Ensemble opened Saturday’s events, which also included
an informative tuning workshop led by Jeff Davenport, a Youth
accessories to its new location at the Odeum Expo Center in Villa Rhythm Jam led by Chicago percussionist JoVia Armstrong, and a
Park, Illinois. presentation by Gary Astridge, who has diligently catalogued all of
Household-name manufacturers such as Ludwig, Dixon, Sonor, the equipment that Ringo Starr used with the Beatles.
Yamaha, Alesis, Sabian, Zildjian, and Remo displayed their newest Among the world-renowned drummers performing over the
wares, and leaders in the boutique drum industry such as Acoutin, weekend were John Blackwell (Cameo, Prince, Patti LaBelle), who
Craviotto, Dunnett/George Way, Goodman, Holland, Infinity mesmerized attendees with his solid groove, backhand China
Drumworks, Jenkins-Martin, Joyful Noise, Kumu, Trick, Unix, and WFL crashes, and stories of touring with Prince. Kofi Baker, son of the
III exhibited their unique custom products. legendary Cream drummer Ginger Baker, entertained the audience
Newcomer A&F Drum Company, which produces modern drums with creative playing and spoke about growing up under the
with a vintage look and feel, sported some remarkable-sounding tutelage of his father. Kimberly Thompson (Beyoncé, the 8G Band on
raw brass snare drums (in 12", 14", and even 18" diameters), as Late Night With Seth Meyers, Kimberly Thompson Quartet) dazzled
well as maple and mahogany kits with raw brass hardware. Ornate with graceful, fluid strokes and a dynamic touch. Thompson proudly
products from 37 Cymbals, made by Heather Stine, adorned the showed off her new album, Treasures Abound, a tribute to jazz greats
drums in the Dunnett/George Way booth. such as Bill Evans, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane. Benny Greb closed
For drummers shopping for vintage and collector-quality drums, out the clinics by demonstrating creative ways to produce sounds
exhibitor Joe Luoma had a pair of highly prized and extremely from the kit interspersed with flurries of technical prowess.
scarce Ludwig Silver Anniversary Black Beauty snares, including a “The cafe, clinics, and master classes were all well attended,” says
Super-Ludwig in an all-gold finish. One attendee, after bringing event founder, organizer, and emcee Rob Cook. “We have room to
an unknown vintage snare to renowned collector Mike Curotto for continue growing now, and have contracted the Odeum for May 20
identification, was delighted to hear that it was one of only half a and 21, 2017.”
dozen Ludwig New Era Sensitive Black Beauty models in existence. Story and photos by Robert Campbell
Master classes and clinics scheduled throughout the show were
Thompson

Blackwell Greb Baker

BACKBEATS
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Nigel Olsson Replica 1974 original kit
“These drums are a little out of the ordinary for us,” says Mat felt that using replica Slingerland Sound King–style lugs would be
Duniam of the Australia-based company Red Rock Drums. “We were a nice tribute to the original, especially because they were easy to
commissioned by the creator of an Elton John tribute show to build source. We also planned to use replica ’70s claws, but they didn’t sit
a replica of Nigel Olsson’s drumset shown on the record sleeve of correctly on our shallower hoops. Instead we chose butterfly claws,
Elton John’s 1976 album Here and There.” which give a subtle nod to the earlier Slingerland construction.
Duniam says that in order to pay homage to Slingerland’s “Instead of using the Slingerland Set-O-Matic–style tom mounts,”
mahogany/poplar shells used between the ’50s and the ’70s, the Duniam adds, “which are mounted centrally into the bass drum,
company used Fijian mahogany, their standard round-over bearing we opted to mount the toms independently, as we normally do on
edges, and internal reinforcement rings on all shells except the 6" our drums. Our stave shells are a quarter-inch thick, so aside from
and 8" toms. “Of the four local timbers that are our staple selection,” the structural concerns of using a bass drum tom mount, we found
Duniam says, “we felt Fijian mahogany would be best. The sound of that the toms produce much more resonance and sustain when
our mahogany stave drums is somewhat equal to recording to tape, mounted with a suspension ring. We used heavy-duty DW double
and the warm, big, and round low end with rolled-off highs made it tom mounts, which have an air lift function. Although the drums
the perfect choice for our ’70s recreation. aren’t heavy, they make positioning the larger toms a dream.”
“This kit is a modern stave adaptation, so we needed to choose For more information about Red Rock Drums, go to
where to take liberties and where not to,” Duniam continues. “We redrockdrums.com.au.
Photo Submission: Hi-res digital photos, along with descriptive text, may be emailed to [email protected]. Show “Kit of the Month” in the subject line.
COMING UP IN MODERN DRUMMER

WILL CALHOUN: NEW LIVING COLOUR AND ELVIN TRIBUTE
• TRIVIUM’S PAUL WANDTKE • THE DRUMMERS OF SCHOOL OF ROCK: THE MUSICAL, AND MORE!
CINDY BLACKMAN-SANTANA
SANTANA/LENNY KRAVITZ/CINDY BLACKMAN GROUP
She was originally inspired by the indelible creativity of Tony Williams and the innovation
of many other legendary masters. Today, her exploration into the depths of drumming is
fueled by an unquenchable thirst for virtuosity — always mindful that the successful
journey does not end with fame, but with greatness.
Since 1883, Gretsch has been building the finest American-made drums for players who
understand that in order to play “That Great Gretsch Sound,” you have to earn it.
GRETSCHDRUMS.COM/USACUSTOM THE GREAT AMERICAN DRUM SET ™

12 Modern Drummer June 2014
©2016 Avedis Zildjian Company
BE BOLD WITH THE NEW S FAMILY

Zildjian’s new S Family will redefine your expectations of what
a B12 alloy cymbal can deliver. We spent years of R&D building
these from the ground up. Where the technology didn’t exist,
we invented it. With a balanced frequency response, long
sustain and a wide variety of models to choose from, you’ll
have everything you need to break through. So be bold. And let
them hear what you really sound like.
#BeExpressive
To learn more about the S Family and hear all the different models, go
to Zildjian.com/SFamily. Josh Dun / Twenty One Pilots
Photo: Reel Bear Media
12 Modern Drummer June 2014

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WIN A TAMA/MEINL PACKAGE WORTH

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12 Modern Drummer June 2014 CUSTOM SHOP

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Cover and Contents photos by Chad Crawford

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Bone-dry, winter-sharp; the ghost notes whisper

Favorite 1980s Drum Performance? For me it’s Larry

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healthy on the road. MARK STEPRO

THE NOTES WE DON’T PLAY

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Brendan Buckley with Tegan and Sara

For more with Brendan Buckley, go to moderndrummer.com.

Also on the Road

Who’s Playing What

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16 Modern Drummer October 2016

The Story Continues...

Joshua Simonds Named Ukraine’s Victor Gerchev Wins DW’s

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Drummer Royalties: Am I Missing Out?

HOW TO REACH US [email protected]

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Steve Smith’s SQ2 Kit

T he future was a mystery for

Will Kennedy last graced the

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October 2016 Modern Drummer 23

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