Drummers on Drumming

We’ve got Tucker Rule, drummer for Thursday, on this week’s episode of the ‘Big Fat Five’ pod breaking down the top 5 drumming moments that shaped his playing style…and it’s a damn fun playing style. Not only is Tucker a rhythmic powerhouse, he’s quite possibly the nicest guy in the world (sorry to ‘out’ you Tucker). We had a really fun conversation that went well beyond his influences including l...

Today’s guest is, Yuri Ruley…drummer for the iconic punk band, MxPx. His speed, creativity and disciple were a huge influence on me growing up, and if ever need a good a$# whippin', I’ll put on 'Life In General' and sweat my way through a barrage of beats at tempos that make me question Yuri’s sanity. We discuss the top 5 songs that best represent his influences when he first started playing drums...

Continuing with the theme of keeping things fresh, Gunnar Olsen (Puscifer, Big Data, Bruce Springsteen) and I have started a new segment of the show called “Save it for the Pod” or "S.I.F.T.P" where we pause our private conversations about a particular musical topic until we can record it for the MASSES. This week’s topic is the timeless and seemingly underrated drummer of Radiohead, Phil Selway....

Today’s guest is Sarah Thawer…a Toronto-based, freelance drummer, percussionist, pianist and overall badass with a style consisting of a unique blend of jazz, Indian, world and funk style drumming. She is one of my favorite drummers to watch, literally, because you can’t help but notice the enjoyment on her face and her love of improvisation is a true testament to her capabilities behind the kit....

Today’s guest is Eric Slick, drummer for Dr. Dog. Eric is a great player with a modern-day Ringo-esque approach to serving the song…which is an obvious focus when you hear his drum parts...parts that are deceivingly hard to execute well. His effortless technique is something I’ve admired from afar and I was really anxious to hear about the top 5 drumming moments that shaped his style. In addition...

Today’s guest is Daru Jones. My God I love Daru. While he definitely puts focus on appearances, as you can see if you’ve ever seen his drum set, Daru has certain sway to his feel that makes it impossible to sit or stand still when you hear his groove. He’s two-time Grammy Award winning player who’s worked with Jack White, Gloria Gaynor, Pete Rock, Slum Village, Jamie Lidell, Talib Kweli, Dwight Yo...

This week’s guest is Steve Goold…a.k.a the “Steve” of Steve’s Donut. Steve tells the story of working with Kris (BFSD owner) and how the donut came to be before breaking down the top 5 drumming moments that shaped his playing. Steve has recorded and/or toured with countless big hitters such as Sara Bareilles, Matt Kearney, Owl City, Ben Rector, Cory Wong and many more. His respect for the "song" a...

The guest this week is Raghav Mehrotra. This young man started playing drums when he was three and by 5 years old (IMO) was already better than most lifelong players. He starred in Broadway's "School of Rock" while still physically going to school full-time. He just an insane player and I know he's gonna be on some killer records in the future. He's also an old soul. You think you're talking to a...

This week’s guest is Randy Cooke. I certainly fluff him up at the beginning of our interview, but Rand just has everything you’d want in a drummer playing behind you. He is SO song focused and, as he states, “…It’s not about playing more things; it’s about playing the right thing”. His resume includes playing for Ringo Starr, Mick Jagger, Alanis Morissette, Dave Stewart, Kelly Clarkson…and believe...

Today’s guest is Mike Dawson, managing editor of Modern Drummer Magazine and co-host of the Modern Drummer Podcast w/ Mike and Mike (the other Mike being Mike Johnston). They have exactly 250 archived episodes so go check that out…after you binge all of our episodes. Mike is an insanely artful player who exemplifies the idea of building creativity out of giving yourself limitations. He posts a lot...

This week’s guest is Ben Barter…an Auckland-born, Los Angeles-based drummer/producer/storyteller and ex-dishwasher to the STARS. Ben has one of my favorite pockets and tastes in 'groove' so I was SUPER pumped to get him on the show. He’s played every major festival you can think of and has done all the talk shows. He’s the nicest bloke in the world and I know you’ll be smiling the whole time you l...

Today’s guest is Bryan De Leon and we break down the top 5 drumming moments that shaped his playing styles. Bryan’s powerful, rigid, and syncopated drum parts are infectious, to say the least, and it's the reason he drums for power-hitters like Albert Hammond Jr of The Strokes, The Drums (a band...a very good band), The Shaking Hands and many more. I’m currently on a road trip right now, so I’m re...

Today’s guest is Brody Simpson and we talk about the top 5 drumming moments that played a huge part in the development of his sound. Brody’s feel and sense of pocket within a pocket are unmatched in my opinion and I don’t think I’m comfortable making it public how much time I’ve spent looping Brody’s videos. Needless to say, if you don’t know him, I’m so excited that you stumbled across this episo...

Hello hello...today's show features the Big Fat Man himself, Kris Mazzarisi and myself, Ben Hilzinger, discussing the top 5 specific moments in either a recording or a performance that helped form us into the drummers we are today. We are all sponges for inspiration until the day we die, but some sponge-worthy moments are more remarkable than others. All of the little flourishes in our playing com...