Drummers on Drumming

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming ... a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. This week's Drum Panel features myself (Ben Hilzinger) alongside Eric Urrea (Marina City) and Gunnar Olsen (Puscifer) aka **The Dream Team** We talk about: The specific tools we each use to stay on top of gigs, holds, and payments The not-so-obvious challenges of over-scheduling and saying “yes” to everything Gunnar’s hot take on whether live percussionists should be allowed cymbals How double-drummer bands actually work, including famous examples and personal wish lists The real anxieties and logistics behind committing to tours vs. staying available for “dream” gigs or family Practical advice for 22-year-old drummers moving to new cities—and why being physically local still matters for working players Social media as a calling card: when it helps, when it’s oversaturated, and how to post for the gigs you want --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today 🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming ... a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum This week’s Drum Panel has me joined by Mark Stepro and Kris Mazzarisi for a wide-ranging conversation about what happens when gigs fall through, routines get shaken, and you’re forced to rethink how you want to work and live as a drummer. In this episode, we talk about: How to respond when a major gig disappears Why direct, personal outreach still beats mass posts Aging, touring, and shifting priorities Social media’s role vs real relationships Practicing vs working, and why confusing them stalls growth Tracking progress without over-measuring Onstage anxiety, depersonalization, and mental spirals Balancing family, business, touring, and sanity Letting go of shame around how your brain works Building a career that isn’t dependent on constant touring --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today 🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. This week’s Drum Panel features me, Ben Hilzinger, alongside George Martinez (aka @skinnygeorge) and Eric Urrea from Marina City. We talk honestly about rejection, identity, and what actually gets built in the moments when things don’t go your way. In this episode, we talk about: Rejection as a mirror, not a verdict, and how quickly one “no” can distort your self-image The danger of ruminating on tiny moments, and how over-analyzing the past steals energy from the present Why authenticity matters more than perfection, and how trying to manage how others see you leads to bad fits The hidden value of “failed” prep, and how deep study always compounds even when the gig disappears The emotional difference between ego pain and income fear, and how each one shapes your reactions Balancing confidence and self-doubt, and why artists need both to stay sharp and grounded How unclear communication creates unnecessary emotional weight, and what that reveals about professional culture Why creative freedom often shows up disguised as disappointment New Year’s intentions around health, connection, communication, and long-term sustainability Letting go of shame around how you work, and learning to build systems that actually fit you --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today 🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. Happy New Year. This week’s Drum Panel features me, Ben Hilzinger, alongside George Martinez (aka @skinnygeorge) and Eric Urrea from Marina City. In this episode, we talk about: Burnout as a signal, not a failure, and how to tell when you actually need to step back The success trap of linking worth to being busy, and how scarcity thinking keeps you stuck Dependability, kindness, and the invisible parts of your reputation that shape your career Grace under pressure, and what tech failures and bad shows reveal about who you are on stage Confidence without arrogance, and how to take your craft seriously without taking yourself too seriously --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. This week features another batch of my favorite clips over the past year. Let me know if you agreeeee. --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. This week features a few of my favorite clips over the past year. Let me know if you agreeeee. --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. Featuring myself, Ben Hilzinger, with Gunnar Olsen (Puscifer, TrackTribe) & Eric Urrea (Marina City) Inside this episode The real life of high-output music production How drummers survive the modern content grind without losing their mind Touring vs session vs teaching: finding the mix that keeps you sane When your “Instagram drum sound” fights your natural playing How to meet heroes backstage without being that guy Building drum sounds, dealing with phase, and chasing ideas that actually feel good Progress, burnout, and what it means to “feel like a drummer” again --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. This week features me, Ben Hilzinger, alongside Eric Urrea (Marina City) & Zack Albetta (Working Drummer podcast, & Juliet Broadway tour) Inside this episode: When to chase a stable gig and when to walk away How Broadway touring shapes your mind, body, and playing Staying confident when you’re surrounded by people who could change your career The honest math behind consistency vs freedom --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. This is another installment of Big Fat Five, where I invite my favorite drummers on the show to break down the five records that shaped how they approach the instrument. Today’s guest is Madden Klass. Madden grew up in New York and built a reputation as a player who can seamlessly transition between power, finesse, and tight technical playing without losing the heart of the song. She’s toured with Boygenius, Chappell Roan, Watsky, Mike Doughty, Wheatus, Big Wild, Matt Maltese, Nat & Alex Wolff, Allison Ponthier, and Dixie D’Amelio, while also carving out her own sound through original projects. With roots in progressive rock and pop, Madden has always treated the drum chair as part of the composition, not just the support. MADDEN'S BIG FAT FIVE: Performance - Ilan Rubin's solo at the 2011 Guitar Center Drum-Off Drummer – Ilan Rubin - Artist – Battles Album – Glass Drop Release Year – 2011 Key Track – "Futura" Drummer – John Stanier - Artist – Hiatus Kaiyote Album – Live in Revolt EP Key Track – "Sphynx Gate" Drummer – Perrin Moss Artist – The Aristocrats Album – The Aristocrats Release Year – 2011 Key Track – "Bad Asteroid" Drummer – Marco Minnemann - Artist – Ash Soan Release Year – 2020 Key Track – "Ghostship Time-out" (video) Drummer – Ash Soan --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. This week’s panel features Eric Urrea, me, and a new friend of the podcast, Brian Blake from Real Friends. Brian shares his experiences making a living in pop-punk, dealing with impostor syndrome, and finding ways to keep joy alive when your passion becomes your paycheck. Eric and I explore the feeling of "faking it" on stage, the tendency of drummers to overthink their playing, and how small mistakes can ruin your night if you let them. In this episode, we discuss: The journey from feeling confident to realizing how much there is still to learn. Brian's experience with the moment he thought, "Maybe I'm not good enough to be doing this," and how that thought motivated him to move forward. Eric's nightmare scenario of being asked to "play a drum solo" in the middle of a set. The ways stage banter can feel scripted and how bands should acknowledge it. The idea that filming every show can help combat perfectionism, but also damage your ego. The unglamorous yet essential skill of honest communication within bands after difficult performances. --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 ⁠⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices