Drummers on Drumming

Our guest today is Taye Dever, a young drummer from North Carolina who recently came onto my radar and quickly grabbed my attention. Taye draws inspiration from a diverse range of genres, including R&B, Pop, Folk, Rap, Gospel, and more. While his musical style is eclectic, he seems to be a fresh face in the music scene. I’m honored if this is your first introduction to his work. We dive right in, so here are the records that have shaped Taye Dever into the musician he is today. Cheers!---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.TAYE'S BIG FAT FIVE:Album - Not GuiltyArtist - The New Life Community Choir featuring John P. KeeRelease Year - 2000Key Track(s) - Rain On UsDrummer - Calvin Rodgers-Album - ThirstyArtist - Marvin SappRelease Year - 2007Key Track(s) - Praise Him In AdvanceDrummer - Calvin Rodgers-Album - ConfessionsArtist - UsherRelease Year - 2004Key Track(s) - "Caught Up" Aaron Spears' drum performance @ 2006 Modern Drummer FestivalDrummer - Aaron Spears-Album - Pure Energy DVDArtist - Various drummersRelease Year - 2009Key Track(s) - Rekindled featuring Tony Royster JrDrummer - Tony Royster Jr.-Album - ParamoreArtist - ParamoreRelease Year - 2013Key Track(s) - Ain’t It Fun?, Still Into YouDrummer - Ilan RubinFor more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 2 of The Drum PanelWelcome to The Drum Panel—a show where a rotating group of professional drummers engages in roundtable discussions on polarizing and controversial drum topics submitted by our listeners.For today's panel, we have my co-host Eric Urrea and special guest, Kris Mazzarisi (owner/founder of Big Fat Snare Drum & drummer for Winnetka Bowling League).Today we discuss: does practicing to a click make your playing sterile? those who can't, teach. True or False? does using less drums/cymbals make you more creative? you should never put anything in your bass drum! True or False? do drum shells tune themselves? do you need to put a button at the end of every live song? are the most musical drummers...non-drummers? ---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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is Philo Tsoungui, an independent drummer based in Berlin, Germany. Philo has played with many incredible artists both in Germany and internationally, including a recent stint with The Mars Volta.I can't praise Philo's playing enough; it just works. While it can be categorized as Hip Hop, it's so much more than any single genre, as you'll discover in this episode. Philo shares many incredibly valuable insights, and we actually kicked off our recorded conversation by discussing practice routines (in an ideal world).So, without further ado, please enjoy the top 5 influences that shaped the incredible Philo Tsoungui. Cheers!---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.PHILO'S BIG FAT FIVE:Album - Black OrpheusArtist - Keziah JonesRelease Year - 2003Key Track - AfrosurrealismfortheladiesDrummer - Joshua McKenzie / Jose Joyette-Album - The Bedlam in GoliathArtist - The Mars VoltaRelease Year - 2008Key Track - Wax SimulacraDrummer - Thomas Pridgen-Album - Black RadioArtist - Robert GlasperRelease Year - 2012Key Track - Afro BlueDrummer - Chris "Daddy" Dave-Album - Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group: Live Los Angeles on Sept 14th, 2010 (video)Artist - Omar Rodriguez Lopez GroupRelease Year - 2010Drummer - Deantoni Parks-Album - Zildjian K Custom Special Dry Performance Artist - Lenny "The Ox" Reece & The Lesson GKRelease Year - 2018Key Track - The WeekendDrummer - Lenny "The Ox" ReeceFor more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, my good friend and fellow professional drummer, Eric Urrea, and I are excited to launch the pilot episode of a new segment on our podcast, tentatively named “The Drum Panel.”Drummers are known for having strong opinions, and we aim to delve into many of these in a roundtable format. For this first recording, it’s just the two of us, but our vision is to feature multiple drummers from diverse backgrounds in each episode to foster engaging, relatable, and thought-provoking discussions. We invite you to join us on this journey.Today we discuss: are there too many rudiments? the hate towards Lars & Ringo are triggers cheating? virgin bass drums do drum shells actually matter? has social media ruined what it means to be a drummer?  ---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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s guest is Adolfo Torres. Adolfo's musical journey started in Cali, Colombia, and from a young age, his passion for music was evident, leading his parents to enroll him in drum lessons. This early start paved the way for his education at the Drummers Collective in NYC and later at Berklee College of Music on an American Tour Scholarship.After his studies, Adolfo moved to Austin, TX, playing with artists like JT Coldfire and Jennifer B and the Groove Kings, where he learned about the life of a working musician. In 2013, he returned to Colombia, forming the band M.I.J.O, which blends Classic, Modern, and Progressive Rock. All that being said, I’ve been a big fan of his for a long time and go check out a few of his videos before you listen to our chat. It will set the stage for a lot of what we talk about. I hope you enjoy the five records that shaped Adolfo Torres into the musician he is today. Cheers!---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.ADOLFO'S BIG FAT FIVE:Album - The Inner Mounting FlameArtist - The Mahavishnu OrchestraRelease Year f- 1971Key Track(s) - The Noonward Race, Vital Transformation, You Know You KnowDrummer - Billy Cobham-Album - ParanoidArtist - Black SabbathRelease Year - 1970Key Track(s) - War Pigs, Rat Salad, Fairies Wear BootsDrummer - Bill Ward-Album - RedArtist - King CrimsonRelease Year - 1974Key Track(s) - One More Red Nightmare, StarlessDrummer - Bill Bruford-Album - BadmotorfingerArtist - SoundgardenRelease Year - 1991Key Track(s) - Rusty Cage, Slaves & BulldozersDrummer - Matt Cameron-Album - AmputechtureArtist - The Mars VoltaRelease Year - 2006Key Track(s) - Tetragrammaton, Meccamputechture, Viscera Eyes, Day of the BaphometsDrummer - Jon Theodore-HONORABLE MENTIONS:Band of Gypsys - Hendrix Presence - Led Zeppelin Bridge of Sighs - Robin Trower Tony Williams Lifetime: The CollectionMaster of Reality - Black Sabbath10,000 Days - Tool Deloused in the Commatorium - The Mars VoltaDown on the Upside - Soundgarden Gretchen Goes to Nebraska - King’s XFor more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest today is none other than Jost Nickel, a renowned German drummer, composer, and educator. Jost is part of the golden generation of drummers from Germany, alongside his friends and fellow drumming legends Anika Nilles, Marco Minnemann, and Benny Greb.Currently, Jost keeps busy with Jan Delay and Disko No. 1, but his talent has graced many hit records both in Germany and beyond. He's also had the privilege of playing with jazz greats like Randy Brecker, Jeff Lorber, Jimmy Haslip, Barry Finnerty, and many more.In addition to his impressive performance career, Jost has authored four highly successful instructional books: Jost Nickel’s GROOVE BOOK, Jost Nickel’s FILL BOOK, Jost Nickel’s SNARE BOOK, and Jost Nickel’s BEGINNER BOOK.I absolutely love Jost’s playing. It's always so crisp, clear, snappy, and incredibly creative, yet it always feels good. Today, we're diving into the five records that have helped shape Jost Nickel into the phenomenal drummer he is today. Cheers!"---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.JOST'S BIG FAT FIVE:Album - The Dream of the Blue TurtlesArtist - StingRelease Year - 1985Key Track - Shadows in the RainDrummer - Omar Hakim-Album - Master PlanArtist - Dave WecklRelease Year - 1990Key Track - Tower of InspirationDrummer - Dave Weckl-Album - True ColorsArtist - Level 42Release Year - 1984Key Track - Kansas City MilkmanDrummer - Phil Gould-Album - This TimeArtist - Al JarreauRelease Year - 1980Key Track(s) - Spain (I Can Recall)Drummer - Steve Gadd-Album - SynchronicityArtist - The PoliceRelease Year - 1983Key Track - King of PainDrummer - Stewart Copeland For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's guest is Nick Wilkerson. For the past decade, Nick has been the drummer for the critically acclaimed Louisville, KY rock band, White Reaper. Recently, he decided to embark on a solo journey as an independent artist, and I’m eager to see what he creates next.I always invite drummers on this show who truly move me with their playing. I discovered Nick’s videos on Instagram and was immediately impressed before I even realized he was the drummer for White Reaper, a band I really admire. Check out his videos, and you'll understand why.I was stoked to have this conversation with Nick, and it’s moments like these that make me love what I do. Now, enjoy as we explore the five records that helped shape Nick Wilkerson into the musician he is today. Cheers!---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.NICK'S BIG FAT FIVE:Album - Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3 SoundtrackArtist - VariousRelease Year - 2001Key Track(s) - Boy Who Destroyed The World (AFI), If You Must (Del The Funkee Homosapien), Amoeba (Adolescents)Drummer - Various-Album - American IdiotArtist - Green DayRelease Year - 2004Key Track(s) - Jesus of Suburbia, St Jimmy, HomecomingDrummer - Tre Cool-Album - Bad BrainsArtist - Bad BrainsRelease Year - 1982Key Track(s) - Attitude, Banned in DC, Big TakeoverDrummer - Earl Hudson-Album - Live At LeedsArtist - The WhoRelease Year - 1970Key Track(s) - Heaven And Hell, Can’t Explain, Happy JackDrummer - Keith Moon-Album - Wonderful RainbowArtist - Lightning BoltRelease Year - 2003Key Track(s) - Assassins, Two Towers, Crown of StormsDrummer - Brian ChippendaleFor more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's guest is Isaiah Weatherspoon, a Philadelphia-based drummer who started playing at the age of four. He went on to graduate from Berklee College of Music in 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in Music Production and Engineering. Over the years, Isaiah has performed with an impressive roster of artists, including Lizz Wright, Greg Phillinganes, Lauren Talese, Leehom Wang, Justin Timberlake, Sister Sledge, and many more.I first noticed Isaiah when I saw a video on Instagram of him using one of our Big Fat Snare Drum Steve's Donuts on his floor tom during an outdoor concert. He was going crazy on the drums, and I was truly impressed. His positive energy and outlook made this conversation a real pleasure. Plus, we dive into a fascinating topic: synesthesia, a perceptual phenomenon that Isaiah proudly embraces.So, without further ado, here are the five records that have shaped Isaiah Weatherspoon into the musician he is today. Cheers!Check out his book: MUSIC IS COOL! Music Coloring Book for Kids---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.ISAIAH'S BIG FAT FIVE:Album - Not GuiltyArtist - John P KeeRelease Year - 2000Key Track - Rain On UsDrummer - Calvin Rodgers-Album - Purpose By DesignArtist - Fred Hammond and Radical For ChristRelease Year - 2000Key Track - Jesus Be a Fence Around MeDrummer - Marvin McQuitty-Album - In A DreamArtist - Gretchen ParlatoRelease Year - 2009Key Track - ButterflyDrummer - "No drums on this record. But I believe Kendrick Scott plays on album"-Album - Ten Summoner's TaleArtist - StingRelease Year - 1993Key Track(s) - Seven DaysDrummer - Vinnie Colaiuta-Album - Choose Your WeaponArtist - Hiatus KaiyoteRelease Year - 2015Key Track - By FireDrummer - Perrin MossFor more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s guest is Eric Somers-Urrea…a Chicago-based drummer, educator and producer who I very-much admire both on and off the kit. His main project is a band called Marina City and his sincerity / kindness as a person matches his incredible prowess on the drums. I just can’t say enough good things about him.This is a edited and re-airing of my conversation with Eric from a few years ago so some references are a little dated, but I'm pushing this to the top of the feed because I might be switching things up a bit and, to keep things cryptic, let's just say I want you to get to know Eric a little bit more. Stay tuned. Please enjoy our chat about the 5 main influences that shaped Eric into the drummer he is today, but first…we play a little game. Cheers!---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.ERIC'S BIG FAT FIVE:Performance - Drum Corps International 2004 FinalsRelease Year - 2004Artist - The CavaliersSong Choice - https://youtu.be/KpUuMM1y2_o?t=140 (anywhere between 2:20-4:20ish)Drummer - The Cavaliers Drumline-Album - QuadropheniaRelease Year - 1973Artist - The WhoSong Choice - The Real Me (1:30ish)Drummer - Keith Moon-Album - DeadwingRelease Year - 2005Artist - Porcupine TreeSong Choice - Glass Arm Shattering (3:30ish)Drummer - Gavin Harrison-Album - Mer De NomsRelease Year - 2000Artist - A Perfect CircleSong Choice - Judith (2:40)Drummer - Josh Freese-Album - With TeethRelease Year - 2005Artist - Nine Inch NailsSong Choice - All the Love in the WorldDrummer - Dave Grohl/ Trent Reznor-HONORABLE MENTIONS:"Glass Prison" by Dream Theater"Heart Don't Stand a Chance" by Anderson .Paak (Tiny Desk Concert version 3:45)For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's guest is Megan Spencer, a talented young drummer and educator from just outside Los Angeles. Megan recently caught my attention with her amazing cover of Marques Murrey's Million Dollar Baby remix, and I was instantly drawn to her unique tones and vibe. So, I’m excited to have her on the show!  I'm always grateful for the opportunity to connect with new drummers who inspire ME and learn about the drummers who inspired THEM, in hopes of inspiring YOU. Thanks for hanging around. Today, Megan will share the five records that have significantly shaped her journey as a drummer. Enjoy the episode! Cheers!---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.MEGAN'S BIG FAT FIVE:Album - InnervisionsArtist - Stevie WonderRelease Year - 1973Key Track - Higher GroundDrummer - Stevie Wonder-Album - BadArtist - Michael JacksonRelease Year - 1987Key Track - Smooth Criminal, Bad, Dirty Diana, Man in the MirrorDrummer - John (JR) Robinson-Album - Ten Summoner’s TalesArtist - StingRelease Year - 1993Key Track - Seven DaysDrummer - Vinnie Colaiuta-Album - Alive in South AfricaArtist - Israel Houghton & New BreedRelease Year - 2005Key Track - Turn it Around, Still StandingDrummer - Mike Clemmons-Album - LoopifiedArtist - Dirty LoopsRelease Year - 2014Key Track - Hit Me, Rolling in the DeepDrummer - Aron MellergardFor more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices