There has always been a great mystery and wonder to the idea of using calf-skin heads in today’s modern age of technology.  Whether you swear by calfskin or believe that mylar is the only logical choice, you must admit that the care and maintenance of these skins from a bygone era has a certain appeal… like tapping into a deep heritage.

Check out the tute where DRUM! Magazine walks you through how tuck your own calfskin head! Viva la Legacy!

Read more

It’s that time of year! For drummers from across the country to head to their nearest Guitar Center and show off their chops. Prizes include cash, drum kit of their choice (DW, Gretsch, OCDP, Tama, or Pearl), choice of cymbals, endorsement deals, electronic gear, mics, and more.

We’ll be sure to cover the competition right here on Drummer Talk!

Read more

Those poor, poor cymbals.

Although drummer and co-founder, Spencer Smith, has taken a leave of absence to attend to his drug addiction, Panic! At the Disco is still plugging along with drum tech and fill in drummer, Dan Pawlovich.

From Yahoo

“We haven’t talked about specific dates for when Spencer can rejoin us,” [lead singer] Urie said. “We’re fully focused on him getting better, and when he’s ready to come back, he will. I don’t know if that will be an immediate turnaround. I doubt it, but we’re staying positive.”

Read more.

Josh Day, former drummer for Sara Bareilles, joins us today to chat about landing that gig, life in LA, and giving lessons to the kids of very famous movie directors. News returns next week!

• We’d love to hear from you for our upcoming 200th episode! Send us your thoughts via Youtube, Dropbox, or call us at 206-350-0107!

• Please consider rating us on iTunes!

• Like our Facebook Page –  www.facebook.com/drummertalk

• Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/drummertalk

• We have a couple of different ways you can help support Drummer Talk. You can make a one-time donation of any amount, or you can set up a recurring monthly donation of $.99, $1.99, or $9.99.  Every little bit helps keep Drummer Talk on the air and ad-free. You can make donations at www.drummertalk.org/support.

• Have a topic suggestion or question for the show?  Let us know at www.drummertalk.org/contact

Correction from the show.  The topic, “Surviving Music School,” will air on September 12.  See you in 2 weeks!

Here’s another great article from Music Radar’s recent Drum Expo 2103.  Here, they outline 9 aspects to help fine tune your live performance to make you more marketable.

Read more

Loudwire is taking votes for greatest metal drummer of all time.  Round 2 pits Bill Ward vs. Clive Burr, Tommy Lee vs. Nicko McBrain, Lars Ulrich vs. Charlie Benante, Mike Mangini vs. Danny Carey, and more.

Read more

From ClasicHitsandOldies.com

Legendary Cream drummer Ginger Baker will return to the U.S. for the first time in several years for a series of fall performances at New York City’s famous jazz club The Iridium.

Read more

From DrummerCafe.com

An extensive process from start to finish, “Absence of Corners” took nearly a year to complete. Working with Los Angeles art team SceneFour, Ward utilized a sophisticated formula to create the collection’s visuals, using an array of drumsticks and rhythmic accessories that produce light, much like a painter utilizing brushes and oils.

Read more…

Also, be sure to check out Music Radar’s interview with JP Gaster.

Music Radar has collected up-close and personal pics of 40+ pro drummer’s rigs, complete with gear descriptions and brands. Includes greats such as Travis Barker, Neil Peart, Benny Greb, and more!

Click here to read more!

On today’s episode, we take a look (listen) to some of the other drumming podcasts out in cyberspace.

In the news, we remember Max Roach, discuss 15 things new percussion majors should know, look at the world’s largest drumset, wonder what keeps Ratt going, bring you the latest update in the Bill Ward/Ozzy feud, and talk about a new contest from Modern Drummer! Show notes after the break!

Show Notes

• Derp.. THIS is show 190. Last week was #189.

• We’d love to hear from you for our upcoming 200th episode! Send us your thoughts via Youtube, Dropbox, or call us at 206-350-0107!

• We have a couple of different ways you can help support Drummer Talk. You can make a one-time donation of any amount, or you can set up a recurring monthly donation of $.99, $1.99, or $9.99.  Every little bit helps keep Drummer Talk on the air and ad-free. You can make donations at www.drummertalk.org/support.

News from the Pinboard

• Remembering Max Roach this Week

• DrumChattr: So You’re Going to be a Percussion Major…

• World’s Largest Drum Set – 813 drums, cymbals, and bells!

• Bobby Blotzer says Ratt Keeps Going Round and Round

• Modern Drummer “Young Classics” Custom Drum & Cymbal Giveaway Contest

• Ozzy Osbourne Calls Black Sabbath Drummer Bill Ward Too ‘Overweight’ to Play

Topic – Wait… there are *other* drumming podcasts?

• Brief podcasting history – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast

  • Early adopters were tech geeks.

  • Before iTunes, downloading a podcast involved a “podcatching” app that was sometimes less than intuitive.

  • iTunes adopts podcasting in 2005, things blow up!

  • Content creators started pushing video podcasts. This seemed to be on the rise, but Youtube took off and has since supplanted broader video delivery.

  • Podcasting remains the domain of “talk radio.”

• Active Podcasts

  • Give the Drummer Some! – Hosted by Chris Troy. http://gtdspod.wordpress.com

  • The Throne – General drumming podcast.  http://thethronepodcast.com

  • I’d Hit That Podcast – mostly interviews.  Some language. http://idhitthatpodcast.podomatic.com

  • Drum Tuning Guru – http://thedrumtuningguru.com

  • Drummer Cafe TV – New drum video channel hosted by Bart Elliott.  We’ll be doing a full interview with Bart coming up! http://www.drummercafe.com/drummer-percussionist-drum-percussion-tv-channel.html

• Defunct, but listed podcasts.

  • “Early” in the days of podcasting, manufacturers produced podcasts as a means to promote products and artists.  Most manufacturers have active Youtbue channels instead.

  • Vic Firth – 3 different podcasts: drumset, marching, concert. http://www.vicfirth.com/podcasts/

  • Yamaha – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yamaha-drums-percussion-instrument/id250519708?mt=2

  • Free Drum Lessons -

  • Alfred Music Drum Podcast -

• Do you want to get into podcasting?

  • http://www.drummagazine.com/plugged-in/post/electronic-workshop-how-to-podcast/

Outro, drops, plugs, etc.

• Like our Facebook Page –  www.facebook.com/drummertalk

• Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/drummertalk

• Help support DT by making a donation!  100% of the proceeds goes back into the show and the site!

• How about a shout out on iTunes?

Have a topic suggestion or question for the show?  Let us know at www.drummertalk.org/contact

Modern Drummer is gathering the list of the 50 greatest drummers of all time and they want your $.02! They’re letting you vote for your personal top 10 drummer choices. The top 50 names will make up the list.

Ahhh.. democracy. You can bet we’ll cover the list when it’s released early next year.

Read more…

Show is canceled “due to the local promoters’ failure to ‘meet contractual obligations.’”

From Blabbermouth.net

“I’m disappointed we weren’t able to play for our fans in China. However, the circumstances were beyond our control,” stated AEROSMITH drummer Joey Kramer. “I sincerely hope AEROSMITH will get another opportunity to come back to Shanghai and Taiwan to play for our many fans there.”

Read more…

It’s hard to believe it’s been 6 years since Max left us. We covered his death with an in-depth Max Roach retrospective back in 2007. Check it out.

I love what the guys over at DrumChattr have going on, and they’ve posted up a great article for upcoming percussion majors.

Perhaps it was a bit of nostalgia that inspired this post, but I wanted to make a list of fifteen things I’d want a brand new freshmen percussion major to know and hear as they prepare to start school.  Some of these are things that I did, and I am thankful for, and others are things that I never thought of, and I’m hoping that you can learn from my mistakes.a

Click here to read more…