This week’s guest is Willy Rodriguez. Willy is a Latin-Grammy award winning drummer and percussionist based in New York City. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Willy has been playing drums since he was thirteen and his list of associated acts is endless…including Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Mon Laferte, Domino Saints and more. After leaving Puerto Rico, he attended Berklee College of Music and began making a name for himself in the Boston music scene rather quickly, but he ultimately set up shop in New York City. His work with Omar eventually led to him being called to drum on the newest The Mars Volta record (which is an insane honor for any drummer), but Willy is a singular player. He extremely knowledgeable and well-plugged in to so many scenes and genres that you can’t really describe him in any particular way; He’s just Willy. Also, hit him up on his Instagram the next time you’re in New York City and he’ll point to the right places to go. Please enjoy my chat with THE willy Rodriguez about the 5 records that shaped him into the player he is today. Cheers!

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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.

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