Drummers on Drumming

By Ben HilzingerMusic Music Commentary Music Interviews

Drummers on Drumming episodes

April 15The Drum Panel: We’re just junkies
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming ...a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum...
In this episode of The Drum Panel, I’m joined by Jared Shavelson (Joyce Manor, The Bronx, Seal) and Mike Robinson (Say Anything, Slayyter, Oliver Tree).

In this episode:
Playing festivals - yay nay or meh

The pefectly “sized” tour

The backline details that matter most when you’re trying to play your best

How each of us thinks about success, growth, money, and career momentum

Why big milestones can feel surreal in the moment and strangely empty right after

The pressure of chasing goals in music when the target keeps moving

What really makes a gig feel worth it, beyond the size of the stage
---
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
50 min
April 08 James Gadson: The Groove Behind "Use Me," "Kissing My Love," "Dancing Machine," and More
This week’s episode is a special one.
In light of James Gadson’s passing, I wanted to bring this conversation back to the top of the feed. James was one of the all-time greats, and getting to talk with him was a real honor. The audio is a little raw, he was on his phone, moving around, doing his thing, but the stories are gold, and honestly, that’s part of what makes it feel like James.
Back when Big Fat Five was still the main format of the show, I asked James to bring in five records that shaped him. Instead, he flipped it and brought in songs he played on that shaped his career. That turned out to be even better.
We get into the grooves behind Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band’s "Express Yourself," Dyke and the Blazers, "Dancing Machine" by the Jackson 5, Bill Withers classics like "Use Me" and "Kissing My Love," Cheryl Lynn’s "Got to Be Real," and even Beck’s "Paper Tiger." Along the way, James talks about jazz, Motown charts, studio instinct, restraint, feel, pocket, practicing with intention, and why the hi-hat has to talk.
This one is a reminder that a simple groove is not simple. It’s deep. And James Gadson was one of the deepest to ever do it.
---
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
36 min
April 01The Drum Panel: Preptides. Prepto-Bismol and how to maintain that prep in your step
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
In this episode of The Drum Panel, I’m joined by Eric Urrea (Marina City, La Armada) and Kris Mazzarisi (Founder of BFSD / Winnetka Bowling League)
-
In this episode:
Why prep pay still is not standard, even though most drummers are expected to show up overprepared

The weird state of touring right now, from DIY scenes disappearing to arena tours barely breaking even

The last breakthroughs we’ve each had in our own playing, from posture to vocabulary to control

Easy things that make a drummer more effective on stage

The difference between playing quietly with sticks and changing the whole sound of the kit

Whether traditional grip has any real practical use in modern drumming
---
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
31 min
March 25 John Stanier (Helmet, Battles, Tomahawk) shares the records that shaped his playing
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
We're here with another segment of Big Fat Five and today’s guest is John Stanier of Battles, and if you know anything about powerful, creative, unmistakable drumming, you already know why I was excited for this one. John was also a founding member of Helmet, has played with Tomahawk, and has built one of the most unique voices on the instrument over the last few decades.
I saw him play once in Seattle and honestly felt bad for his snare. He hits with so much force, but there’s also so much thought behind it. He’s a powerhouse, but he’s also super articulate, deeply creative, and clearly hears the instrument in his own way.
I’ve known about John for a long time, so getting to finally sit down with him was a real treat, and he did not disappoint. He was kind, energetic, sharp, and just really fun to talk to.

JOHN'S BIG FAT FIVE:
Artist - Rush
Album - Permanent Waves
Release Year - 1980
Drummer - Neil Peart
-
Artist - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Album - Juju
Release Year - 1981
Key Track - "Arabian Knights"
Drummer - Budgie
-
Artist - Return to Forever
Album - No Mystery
Release Year - 1975
Key Track - "Sophistifunk"
Drummer - Lenny White
-
Artist - D.O.A.
Album - Bloodied But Unbowed
Release Year - 1983
Key Tracks - "The Prisoner," "Slumlord," "Waiting For You"
Drummer - Chuck Biscuits
-
Artist - Yes
Album - Fragile
Release Year - 1972
Key Track - "South Side of the Sky"
Drummer - Bill Bruford
-
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Artist - Led Zeppelin
Album - Houses of the Holy
Drummer - John Bonham
-
Artist - Billy Cobham
Album - Spectrum
Drummer - Billy Cobham
---
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
40 min
March 18Drummers On Food On Tour On Drumming (Lactaid is sick)
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
This week, we’re celebrating the release of Mike Robinson’s new Food on Tour Guide. Mike has toured with Say Anything, Oliver Tree, K.Flay, and many more and this guide is built from years of eating on the road.
It’s a curated digital map with more than 2,000 spots across three layers: food, drink, and tiki. It gets updated regularly and helps save you from wasting money on bad meals while touring.
To celebrate, Mike, Eric, and I each share five spots that have stood out to us over our combined decades on the road. Once you download the guide, you can find links to all the places mentioned in this episode by searching Drummers on Eating.
But in the meantime, here are the picks:

Ben’s picks:
Slick Rock Burrito – Spokane, WA

Decibel Sake Bar – New York City, NY

Molinari Delicatessen – San Francisco, CA

Thai Station – Carrboro, NC

Ichiran – Brooklyn, NY

Eric’s picks:
Kopp’s – Milwaukee, WI

Aqui Con El Nene – Tucson, AZ

Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles – Los Angeles, CA

Nicoletto’s – Nashville, TN

Terry Black’s BBQ – Texas

Mike’s picks:
Brat House – Milwaukee, WI

Sotto – Cincinnati, OH

Rossi & Sons – Poughkeepsie, NY

Nong’s – Portland, OR

Mai-Kai – Fort Lauderdale, FL
---
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
48 min
March 11 The Drum Panel: What is a blue groove?
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming...a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
In this segment of The Drum Panel, I’m joined by Eric Urrea (Marina City) and Matt Starr (Sarah McLachlan) for a conversation that starts in the weeds and slowly turns into therapy.
We kick things off with some proper nerd talk about trash can endings, stingers, and the infamous shugidaboom. From there, the conversation opens up into music education, what band programs still get right, and what probably needs to change if we want young musicians to feel like there’s a real place for them.
Along the way, we talk about community, ego, self-direction, and why playing with other people is still the part of music you can’t really learn from a screen. Then the back half gets more reflective, as we get into success, creative identity, and the weird pressure of trying to make something that actually feels meaningful.
---
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
53 min
March 04The Drum Panel: Is the sound in the room with us right now?
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming...a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
In this segment of The Drum Panel, I’m joined by Eric Urrea (Marina City) and Ralph Alexander (Poppy) for one of those conversations that goes everywhere.
We start with life on the road and the physical reality of playing demanding shows night after night. From there we get into practice routines, creativity, and the strange balance between working hard and actually allowing yourself to rest.
Eric also brings in a few spicy listener takes, which sparks some fun debates about jazz vs rock, whether technical drummers lose their feel, and the never-ending argument about electronic drums.
Somewhere along the way we end up talking about confidence, why most drummers struggle to say they actually like their own playing, and how your influences slowly shape the way you hear the instrument...who'd have thought?
In this episode:
Ralph shares the story of the Slayer shirt he’s carried to every show for over twenty years

The first drum parts we learned that actually felt like a real breakthrough

A debate about whether learning jazz really makes you a “better” drummer

Why some drummers worry that learning more might ruin their feel

The role rest and downtime play in creativity

Whether electronic drums should even be compared to acoustic drums

A rare moment where drummers admit they might actually like their own playing
---
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
53 min
February 25The Drum Panel: Does "good" technique HAVE to feel good?
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
This is another segment of The Drum Panel featuring myself, Sarab Singh (MUNA), and Brendan Buckley (Shakira).
In this episode, we talk about:
Getting over the fear of recording at home and figuring out certain techniques later in your career

Why some producers and artists choose emotional takes over technically perfect ones

When quantizing, sample replacing, or comping starts to blur the line between your playing and studio editing

The tension between technique and comfort—and why great technique doesn’t always feel great

What makes a groove feel “bad,” and how context, consistency, and taste shape that judgment
---
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
1 hr 12 min
February 18 Tim Very (Manchester Orchestra) shares the five records that shaped his playing [Revisited]
What is up? Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
I decided to move this episode toward the top of the feed and revisit it.
Last weekend, Tim Very, the drummer for Manchester Orchestra, passed away. While we weren’t super close, we stayed in touch over the years. He was kind enough to be part of my first book, and he also came on the podcast to do a Big Fat Five. That’s what you’re going to hear today.
Going back and listening to this conversation was a real gift. Tim was such a creative drummer. Powerful, playful, and always deeply respectful of the song. He knew exactly where to sit in a part. You can hear how thoughtful he was, not just as a musician, but as a person.
Quick heads up about the audio. He was calling in from the back of his tour bus over Zoom. The Wi-Fi was rough. There’s some generator noise. The first half isn’t perfect, but what he says is worth it.
About halfway through, the connection dropped completely. And just to show you the kind of guy he was, he re-recorded his final three picks as voice notes and sent them to me so the episode could still come out on time.
That’s Tim.
I first saw him live at The Fillmore in Philadelphia in 2018. I didn’t buy a ticket. I was playing upstairs at The Foundry with my band. To get to our dressing room, we had to walk along a path overlooking the main room. Manchester Orchestra was sold out below us.
It’s either motivation or humiliation, depending on how your tour’s going.
But I remember watching him and thinking, this guy really understands how to serve a song.
So with that said, this is Tim Very’s Big Fat Five. The five records that helped shape his playing.
I hope you enjoy it. And I hope it inspires you the way it inspired me revisiting it.

TIM'S BIG FAT FIVE:
-
Artist - Foo Fighters
Album - The Colour and the Shape
Release Year - 1997
Key Track - "Hey, Johnny Park!"
Drummer - Dave Grohl / William Goldsmith
-
Artist - AC/DC
Album - Highway to Hell
Release Year - 1979
Key Track - "Highway to Hell"
Drummer - Phil Rudd
-
Artist - Wilco
Album - A Ghost is Born
Release Year - 2004
Key Track - "At Least That's What You Said"
Drummer - Glenn Kotche
-
Artist - The Refused
Album - The Shape of Punk To Come
Release Year - 1998
Key Track - "The Deadly Rhythm"
Drummer - David Sandström
-
Artist - Colour Revolt
Album - Plunder, Beg, and Curse
Release Year - 2008
Key Track - "Ageless Everytime"
Drummer - Len Clark
---
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
51 min
February 11The Drum Panel: Chick Corea's cheap but good advice for playing music in a group PART ONE
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
This episode is a new installment of The Drum Panel, and it’s Part One of Two diving into Chick Corea’s Cheap But Good Advice For Playing Music in a Group.
I’m joined by good friend of mine Rafa Vidal, who also plays with the band Almost Monday, who are currently killing it, and of course Eric Somers-Urrea is back on the panel. We start off reacting to a post from Tommy Igoe about drum education and who should really be setting the agenda in lessons. That opens the door to a bigger conversation about intention, listening, and what it actually means to function inside a band.
From there, we break down the first six pieces of Chick’s advice and what they look like in real life:
Play only what you hear.

If you don’t hear anything, don’t play anything.

Don’t let your fingers and limbs just wander—place them intentionally.

Don’t improvise endlessly—play something with intention, develop it or not, but then end off, take a break.

Leave space—create space—intentionally create places where you don’t play.

Make your sound blend. Listen to your sound and adjust it to the rest of the band and the room.
We also get into a Rafa's new endeavor called Touch Grooves. Check out more information on that HERE
---
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
42 min

About Drummers on Drumming

From the publisher's feed

A podcast for drummers who think too much. Ben Hilzinger talks to the greats about creativity, identity, staying sane, and finding purpose behind the kit.