Drummers on Drumming

By Ben HilzingerMusic Music Commentary Music Interviews

Drummers on Drumming episodes

January 14The Drum Panel: A narcissist and a self-deprecator walked into a bar [gig]...
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

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39 min
January 07The Drum Panel: We all chose Grandma as our least favorite
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

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53 min
December 17, 2025 My favorite moments from 2025 - Part Two
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
48 min
December 10, 2025 My favorite moments from 2025 - Part One
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
41 min
December 10, 2025The Drum Panel: 15 sec > 15 min
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
1 hr 5 min
November 26, 2025The Drum Panel: Choose your hard, but don't get bajiggity
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
57 min
November 19, 2025 Madden Klass (Chappell Roan, Boygenius) shares the records that shaped her playing
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
47 min
November 12, 2025The Drum Panel: The Freddy Krueger Method
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
58 min
November 05, 2025 The Drum Panel: The most musical thing you can do isn’t musical
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
This week’s The Drum Panel features me, Eric Downs, and Chance Famighetti (aka Free Arlo). Eric’s the music director behind Nicky Youre’s current live show—the same gig Chance once bluffed his way into before I took over. Together, we dig into what it means to actually sound human on stage in a world obsessed with perfection. Eric opens up about imposter syndrome as an MD, Chance explains how he rewired his brain to stop overthinking fills, and I share what it’s like being critiqued for the first time by another drummer.
We also discuss:
• Why drummers should separate identity from the instrument
• Producing vs. drumming—and how one mindset improves the other
• Improving via recording yourself before the haters get involved
• The art of being coached without losing your confidence
We wrap by talking about playing for the audience versus the band, knowing your “why” on stage, and how to build a live show that feels real, messy, and alive.
---
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 3 min
October 29, 2025 The 2nd mouse started asking questions...
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. We’re back with my bestest mouse, Chance Famighetti, aka Free Arlo. Last week we covered how he bluffed his way into the drum chair for Nicky Youre only to be replaced by me :) This time, we go deeper.
We discuss self-worth tied to art, the stress of carrying your own project versus the ease of being a hired gun, and why chasing fame can warp the very reason we make music in the first place. Chance opens up about struggling with persona-over-songs culture, learning to let go of the algorithm, and building a career that actually feels good.
We also get into:
• How live gigs shape your sound more than the practice room
• Eye contact on stage and the strange intimacy of being watched
• Pocket aces, missed opportunities, and knowing when to shift plans
• Free Arlo’s new music and finding pride in the work 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
55 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.