July 02, 2025

The Drum Panel: Debby Boone Pat Pat

53 minutes

In this episode, The Drum Panel returns with ME (Ben Hilzinger), alongside my co-host Eric Urrea (Marina City), Gunnar Olsen (Puscifer, Bruce Springsteen, Mother Feather) for a roundtable discussion on all things drum.

Today we discuss:

How Gunnar personalizes drum parts for legacy bands like Eve 6 while still respecting the original recordings

The balance between improvisation and replication—what “respecting the instrument” really means

Dream gear: Lars Ulrich’s ...And Justice for All Tama kit and Herb Alexander’s wild setup from “My Name Is Mud”

Behind the scenes of the Primus / Puscifer / A Perfect Circle tour and being at the center of major drum world headlines

Josh Freese’s quiet exit from Foo Fighters mid-tour and what Gunnar learned from watching him handle it with grace and intensity

The surreal story of getting the call to play on a Bruce Springsteen record

How much creative freedom Gunnar gets with Puscifer and how each tour takes on its own sonic identity

Navigating feedback in the studio vs. live gigs—and why the context always matters

Gunnar’s candid reflection after a rough wedding gig and how it reignited his desire to practice

Blending live drums with electronic stems: what Gunnar calls the “hip-hop show” approach

The mysterious phenomenon of “next day clarity” when learning new songs and why the brain needs rest

Overcoming overthinking, performance anxiety, and “the yips”—and the importance of showing yourself grace

Why not playing for a while might be the best practice you didn’t know you needed

'My Name Is Mud' Video - DRUM PICS

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