Drum History artwork

Drum History

256 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 205 ratings

A podcast all about the rich history of the drums - and how they became what they are today! Join Bart van der Zee as he speaks with experts about the curious journey of the ever-evolving drum set.

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Episodes

New Temporary Schedule and New Studio!

March 26, 2024 14:02 - 6 minutes

Hey everyone! I am launching a temporary bi-weekly show schedule with two new episodes per month. We are currently in the midst of an attic renovation which has bumped me out of my normal Drum History Studio for the next month or two. It has been chaos recently with having a newborn and i've got some new stuff going on with traveling to California for work but this has pushed things a bit over the edge where scheduling has been very tricky. I think what I am going to do is revert back to my o...

Ellis Tollin: Drumming's Unsung Legend with Anthony Amodeo

March 19, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour

Ellis Tollin is a world-class performer who played on hit records, started a very successful music store in Philadelphia called Music City, which hosted countless performances by greats such as Louie Bellson, Max Roach, Art Blakey, and many more. Ellis is known as the father of the Drum Clinic, and he was also a close personal friend of Buddy Rich. This episode shines a light on his rise as a performer at the peak of the Jazz explosion, his need to pivot after arthritis made his drumming care...

The Budget Guide to "Sleeper" Drum Gear with Gerry Porter

March 12, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour

Gerry shares with us a list of drums and cymbals that are often overlooked and under-marketed but sound just as good as the equipment that is 10x the price. "Sleeper Gear," by definition, is drum gear that you might not notice at a music store or never even consider trying when, in reality, it sounds great and can be found at a bargain price. Gerry Porter runs Hazelshould.com and has had thousands of drums and cymbals pass through his hands. He has put together a list of cymbals, snares, and ...

(The Vault) The History of Gretsch Drums with John Sheridan

March 05, 2024 05:00 - 53 minutes

(First Aired Feb 2019) "That Great Gretsch Sound" has been around since 1883, join me as I talk with John Sheridan about the full history of this iconic company! John is an expert on Gretsch and co-wrote "The Gretsch Book" with Rob Cook. John takes us through the 136 year history with amazing facts and stories and also some information that you won't hear anywhere else! Here is the timeline on the Gretsch websites I used to follow along with John: http://www.gretschdrums.com/history The Grets...

Drums & Demons: The Tragic Journey of Jim Gordon with Joel Selvin

February 27, 2024 05:00 - 55 minutes

Jim Gordon went from being the first call drummer of his generation who played on hundreds of hit records, to becoming a victim of the chemicals in his brain that caused him to murder his mother in a schizophrenic episode. Joel Selvin describes his Jim Gordon's life and his book perfectly with this description: "The blazing rock opera of the greatest drummer of all-time, Jim Gordon, from the legendary Wrecking Crew to redefining rock on the Seventies’ biggest hits and outrageous tours, and ul...

Who is Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Drummer?

February 20, 2024 05:01 - 16 minutes

Did you know that Alfred Hitchcock used a drummer on the set of the 1963 classic thriller, 'The Birds'? The real question is: who is this mystery drummer, and how/why did Hitchcock employ a percussionist to perform during the filming of the movie? I have been researching this topic for the last few weeks and have made some amazing discoveries about the on-set drummer, and great information that goes beyond just this topic. Alfred Hitchcock is one of the best filmmakers of all time, and he kne...

A Look at Alex Van Halen's Gear (Part 2) with Kurt Ekstrom

February 13, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour

(Part 2 Covers 1985-2015) Alex Van Halen is responsible for inspiring a generation of young drummers to pick up drumsticks because of his virtuosic playing and HUGE drum sets. Kurt Ekstrom joins us on the podcast to guide us through each and every one of Alex's iconic drum sets and all the accessories and details that make them absolutely one of a kind works of art! Alex Van Halen's drum sets feature 4 bass drums, fire extinguishers, gas masks, exhaust pipes, and rubber tubes connecting every...

A Look at Alex Van Halen's Gear (Part 1) with Kurt Ekstrom

February 06, 2024 05:00 - 2 hours

(Part 1 covers 1964-1984) Alex Van Halen is responsible for inspiring a generation of young drummers to pick up drumsticks because of his virtuosic playing and HUGE drum sets. Kurt Ekstrom joins us on the podcast to guide us through each and every one of Alex's iconic drum sets and all the accessories and details that make them absolutely one of a kind works of art! Alex Van Halen's drum sets feature 4 bass drums, fire extinguishers, gas masks, exhaust pipes, and rubber tubes connecting every...

(The Vault) The History of Sabian Cymbals with Andy Zildjian

January 30, 2024 05:57 - 1 hour

My wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy last week, so enjoy this classic episode from 2020 while I get caught up on next weeks episode! Andy Zildjian is the president of Sabian Cymbals and takes us on a very fun journey through the history of the company that dates back to its founding in 1981 by his father, Robert Zildjian. This episode features tons of great information about his famous family in general and we discuss the factors that caused the split in the family and become the iconic ...

Designing a Mega Drum Set with Mike Mangini

January 23, 2024 05:00 - 57 minutes

Mike Mangini is famous for being an incredibly talented drummer and teacher, but also for creating some of the most elaborate and breathtaking drum sets of all time. He breaks down his first kit, which he used with Extreme, consisting of RotoToms in an 'Apex Shape.' Then, we jump to his 2010s Dream Theater kit, which was a modern marvel of drum set engineering. After that, we discuss his current kit, used for his great new album, 'Invisible Signals,' and learn about the WHY and HOW he creates...

(The Vault) Ringo Starr's Life and Gear with Gary Astridge - New Video!

January 16, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour

(From March 2020) Gary is a historian and expert on all things Ringo Starr. He has curated Ringo's collection of original Beatles drum kits and is full of great stories about Ringo that you won't hear from anyone else! We talk about a biography of Ringo, A description of all of his drum sets through the years, and Garys involvement with Ringo and his drums including over 4 million dollars in auction sales from Ringo's collection that Gary curated. Check out the new YouTube video here: - https...

Exploring Silent Film Era Drums and Traps with Nick White

January 09, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour

Nick White has the worlds largest collection of Silent Film Trap instruments, and he recently used them in the Martin Scorsese film, Killers of the Flower Moon. Nick shares some of his favorite instruments and sounds in this episode including automotive, train, animal, impact, and comedy sound effects, plus many more. Nick was on the show over 200 episodes ago and now he is back with more instruments and knowledge than ever before! This "pre-talkie" period in movie history is fascinating and ...

How to Make a Career as a Drummer with Henrique De Almeida

January 02, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour

Henrique has had a prolific drumming career as a performer, Berklee professor, author, studio musician, clinician, and business owner. In this episode, he teaches us a clear path to create a successful and fulfilling career as working drummers through multiple different outlets. We cover topics such as do you need to read to be a pro drummer? What happens if you don't want to be a teacher? How important is social media to your career? - and much more. Henrique really drives home the importanc...

(The Vault) The History of Keller Shells with Justin Owen

December 26, 2023 05:00 - 47 minutes

(4/30/2019) Keller has quietly made drum shells for many of the worlds greatest drum brands - learn about how the company got its start in 1946! I talk with Justin Owen, Special Accounts Manager at Keller Products, about how this company has been at the center of the drum universe for over 70 years and managed to remain out of the limelight. - you can visit Keller’s drum shell website here: https://www.kellershells.com - Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for daily drumming videos! @drumhist...

Drum History Podcast Intro Challenge is live!

December 19, 2023 20:00 - 2 minutes

Thanks to everyone who submitted videos of themselves playing the Drum History Podcast intro music for the 2023 Drum History Intro Challenge to help me celebrate 5 years of the Podcast. We got 33 great submissions from all over the world and they are all unique and sound amazing! Check them out here on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/ugAdCU9BSpI Comment who your favorite is and start thinking of your submission for 2024

(The Vault) The Birth of the Drum Set with Dr. Jaz Sawyer

December 12, 2023 05:00 - 46 minutes

(Released May 2019) Did Papa Jo Jones invent the Hi-Hat with the help of a plumber? Find out in this episode! Jaz takes us from the beginnings of drumming in Africa through the advent of the modern drum set as we know it today. The amount of different cultures drumming styles that blended together leading up to "double drumming" goes much deeper than I ever thought. Dr. Jaz Sawyer is a drummer and educator based out of Los Angelas. He has a long history in the music industry and has an enormo...

A Look at Tony Williams Cymbals (Part 4: 1963-1997) with Paul Wells

December 05, 2023 05:00 - 2 hours

Paul Wells closes out the 4 part Tony Williams series with a deep dive into TW's legendary cymbals, and his Sticks and Heads. Tony Williams is one of the most iconic drummers of the 20th century, with a meteoric rise from his days with Miles Davis to his Lifetime project, and he became jazz royalty through his tireless pursuit of pushing our instrument to its limits. Tony Williams will always be one of the greatest drummers of all time, and his cymbals are almost as legendary as his playing. ...

A Look at Tony Williams Gear (Part 3: 1990-1997) with Scott Garrison

November 28, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour

Scott Garrison was Tony Williams drum tech from 1994 through Tony's passing in 1997. He takes us on a journey through the gear and his experiences with Tony Williams in great detail. Tony Williams is one of the most iconic drummers of the 20th century, with a meteoric rise from his days with Miles Davis to his Lifetime project, and he became jazz royalty through his tireless pursuit of pushing our instrument to its limits. Tony Williams will always be one of the greatest drummers of all time,...

A Look at Tony Williams Gear (Part 2: 1975-1990) with Paul Wells

November 21, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour

Paul Wells takes us on a journey through the gear of Tony Williams in extreme detail. Tony Williams is one of the most iconic drummers of the 20th century, with a meteoric rise from his days with Miles Davis to his Lifetime project, and he became jazz royalty through his tireless pursuit of pushing our instrument to its limits. Tony Williams will always be one of the greatest drummers of all time, and his gear is almost as legendary as his playing. However, it wasn't always the big yellow mon...

A Look at Tony Williams Gear (Part 1: 1940's-1975) with Paul Wells

November 14, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour

Paul Wells is back on the show to take us on a journey through the gear of Tony Williams in extreme detail. Tony Williams is one of the most iconic drummers of the 20th century, with a meteoric rise from his days with Miles Davis to his Lifetime project, and he became jazz royalty through his tireless pursuit of pushing our instrument to its limits. Tony Williams will always be one of the greatest drummers of all time, and his gear is almost as legendary as his playing. However, it wasn't alw...

(The Vault) The Roots of Reggae Drumming with Gil Sharone

November 07, 2023 13:30 - 54 minutes

(May 2021) Gil is a world renowned drummer who shares his deep passion and knowledge for Reggae drumming in this great episode. He takes us through all the sub genres such as ska, rocksteady, dub, and dancehall. Plus he teaches us about the legends in Reggae drumming such as Lloyd Knibb and Carlton Barrett and the gear that these Jamaican drummers would use when playing with icons such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Lee Perry and many more. Here is some more info on Gil: Los Angeles native, Gil S...

From “War Dogs” to Drum Machines with David Packouz

October 31, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

David Packouz was the subject of the 2016 film 'War Dogs' (starring Miles Teller and Jonah Hill), which chronicled his incredible experience as a contract gun runner for the US government during the Iraq War. In complete contrast to that, he has more recently created a top-of-the-line drum machine called the Beat Buddy, which captures the feel of a real drummer in a pedal. David shares the story of his wild experiences as a "war dog" and how he made the enormous leap to becoming the inventor ...

5 year Anniversary of Drum History! (Listener Video Project)

October 24, 2023 04:00 - 13 minutes

Thank you to everyone who has supported the show over the last 5 years! I am excited to announce a project where I am going to make a video showcasing you guys performing the Drum History Podcast Into music. Shoot a video of yourself performing and send me the files to [email protected] by November 7th, 2023 and I will edit everything together! After that date, I will put the link for the video in the description of this video and you can find it on my YouTube channel! Thanks to eve...

Exploring Calfskin Drum Heads with Rob Cook

October 17, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

Rob Cook joins me to discuss all things calfskin drumheads in this interesting and educational episode! We talk about the differences between calfskin and other animal skin heads, the level of durability, how temperature affects them, what happened to the industry when plastic heads came along and much more! Rob Cook is the founder of Rebeats, runs the Chicago Drum Show and is a renowned author and historian. Here is a quick link to all of Rob's previous episode she has done on Drum History: ...

Mind. Body. Drums. - Drumming and the Nervous System with Adam Gust

October 10, 2023 04:00 - 59 minutes

Adam Gust teaches us how understanding Neuroscience, The Vegus Nerve, and listening to your body and emotions can help you be a better drummer with less pain and tension in your body. Adam began this quest to combine brain science and drumming after traumatic experience where he lost the ability to play the drums after walking through a plate glass window which shattered all over his hands. He applied what he learned and is now back to drumming better than ever and is on a mission to share th...

The Rarest Cymbals in the World with Gerry Porter (Hazelshould)

October 03, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

Gerry Porter deals in the finest drums and cymbals in the world at hazelshould.com, and he shares his immense knowledge of ultra-rare, famous, and valuable cymbals with us in this unique episode! We talk about what makes the Istanbul K's so rare and sought-after, the power of a celebrity owned cymbal (Tony Williams, John Bonham, Roy Haynes), and rare cymbals that aren't just the usual suspects, such as hi-hats, splashes, and crashes that you should be on the hunt for! Gerry also gives us the ...

(The Vault) The Medal of Honor Drummer Boy with Marlene Targ Brill

September 26, 2023 04:00 - 46 minutes

Released 12/2020 - Orion was a 14 year old drummer boy in the Civil War when he earned the Medal of Honor for an extremely courageous act in battle. Marlene Shares his amazing story that begins when he enters the war at 12 years old through the rest of his life, and the lives of his musical family. We learn all about drummer boys and the role they played in the war, including Johnny Clem - the youngest noncommisioned officer in army history who began as a drummer. Marlene wrote "Diary of a Dr...

The Lessons of Mike Clark with Rob Hart

September 19, 2023 04:00 - 54 minutes

Mike Clark is one of the most respected jazz, funk, and fusion drummers of the 20th century with his own unique style and approach to the kit. Rob Hart joins me back on the podcast to share recordings of a lesson he took with Mike in 1992 which grew into a 30+ year friendship. We go through 8 clips that were recorded in a San Francisco Apartment with a mix of Mike Clark and Rob Hart playing which makes this a very fun and interesting episode! Here is a link to the previous episode with Rob Ha...

(The Vault) The History of Remo Drumheads with Herbie May

September 12, 2023 04:00 - 59 minutes

(Released 2019) Herbie is a 32 year veteran of the Remo Company and shares the full history of the company with us, including the controversial debate between Evans and Remo and who was first to invent the synthetic drumhead. Remo is one of the most famous names in drums and it all stems back to one man, Remo Belli. Herbie was good friends with Remo and worked closely with throughout his career and shares many stories that come straight from Remo himself. We discuss the origins of synthetic h...

A Look at Lars Ulrich's Gear (Part 2) with Chris Russio

September 05, 2023 15:27 - 1 hour

In part 2, Chris and I take a deep dive into each and every kit that Lars used from the iconic Black Album Artstar II kit up to todays yellow StarClassics for the 72 Seasons tour, and everything in between. We discuss his major changes in gear including the shrinking of his kit and him getting rid of the mega power tom kits for the modern StarClassics. Part 2 covers from 1990 through to today and we touch on many aspects of his earlier kits that weren't mentioned in part 1. Lars Ulrich and Me...

A Look at Lars Ulrich's Gear (Part 1) with Chris Russio

August 29, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

Chris and I take a deep dive into each and every kit that Lars used since he was a little kid and received mix and match kit from his Grandmother, up to the iconic Justice tour kit with the monkey strapped to the front from 1988. We discuss his sticks, heads, pedals, hardware, and each and every drum set including the Camco's that got stolen! Part 1 covers from the beginning through the 80's, and Part 2 will pick up with the 90's through to today. Lars Ulrich and Metallica are hard rock icons...

The Essence of Philly Joe Jones with Tim Carman

August 22, 2023 04:00 - 49 minutes

Philly Joe Jones is an icon of jazz drumming who is most famous for his time with Miles Davis and his unique style of soloing and swinging that has made him one of the most respected drummers of the 20th century. Tim Carman is the author of "Philly-ISM" which breaks down the style and essence of Philly Joe Jones at its most basic form, so you can learn to play like the master himself! Tim is an author, educator, and performer with the great band GA-20. This is the second book in his "Isms" se...

Lost Gene Krupa Drum Set Discovered in 2023 with Brooks Tegler and Steve Stevens

August 15, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

Gene Krupa's 1954 Slingerland Radio King drum set was recently discovered and rescued from sitting in a wet basement for the last few decades via an online auction that caught the drum world by storm. I am joined today by the winner of this iconic set, Steve, and GK authentication expert, Brooks Tegler, to hear the full story of this legendary kit. This drum set was featured on the cover of the Drummin' Men book, the Krupa and Rich album, it was used in The Benny Goodman Story Film, and was u...

The History of Ebenor Drums with William Leclerc

August 08, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

Ebenor Percussion is a Quebec based drum brand that makes everything from the Lugs to the hoops to the shells in-house! William Leclerc started Ebenor Drums 10 years ago and has grown it to be one of the most well respected names in the world of boutique drums. He started the brand when he was just 21 years old and has climbed his way up the ladder to being an extremely respected builder of wood and metal drums with some of the best looking snares on the market. This is a great story of how h...

The History of Simmons Drums with Daren Pfeifer, Steve Graham, Patrick Casey, Steve Watts and Ed Rose

August 01, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

This is a 5 person mega episode all about the history of Simmons Drums, the iconic hexagonal electronic drums that changed the face of music in the 1980's. The sound, look and spirit of Simmons drums can be heard on most every recording of the 1980's across all genres including rock, pop, rap, metal, and everything in between! My guests include two of the original employees of the company: Steve Watts and Pat Casey, The author of "The Complete Simmons Drum Guide": Steve Graham, a master resto...

(The Vault) The History of Cocktail Drums with John Mettam

July 25, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

(EP 80 - 12/2020) Cocktail drum kits date back to post World War 2 in an orchestra pit in England where space is at a premium and the drums needed to grow taller, as opposed to wider. the "stand up drum set" evolved from there and became a staple of jazz lounges, street performers, comedy acts and many great drummers who wanted a unique look and feel to the drums they play. John Mettam is the founder of cocktaildrum.com and a longtime performer and cocktail kit enthusiast. He shares the full ...

The Lessons of Steve Smith with Rob Hart

July 18, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

Rob Hart was fortunate enough to take lessons with the great Steve Smith for over 20 years and he recorded many of them on his Sony Walkman or Steve's studio rig! Rob shares 7 great clips from his lessons with Steve Smith that cover things such as playing in odd time signatures, perfecting your hi-hat foot, maximizing time on your drum set and much more! Rob Hart has taken lessons with many great players and we will cover more on future episodes of this mini-series, but this particular episod...

The History of INDē Drums with Josh Allen

July 11, 2023 04:00 - 48 minutes

Independent Drum Lab has become one of the most innovative brands in the drum industry since its launch in 2015. Josh Allen used his Industrial Design Degree at Ludwig to create many innovative designs and products, but he then decided he wanted to go off on his own and create INDē Drums. This is a an interesting episode with a unique point of view from a truly innovative person in our industry. Check out Independent Drum Lab on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IndependentDrumLab and keep up...

A look at John Densmore's Gear (The Doors) with Kurt Ekstrom

July 04, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

John Densmore of The Doors is truly a drumming icon of the 1960's and his Ludwig Mod Orange Drum Set is just as important in the history of Rock and Roll. My guest is Kurt Ekstrom who is a diehard fan of Densmore and also extremely passionate and knowledgable about Mod Orange drums. This episode is both a look at John Densmore's life and career with The Doors and a deep dive into his drum gear. We talk various drum kits, cymbals, hardware, heads and everything along the way including Kurts hu...

The Godfather of Acoustic-Electronic Drums with Alfonso Adinolfi (Boom Theory)

June 27, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

Alfonso created and shipped the first "Acoustically Formatted Electronic Drum Kits" in 1991 which was a game changer in the electronic drum world, and helped shaped the e-drum industry since then. He has been a staple of the drum industry for over 30 decades, but flys under the radar as much of the work he has done involves triggering the drums for some of the biggest names int he drum industry. What you see on stage might not be what you are actually hearing! Al talks all about that process ...

The Indie Cymbal Maker Revolution with Timothy Roberts

June 20, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

We live in a golden era where independent cymbal makers are creating more beautiful instruments than ever before. Timothy Roberts joins me this week to share his take on the landscape of indie Cymbalsmith's and gives us tons of great information on the the background of the current indie movement, the difference between makers, what you should be looking and listening for in a boutique cymbal, the art of modifying existing cymbals, and tons of other great info. Tim runs Timothy Roberts Cymbal...

The Evolution of Bass Drum Art with Dominic Tancredi and Luke Condrich

June 13, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

The history of bass drum head art dates back over a century ago when pipe bands would paint the name of their town and group on the calf skin head. This evolved over time with beautifully painted scenic paintings that were sold directly from the major manufacturers in catalogs, then drummers began adding initials and band names to the heads and the rest is history! Dominic Tancredi and Luke Condrich join us from Woodshed Stage Art to give us a very detailed look at how bass drum art has evol...

Vintage Paiste Collector's Guide (Part 2) with Dan Garza

June 06, 2023 04:00 - 2 hours

Part 2 covers the cymbal series including the 602's, Giant Beats, 2002, 404, 505, Signature, and many more. We discuss the USA and European distributors of Paiste Cymbals, plus the more affordable lower line cymbals that are still collectible and cymbal care and cleaning. Dan Garza isa die hard Paiste enthusiast and the moderator of the Paiste section on Cymbal.Wiki. Here are the links provided by Dan for more Paiste information: Dan's channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV5P6pbrDcLUXs4...

Funk, R&B, and Big Rhythm Drumming with Pat Petrillo

May 30, 2023 04:00 - 58 minutes

Pat Petrillo shares tons of great info including what it is like to be featured on the cover of Modern Drummer, his Instagram series about breaking down actual sticking of Ringo's parts, and we discuss his great new album, "The Power Station Sessions". Pat also gives us a history lesson on the nuances and differences between R&B and Funk drumming and we discuss some of the great products that he has developed for our industry over the years! Keep up with Pat and check out his album at https:/...

Vintage Paiste Collector's Guide (Part 1) with Dan Garza

May 23, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

This episode is a deep dive into the nuances of collecting Vintage Paiste Cymbals with Dan Garza, a die hard Paiste enthusiast and the moderator of the Paiste section on Cymbal.Wiki. We cover everything from the different alloys that are used in production, the variations in serial numbers, production techniques, and all the cymbal lines up to the 70's (that will continue on in part 2). Dan also talks a lot about what makes Paiste so special and different from the other major cymbal manufactu...

Uncovering the Legendary Sound of Covington Era Rogers Drums with Anthony Amodeo

May 16, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

Anthony has been on a mission to discover as much as he can on the history of the legendary Covington era of Rogers Drums! Anthony and his Rogers friends are using state of the art techniques to test the species of each ply on various shells to determine the make up of the shells, and he is utilizing the research that the generation before him has compiled. This has allowed him to put together a comprehensive look at the Rogers drums that were made in the small town of Covington, Ohio between...

Vintage Zildjian Collector's Guide with Vincent Ward

May 09, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

Vincent gives us a deep dive into the history of the American made Zildjian Cymbals from 1929 up through the 1990s. We talk about all the various stamps through he generations that can be used to identify vintage A. Zildjian cymbals, along with notes on the hammering, lathing, and bell size that can help you determine collectibility and value of a vintage Zildjian cymbal. Vincent shares his 9 step process of determining if a cymbal is a good purchase which includes everything from the shape o...

(The Vault) Drum Manufacturing Myths - Europe vs. America with Fritz Steger (2020)

May 02, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

Enjoy this classic episode from 2020! We are lead to believe that the bass drum pedal was invented in the USA, and that the drum set as we know it today was first created in the states - but Fritz shares examples that show many revolutionary drum inventions that were first created in Europe. We also discuss brands like Sonor, Trixon, Paiste, plus drumming and drum building in communist countries and many other great facts and stories along the way. Fritz is a veteran in the drum industry and ...

A Look at Neil Peart's Gear with Paul Wells (Part 3: 1994-2015)

April 25, 2023 04:00 - 2 hours

(Part 3) Paul Wells is a Professor of Jazz Drums at Juilliard and he is also a fanatical fan of Neil Peart and his drum sets. This is part 3 of a 3 part series that covers all of the drums, cymbals, hardware, heads, and percussion that helped Neil Peart be one of the best drummers in history. This episode covers Neil's switch to DW drums, his work with Freddie Gruber, his switching to Roland V-Drums and the many iconic kits that were from the last part of his career! I hope you guys like Part...

The History of HQ Percussion / RealFeel Practice Pads with Rob Birenbaum

April 18, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour

Rob Birenbaum is the founder of Drum Headquarters in St. Louis, MO and HQ Percussion, which famously produced the iconic RealFeel practice pads and Sound Off drum mute pads. This is a great story of how Rob started as a salesman/drum teacher at a local Missouri drum shop and took that knowledge and created his own shop which became a dominate force in his area, and became the top Tama dealer in the state in the 1980's. Rob then took advantage of a business deal that made him the owner of what...