Drummers on Drumming

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)

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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

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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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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

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Artist - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Album - Juju
Release Year - 1981
Key Track - "Arabian Knights"
Drummer - Budgie

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Artist - Return to Forever
Album - No Mystery
Release Year - 1975
Key Track - "Sophistifunk"
Drummer - Lenny White

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Artist - D.O.A.
Album - Bloodied But Unbowed
Release Year - 1983
Key Tracks - "The Prisoner," "Slumlord," "Waiting For You"
Drummer - Chuck Biscuits

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Artist - Yes
Album - Fragile
Release Year - 1972
Key Track - "South Side of the Sky"
Drummer - Bill Bruford

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HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Artist - Led Zeppelin
Album - Houses of the Holy
Drummer - John Bonham

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Artist - Billy Cobham
Album - Spectrum
Drummer - Billy Cobham

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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

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

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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

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

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