2018 READERS POLL RESULTS! THE WORLD’S #1 DRUM MAGAZINE ELVIN WIN A JONES $2,400 BEBOP ALESIS SYNCOPATION E-KIT! GEORGE BIG & RICH’S RAINS KEIO STROUD BLUES GREAT THE UNLIKELY JOURNEY OF ZACH DANZIGER FROM FUSOID WILDCHILD MARCH 2018 TO ELECTRO-VISIONARY 12 Modern Drummer June 2014 83% OF DRUMMERS SAID THEY’D SWITCH TO UV1. OMAR HAKIM ACTUALLY DID.* * M AYBE THAT’S BECAUSE THE NEW EVANS UV1 10mil single-ply drumhead is more versatile and durable than the heads they were playing before, thanks to its patented UV-cured coating. UV1.EVANSDRUMHEADS.COM Congratulations are in order for our Audix endorsers who were recognized by the readers of Modern Drummer this year! Our artist endorsers are a part of the Audix family. We are proud of the contributions they provide through volunteering their time to educate, support, and serve as leaders for the drumming community. TODD SUCHERMAN THOMAS LANG STANTON MOORE Progressive & Recorded Clinician / Educator Clinician / Educator & Performance Educational Product D2 D4 D6 ADX51 i5 ©2017 Audix Corporation All Rights Reserved. Audix and audixusa.com all the Audix logos are trademarks of Audix Corporation. 503.682.6933 The Chosen Ones Choose Yamaha It is our privilege to recognize this year’s Readers Poll nominees for excellence in artistry, and we are honored that these outstanding performers choose to play Yamaha. Congratulations from all of us to all of you. CONTENTS Volume 42 • Number 3 CONTENTS Cover and Contents photos by Lloyd Bishop ON THE COVER 38 ZACH DANZIGER He freely breaks every rule 26 ON TOPIC: PATTY SCHEMEL by Stephen Bidwell but one: To thine own self be true. 28 DRUM WISDOM: MICHAEL CARVIN by Ken Micallef by Keith Carne 30 THE 2018 MODERN DRUMMER READERS POLL WINNERS 50 KEIO STROUD OF BIG & RICH by Aaron Strickland 56 WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT… GEORGE RAINS? by Cleve Warren 60 GRANT HART: 1961-2017 by Patrick Berkery LESSONS DEPARTMENTS 64 BASICS 8 AN EDITOR’S OVERVIEW The Fundamentals of 5/4 Rock Backbeat and Ghost Note Placement by Joel Rothman Appreciation and Gratitude by Billy Amendola 66 STRICTLY TECHNIQUE Three Birds With One Stone Optimize Your Practice Time by Chris Prescott 10 READERS’ PLATFORM Drum Fills: Keep It Simple, 68 STYLE AND ANALYSIS or Shred? John Clardy on Tera Melos’s Trash Generator Diving Deep Into the Experimental Trio’s Latest Release by Austin Burcham 12 OUT NOW Calexico’s John Convertino 72 JAZZ DRUMMER’S WORKSHOP 13 ON TOUR Bebop Syncopation Part 3: Elvin Jones by Mike Alfieri Marty Beller With 74 ROCK PERSPECTIVES They Might Be Giants Seven-Over-Three Polyrhythms Exploring the Space Between an Odd Grouping by Aaron Edgar 14 NEWS 76 CONCEPTS 15 MUST-HAVE GEAR The Failure Percentage Preparation and Professionalism Always Win Out by Russ Miller Ulysses Owens Jr. 82 RETAILER PROFILE EQUIPMENT Professional Drum Shop 16 PRODUCT CLOSE-UP 62 GEARING UP 88 CRITIQUE Sugar Percussion 2-12 Series Phantogram’s Chris Carhart Chick Corea & Steve Gadd Band, Mahogany Snares Good Tiger, Appice, and more Ddrum Dios Maple Series Drumset 78 NEW AND NOTABLE 92 BACKBEATS AHEAD Maxx 5A and Zummo Drumsticks, Stick-On Practice Pad, WIN! 2017 Hollywood Custom and and Compact Stick Holder Vintage Drum Show Alesis Strike Pro Drumset An Alesis Strike Pro Electronic Drumkit Dream Re-Fx Naughty Saucer Worth $2,400! 96 KIT OF THE MONTH Page 95 A Slingerland Unmasked AANN E DEIDTOITRO’S ROV’SE ROVVIEEWRVIEW Appreciation and Gratitude Founder Ronald Spagnardi 1943–2003 Happy New Year! It’s that time again, when we Publisher/CEO Senior Art Director Isabel Spagnardi Scott G. Bienstock refl ect back on the past year and appreciate all the wonderful opportunities we’ve been blessed with. Senior Vice President Editorial Director Time has always fascinated me. Maybe being a Lori Spagnardi Adam J. Budofsky drummer has something to do with that. I’m always amazed by how fast it tick-tocks on. Vice President Managing Editor Kevin W. Kearns Michael Dawson I’m one who believes we were each put on this planet for a reason, and that we should do what we Associate Publisher Associate Editor were put here to do. I’m extremely grateful for the gift Tracy A. Kearns Willie Rose of music in my life, especially this year, as I continue my journey now as a sixty- year-old. I try not to think about aging too much, but I think I’ve accepted it pretty Advertising Director Editor at Large Bob Berenson Billy Amendola well. Anyway, do we even have a choice? Thankfully, I’m in a pretty good place mentally, and I feel healthier these days than I did when I was in my forties and Advertising Assistant Business and fi fties. (Well, today I do anyway!) LaShanda Gibson Content Development With the help and support of you, the readers, as well as my friends and family, Miguel Monroy I’ve accomplished many of the musical goals that I dreamed about since I started The MD Pro Panel: Chris Adler, Gregg Bissonette, Jason Bittner, Will Calhoun, playing fi fty years ago, at ten years old. By the time I was in my late teens, I’d Terri Lyne Carrington, Matt Chamberlain, Jeff Davis, Peter Erskine, Bob Gatzen, developed a taste for the rock-star lifestyle through touring and having records Daniel Glass, Benny Greb, Matt Halpern, Horacio Hernandez, Gerald Heyward, Taku Hirano, Susie Ibarra, Jim Keltner, Pat Mastelotto, Allison Miller, Rod Morgenstein, on the radio. In the 1980s and the ’90s, I got to do some studio work, mostly in Chris Pennie, Stephen Perkins, Dafnis Prieto, Rich Redmond, Brian Reitzell, Jim Riley, my hometown of New York City, and my wife and I started a family. When I turned Antonio Sanchez, Gil Sharone, Chad Smith, Steve Smith, Todd Sucherman, Billy Ward, forty, I reinvented my career and started working here at Modern Drummer. For Kenny Washington, Paul Wertico me, it was a nice way to break away from the madness of touring and performing, MODERN DRUMMER ADVISORY BOARD: SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S. $29.95, Canada and to recharge my batteries. Kenny Aronoff, Eddie Bayers, Bill Bruford, $33.95, other international $44.95 per Harry Cangany, Dennis DeLucia, Les year. For two- and three-year subscription I’m extremely thankful that I’ve been fortunate enough to meet and become DeMerle, Peter Erskine, Bob Gatzen, prices go to www.moderndrummer.com. friends with many of my infl uences and childhood idols. A good number have Danny Gottlieb, Jim Keltner, Paul Leim, Single copies $5.99. been friends for years, many from before life at MD. You all know who you are, and Peter Magadini, George Marsh, Rod Morgenstein, Andy Newmark, Neil Peart, SUBSCRIPTION CORRESPONDENCE: I appreciate each and every one of you. If I were going to drop one name, though, Steve Smith, Billy Ward, Dave Weckl, Modern Drummer, PO Box 274, Oregon, it would have to be Ringo Starr. Ringo is the reason that I (like so many others) play Paul Wertico. IL 61061-9920. Change of address: the drums, and why I fi rst wanted to be in a band, writing and playing songs with Allow at least six weeks for a change. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Please provide both old and new my friends. I’m honored to have known him for almost thirty years now—we fi rst Patrick Berkery, Stephen Bidwell, address. Call 800-551-3786 met when he hosted SNL—and to be in his company is just magic. I was beyond David Ciauro, Bob Girouard, Mike Haid, or 815-732-5283. Phone hours, thrilled when he invited me to play percussion on stage with him and the All- John Martinez, Rick Mattingly, Ben Meyer, 8AM–4:30PM Monday–Friday CST, Ken Micallef, Jeff Potter, Will Romano, or visit Subscriber Services at Starr Band; it was like reaching the mountaintop. (Search “Ringo & the All Starrs Bernie Schallehn, Ilya Stemkovsky, Robin www.moderndrummer.com. 2016 Encore” to watch the video.) Years earlier I’d interviewed Ringo for a Modern Tolleson, Lauren Vogel Weiss, Paul Wells. MUSIC DEALERS: Modern Drummer is Drummer cover story, and recently the tables were turned when Dom Famularo MODERN DRUMMER magazine distributed by Hal Leonard Corp., interviewed me for a Sessions Panel video, where I got to discuss my fi fty years in (ISSN 0194-4533) is published monthly 800-554-0626, [email protected], the music business. (That video is posted on YouTube as well.) by MODERN DRUMMER Publications, www.halleonard.com/dealers Inc., 271 Route 46 West, Suite H-212, The interview made me think back to when I fi rst started playing, and later Fairfi eld, NJ 07004. PERIODICALS POSTMASTER: Send address changes to when I was introduced to this informative and entertaining magazine. That led MAIL POSTAGE paid at Fairfi eld, NJ Modern Drummer, PO Box 274, Oregon, 07004 and at additional mailing offi ces. IL 61061-9920. me to think more about all the people I’ve met and all the readers I’ve interacted Copyright 2018 by MODERN DRUMMER with over the years. You know that saying “Always be nice to everyone you meet, Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Canadian Publications Mail Agreement because you never know who or what that person will do for you someday”? Well, Reproduction without the permission of the No. 41480017 Return undeliverable publisher is prohibited. Canadian addresses to: PO Box 875, Stn A, the key is: Just do it, without expecting anything in return. Make it a habit, and Windsor ON N9A 6P2 good things will inevitably happen for you. These days it’s so much easier than EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING/ ever before to reach out, so take advantage. I’m a huge fan of social media, so if ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES: MEMBER: National Association for Music MODERN DRUMMER Publications, Development, National Association of you ever want to fi ll me in on your life and career, please fi nd me on Instagram and 271 Route 46 West, Suite H-212, Music Merchants, Percussive Arts Society Facebook and let me know what you’re up to. Fairfi eld, NJ 07004. Tel: 973-239- 4140. Fax: 973-239-7139. MODERN DRUMMER welcomes Again, thank you, thank you, thank you for your support these past fi fty years; Email: [email protected]. manuscripts and photos but cannot it’s much appreciated. Have a safe, healthy, happy 2018, and enjoy the issue. Peace assume responsibility for them. and love always. MODERN DRUMMER ONLINE: www.moderndrummer.com PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES Music Key Billy Amendola Editor at Large facebook.com/moderndrummer @modern_drummer +moderndrummer @modern_drummer 8 Modern Drummer March 2018