VOL. 11, NO. 1 Cover Photo by Dennis Keeley EDUCATION TEACHERS' FORUM Zlozower Setups For The Left-handed Neil Drummer by by Michael Lawson 42 Photo BASICS The Added Dimension by Tracy R. Hoeft 44 TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS Taxes And The Working Drummer by Clark B. Smith 56 ROCK 'N' JAZZ CLINIC Funk In Five 62 by Chuck Kerrigan ROCK CHARTS Gregg Bissonette: "Shyboy" by Gregg Bissonette 80 CONCEPTS More Questions And Some Answers by Roy Burns 100 GREGG BISSONETTE CLUB SCENE Although his background includes playing jazz with Maynard The Dream Stand Ferguson and Brazilian/Cuban music with Tania Maria, by Rick Van Horn 102 Bissonette reveals why he considers his current rock 'n' roll gig as David Lee Roth's drummer to be his "dream come true." EQUIPMENT by Robyn Flans 16 SHOP TALK The Inflatable Drumkit by Rick Van Horn 72 ELECTRONIC REVIEW GARY HUSBAND Dynacord Rhythm Stick What would enable a drummer to be flexible enough to by Bob Saydlowski, Jr 104 perform with the '40s-style Sid Lawrence Orchestra, Allan Holdsworth's I.O.U., and the jazz/funk band Morrisey PRODUCT CLOSE-UP Mullen? Find out in this interview with the very versatile Gary Remote Hi-Hats Husband. by Bob Saydlowski, Jr. by Simon Goodwin 22 and Rick Mattingly 106 JUST DRUMS 112 PROFILES THE DRUMMERS OF PORTRAITS Walter Keiser And Pedro Haldemann WOODY HERMAN by Jany Sabins 38 Over the past 50 years, drummers such as Davey Tough, UP AND COMING Shelly Manne, Sonny Igoe, Jake Hanna, Ed Soph, and Jeff The Producers' Bryan Holmes Hamilton have filled the drum chair in the Woody Herman by Michael McCauley 76 Orchestra. We have taken a look at all of Woody's drummers NEWS for a revealing glimpse into what it takes to handle a gig with UPDATE the Herman Herd, 6 INDUSTRY HAPPENINGS 108 by Chip Deffaa 26 REVIEWS PRINTED PAGE 60 MD SOUND SUPPLEMENT: DEPARTMENTS EDITOR'S OVERVIEW 2 SPICING UP BEATS READERS' PLATFORM 4 Rod Morgenstein demonstrates ways to add interest to a beat ASK A PRO 10 and shows how to adapt 4/4 patterns for 7/4 applications 32 IT'S QUESTIONABLE 12 DRUM MARKET 98 In last month's MD, we ran an index that 86 editorials, MD's Rick Van Horn (Club Scene), included all the editorial material we've published Roy Burns (Concepts), and Bob Saydlowski, Jr. over the past ten years. We did this to celebrate the (Product Close-up) hold the record for the long- conclusion of our tenth year of publishing, but est-running columns of all. Here are three quite more so to create a simple means of helping readers knowledgeable gentlemen never at a loss for better use Modern Drummer Magazine as a refer- words. We've also reviewed more than 300 ence tool. records, tapes, and books over the years, and pre- Oddly enough, working at the magazine on a sented an opinion on some 120 various percussion day-to-day basis tends to distort one's perception products. Finally, we've printed and distributed all of just what an incredible amount of material of this information on a total of over 3,000,000 we've delivered since Volume One in 1977. copies of MD, reaching drummers in every remote Recently, while away from the fast pace of the corner of the world. office, I took a moment to reflect on that index, and Throughout the past 50 years, there have been I was able to focus in more clearly on the wealth of several attempts at the publication of a drum peri- information that's been passed along. I'd like to odical—some very noble efforts indeed, some not. share some of that with you. But I'm extremely proud of the fact that Modern We've actually published a total of 86 issues of Drummer Magazine holds claim to the world's all- Modern Drummer since 1977. To those who don't time record with ten consecutive years of publish- recall, MD was started as a quarterly publication. ing and the presentation of more editorial material Observations Every two years, we stepped up production, first to on the subject of drumming than any other publi- bimonthly, then to nine issues, and finally to cation of its kind in the world—past or present. On monthly. We've printed literally millions of words I feel certain that a huge portion of our success and thousands of photographs, on roughly 8,000 stems from the fact that we've always kept our eyes A magazine pages. We've shared the thoughts of and ears wide open to the thoughts of you, the more than 600 drumming artists and industry per- reader. As always, I encourage you to write to us. Decade sonalities with you. And we've published nearly Give us your ideas on where MD can be of even 100 feature articles dealing with everything from greater value to you. We need your continual input equipment highlights, how-to articles, and histori- to keep the magazine on target, for you! cal information, to health and science features, Now, enough about past accomplishments, sta- and articles on business and career. tistics on editorial content, your valued input, and Our 38 alternating column departments have the general horn-blowing tone of this column! It's carried over 700 articles by a myriad of respected now time to move straight ahead towards even drumming authorities and free-lance drummer/ greater achievements over the next ten years of writers, not including some 72 Rock Charts and Modern Drummer. Stay with us! Drum Soloist transcriptions .With the exception of PUBLISHER ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ronald Spagnardi Isabel Spagnardi Susan Alexander, Chip Deffaa, Robyn ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Flans, Simon Goodwin, Jeff Potter, Teri Isabel Spagnardi Ellen Corsi Saccone, Robert Santelli, Bob Saydlowski, ASSISTANT Jr., RobinTolleson, T. Bruce Wittet. ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Tracy Kearney MODERN DRUMMER Magazine (ISSN 0194- EDITOR DEALER SERVICE MANAGER 4533) is published monthly by MODERN Ronald Spagnardi Sharon M. Leary DRUMMER Publications, Inc., 870 Pompton FEATURES EDITOR CIRCULATION Avenue, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. Second-class Rick Mattingly Leo Spagnardi Postage paid at Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 and at MANAGING EDITOR Crystal W. Van Horn additional mailing offices. Copyright 1987 by Rick Van Horn Denise Genna Modern Drummer Publications, Inc. All rights ASSOCIATE EDITORS Agnes Joyce reserved. Reproduction without the permission of SALES PROMOTION MANAGER the publisher is prohibited. Susan Hannum SUBSCRIPTIONS: $22.95 per year; $41.95, two William F. Miller Evelyn Urry years. Single copies $2.75. EDITORIAL ASSISTANT MANUSCRIPTS: Modern Drummer welcomes Patricia DiStefano MODERN DRUMMER ADVISORY manuscripts, however, cannot assume responsi- BOARD bility for them. Manuscripts must be accompa- Henry Adler, Carmine Appice, Louie nied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Bellson, Bill Bruford, Roy Burns, Jim CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Allow at least six ART DIRECTOR Chapin, Les DeMerle, Len DiMuzio, weeks for a change. Please provide both old and David H. Creamer Charlie Donnelly, Peter Erskine, Danny new address. MUSIC DEALERS: Modern Drummer is avail- Gottlieb, Sonny Igoe, Jim Keltner, Mel able for resale at bulk rates. Direct correspon- Lewis, Larrie Londin, Peter Magadini, dence to Modern Drummer, Dealer Service, 870 George Marsh, Butch Miles, Joe Morello, Pompton Ave., Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. Tel: 800- Andy Newmark, Neil Peart, Charlie Perry, 221-1988 or 201-239-4140. ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Paul T. Riddle, Ed Shaughnessy, Steve POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mod- Kevin W. Kearns Smith, Ed Thigpen. ern Drummer, P.O. Box 469, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. DAVE WECKL Thank you for your informative article on recently about being 33, thin on top, thick Bravo, Jeff Potter and MD, for the excel- Bobby "The Blotz" Blotzer of Ratt in in the middle, and still a struggling rocker. lent article on Dave Weckl! [October, '86 your October, 1986 issue. He is an inspira- Biddie, you are an inspiration! Good luck MD] He's finally receiving the recognition tion to me as a drummer. to you, and if you're ever in Seattle, I'll be he deserves. I first heard Dave playing with Chris Vanacore the one in the audience hollering for French Toast. I was amazed! I've since fol- East Haven, CT "Wipeout." lowed him through many shows with Bish Blopman Michel Camilo's band at New York City DEBBI AND BIDDIE Renton, WA clubs and have always left with the same I think it's about time that I commend sense of amazement. I feel especially lucky Modern Drummer for its overwhelming I simply can't tell you how much your arti- to have been able to sit up close at MikelPs commitment to excellent writing. Being a cle and the reader response to it has meant and watch Dave play. There was magic on female drummer, I enjoyed the articles on to me. As a performer, one's main reward that stage, and band and audience alike Debbi Peterson and Biddie Freed [Octo- is applausel But after 50 years of strug- felt they were part of something special. ber, '86 MD]—especially the Biddie Freed gling and dues paying, the gratification of Congratulations, Dave, and much success article. It really helps to bring the female being recognized by one's peers is literally in the future. musicians into the public eye and to make the icing on the cake of life. I am so grate- John Dunne people realize that there are excellent ful. Brooklyn, NY female drummers out there. Thanks for I would like to have the opportunity of thanking the readers of MD for their A funny thing happened to me a few helping thousands of people, including myself, become better drummers.