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Both sticks pictured used by the same drummer, under the same conditions, for the same amount of time, with the same band and on the same drum kit. • Durable Finish on tip and shoulder • Stick Shield™ prevents wear and breakage in the “rimshot” area • Same great balance and feel as standard models, but with unmatched durability • GUARANTEED against breakage due to wear in the area protected by the Stick Shield™ • Available in 5A, 5B, Power 5A, Power 5B and 3A, wood or nylon tip as well as in the MV7 and MV8 Marching Snare Stick models #SWITCHTOVATER 270 Centre Street | Holbrook, MA 02343 | 1.781.767.1877 | [email protected] VATER.COM CONTENTS Volume 42 • Number 5 CONTENTS Cover and Contents photos by Alex Solca ON THE COVER 32 ST. VINCENT’S MATT JOHNSON 28 UP & COMING: MAX PORTNOY Nearly twenty-fi ve years after by Mike Haid recording Jeff Buckley’s iconic Grace album on an acoustic kit, he’s immersed in the digital 30 ON TOPIC: ERIC CLAPTON’S realm of St. Vincent’s live show. JAMIE OLDAKER Is he a diff erent drummer, or by Bob Girouard simply rising to the occasion? by Patrick Berkery 42 GREAT ’80s DRUM PERFORMANCES, PART 3: HEAVY ROCK by Ilya Stemkovsky 48 JOHN MCLAUGHLIN’S RANJIT BAROT by Ken Micallef 54 PARAMORE’S ZAC FARRO by David Ciauro LESSONS DEPARTMENTS 58 OFF THE RECORD 8 AN EDITOR’S OVERVIEW Travis Orbin on Silly String II Exploring the Session Guru’s Latest Finding a Balance by Willie Rose Chops-Infused Labyrinth by Austin Burcham 10 READERS’ PLATFORM 62 BASICS What’s Your Favorite 1980s Metal or Hard Rock Reading Syncopated Rhythms Part 2: 8ths and 16ths by Joel Rothman Drumming Album? 64 ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC 12 OUT NOW Five-Note Phrasing Part 1: Creating Rhythmic Tension by Marc Dicciani Santiago “Jimmy” Vela III on the Sword’s Used Future 66 JAZZ DRUMMER’S WORKSHOP Up-Tempo Studies Part 2: More Exercises for Refl exes and Chops by Steve Fidyk 13 ON TOUR Rod Morgenstein with the Dixie Dregs 68 ROCK PERSPECTIVES How to Play Odd Time Signatures Part 1: 16th-Note Meters by Aaron Edgar 14 MUST-HAVE GEAR Smashing Pumpkins’ Jimmy Chamberlin 70 CONCEPTS Do You Need to Read Music? Weighing the Pros and Cons in an Age-Old 74 RETAILER PROFILE Argument by Russ Miller Guitar Center Destination Drum Shops 78 CRITIQUE EQUIPMENT Terri Lyne Carrington with Lewis Porter, Blake 16 PRODUCT CLOSE-UP 26 GEARING UP Richardson with Between the Buried and Me, Yamaha Tour Custom drumset 311’s Chad Sexton Virgil Donati with IceFish, and more Zildjian K Sweet series cymbals 82 IT HAPPENED ON THE ROAD 101 Drums 5.5x14 Woodfi ber snare 72 NEW AND NOTABLE Belle and Sebastian’s Richard Colburn Tune-Bot Studio digital tuner Bopworks drumsticks and brushes 84 BACKBEATS PASIC 2017, Ray Lucas and Frank Capp WIN! remembered A prize package featuring a Ddrum Dios drumkit, Zildjian cymbals, Evans heads, 88 KIT OF THE MONTH and Promark sticks worth more The Elf’s Giant than $4,900! Page 79 ANAN EDITOR’S EDITOR’S OVERVIEW OVERVIEW Founder Finding a Balance Ronald Spagnardi 1943–2003 Publisher/CEO Isabel Spagnardi rummers often grapple with certain Senior Vice President Lori Spagnardi Dquestions or problems that could be answered by simply fi nding the right balance Vice President Kevin W. Kearns between two choices. For example, a popular Associate Publisher Tracy A. Kearns debate among drummers is the choice Advertising Director Bob Berenson between using traditional or matched grip. Or some players might argue the merits Advertising Assistant LaShanda Gibson of learning to read versus learning by ear, Senior Art Director Scott G. Bienstock or whether they should teach themselves Dave Hill Contributing Designer Richard Leeds independently or take lessons. In each case, it might be advantageous to pursue a balance of both options, rather Editorial Director Adam J. Budofsky than feeling a need to choose one. Managing Editor Michael Dawson In this month’s Concepts column, the renowned session drummer Associate Editor Willie Rose and educator Russ Miller examines one of the questions that students have repeatedly asked him over the years: Should I read music? Beyond Editor at Large Billy Amendola Miller’s article, a brief online search will reveal plenty of recent forum Business and Content Development Miguel Monroy posts and educational videos on the subject, illustrating that it remains a popular question among the drumming community. The MD Pro Panel: Chris Adler, Gregg Bissonette, Jason Bittner, Will Calhoun, I’m a proponent of learning to read music in general, and I’ve Terri Lyne Carrington, Matt Chamberlain, Jeff Davis, Peter Erskine, Bob Gatzen, Daniel Glass, Benny Greb, Matt Halpern, Horacio Hernandez, Gerald Heyward, certainly incorporated books in lessons with new students. I think this Taku Hirano, Susie Ibarra, Jim Keltner, Pat Mastelotto, Allison Miller, Rod Morgenstein, helps build drummers’ fl exibility, enhances their ability to learn, and Chris Pennie, Stephen Perkins, Dafnis Prieto, Rich Redmond, Brian Reitzell, Jim Riley, could open doors to future opportunities. And, personally, I wouldn’t Antonio Sanchez, Gil Sharone, Chad Smith, Steve Smith, Todd Sucherman, Billy Ward, Kenny Washington, Paul Wertico have been able to pursue multiple publishing opportunities without being able to read. I also wouldn’t have gotten certain gigs without MODERN DRUMMER ADVISORY BOARD: SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S. $29.95, Canada being able to read charts and transcribe grooves and ensemble Kenny Aronoff, Eddie Bayers, Bill Bruford, $33.95, other international $44.95 per fi gures—though that’s not to say another drummer wouldn’t be Harry Cangany, Dennis DeLucia, Les year. For two- and three-year subscription capable of handling the gig without being able to read or notate music. DeMerle, Peter Erskine, Bob Gatzen, prices go to www.moderndrummer.com. Danny Gottlieb, Jim Keltner, Paul Leim, Single copies $5.99. That said, at one point while I was in a practice funk, I decided to take Peter Magadini, George Marsh, Rod my nose out of the books and charts and only listen to music, analyze it, Morgenstein, Andy Newmark, Neil Peart, SUBSCRIPTION CORRESPONDENCE: and play along with it by ear. For one thing, I wanted to take a diff erent Steve Smith, Billy Ward, Dave Weckl, Modern Drummer, PO Box 274, Oregon, Paul Wertico. IL 61061-9920. Change of address: approach and learn about players’ creative tendencies without existing Allow at least six weeks for a change. interpretations. Now, my ability to read certainly helped build the CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Please provide both old and new foundation to understand what might’ve been played. But to beat my Patrick Berkery, Stephen Bidwell, address. Call 800-551-3786 inspiration lull, I found that it was useful to take a diff erent approach to David Ciauro, Bob Girouard, Mike Haid, or 815-732-5283. Phone hours, John Martinez, Rick Mattingly, Ben Meyer, 8AM–4:30PM Monday–Friday CST, a method I felt somewhat tied to previously. Ken Micallef, Jeff Potter, Will Romano, or visit Subscriber Services at I’m not sure there’s always one answer to some of drumming’s Bernie Schallehn, Ilya Stemkovsky, Robin www.moderndrummer.com. longtime debates. Obviously everyone’s path is diff erent, as evidenced Tolleson, Lauren Vogel Weiss, Paul Wells. MUSIC DEALERS: Modern Drummer is by the drummers and stories that fi ll these pages each month. But MODERN DRUMMER magazine distributed by Hal Leonard Corp., maybe fi nding the balance between two methods of learning could (ISSN 0194-4533) is published monthly 800-554-0626, [email protected], lead you to discover something you might not have pursued otherwise. by MODERN DRUMMER Publications, www.halleonard.com/dealers And maybe one solution could be to frame these everlasting drum Inc., 271 Route 46 West, Suite H-212, Fairfi eld, NJ 07004. PERIODICALS POSTMASTER: Send address changes to debates in a way that doesn’t inherently limit progress from the start, no MAIL POSTAGE paid at Fairfi eld, NJ Modern Drummer, PO Box 274, Oregon, matter which side you pick.