DRIVE Machined Chain Drive + Machined Direct Drive Pedals The drive to engineer the optimal drive system. mfg Geometry, fulcrum and motion become one. Direct Drive or Chain Drive, always The Drummer’s Choice®. U.S.A. www.DWDRUMS.COM/hardware/dwmfg/ 12 ©2017Modern DRUM Drummer WORKSHOP, June INC. ALL2014 RIGHTS RESERVED. ROLAND HYBRID EXPERIENCE RT-30H TM-2 Single Trigger Trigger Module BT-1 Bar Trigger RT-30HR Dual Trigger RT-30K Learn more at: Kick Trigger www.RolandUS.com/Hybrid EXPERIENCE HYBRID DRUMMING AT THESE LOCATIONS BANANAS AT LARGE RUPP’S DRUMS WASHINGTON MUSIC CENTER SAM ASH CARLE PLACE CYMBAL FUSION 1504 4th St., San Rafael, CA 2045 S. Holly St., Denver, CO 11151 Veirs Mill Rd., Wheaton, MD 385 Old Country Rd., Carle Place, NY 5829 W. Sam Houston Pkwy. N. BENTLEY’S DRUM SHOP GUITAR CENTER HALLENDALE THE DRUM SHOP COLUMBUS PRO PERCUSSION #401, Houston, TX 4477 N. Blackstone Ave., Fresno, CA 1101 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd., 965 Forest Ave., Portland, ME 5052 N. High St., Columbus, OH MURPHY’S MUSIC GELB MUSIC Hallandale, FL ALTO MUSIC RHYTHM TRADERS 940 W. Airport Fwy., Irving, TX 722 El Camino Real, Redwood City, CA VIC’S DRUM SHOP 1676 Route 9, Wappingers Falls, NY 3904 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. SALT CITY DRUMS GUITAR CENTER SAN DIEGO 345 N. Loomis St. Chicago, IL GUITAR CENTER UNION SQUARE Blvd., Portland, OR 5967 S. State St., Salt Lake City, UT 8825 Murray Dr., La Mesa, CA SWEETWATER 25 W. 14th St., Manhattan, NY DALE’S DRUM SHOP ADVANCE MUSIC CENTER SAM ASH HOLLYWOOD DRUM SHOP 5501 U.S. Hwy. 30 W. Fort Wayne, IN MAIN DRAG MUSIC 4440 Fritchey St., Harrisburg, PA 75 Maple St., Burlington, VT 7401 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA GUITAR CENTER BOSTON 330 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn, NY FORK’S DRUM CLOSET DONN BENNETT DRUM STUDIO 1255 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2701 12th Ave. S., Nashville, TN 1659 133rd Pl., N.E. Bellevue, WA You’re going to want more than one. These five models have been staples in our back room for years, and while the name says ‘Modern Jazz,’ we’ve found that they are exceptional in almost any musical setting. Never before available to the public, this collection was developed collaboratively with drummers on the cutting edge of “America’s Original Art Form,” including Jeff Ballard, Greg Hutchinson, Joe McCarthy and Lewis Nash. For full specs, go to VicFirth.com/MJC. ©2017 Vic Firth Company Hit the Road Jack. Classic, thin, all Maple Masters Series shells are now available from our Music City Custom Shop. Built for the working Pro in 14 business days or less. Video at pearldrum.com CONTENTS Volume 41 • Number 5 CONTENTS Cover and Contents photos by John Fell FEATURES 24 SIMON KIRKE. The Free and Bad Company cofounder releases a solo album that reaffi rms his place in the top tier of rock drumming, as well as his stature as a solo artist to be reckoned with. by Bob Girouard 26 MASTODON’S BRANN DAILOR. The group’s brand-new Emperor of Sand album has dropped. As usual, fans will get exactly what they expect—plus a little something new. by David Ciauro 28 THE 2017 MODERN DRUMMER READERS POLL WINNERS. A universally lauded multi-genre legend joins the Hall of Fame, another contemporary giant sweeps three categories, and Neil Peart returns. 50 ZIV RAVITZ. The leader and accomplice to jazz heavies Shai Maestro, Omer Avital, Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding, Ben Monder, Avishai Cohen, and many others obeys one 40 Steve Gadd master: the urgency of now. by Jeff Potter “It’s important for people to unite and not 56 BRAZILIAN GIRLS’ AARON JOHNSTON. The New York City–based multi-instrumentalist and producer represents the be separate. You have to give everything.” future of drumming as well as anyone who comes to mind. by Henri Benard In a career defi ned by technical innovation, multi-genre groove mastery, and studio perfection, he’s never forgot- 60 UP & COMING: ALEKS GIRSHEVICH. A twelve-year-old ten that, no matter the setting, it always boils down to reaches into the “El Negro” clave bag, and more than holds his basic human connectivity. own on a disc featuring Eddie Gomez. by Ilya Stemkovsky by Ken Micallef LESSONS EQUIPMENT DEPARTMENTS 66 Basics 16 Product Close-Up 8 An Editor’s Overview Rockin’ at a Snail’s Pace Sabian Artisan Elite Series Cymbals Infl uencers Variations for Slower Tempos Gibraltar G Drive Stealth Pedals by Willie Rose by Joel Rothman Evans UV1 Drumheads A&F Drum Co. 4x14 Raw Brass Snare 10 Readers’ Platform 68 Strictly Technique Sunhouse Sensory Percussion Favorite Steve Gadd Track? 1,000 Ways to Practice a Single Page Electronic System Part 3: Incorporating Flams 12 News by Libor Hadrava 62 Gearing Up Out Now: Justin Peroff on Spiral David Gilmour’s Steve DiStanislao Stairs’ Doris and the Daggers, the 70 Rock ’n’ Jazz Clinic World’s Most Dangerous Band’s Groove Construction 78 New and Notable Anton Fig and A Perfect Circle’s Part 12: 16th-Note Metronome Training Jeff Friedl On Tour, and more by Jost Nickel Enter to win a 80 Retailer Profi le 72 Jazz Drummer’s Workshop Fred Pierce’s Studio Drum Shop Beyond the Noteheads Love Drums setup worth Part 3: Varying Your Transcriptions more than $3,800! Page 85 82 Showcase by Steve Fidyk featuring Drum Market 74 Rock Perspectives 86 Critique Septuplet Fives Rush DVD and Neil Peart book, Polyrhythmic Permutation Ty Segall and Benny Greb by Aaron Edgar albums, and more 76 Concepts 90 Inside Methods Do I Need an Attorney? George Marsh’s Inner Drumming Part 2: Navigating Contract Negotiations by Russ Miller 92 Backbeats The 2016 Hollywood Custom and Vintage Drum Show 95 Kit of the Month Compact Clubber MADE WITH ROBOTS, NOT COWS! EVANSDRUMHEADS.COM / CALFTONE ANAN EDITOR’S EDITOR’S OVERVIEW OVERVIEW Founder Ronald Spagnardi Infl uencers 1943–2003 Publisher/CEO Senior Art Director Isabel Spagnardi Scott G. Bienstock f I am an infl uence, I hope “II’m a good one,” said this Senior Vice President Editorial Director month’s cover artist, Steve Lori Spagnardi Adam J. Budofsky Gadd, in his very fi rst Modern Drummer cover story, in 1978. “I Vice President Managing Editor Kevin W. Kearns Michael Dawson don’t play to be an infl uence. I feel a responsibility to the music Associate Publisher Associate Editor I play. Let’s say being responsi- Tracy A. Kearns Willie Rose ble to the music is the fi rst step Advertising Director Editor at Large in accepting responsibility for Bob Berenson Billy Amendola people coming up.” When MD fi rst published this Advertising Assistant Business and quote, Gadd had previously, LaShanda Gibson Content Development Dave Hill and responsibly, laid a solid Miguel Monroy foundation beneath Van McCoy’s hit “The Hustle,” arguably redefi ned The MD Pro Panel: Chris Adler, Gregg Bissonette, Jason Bittner, Will Calhoun, the concept of a pop groove on Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Terri Lyne Carrington, Matt Chamberlain, Jeff Davis, Peter Erskine, Bob Gatzen, Lover,” and torn through an everlasting solo on Steely Dan’s “Aja.” Daniel Glass, Benny Greb, Matt Halpern, Horacio Hernandez, Gerald Heyward, Taku Hirano, Susie Ibarra, Jim Keltner, Pat Mastelotto, Allison Miller, Rod Morgenstein, These few examples from Gadd’s ’70s output, and countless other Chris Pennie, Stephen Perkins, Dafnis Prieto, Rich Redmond, Brian Reitzell, Jim Riley, accomplishments since, still resonate throughout the drumming Antonio Sanchez, Gil Sharone, Chad Smith, Steve Smith, Todd Sucherman, Billy Ward, Kenny Washington, Paul Wertico community today. (For recent evidence of Gadd’s impact on our subscribers and social media followers, check out this month’s MODERN DRUMMER ADVISORY BOARD: SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S. $29.95, Canada Readers’ Platform.) 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 For me, Gadd is an incredible infl uence and inspiration. From the DeMerle, Peter Erskine, Bob Gatzen, prices go to www.moderndrummer.com. aforementioned tunes and more, there are countless “Gaddisms” that Danny Gottlieb, Jim Keltner, Paul Leim, Single copies $5.99. Peter Magadini, George Marsh, Rod I revere and unsuccessfully try to master in practice. But one track— Morgenstein, Andy Newmark, Neil Peart, SUBSCRIPTION CORRESPONDENCE: “Nite Sprite,” from Chick Corea’s The Leprechaun—holds a special Steve Smith, Billy Ward, Dave Weckl, Modern Drummer, PO Box 274, Oregon, place in my personal drumming-performance hall of fame. Gadd’s Paul Wertico. IL 61061-9920. Change of address: Allow at least six weeks for a change. brilliant dynamic control, paradiddle permutations, samba approach, CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Please provide both old and new and blazing chops adorn the song before he launches into a melodic Patrick Berkery, Stephen Bidwell, address. Call 800-551-3786 yet fi ery solo at the piece’s climax. Gadd’s playing on this track blew David Ciauro, Bob Girouard, Mike Haid, or 815-732-5283. Phone hours, John Martinez, Rick Mattingly, Ben Meyer, 8AM–4:30PM Monday–Friday CST, my mind. After listening to it for the fi rst time, I scoured the internet, Ken Micallef, Jeff Potter, Will Romano, or visit Subscriber Services at probably via Netscape Navigator at that point, for any transcription Bernie Schallehn, Ilya Stemkovsky, www.moderndrummer.com. Robin Tolleson, Lauren Vogel Weiss, I could fi nd of his performance. The song inspired me to shed and, Paul Wells. MUSIC DEALERS: Modern Drummer is through some of the online notation I pored over, ignited an interest distributed by Hal Leonard Corp., in transcribing his and other drummers’ parts on my own.