MusicRadar

After joining up with Shakira for 1998’s Spanish language album Donde Estan Los Ladrones?, there was little indication that Brendan Buckley’s involvement in the Colombian songstress’s career would last any longer than a few studio sessions. However, with the record going on to shift more than 10 million copies, the New Jersey-born sticksman found himself propelled into one of the hottest pop gigs around.

And it’s a place that he’s occupied ever since, playing on a further five Shakira records, including 2001’s worldwide smash Laundry Service, and backing her on four mammoth world tours.

During the following 13 years he’s branched out into engineering and producing and played countless sessions, but he’s always returned to his bread and butter gig, selling tens of millions more albums and filling huge arenas night after night.

Rhythm caught up with Brendan to find out what it takes to play note-perfect shows every night to hordes of screaming fans, and here - among the shots of his massive drum setup you’ll see in this gallery - are snippets from that interview.

First up: a closer look at Brendan Buckley’s kit…