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We're pretty certain you now know that this year is Rhythm's 25th anniversary (we've gone on about it enough!), and we've celebrated with an extra-special issue.

Rhythm wouldn't be the magazine it is without a super-talented crop of writers and photographers helping us bring you the best drum content on the planet. These guys and girls have had their fair share of experiences (and scrapes) so we caught up with some of them to hear their favourite memories of working on the UK's Best-Selling Drum Magazine.

Brett Callwood, writer

"I've had the honour of writing for Rhythm for six of the magazine's 25 years, and in that time have had the opportunity to interview some of the players that I respect most, and I've had the occasional bizarre experience courtesy of the magazine too. I think it was in 2005 I was sent to Glasgow from my then-home in London to cover the International Marching Bagpipe and Drum Competition. Not to say that the talent on display that weekend wasn't tremendous, but how many times can a man listen to 'Flower of Scotland' in one day?

"My two big features with Nicko McBrain from Iron Maiden stand out as my favorite Rhythm memories so far. Nicko gave me my first Rhythm cover and the interviews with the man were incredibly enjoyable because he's so damned funny and down to earth.

"Taking a group of Rhythm competition winners backstage at Wembley to meet Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy was a blast, because they were so excited and he was so great with them all. Other interviews that stand out are the MC5's Dennis Thompson, the Stooges' Scott Asheton, Sabbath's Bill Ward and Duran Duran's Roger Taylor (the latter being my favorite band when I was a pre-teen, so the nostalgia experience was invaluable)."

"Most of all, it's just an honour to be able to say that I write for Rhythm. I hope to write a more extensive memories piece 25 years from now."

Adam Jones, photograher and writer

"In my time as a photographer for Rhythm I got to photograph Mitch Mitchell – big hero, obviously. During the shoot I managed to break one of his chairs while standing on it to get an over-kit viewpoint (this was alluded to by editor Simon Braund in the interview). The interview took place at a time when Mitch was still quite reclusive and he made it clear when we arrived that he wasn't into it at all. However once he sat down with Simon he became more welcoming and talked at length about his time with the Experience. He'd arranged to go out somewhere on the same afternoon as the interview and his phone kept ringing. He got quite frustrated with the person on the other end – he was clearly reliving his past with us and didn't want to be interrupted.

"During the shoot I managed to break one of Mitch Mitchell's chairs while standing on it to get an over-kit viewpoint", Adam Jones, photographer

"On the back of Mitch's cover interview Simon and I were invited by Mitch to an exclusive party at the Hard Rock Café on September 18th 1990 – the 20th anniversary of Hendrix's death. We drove down from Cambridge and got there early on. Mitch played with a guitarist called Danny Gatton and all number of musicians got up and jammed for a few songs. We smiled every time Mitch came near but he didn't come and chat. Eventually at some point in the early hours we plucked up the courage to introduce ourselves to him. By then he was pretty worse for wear but, charming as ever, said he remembered us and thanked us again. It was a long drive home…"

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