Starting a new instrument is an exciting time, particularly when that instrument is a shiny new drum kit. But with so much already to consider in terms of shells, heads, cymbals, hardware, pedals and more, it can be easy to forget one of the most important parts of a new drummers’ toolkit: your sticks. With so much choice we want to help you overcome option paralysis with this guide to the best drumsticks for beginners.

For drummers, sticks are the primary form of contact between yourself and your instrument. A decent pair of sticks is an essential tool to begin your drumming journey, but how best to navigate a potential minefield of different options, sizes, materials, weights and colours? This guide aims to help budding drummers choose their perfect first pair.

This writer was a beginner once - and has taught many beginners - so knows exactly what to look for in a pair of beginner-friendly sticks. Let's take a look.

Best drumsticks for beginners: Product guide

Best drumsticks for beginners: Buying advice

How to choose the best drumsticks for beginners

To the uninitiated, a pair of sticks is just that – a couple of pieces of wood used for beating the tar out of a drum kit. Those in the know however will appreciate the considerable and tangible difference that just a few millimetres in the length or thickness of the sticks can make. Not only does this affect the feel and playability of the stick but also the tone that it draws from the drums and cymbals.

How we choose the products for this guide

Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.

When choosing what we believe to be the best drumsticks for beginners available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.

First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best drumsticks for beginners on the market right now.

Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.

Related buyer's guides

• Best drum practice pads: sharpen your chops
• Best beginner drum sets: entry-level acoustic drum kits
• Best beginner electronic drum sets: affordable kits to get you started
• Easy drum songs every beginner should learn

You might well be familiar with Elise Trouw thanks to her creative YouTube mash-ups which include live looping, sonic experimentations and even a collaborative reimagining of Metallica’s Enter Sandman alongside Travis Barker. Now, the drummer/multi-instrumentalist has teamed-up with Vater to release her own signature drum sticks.

Using a 7A grip as its starting point, the Vater Elise Trouw model is made from hickory and features a 16” length, rounded wood tip and custom pink finish as well as Elise Trouw’s logo. Vater reckons the sticks are “suitable across the full range of drumming experience from young beginners to advanced players alike”

Trouw says of the sticks, “I wanted to make a pair of stick that the nine-year-old in me would love. Working with Vater, we have made sticks that are also perfect for me today.” 

The Vater Elise Trouw signature sticks are available now from your preferred Vater dealer.

Gear 2021: You may or may not know it, but that character on the old school Evans logo is called Barney Beats, and for 2021, parent company D’Addario is marking their old figurehead with special edition Evans drum practice pad and ProMark sticks in his honour.

The pad is a single-sided, red version of the familiar octagonal RealFeel practice pad, and is the only Evans product to feature the Barney Beats logo. Meanwhile the sticks are a pair of 5As finished in white with red details and natural tips. 

Evans tells us, “Evans Drumheads is thrilled to announce the launch of a Barney Beats Limited Edition RealFeel Practice Pad. Drum Practice Pad sales have significantly increased on eCommerce this year, as quarantine has forced drummers to stay home and practice quietly. 

“This special edition practice pad comes in red and features the iconic Evans Drumheads Barney Beats logo, not printed on any other product. The gummed rubber is slightly thicker than our standard pads providing a unique sound and feel that is more responsive and makes practicing more fun.”

The Evans Barney Beats RealFeel Practice Pad will be available shortly, priced at $34.99.

• Essential drum accessories every player needs

Roland's TD-1DMK is one of the best beginner electronic drum kits you can buy, so if you're in the market right now, you should definitely take a look at this tempting deal from Sweetwater, complete with bundled PDP 402 double-kick pedal and Vic Firth 5A sticks. 

The bass drum pad is specifically designed to accommodate a double-kick, so the bundle makes sense, even before you consider the kit's 'tunable' all-mesh pads, for a realistic feel you definitely won't find on every entry-level kit, where harder rubber tom pads are often deployed. 

And while some competitors offer more than the 15 kits onboard here, we found them to be varied and of high quality when we subjected the Roland TD-1DMK to a full MusicRadar review.

This is just one of the many great deals that are beginning to emerge as we barrel towards Amazon Prime Day, so be sure to stay tuned and look out for the best Prime Day music deals on MusicRadar.

After launching its John Bonham Signature sticks at this year’s NAMM Show, Promuco has unveiled its new John Bonham drumstick bag.

Designed to hold eight pairs of drumsticks, the John Bonham drumstick bag features two internal compartments and is made from woven nylon, measuring 450mm long by 93mm wide.  

As well as the internal pockets, it comes equipped with a grab handle, strap and two metal clasps for hanging/holding the bag open from your floor tom while you play. The John Bonham drumstick bag also features Bonzo’s famous ‘three-ring’ (Boromean ring) symbol, as well as Union Flag zip pulls. It is set to retail at £15.95

Promuco was John Bonham’s stick brand of choice, referring to them as his ‘trees’ since he first started using them in the early '70s. Promuco ceased trading in the early noughties, but has since been revived by its original distributor, Barnes and Mullins. All John Bonham signature products are designed and made in close collaboration with Led Zeppelin, the John Bonham estate and licence holders. 

In any debate on the title ’greatest rock drummer of all time’, perhaps the only name 100% certain to make at least the shortlist every time, if not the top spot, is that of the legendary John Henry Bonham.

The driving rhythmic force behind rock ’n’ roll leviathan Led Zeppelin until his tragic death in 1980, at the age of 32, Bonham was a bona fide one-off. Every facet of the Redditch-born beat machine’s playing was uniquely ‘his’, from the dazzling combination of pace and power, through the incredible speed and precision of his right foot, to the masterful ability to push or pull a groove as the song demands. 

Although the iconic pairing of Ludwig drums and Paiste cymbals defined Bonham’s sound in the studio and on stage, another essential component in all this was undoubtedly his drumsticks. Made by British manufacturer Promuco to his own specifications in the early 70s, they were nicknamed ‘trees’ by the great man – albeit in reference more to their resilience than their heft.

And now, for the first time in over 20 years, you can get your hands on the exact same beaters, as Promuco have reissued their officially approved John Bonham Signature stick.

Founded in 1964 by ex-Premier Drums production director Gerry Waller (and including his son-in-law, England cricketer Ian Botham, on the board of directors, fact fans), the ProfessionalMusicCompany was a major player in the drumstick market throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, providing wood for the hard-hitting likes of Bonham, Phil Collins, Jet Black, Carl Palmer and Rick Allen, until Waller’s retirement brought the operations to a close in 2000. In 2017, however, Promuco’s erstwhile UK distributor, Barnes & Mullins, brought the company back to life, and today, the much-loved British brand once again offers a full range of hickory, maple and oak sticks in 2B, 5A, 5B and 7A sizes, as well as, of course, the rereleased John Bonham Signature model.

Although you might expect them to be relatively thick and heavy, at 1.5cm diameter and made of hickory, Bonham’s trees sit somewhere between a 5A and 5B in weight – his power came from a combination of physical strength and impeccable technique, and excessive stick mass certainly wasn’t a requirement. Rather, what sets the John Bonham Signature stick apart is its 41cm length, making it the longest in the Promuco catalogue (a few millimetres longer than the 5A and 2B), and the characteristic acorn-like shape of the tip. It also features the Promuco logo and Bonham’s signature, exactly as they were printed on the original, back in the 70s.

Genuinely historic in its provenance and more versatile than its stadium-scale affiliation suggests, Promuco’s John Bonham Signature drumstick is out now, priced around £12.00 per pair. For more information visit the Promuco website.

Aside from drums and cymbals, drumsticks are one of the most important tools in a drummer’s arsenal. Sticks are the main point of contact with your gear, and have a huge impact on the way you play.

Choose the right drumstick for your playing style and it should feel like an extension of your arm. The best drumsticks in this guide include options for every style and budget.

The genre of music you play, the hardness with which you hit your gear and your budget will dictate which model of drumstick is best for you. Most stick brands - including the ‘big five’ of Vic Firth, Vater, Zildjian, Regal Tip and Promark - offer a similar line-up of mainstream models, which are great starting points. Most will agree, for example, that a well made 5A model is the best drumstick for rock.

Most commonly, wooden drumsticks are made from hickory, a medium weight, durable hardwood. Alternative woods such as oak and maple offer different weight and density.

For added durability it’s worth trying sticks made from tougher materials such as graphite or aluminium. This added strength reduces the need to regularly replace drumsticks, but inevitably costs more. 

Budget drumsticks, commonly made from B-grade hickory, come in at a fraction of the price of premium sticks. Even if these aren’t your go-to model, it’s worth stocking up on budget sticks as back-ups in case your main sticks break midway through a gig or session. These are great drumsticks for kids, too.

Perhaps you’re keen to try what your favourite drummer uses? Signature sticks are worth exploring, but only use them if they feel right, rather than because of any artist loyalty.

Drumstick terminology explained

So that’s the overview; now let’s look at key terms to help inform your purchase. When looking at your next pair of drumsticks, you’ll see a number of words used to describe key features: thickness, length, taper and tip.

Drumstick thickness has an impact on the overall weight of the stick, and how it feels in your hand. This translates to playing comfort and the amount of power you can unleash on your drums and cymbals.

Generally, thicker sticks are more durable, too. Length dictates the potential reach you have between your hands and your drums and cymbals.

The taper is the part that gets increasingly thinner towards the tip of the stick. Taper length impacts how the stick feels to play. Longer, thinner tapers promote faster, lighter playing, but these sticks tend to be more fragile.

Stick tips come in all shapes and sizes, in nylon and wooden guises. Each style extracts a different sound from your your drums and cymbals. Ball tips tend to elicit more precise, articulate sounds, especially when it come to cymbals. Acorn tips are fuller and warmer. For the best of both worlds, we’d recommend an oval tip. Nylon tips produce more attack than wood tips.

For something as seemingly simple as buying a pair of drumsticks, there’s actually a lot to consider. The best approach is to visit your nearest drum shop, feel a range of sticks in your hands and give them a play. You’ll soon find the right model for you. 

Now let's take a look at some of the best options available from Vic Firth, Promark, Vater and more...

The best drumsticks to buy today

When younger players start learning to play the drums it’s important that they use a drumstick that feels comfortable and manageable in their smaller hands. Full-size sticks can be too long and heavy, making them difficult to control. This can impact technique and, at worst, put off aspiring young drummers before they’ve had a chance to develop fundamental skills and start enjoying the drums. At a pint-sized 13”, Promark’s Hickory Junior Wood Tip sticks are the best drumsticks for kids. They’re shorter than standard models, promoting a more comfortable, natural feel, while a medium taper helps deliver an even balance and rebound, meaning key techniques are picked up quickly. The oval tip is ideal for extracting a well-rounded, warm tone from the drums, no matter what style is being played.

Drumsticks might be one of the cheaper purchases for drummers, but if you play regularly and find you break a lot, the cost of replacements soon mounts up. Vic Firth’s Nova Series sticks are made from B-grade hickory, which helps reduce the cost, but they’re no less playable than premium sticks. As with all Vic Firths, Novas are weight and pitch-matched before they leave the factory, so each pair is guaranteed to feel balanced in your hands. At a fraction of the price, it’s even worth keeping a few pairs in your stick bag as back ups in case you run out of your first-choice sticks. In addition to the 5A model, Vic Firth also offer 5B and 7A Novas in a number of different colours.

If you’re a full-size human coming to the drums for the first time, it’s vital that you choose a drumstick that gives you the best in feel, length, balance and power as a solid starting point. Then, as you develop, you can start exploring different models that suit your particular playing needs. The 7A size doesn’t feel too big in the hands and is light enough to help you master key techniques early. Vater’s Manhattan 7A is the perfect example of this. It’s a premium quality stick that feels comfortable to play, with a small round tip for neat and defined cymbal playing. In fact, it’s such a versatile drumstick that you may never need to play another model. Vater offers this stick with wood or nylon tips.

Playing rock music requires drummers to deliver plenty of power and attack. To achieve this, a solid starting point for any rock drummer is a 5A model stick, and there’s no better example than Vic Firth’s American Classic 5A. These sticks are universally acknowledged as the best for rock, offering decent length, a medium taper for added strength and substantial diameter for the average drummer’s hands. The tear drop tip delivers a potent combination of attack and warmth, helping everyone from softer players to hard hitters coax bombastic tones from their drums. Each stick is coated with a smooth lacquer, which improves comfort and aids grip when your hands get sweaty during long periods of playing.

Hickory is the most common drumstick material, however there are plenty of alternatives worth considering. Shira Kashi Oak is dense and heavy - both great attributes for cymbal articulation - making it a great choice for jazz drummers. Japanese oak is also known for its durability, so these Promark sticks should last longer than hickory alternatives if treated with respect – we’re big fans of this considering the higher price. The shorter length and reduced diameter of the Shira Kashi Oak model enables the player to inject greater nuance and dynamic into their drumming, whilst retaining a feeling of balance and control in the hands. At the business end, the oval tip helps extract a darker, warmer tone from your drums.

If you’re a heavy metal drummer who finds you’re constantly breaking drumsticks, you may need to explore alternative materials to ensure there’s nothing getting in the way of you and your blast beats. Ahead is known for making extremely durable drumsticks, built around an anodised aerospace-grade aluminium core, and finished with durable polyurethane covers and ‘unbreakable’ nylon tips. Inside each stick you’ll find a vibration reduction system to help absorb the shock of heavier playing. Ahead’s 2B model feels substantial in the hands and is perfectly balanced to promote powerful playing, whilst being light enough to pull off faster beats. Ahead claims their sticks last up to 10 times longer than wooden drumsticks, which takes the sting out of the higher price tag.

Modern drummers don’t really subscribe to one particular style anymore, encompassing everything from rock and pop to hip-hop and dance music, often within the same track. As such, they need a stick that can handle the demands of diverse and dynamic drumming. Meinl’s Stick and Brush is a new brand on the scene, but the company is renowned for its forward-thinking approach to percussion products. Their new Hybrid model sticks - including 5A, 5B and 7A models - feature a unique Hybrid tip which starts life as an acorn shape, before being trimmed down to a barrel, enabling dark and smooth cymbal articulation, while the extended length and taper make these sticks ideal for fast fills and intricate grooves.

Cymbal giant Zildjian has a huge artist roster, which includes everyone from Dave Grohl and Ringo Starr, to Dennis Chambers and Travis Barker. Many of their artists also play Zildjian-branded sticks, which says a lot about the quality and diversity of the drumsticks they offer. Delve deep into the Zildjian artist drumstick line-up and you’ll find multiple gauges, tip-types and colours to suit your individual tastes and needs. It’s worth trying out the stick of your favourite drummer first, but who knows, maybe you’ll discover the perfect stick bearing the name of a drummer you’d never considered before? It's worth a shot.

Nylon-tipped drumsticks produce a very distinctive, defined sound from your drums and cymbals, and it’s an effect that many drummers search for; not to mention the fact your sticks should last longer thanks to the durable nylon tip. Regal Tip founder Joe Calato was the brains behind the original nylon tip back in 1958, and their Nylon Series offers multiple stick models covering multiple genres, all bearing the famous tip. The drumstick brand also guarantees that their nylon tips won't budge, even under the most high pressure playing situations.

Stick durability is an issue that has been addressed by every drumstick manufacturer on the planet, all to varying degrees of success. If breaking sticks is a regular occurrence behind your kit, but you don’t fancy going down the fully synthetic route, Promark’s Firegrain sticks could be the most convincing solution yet. These unique-looking drumsticks have been treated to a heat-tempering process that hardens the hickory and boosts strength and durability, all without impacting the feel and tone of the stick. It’s a solution that works, and certainly justifies the slightly higher-than-average price tag.

Ron Vater, of influential company Vater Percussion, has died, the drumstick firm confirmed in a statement yesterday. He was 63.

The firm was launched in 1956, one year before Ron was born, but it was Ron and brother Alan who began manufacturing drumsticks, following a supply problem to the Vater family music store.

Sticks became the company's primary focus in the 1980s, and it soon began working with big names like Pearl, Tama, Vic Firth, Zildjian and many more before Vater branded sticks were launched. They're now considered amongst the best sticks you can buy.

You can read more about Ron Vater in his company's statement, below. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues.

Ron Vater 1/25/1957 – 1/25/2020

It is with great sadness that we announce the untimely passing of Ron Vater.

Ron Vater’s life was immersed in drumming and drumsticks from childhood. He spent many days of his youth at his grandfather’s store, Boston’s legendary Jack’s Drum Shop. Jack Adams (Joan Vater’s father) would bring Ron and his brother Alan along with him to see many of his friends’ concerts when they came through Boston including, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, Elvin Jones and many more.

His late teens and early twenties saw Ron working at C. Vater Music Center in Norwood, Massachusetts where Ron was a life-long resident. Ron, along with Alan, would help run the store with their father, the late Clarence “Clarry” Vater. It was while working at this store that the Vater drumstick business was essentially conceived. They experienced a drumstick supply issue from a well-known manufacturer at the time, and Ron and Alan took it upon themselves to rent machine time locally and start turning their own drumsticks for the store, just as Jack Adams had done at his store in the early 1950’s.

The Vater brothers made their drumstick manufacturing a full time endeavor in the mid 1980’s. They were soon working with leading brands in the industry, producing drumsticks for Pearl, Tama, countless drum shops across the USA and so on. It was at that time that Vic Firth himself asked the Vater family to manufacture hickory drumsticks for his own brand. Ron and Alan worked closely with Vic, side by side, at their factory designing many of Vic Firth’s models that still exist in the market today. That then lead to the design and manufacturing of Zildjian drumsticks and many others brands, until the proper Vater brand was launched in 1991. While the family continued to manufacture for others, as they still do today, the Vater brand became their main focus.

Being naturally mechanically inclined, Ron Vater oversaw the happenings on the Vater factory floor every day. He would troubleshoot, maintain, set up and operate the machines, all while teaching other workers along the way, including working alongside his son Dante. Ron would sharpen the knives for the lathes, keep an eye on the quality control portion of the factory floor production process, while surrounded by Vater’s employees, many of whom that have been with the company for decades.

Ron loved Vater Percussion. He loved his high school sweetheart and wife of many years, Susan. He loved their boys, Eric and Dante Vater. He loved cars, fishing, spending time with friends and the many Vater artists that became part of his extended family over these years. He loved that the drumsticks Vater Percussion made were being used around the world by passionate musicians.

Ron Vater will be missed by all those who knew him and worked with him. His passion and commitment to manufacturing the best drumsticks in the world will be carried on by the Vater Family, the many dedicated Vater Percussion employees and by all of you who create music and express your percussive passion with Vater products.

NAMM 2020: In 1964, a then little-known company in Yorkshire, England began producing drumsticks. 

The Professional Music Company, latterly known as Promuco, initially struggled to break the lucrative US market, until a certain Buddy Rich adopted their sticks. 

John Bonham was one of the many drummers who then took up Promuco sticks, and quickly had his own specification commissioned. 

Original Bonham Promuco sticks are still highly sought after, and now you'll be able to get your hands on faithful reproductions of what Bonzo allegedly referred to as his "trees".

• The best drumsticks: wooden and synthetic sticks for beginners and pros

Initially available from February in the UK thanks to Barnes & Mullins, and then globally through 2020, the sticks will officially debut at NAMM 2020 on 16 January. They're premium hickory sticks made to that exact original specification, down to the legendary ‘acorn’ tip and feature Bonzo's signature logo. 

You can learn more at the Promuco site here.

Want to wow the audience with some showmanship? Here, Thomas Lang guides you through one of his many stick tricks.

Rush sticksman Neil Peart has completely retired from drumming, at least if an interview with erstwhile bandmate Geddy Lee is to be believed.

The Canadian trio have been inactive since completing their blockbusting R40 tour in 2015, with Lee since stating that there is “no chance” of the band touring again. Guitarist Alex Lifeson has gone further, saying the band are "basically done".

Now, talking to Trunk Nation on Sirius XM, Geddy Lee has revealed that Peart has stopped drumming, full stop.

“Yeah, I mean, Neil is retired," said Lee. "He hasn't just retired from Rush, he's retired from drumming.

“He's not drumming any more and he's living his life which is fine. Alex and I are cool with it. We're all still total pals. 

“Alex lives very near to me, so we're constantly going out to dinner, because he loves to drink everything in my wine cellar! We're still pals, but that period of our life is done."

There is a glimmer of hope for 2/3 of the band, though. 

“Is there more music to come from myself and from Alex?' continued Lee, "Most certainly. I don’t know when or what shape that will take.”

Last year, Rufus Taylor rorared back with a new Darkness album, a bunch of tasty drum moments and his faithful old kit. The sticksman fills us in...

You came into the band at the start of the touring cycle for the last album. Did having that time touring with the band help when it came to writing and recording Pinewood Smile?

“I think that played an integral part. There were a couple of nerve-wracking moments when I first joined. My first gig was a couple of hours after I first met the guys. I had to learn eight of the songs from that album on the spot. Touring that album was very important, it was a great way for me to get used to playing with them.”

Was there talk right from when you joined of getting back in the studio?

“An album was on the cards from as soon as I joined because we instantly clicked on a personal level and playing-wise. We had a lot of fun in rehearsal rooms just jamming. 

"We had one writing trip when we did a festival in Spain in my first few months with the guys and we went out there a week before and did a writing session. 

"We spent a few days there mainly having fun and then in the last two days we dug down with a tiny set-up and electronic drums and came up with 22 really solid ideas. That was when we realised it was going to work with us as a band.”

What kit did you use in the studio?

“I used my DW Collector’s kit, that is my baby. I don’t think I will change those drums for a long, long time. The bass drum is ridiculously he, it always gets the desired effect for our music. I use it live as well. 

"The kick is 26”x26” and if we have a big gig I have this compressor that goes on the end of the bass drum. Once that’s on it takes no prisoners! That kit is indestructible. The way DW designs everything is like they’re scientists." 

There’s some nice drum moments on the album. The Darkness strikes us as the kind of band that would encourage that kind of thing!

"Oh absolutely. Dan was pushing me. All of my drumming inspirations have a strict less is more rule and to play for the song and not for yourself. If there is even a smidgen of you showing off then ti is looked down upon. I think I kept as much to the song as I could. 

"There’s a song called Southern Trains that has a ridiculously long drum fill intro. I was only planning on doing a bar or two but Dan kept pushing, ‘Nope, I want it eight bars long!’ We had a lot of fun with it. We did the whole album live as well. 

"I’m a big believer in the Deep Purple approach of where they have a load of ideas and once they’re recording if you don’t get a good take from the first five takes then you should drop the idea.”

Will you get to show off any nice drum moments with a solo on your UK tour?

“The guys have been pushing me to do a solo! They drop me in it every now and then by just saying my name on stage and the whole band looks at me! I don’t really like being put on the spot, but I have pulled it off when that’s happened.” 

SUMMER NAMM 2017: Promark has announced the immediate rollout of a new line of drumsticks, the FireGrain series.

The sticks are hickory ones that have been heat-tempered, a process which Promark claims gives them unprecedented durability, while keeping their original weight, balance and feel.

FireGrain will be available in the following models worldwide on August 1 at a UK RRP of £17.49 

FireGrain Classic 7A TX7AW-FG
FireGrain Classic 5A TX5AW-FG
FireGrain Classic 5B TX5BW-FG
FireGrain Classic 2B TX2BW-FG
FireGrain Rebound 5A R5AFG
FireGrain Forward 5A F5AFG
FireGrain Rebound 5B R5BFG
FireGrain Forward 5B F5BFG 

Since releasing career-defining anthem Hold Back The River in 2014, UK singer-songwriter James Bay has deservedly taken the world by storm, enjoying the kind of success that most artists twice his age could only dream of.

After winning the Critics’ Choice Award at 2015’s Brit Awards, Bay went on to win Best British Male Solo Artist at 2016’s ceremony, as well as being nominated for three further categories. Meanwhile, across the pond, James was nominated for three Grammy Awards.

His 2015 debut album Chaos And The Calm debuted at Number One in the UK and was the eighth biggest selling album of the year, chalking up over 600,000 sales thus far while it also peaked at Number 15 on the US Billboard 200.

Gig-wise, there have predictably also been a huge number of highlights for Bay and his live band, who’ve been playing with him for over two years now. Drummer and multi-instrumentalist Gerry Morgan actually first hooked up with James a few months before the full line-up was cemented, backing the singer on keys and percussion for a number of intimate club gigs and US tour dates.

When we catch up with Morgan, the guys are just hours away from playing the third of four sold-out shows at Hammersmith’s 5,000 capacity Eventim Apollo venue. Later that evening, the tightness, solidity and verve of the five-piece band is there for all to see, suitably matched by Bay’s own towering stage presence, exquisite vocals and virtuosic guitar-playing. As Gerry explains, having fun, being close friends and having mutual musical respect are all important parts of the band’s dynamic.

“It’s very, very good fun,” he says. “We all have a laugh. We’re all good friends and we get on musically together. There’s a lot of respect for each other and that’s very important because if you’re onstage with friends, then you can open up and feel comfortable.

“Whenever you’re going out on a limb to try something new with your phrasing, your colours or your harmony, you need to feel confident with the people around you and feel like you have their support."

Gerry Morgan, who was born and brought up in Newry, County Down in Northern Ireland, was very young when he first started dabbling with a variety of musical instruments.

“I started messing about with music when I was about four or five,” explains Gerry. “I played piano first and then classical violin. Drums came in when I suppose I was about 10 or 11 but then I started to take it really seriously when I was about 16 or 17. I did have lessons.

As for Morgan’s main drumming inspirations, he cites some serious song players.

“At a young age, I think it was anything that I got my ears onto,” says Morgan. “Mum and Dad weren’t really a music buying couple. There wasn’t a lot of music in the house per se. They liked music but they just didn’t consume or buy it.

“A lot of it came from my older brother and then a lot of it came from friends and just kind of sourcing it and taking records out from the public library. When I was old enough and I started gigging, all the gig money was just going into records and DVDs.

“An all-time classic was The Last Waltz by The Band and Levon Helm became a big influence on my approach to drumming. I sing on James’s gig and so he’s been a big influence. I love pocket players and I love song players.

“I love Jay Bellarose, Steve Gadd, Steve Jordan, Jim Keltner, Aaron Sterling, Ash Soan. Jeremy Stacey is great. These guys I listen to a lot. Jim Keltner and Jay Bellarose have influenced my playing a lot. Then Irish traditional music is a big influence as well. I love trad music, I love folk music and I collect a lot of world percussion.

“I try to use as much as possible on the gig and my house is full of weird and wonderful percussion instruments but it gets a bit annoying when you’re tripping over stuff!”

Morgan recalls a wide and varied number of pivotal moments during his development as a drummer and percussionist. Fervent dedication has always come as second nature to him.

“There were a lot of moments growing up for me and a lot of opportunities in Ireland and abroad to play,” Gerry explains. “I always played most nights of the week with different ensembles whether it was a rock band or a concert band or a wind band or a jazz orchestra or a symphony orchestra.

“There were all these things happening every week for me with practices and rehearsals after school. On Saturdays, I used to get up at seven, go to symphony and then, after that, get a train to Belfast to play with a jazz band. Then I’d come back from jazz band at five, go to violin practice, and then my dad would drop me off to a gig to play drums that night. So my upbringing was always full of music.”

It was around two and a half years ago that Gerry Morgan first began working for James Bay, initially as a multi-instrumentalist and sole backing musician for the on-the-rise singer-songwriter. The pair actually first met during a Kodaline tour.

“I was drumming and MD’ing for a band that were on Universal and who were on the bill as well,” Morgan recalls. “They were main support and James would open up the whole night. I would just watch James play every night for two and a half weeks and I was pretty much blown away when I saw him the first night.

“We spoke in between sound-checks and after shows, we got on well and we liked the same music. I thought he was a nice guy and he was really talented. I was like, ‘This guy’s great!’ I always wanted to get up and play with him because my kit was on the stage and he was on electric guitar and singing and I was like, ‘I’ll just go ask him if I can go up and play with him,’ but I never had the guts to.

Then, after the tour, he sent me a tweet. He was like, ‘Have you got an email address?’ and I said, ‘Only if it’s about me playing drums!’ And he was like, ‘Funny you should say that because that’s what it’s about!’ That’s how we sort of got to meet each other.

We just started hooking up and, during the first year, we did an American tour for six weeks. It was just me and James. I was playing a Roland keyboard, a cajon, Peruvian seed shakers and some African goats’ toes, and then I was singing some BVs as well. The band came some months later.”

James Bay’s debut album Chaos and the Calm was recorded at Blackbird studios in Nashville with Jacquire King before Gerry started working for James.

The drummer on those sessions was seasoned Nashville session man Ian Fitchuk. How did Morgan approach taking these songs onto the stage and how much of his own personality has he put into the live arrangements?

“The approach was the same as playing with any artist,” says Gerry. “You have to go away and understand the recordings and become embodied with the music and think in terms of the set-up you’ll need and what you’ll need tonally.

“What drums am I going to use? What cymbals am I going to use? What sizes? How am I going to play this groove? Is this part double-tracked, triple-tracked or many-tracked? With percussion, what’s the most important percussion line? Does that need to be included? Where does the feel really sit on each track? What’s the most important component of this whole orchestrated percussion and drums backing track?

“There is very heavy percussion on the album as well as drums and I don’t want to be using any [backing] tracks. It all has to be live. I’m playing all the drums and percussion and I want to cover as much of that as possible. You also have to be very respectful to the way it was recorded but then James also wants me to interject a little bit of my own personality and musicality into it. It’s all done very respectfully but I’m also given an opportunity to have fun with the parts as well in terms of embellishments and things like that.”

Gerry had plenty of chances on the album to inject some of his own personality into the beats. “On the album, Let it Go is very much a kind of processed lo-fi drum track with a lot of percussive elements,” explains Morgan.

“So, for the live situation, I’ve taken it to much more of a military, really low-tuned, muffled, powdery snare drum with kind of like a Steve Gadd pattern. It gives you the bittiness of programs but it gives you a nice backbeat and it’s very tonally earthy for the live situation.

“Then I open it up to a half-time beat that opens up with the cymbals and stuff during the middle-eight and outro chorus. That’s not on the record and also the groove isn’t on the record at all. It’s my own version of the beautifully recorded part that was originally there.

“Sometimes, for certain tracks, you do have to realise that you’re in a live environment and you have to approach your music and your drumming with a listener’s mind. You have to guide them sometimes so you have to build it up to choruses and break down sections and mark the sections maybe in a bit more of an obvious way... but it’s always done with the greatest amount of respect for the original music and part.”

One aspect of James Bay’s live sets that always keeps the material fresh and the audience – not to mention the band – on their toes is the fact that many of the songs’ intro sections are improvised.

“You cannot be taking the parts on a journey too far because you’re there to support someone and make them feel safe and in good hands,” says Gerry.

“But there is improvisation in the instrumental moments that we do. The intros can go quite jammy at times and can be completely improvised. Even the structure of those intros may not be pre-determined. It’s all off-the-cuff and then we’ll go into the song.

“Then you’ve got to go back to thinking about the song and about the structure and about the part and go back to, ‘This is me. This is where I need to sit. Let the song be the song’. We do a lot of jamming in sound-checks though. We do a lot of blues and rock and funk and soul stuff. That’s a love for all of us. Nothing really beats a 12-bar rhythm and blues shuffle!”

With any new material he’s penning, James Bay always has an intuitive idea of what he’s looking for in the drum parts.

“James has recently been bringing new ideas to the table and he’ll go, ‘Right, I want this kind of feel and I’m thinking about this kind of reference,’” explains Morgan.

“We listen to the same artists and the same records so that’s always good. Quite often, I’ll think, ‘I know exactly what he wants’, which is good. He’s very clear in what he wants. It’s all up in his head and it’s then my job to sort of coax it out of him or take on exactly what he says.”

James himself knows a thing or two about our instrument, it seems. “He can play the drums!” enthuses Gerry. “He can play the drum part to Superstition for example! hH’s always tapping on things. He loves cross-rhythms.

“You can hear that coming out in his music, even in the way he plays his guitar. There’s a lot of percussive guitar-playing with his style. His riffs are all very rhythmical. There would be no melody without rhythm, as everyone says.”

Having worked at close quarters with James Bay for the last few years, Gerry Morgan has witnessed first-hand the singer’s incredible rise from the pair’s very first intimate gigs together through to the recent major sold-out tours and festival appearances, as well as James’s crowning as Best British male solo artist at the Brits. It’s been a veritable rollercoaster for everyone involved and Gerry has loved every minute of it.

“We’ve seen a lot of great things and we’ve shared a lot of great times and we’ll continue to do so and grow together as friends and as musicians. We spend so much time with each other. I didn’t think about it much then really but it’s amazing that it’s worked out this way, isn’t it?

“But first and foremost, man, it’s about music and it’s about playing and being expressive and playing his songs and projecting him in the correct manner to whoever’s listening, and that’s kind of where my head is most of the time... not, ‘Oh, how many people are there here tonight?!”

Master drummer and percussionist Glenn Kotche, the rhythmic anchor for Wilco since 2001, has teamed with D'Addario's ProMark brand to develop a first-of-its-kind new drumstick, the Active Wave 750.

The Active Wave 570 features ActiveGrip, which is a heat-activated grip coating that gets tackier when a drummer's hands heat up and start to seat. The stick also features the WaveHandle, specially contoured to provide additional grip and a comfortable place for all fingers. (The ActiveGrip and the WaveHandle were both invented by D'Addario.

Demanding

"To meet the demanding performances of Wilco and my other projects, I needed a special grip solution that I could trust, that didn't feel like rubber or a synthetic," Kotche says. "The new ActiveGrip feels like a regular hickory drumstick at the start of the show, and gets tackier when my hands start sweating. It's an absolute breakthrough in grip.

"Plus, the WaveHandle design adds an additional contoured grip that also works as its own sound source. I've always dreamed of a drumstick like this, and I'm proud to share it with other drummers that demand the ultimate grip without sacrificing feel."

Kotche will be performing with the Active Wave 570 at Wilco's annual Solid Sound festival at MASS MOCA in North Adams, MA, June 26-28. In addition to a full Wilco set, Glenn will play a solo set that includes an original piece of music commissioned by ProMark & D'Addario, one of the festival's sponsors.

The Active Wave 570 will debut at Summer NAMM 2015 and will be available August 1, 2015. Wilco are on tour throughout the summer and fall - dates can be found at wilcoworld.com.

It's time to fix those drumming weaknesses! 

Whether it's suffering from a weaker hand, a lack of dynamics and creativity or difficulty developing independence between the limbs.

In our Troubleshoot Your Drumming issue our tutors and guest drummers provide quick and easy fixes for 17 key playing areas to help transform your playing.

In this lesson Rhythm tutor Pat Garvey shows you how to fix your stick grip and banish gorilla grip for good!

How to get the new issue of Rhythm
For the full lesson and for more like this you can pick up the new issue of Rhythm or take advantage of our print, digital and print/digital bundle subscription offers.

Ok, let’s grab the elephant in the room right from the off, we know that Ginger Baker is perhaps the single most divisive figure in drumming.

Thanks to his acid tongue, Baker has upset everyone from A-list band mates to a slew of ex-wives over the years, but while his attitude many deter some, there is no denying that this guy really can play. So, here we present our five reasons why Ginger Baker is an absolute drum legend.

On Saturday 3 May Baker celebrates his 75th birthday (a landmark that actually doesn't roll around until August) with a special London show.

It’s an honour that Baker richly deserves, anyone that can still cut it behind the kit at the grand old age of 75 can’t be begrudged a pat on the back in our book. He’s still going strong with his band Jazz Confusion and shows little sign of slipping away into retirement just yet.

You might think that after all these years in the spotlight that you know Ginger pretty well, but he still has a surprise or two up his sleeve.

In our 2012 interview with him, he gave us a bit of a shock when he said: “I don’t listen to music very much at all, unless it is Kelly Rowland. She’s fantastic. Ciara is another one that’s really cool. Kelly’s voice, though – she’s like the next Whitney Houston. her voice is like a bell, it’s absolutely round, it’s wonderful. that’s what appeals to me."

Ginger doesn’t hate everyone, you know. No, there’s quite a few drummers that he ruddy well loves.

On being asked to pick out his career highlights, Ginger told us: “Playing with Phil [Seaman], playing with Elvin Jones, playing with Art Blakey and playing with Max Roach. All of them became very close friends of mine.

“There’s a great thing I did with Art Blakey in 1972, it was completely unrehearsed. It started off as a drum battle and ended up with us both going on to play exactly the same thing at exactly the same time and it just took off. We played together through to the end, complementing each other. It was a great experience. Max is just wonderful.”

We’d get a major telling off (that’s putting it lightly) from Ginger for saying this, but, and as much as he protests otherwise, his playing with Cream most certainly helped inspire a generation of heavy metal drummers.

Of course, when we put this to Ginger back in our June 2012 issue, he was typically forthright in his response, saying: “The heavy metal thing, giving birth to that, we should have aborted it. We should have aborted that kid. I hate heavy metal.”

Few drummers are shy types that sit at the back and blend into the furniture, but even so, Ginger is something else.

Basically, if you’re in a band with Ginger, you can expect an ear bashing before too long, he just will not let the drummer get an unfair ride. And if that means upsetting Eric Clapton and curtailing a planned Cream reunion (as he reportedly recently has) then so be it. He has some sage words for Jack Bruce at around four minutes into the clip below.

NAMM 2014: Stickmaker Los Cabos announces new Duo 'multi-stick' mallet combo.

The Duos combine the company's popular 3A Maple drumstick with a 1" hard felt mallet on the other.

"The Duo is like the younger sibling of our Multi-Stick," said Matt Carter, Director of Marketing and Artist Relations. "Using maple allows for an overall lighter feel to this stick and the hard felt beater delivers a very focused attack while creating a wonderful overall balanced feel."

The Duo is 41.30cm long by 1.49cm and retails at around $25.

In addition Los Cabos also unveil their new 2B White Hickory Nylon Tip model. The company's White Hickory range already includes 2B, 5A, 5B and 7A models.

According to Los Cabos, the company recently invested in new equipment that will greatly improve the life and durability of their entire nylon tip line.

NAMM 2014: Drumstick giants Pro-Mark have gone back to the drawing board to identify the key elements of drumsticks in order of priority: diameter, taper, tip shape, and tip material. They then took the five most popular diameters and made them the core of the new Select Balance line.

Having earmarked that drummers prefer two types of stick balance: forward or rebound, the Select Balance line gives drummers the option of both in five diameters that give them preferred balance for any playing style. The sticks are weight sorted within 1.5 grams for the closest weight matching in the industry, and are also tone sorted within six hertz for the closest tonal pairing industry-wide.

"Now the balance of power is in drummers' hands," says Product Specialist, Rob Caniglia. "ProMark has changed the process, changed the design, and in turn, changed the game for drummers", added D'Addario President, Rick Drumm.

NAMM 2013: Percussion maestro Pete Lockett has gone and got his own Vic Firth signature stick.

The Pete Lockett DrumJammer is a hickory stick features a small round bead that creates an extremely defined sound. Designed as a double-ended stick for multi-purpose use, the DrumJammer has versatility in mind and is able to be used with drum set, electronic kits, metallic percussion, timbales, frame drums and more.

Of the stick, Pete said: "I chose the name DrumJammer for my new signature stick because it represents the fun and passion of music and drumming for me," states Lockett. "It also hints at the true versatility this stick provides. With what I do for a living, having a stick that can jam on anything is a must!"

For more details visit www.vicfirth.com.

Subscribe to Rhythmin the UK and we'll welcome you to the magazine with a pair of Vic Firth Gavin Harrison signature sticks and practicepad!

Plus, as a new UK subscriber, you will save 20% off the cover price and get every issue delivered to your door for just £25.99 every six months by direct debit!

About the Gavin Harrison Sticks signature Sticks:

Gavin's new signature stick is crafted in hickory and features an elongated ROCK shaft with a blended taper and tip, delivering an ideal combination of power and playability. Striking this balance was key to unlocking the raw energy, finesse and musicality for which Gavin is so well known. "Although large," Gavin states, "my new signature sticks are extremely balanced and versatile enough to be played at all dynamics." Gavin's sticks also feature anti-slip Vic Grip coating in blue, for an enhanced grip and distinctive look.

Don't miss out! Subscribe to Rhythmto get your gift, save 20% off the cover price and never miss an issue again!

Alternatively, to order by phone, please call 0844 848 2852 and quote offer code RHYW1D.
Offer ends 30/08/12.

This is a UK-only offer. However, drummers outside the UK can still make huge savings off the cover price: overseas subscriptions are available here.

“It was definitely a song that my dad picked out and asked my teacher to show me. Another early song I enjoyed learning to play was Modern Love by David Bowie.”

Listen

“For me, The Captain is a perfect rock song with massive pop hooks and Simon’s vocals really shine. You can tell that producer Garth [Richardson] definitely got his hooks in to this and took it to the next level with the almost anthemic Beatles-like trumpet part. Ben’s drumming is as solid as ever and just compliments everything really well. He’s a wicked drummer and great guy too.”

Listen

“I won’t ever forget my high school disco when they played I Would Do Anything For Love by Meatloaf and I pulled a muscle in my neck headbanging to it trying to impress some girls in the corner!”

Listen

“We used to blast ‘Shipping Up To Boston’ by the Dropkick Murphys all the time on the bus but now everyone prefers sitting in their bunk and chilling out to their iPod. Gallows have turned into old men.”

Listen

“I do have a soft spot for ’90s dance music. Probably something by the Outhere Brothers or Spice Girls would be considered a guilty pleasure?!”

Listen

"If this song doesn’t make you bang your head and drink then nothing will! Vinnie’s playing is so heavy and groovy as it was with all Pantera songs.”

Listen

“This was a track that had been kicking around for a while but with Frank leaving, we never took it further until Wade came on board. It’s probably my favourite track on the EP. I just made sure I kept my playing heavy and really locked in with the bass guitar on this as there’s a specific rhythm pattern we both play.”

Listen

“It’s just heavy as f**k and really fun to play. When Steph [Carter, guitarist] and I first started jamming ‘The Riverbed’, it felt really different as we’d never tried to write anything as straight and heavy as this song before.

"When it came to recording ‘The Riverbed’, I knew I had to be spot on as we were recording the drums straight to tape, but I actually did this song first take. Getting the double kick part tight at the end was nerve wracking but luckily I nailed it!”

Listen

Subscribe to Rhythm Magazineto read interviews with the world’s top drummers each month.

Pop the latest issue Rhythm into your trolley at your local Tesco not only will you get the UK's best-selling drum magazine, you'll also walk away with a free pair of Vater drum sticks!

Look out for the bagged issues in Tesco for the absolutely free Vater Los Angeles 5A sticks.

Of course you'll also get our huge Vinnie Colaiuta cover feature plus interviews with David Garibaldi, Kenny Jones, Mauro Refosco, James Hester's guide to remote session drumming, our tribute to the late, great Levon Helm and more.

For more details about the issue head here.

Los Cabos has added two new models to its drum stick line.

Red Hickory 5A and 5B sticks are now available from the company.

"We decided to expand our range of nylon tip models after receiving numerous requests from both artists and customers," said Matt Carter, director of artist relations and marketing for Los Cabos Drumsticks. "As the popularity of our red hickory line continues to grow, these two new models will help us make the line even more appealing to a broader range of players."

For more visit www.loscabosdrumsticks.com.

Vater has announced a wealth of new sticks, mallets and assorted other treats to meet your woodshedding needs.

Perhaps the most eye-catching addition to the Vater line-up is the StickMate. Available in tambourine and shaker models, the handy device attaches to your stick, brush of mallet to add extra sound effects to your percussive armoury. Their lightweight polymer design and low profile means they won’t get in the way if you want to cut out the bells and whistles and lay down a straight beat.

Taking a turn for the more conventional, Vater has several new sticks (or tweaks on previous models) on offer. The Fusion Acorn (pictured), BeBop series, and Sugar Maple Phat Ride are among the additions.

Vater’s Splashsticks have also been given a tweak, with all models now featuring angled edges on the dowel ends, allowing better feel and rebound.

Finally, there’s a ton of additions to Vater’s mallet range. The Sizzle Fusion (pictured), Sizzle Fusion Acorn, Rubber Xylo and Bell ranges receiving fresh blood.

Maxonix has announced the UK availability of the Zero-G Anti-Gravity Drumstick Holder, which allows drummers to position their spare sticks anywhere on the kit.

The GelGrip-RotoTip mount fits on stands, drums, racks and legs while the FlexiGrip Clips can hold different stick sizes simultaneously, eliminating rattle or buzz. The 360-degree hold and 4-axis adjustment adds even more stick position options.

According to Maxonix the result is a "faster, more comfortable and more natural stick retrieval." It's available now in the UK from Beat This Drum - check out the shop's demo video above to see Zero-G in action.

Band: Godsticks

Drummer: Steve Roberts

Who are they? Progressive alternative rockers with hugely impressive chops

Sounds like: Jazz, funk and rock fused into a strangely compelling progressive mix

Why should you check them out? Any band that implies their drumming has a heavenly aspect in their name either has massive balls or is a great band.

We're not certain about the size of their collective family jewels, but we can confirm that Godsticks are pretty darn impressive. Tracks like 'The Offer Still Stands' is almost reminiscent of some of Mike Patton's more laid-back post-Faith No More output, while 'Norman' splices rock, jazz and funk to somehow come up with a radio-friendly tune that could be a hit, if it were not over six minuets long.

It's a testament to drummer Steve Roberts and co that they can touch so many bases throughout the course of a few minutes and come up with songs that don't make you want to vomit blood. Now there's a compliment.

Musically these guys are top notch as well, chops coming out of their ears. Looking forward to hearing much moiré of them in 2011.

Go to: www.myspace.com/godsticksmusic

Download: 'Norman'

Godsticks are a three-piece prog band making waves with their debut album, Spiral Vendetta. Read on to find out how you can win a copy along with the classic Boss DS-1 distortion and TU-3 tuner guitar FX pedals.

Since releasing their debut EP in 2009, Godsticks have been showered with plaudits from the progressive rock community, not least being voted in the top 5 in the Best New Bands category in the inaugural Classic Rog Presents Prog poll.

Check out Spiral Vendetta's opening track The Offer Still Stands here:

To win a CD copy of Spiral Vendetta, along with two Boss pedals, visit Planet Rock online and submit your details before the deadline at midnight on Sunday 29 August.

For more on Godsticks, check out the official Godsticks website.

Aside from your kit and cymbals, your sticks are an obvious, but essential component to your playing. Courtesy of Rhythm Magazine, here are a few pointers about getting the most from your sticks: from picking the rights ones to using them effectively…

10 quick drum stick tips

1. Same tree, different part

Although white wood sticks are popular, brown timber is usually just as good. It just comes from a different part of the tree trunk.

2. Don't be snobbish

Look for cut-price 'seconds' by the major manufacturers. These are often good sticks, which don't quite make the highest criteria.

3. Don't just look for brands

Also check out British-made sticks by Shaw and other companies, which are sometimes unbranded.

4. Are you heavy handed?

If you break a lot of sticks try a heavier model or a type with a thicker neck and shoulder.

5. Alter your angles

You might want to alter the angle of your crash cymbals as well so they don't continually cut into your sticks.

Next: sizes, synthetic vs wood, sweaty hands and sandpaper

6. Lengths, shapes and weights

Designations like 2B are not standardised. Manufacturers use the same designations but make different lengths, shapes and weights.

7. Different manufacturer, different designation

Even worse, you will sometimes find the same size stick by different manufacturers bearing different designations, like 6A and 7A.

8. Synthetic vs wood

Synthetic sticks generally last three to eight times longer than wood. But they're usually three times as expensive.

9. Beat slippery hands

To combat sweaty hands you could try antiperspirant lotion, wrapping your sticks with stick wrap or buying special light, thin gloves.

10. Try sandpaper

Some drummers sand their sticks in the grip area for greater friction. Or look our for sticks which have no shiny lacquer.

For the best monthly drumming tips, video lessons and reviews, check out Rhythm Magazine.

Love Rush's Neil Peart? Love hockey? Then you're bound to be in hog heaven, as the Canadian sticksman and hockey enthusiast has rewritten The Hockey Theme.

The tune, which has been used to open Hockey Night In Canada telecasts, got a rock makeover by Peart, and you know what that means: lots and lots of drums, more than most humans can handle.

Peart collaborated with producer Nick Raskulinecz (who produced Rush's last album, Snakes & Arrows) for the new-and-improved version of The Hockey Theme, which had its broadcast premiere last week during a Toronto-Philadelphia game. (You can check out a YouTube clip below.)

And if you're not a hockey fan but you're just mad about all things Neil Peart and Rush, you're still in luck: the song will be available for download on iTunes tomorrow, 19 January.

"Growing up in Southern Ontario in the '50s and '60s as 'a kid who couldn't skate right' was a serious handicap," said Peart. "Hockey totally dominated our lives for half the year - Sunday nights with my dad at the St. Catharine's Arena cheering on the Junior A Blackhawks, anxiously watching NHL games on television, arguing in the schoolyard over favorite teams and players, trading hockey cards, putting them on our bicycle spokes, and playing on backyard rinks and frozen ponds, on the street, and on those old tabletop games. Hockey ruled.

"So, all these years later, being invited to create a new version of 'Canada's second national anthem' for TSN's NHL broadcasts was a huge honor to me, and an exciting musical challenge. The day of recording and filming it - in the presence of the Stanley Cup - was truly one of the great experiences of my life."

(Thanks Blabbermouth)

This weekend saw the live debut of Thom Yorke's new side-project - an as-yet-unnamed band featuring long-time Radiohead/Yorke producer Nigel Godrich, former REM/Beck sticksman Joey Waronker, multi-instrumentalist Mauro Refosco and, bizarrely, RHCP's Flea.

In addition to the two shows originally planned at Echoplex, Los Angeles on the 4th - 5th October, Yorke and co also played two warm-up shows on the 2nd and 3rd.

Speculation last week (sparked by Yorke's announcement of the shows on Dead Air Space) centred on whether the group would play original tunes or serve as a Thom Yorke backing band. We now know that the supergroup turned out to be more of the latter, playing through what seems an entirely Yorke-penned set.

The shows are the first major live outings for the Radiohead frontman for some time, who has never toured his solo material and only played a handful of small gigs to support his 2006 debut The Eraser.

The Eraser was played in full during the shows, followed by a solo Yorke encore featuring four completely new songs (it's not clear whether the songs are Yorke or Radiohead numbers). The band then returned to play more new tracks, among them recent Yorke double A-side 12-inch The Hollow Earth/These Are My Twisted Words.

So, did it all come off? Well, despite Yorke's disclaimer that the shows would be "total chaos and […] kind of a rehearsal", the band were very together indeed - plus it's certainly very cool to see Thom playing sans Radiohead but still in a full band scenario.

Check out YouTube footage of the show below, and head over to At Ease Web for a full write-up, setlist and even more YouTube.

Analyse

The Hollow Earth

PRESS RELEASE: Vic Firth has been concerned about the environment before it was fashionable to do so.

Vic'sfirst environmentally driven packagingchange was back in February1992 when Vic was the first company to package paired sticks in the paper matchbox sleeves now used throughout the industry today, eliminating millions of plastic bags from landfill every year.

All sticks prior to this change were shipped in plastic bags. Additionally, the sleeves used today are printed using wind power at an FSC certified supplier (Forest Stewardship Council). The ink is vegetable based and the sleeves are 100% recyclable.

There are several production processes in the company's Newport, Maine facility that have been altered to maximize the use of materials and reduce, if not eliminate, as much waste as possible. These processes include the following.

Water is used to cool the wood during the center-less grinding operation where the wood dowel is converted to a specific stick shape. All of the water and saw dust used in the grinding process is recycled through a de-watering filter press. The water is removed and re-used and the pressed sawdust is used at our plant as fuel.

Burning wood and not oil or gas is carbon neutral. The trees suck the carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and make wood. Vic Firth burns the wood and put carbon dioxide back into the air. As long as you don't deplete the forest it is a closed loop, unlike oil or gas where you are pulling carbon out of the ground and putting it into the air in a one-way trip.

The grinding operation uses 10,000 gallons of water per hour and we re-use it and filter out the suspended solids 10 times per day (roughly every other hour).

They run 20 hours per day, so the process uses 200,000 gallons of water per day. If they were not filtering and re-using the water, but just using city water and sending the used water to the drain, they would be consuming 200,000 gallons per day.

Vic Firth's accumulation tank holds 8,000 gallons. At the end of the day, they have filtered all they can filter (there are some super fine particles that our filter press will not remove) they then dump the 8,000 gallon tank to the sanitary sewer for processing by the city.

Net saving per day is 200,000 minus the 8,000 gallons they actually dump = 192,000 gallons per day.

All scrap parts and dry sawdust from the turning operation is collected and sent to the wood fired boiler for use as fuel.The boiler is used to generate steam that heats the building in winter and drives the company's kiln drying operation which controlsthe moisture content in all Vic Firth drum sticks.

By owning their won tractor and trailer, Vic Firth are able tomaximize all trailer loads oftheir finished product deliveries to their distributionfacility in Boston as well as schedulingwood pick-up to maximize the load delivered to Newport, Maine.

The company purchases their wood from Forestry Stewardship Council registered suppliers whenever possible and are encouraging their entire vendor base to participate in the programme. They also use FSC certified printer for their catalogue and have created the catalogue using 10% post consumer waste recycled paper. The catalogue is available on the Vic Firth web site as well for paper-less viewing.

Utilizing a grant from the State of Maine, they rewired their motor controls in the kilns and installed energy efficient motors and vents. This has saved the company considerable electrical consumption over the past 3 years.

Additionally, they have not had to fire up their back-up oil fired boiler due to the improved efficiency of the main wood system.

Vic Firth installed a state of the art dust collection system last year to improve the capture of fugitive sawdust.This has eliminated any sawdust getting into the atmosphere and increased their supply of fuel.A second collector was installed this year which allowed them to remove a 30 horsepower blower from the system saving them much electrical energy and improving their collection.

The company purchased over 2,000 plastic totes to store their drumsticks in during processing. Prior to the purchase, they stored them in cardboard boxes which needed to be replaced regularly. They estimate that they avoided buying over 16,000 boxes in the last 2 years alone with that change.

We have installed solid state energy efficient lighting in our inspection areas. This has improved our lighting in these critical areas and saved us energy consumption.

Working with our coating and paint partners, we are aggressively researching ultra violet curing systems, high solids content and water based materials to reduce or eliminate the use of solvent based coatings. A specific example is our new VICGRIP stick coating which is a water-base urethane.

In 2008, Vic Firth Inc. received the Maine Wood Product Association's Pine Tree Award based on the company's continued growth and diversification. It signifies their commitment to expanding the labour force, exploring innovative improvements in manufacturing and being environmentally responsible.

Their success has helped to provide economic stability in the Central Maine area where plant closings are more common than expansion.

At this time, Vic is personally engaged in conversations with town and state officials in Maine regarding a windmill project. The company is exploring new materials and greater efficiencies. The production team continues to monitor all material and waste flows to maximize our resource use and reduce all waste as much as possible.

For more information, visit Vic Firth's official site

Information taken from official press release

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Muse are offering fans a chance to hear a new song called United States Of Eurasia by way of a global treasure hunt involving four hidden USB sticks.

The sticks, each containing a code that must be entered on the microsite Unitedeurasia.muse.mu, allows users to access a puzzle which, when solved, can unlock part of the song.

The USB sticks have been stashed in Berlin, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Moscow, Paris and Dubai. It is said that special 'agents' are standing guard in each locale.

Puzzled? That might be the general idea

If it all sounds a little confusing and convoluted, that's probably the point, as Muse have been notoriously guarded about information regarding their much-anticipated album The Resistance.

What is known at this point is that the band spent over a year on the project, and it includes a three-part 'symphony' called Exogenesis.

At this point, Stages 1 and 2 are complete: Willy Tarno nabbed the first USB key in Paris and 50 people solved one puzzle. Bjorn Larski located the next key in Berlin and Matthew G figured out the second puzzle.

Which means that two clips of The United States Of Eurasia are now available for streaming here.

Clues as to the whereabouts and pickup times for the remaining USBs are on the microsite, so c'mon, folks, get on the, er, stick(s). Let's hear this bad boy already!

PRESS RELEASE: A serious music student needs more than a good teacher; the proper instrument and tools are also necessary. For the drums and percussion student in your family, Los Cabos Drumsticks introduces the new percussion pack.

Consisting of one pair of General Tympani mallets, one pair of bell mallets, and one pair of Concert drumsticks, this pack is perfect for both the aspiring drummer and percussionist in the school band program, as well as the professional.

The Tympani mallets consist of a Canadian Maple handle and a medium - hard felt beater. At 15.75" in length, they offer good balance and sizing for all ages including adults.

The Bell mallets feature a 16" handle with a 1" Phenolic (hard plastic/resin) ball to bring out the bright tones.

The Concert series drumsticks are made from quality Canadian Maple and are 16 3/8 inches in length.

The whole package comes in a stylish black, zippered stick bag with the Los Cabos logo proudly displayed on the outside. This bag offers plenty of room for any additional sticks the student (or professional) may choose to add. The percussion package is very reasonably priced at only $52.00.

With all this, the only thing the serious student needs is more practice!

For more information, visit the Los Cabos Drumsticks' official site

Information taken from official press release

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Drum stick giants Vic Firth have taken the humble hickory hitter to a whole new level: by adding a mini USB port and a powerful LED light in each tip.

They're called Lite Stix, and while they resemble Vic Firth's American Classic Rock models in appearance, the tips emit seven colours (green, blue, red, violet, aqua, yellow and ice blue) with a three-speed strobe effect.

The mini USB port sits right at the base of the stick for charging purposes, and Vic Firth promise a minimum of four hours use when fully charged.

Lite Stix were on display at this year's winter NAMM, and as the video below proves, they really do light up the stage. Although, you'd have to be truly dedicated to showmanship to part with the £209.99 RRP…

Silver Bullet

While we're on the subject, Vic Firth have announced a mini overhaul to its existing lines. In a nutshell: new Anti-Slip Vic Grip coating is available on 5A, 5B, 7A, 2B and Rock sticks with wood tips (RRP £13.80) and nylon tips (RRP £14.20). American Classic 5A and 5B sticks now come in a black finish (RRP £10.69). And, there's even an all-new tip option: the aluminium Silver Bullet - available in 5A and 5B configurations (RRP £14.49).

See Vic Firth's official site for more information.

Back in their day - the early '70s, to be exact - The Faces were a sticky, sweaty blues-rock band. 'Funky' they were not. But that's likely to change, with Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist Flea now set to record and tour with the reunited group.

When it was announced last November that Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood were reforming the much-loved outfit - count Oasis and The Black Crowes as huge fans - speculation ran wild as to who would step in to fill the slot left by original Faces bassist Ronnie Lane, who died in 1997.

Ronnie Wood confirms rumours

Rumours began to surface late last year that Flea had rehearsed with the band, and yesterday Ronnie Wood confirmed that the LA-based funkmeister was a lock.

Wood broke the news yesterday (20 January) at the South Bank Awards, held at London's Dorchester Hotel.

In addition, he spoke enthusiastically about a Christmas trip he and Stewart took to Costa Rica, Bermuda and Miami. Besides partying, the duo wrote an album's worth of material.

"I had a great time," said Wood. "It wasn't so much a holiday but a mini-world tour."

But is he ready to jump on stage naked with only a sock covering his privates? That's the big question.

Liked this? Now read: 10 best bass guitars under £300 and The top 10 stompboxes we can't live without

'Slash' doesn't yet own a finished copy of Chinese Democracy, but he's heard "bits and bobs here and there" - and he's unimpressed.

"I just don't think the quality is there," he says. "The songs aren't up to the usual Guns N' Roses standards."

It should be stressed that this 'Slash' isn't Saul Hudson, the top hat-wearing guitarist who made history with Axl Rose in the original Guns N' Roses. This is Alan Gordon, who portrays Slash in the tribute band UK Guns N' Roses.

"We're the biggest Guns N' Roses tribute band in Britain, and probably all of Europe," says Gordon, who also manages the group.

Don't change what ain't broke

The UK Guns N' Roses "stick to the good stuff," says Gordon. The six-member band (which also includes an Axl, Izzy, Duff, Matt and Dizzy) play the Guns catalog from Appetite For Destruction through the Use Your Illusion albums. "Those are the records that have the songs our fans want to hear," says Gordon. "Also, we're talking about a period of time when you had the ultimate GN'R lineup."

As such, Gordon doesn't expect to be adding songs from Chinese Democracy into the UK Guns N' Roses set. "They just wouldn't fit," he says. "Axl's gone off in this other direction that wouldn't work with a true Guns N' Roses show. Plus, our fans haven't expressed any interest in the new stuff. They like the hits, and we deliver 'em better than anybody."

No Buckethead, Bumblefoot

But what happens should Gordon buy a copy of Chinese Democracy and decide he likes it? Would the guitarist reverse his decision and add new songs to the set? "Based on what I've heard, that's not likely to happen," he says.

"Still, I'm driven by our fans. If they come to me and say, 'We want this new song, we want that new song,' then we'd have to give it some thought.

"I can't see that happening either. Our fans love the classic songs and the classic lineup. Adding industrial songs and putting on a bucket to become Buckethead, or having somebody be a Bumblefoot, that would be awfully strange."

The UK Guns N' Roses are eager to tour the US next year. Interested promoters should contact the band at http://www.ukgunsnroses.com/.

Read MusicRadar's review of Chinese Democracy.

The Slapstik drumstick might sound funny, but its manufacturers are hailing it as a "revolution in drumming" not seen since the invention of the double-bass drum pedal. Its defining characteristic is its flexible tip, which enables drummers to play at speeds not possible from your average stick.

It's certainly a novel idea, but like the aforementioned double-kick, these built-for-speed tools will surely raise the eyebrows of many a drum-traditionalist. We asked Rhythm magazine's master features editor, Chris Barnes, for his thoughts on the subject: "The Slapstik is a very innovative and unique product and, to my knowledge, there has never been anything like this before".

"Demonstrations I've seen suggest it makes playing easier, in the same way a double bass pedal can offer a drummer more playing options without needing a great technique. The purist in me considers these sticks in the same vein as the double pedal and believes that you cannot compete with a pair of regular sticks and a finely honed technique".

Slapstiks are sold separately for $9.95 each and if you buy four you get one free. You can also watch a video of the sticks in action on the company's website to help you make your mind up. MusicRadar is sitting on the fence with a Slapstik in one hand and a mallet in the other.

All too often we focus on endless stacks of shells and hardware and we forget that the very things we hold in our hands, drumsticks, are vitally important to the art of making music. The folks at Grover Pro Percussion, Inc., parent company of SilverFox, haven't forgotten, and they've come out with two new stick models to prove it.

The Boston Basher

This one's made for hard rock and heavy metal players. The olive-shaped wood tip and short tapered shoulder achieve maximum projection from snare drums of any construction and bring out a full-bodied tone from toms. At 16" long with a diameter of .620", this durable hickory stick is designed to achieve heavy volume on the club scene or in arena venues without feeling heavy in your hands.

The Sweet Pea
At 15-3/4" long with a diameter of .565", this dynamic hickory stick features a small ball tip for fast response on cymbals while producing a warm sound on snare. Created in response to jazz artists's requests for a stick with the feel of a 5A, yet capable of consistent cymbal articulation and projection, the Sweet Pea could become the weapon of choice for combo jazz in every setting.

Both sticks feature the flashy new SilverFox silver logo, an updated and enlarged presentation that makes SilverFox drumsticks easier to recognize. (Works for us - we like anything shiny.) The Boston Basher and Sweet Pea are available now. More more information, such as pricing, visit the official SilverFox website.

KISS star Gene Simmons insists the legendary rockers will never make another record because music is a dying industry.

The band will embark on an extensive European tour later this year -- but the New York-bred Detroit Rock City hitmakers have not released an album since Psycho Circus in 1998.

And Simmons is convinced they won't be clomping back to the recording studio as there is simply no money to make in selling discs.

"There's no new KISS material because there's no record industry," says Simmons. "Any band who tries to do new material is trying to climb a slippery mountain. Every day record companies are folding. It'd be nice to have new KISS songs, but what's the business model? Do you just put songs on the Internet for free? Then what?''

Apparently, Simmons hasn't heard Radiohead's latest album -- released on the Internet, for free or whatever price one wanted to pay.

Zildjian's Artist Series collection feature drumsticks designed by some of today's top drummers including Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters) and Tre Cool (Green Day). Antonio Sanchez - long-time drummer with the Pat Metheny Group and some-time drummer with Chick Corea, Joshua Redman and Michael Brecker - can now be added to that list with his Diablo signature sticks.

This is a full sized U.S. Select Hickory drumstick, 16 1/2" long with a 0.550" diameter and combines a standard shaft with extra length, a heavier front-end and a barrel tip. It's finished with Antonio's Diablo signature in metallic red.

No Doubt

Another change to the Artist Series line-up comes from No Doubt sticksman Adrian Young, who has redesigned his existing sticks.

The improved black and white model (colours synonymous with the group), features Adrian's name in signature 'No Doubt' text in a silver checkerboard graphic, and a black nylon tip. This stick is 16 1/2" in length and 0.585" in diameter.

For more information, visit Zildjian drums.

Talking Sticks Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 offer a giant collection of drum duos ideal for recital pieces, each lasting approximately 2 minutes. Both books feature 101 duos and include a play-along MP3-CD covering more than seven hours of music with two different tempi for each duo.

Volume 1 is for beginning to intermediate players while volume 2 is more advanced including eight double bass duos. Each have comparable levels of difficulty so that drumsets 1 and 2 can easily be interchanged.

The Talking Sticks volumes cost £19.95 each and are available through Hudson Music.