10 drummers you need to know about this month

Josh Macintyre

We’ve written often about the young Marmozets drummer in Rhythm, indeed we made him one of our drummer’s to watch back at the beginning of 2014, and he hasn't disappointed.

Marmozets debut The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets is a fantastic album, full of tricky time signatures, huge beats and brilliant grooves, and live he’s proving himself one of the best new rock drummers out there. In his first full interview in Rhythm this month, he tells us: “There’s only so many time signatures you can do. I think once you know your ‘1’s and ‘&’s you’re prety set.” Which, of course, is making it sound easy, just as he makes it look easy on tracks like ‘Why Do You Hate Me’.

Bill Stewart

One of the most highly-regarded contemporary American jazz drummers, this month in Rhythm Bill Stewart shares the secrets of his crisp sound and extraordinary technical range.

His boundless creativity shines through as sideman and in his own trio, and he tells Rhythm: “I am a sort of rhythm section for myself. I’ll play the ride in a traditional jazz way, then my left hand is more the improviser.” Read more about Bill’s approach to drums in the May issue of Rhythm.

John Tempesta

Tempesta, best known for playing with the Cult but also previously drummer for the mighty White Zombie, has a new band with Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian: Motor Sister.

The band came about after Scott, his wife Pearl, Tempesta and Jim Wilson played songs from the latter’s Mother Superior band at Scott’s 50th birthday. “It went so well,” John explains in Rhythm this month, “we were like, this is so cool, we had so much fun, we should do a record!” The result is Motor Sister’s album. Here they are, live in Brooklyn...

Shannon Forrest

Keith Carlock may have been called upon to play on Toto’s most recent album, replacing the mighty Simon Phillips. But it’s Nashville ace Shannon whose job it is to bring ‘Rosanna’ and more to live audiences as Toto’s touring drummer.

“When I was a kid, those half-time shuffles were my facourite thing to play, and I’ve probably played them about five times in 25 years,” he reveals of his more usual Country jobs. “Songs have to be written around that groove. The beauty of playing with Toto is that I’m finally getting to play it!”Read more from Shannon in this month’s Rhythm!

Here's Shannon Forrest live at the Modern Drummer festival back in 2010.

Eddy Thrower

Brit rockers Lower Than Atlantis have been on a steep upward trajectory of late, with the success of their most recent, self-titled album, providing drummer EddyThrower with a few extra-curricular opportunities.

“I did a couple of sessions for 5 Seconds Of Summer and I did some for One Directon as well,” he reveals in this month’s Rhythm. That was really good to see how different producers work. It's on a whole new level that I haven’t experienced before, you've got to be on the ball and if you’re not they’ll get someone else in.” It's all key drumming skills that are helping the young drummer evolve as LTA tear up the UK on their current headlining tour. Read more from Eddy in this month’s Rhythm.

Deen Castronovo

You won't find a more schooled rock drummer than Deen, who’s played with everyone from members of Sabbath to Journey, Marty Friedman, Paul Rodgers and more.

In this month’s Rhythm Deen talks about the recording of the classic Steve Vai track ‘Kill The Guy With The Ball’. “We got it in one after seven hours, it took that long,” he reveals, “When I got the finished copy I was mind-boggled. It was like, ‘Man, I did that?’ Once it was done, I saw what he was looking for and the colours he was looking for and it all fit. It was right.” Read more from Deen in May’s Rhythm!

Here is Deen with Revolution Saints, his rock supergroup with Jack Blades and Doug Aldrich.

Bruno Agra

More than a few eyebrows were raised when Danny Worsnop, frontman of the massively popular metal outfit Asking Alexandria, jumped ship to front a classic rock band.

We Are Harlot feature the Keith Moon-loving Bruno Agra on drums: “He was that guy that only sees green lights on his way. Pedal to the metal. No fear,” he tells Rhythm this month. Read more of our interview with We Are Harlot in the Introducing pages of Rhythm’s May issue, and here's Agra laying it down with the band on ‘Dancing On Nails’.

Pitchu Ferraz

Classic thrash metal from Brazil, with the schooled Pitchu Ferraz ripping into the technically demanding arrangements of all-girl thrashers Nervosa.

The Sao Paolo trio are fast becoming a fixture on the South American metal, which, by the way, is huge. Expect to see them over in Europe soon, and you can see them in the Introducing pages of Rhythm’s May issue. Here they are, playing in a graveyard, natch.

Ali Richardson

One of modern metal’s coolest players is Scot Ali Richardson, who’s currently juggling two big gigs with Bleed From Within and Sylosis.

“In Sylosis it's probably the fastest songs [that are the most challenging], I need to take a deep breath before they start, like, ‘This is going to kill me!’ Especially the gig we played last week. The venue was hot so you couldn't breathe, I was sweating, there was sweat in my eyes, my sticks were sliding about. I took a deep breath and said, ‘Buck up, this is happening.’” Read more from Ali in this month’s Rhythm!Here he is with Bleed From Within…

Bobby Orr

The great Scottish jazz and session drummer has just turned 85, and in this month’s Rhythmwe celebrate his life and career in a Rhythm interview.

Starting out in pipe bands, he broke into the ’50s jazz scene in London, backing stars at Ronnie Scott’s first club before progressing to TV, movies, shows, playing with Benny Goodman and on pop sessions, including for songs by Donovan, Dusty Springfield and countless others. Aside from being an awesome drummer, he’s also pretty good with a pencil…

“We had a week’s rehearsal at a big pub in Acton. [Benny Goodman] would rehearse the horns, but he never bothered much with the rhythm section. I used to fool about with a pencil in my teeth, playing ‘The Flight Of The Bumblebee”. That got a laugh and eventually we went away on tour and in Stockholm, in the interval, Benny sent for me. He said, ‘That thing with your teeth, put it into the second half before ‘Sing Sing Sing’. So I did Mozart’s ‘Turkish March’ and brought the house down!” And here is Bobby, on HB pencil!