7 reasons why the British drum scene is great

Great drummers like Dan Flint…

On the cover of this month’s Rhythm you’ll see three of the best and brightest British drummers currently riding high in their styles of music.

Dan Flint, of pop-rock sensations You Me At Six have a hit new album, Cavalier Youth, that is replete with Flint’s tasty chops, power and precision driving the anthemic hits in style. He also has an admirable work ethic, and a thirst for learning.

“I’ve been playing a lot of Mike Johnston’s linear triplet fills. In practice I try to sneak them into the songs and it throws the guys off a little bit, but then when you come out and you’re still on the ‘1’, that’s when everyone goes, ‘Wow that was sick!’”

Great drummers like Dan Searle…

Dan Flint is joined on Rhythm’s cover by new Brit metal star Dan Searle of Architects.

He told May's Rhythm all about his quest for drumming perfection, and gave us his thoughts on triggering in metal: “I get it when drummers are trying to achieve a completely different sound that isn’t possible with an acoustic drum, but when you’re triggering a drum with big and fat sounds I’d say just get a better sound guy and hit your drums harder.”

Great drummers like Chris 'Woody' Wood…

The third Brit drummer on our cover is Chris ‘Woody’ Wood of pop band Bastille, currently garnering sales and critical acclaim for their album Bad Blood.

He reveals in this month’s Rhythm how he adapts the album’s largely programmed beats for Bastille’s live show:“It doesn’t matter if you’d need five arms to play it in real life. It’s finding the best way to replicate it live. I really enjoy that challenge.”

Fantastic up and coming drummers

This month, Rhythm rounded up 10 of the UK’s most promising new drummers. So take a bow Kaz Rodriguez, Alex Torjussen (Lucy Spraggan), Matt Brown (Dahkla) andMax Hallett of Hothead Show who reveals: “My main influence was Mitch Mitchell, a jazz drummer not playing jazz. When I was 17 I saw Seb Rochford play and it blew my mind open. Then I saw Chris ‘Daddy’ Dave, and I realised the rules had changed…”

Josh Macintyre (Marmozets) reveals, “My style is one I think comes from a cross of hard-hitting and energy but also I’m a lot about feel and focus.”

Lew Whittington, drummer with Rizzle Kicks, wisely observes: “I’m a big fan of simplicity. I like to make sure that every beat I hit is there for a reason. It’s not about what you play, it’s about what you don’t play.”

Completing our round-up of 10 great new Brit drummers are Dan Kavanagh (Jamie Lenman/Godsized), Young Drummer of the Year 2014 Morgan Simpson and Tommy Evans of Submotion Orchestra.

Classic drummers

A couple of months ago on this very site we asked you over a series of polls to vote for your favourite ever Brit drummer.

Thousands of votes were cast, and while there was really only going to be one winner (John Bonham), the voting showed considerable taste in also voting Keith Moon, Phil Collins, Mark Brzezicki, Ian Paice, Simon Phillips, Ginger Baker, Dom Howard and Ringo into the top 10. But the most love was shown for one of the British drum scene’s finest ambassadors, Mr Steve White, who almost beat Bonham to the Number One slot!

See the top 25 here, and the top 10 here!

Fantastic drum craftsmen

The UK drum industry is currently producing some of the finest, craftsmen made instruments in the world.

In May’s Rhythm we rounded up the top names to watch, with mouth-watering pictures of some of their beautiful creations. Take a bow Premier, Jobeky, Highwood Drums and Percussion, AD Drums, Carrera Drums, Guru Drums, Bill Sanders, Animal Custom Drums, Protection Racket, Jalapeno, Bullet & Kitch, Matt Nolan, Hardcase, Provenance, Supernova, Custom Skins, Baskey, Flint Percussion, Echo Custom Drums, Tiki Drums, Tuner Fish, Morgan Davies, Gatton, Lion Cajons and Chequerplate. Read more about these incredible drum makers in this month’s Rhythm!

The best drum stores

The British retail industry is still going strong, and the UK boasts plenty of specialist bricks-and-mortar drum stores and departments. They need your support, so get out there and peruse their wares!

In this month’s Rhythm we even helpfully provide a map, so you can find the nearest store, from the likes of the 11-store chain PMT to Essex’s Sound Attak, DD Drums in Falkirk, Reading’s Drumwright or London's Wembley Drum Centre.

Rhythm May 2014

Read the full interviews with our three cover stars and check out more of our Best Of British round-up in this month’s Rhythm, available from good newsagents, online from myfavouritemagazines.com, on iPad from Apple Newsstand,on Google Play and on Zinio.