A Week (and several bank holidays) In Drums

© Ray McMahon/Corbis

We understand that if you've spent the last couple of weeks sunning yourself enjoying the run of bank holiday weekends you've probably missed the latest goings on in the drum world. Luckily, we're on hand to fill you in on what you've missed.

Tommy Lee returns to Pearl

Here's one that caught our eye during the Easter break - Tommy Lee has left DW to return to Pearl. The Mötley Crüe man will be using Pearl when the haggered hair metallers hit the US this summer. A few days later, details of Tommy's kit began to emerge, with a Mötley statement describing it as a "360 drum rollercoaster," suggesting that Tommy's dream set-up has finally come to fruition.

Mike Mangini joins Dream Theater

Ok, you'll have had to have been sunning yourself under a rock (and we're not sure that's possible) to have missed this one, but Mike Mangini has joined Dream Theater after a grueling audition process. Handily, the band documented the whole thing, uploading three enlightening videos which showed the seven A-list sticksmen that went for the gig. Congrats Mr Mangini.

Black Label Society recruits new sticksman

Mike Froedge is the latest drummer to take up the Black Label Society drum throne. The Doubledrive man steps in after Will Hunt returned to Evanescence last year. As yet there's no official word on whether the switch is full time.

BMTH drummer breaks arm

And finally, Bring Me The Horizon's Matt Nicholls will sit out the band's tour this month after breaking his arm playing football.

Matt told Metal Hammer: "It were a lovely day so members of BMTH, Parkway Drive and Architects decided to play footy and I made the stupid mistake of going in the net. The ball came to me and I knocked it away with my hands and Winston from Parkway Drive clipped my hand with his foot and there you have it, one broken hand."