Drummers on Drumming

• Big Fat Five: Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin & Wood) Shares His Most Influential Records

  This week’s guest is Billy Martin ... a world-renowned drummer, educator, visual artist, producer, and author. He has collaborated with some of the best, including (but certainly not limited to) John Scofield, John Zorn, Iggy Pop, Natalie Merchant, Flea and many more. Still, many people know him best for his work with Medeski, Martin & Wood, alongside John Medeski and Chris Wood. If you enjoy this episode, please go check out Billy’s interview with Mike Dawson on the Drum Candy podcast titled “Improvising and Cultivating a Creative Mindset”. I recently re-watched his anti-instructional film, Life on Drums, and I can’t recommend it enough. It's essentially a series of conversations between Martin and his first drum teacher, Allen Herman. These discussions delve into topics such as soloing, time, tone, phrasing, free playing, and so much more. Interspersed throughout are some pretty rad solo and duet performances…all filmed with a cinematic aesthetic. So check that out if that interests you.  Right off the bat, we dive into the topic of soloing — something Billy encourages all drummers to do first thing when they sit behind the kit (even if just for five minutes), before jumping into the records that shaped him into the remarkable musician he is today. BILLY'S CHOICES: Artist - Peter ToshAlbum - Legalize ItRelease Year - 1976Key Track - "Legalize it"Drummer - Carlton "Santa" Davis, Carlton Barrett - Artist - Stevie WonderAlbum - Talking BookRelease Year - 1972Key Track - "Superstition"Drummer - Stevie Wonder - Artist - Dr. JohnAlbum - Gris GrisRelease Year - 1968Key Track - "Mama Roux"Drummer - John Boudreaux - Artist - John ColtraneAlbum - Interstellar SpaceRelease Year - 1974Key Track - "Jupiter Variation"Drummer - Rashied Ali - Artist - Charles MingusAlbum - Mingus Ah UmRelease Year - 1959Key Track - "Better Git It In Your Soul"Drummer - Dannie Richmond - Artist - Lil' KimAlbum - Hard CoreRelease Year - 1996Key Track - "Queen Bitch" Artist - Wu-Tang ClanAlbum - Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)Release Year - 1993Key Track - "Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber - Part II - Conclusion"Drummer - RZA (producer / beat maker) --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 ⁠Click here to order now!⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠ and follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, Twitter, and TikTok.

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• The Drum Panel: Pocket, Pep Talks & Paris Regrets

  Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. In this part two episode, I continue my deep-dive chat with co-host Eric Urrea (Marina City) — picking up right where last week’s marathon conversation left off. Today we discuss: The most useful failures musicians face (and how to reframe them) Why “pocket” means something different on every gig Learning to own your voice — whether as a hired gun or band member How to stay mentally and physically sane while on the road Why doing non-music things on tour actually fuels your art We open up about imposter syndrome, ADHD, burnout, and what it really takes to balance creativity with professionalism. --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 ⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

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• The Drum Panel: Master Rights, Mid-Gig Panic, and the Myth of “Making It”

  Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. In this episode of The Drum Panel, I’m joined by my co-host Eric Urrea (Marina City) for a laid-back but honest conversation about drumming, the music industry, self-worth, and everything in between. We had originally planned to bring on a guest, but when that fell through, we decided to just catch up and hit record—which, honestly, ended up being exactly what we needed. Today we discuss: A belief we both held about drumming early on that we’ve since let go of. Why learning kick drum patterns is my first step when tackling new material. The very real anxiety of walking into a new gig and playing in front of a band for the first time. Our approach to charting vs. memorizing—and why it changes depending on the situation. Whether drummers deserve songwriting credit and how we navigate that conversation. The difference between publishing and master rights, and what every drummer should understand about the business. Our evolving definitions of “making it” as working musicians. How our instruments can feel like both a source of pride and frustration—and how that ties into self-worth. The constant push-pull between confidence and impostor syndrome, and how we deal with it. If you’re navigating your own creative path, juggling multiple projects, or just trying to stay inspired through the ups and downs, I think this episode will hit home. --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 ⁠Click here to order now!⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠ and follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠.

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• The Drum Panel: Trash Can Lids, Technique Traps, and Amateur Traits

  Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. In this episode of The Drum Panel, host Ben Hilzinger is joined by Sterling Laws and Fred Eltringham for an insightful roundtable on all things DRUM. Meet the Panelists: Sterling Laws: Grammy-nominated drummer from the Pacific Northwest, now based in Los Angeles, known for collaborations with Olivia Rodrigo, Kim Gordon, and more. Fred Eltringham: Nashville-based drummer, a mainstay with Sheryl Crow since 2012, with credits including The Wallflowers, The Chicks, and kd lang. In today's episode, we discuss: Dream pieces of gear from music history. Albums they wish they could have witnessed being recorded. Balancing technique and groove, and the idea that overemphasis on technique might mask a lack of feel. Essential, budget-friendly gear they rely on. Personal experiences of re-evaluating their approach to the drum set. Common drumming advice they find questionable, such as rigid techniques or creative limitations imposed by producers. Trends in drumming they're eager to see fade. Identifying traits that distinguish amateur drummers in live settings, like cymbal choices and hi-hat control. --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 ⁠Click here to order now!⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠ and follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠.

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  39:16
• Big Fat Five: David Garibaldi (Tower of Power) Shares His Top 5 Influential Records

  Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming…a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. I’m back with another installed of Big Fat Five — a segment of the podcast where we dive into the five records that shaped the way great drummers approach their craft. My name is Ben Hilzinger and today’s guest is someone whose playing and educational work has impacted me personally in a big way. David Garibaldi is not only the legendary drummer of Tower of Power, but his book Future Sounds has been one of my go-to practice tools ever since my good friend Sarab Singh first turned me onto it. In this conversation, David shares the five records that shaped his unmistakable sound and approach to rhythm. I’m so honored to have him on — let’s get into it. I hope you enjoy my chat with David Garibaldi. Cheers! --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 ⁠⁠Click here to order now!⁠⁠ Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit. DAVID'S BIG FAT FIVE: Artist - Count Basie Album - Breakfast Dance and Barbeque Release Year - 1959 Drummer - Sonny Payne - Artist - Sly & The Family Stone Album - Whole New Thing Release Year - 1967 Key Track(s) "Underdog," "If This Room Could Talk" Drummer - Greg Errico - Artist - Aretha Franklin Album - Aretha Live @ The Fillmore West Release Year - 1971 Drummer - Bernard Purdie - Artist - The Meters Album - Look-Ka Py Py Release Year - 1969 Key Track(s) "Looka-Py-Py," "Rigor Mortis" Drummer - Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste - Artist - James Brown Single - "I Got The Feelin'" Release Year - 1968 Drummer - Clyde Stubblefield - HONORABLE MENTIONS: Artist - Maceo & All The King's Men Album - Doing Their Own Thing Release Year - 1970 Drummer - Melvin Parker Maceo Parker Album - Made By Maceo Release Year - 2003 Drummer - Jamal Thomas Artist - Ray Barretto Album - Que Viva La Musica Release Year - 1972 Key Track - Alafia Cumaye Timbales - Orestes Vilato  Artist - Herbie Hancock Album - Maiden Voyage Key Track - Maiden Voyage Release Year - 1965 Drummer - Tony Williams Artist - Miles Davis Album - Four and More Release Year - 1966 (Recorded in 1964) Drummer - Tony Williams Elvin Jones...all his recordings...(especially McCoy Tyner's album Inception) ...and MANY more... For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out ⁠⁠www.bigfatsnaredrum.com⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

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