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Drum Dog Podcast

Drum Dog

The Drum Dog Podcast goes deep on the instrument we love. In our interviews, we sit down with world-class drummers, from session players to festival headliners, for honest, unhurried conversations about their playing, their careers and the craft behind the kit. Guests include Bill Bruford, Gavin Harrison Antonio Sánchez, and Mel Gaynor.

On 'The Back Beat', our weekly format, Dan talks spotlights drummers worth your attention, goes through albums that are must-listens, worthwhile gear, and think-pieces to ruminate on.

Hit follow so you don't miss any drum chat.

Drum Dog is the UK membership platform for drummers, combining world-class lesson packs, live events, gear discounts, and an ad-free community. Join at drumdog.com

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Friday · 9 min
Ian Paice: Deep Purple’s Drumming Genius
Send us Fan Mail Video essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V93JXlGXLV4&t Often overshadowed by his louder peers, Deep Purple’s Ian Paice quietly shaped the sound of hard rock drumming. Combining swing-era finesse with unmatched speed and precision, Paice built grooves that were as musical as they were powerful. In this video essay, we explore how Paice’s technique, tone, and phrasing helped define a generation — and why his influence is still heard across modern rock. 🎥 This video was originally created in collaboration with Drum Dog, and I’m sharing it here to give it some extra exposure. 👉 To learn more about Drum Dog, check out our website: https://www.drum.dog/ #ianpaice #deeppurple #classicrock #rockdrumming #drummeranalysis #drumhistory #hardrock #speedking #burn #fireball #madeinjapan Support the channel: https://ko-fi.com/offbeat For any enquiries: offbeatmusicchannel@gmail.com Support the show
S1 · E9
Tuesday · 7 min
Steve Gadd, Miguel Lamas & Does Practice Pad Time Actually Work? | The Back Beat #9
Send us Fan Mail Steve Gadd gets the spotlight this week because, honestly, how could he not. Plus a fusion find on Vincen García's Ventura, the Meinl Marshmallow Pad in the studio, and a Gavin Harrison clip that might change how you practice. 00:00 - Cold open / what's on this week 00:30 - Heavy Rotation: Vincen García, Ventura 01:53 - Drummer Spotlight: Steve Gadd, the formality that isn't 04:24 - New Gear: Meinl Marshmallow Pad 05:15 - Think Piece: Does practice pad time actually transfer to the kit? 06:37 - Outro & fanmail Referenced in this episode: → Vincen García, Ventura (Aprieta): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOl6xHy0r7g&list=PLT4F4IG7YwYo2SC_yFFFcXDHSKssyazzP → Steve Gadd with Al Di Meola: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHrzhFoYXu0&list=PLOq5FKEh5CHViUxD1X-jsICQCcfhZTAvU → Meinl Marshmallow Pad: https://www.grahamrusselldrums.com/meinl-12-inch-marshmallow-practice-pad-in-sea-foam.html?srsltid=AfmBOoq1MCp5k_cYnfROtSyK7MlJ7LE8DN2uY_s2oI4k8aqF2PzkXWmn → Gavin Harrison interview, full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B794MBuE10&t Got a drummer you want spotlighted, gear you reckon I should check out, or an album that's been on your heavy rotation? Drop me a message: 📩 Spotify fanmail (built into the app) 📷 Instagram: @drumdoguk ✉️ dan@drum.dog New episodes every Tuesday. Hit follow so you don't miss out on any drum chat! #TheBackBeat #DrumDog #Drumming #Drummers #DrumPodcast #SteveGadd #MiguelLamas #Meinl #PracticePads #DrumCommunity 🥁 Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library. Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. 👉 https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show
August 21 · 8 min
How Keith Carlock Built a Sound No One Can Copy
Send us Fan Mail Video essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tot2osqBPFQ&t Keith Carlock might be the most quietly influential drummer working today: jazz educated, delta raised, and impossible to pin to a single genre. This video essay traces how he engineered that sound. We start in Clinton, Mississippi, where a childhood steeped in soul, R&B and funk (Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower of Power) gave Carlock the pocket as a first language, not a theory learned later. From there it's North Texas and the jazz studies programme under the legendary Ed Soph, the improvisational laboratory of the 55 Bar with the Wayne Krantz Trio, and the microscopic perfectionism of his long tenure with Steely Dan. Along the way we break down what he actually brings to the music: his read on Toto's "Hold the Line" live in 2014, channelling Jeff Porcaro while pushing the groove harder, the linear funk of Rudder's "3 AM Club", and the way he threads human swing through Steely Dan's unforgiving grid. It's a study in one idea: character and precision were never mutually exclusive. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 00:44 – Starting out 01:43 – North Texas & Ed Soph 03:20 – New York & Wayne Krantz 04:54 – Steely Dan 05:50 – Toto 06:40 – Rudder 07:07 – Steely Dan (Cont'd) 07:36 – Why Carlock matters Support the channel: https://ko-fi.com/offbeat For any enquiries: offbeatmusicchannel@gmail.com Support the show
August 18 · 48 min
Ralph Rolle (Nile Rodgers & CHIC) Interview: Auditioning for Nile Rodgers, D'Angelo & Biggie Stories, & The Rocketman Soundtrack
Send us Fan Mail We sat down with Ralph Rolle at the Drum Dog studio during his latest visit to the UK. Ralph talks growing up in the Bronx, the high-pressure audition that landed him the Nile Rodgers & CHIC gig, and the stories behind sessions with D'Angelo, Biggie Smalls, and the Rocketman soundtrack. If you've ever wondered what it takes to build a career playing with music legends, this one's for you. 00:00 Welcome Back & Talking Dogs 02:35 From The Bronx to Rural Somerset 04:44 Learning Drums in the Bronx River Houses 07:06 Saving Up for His First Drum Kit 08:33 Landing His First Professional Gig at 19 15:26 The Cookie Business: Soul Stacks 19:08 The Nile Rodgers Audition That Almost Wasn't 26:34 Playing on the Rocketman Soundtrack 29:20 Discovering D'Angelo Before Anyone Else 36:13 The Biggie Smalls Session & the Credits Mix-Up 40:44 Walking Away from the Apollo 43:12 Why He Chose Drum Dog #ralphrolle #chic #drumdog 🥁 Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library. Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. 👉 https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show
August 14 · 11 min
Elvin Jones: The Art of Playing Against Yourself
Send us Fan Mail Video essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUzdxo3c00g In 1966, Elvin Jones walked out of the John Coltrane Quartet, the band that made him famous, because Coltrane hired a second drummer. This is the story of the man who reconceived the drum kit as a source of multiple rhythms at once including a demonstration of his "Three Card Molly" solo build and a genuinely strange account of how he experienced sound as colour. Chapters: 00:00 The Man Who Quit Coltrane 01:04 From Pontiac to the Bluebird Inn 01:58 Six Years That Changed Jazz 03:46 The Elvin Sound 06:59 Colour, Sound and the Drum Kit 08:52 Legacy 👉 Join Drum Dog for lesson packs from world-class drummers, live events and the community: https://drum.dog #elvinjones #johncoltrane #drumdog George Street Shuffle by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-... Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Support the channel: https://ko-fi.com/offbeat For any enquiries: offbeatmusicchannel@gmail.com Support the show
S1 · E8
August 11 · 7 min
Dennis Chambers, Los Cabos & Is Your Drumstick Actually 5A? | The Back Beat #8
Send us Fan Mail Dennis Chambers holds down one of the tightest live records in the catalogue, Steely Dan's Alive in America. This week: his playing on that record, a look at Los Cabos sticks, and a question that's been bugging me, are your drumsticks actually the size the label says? 00:00 - Cold open / what's on this week 00:30 - Heavy Rotation: Steely Dan, Alive in America 02:44 - Drummer Spotlight: Dennis Chambers 04:22 - New Gear: Los Cabos 05:42 - Think Piece: Is your drumstick actually the size it says it is? 07:11 - Outro & fanmail Referenced in this episode: → Steely Dan, Alive in America: https://open.spotify.com/album/66rBZ848b4aO0hCJQF6GGc?si=GYVbDTQiTKO91DwOj5mx5g → Dennis Chambers video essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvbY2Y5LLeg Got a drummer you want spotlighted, gear you reckon I should check out, or an album that's been on your heavy rotation? Drop me a message: 📩 Spotify fanmail (built into the app) 📷 Instagram: @drumdoguk ✉️ dan@drum.dog New episodes every Tuesday. Hit follow so you don't miss out on any drum chat! #TheBackBeat #DrumDog #Drumming #Drummers #DrumPodcast #DennisChambers #SteelyDan #LosCabos #DrumSticks #DrumCommunity 🥁 Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library. Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. 👉 https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show
August 7 · 12 min
Why Does Everyone Get Dennis Chambers Wrong?
Send us Fan Mail Video essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvbY2Y5LLeg Dennis Chambers is filed, almost universally, under chops. The speed, the impossible fills, the gospel-schooled hands that half of YouTube has spent thirty years trying to copy. But look at who actually hires him, from George Clinton to John Scofield to Steely Dan to John McLaughlin, and a different picture appears. They aren't buying the fireworks. They're buying the thing underneath them. This is the story of a self-taught kid from Baltimore who was gigging in clubs at six, turned down James Brown at thirteen, joined Parliament-Funkadelic at eighteen, and came out of the most groove-first apprenticeship in American music with a philosophy he has been repeating in interviews ever since: there's a cake, and the solo is only the icing. 00:00 The Cake and the Icing 00:58 Beginnings 02:37 Funkadelic, Sugar Hill & John Scofield 04:17 Three Philosophical Pillars 06:53 Signature Sound 08:50 Catalogue 10:27 Legacy and Conclusion #dennischambers #parliamentfunkadelic #drumdog Support the channel: https://ko-fi.com/offbeat For any enquiries: offbeatmusicchannel@gmail.com Check out Drum Dog: www.drumdog.com Support the show
August 4 · 55 min
Spike T. Smith (The Damned) Interview: Joining The Damned, Touring With Morrissey, & 50 Years of Punk
Send us Fan Mail We chatted with Spike over a video call ahead of his masterclass at the 2026 UK Drum Show, marking 50 years since the birth of punk. Spike talks joining The Damned twenty years after watching Rat Scabies first inspired him to play drums, touring the world with Morrissey (including the very first Coachella), and his picks for the most underrated drummers in punk history. If you've ever wondered what actually drives real musical innovation, this one's for you. 00:00 Welcome & Catching Up 01:08 Two Thousand Trees & The Pistols at 50 03:15 Why 1976 Was the Birth of Punk 05:41 Falling for Punk at Twelve 11:55 Joining The Damned, Twenty Years Later 13:37 First World Tour: Coachella '99 With Morrissey 17:51 What It's Really Like Playing With Morrissey 19:51 Staying Physically Ready for High-Energy Punk Shows 26:28 Three Punk Drummers You Need to Know 32:07 Inside the UK Drum Show Masterclass 40:10 Where Punk's Heading in 2026 51:04 What Real Musical Innovation Looks Like 👉 Check out Drum Dog for more lessons from world-class drummers: https://drum.dog #spiketsmith #thedamned #drumdog 🥁 Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library. Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. 👉 https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show
August 1 · 12 min
Peter Erskine: The Art of Playing for the Music
Send us Fan Mail Video essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV1ZIAFhEvc For over fifty years, Peter Erskine has sounded like no one but himself, whether he's driving a big band, anchoring Weather Report, or whispering through a jazz trio. This is the story of how he did it: a career-long devotion to one deceptively simple idea, playing for the music. We trace his journey from a New Jersey kid with a compass made of his father's cymbal, through the fusion gods, to a philosophy built on the producer's ear, the open spaces, and the power of quiet. 0:00 The art of playing for the music 0:45 New Jersey to Indiana: a compass of sorts 1:58 Kenton and Ferguson: trial by fire 2:40 Weather Report, Jaco, and the live tapes 5:15 Playing for the microphones, not the room 7:25 The power in the quiet 9:45 Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, and the ECM trio 11:20 A musician's teacher 👉 Join Drum Dog for lesson packs from world-class drummers, live events and the community: https://drum.dog #petererskine #weatherreport #drumdog Support the channel: https://ko-fi.com/offbeat For any enquiries: offbeatmusicchannel@gmail.com Support the show
July 28 · 36 min
Fuyu Murata (EXILE, MISIA) Interview: One-Take Drumming, a Jazz Childhood, & Turning Down Berklee
Send us Fan Mail We sat down with Fuyu Murata, calling in from Tokyo, for a conversation that runs from a jazz-soaked New York childhood to one of the most distinctive drum channels on YouTube. He talks about growing up around Jimmy Smith, Ron Carter and Grady Tate, turning down a full Berklee scholarship to stay with his band, and the one-take videos where he plays songs he has never heard with no hints. We also get into his new Jam Joint live album with Tokyo's top young players, drumming gloves, rudiments, and why he treats himself like a half athlete. If you have ever wondered how a session drummer reads a song on the fly, this one is for you. 00:00 - Meet Fuyu, Calling In From Tokyo 01:22 - The New Jam Joint Live Album 04:58 - Growing Up Around Jazz Legends 10:35 - Starting On Drums, And The Berklee Question 12:38 - The One-Take Video Series 16:37 - Sharing A Stage With Spitz's Drummer 21:15 - Japanese Music Going Global 22:53 - Anime And A Football Dream 24:45 - The Truth About Drumming Gloves 27:18 - Drilling The Rudiments 28:35 - Europe Tour And New Bands 31:25 - Staying Healthy As A Half Athlete Follow Fuyu: 📷 Instagram: @fuyumusic ▶️ YouTube: @fuyudrumchannel 👉 Check out Drum Dog for more lessons from world-class drummers: https://drum.dog #fuyu #sessiondrummer #drumdog 🥁 Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library. Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. 👉 https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show
S1 · E7
July 21 · 23 min
Why Spotify Is Killing Music Discovery (Guardian Article) ft. Jochan Embley | The Back Beat #7
Send us Fan Mail A Guardian music journalist realised Spotify had quietly smoothed the hard edges off his own taste, so he quit. This week I'm joined by my oldest friend, journalist Jochan Embley, to dig into algorithms, streaming payouts, why he swapped Spotify for Apple Music, and how to actually rediscover the thrill of finding new music. 00:00 - Intro & meet Jochan Embley 01:13 - The Guardian article: how Spotify flattened his taste 03:43 - Leaving Spotify for Apple Music 05:48 - Streaming payouts & the raw deal for artists 10:11 - How to actually discover new music again (radio, record shops, gigs) 14:55 - Taste, holidays & the "sifting for gold" mindset 19:03 - Why music discovery is a hobby (and why hearing what you hate matters) 21:14 - Outro, book rec & fanmail Referenced in this episode: → Jochan's Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/dec/06/spotify-wrapped-streaming-algorithm-music → Mood Machine by Liz Pelly: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mood-Machine-Spotify-Perfect-Playlist-ebook/dp/B0CYQ2XCXG Got a drummer you want spotlighted, gear you reckon I should check out, or an album that's been on your heavy rotation? Drop me a message: 📩 Spotify fanmail (built into the app) 📷 Instagram: @drumdoguk ✉️ dan@drum.dog New episodes every Tuesday. Hit follow so you don't miss out on any drum chat! About Drum Dog: Drum Dog is the UK membership platform for drummers, combining world-class lesson packs, live events, gear discounts, and an ad-free community. Join at drum.dog. #TheBackBeat #DrumDog #Drumming #Drummers #DrumPodcast #Spotify #AppleMusic #MusicDiscovery #JochanEmbley #TheGuardian #MoodMachine #DrumCommunity 🥁 Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library. Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. 👉 https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show
July 20 · 53 min
Mark Mondesir (John McLaughlin, Jeff Beck) Interview: Lessons from Elvin Jones & Manifesting Gigs
Send us Fan Mail We sat down with Mark Mondesir for a wide-ranging conversation about a career spent behind some of the most revered names in jazz, fusion and funk. Mark talks us through meeting John McLaughlin, the session for The Promise that put him in a room with Jeff Beck, and the surreal week that ended with Jan Hammer on a plane to London to play with him. We also get into his three north stars on the kit: Billy Cobham, Tony Williams and Elvin Jones, plus the one-word piece of advice Elvin handed him at a soundcheck. If you've ever wondered how the great gigs actually find a player, Mark's answer is not what you'd expect. 00:00 The Vienna Hi-Fi Show 06:39 Meeting John McLaughlin 10:43 The Promise: Recording with Jeff Beck 13:35 Touring with the Fourth Dimension 15:06 What John Is Like as a Band Leader 18:14 The Promise and the Electric Guitarist 20:48 Why He's Never Felt He's "Made It" 25:09 No Plan, Just Play 27:42 The Jeff Beck and Jan Hammer Story 34:35 Manifestation and Advice for Drummers 39:40 Playing with Half of James Brown's Band 41:12 Influences: Cobham, Williams and Jones 49:55 Mentored by Art Blakey 51:21 Wrap Up 👉 Check out Drum Dog for more lessons from world-class drummers: https://drum.dog #markmondesir #johnmclaughlin #drumdog 🥁 Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library. Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. 👉 https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show
S1 · E6
July 7 · 6 min
Steve Gadd, Levon Helm & the Underrated Bands Debate | The Back Beat #6
Send us Fan Mail I put on Chick Corea's My Spanish Heart this week, sat there marvelling at the drummer, and only then realised it was Steve Gadd. This week: Levon Helm's genius behind the kit and the mic, the Eezee Sticks throne holder, and a question about the bands we all underrate. 00:00 - Cold open / what's on this week 00:16 - Heavy Rotation: Chick Corea, My Spanish Heart (feat. Steve Gadd) 01:16 - Drummer Spotlight: Levon Helm, saying more with less 03:39 - New Gear: Eezee Sticks throne-mounted stick holder 04:35 - Think Piece: which underrated bands deserve more credit? 05:57 - Outro & fanmail Referenced in this episode: → Chick Corea, My Spanish Heart (highlight track: Night Streets): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpA2ckaAStY → Levon Helm & The Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dDbnwQlCek → Eezee Sticks: https://www.eezeesticks.com/ Got a drummer you want spotlighted, gear you reckon I should check out, or an album that's been on your heavy rotation? Drop me a message: 📩 Spotify fanmail (built into the app) 📷 Instagram: @drumdoguk ✉️ dan@drum.dog New episodes every Tuesday. Hit follow so you don't miss out on any drum chat! About Drum Dog: Drum Dog is the UK membership platform for drummers, combining world-class lesson packs, live events, gear discounts, and an ad-free community. Join at drum.dog. #TheBackBeat #DrumDog #Drumming #Drummers #DrumPodcast #SteveGadd #LevonHelm #ChickCorea #TheBand #EezeeSticks #Supertramp #Toto #DrumCommunity Support the show
S1 · E5
June 30 · 7 min
Alex Acuña, Nashville Skyline & Less is More Drummers | The Back Beat #5
Send us Fan Mail This week, the case for the drummers who made the whole song by doing almost nothing, from Charlie Watts to Ringo. Plus Alex Acuña lighting up Montreux, Kenny Buttrey's touch all over Nashville Skyline, and the app we're actually using behind the scenes at Drum Dog. 00:00 - Cold open / what's on this week 00:29 - Heavy Rotation: Bob Dylan, Nashville Skyline (drums by Kenny Buttrey) 02:15 - Drummer Spotlight: Alex Acuña, feel over speed 03:48 - New Gear: Beatnote 05:37 - Think Piece: Which drummer made the whole song by playing less? 07:09 - Outro & fanmail Referenced in this episode: → Alex Acuña with Weather Report, Montreux: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfvfXA2SIRU → Alex Acuña with Steve Gadd & Luis Conte: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pctsGH9EABY → Nashville Skyline, Bob Dylan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PfDSQSWuGI&list=OLAK5uy_k7RFXzJVIrZJuX3lkezse6UNXE4i1wzN8&index=2 → Beatnote: https://beat-note.app/ Got a drummer you want spotlighted, gear you reckon I should check out, or an album that's been on your heavy rotation? Drop me a message: 📩 Spotify fanmail (built into the app) 📷 Instagram: @drumdoguk ✉️ dan@drum.dog New episodes every Tuesday. Hit follow so you don't miss out on any drum chat! About Drum Dog: Drum Dog is the UK membership platform for drummers, combining world-class lesson packs, live events, gear discounts, and an ad-free community. Join at drum.dog. #TheBackBeat #DrumDog #Drumming #Drummers #DrumPodcast #CharlieWatts #AlexAcuna #Beatnote #PlayingForTheSong #DrumCommunity Support the show
S1 · E4
June 23 · 4 min
Geese's Max Bassin, Klaus Doldinger's Passport & Kit Care Tips | The Back Beat #4
Send us Fan Mail Geese are the band of the moment, so this week I'm into Max Bassin's snare-heavy groove on Bow Down. Plus the German fusion of Passport's Cross-Collateral and a nod to the late Klaus Doldinger, the Dr Liston's cymbal care range, and your best kit maintenance tips. 00:00 - Intro 00:16 - Passport - Cross-collateral 01:26- Max Bassin of Geese, 02:16 - Dr Liston's cymbal care 03:14 - Think Piece: Your top kit maintenance and care tips 04:06 - Outro Referenced in this episode: → Geese, Bow Down (live): https://youtu.be/qIol9hig2G4?si=tuK8qSP-IlfsMD3V&t=1795 → Passport, Cross Collateral: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9stuc6hY70 → Dr Liston's cymbal care, Graham Russell Drums: https://www.grahamrusselldrums.com/copy-of-dr-listons-drum-care-gift-set.html Got a drummer you want spotlighted, gear you reckon I should check out, or an album that's been on your heavy rotation? Drop me a message: 📩 Spotify fanmail (built into the app) 📷 Instagram: @drumdoguk ✉️ dan@drum.dog New episodes every Tuesday. Hit follow so you don't miss out on any drum chat! About Drum Dog: Drum Dog is the UK membership platform for drummers, combining world-class lesson packs, live events, gear discounts, and an ad-free community. Join at drum.dog. #TheBackBeat #DrumDog #Drumming #Drummers #DrumPodcast #Geese #MaxBassin #Passport #KlausDoldinger #DrumMaintenance #DrumCommunity Support the show
S1 · E3
June 16 · 8 min
Anika Nilles joins Rush, Djo's Decide & does the click kill feel? | The Back Beat #3
Send us Fan Mail Anika Nilles has stepped into Rush, and the drumming world is buzzing. This week I get into her first show, dig into Djo's synthpop record Decide, put you onto UK rod brand Ramrods, and ask the question that splits every drummer: does the click kill your feel? 00:00 - Intro 00:27 - Heavy Rotation: Djo - Decide 01:40 - Drummer Spotlight: Anika Nilles joins Rush 03:25 - New Gear: Ramrods percussion rods 05:16 - Think Piece: Does the click kill feel? 07:24 - Outro Referenced in this episode: → Djo, Decide (album): https://open.spotify.com/album/4JDXBZdRPId4devseaAOKH?si=Szzgxd3ERgiLINufPSqEFw → Anika Nilles with Rush (Anika cam full show): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsAgGYM8_-A&t= → Ramrods percussion rods: https://www.ramrods.co.uk/ → Last week's episode (self-taught vs academia): https://youtu.be/ugD8ed1PJzg Got a drummer you want spotlighted, gear you reckon I should check out, or an album that's been on your heavy rotation? Drop me a message: 📩 Spotify fanmail (built into the app) 📷 Instagram: @drumdoguk ✉️ dan@drum.dog New episodes every Tuesday. Hit follow so you don't miss out on any drum chat! #TheBackBeat #DrumDog #Drumming #Drummers #DrumPodcast #AnikaNilles #Rush #Djo #Ramrods #DrumCommunity 🥁 Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library. Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. 👉 https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show
S1 · E2
June 9 · 10 min
Are Self-Taught Drummers Missing Out? Plus Keith Carlock, Bad Bunny and Pollner Drums | The Back Beat #2
Send us Fan Mail You can practise on your own for ten years and just get really good at doing it wrong. This week I'm asking whether learning drums alone is quietly holding you back. This week on The Back Beat: a Bad Bunny record that genuinely surprised me, Keith Carlock's vocabulary with the Wayne Krantz trio, and a drum carved from a single log. 00:00 - What's on this week 00:21 - Heavy Rotation: Bad Bunny, Debí Tirar Más Fotos 03:04 - Drummer Spotlight: Keith Carlock with the Wayne Krantz trio 04:21 - New Gear: Pollner drums (one drum, one log, no cuts) 05:57 - Think Piece: Do you lose out on learning drums alone? 08:34 - Outro & fanmail Referenced in this episode: → Keith Carlock with Wayne Krantz & Tim Lefebvre, "Why" solo from 1:13:00: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8to1EpkKVEE → Pollner Stave Drums, our interview with Martin: https://youtu.be/qvZAsTIDViU → Pollner Stave Drums, our interview with Martin: https://youtu.be/qvZAsTIDViU → Bad Bunny, Debí Tirar Más Fotos on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5K79FLRUCSysQnVESLcTdb Got a drummer you want spotlighted, gear you reckon I should check out, or an album that's been on your heavy rotation? Drop me a message: 📩 Spotify fanmail (built into the app) 📷 Instagram: @drumdoguk ✉️ dan@drum.dog New episodes every Tuesday. Hit follow so you don't miss out on any drum chat! About Drum Dog: Drum Dog is the UK membership platform for drummers, combining world-class lesson packs, live events, gear discounts, and an ad-free community. Join at drum.dog. Check out Drum Dog: https://join.drum.dog/upgrade #TheBackBeat #DrumDog #Drumming #Drummers #DrumPodcast #KeithCarlock #WayneKrantz #BadBunny #PollnerDrums #FusionDrumming #SelfTaughtDrummer #DrumCommunity 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show
S1 · E1
June 2 · 8 min
Steve Jordan's Groove, Eloy's New Stick & Does Grip Actually Matter? | The Back Beat #1
Send us Fan Mail Steve Jordan stripped his kit back to four pieces and somehow made it the most talked-about groove of the year. This week on The Back Beat: a Japanese jazz album that's been on heavy rotation, Eloy Casagrande's new signature stick with Promark, and the grip debate that won't go away. 00:00 - What's on this week 00:56 - Heavy Rotation: Chihiro Yamanaka, Guilty Pleasure 02:33 - Drummer Spotlight: Steve Jordan's minimalist groove (ride, snare, kick, hi-hat, no crash) 04:45 - New Gear: Eloy Casagrande's Promark signature stick 06:18 - Think Piece: Does grip actually matter? 08:09 - Outro & fanmail Referenced in this episode: → Steve Jordan's Europe Drum Show clip (groove starts ~5:20): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOwtLx5waRY → Eloy Casagrande's new Promark signature stick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=End6tqaWejY → Chihiro Yamanaka, Guilty Pleasure on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/433TtbOGVFXo5LZjEvNOKc Got a drummer you want spotlighted, gear you reckon I should check out, or an album that's been on your heavy rotation? Drop me a message: 📩 Spotify fanmail (built into the app) 📷 Instagram: @drumdoguk ✉️ dan@drum.dog New episodes every Tuesday. Hit follow so you don't miss out on any drum chat! About Drum Dog: Drum Dog is the UK membership platform for drummers, combining world-class lesson packs, live events, gear discounts, and an ad-free community. Join at drum.dog. #TheBackBeat #DrumDog #Drumming #Drummers #DrumPodcast #SteveJordan #EloyCasagrande #Promark #ChihiroYamanaka #JohnDavis #JazzDrumming #DrumGrip #DrumCommunity 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show
May 26 · 56 min
Ari Hoenig (NYU & Punk Bop) Interview: Music as Language, Solo Drumming, & Teaching Beyond the Page
Send us Fan Mail We sat down with Ari for a remote conversation that came about after Bill Bruford name-dropped him in an earlier Drum Dog interview. What followed was a properly philosophical chat about music as a communication tool, how to practice creativity rather than chops, and why learning an instrument and learning music are two completely different things. Ari opens up about his solo drumming approach, the three sources of inspiration that shape every note he plays, and why he hasn't sat down to practice technical exercises in years. We also get into his composing process, picking up piano during Covid, and how he runs his Patreon as an alternative to traditional drum education. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by how much there is to practice, or wondered how a player like Ari thinks his way around the kit, this one is essential listening. 00:00 – The Bill Bruford Moment 03:01 – Performing, Teaching, and What Drives the Music 05:24 – Music as a Language 10:12 – Solo Drumming and the Three Sources of Inspiration 14:16 – Why Simplicity Wins Over Density 16:08 – Playing on the Edge of a Mistake 17:28 – Jim White, Free Improvisation, and Warming Up Musically 20:49 – What Ari's Practice Actually Looks Like Right Now 23:04 – Drumming Like Swimming 27:10 – Picking Up Piano During Covid 33:53 – Teaching at NYU and the Limits of Academic Music 36:35 – Learning an Instrument vs Learning Music 42:52 – The Books, the Videos, and the Patreon 49:21 – Information Should Be Shared 52:24 – Being a Coach as Much as a Teacher 54:29 – Final Words and Future UK Visits Check out Ari's Patreon for tutorial videos on drumming, composition, and rhythm: https://www.patreon.com/arihoenig #arihoenig #punkbop #drumdog 🥁 Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library. Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. 👉 https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show
May 19 · 26 min
Ra Tache (Vanesa Martín) Interview: Self-Taught Drumming, South America, & Playing with Feeling
Send us Fan Mail We sat down with Ra at the Europe Drum Show 2026 to talk about her journey from a musical household in northern Spain to touring with one of the country's biggest pop artists, Vanessa Martín. Entirely self-taught, Ra opens up about learning by ear, why she'll only take gigs she feels a genuine connection to, the role social media has played in every opportunity she's had, and how a chemical engineering degree shaped the way she thinks about music as a career. Whether you're a self-taught drummer wondering if it's enough, or just curious how a working pro approaches the craft, this conversation is full of warmth and honest advice. 00:00 – Welcome & Europe Drum Show Highlights 02:09 – Growing Up Self-Taught 05:38 – On Reading Music as a Pro Drummer 09:43 – Touring with Vanessa Martín 11:40 – Playing with Joy & Connection 14:13 – Working in English vs Spanish Music 15:18 – Social Media as a Tool, Not a Goal 20:17 – Heading to South America 24:21 – Ra's Own EP & Where to Find Her 👉 Check out Drum Dog for more lessons from world-class drummers: https://drum.dog #rataché #vanessamartin #drumdog 🥁 Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library. Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. → https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show

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