The Drum Shuffle

Dylan Howard is the groovy and creative drummer of Aeges. This L.A. band is known for a strong work ethic, non-stop touring, and undeniably catchy hard-edged rock. Dylan is a non-stop working drummer that openly shares his story with Jamie in this great interview. He discusses his entire career, including his time in The Vitals. Make sure to check out Aeges when they resume touring in 2021 and look for the video of their new single, "Colors" which is out now. We know you'll love it.

Michael Waldrop is arguably one of the most diverse percussionists in the world. He is comfortable in a jazz or commercial music setting as a drumset player and he is equally at home in a classical orchestral setting. He is a virtuoso marimbist, whether performing his own music, or that of other composers. Michael is also adept at hand drumming, having studied with some of the greatest hand percussionists in the world. On episode 128, we catch up with him to discuss his new release, Time Frames, which equally showcases his drumming and mallet skills. The record is out now on the Origins label everywhere fine music is available.

Cam Tyler is our guest today. As promised during the interview, instead of "show notes" here is the Cryptic Cadet bio.

Zeke Martin is a drummer's drummer. Having a famous drummer for a father, he almost chose tennis over music. Luckily for all of us, he eventually took up the family trade. Zeke makes his home in Boston these days where he is the founder and leader of Zeke Martin and The Oracle along with a full teaching schedule at Northeastern University. On episode 126, Zeke joins Jamie for a wide-ranging conversation covering his entire career and loads of great advice for all musicians.

Stefano Ashbridge was born in Italy and moved to the United States when he was 7 years old. He started drumming at age 16 and began teaching shortly after that. After moving to Los Angeles and playing in numerous bands, he continued teaching eventually founding drumlessonsinla.com. Stefano has an incredible dedication to his teaching practice and continues performing in LA as often as possible. On episode 125, Stefano joins Jamie to discuss his journey, his teaching practice, his approach to being a true teacher of drumming, and offers his perspective on success. There is a ton of great advice and information packed into this great interview.

Need we say more than, Benny Greb is our guest today? Benny is one of the preeminent educators in the world of drumming, having produced the amazing instructional videos The Language of Drumming and The Art and Science of Groove. His new book, Effective Practicing for Musicians: The Ultimate Guide For How To Become Better At Your Instrument furthers Benny's teachings on how to improve and truly understand how to overcome hurdles as a musician. On episode 124 Benny and Jamie engage in a wide-ranging conversation on Benny's career, educational products, instrument innovations, and they even discuss the now infamous, SpongeBob Squarepants drum set video!

Steve Barney's journey as a drummer is a story of wonder and amazement. His Dad and uncle took him to a Genesis show at age nine, solidifying his desire to become a drummer. His story is familiar amongst burgeoning musicians; forming bands, playing pubs, talent shows, and festivals as a youngster. Steve eventually moved from his small, seaside hometown for Liverpool and became a member of a successful band that eventually signed a major-label record deal. That deal ended and eventually, so did the band. Like so many others before him, Steve started seeking work and gigs from within his network in the industry. He did not have to wait long. On episode 123, Steve joins Jamie to discuss how one gig led to another, and another, and another to eventually include albums and tours with the likes of Atomic Kitten, Jeff Beck, Annie Lennox, Mike and the Mechanics, and Anastacia. Steve's work and words are inspirational, motivating, and helpful for all musicians.

Stefan Chippeaux has been in the Nashville music scene for a few years. Having made the move from his hometown of Tampa, Florida, he wanted to broaden his career and opportunities as a young drummer. Since arriving in Nashville, he has been "climbing" the ranks and getting progressively busier every month. One of the Nashville scene's hardest workers, he is truly a drummer to watch as his career continues to grow. On episode 122, Stefan joins Jamie to discuss his early years, the decision to make the move to Nashville, and how a strong work ethic has blossomed into a busy career. This is a highly educational and inspiring episode.

Eric Findlay formed his band, Seahaven, in 2009. Amazingly, he was still in junior high and was the band's bassist. When the band's drummer left, Eric auditioned for the open drumming spot and was "hired". His personal story only gets better from there. Seahaven embraced the difficult (yet highly rewarding) do-it-yourself brand of recording and extensive touring. In November 2020, they released their third studio album, Halo of Hurt in the midst of a global pandemic that prevents touring. On episode 121, Eric joins Jamie for a deep dive into his personal story, the band's history, and how the DIY touring model can bring true success to musicians everywhere. Eric is a seriously talented drummer that should be on your radar.

Jeremy Brieske grew up as an aspiring drummer like so many of us. He found his path in the music business after a business degree in college, he spent some years working for several music instrument manufacturers until he returned home to drumming by founding Low Boy Custom Beaters in 2014. To say it's difficult to make bass drum beaters an exciting product is quite an understatement, yet that is exactly what Low Boy has been able to accomplish. Their products look, sound, and feel incredible and are hand-made in Colorado. On episode 120, Jeremy stops by to discuss his beginnings, founding his successful company, starting an artist endorsement program, and endorsements in general. This is a highly educational episode with a ton of useful information that will help drummers better understand how relationships between gear companies and artists truly operate.

We are joined again by the masterful Jeff Williams to discuss his newest record, Road Tales: Live At London Jazz Festival. We also discuss his prior release, Bloom. Every time you speak to Jeff, you can't help but feeling as though you just had a deep and meaningful talk with a zen-master or Jedi of drumming. Jeff shares his knowledge and approach to music freely, but you have to be prepared to receive that knowledge. We know you will understand after hearing this in-depth and wide-ranging chat with one of the great Jazz drummers of our time.

Robyn Flans is a legendary journalist and author in the world of drumming. She started writing for Modern Drummer in 1977 and had countless cover stories and interviews with THE legends of our chosen instrument. On episode 118, Robyn and Jamie discuss her career and go in-depth on her new book, It's About Time: Jeff Porcaro, The Man and His Music. Robyn's history and friendship with Jeff and the entire Porcaro family goes back decades and this book is the most revealing and deepest biography on his legendary career to-date. Jeff Porcaro is one of the most-recorded drummers in history and his discography covers a full thirty pages in the book. Wow! Robyn has covered his entire life and thoroughly recounted his career with dozens of first-hand interviews in this amazing book. It certainly belongs in the library of any serious musician. A million thanks to Robyn for so openly sharing her story with The Drum Shuffle.

Blair Sinta joins Jamie on episode 117 to discuss his career as an in-demand drummer. A graduate of the University of North Texas, Blair moved to L.A. in the mid-90s to begin working as a musician. After landing a tour with Alanis Morissette, his career blossomed to include credits with Annie Lennox, Gwen Stefani, Chris Cornell, John Fogerty, and so many more. Blair built his own studio and is consistently busy creating tracks for artists from around the world. He also teaches and has a great educational video series, Sticks and Wires, where he shares his deep knowledge and skills. He also recently created his own collection for the ever-popular Loop Loft software for home studio use. This is a wide-ranging interview that is full of great knowledge and information for all musicians, especially those that spend any time in the studio.

On episode 116, Jamie is joined once again by the great Joe McCarthy for an extensive conversation on drumming education. Joe has developed a new educational program for drummers called "BASIC Training." As the principal percussionist for the US Naval Academy for many years, Joe's passion for teaching is undeniable and the name is so fitting. Joe is an incredible drummer and educator and he talks openly in this interview about the type of study that will make good drummers into great drummers.

On episode 115, we welcome back Dafnis Prieto to talk about his new sextet release, Transparency. Dafnis is composing and creating some of the most mind-bending music available in the world today and this new release is no exception to that. Not only is Dafnis a Grammy-winning composer and drummer, he is also a world-class educator and a sincerely great human being. As always, he offers a ton of great information and advice in this in-depth interview.

Patrick Ferguson has seen plenty in his years of drumming. Having toured with the Athens, Georgia band Five Eight 200 nights a year between 1989 and 1998, taking "a 9-year long weekend" and returning in 2007, he's a seasoned road warrior. He also spent some time playing with the Psychedelic Furs and Mike Mills of R.E.M. Like many musicians, Patrick had struggles with substance abuse, anxiety, and depression. He now finds himself helping others through his amazing podcast, "Crash and Ride", that deals with those issues in the music industry. On episode 114, Patrick and Jamie have an epic "drum hang" discussing his career, his podcast, their mutual addiction to snare drums, the stigmas of being from the south, and the need for a kennel dedicated to dairy cows...Don't ask...This is a super-entertaining interview with a superb musician and human.