X8 Drums Blog

There is nothing like a little ska, reggae, punk and funk rock to brighten up the day, and few know the keys to true alternative rock better than Philip “Fish” Fisher. Fisher, a founding member of Fishbone, the band hailed as the most underrated group of the 80s, is the drumming genius behind songs like “Bonin’ in the Boneyard,” “Everyday Sunshine,” and “Freddie’s Dead,” to name a few. Fisher has played with the best of the best since leaving Fishbone in 1998. His list of credits …

When he is not touring with superstars like Jason Mraz, recording with Joss Stone or blues great, Watermelon Slim, Michael “Leroy” Bram performs regularly with his blues band, Michael Bram and the Alternators and many others in New York. A musical inspiration in his own right, Bram has not only mastered the drums, but is also an accomplished singer, harmonica player, “coffee shop guitarist,” and harp player. Bram started drumming at the early age of four, after receiving a drum set for …

Whether you are a fan of Clyde Criner, The Steve Kimrock Band or Santana, chances are that you have heard Rodney Holmes take drumming to an entirely different level that crosses the boundaries between jazz, rock and even techno and ambient drumming. This artist is as creative and diverse as the audiences who come to see him play with SKB, bringing a powerful sound and structure to a wide assortment of musical genres.Holmes was raised in a musical family, giving him the ability to appreciate many …

Divine Empire, Aura Borealis, Malevolent Creation, and Meinl Cymbals all have one person in common, Derek Roddy. Known as one of the fastest drummers alive due to his ability to keep up not only the speed of death metal drumming, but also keep up those speeds for minutes at a time as well as hitting “blast beats,” on the bass drum using only one foot, a drumming technique that usually requires both feet. Roddy has released a DVD that seeks to educate others on how to hit blast beats, and docu …

Christopher James Adler, more popularly known as Chris Adler, is the drummer of the metal band Lamb of God and the older brother of Willie Adler, the band's guitarist. Chris was born on November 23, 1972 in Washington, D.C. He went to Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Virginia. He attended college at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia where he was planning a career on network engineering. While in the university, he met his current bandmates John Campbell and Mark …

Northern California may never be the same again after the dust settles from the 2011 Drum! Night premier drum event. The evening promises to showcase some of the finest known drummers, including the rhythm section of Santana, Raul Rekow and Karl Perazzo, Thomas Lang, and Terry Bozzio as well as Street Drum Corps Presents BANG! and Armando Peraza. Along with performances by these percussionists, the 2011 Drum! Night event will provide opportunities to learn from these greats, try out new …

Noted on Urban Dictionary as the “best looking member” of alternative band, Panic! At the Disco, Spencer Smith is a millennial drummer with the skills and attitude to embark on a drumming career without boundaries. Preferring to maintain his technical mastery over driving rhythms and strong beats instead of improvisational fills, Smith brings a strong dance groove to the music produced by Panic! At the Disco. At the age of 12, Spencer Smith began drumming in Pet Salamander with friend, Ryan R …

Described by some as a “drumming ninja,” Chris Coleman has drummed for legends like Chaka Khan, New Kids on the Block, Prince, Babyface and Christina Aguilera, as well as participated in Drummers 4 Jesus. He has traveled the world, and now calls LA home, but still gives credit to his earliest influences and shares his skills with others through his own drumming clinics and classes. Coleman began drumming at the ripe age of 2 and continued his musical education and experimentation through …

Metal drummers are unlike all other drummers, throwing body, mind and soul into driving rhythms that can outlast and upstage even the most intuitive drum machine. For these artists, drumming is a commitment to music, to the art of thrashing, and a genre of entertainment that forces pop-flavored, auto-tuned radio peeps to cower, awe-struck and maybe a little jealous.Jon “The Charn” Rice of Job for a Cowboy knows the power and endurance required from metal drummers. Fast hands and extreme do …

For hard-hitting drum beats and an extensive history of drumming and vocals, look no further for artist inspiration than Aaron Gillespie. Gillespie is the former drummer of Underoath, a Christian metalcore band, and has recently been pursuing a solo career with a spiritual purpose, as well as providing drumming lessons, touring, blogging and clearing a path for a successful career in music. Gillespie has been a stand-out drummer since the age of 14, bringing a hard, driving beat to the C …