M.D Gets trashed again

I must say, this summer when i went back to my home country of spain i started buying this magazine called Todo Percusion which translates to Everything Percusion and it is really an excellent magazine. It covers mainly european scene drummers but i have recently got an issue with peter erskine on the cover....the magazine started only a year ago and it is excellent. Every issue (which costs 7 euro) comes with a vcd which has a video of the interview with the artist, and also videos to go with the transcribed lessons in the magazine! now that is quality. I still find some information useful in MD and i think that the information in it is worth the money i pay for it every month but if i had to choose i would go with my todo percusion magazine no doubt

I actually really like Travis Barker's playing. I know this is not really related. The guy has really nice ideas and very solid chops. I know that he is in a pretty immature band, but drumming is drumming and this guy has something to say on the drum set.

I've written for both magazines, and now write a several pieces (reviews, feature articles and transcriptions) for each issue of Drum! They have different editorial slants. MD is your father's drum magazine. It tries to be current, but it really doesn't do that very well. (Tommy Lee will be on their next cover!) I too think they tend to churn out the same ideas over and over.

I haven't enjoyed my experiences writing for MD and dealing with the people who run/edit the magazine. Drum! is definitely a better magazine for me to work for, and is obviously a more modern, youthfully directed magazine - hence the punk/nu metal drummers. They specifically don't want to cover all the same things MD does. Drum! has been growing rapidly as a result. I subscribe to both since each has something to offer me.

FYI - I've never had an editor from either magazine - or Electronic Musician - which I've also written for, suggest a conclusion or make an important edit to one of my reviews. Editing at both magazines is pretty minimal - which is why they hire certain writers over and over. The like writers who don't need much (or any) editing to deliver publishable articles. BTW, Drum! will not review products from companies that have tried to influence reviews.

I enjoy this board and like the level of discussion here. This board cares about advanced drum set players like Vinnie, Lang, Donati, Weckl, Chambers, Mangini, and other lesser known players like DiCenso and has a lot of knowledgeable people hear. I've met a lot of people through this forum and am grateful to Steve for making this place a cut above so many others. (I prefer moderated forums and the courtesy and mutual respect required by them.) It's a bit like having an editor proofread your stuff.

Magazines have a broader audience than a forum like this does, so it doesn't surprise me that the popular artists they cover leave some of us disappointed or disinterested. But that leaves room for this forum to have its purpose - to promote the pure appreciation of great drumming.

Brad

Wow!! What a great topic and some equally cool posts. I guess I'd have to agree with most here.

As far as the "Capitolist pig" society that Europe calls us, well.... I guess that's how we manage to have a high standard of living here in the states. Selling as much merchandise to as many kids/adults as possible. Only problem is..... wheres my Cadillac Escalade??

When a publication puts it's income interests before the quality of the publication, I guess the market place will determine how long they last.

I haven't bought a "drumming" magazine since...... I'd say....... 1985?? But this whole thing of Videos and CD's included in issues of other mags has brought new found interest to me again.

Funny.... "Flarobstick mentioned a rating of internet drumming websites".... well.... I've got a little story.

At the Steve Smith gig a few nights ago, I'm pushing Steve as I do all the famous drummers I meet to join us on HOD. I mention Gary Husband, Peter Erskine (Erskoman), and a few other big name pro's that I know lurk here, and Steve's comment was... "not another one of those websites that only talks about which is better, Vinnie or Weckl". Me and my friend are standing there trying to convince him that this site is different.... of a much cooler "hang" than others.

After I took Steve into the back and "convinced" him that he "needed" to create a screen name on HOD (Sopranos style), he saw things my way

(In the accent of Triumph the comic insulting Dog..... I Keeeed I Keeeeed!!). [img]wink.gif[/img]

But truthfully...... I keep pulling for as many drummers as I know to visit and hang at the HOD website.

Steve..... if you want to do a comparison on the Yammys vs. the Gretch's, I'd be more than willing to offer my new Maple Neuveaux kit for analysis as soon as it gets here. We can set up the two kits side by side at my house and see which ones any of us prefer. I've got a birch kit with a maple bass drum coming also.

hey, this is turning to be a great debate..anyways..i just wanna say that i really hope to meet some of you guys there in L.A if/when i come to L.A to study drums as i hope to...im 17 from spain but i live in Hong Kong and ive been playing since i was 14...more precisely actually since the 2nd of may 2002 so for almost 3 years now...but yeah..i better practiced damn hard cos i really want to come to L.A as it sounds great music wise and obviously from what i can see here..people wise too!

In 80's there was a magazine called ?Percussion?, that was BY FAR the best drum magazine, at least for those into ?technical drumming?. I remember a article of it - lent by a friend - which featured a complete transcription of a Wishful Thinking?s tune (fusion band with David Garibaldi on drums), a article of Ralph Humphrey about ?fives?, a article about one-hand roll (a technique different from that used by John Blackwell and Kenwood Dennard) and a analysis of Edgar Varese?s Ionization (a contemporary classical composition). I wish there was a magazine like that nowadays!!! By the way, IMO, MD still is a great magazine but older MD issues were much more instructional, with transcriptions of more complex tunes (like some from Chick Corea, Los Lobotomys, Paquito D?Rivera etc.) and with more pages dedicated to lessons.

its probably been said already but i think every mag has something to bring to the table. i love it at the end of the month when all the magazines come out, so much information in all of them. no matter how insignificant. read anything you can i say, stock the information and use it. that's what they're for.

Navega - are you speaking of "Percussioner [International]" mag? [Or simply, "Percussion?"]

I rem this [PI] was a GREAT mag, 1 of the BEST out there; 1st one i bought was the '87 one w VC on cover, & along w his interview came an article on "superimposed metric-modulation," & also had a Chick chart for Rumble, w cassette, & also articles [w instructional excercises] on Freddie Waits, Chaffee, & John Bergamo [Raga & mid-east rhythm whiz], & chromatic bop scales...Sal Sofia [mag's prez] once signed on here... [img]cool.gif[/img]

Of all of them, this one should've been the LAST to go...

But, as in anything or anyone else of real substance, it was one of the 1st to...& not really appreciated until many many years later..

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 03, 2005 02:55 PM: Message edited by: fuseU1 ]</font>

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Originally posted by fuseU1:
Navega - are you speaking of "Percussioner [International]" mag? [Or simply, "Percussion?"]

I rem this [PI] was a GREAT mag, 1 of the BEST out there; 1st one i bought was the '87 one w VC on cover, & along w his interview came an article on "superimposed metric-modulation," & also had a Chick chart for Rumble, w cassette, & also articles [w instructional excercises] on Freddie Waits, Chaffee, & John Bergamo [Raga & mid-east rhythm whiz], & chromatic bop scales...Sal Sofia [mag's prez] once signed on here... [img]cool.gif[/img]

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Fuse, the magazine I mentioned was called "Percussion", for sure, and also included a cassette (bought separately, I guess). The issue I read was the number 1, probably from mid or late eighties. It also included an article of Gary Chaffee about "linear shuffle". I saw other issues in some newstands from here (Rio de Janeiro) but I think that outstanding mag was short-lived [img]graemlins/cry.gif[/img]
"Percussioner" seems VERY similar.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 03, 2005 06:38 PM: Message edited by: Navega ]</font>

My experience has taught me that there is a lot people throughout the industry that don't know what 'good' is. They just can't judge these things.
They have to look at the next best thing which is 'Who have you played for' or 'How many units have you sold'
That is why this is the most valuable commodity within the industry.
Some musicians are good at manipulating this which is why they get in mags all the time. (and it's difficult to do too)
We can moan about it but it won't change things...