Drummers on Drumming - podcast cover

Drummers on Drumming

Ben Hilzingerthedrumclick.com
DRUMMERS ON DRUMMING goes beyond technique and gear, diving into the stories, influences, and perspectives that shape the world’s most compelling drummers. Hosted by Ben Hilzinger (Cannons, Eve 6) and powered by Big Fat Snare Drum, this podcast delivers honest conversations, deep insights, and unfiltered takes from the players who move music forward. Each episode offers an authentic look at the drumming life—on and off the kit. For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram.
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Episodes

Big Fat Five: Darshan Doshi's Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Darshan Doshi. Darshan is a prolific Indian drummer and composer based in Mumbai. He’s recorded a million Bollywood movie soundtracks and is one of the busiest drummers in India for the studio / tv / live stage...basically anywhere you’d need a drummer, Darshan is your guy. I’ve known him for a few years now and his passion for both bringing Indian rhythms to the international stage AND bringing more Western style drumming / drummers to India is very inspiring to say the lea...

Nov 24, 202145 minSeason 2Ep. 50

Big Fat Five: Jonny Scott's (CHVRCHES, The Kills) Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Jonny Scott. Jonny is a badass session drummer for both the studio and stage who’s played with two of my favorite artists The Kills and CHVRCHES (among many others). He’s one of the go-to drummers when a band is looking to start adding the live drummer element after years without. You can trust him to do the job and bring the song to life in the most musical way. I look up to him in a lot of ways and it was an honor to chat with him. Please enjoy learning about what made Jon...

Nov 17, 202135 minSeason 2Ep. 49

Big Fat Five: Michael Benjamin Lerner (Telekinesis): His Top Influences, The State of the Music Industry, and How To Be A Successful Band Member

This week’s guest is Michael Benjamin Lerner…drummer, singer, and primary songwriter for the band Telekinesis. I love having songwriters on the show because, as we discuss in this episode, they usually have more of a birds-eye-view-approach to writing drum parts. I was made aware of Michael’s drumming in a really fun way (which we discuss) and, while I never got to meet him when we were both living up in Seattle, this chat is long overdue…at least for me. Michael’s drumming is powerful, delibera...

Nov 10, 20211 hr 22 minSeason 2Ep. 48

Big Fat Five: Ira Elliot (Nada Surf): Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Ira Elliot, drummer for the alternative rock band Nada Surf. Formed in the 90’s, Nada Surf has been going strong for multiple decades with no signs of stopping and Ira has been the backbone behind it all. Ira could be on a Mount Rushmore of drummers who know how to instill their own vibe while not taking anything away from a songwriter’s (in this case, Matthew Caws’) impactful words and melodies. While he definitely has fun behind the kit throughout the records, listening to...

Nov 03, 20211 hr 16 minSeason 2Ep. 47

Big Fat Five: Patrick Hallahan's (My Morning Jacket) Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Patrick Hallahan, drummer for the rock band My Morning Jacket. Formed in 1998, My Morning Jacket leans heavily into rock and country, but they pride themselves in have no limitations. Patrick, while certainly not tame on MMJ’s records by any means, is a monster drummer live and provides the perfect foundation for a lot of the band’s experimentation. I loved this conversation and was grateful geek out about Levon Helm yet again! Patrick has a great story about meeting Levon s...

Oct 27, 20211 hr 6 minSeason 2Ep. 46

Big Fat Five: Adam Deitch's (Lettuce, Break Science, John Scofield) Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Adam Deitch. Adam is the Grammy-nominated drummer for the bands Lettuce and Break Science. He’s also played and / or collaborated with legends such as John Scofield, 50 Cent, Average White Band, DJ Quik, Matisyahu and many, many more. His power and intention behind the kit is one of the most inspiring things to watch and he seems to reinvent his career every few years by just choosing what project to focus on in that moment…because he trusts his instincts. The thru line, how...

Oct 20, 20211 hr 1 minSeason 2Ep. 45

Big Fat Five: Dom Famularo's Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is the Global Drumming Ambassador himself, Mr. Dom Famularo. I gush over Dom’s impact on my playing at the top of this episode because Dom is an incredible drummer / educator / author / motivational speaker / and lifter-upper-of-vibes based on Long Island. He’s an authority (to say the least!) and it was an honor to have him on the show. In this episode, Dom breaks down the top 5 influences that shaped his playing style. I could also just rename this the Steve Gadd appreciation...

Oct 13, 202149 minSeason 2Ep. 58

The 5 Essential Charlie Watts Recordings

Today, we have Mike Edison (author of the book “Sympathy for the Drummer: Why Charlie Watts Matters”) on the show to discuss the quintessential recordings that showcase Charlie Watts’ progression as a player. Obviously, this is subjective, but thanks to Mike’s EXTENSIVE knowledge of both Charlie’s career and style, I knew he would nail it. Many people, including myself, take The Rolling Stones for granted and have yet to truly dive deep into the humble greatness that was Charlie Watts. I also mu...

Oct 06, 20211 hr 11 minSeason 2Ep. 57

Big Fat Five: Carson Gant's (@oneupdrumvids) Top 5 Influences

This week’s episode is nothing but good vibes. We’ve got Carson Gant aka @oneupdrumvids on the show. Carson’s ability to recreate classic loops and drum breaks on the acoustic kit is unmatched, but not so much in the vein of Jojo Mayer, Adam Betts, or Richard Spaven (which I know I’ve described in a similar way), Carson focused more on the slower, hip-hop style grooves that might SEEM a little more approachable in comparison to the drummers I just mentioned, but ohhhhh no. Believe me, there are ...

Sep 22, 202158 minSeason 2Ep. 55

Big Fat Five: Jake Reed's Top 5 Influences

Today’s guest is Jake Reed. Jake is a Los Angeles-based session player / educator and the host of an incredible YouTube Channel breaking down recording techniques….(also, I must give a big shoutout to Blair Sinta for inspiring me to reach out to Jake after hearing him as a guest on the “Recording Drums with Blair Sinta” podcast). On top of knowing how to explain things in an extremely approachable way, Jake is simply an amazing drummer. He’s performed / recorded with trioKAIT, Bill Holman, Johnn...

Sep 15, 20211 hr 22 minSeason 2Ep. 54

Big Fat Five: Anika Nilles' Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Anika Nilles. She doesn’t really need an introduction because there’s not much to say that hasn’t already been said, but she’s a German drummer who took the drumming world by storm in 2013 and has solidified time and time again why she’s one of the best drummers in the world. I’m continuously blown away that I have the opportunity to chat with people that I admire every week and I can honestly say drummers are the best group of people. I love my job….so please enjoy the top ...

Sep 01, 202152 minSeason 2Ep. 53

Big Fat Five: Justin Scott's (@jscottdrummer) Top 5 Influences

We’ve got Justin Scott aka @jscottdrummer on the show today dropping a whoooooole ton of knowledge. I’ve been obsessed with Justin’s drumming for years and I’m sure you have too. If not, you WILL BE after this episode. He is a monster player that can fit more notes in a 15-second clip than I can in a lifetime, but he always puts music first. He’s a great teacher and you can find all of his extremely affordable lesson plans on his website jscottdrummer.net. I have personally bought and used every...

Aug 25, 20211 hr 4 minSeason 2Ep. 52

Big Fat Five: Bart van der Zee's (Drum History Podcast) Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is one of my good friends and host of the Drum History podcast, Bart van der Zee. Drum History was actually one of the first shows I reached out to when creating The Drum Click Podcast Network. I am a huge fan of the work that Bart does with Drum History, but I feel like people might not know the man behind the microphone as much as they should. While he DID do a special Drum History 100th episode where he was interviewed by his brother to tell a little bit about his backstory ...

Aug 18, 20211 hr 13 minSeason 2Ep. 51

Big Fat Five: Philo Tsoungui's Top 5 Influences

Today’s guest is Philo Tsoungui…an independent drummer based in Berlin, Germany. If you don’t already know, one of my duties at Big Fat Snare Drum is Artist Relations. On one of my first days witht he company, Philo received my first endorsement offer. It was so immediately obvious to me that Philo was going to be a tastemaker for years to come and it’s still an honor to see our gear behind that kit. Philo has played with so many acts including Chefket, Mine, Fatoni, Mal Eleve, Elif, and Lxandra...

Aug 11, 20211 hrSeason 2Ep. 50

Big Fat Five: Lina Anderberg's Top 5 Influences

My name is Ben Hilzinger and this week’s guest is Lina Anderberg. I found out about Lina through her Instagram (@linaanderberg) and I was immediately blown away. She’s originally from Sweden, but moved to LA to attend Musicians Institute right before all of the world shut down. It was quite the frustrating story dealing with all that and she is currently in Stockholm waiting for her opportunity to get back to the states. In the meantime, I was really excited to pick her brain because she has an ...

Aug 04, 202155 minSeason 2Ep. 49

Big Fat Five: Scott Mcpherson's (Sense Field, Elliot Smith, M. Ward) Top 5(+) Influences

Today’s guest is one of my favorite people, Scott McPherson. Scott founded Tackle Instrument Supply Company and was one of our first guests EVER on the podcast back when we had a different name and a different / no format. Back then, I did a series of episodes called “Behind The Company” and brought Scott on the show to tell the story of Tackle…soooo go check that out; it’s episode #12. In that conversation, we merely scratched the surface of Scott’s amazing drummer career (focusing mainly on hi...

Jul 28, 20211 hr 11 minSeason 2Ep. 48

Jojo Mayer: Clarity > Perfection

My guest this week is Mr. Jojo Mayer…a mind-blowing player who helped pioneer the drum n bass movement in New York City by “reverse engineering” programmed drum loops and applying them to the drum set. He is also revered for his exceptional technique, which he dissects in the wildly-popular instructional series titled “Secret Weapons For The Modern Drummer Parts 1 & 2”. He is also the leader of his own band, Nerve, which he founded back in 1997. We don’t necessarily stick to the normal forma...

Jul 21, 20211 hr 28 minSeason 2Ep. 47

Big Fat Five: Dan Bailey's (Father John Misty) Top 5 Influences

Today’s guest is returning champ..Dan Bailey! Dan is certainly a friend of the podcast and ever since we switched over to the new format, I’ve really wanted to have him back on the show. He’s a well-oiled engineer, studio owner and drummer…not necessarily in that order…currently the drumming and MD’ing for Father John Misty, but Dan’s also worked with Reignwolf, Pacific Air, First Aid Kit, Onerepublic, Christina Aguilera and yada yada yada. Be sure to check out his previous episodes on the podca...

Jul 14, 20211 hr 7 minSeason 2Ep. 46

Big Fat Five: Tosh Peterson's (@tosh_thedrummer) Top 5 Influences

Today’s guest is Tosh Peterson aka @tosh_thedrummer. I’ve been following his playing for quite some time now and, while his professional career is relatively new, he’s accomplished a TON and seen more of the world than most players do in their entire lifetime. His showmanship is what grabbed my attention right away, but his finesse coupled with a deceptively controlled bombast is the reason he’s played and IS playing with some of the top players in the game right now including Machine Gun Kelly,...

Jul 07, 202152 minSeason 2Ep. 45

What Makes Ringo...Ringo?

This week’s guest is producer, studio owner and drummer, Frankie Siragusa. We are switching up formats a little bit for this episode; I had initially planned for this conversation to be a BONUS episode, but I think it still falls into the traditional format in its own unique ways. We’ve all heard a producer or bandmate say “Hey…give me a Ringo vibe!” when suggesting drum parts for a new song, but what the hell does that ACTUALLY mean? Having recently released the album "Goodbye My Love (Lost Son...

Jun 30, 20211 hr 22 minSeason 2Ep. 44

Big Fat Five: Ian Chang's (Son Lux, Landlady, Solo) Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Ian Chang. I love love love Ian’s playing. I first saw him live back in 2017 in Los Angeles following NAMM where he was performing and promoting his first solo effort, Spiritual Leader, utilizing his Sensory Percussion gear (which we do get into during this episode). In addition to being a MONSTER solo act, Ian mans the skins for Son Lux and Landlady (both have released new music recently btw) among many other projects. His timing within a groove is extremely fluid, but he n...

Jun 23, 202155 minSeason 2Ep. 43

Big Fat Five: Mark Stepro's (The Wallflowers, Butch Walker) Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Mark Stepro. Mark is the epitome of an LA-based working drummer with a resume that includes recording and/or performing with The Wallflowers, Ben Kweller, Courtney Love, Jackson Browne, Brett Dennen, Keith Urban, Dwight Yoakam, John Prine, Butch Walker, Leon Bridges…the list certainly goes on. Mark has an infectious energy and we actually shared lockouts across from each other in LA for about a year without ever realizing it. I always just heard this great drummer across the...

Jun 16, 20211 hr 20 minSeason 2Ep. 42

Big Fat Five: Richard Spaven's Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Richard “Crave The Spave” Spaven. He’s been one of the most requested names as of late and ohhhhhh what a treat it was! Having played with Jose James, Flying Lotus, Gang Star, Cinematic Orchestra, Jameszoo (which I was hipped to via Ian Maciak on HIS episode) and many more, Richard’s career as a sideman alone is enough to put him in the legend category, but it’s his solo ventures that really showcase his unique ability to be a drummer’s drummer without being too drummy. Thes...

Jun 09, 202153 minSeason 2Ep. 41

Big Fat Five: Adam Betts' (Colossal Squid, Squarepusher, TTT, MYD, Jarvis Cocker, Squarepusher) Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Adam Betts. My brain does not move as fast as his hands can drum (which might not mean a lot these days), but Adam is a beast of a player with a list of collaborators including Squarepusher, Three Trapped Tigers, Heritage Orchestra, Goldie, Jarvis Cocker, Pete Tongand many more in addition to his solo project titled Colossal Squid which has new music coming out this year. Adam’s energy does not stop at the kit and this conversation about his top 5 influences is filled with a...

Jun 02, 20211 hr 19 minSeason 2Ep. 40

Big Fat Five: Griffin Goldsmith's (Dawes) Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Griffin Goldsmith, drummer for the band Dawes. He has also worked with countless artists such as Jackson Browne, John Fogerty, Robbie Robertson, Jim Keltner, Elvis Costello, Sharon Von Etten, Angel Olson, Jenny Lewis, Bahamas and the list goes on and on. He’s recently added film scoring to his list of accomplishments. His delicate and deliberate touch is timeless and honors the gold standard of what it means to be a studio musician. Conversations like this are why I get so e...

May 26, 202150 minSeason 2Ep. 39

Big Fat Five: Mark Guiliana's Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Mark Guiliana. So so much to say. If you’re listening to this show, I’ll assume you are aware of the man but still, he’s a bandleader for his groups Beat Music, the Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet, and Heernt in addition to being a key collaborator with artists such as Brad Mehldau, Avishai Cohen, Dave Douglas, Matisyahu, Chris Morrissey, and the late, legendary David Bowie. Of course the list goes on and on. Mark’s blend of jazz with electronic music continues to set him apart a...

May 19, 20211 hr 11 minSeason 2Ep. 38

Big Fat Five: Jesse Kongos' (KONGOS) Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Jesse Kongos of the band...Kongos. I had the pleasure of opening up for and sharing a bus with Kongos for two tours in 2019 and those memories are some of my favorite ever from being on the road. In this episode, Jesse (the drummer and one of the vocalists / singers for the band) breaks down the top 5 influences that shaped the player and writer he is today. --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 Click here to order now! Drummers on Drumming (the book) ...

May 12, 202153 minSeason 2Ep. 37

Big Fat Five: Ian Maciak’s (@ianhitsdrums) Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Ian Maciak…or as many of you might know him…@ianhitsdrums on instagram. His machine-like playing incorporates the proper pinch of humanity to pull you in and build a soundscape that only he can create. I’ve loved the finesse of his playing from afar for quite some time now and it’s certainly a direction I want my OWN playing to go. You can check him out on the track ‘Sleepy Pietro’ from the new Machinedrum album or relax to his drumming in the “Focus” and Lo-Fii Beats” playl...

May 05, 20211 hr 9 minSeason 2Ep. 36

*BONUS* Aaron Steele Breaks Down A Few Tracks From His Career

This is short little bonus clip that was cut from the main episode featuring Aaron Steele for the sake of time. In it, Aaron breaks down a few songs chosen by me from his prolific career that represent a few different periods of his life. Be sure to check out the main episode where Aaron breaks down the top influences that shaped his playing and writing style. Cheers! --- Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today! 🎯 Click here to order now! Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you i...

Apr 29, 202116 minSeason 2Ep. 35

Big Fat Five: Aaron Steele's Top 5 Influences

This week’s guest is Aaron Steele. Aaron is a melting pot of creativity who has a Rolodex of influences including everything from hardcore to jazz to singer-songwriter to r&b to electronica to funk to pop and back again. Don’t you dare put him in a box! Aaron’s resume includes Portugal. The Man. Hayley Williams of Paramore, Peter Bradley Adams, Chrome Sparks, Jose James and, of course, many more. Our chat went well over two hours, so I consolidated it just a bit. We’ll be jumping in right as...

Apr 28, 20211 hr 16 minSeason 2Ep. 34
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