International Drummers Month RSS
In the 80s everything was bigger: big cars, big hair, big glasses, and big shoulder pads. It stands to reason that musicians would want a bigger sound too, and in 80s music, nothing was bigger than the drums. In the previous decade arena rock had taken off, and with recording technology getting better every day, musicians were searching for ways to make their sound bigger and bolder for a large audience. In the 70s, drums were recorded by engineers who placed mics throughout the drum kit to achieve a natural sound. Although things would soon change after a welcome accident in the studio.
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In 2014, teenaged sisters from Indiana signed a record deal with Warner Music Nashville. A magical blend of Ivy Dawn’s soulful vocals and thoughtful lyrics blended with Sophie Dawn’s hard-driving rhythm topped off by their wonderful sister-harmonies have landed them on stages with everyone from Willie Nelson, Martina McBride, Loretta Lynn and Dwight Yoakam. With millions of streams already under their belts, the duo has recently released the EP No Smoke and Mirrors. As part of our month-long International Drummers’ Month celebration we sat down to talk with Sophie earlier this spring.
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As part of our monthlong International Drummer’s Month celebration, we sat down to talk with Dawes drummer Griffin Goldsmith about tone, influences, and the making of their current album The Misadventures of Doomscroller.
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So many ‘Best of Lists’ that focus on drummers tend toward the same familiar names in pop and rock music. It’s hard to argue that musicians like John Bonham, Neil Peart, Ginger Baker, and Keith Moon don’t deserve top rankings but it’s worth taking a moment to acknowledge some drummers of the past and present who maybe just don’t get enough credit for their style, innovation, and exceptional playing.
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So hats off to the innovators who had the vision to build the most foundational of all the modern instruments – the drum kit, and to those drummers who took this innovation and developed the sound that keeps us swinging to this day.
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