Drums

Beast and Portnoy

09.21.2010

Beast and Mike Portnoy. Sent tonight from his iPhone backstage at the Avenged gig in Bakersfield. RELATED: A killer photo that Randy Johnson took behind Mike’s kit the other night in Phoenix. *UPDATE 09.26.2010. Just in from Vancouver:

READ MORE →

2011 Lexus IS: Behind the Scenes of ‘Music Track’

09.21.2010

A behind-the-scenes look at the mathematical strategy, musical intelligence, and meticulous engineering that went into the Lexus IS ‘Music Track’ commercial. You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

READ MORE →

Dream Theater: Instrumedley

09.11.2010

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video Mike Portnoy and Dream Theater playing Instrumedley at Modern Drummer Festival a few years ago.

READ MORE →

Mike & Max Portnoy jamming A7X’s Nightmare on drums

09.10.2010

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video Mike Portnoy and his son Max Portnoy (age 11) performing Nightmare by Avenged Sevenfold.

READ MORE →

BREAKING: Mike Portnoy Leaves Dream Theater

09.09.2010

Founding member of Dream Theater Mike Portnoy has quit the band after his bandmates reportedly refused to take a hiatus. Via his website, below is Mike’s statement. I am about to write something I never imagined I’d ever write: After 25 years, I have decided to leave Dream Theater….the band I founded, led and truly [...]

READ MORE →

Happy 79th, Count Basie

08.21.2010

From 1964, Corner Pocket featuring Sonny Payne on drums. You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

READ MORE →

Coffee Time – Fred Astaire dancing in 5/4 time – Yolanda and the Thief

08.17.2010

Notice that the song is played in 4/4 time, but danced in 5/4 time! Should be noted that this isn’t a true “5 over 4″ polyrhythm, as the band and dancers are sharing a tempo (i.e. the quarter note is the same). They’re just phrasing things so that the band lands on the shared 1 [...]

READ MORE →

Motherland Music

08.15.2010

With my djembe needing a new goatskin, I dropped it off yesterday at Motherland Music in Culver City. Drum Heaven! The place has a retail showroom, a drum repair workshop, and space for classes and performances. After parking on the street, I followed the sound of drums through the front door of the shop. Turns [...]

READ MORE →

Eminem’s fucking nightmare.

08.04.2010

It’s a great day for lovers of heavy music and bands that actually play instruments. Avenged Sevenfold’s shredding new album ‘Nightmare’ has hit #1 on the U.S. pop chart, ending the five week reign of Eminem. In a world saturated with Justin Biebers and Lady Gagas, it wouldn’t be out of line to proudly raise [...]

READ MORE →

Avenged Sevenfold – Nightmare (Official Music Video)

07.22.2010

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video What a payoff. \m/

READ MORE →

Avenged Sevenfold Nightmare widget

06.24.2010

Official A7X Nightmare widget:

READ MORE →

For the counter

06.23.2010

RLRR LRLL RLLR LLRR LRRL RLRL RLRL R/// Below is a simpler and probably better variation. Accent those yanking lefts on the last half of the pattern: RLRR LRLL RLLR LLRL RLRR LRRL RLRL R/// And then loop it into an exercise: RLRR LRLL RLLR LLRL | RLRR LRRL RLRL RLRL | etc.

READ MORE →

Drummer shows up to the wrong gig

06.08.2010

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

READ MORE →

James Owen Sullivan RIP

05.21.2010

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

READ MORE →

Avenged Sevenfold’s “Nightmare”

05.14.2010

Just leaked yesterday via their website and Facebook page, A7X will be releasing their first single on Monday, May 17. This’ll be the first time we hear Jimmy’s drum tracks as laid down by Mike Portnoy. The artwork is killer, featuring an extra-spooky likeness of The Rev. Perfection: Dragged ya down below, Down to the [...]

READ MORE →