Curated by: KJ SAWKA

4. Dennis Chambers

This was the first drumming video I bought. The buddy Rich concert video featuring Dennis Chambers. I must have watched it 200 times or more. I studied every lick he played. Fucking master! Most of my style comes from him. I played his sticks for years and still to this day play 7A. I’m watching the whole thing again right now. FUCK!!!!!

3. Carter Beauford

The thing that got me about Carter is that he’s left handed. When I listened to the Dave Matthews recordings before seeing him drum, I was taken back by his syncopated hi-hat rhythms. They blew my mind actually. I tried so hard to figure them out. Then I set up a left-handed kit along with my right-handed kit in my drum room. And that’s when I started to figure out what he was doing with his hi-hat patterns. I started mimicking his syncopated hi-hat rhythms and then created my own, turning them into breakbeats shortly after.

2. Neil Peart

I mean, holy fuck! I think most drummers can agree that there is no drum solo quite like this. I believe this is the most famous drum solo along side John Bonham’s "Moby Dick." Neil Peart also wrote all the lyrics in Rush. This resonated with me as a songwriter. It helped me understand full musicianship at a young age, not just rhythm.