Drum Dog Podcast
The Drum Dog Podcast goes deep on the instrument we love. In our interviews, we sit down with world-class drummers, from session players to festival headliners, for honest, unhurried conversations about their playing, their careers and the craft behind the kit. Guests include Bill Bruford, Gavin Harrison Antonio Sánchez, and Mel Gaynor.
On 'The Back Beat', our weekly format, Dan talks spotlights drummers worth your attention, goes through albums that are must-listens, worthwhile gear, and think-pieces to ruminate on.
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Episodes
30 episodes
Ralph Rolle (Nile Rodgers & CHIC) Interview: Auditioning for Nile Rodgers, D'Angelo & Biggie Stories, & The Rocketman Soundtrack
We sat down with Ralph Rolle at the Drum Dog studio during his latest visit to the UK. Ralph talks growing up in the Bronx, the high-pressure audition that landed him the Nile Rodgers & CHIC gig, and the stories behind sessions with D'Angel...
Elvin Jones: The Art of Playing Against Yourself
Video essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUzdxo3c00gIn 1966, Elvin Jones walked out of the John Coltrane Quartet, the band that made him famous, because Coltrane hired a second drummer. This is the story of the man who reconceived th...
Dennis Chambers, Los Cabos & Is Your Drumstick Actually 5A? | The Back Beat #8
Dennis Chambers holds down one of the tightest live records in the catalogue, Steely Dan's Alive in America. This week: his playing on that record, a look at Los Cabos sticks, and a question that's been bugging me, are your drumsticks actually ...
Why Does Everyone Get Dennis Chambers Wrong?
Video essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvbY2Y5LLegDennis Chambers is filed, almost universally, under chops. The speed, the impossible fills, the gospel-schooled hands that half of YouTube has spent thirty years trying to copy. But...
Spike T. Smith (The Damned) Interview: Joining The Damned, Touring With Morrissey, & 50 Years of Punk
We chatted with Spike over a video call ahead of his masterclass at the 2026 UK Drum Show, marking 50 years since the birth of punk. Spike talks joining The Damned twenty years after watching Rat Scabies first inspired him to play drums, tourin...
Peter Erskine: The Art of Playing for the Music
Video essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV1ZIAFhEvcFor over fifty years, Peter Erskine has sounded like no one but himself, whether he's driving a big band, anchoring Weather Report, or whispering through a jazz trio. This is the st...
Fuyu Murata (EXILE, MISIA) Interview: One-Take Drumming, a Jazz Childhood, & Turning Down Berklee
We sat down with Fuyu Murata, calling in from Tokyo, for a conversation that runs from a jazz-soaked New York childhood to one of the most distinctive drum channels on YouTube. He talks about growing up around Jimmy Smith, Ron Carter and Grady ...
Why Spotify Is Killing Music Discovery (Guardian Article) ft. Jochan Embley | The Back Beat #7
A Guardian music journalist realised Spotify had quietly smoothed the hard edges off his own taste, so he quit. This week I'm joined by my oldest friend, journalist Jochan Embley, to dig into algorithms, streaming payouts, why he swapped Spotif...
Mark Mondesir (John McLaughlin, Jeff Beck) Interview: Lessons from Elvin Jones & Manifesting Gigs
We sat down with Mark Mondesir for a wide-ranging conversation about a career spent behind some of the most revered names in jazz, fusion and funk.Mark talks us through meeting John McLaughlin, the session for The Promise that put him i...
Steve Gadd, Levon Helm & the Underrated Bands Debate | The Back Beat #6
I put on Chick Corea's My Spanish Heart this week, sat there marvelling at the drummer, and only then realised it was Steve Gadd. This week: Levon Helm's genius behind the kit and the mic, the Eezee Sticks throne holder, and a question about th...
Alex Acuña, Nashville Skyline & Less is More Drummers | The Back Beat #5
This week, the case for the drummers who made the whole song by doing almost nothing, from Charlie Watts to Ringo. Plus Alex Acuña lighting up Montreux, Kenny Buttrey's touch all over Nashville Skyline, and the app we're actually using behind t...
Geese's Max Bassin, Klaus Doldinger's Passport & Kit Care Tips | The Back Beat #4
Geese are the band of the moment, so this week I'm into Max Bassin's snare-heavy groove on Bow Down. Plus the German fusion of Passport's Cross-Collateral and a nod to the late Klaus Doldinger, the Dr Liston's cymbal care range, and your best k...
Anika Nilles joins Rush, Djo's Decide & does the click kill feel? | The Back Beat #3
Anika Nilles has stepped into Rush, and the drumming world is buzzing. This week I get into her first show, dig into Djo's synthpop record Decide, put you onto UK rod brand Ramrods, and ask the question that splits every drummer: does the click...
Are Self-Taught Drummers Missing Out? Plus Keith Carlock, Bad Bunny and Pollner Drums | The Back Beat #2
You can practise on your own for ten years and just get really good at doing it wrong. This week I'm asking whether learning drums alone is quietly holding you back. This week on The Back Beat: a Bad Bunny record that genuinely surprised me, Ke...
Steve Jordan's Groove, Eloy's New Stick & Does Grip Actually Matter? | The Back Beat #1
Steve Jordan stripped his kit back to four pieces and somehow made it the most talked-about groove of the year. This week on The Back Beat: a Japanese jazz album that's been on heavy rotation, Eloy Casagrande's new signature stick with Promark,...
Ari Hoenig (NYU & Punk Bop) Interview: Music as Language, Solo Drumming, & Teaching Beyond the Page
We sat down with Ari for a remote conversation that came about after Bill Bruford name-dropped him in an earlier Drum Dog interview. What followed was a properly philosophical chat about music as a communication tool, how to practice creativity...
Ra Tache (Vanesa Martín) Interview: Self-Taught Drumming, South America, & Playing with Feeling
We sat down with Ra at the Europe Drum Show 2026 to talk about her journey from a musical household in northern Spain to touring with one of the country's biggest pop artists, Vanessa Martín. Entirely self-taught, Ra opens up about learning by ...
Jason Bowld (Bullet for My Valentine) Interview: Joining the Band, Touring Life, & Studio Craft
We sat down with Jason at the Europe Drum Show 2026 to dig into 11 years behind the kit with Bullet for My Valentine, the reality of touring at that scale, and the lessons he's picked up writing and recording across eight albums. From honouring...
Vicky O'Neon (Anastacia) Interview: Hybrid Drumming, Touring, & Triggers
We sat down with Vicky after her masterclass at UK Drum Show to dive into her incredible hybrid setup, touring life, and how drummers can start incorporating electronic and percussive elements into their kit.From live looping to trigger...
Jojo Mayer (Nerve) Interview: AI, Me/Machine & the Future of Creativity
We sat down with one of the most forward-thinking drummers on the planet - Jojo Mayer. Jojo talks about Me/Machine, his generative music system built from two years of pandemic-era coding, inspired by a session with Brian Eno. He explains how t...
Gavin Harrison (King Crimson, Porcupine Tree) Interview: Improvisation, Ideation & Eastenders
We had the chance to speak to legendary drummer Gavin Harrison as discussed his incredible career, musical philosophy, and the realities of life behind the kit. Known for his work with Porcupine Tree, King Crimson, and countless session recordi...
Mike Lowry (Future Islands) Interview: Subtraction, Space and Pocket
🌟 Become a Drum Dog today! 👉 https://join.drum.dog/upgradeIn this episode of the Drum Dog Podcast, we sit down with Mike Lowry (Future Islands) for a deep dive into groove, taste, and the long road of musical identity. From formative hip...
Mel Gaynor (Simple Minds, Elton John) Interview: Broken Gear & 'Don't You (Forget About Me)'
We sat down with the iconic Mel Gaynor at the UK Drum Show 2025 to reflect on his storied 38-year tenure with Simple Minds. Mel dives into the unique challenge of drumming and singing simultaneously - a skill he embraced later in his career - a...
Antonio Sánchez (Pat Metheny, Birdman, Chick Corea) Live Interview: Jazz Improv, Apple TV's The Studio, Scoring Birdman
Renowned drummer and composer Antonio Sanchez (Birdman, Pat Metheny Group) joins us to discuss his latest projects, including the original soundtrack for the Apple TV+ series The Studio and his unique trio album featuring harp and banjo.
Audrey Tait Interview (Franz Ferdinand, Hector Bizerk, Broken Chanter): Glastonbury, Authenticity, & Wellness
In this episode, we're joined by Audrey Tate, the incredibly talented drummer of the iconic band Franz Ferdinand. Recorded during their tour, Audrey shares fascinating stories from the road, including their recent high-energy perf...
