Big Drum Thump

Papa Roach and drummer Dave Buckner have parted ways, at least for a while. Frontdude Jacoby Shaddix has this to say:

It was one of the hardest things we have ever had to do. He’s taking this time to get his life together. We are still friends and still talk on a regular basis.

No word about a replacement yet. Need a gig?

Brian Wilson got a tribute tune from the Barenaked Ladies, but Dennis Wilson….well, he just got himself drunk and dead and then fairly forgotten. So in remembrance of a fallen stick swinger, here’s one dude’s take on Dennis’s 1977 solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue.

Hell yeah! Vinnie Paul is the subject of this week’s Vic Firth video podcast. Vinnie chats a little about his influences, how he got started playing double bass, and (surprise, surprise) his new signature stick.

Tomorrow is the last day to enter Cakewalk’s contest for a free copy of Drumatic. Give ‘em your email address, and over 1,500 drum loops (and probably a whole lot of spam email) could be yours. According to the press release, the loops can be used with any ACID-compatible host. You can also use them with any music software that opens WAV files.

This time, though, he’ll be off camera and (probably) dressed. Lee’s going to narrate a documentary, Dear Jack, about Andrew McMahon’s battle with cancer. McMahon is the vocalist/pianist for the band Something Corporate and his solo project Jack’s Mannequin. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2005. Check out a preview of the movie here.

Guitar Center may have killed off your local music store(s), but the hand that taketh away giveth some cool drum media. Drum Pads is the company’s newish series that takes you into drummers’ home studios and practice spaces. First up is a four-part video with Adrian Young. Only the first part actually seems to be loading correctly, but we give GC two sticks up for effort.

Atom Willard and Brooks Wackerman are scheduled next. No mention of a posting date yet, but we’ll let you know when they’re up.