Big Drum Thump

Well, shit. TRAPS magazine, the very sexy and sophisticated sister mag of DRUM!, has ceased publication, an unfortunate casualty of the current economic crisis. The final issue, which features Tony Williams as the cover story, is still in stores and will be on sale until March. Grab it while you can.

[Press Release]

Enter Music Publishing, Inc. today announced that TRAPS magazine is merging with its sister publication, DRUM! Published quarterly since 2007, TRAPS has been widely hailed for its innovative editorial content, including book-length interviews, top writers and photographers, annotated transcriptions and a focus on jazz and rock drumming history. It will suspend publishing immediately. Current subscribers will receive DRUM! magazine subscriptions and be invited to join an upcoming TRAPS web community.

According to publisher Phil Hood, “In this recession it is imperative for us to focus our efforts our flagship product, DRUM! magazine. TRAPS is incredibly popular with its readership, but the downturn, particularly in advertising, makes it impossible for TRAPS to reach its goals in the near term. We are not immune to the forces impacting our advertisers and other publishers.”

TRAPS launched a test issue, featuring drumming great Max Roach on the cover in 2006. It published three issues in 2007, four in 2008 and one in 2009. Other cover stories featured John Bonham, Jack DeJohnette, Roy Haynes, Terry Bozzio, Lenny White, Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Steve Gadd.

“We learned a tremendous amount from the TRAPS experience,” says editor Andy Doerschuk, “and we want to incorporate some of that TRAPS approach in DRUM! as we go forward.”

The final issue of TRAPS, featuring Tony Williams, remains on sale until March.

Now you can kinda’, sorta’ do so courtesy of DRUM! magazine. Peart will be the cover story for DRUM!‘s June 2009 issue, and instead of having the Professor interviewed by a regular old drumming journo, the magazine is turning over the question-asking to you, Neil Peart’s rabid fans. Just send your favorite to the following email address: neilpeart@drumlink.com. Fans whose questions are chosen will receive their names and pictures in the article. You got until March 15 to think of a good one. Check out the full details below:

[Press Release]

Enter Music Publishing, publishers of hip percussion mags worldwide, will feature Neil Peart on the cover of DRUM! magazine in June. However, instead of having one of its staff writers interview Neil, the company is inviting Neil Peart fans to conduct the interviews via email. In fact, the company has set up a special email address, neilpeart@drumlink.com, so the Neil Peart population can have their say. (Readers can also go online or access a question page on DRUM!’s YouTube site.)

Those fans who want to participate simply email their questions, and if chosen by editor Andy Doerschuk, they will have their names and pictures included in the story. “We’ve done this once before and it was a great success,” said Phil Hood, publisher of Enter Music Publishing. “With Neil’s fans it will be even better. We’re very curious to see what the results will be of our email story campaign.”

After receiving all of the interview questions, which are due by March 15, Doerschuk will then weave them into an integrated interview. “Neil Peart seemed like a great pick for this kind of story,” Doerschuk said. “After all, he has won DRUM! magazine’s “drummie” of the year for two straight years. Our fan base, regardless of age, obviously respects him and that did play into our decision to try this with him.”

DRUM! magazine expects a great response from Peart fans to this opportunity. The company just hopes that its drumlink.com server will not explode due to the amount of incoming email.

[Press Release]

It is with great sadness that we tell you of the passing of Modern Drummer editor in chief William F. Miller. Bill left us this past December 12, after a long and noble bout with cancer. Our hearts and thoughts are with Bill’s wife, Sarah, with their son, Clifford, and with the entire Miller and Otazo families.

Bill began his career at Modern Drummer as an intern over twenty years ago, eventually rising to MD’s top editorial post. A protégé of the magazine’s founder, Ron Spagnardi, Bill loved his work, identified himself with it, and dedicated all of his energy and effort toward it. His presence will be greatly missed.

Below is information for those wishing to pay their respects.

Visitation:

Monday, December 15
2:00-4:00 p.m. and 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Shooks Funeral Home
486 Pompton Avenue
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009
(973) 239-1489

Service:

Tuesday, December 16
10:00 a.m.
Christ Episcopal Church Of Bloomfield – Glen Ridge
74 Park Avenue, Glen Ridge, NJ 07028
(973) 743-5911

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in his memory to the Frost School of Music, University of Miami, P.O. Box 248165, Coral Gables, Fla., 33124, or the Melanoma Research Foundation, 170 Township Line Rd. Hillsborough, N.J. 08844, www.melanoma.org.

[via Drummer Connection]

U.K. mag Rhythm just scored a short interview with new NIN drummer Ilan Rubin. The fellow is only 20 years old, but it sounds like he’s got sticks big enough to replace Josh Freese’s…which surely must make Rubin want to defecate in his drawers, yeah?

No it doesn’t. I technically had to fill [Josh's] shoes a bit since he recorded the majority of Liberation Transmission [his last band's album], but I’m always a fan of a little competition too!

[Press Release]

San Jose, Calif., November 20, 2008—Eighteen years ago, two drum/percussion magazine professionals, Andy Doerschuk and Phil Hood, lost their jobs with a prominent publishing conglomerate. In an economy that was certainly not thriving, the two men made a commitment to establish their own drum/percussion magazine business.

The result was Enter Music Publishing and over nearly two decades, the company has paradiddled, rolled, and buzzed (never a “rest,” mind you) through every challenge: The result? Today, the company’s drum and percussion magazines, DRUM!, Traps, DRUM Interactive, and HOW TO PLAY DRUMS, are considered some of the best publications in this highly competitive music trade magazine niche. And Hood and Doerschuk have garnered a strong reputation throughout the drum industry.

That’s how Enter Music Publishing, publishers of hip, drum/percussion magazines worldwide, has published the 150th Issue of DRUM! Magazine, its flagship title. One of its biggest issues, DRUM!’s 150th features the top ten cover stories of the magazine’s past fifteen years. Special coverage includes a diverse roster of drummers and percussionists, such as: Pete Escovedo and Sheila E; Chad Smith, Tre Cool, Carter Beauford, Travis Barker, Neil Peart, John Dolmayan, Tommy Lee, Joey Jordioson, Lars Ulrich and many others. The issue, quite possibly, is a great effort toward summarizing modern drum and percussion history in 138 pages.

“I’ve been reading DRUM! Magazine for several years now and it just keeps getting better and better,” said Bart Elliott, founder of www.drummercafe.com, a well-respected online drum community. “I’m especially enjoying the recent 150th Issue, Special Collector’s Edition. They did a really good job in terms of selecting the Top 10 DRUM! cover stories for the issue.”

“It’s been quite a ride (all puns intended),” said Phil Hood, publisher of DRUM! Magazine. “But I don’t think we would change anything that we have done in terms of the evolution of DRUM!, from its editorial to layout. We’ve always been open to changing the magazine’s format and content, which has kept us on the cutting edge. I think this issue documents that fact and we’re quite proud of our result.”

A good example of the magazine’s editorial strategy of innovative reporting is the recently added percussion mini-magazine. The Hand Drum section debuted in the middle of 2008 and has been well-received by the hand drum community. In the 150th Issue, what could be better than taking a percussive stride with Santana’s Percussion Team.

“Hand drumming is the root of all percussion” said. Andy Doerschuk, editor of DRUM! And, “we’re looking for ways to integrate it along with all the styles of music we cover, the gear, lessons and other features of interest to drummers. No other drumming magazines is doing anything like that.”

Well, noted, indeed.

The 150th issue of DRUM! has hit music stores, news stands and Barnes and Noble worldwide.

Ramping up for the July 1 launch of its new magazine, Sick Drummer has posted an online column, Ask a Sicko, with Arsis drummer Darren Cesca. Rules of engagement according to the site:

• Please search to see if a similar question has already been asked.
• Repeat questions will not be answered.
• Any questions about Darren and why he’s not in any particular band can be done on his MySpace page.
• Please be patient.

A couple of questions are already up, and Darren’s responses have been quite thorough and generous. Take advantage of the opportunity while you can.