My Top 5 Favorite Drums

It’s International Drum Month & I’m naming names

“I’m often starry-eyed when I gaze upon my snare drum.” —Leonardo da Vinci (Photo by Chris Strother)

You know how some strummers give their guitars nicknames? Like everything else about being in a band, that’s a little more difficult for drummers. But that’s cool, we’re used to it.

Drummers play kits— a collection of many instruments assembled to make some righteous noise. Your basic kit has four or five drums, but throw in a cowbell named Pat, a glockenspiel called Steve, an oil drum that goes by Terry, an electric pad known as Quinn, or a flaming gong also named Steve and things get confusing pretty fast.

Remembering all those names is less like having a monogamous relationship and more like starting a cult. I love all my followers the same—but unlike some lying cult leaders (you know who you are), I can at least admit to having my favorites.

Here are five of them.

5. Backup Snare Drum—Michelangelo (aka Mike)

Making this list was honestly kinda hard because I play a four-piece kit. I probably should have gone with “My Top 4 Favorite Drums,” but I would have felt like a total sell-out if I did that. “Top 5” was the original idea, so I wanted to stay true to my roots—which is how my backup snare made the cut.