DRUMMERS ON DRUMMING dives deep into the groove, quirks, and ingenuity that define some of the world’s most innovative drummers. Hosted by Ben Hilzinger (Cannon...
Big Fat Five: Chris "Woody" Wood (Bastille) Shares His Top 5 Influential Records
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, the podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. This is another segment of Big Fat Five, where I invite my favorite drummers to break down the five records that shaped their approach to the instrument.
Today, I’m joined by my friend Chris “Woody” Wood, drummer for the internationally loved band, Bastille. Since exploding onto the scene with Bad Blood in 2013, Bastille has become a staple of modern alt-pop—balancing sweeping, atmospheric moments with massive sing-along choruses.
Woody’s playing is a perfect example of how space, groove, and feel can elevate a song without ever getting in the way—something especially crucial in an arena-sized band like Bastille. But make no mistake, he still finds his moments, keeping his playing fresh, musical, and relevant for well over a decade.
Beyond the kit, Woody is just a hilarious and thoughtful dude. He even co-hosts his own podcast, Away Days w/ Woody and Piers, a comedic deep dive into the world of away football fandom. We get into all of that and more—while uncovering the five records that shaped him into the drummer he is today.
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 Click here to order now!
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
CHRIS' BIG FAT FIVE:
Artist - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Album - Californication
Release Year - 1999
Key Track - "Scar Tissue"
Drummer - Chad Smith
-
Artist - Queens Of The Stone Age
Album - Songs For The Deaf
Release Year - 2002
Key Track(s) - "Hangin' Tree," "Millionaire"
Drummer - Dave Grohl
-
Artist - Smashing Pumpkins
Album - Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness
Release Year - 1995
Key Track(s) - "Jelly Belly," "Bullet With Butterfly Wings"
Drummer - Jimmy Chamberlin
-
Artist - Mars Volta
Album - Deloused In The Comatorium
Release Year - 2003
Key Track(s) - "Inertiatic ESP," "Cicatraz ESP"
Drummer - Jon Theodore
-
Artist - Nate Smith
Album - ANYTHING HE PLAYS ON
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram.
--------
51:10
The Drum Panel: Mental Health > Paradiddles, Signature Sticks and Dream Lessons
Episode 11 of The Drum Panel
Welcome to The Drum Panel—a show where a rotating group of professional drummers engages in roundtable discussions pertaining to all things DRUM.
For today's panel, we have my co-host Eric Urrea and special guest, Britt Bowman (Demi Lovato, KiNG Mala, Meg Myers, Royal and the Serpent, Toni Cornell).
Today we discuss:
What’s the one piece of gear you’ve held onto the longest—and why?
Are signature drumsticks a genuine advantage or just a marketing ploy?
If you only had one hour per week to practice, how would you maximize your progress?
Is it more beneficial for your creativity to immerse yourself in one album for a full week or explore a new record every day?
Why every drummer needs a creative outlet outside of their career.
How mental health directly impacts your drumming—and what to do about it.
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 Click here to order now!
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram.
--------
51:56
Big Fat Five: Ian Matthews (Kasabian) Shares His Top 5 Influential Records
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, the podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. This is another segment of Big Fat Five, where I invite my favorite drummers to break down the five records that shaped their approach to the instrument.
Today, I’m joined by Ian Matthews, drummer for the "future rock" Kasabian—a group that, like many of the greats, enjoys massive success outside the U.S. while somehow remaining criminally underrated stateside. With eight studio albums and a reputation for explosive, anthemic live shows, Kasabian has been shaping the sound of modern rock for decades. And at the heart of it all? Ian Matthews—the powerhouse engine behind their dynamic and electrifying sound.
We cover a lot in this conversation—stuff that will help any drummer level up their playing and presence on the kit. I also want to mention something special: If you've listened to The Drum Panel recently, you know I’ve talked about a certain project from November 2024 that I was really stoked about. Well, Ian was one of my main inspirations for those sessions.
This one meant a lot. Enjoy the five records that shaped Ian Matthews into the drummer he is today.
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 Click here to order now!
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
IAN'S BIG FAT FIVE:
Artist - Buddy Rich
Album - Live At Ronnie Scott’s
Release Year - 1972
Key Track - "Time Being"
Drummer - Buddy Rich
-
Artist - Leo Sayer
Album - Endless Flight
Release Year - 1976
Key Track - "When I Need You"
Drummer - Jeff Porcaro, Steve Gadd, Rick Shlosser, Nigel Olsson, Ed Greene,
-
Artist - Dave Brubeck
Album - Time Out
Release Year - 1959
Key Track - "Take 5," "Blue Rondo á la Turk"
Drummer - Joe Morello
-
Artist - Iron Maiden
Album - Live After Death
Release Year - 1985
Key Track - "Aces High"
Drummer - Nicko McBrain
-
Artist - Steely Dan
Album - Aja
Release Year - 1977
Key Track - "Aja," "Home At Last"
Drummer - Steve Gadd, Bernard Purdie, Jim Keltner, Rich Moratta, Ed Greene
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram.
--------
46:12
Big Fat Five: Jason Gerken (Shiner, Hum, Molly McGuire) Shares His Top 5 Influential Records
Today, we’ve got another segment of the podcast called Big Fat Five. This is where I invite my favorite drummers on the show to break down the five records that helped shape their approach to the instrument.
Our guest today is Jason Gerken, a Kansas City-based drummer known for his work with Molly McGuire, Shiner, Open Hand, Project 86, and most recently, Hum. After our episode with Jared Shavelson a few weeks ago, I got a flood of DMs from people thanking me for introducing them to Jason’s drumming on The Egg by Shiner. I knew I had to get him on ASAP. Jason’s drumming carries so much weight—in every sense of the word. I know a lot of my friends were especially looking forward to this one, so here you go. I hope you all enjoy the five records that shaped Jason Gerken into the drummer he is today.
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 Click here to order now!
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
JASON'S BIG FAT FIVE:
Artist - Chicago
Album - IX
Release Year - 1975
Key Track - Beginnings
Drummer - Danny Seraphine
-
Artist - Rush
Album - Moving Pictures
Release Year - 1981
Key Track - Red Barchetta
Drummer - Neil Peart
-
Artist - Jimi Hendrix Experience
Album - Essentials 1&2
Release Year - 1967
Key Track(s) - "If 6 Was 9" and other B-sides
Drummer - Mitch Mitchell
-
Artist - Yes
Album - Fragile
Release Year - 1971
Key Track - Heart of the Sunrise
Drummer - Bill Bruford
-
Artist - Government Issue
Album - You/Crash
Release Year - 1987
Key Track - Jaded Eyes
Drummer - Peter Moffett
-
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Artist - Bitch Magnet
Album - Umber
Release Year - 1989
Key Track - Navajo Ace
Drummer - Orestes Delatorre
-
Artist - Steely Dan
Album - The Royal Scam
Release Year - 1976
Key Track - Green Earrings
Drummer - Bernard Purdie
-
Artist - Bastro
Album - Diablo Guapo
Release Year - 1989
Key Track - Sing the Troubled Beast
Drummer - John McEntire
-
Artist - Helmet
Album - Strap It On
Release Year - 1992
Key Track - FBLA
Drummer - John Stanier
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram.
--------
36:17
The Drum Panel: Defining Success, Underrated Drummers, and the Gear We Love (That’s Not a Drum)
Episode 10 of The Drum Panel
Welcome to The Drum Panel—a show where a rotating group of professional drummers engages in roundtable discussions pertaining to all things DRUM.
For today's panel, we have my co-host Eric Urrea and special guest, Jessica Burdeaux (Covet, City Mouth, Host of Reverb.com's "What's That Sound?" series on YouTube).
Today we discuss:
How do we get into the mindset of authentically emulating grooves?
Thinking like a producer: Approaching drumming with overdubbing and auxiliary percussion in mind.
What’s a style of music you feel you should know more about?
How do you decide when to cut yourself off from outside influences?
What’s your favorite piece of music gear that isn’t a drum or cymbal?
If you could play one iconic groove perfectly, what would it be?
Who are some drummers you think are underrated right now?
How do you currently define success as a drummer?
Are koalas marsupials?
As promised...
Josh Freese
Jason Gerken
Casey Deitz
Valerie Franco
Ulf Mickael Wahlgren
---
Get Your Copy of the Drummers on Drumming Book Today!
🎯 Click here to order now!
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram.
DRUMMERS ON DRUMMING dives deep into the groove, quirks, and ingenuity that define some of the world’s most innovative drummers. Hosted by Ben Hilzinger (Cannons, Eve 6) and powered by Big Fat Snare Drum, this podcast brings together a unique blend of personal stories, raw insights, and surprising perspectives.
Each episode unpacks what makes a drummer's voice their own—whether it's through Big Fat Five, where guests reveal the five albums, moments, or influences that shaped their style, or The Drum Panel, a spirited roundtable tackling the instrument's most polarizing debates. Expect bold opinions, unexpected connections, and an authentic look at the drumming life—on and off the kit.
---
Get Your Copy of the 'Drummers on Drumming' Book Today!
🎯 Click here to order now!
Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram.