Ari Hoenig (NYU & Punk Bop) Interview: Music as Language, Solo Drumming, & Teaching Beyond the Page

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 rather than chops, and why learning an instrument and learning music are two completely different things. Ari opens up about his solo drumming approach, the three sources of inspiration that shape every note he plays, and why he hasn't sat down to practice technical exercises in years. We also get into his composing process, picking up piano during Covid, and how he runs his Patreon as an alternative to traditional drum education. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by how much there is to practice, or wondered how a player like Ari thinks his way around the kit, this one is essential listening. 00:00 – The Bill Bruford Moment 03:01 – Performing, Teaching, and What Drives the Music 05:24 – Music as a Language 10:12 – Solo Drumming and the Three Sources of Inspiration 14:16 – Why Simplicity Wins Over Density 16:08 – Playing on the Edge of a Mistake 17:28 – Jim White, Free Improvisation, and Warming Up Musically 20:49 – What Ari's Practice Actually Looks Like Right Now 23:04 – Drumming Like Swimming 27:10 – Picking Up Piano During Covid 33:53 – Teaching at NYU and the Limits of Academic Music 36:35 – Learning an Instrument vs Learning Music 42:52 – The Books, the Videos, and the Patreon 49:21 – Information Should Be Shared 52:24 – Being a Coach as Much as a Teacher 54:29 – Final Words and Future UK Visits Check out Ari's Patreon for tutorial videos on drumming, composition, and rhythm: https://www.patreon.com/arihoenig #arihoenig #punkbop #drumdog 🥁 Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library.  Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. 👉 https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2467187/support]

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 ear, why she'll only take gigs she feels a genuine connection to, the role social media has played in every opportunity she's had, and how a chemical engineering degree shaped the way she thinks about music as a career. Whether you're a self-taught drummer wondering if it's enough, or just curious how a working pro approaches the craft, this conversation is full of warmth and honest advice. 00:00 – Welcome & Europe Drum Show Highlights 02:09 – Growing Up Self-Taught 05:38 – On Reading Music as a Pro Drummer 09:43 – Touring with Vanessa Martín 11:40 – Playing with Joy & Connection 14:13 – Working in English vs Spanish Music 15:18 – Social Media as a Tool, Not a Goal 20:17 – Heading to South America 24:21 – Ra's Own EP & Where to Find Her 👉 Check out Drum Dog for more lessons from world-class drummers: https://drum.dog #rataché #vanessamartin #drumdog 🥁 Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library.  Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. → https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2467187/support]

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 a song versus putting his own stamp on it, to the mindset shift of going full-time, to the underrated skills he thinks every drummer should be working on, Jason breaks down the craft side of being a working metal drummer with refreshing honesty. If you've ever wondered what it takes to step into an established band and make it your own, this one's packed with insight. 00:00 – Intro 01:45 – Joining an Established Band 03:11 – Restriction in the Creative Process 07:59 – Painting & Art on Tour 11:36 – Meeting Your Heroes 15:58 – Why Jason Plays Barefoot 18:21 – Going Full-Time with Bullet 23:42 – Staying Fit for Touring 26:37 – The Dark Side of Touring Life 29:46 – Quickfire Drumming Questions 33:39 – The New Bullet Album & What's Next #jasonbowld #bulletformyvalentine #drumdog🥁 Jason's website - https://jasonbowld.com/ Drum Dog is a membership built for drummers — gear discounts, members-only flash offers, artist sessions and interviews, prize draws, event and ticket perks (including free Drum Show tickets), and full access to the lesson library.  Want to try it? 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. → https://link.drum.dog/join 🎧 Listen to the Drum Dog Podcast wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2s8IAlRWNnu3SGOZo0BxTW Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drum-dog-podcast/id1806605706 Amazon → https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/b859c830-c051-46c6-a094-cc9b92973e4a/drum-dog-podcast 🔔 Subscribe for interviews, lessons, gear and performances from world-class drummers. Follow us: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2467187/support]

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-based percussion, Vicky breaks down how she blends acoustic and electronic drumming into a powerful, creative setup - and shares practical advice for drummers who want to get started without feeling overwhelmed. If you’ve ever thought about building a hybrid kit, this is the perfect place to start. 00:00 – Vicky’s Unique Hybrid Setup 01:10 – How to get into a Hybrid Setups 03:10 – Creative Process 07:59 – The Anastacia Gig 11:36 – Playing in Unconventional Places 16:13 – A New Path in Life 18:04 – Online Content 20:17 – Current Projects 26:10 – Dealing with Pressure 28:00 – How to get into percussion 31:12 – How Vicky Got Started 👉 Check out Drum Dog for more lessons from world-class drummers: https://drum.dog #vickyoneon #ukdrumshow #anastacia  Follow us on: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk 🔔 If you enjoyed this video, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more drumming content, gear reviews, and lessons from some of the world’s best drummers! 👥 Join our Facebook Community to discuss everything related to drums with like-minded people! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1404257014183843/ Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2467187/support]

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 the system responds to his playing in real time, the role of probability in making music feel alive rather than mechanical, and why he believes this moment in human history is one of the most important we've ever faced. It was an honour and pleasure to speak with Jojo - he speaks with real passion and eloquence about music, art, and creativity. We hope you enjoy! 00:00 - Intro & Setting  04:05 - Touring & Background  08:10 - MeMachine Origins  12:15 - Brian Eno & Generative Systems  16:20 - AI & Creativity  20:25 - Human vs Machine Expression  24:30 - Live Performance & Interaction  28:35 - Technology & Artistic Identity  32:40 - Future of Creativity  36:45 - Closing Thoughts & Reflections #jojomayer #drums #drummer 🌟 Try Drum Dog for Free! 👉 https://join.drum.dog/upgrade Follow us on: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/drumdoguk Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drumdoguk/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@drumdoguk 🔔 If you enjoyed this video, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more drumming content, gear reviews, and lessons from some of the world’s best drummers! 👥 Join our Facebook Community to discuss everything related to drums with like-minded people! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1404257014183843/ Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2467187/support]