Drummers on Drumming

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming ... a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum

This week’s Drum Panel has me joined by Mark Stepro and Kris Mazzarisi for a wide-ranging conversation about what happens when gigs fall through, routines get shaken, and you’re forced to rethink how you want to work and live as a drummer.

In this episode, we talk about:

How to respond when a major gig disappears

Why direct, personal outreach still beats mass posts

Aging, touring, and shifting priorities

Social media’s role vs real relationships

Practicing vs working, and why confusing them stalls growth

Tracking progress without over-measuring

Onstage anxiety, depersonalization, and mental spirals

Balancing family, business, touring, and sanity

Letting go of shame around how your brain works

Building a career that isn’t dependent on constant touring

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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, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.

This week’s Drum Panel features me, Ben Hilzinger, alongside George Martinez (aka @skinnygeorge) and Eric Urrea from Marina City.

We talk honestly about rejection, identity, and what actually gets built in the moments when things don’t go your way.

In this episode, we talk about:

Rejection as a mirror, not a verdict, and how quickly one “no” can distort your self-image

The danger of ruminating on tiny moments, and how over-analyzing the past steals energy from the present

Why authenticity matters more than perfection, and how trying to manage how others see you leads to bad fits

The hidden value of “failed” prep, and how deep study always compounds even when the gig disappears

The emotional difference between ego pain and income fear, and how each one shapes your reactions

Balancing confidence and self-doubt, and why artists need both to stay sharp and grounded

How unclear communication creates unnecessary emotional weight, and what that reveals about professional culture

Why creative freedom often shows up disguised as disappointment

New Year’s intentions around health, connection, communication, and long-term sustainability

Letting go of shame around how you work, and learning to build systems that actually fit you

---

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, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.
Happy New Year. This week’s Drum Panel features me, Ben Hilzinger, alongside George Martinez (aka @skinnygeorge) and Eric Urrea from Marina City.

In this episode, we talk about:

Burnout as a signal, not a failure, and how to tell when you actually need to step back

The success trap of linking worth to being busy, and how scarcity thinking keeps you stuck

Dependability, kindness, and the invisible parts of your reputation that shape your career

Grace under pressure, and what tech failures and bad shows reveal about who you are on stage

Confidence without arrogance, and how to take your craft seriously without taking yourself too seriously

---

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, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.

This week features another batch of my favorite clips over the past year. Let me know if you agreeeee.

---

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, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum.

This week features a few of my favorite clips over the past year. Let me know if you agreeeee.

---

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, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices