Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. We’re back with my bestest mouse, Chance Famighetti, aka Free Arlo. Last week we covered how he bluffed his way into the drum chair for Nicky Youre only to be replaced by me :) This time, we go deeper.
We discuss self-worth tied to art, the stress of carrying your own project versus the ease of being a hired gun, and why chasing fame can warp the very reason we make music in the first place. Chance opens up about struggling with persona-over-songs culture, learning to let go of the algorithm, and building a career that actually feels good.
We also get into:
• How live gigs shape your sound more than the practice room
• Eye contact on stage and the strange intimacy of being watched
• Pocket aces, missed opportunities, and knowing when to shift plans
• Free Arlo’s new music and finding pride in the work again
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54:36
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54:36
I interview the guy I replaced...
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. This week’s episode features my buddy Chance Famighetti, also known as Free Arlo. He was the first drummer for Nicky Youre—the artist we both now tour for—but these days he’s behind the piano while I’m on drums.
It’s a wild and funny conversation about how Chance said “yes” to playing drums for Nicky… before he actually knew how. What started as a bluff turned into a crash course in drumming, arenas, and self-belief. We dig into how producing helped him fake his way through those early gigs, what it felt like to play arenas without knowing how to set up a hi-hat clutch, and how saying yes to one opportunity changed his entire life.
We also talk about his artist project Free Arlo, lessons from touring, why personality keeps you the gig more than skill, and how he’s built a creative life that spans piano, drumming, and sound design.
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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
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47:34
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47:34
Anika Nilles (Rush) shares the records that shaped her playing
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. If you haven’t heard, RUSH just announced a run of new shows with Anika Nilles behind the kit. I’m beyond excited for her—she’s going to absolutely crush those songs.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with Anika, I wanted to bring our 2020 conversation back to the top of the feed. It’s one of the first interviews I ever recorded, so I definitely sound like a baby, but I still love this one.
Technically, this was back in the Big Fat Five era—before the current format was established—but you’ll get the idea. I had such a blast, and Anika will also be part of another project I’ve got in the works.
In the meantime, enjoy revisiting my chat with Anika Nilles and learning more about the music that helped shape her into the unstoppable musician she is today.
ANIKA'S CHOICES:
Artist – TotoAlbum – The Seventh OneRelease Year – 1988Key Track – "Mushanga"Drummer – Jeff Porcaro
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Artist – NerveAlbum – The Distance Between Zero And OneRelease Year – 2011Key Track – "Loot"Drummer – Jojo Mayer
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Artist – The John Scofield BandAlbum – ÜberjamRelease Year – 2002Key Track – "Überjam"Drummer – Adam Deitch
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Artist – Foo FightersAlbum – There Is Nothing Left To LoseRelease Year – 1999Drummer – Taylor Hawkins / Dave Grohl
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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
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33:06
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33:06
The Drum Panel: Infiltrating hardcore with collared shirts
Welcome back to The Drum Panel with me, Ben Hilzinger, alongside Eric Urrea and Kris Mazzarisi. We cover a lot of ground today, but most of our conversation centers around image—what it means, how it evolves, and why it matters. It’s a loaded topic that hits everyone differently, but we do our best to share honest takes from our experiences as working musicians. Think of it as equal parts peer therapy and real-world advice for drummers coming up in the scene.
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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
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43:58
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43:58
Terry Silverlight breaks down the music that shaped him
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming. This is another installment of Big Fat Five—the series where I sit down with my favorite drummers and ask them to break down the five records that shaped how they approach the kit.
Lately I’ve been fortunate to have guests who’ve already appeared in other drummers’ Big Fat Fives, and today’s guest is one of them: Terry Silverlight.
Terry’s career is so deep and wide-ranging that I almost don’t even want to start listing artists. His discography is massive — you can check it out on his website HERE and he’s still extremely active today. He was already recording at 14 on his brother Barry Miles’ record, and he hasn’t slowed down since. Along the way he’s worked with everyone from George Benson to Roberta Flack to Natalie Merchant, just to name a few.
This episode doesn’t veer from the Big Fat Five format, but Terry interleaves the records that shaped him with the way music has been ingrained in his life from day one. I mention this at the top of our chat, but it’s worth saying again here — the through-line of music in Terry’s story is undeniable.
Toward the end, I also ask him about a session that came up in Aaron Steele’s episode a while back, when Aaron brought up Terry’s work with the band Change. If you haven’t heard that one, go back and check it out — Aaron’s a young legend in his own right.
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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.
SONGS PLAYED IN THIS EPISODE:
Artist – Barry MilesAlbum – White HeatRelease Year – 1972Key Track – "White Heat"Drummer – Terry Silverlight
Artist – Max RoachAlbum – Max Roach + 4 ... On The Chicago SceneRelease Year – 1958Key Track – "Memo: To Maurice"Drummer – Max Roach
Artist – The Tony Williams LifetimeAlbum – Emergency!Release Year – 1969Key Track – "Emergency"Drummer – Tony Williams
Artist – Ravi Shankar & Alla RakhaAlbum – The Genius of Pandit Ravi ShankarRelease Year – 1990Key Track – "Yaman - Gat in Matta Tal"Tabla – Alla Rakha
Artist – ShaktiAlbum – Mind Explosion (50th Anniversary Tour Live)Release Year – 2025Key Track – "5 In The Morning, 6 In The Afternoon"Tabla – Zakir Hussain
Artist – McCoy TynerAlbum – TridentRelease Year – 1975Key Track – "Elvin (Sir) Jones"Drummer – Elvin Jones
Artist – Airto MoreiraAlbum – FingersRelease Year – 1973Key Track – "Fingers (El Rada)"Drummers – Airto Moreira & Ivan Conti
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
A podcast for drummers who think too much. Ben Hilzinger talks to the greats about creativity, identity, staying sane, and finding purpose behind the kit.
Powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. For more inforamtion, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram.