Drum History

About Drum History

A podcast all about the rich history of the drums - and how they became what they are today! Join Bart van der Zee as he speaks with experts about the curious journey of the ever-evolving drum set.

Publisher

Bart Vanderzee

Category

history · music

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

20 Oct 2018

Latest episode

15 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 281 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   15 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   The Gear of Steve Gadd (Part 3) with Steve Gadd, Paul Wells and John DeChristopher

   Host John DeChristopher and guest Steve Gadd, alongside Paul Wells, explore the iconic gear and musical approach of legendary drummer Steve Gadd in this interview.

2. 

   17 Dec 2025

   The Gear of Steve Gadd (Part 2) with Paul Wells

   In Part 2 of our deep-dive into the gear of Steve Gadd, Paul Wells returns to unpack even more forensic-level details about one of the most influential drummers of all time. Building on the wildly popular Part 1, this episode revisits earlier conclusions with new photographic evidence, listener-submitted research, rare interviews, and meticulous analysis of Steve Gadd’s drum kits, heads, sizes, cymbals, and studio backline setups from the mid-1970s through the 1990s. We explore: • Newly discovered photos from Saturday Night Live (1975) confirming early drumhead choices • The evolution of Gadd’s Pearl/Gretsch hybrid kit • Deep analysis of Yamaha Recording Custom Kit #1 and #2 • Evidence-based breakdown of the Steely Dan “Aja” drum kit myth • Backline vs personal kits on classic recordings • The transition from Recording Custom to Maple Custom and early signature kit prototypes If you love drum history, gear archaeology, and Steve Gadd, this one goes deep into the weeds—in the best way possible. 📺 Highly recommended to watch on YouTube — this episode includes extensive photo references throughout. https://youtu.be/aElL-iXetrc

3. 

   12 Nov 2025

   New Show! The Fully Vented Podcast: The Story of Orange County Drum & Percussion

   I am super excited to share with you the first episode of this great new podcast! The Fully Vented Podcast: the story of Orange County Drum & Percussion By host Jarrod Fallon and producer Evan Nagorner New episodes premiere every Thursday at 8PM EST on Patreon and then everywhere else Saturday’s at 11AM (YouTube + everywhere you listen on all podcast platforms). Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@FullyVentedPodcast They also have a bonus segment exclusively on Patreon where we dive into what drums our guests still have in their collection! Upcoming guest include the majority of the custom shop builders, their ghost builder, and many of the drummers that played the legendary drums, like Stevo 32 former drummer of Sum 41, Cyrus Bolooki of New Found Glory, Chris Hornbook of Poison The Well, and many more! You can follow the podcast @FullyVentedPodcast on all socials and Youtube for updates and join their Patreon at Patreon.com/fullyventedpodcast

Inside a recent episode

The Gear of Steve Gadd (Part 3) with Steve Gadd, Paul Wells and John DeChristopher

Published 15 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] But I didn't buy that kid in New York. I bought it in Rochester. Okay. So it wasn't... They weren't K's. They were A's. Oh, okay. Okay, I gotcha. I gotcha. You had mentioned somewhere that... Art Blakey had given you some old K's at one point. He gave me one old K, like a 20-inch ride. Do you remember when that was, how old you were? Maybe a teenager or something, or was it a little later? I was a kid. We used to go, my parents used to take me to go see him play at this club they used to come in and play at. And And they'd let us sit in. It was me, and I grew up with Chuck Mangione and his brother. […]

Who has been a guest on Drum History

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Steve Gadd
• Paul Wells
• John DeChristopher

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

1,914,281

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

244 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 84 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

94

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

95

Contact Drum History

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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Questions about Drum History