EPISODE · Jun 4, 2025 · 54 MIN
Big Fat Five: Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin & Wood) Shares His Most Influential Records
from Drummers on Drumming · host Ben Hilzinger
This week’s guest is Billy Martin ... a world-renowned drummer, educator, visual artist, producer, and author. He has collaborated with some of the best, including (but certainly not limited to) John Scofield, John Zorn, Iggy Pop, Natalie Merchant, Flea and many more. Still, many people know him best for his work with Medeski, Martin & Wood, alongside John Medeski and Chris Wood. If you enjoy this episode, please go check out Billy’s interview with Mike Dawson on the Drum Candy podcast titled “Improvising and Cultivating a Creative Mindset”. I recently re-watched his anti-instructional film, Life on Drums, and I can’t recommend it enough. It's essentially a series of conversations between Martin and his first drum teacher, Allen Herman. These discussions delve into topics such as soloing, time, tone, phrasing, free playing, and so much more. Interspersed throughout are some pretty rad solo and duet performances…all filmed with a cinematic aesthetic. So check that out if that interests you. Right off the bat, we dive into the topic of soloing — something Billy encourages all drummers to do first thing when they sit behind the kit (even if just for five minutes), before jumping into the records that shaped him into the remarkable musician he is today. BILLY'S BIG FAT FIVE: Artist - Peter ToshAlbum - Legalize ItRelease Year - 1976Key Track - "Legalize it"Drummer - Carlton "Santa" Davis, Carlton Barrett - Artist - Stevie WonderAlbum - Talking BookRelease Year - 1972Key Track - "Superstition"Drummer - Stevie Wonder - Artist - Dr. JohnAlbum - Gris GrisRelease Year - 1968Key Track - "Mama Roux"Drummer - John Boudreaux - Artist - John ColtraneAlbum - Interstellar SpaceRelease Year - 1974Key Track - "Jupiter Variation"Drummer - Rashied Ali - Artist - Charles MingusAlbum - Mingus Ah UmRelease Year - 1959Key Track - "Better Git It In Your Soul"Drummer - Dannie Richmond - Artist - Lil' KimAlbum - Hard CoreRelease Year - 1996Key Track - "Queen Bitch" Artist - Wu-Tang ClanAlbum - Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)Release Year - 1993Key Track - "Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber - Part II - Conclusion"Drummer - RZA (producer / beat maker) --- 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
What this episode covers
This week’s guest is Billy Martin ... a world-renowned drummer, educator, visual artist, producer, and author. He has collaborated with some of the best, including (but certainly not limited to) John Scofield, John Zorn, Iggy Pop, Natalie Merchant, Flea and many more. Still, many people know him best for his work with Medeski, Martin & Wood, alongside John Medeski and Chris Wood. If you enjoy this episode, please go check out Billy’s interview with Mike Dawson on the Drum Candy podcast titled “Improvising and Cultivating a Creative Mindset”. I recently re-watched his anti-instructional film, Life on Drums, and I can’t recommend it enough. It's essentially a series of conversations between Martin and his first drum teacher, Allen Herman. These discussions delve into topics such as soloing, time, tone, phrasing, free playing, and so much more. Interspersed throughout are some pretty rad solo and duet performances…all filmed with a cinematic aesthetic. So check that out if that interests you. Right off the bat, we dive into the topic of soloing — something Billy encourages all drummers to do first thing when they sit behind the kit (even if just for five minutes), before jumping into the records that shaped him into the remarkable musician he is today. BILLY'S BIG FAT FIVE: Artist - Peter ToshAlbum - Legalize ItRelease Year - 1976Key Track - "Legalize it"Drummer - Carlton "Santa" Davis, Carlton Barrett - Artist - Stevie WonderAlbum - Talking BookRelease Year - 1972Key Track - "Superstition"Drummer - Stevie Wonder - Artist - Dr. JohnAlbum - Gris GrisRelease Year - 1968Key Track - "Mama Roux"Drummer - John Boudreaux - Artist - John ColtraneAlbum - Interstellar SpaceRelease Year - 1974Key Track - "Jupiter Variation"Drummer - Rashied Ali - Artist - Charles MingusAlbum - Mingus Ah UmRelease Year - 1959Key Track - "Better Git It In Your Soul"Drummer - Dannie Richmond - Artist - Lil' KimAlbum - Hard CoreRelease Year - 1996Key Track - "Queen Bitch" Artist - Wu-Tang ClanAlbum - Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)Release Year - 1993Key Track - "Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber - Part II - Conclusion"Drummer - RZA (producer / beat maker) --- 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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Big Fat Five: Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin & Wood) Shares His Most Influential Records
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