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Neil Peart's Progressive Percussion Proves Itself Again; Nominated “Drummer Of The Year” For A Second Time in DRUM! Magazine's Drummies 2008; Selected “Best Live Performer” As Well

San Jose, Calif – He's done it again: Neil Peart has been selected “Drummer Of The Year” in DRUM! Magazine's Drummies 2008, a prestigious reader survey contest comprised of 42 categories, conducted by Enter Music Publishing, publishers of hip/drum percussion magazines worldwide. More than 5000 drummers nominated Peart; the runners-up were Stanton Moore, Mike Portnoy and Jimmy Sullivan.

Additionally, Peart won “Best Live Performer.”

“Peart has definitely shown his influence on drummers of all ages and walks of life,” said Phil Hood, publisher of Enter Music Publishing. “At the same time, the runners-up demonstrate the diversity of taste that our readers have. All of the winners have clearly proven their commitment to the drumming arts.”

Stanton Moore: Struts Up As A Runner-Up
Stanton Moore is a good example of a drummer, as Hood aptly notates, who is so obsessed with forwarding traditional New Orleans drumming. He could be considered a new stuttin' player carrying the meter messages of drummers, such as Zig Modeliste, Russell Batiste and Johnny Vidacovich. He was the cover of DRUM! in January of this year. Moore, additionally, has been active in the resurrection of the Crescent City. Maybe that's why it's so poetic that he recieved a runner-up.

The winners of this year's Drummies will be published in DRUM!'s August issue and
announced publicly on over 500 web sites and media outlets beginning July 1 in a comprehensive campaign. The August Issue of DRUM! Magazine hits newsstands officially on July 14.

The winners and runners-up are listed in order below. Enter Music Publishing would like to, once again, congratulate all of them.

DRUM SET CATEGORIES
Best Drummer of the Year–WINNER: Neil Peart. Runners-Up: Stanton Moore, Mike Portnoy, Jimmy Sullivan
Best Rising Star–WINNER: Thomas Pridgen. Runners-Up: Cody Hanson, Matt Smith, Spencer Smith
Best Progessive–WINNER: Mike Portnoy. Runners-Up: Neil Peart, Gavin Harrison, Danny Carey
Best Metal–WINNER: Chris Adler. Runners-Up: Jason Bittner, Joey Jordison, Brann Dailor
Best Jam Band–WINNER: Carter Beauford. Runners-Up: Stanton Moore, Matt Abts, Jim Donovan
Best Jazz–WINNER: Steve Smith. Runners-Up: Peter Erskine, Billy Hart, Billy Kilson
Best Funk–WINNER: Chad Smith. Runners-Up: Stanton Moore, Zoro, Aaron Spears
Best Urban–WINNER: ?uestlove. Runners-Up: Aaron Spears, Trevor Lawrence Jr., Teddy Campbell
Best Mainstream Pop–WINNER: Taylor Hawkins. Runners-Up: Neil Peart, Chad Smith, Travis Barker
Best Alternative–WINNER: Sam Loeffler. Runners-Up: Brooks Wackerman , Atom Willard, Travis Barker
Best Punk–WINNER: Travis Barker. Runners-Up: TrÈ Cool, Brooks Wackerman, Bill Stevenson
Best R&B/Blues–WINNER: Zoro. Runners-Up: Stanton Moore, Aaron Spears, Teddy Campbell
Best Country–WINNER: Jim Riley. Runners-Up: Paul Leim, Eddie Bayers, Ben Sesar
Best Drum Clinician–WINNER: Thomas Lang. Runners-Up: JoJo Mayer, Stanton Moore, Mike Mangini
Best Studio–WINNER: Vinnie Colaiuta. Runners-Up: Steve Gadd, Josh Freese, Rodney Holmes
Best Live Performer–WINNER: Neil Peart. Runners-Up: Stanton Moore, Jimmy Sullivan, Mike Portnoy

INDUSTRY AND PRODUCT CATEGORIES
Best Drum Kit–WINNER: DW Collector's Twisted Exotics.
Runners-Up: Pearl Masters MCX, Tama Starclassic Perfomer Bubinga/Birch, Ludwig Legacy
Best Snare Drum–WINNER: Black Panther Thick Flame Maple. Runners-Up: Tama 13" Warlord Limited Edition, Pro-Mark 50th Anniversary, Yamaha 14" x 5.5" Kabuto
Best Custom Drum Maker–WINNER: SJC. Runners-Up: Pork Pie, Craviotto, Orange County Drums & Percussion
Best Cymbal –WINNER: Zildjian Armand Series. Runners-Up: Sabian 20" HHX Evolution O-Zone Crash, Paiste Twenty Series, Zildjian 22" K Medium Dark Ride
Best Drumhead–WINNER: Evans EC1. Runners-Up: Remo Powerstroke X Snare, Remo Vintage A, Aquarian Super-2
Best Sticks–WINNER: Vic Firth Danny Carey Nylon Tip Signature. Runners-Up: Vater Limited Edition 2007 Stewart Copeland Standard, Zildjian Backbeat Series, Pro-Mark Chris Adler model
Best Hardware–WINNER: DW 8000 Series Pedals. Runners-Up: Tama Iron Cobra Rolling Glide Pedals with Cobra Coil Speed Spring, Pearl 900 Series, Tama Stage Master
Best Percussion–WINNER: LP John Dolmayan Mini-Timbale. Runners-Up: Pearl Travel Conga, LP More Cowbell Ridge Rider Bell Pack, Remo Key-Tuned Djembe
Best Accessory–WINNER: Zildjian Travis Barker Artist Series Bags. Runners-Up: Vater Safe 'N Sound Earplugs, SKB Roto-X cases, Aquarian Super-Thin Kickpads
Best Electronic Percussion–WINNER: Roland HD-1 V-Drums Lite. Runners-Up: Yamaha DTXpress IV, Roland PM-01 Personal Monitor, Alesis DM5 Pro

PERCUSSIONIST CATEGORIES
Best Percussionist of the Year–WINNER: Luis Conte. Runners-Up: Giovanni Hidalgo, Fausto Cuevas, Taku Hirano
Best Rising Star–WINNER: Cesar Espinoza. Runners-Up: Carlos Maldonado, A.B. Bermudez, Eric Velez
Best Latin–WINNER–Richie Flores. Runners-Up: A.B. Bermudez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Poncho Sanchez
Best Jazz/Fusion–WINNER: Sammy Figueroa. Runners-Up: Richie Flores, A.B. Bermudez, Cyro Baptista
Best Percussion Clinician–WINNER: Jesus Diaz. Runners-Up: Giovanni Hidalgo, Alex AcuÒa, Valerie Naranjo
Best Rock/Pop–WINNER: Luis Conte. Runners-Up: Fausto Cuevas, Raul Rekow, Jim Donovan
Best Worldbeat–WINNER: Valerie Naranjo. Runners-Up: Zakir Hussain, Taku Hirano, Cyro Baptista
Best Percussion Ensemble–WINNER: Hip Pickles. Runners-Up: Blue Man Group, San Jose Taiko, Concord Blue Devils
Best Drum Circle Facilitator–WINNER: Jim Donovan. Runners-Up: Valerie Naranjo, John Scalici, Chet Doboe
Best Studio–WINNER: Luis Conte. Runners-Up: Lenny Castro, Emil Richards, Robert Vilera
Best Live Performer–WINNER: Marc QuiÒones. Runners-Up: Alex AcuÒa, Hip Pickles, Jim Donovan

MEDIA CATEGORIES
Best DVD–WINNER: Secret Weapons for the Modern Drummer by Jojo Mayer. Runners-Up: In Constant Motion by Mike Portnoy, Ultimate Realistic Rock by Carmine Appice, Billy Cobham Live At 60 by Billy Cobham
Best Book–WINNER: On The Beaten Path: The Drummer’s Guide to Musical Styles and the Legends Who Defined Them by Rich Lackowski. Runners-Up: Drumming Out of the Shadows by Jason Bittner, Hands, Grooves and Fills by Pat Petrillo, Jimi Hendrix: Smash Hits Play-Along
Best Drumming Album–WINNER: Hellyeah by Hellyeah. Runners-Up: Obzen by Meshuggah, Avenged Sevenfold by Avenged Sevenfold, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace by Foo Fighters
Best Hand Percussion Album–WINNER: The Magician by Sammy Figueroa. Runners-Up: Global Drum Project by Mickey Hart, Akir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju, and Giovanni Hidalgo, Raise Your Hand by Poncho Sanchez, Marimbula by Luis Conte
Best Web Site–WINNER: drummerworld.com. Runners-Up: pearldrum.com, drumsmith.com, drumbum.com
Best Print Advertisement–WINNER: Pearl “Chad Smith Grammy Magnet.” Runners-Up: DW “My Name Is,” Pro-Mark “Say It With Your Music,” Tama “Blue Man Group”

About Enter Music Publishing
Founded in San Jose, CA in 1992, Enter Music Publishing, Inc. is a leading publisher of drum/percussion magazines, with distribution in 40 countries. DRUM! is the flagship publication of Enter Music Publishing, Inc. and continues to set the industry standard for editorial quality and innovation. In addition to DRUM! and DRUM! Digital, the company publishes Traps and HOW TO PLAY DRUMS. Additional information about the company can be found at: drummagazine.com.

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Traps Magazine Cues Up Lenny White's Return To Forever; Historic Hit Man Drum Battles; Progressive Percussionists Of The 70's; Moments with Miles Davis Discography And Much More

San Jose, Calif., -- Enter Music Publishing, publishers of hip, drum/percussion magazines worldwide, today released its Summer Issue of Traps Magazine. Committed to covering “The Art of Drumming”, this issue of Traps extensively explores the history of jazz-fusion drumming through the pioneering players of these highly related genres in 90 pages.

Traps editor, Andy Doerschuk, in his "Entrance" Editor Column, best summarizes this compelling issue of Traps. As he notes: “Our cover stories continue to be the most expert and in-depth drumming coverage you can find, while other stories (covering jazz and fusion) remain focused on pertinent information for the discerning drummer, who wants to learn about the legends, their sound, techniques and gear.”

Lenny White: Reunited With Return To Forever, By Any Means Necessary
Lenny White, without a doubt, is one of the most well respected drummers of jazz and fusion. His incendiary contributions with Return To Forever ignited the fusion era, fusing rock rhythms with jazz harmonies. The passion and zeal with which he attacked the drums in his early days has never dimmed. When Return to Forever decided recently to reunite, White he met up with the other members of the band to rehearse for their upcoming summer tour, even though he was suffering from a broken shoulder and hadn't actively drummed for nearly four months. As he says in the cover story, “I couldn't play for 30 seconds on a pad it (the pain) was so bad.” Yet his band mates – keyboardist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke and guitarist Al Di Meola didn't notice any difference is his ability to pull of the precision playing necessary to hold down the throne. Bill Milkowski takes the reader on a journey through White's impressive career, particularly his contributions to Miles Davis' seminal fusion recording, Bitches Brew, which also included drumming legends Jack DeJohnette and Billy Cobham.

Is the winner Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson or Elvin Jones?
While drum battles are rare today, they were a popular publicity gimmick in the 50's and 60's, challenging g the drummers and tantalizing audiences who had the opportunity to witness some of the greatest jazz drummers in history. Writer, Bruce Klauber, takes the reader on a historic tour of these exciting drumming moments. One of the highlights of this story is the ongoing series of drum battles between Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. The battles between these drummers were not meant to be boxing matches for the two rivals had tremendous respect for each other: As Krupa commented, “Anyone that goes up against Buddy in these (battle) situations is going to get blown away." A discography of rare battles is included.

Brian Blade In A Q & A
During this intriguing article, Blade is asked about how and why Joni Mitchell is one of his heroes. In his response, Blade explains how two of her recordings, Hejira and Mingus, have been influential to his ability to write well-crafted songs, “particularly the harmonic aspects of Hejira," which continues to impact his writing style.

Six Progressive Percussionists – Miles Camp, Weather Report Syndicate Or Both
These six percussionists – Moreira, Alias, Mtume, Un Romao, Acuna and Badrena – were active participants in the fusion revolution. Generally speaking, they all had “Latin-tinged styles and did stints with Miles, Weather Report, or both. Traps explores the impact of each of these artists and how they're contributions stand up three decades later.

125 Years Strong – Gretsch Drums
The Gretsch drum company has been building drums in pretty much the same way for 125 years. Played by legends from Tony Williams to Phil Collins, Gretsch remains one of the world's leading brands. TRAPS photo star Robert Downs and writer Jared Cobb take readers on a photo-essay tour of the Gretsch factory. One thing is quite clear from this story; Gretsch drums will outlive any drummer, based on the fine crafting of these special sounding drums.

Epilogue: A Definitive Miles Davis Discography
As previously discussed, many of the drummers written about in this issue of Traps played at some time in their career with Miles Davis. In a thoughtful introduction to this discography, which is part 2 of an overview of the drummers who worked with Miles, Phil Hood, publisher of Traps, writes, “There is no way to quickly characterize Miles or his music, for he was always in transition." This discography takes readers through all the musicians who played on his important recordings from 1961-75

Traps Issue Six is now available on newsstands, in music equipment stores and at Borders, Barnes & Noble and other chains in North America and selected foreign outlets.

About Enter Music Publishing
Founded in San Jose, CA in 1992, Enter Music Publishing, Inc. is a leading publisher of drum/percussion magazines, with distribution in 40 countries. DRUM! is the flagship publication of Enter Music Publishing, Inc. and continues to set the industry standard for editorial quality and innovation. In addition to DRUM! And DRUM! Digital, the company publishes TRAPS and HOW TO PLAY DRUMS. Additional information about the company can be found at: drummagazine.com.

San Jose, Calif., -- Enter Music Publishing, publishers of diverse, hip drum/percussion magazine worldwide, has made available its January 2008 Issue of DRUM! In its interactive edition at www.drumdigital.com. The January Issue features the second-line strut of New Orleans drummer, Stanton Moore, hot licks of Mitch Mitchell and four emerging Cowboy drummers, Myron Howell of Jake Owen's band; Tommy Bales of Flynnville Train, Steve Sinatra of Halfway to Hazard, and Jared Pope of Whiskey Falls.

Stanton Moore could be, as the old adage goes, the hardest-working drummer in the industry these days. As DRUM! Interactive thoroughly investigates, Moore has a rare ability to make virtually any kind of groove "strut." He has a strong command of the traditional New Orleans style and can acclimate it to any style, from the steady grooves that propel Galactic to his solo albums where he swings poetic. As he says succintly, "Music is a conversation. It just is."

Moving the meter back in time in "Hot Licks," Mitch Mitchell, like Moore, has that rare ability to fuse virtually any kind of drum style and make it swing. Perhaps the first drummer to play jazz style in a rock context, DRUM! Interactive focuses on some of his trademark tracks with Hendrix, such as "Voodoo Chile" and "Fire". Writer, Brad Schlueter, notes that Mitchell's contributions were essential to the drum vocabulary. Indeed.

"This issue of DRUM! Interactive may be our most diverse to date," said Phil Hood, publisher of Enter Music Publishing. "While we always try to provide editorial for drummers of all styles, I think we've really accomplished that in this issue. Of course, there's one factor that unites all of these drummers: they have a true command of their respective style."

Additional features in this issue include: "Experiment In Extemporization," which describes how an impromptu jazz session led by studio star Luis Conte became his latest greatest. And several others that are really hip, such as "Cowboys Without Hats". Check out The "Features" section of DRUM! Interactive for additional drumming edge editorial.

Other sections of this issue of DRUM! Interactive include SoundLab, which reviews DW's Accent CS Custom Elite Drums. The review is highly positive considering the high quality of these drums for a mid-priced kit, according to Schlueter. Meinl's Roped Tuned Djembes and Dream Cymbals are reviewed as well. (Pages 122-126).

The issue ends as strongly as it opens with Practice Pad, highlighted by great lessons and tips, focusing on the innovative use of the paraddidle. Read on for more classic instruction.

About Enter Music Publishing
Founded in San Jose, CA in 1992, Enter Music Publishing, Inc. is a leading publisher of drum/percussion magazines, with distribution in 40 countries. DRUM! is the flagship publication of Enter Music Publishing, Inc. and continues to set the industry standard for editorial quality and innovation. In addition to DRUM! and DRUM! Interactive, the company publishes TRAPS and HOW TO PLAY DRUMS. Additional information about the company can be found at: drummagazine.com, and drumdigital.com.