You're never too famous to audition. At least that was the mentality former System of A Down drummer John Dolmayan took with him to audition for The Smashing Pumpkins. Pumpkins frontman/genius Billy Corgan recently auditioned 12 drummers for the spot left open when founding member Jimmy Chamberlin departed in March. Dolmayan would certainly be an interesting fit for the Chicago-based rock group. He's certainly proved his chops during his 12 year run with System of ...

Sadly, the good people at TRAPS Magazine have decided to cease production of the magazine. The parent publication, DRUM!, will continue, but it looks like the TRAPS experiment can't weather a tough economy. This is a shame. TRAPS was a fine publication that really set the bar for in-depth drumming/music journalism. We've given TRAPS the love on the show before and we will miss them. Source: Drummercafe.com TRAPS Magazine Suspends Publication And Will Merge Subscribers With DRUM! Enter Music ...

Source: AllAboutJazz.com AAJ: Are you still planning a documentary on the history of fusion in jazz? LW: Yes, that is my intention. I'm compiling interviews, viewpoints, footage. I want to start with Miles and Bitches Brew and go from there. AAJ: Any plans after the RTF tour? LW: I plan on recording a new project of my own to be released maybe next year or sooner depending on whether I can finish it in time. I also have a ...

In what seems like a "why did they wait so long" kind of story, Vic Firth has recently unveiled a new Lenny White Signature stick to correspond with White's reunion with Return 2 Forever and their tour. The stick is 16" long and .580" in diameter - between and 5A and 5B.  Think Erkine ride stick with a beefier tip. There are lots of cool videos and more over at VF.com's Lenny White page.

Man, Drum! just loves giving it away!  They've just offered a free PDF download of the excellent Lenny White article from the Summer 08 issue of Traps. For fusion fans, the prospect of Return To Forever getting back together again after all these years (the group dis-banded in 1976) is akin to a Beatles reunion, and for the past few decades seemed about as unlikely. Corea was the lone holdout in recent years. While Clarke, Di ...

Source Return2Forever.com Return to Forever's classic lineup of keyboardist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke, guitarist Al Di Meola and drummer Lenny White have announced a tour that will represent their first extensive engagements together in 30 years. The foursome will play more than 50 dates across North America and Europe, featuring primarily classic music from their chart-topping albums. Beginning in Austin, Texas, on May 29th, the legendary supergroup will swing across the U.S. and Canada in June, ...