Big Fat Five: Sam Cohen (Glitter Party) Shares His Top 5 Influential Records
What is up!? We’re back with another installment of Big Fat Five, where I invite on drummers who’ve inspired me to break down the five records that helped shape their unique voice behind the kit.
This week’s guest is Sam Cohen—a Canadian drummer who, much like Marco Kleebauer a few weeks back, popped up on my Explore Page and instantly caught my ear.
Sam also makes music under the name Glitter Party—a solo pop project he writes, records, and mixes entirely in his home studio up in Toronto. It’s raw, nostalgic, catchy, and perfectly saturated—DIY in the best sense of the word.
He does a great job of setting up his backstory and artistic approach right at the top of our chat, so I’ll shut up—for now.
Hope you enjoy the five records that shaped Sam Cohen into the musician he is today. Cheers!
Check out all of Sam's links HERE
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Get Your Copy of the my book Drummers on Drumming 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.
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41:40
The 5 Pillars of Drumming
What is up?! Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming — a podcast powered by Big Fat Snare Drum. My name is Ben Hilzinger, and today’s episode is a little different.
A few months ago, I was sent a book by drummer and educator Mark Feldman — founder of Bang! The Drum School. The book is called Drumming Decoded: The Secret Code to Quickly Go From Newbie to Confident Drummer. It’s a relatively quick read at around 180 pages, but it’s surprisingly comprehensive.
Now, I usually try to steer clear of too much “insider baseball” on this podcast because I want everyone to feel part of the conversation. That said, I also realized I haven’t really addressed beginner drummers directly in a lot of my content.
So I brought Mark on not only to promote his book (which I do recommend — link’s in the show notes), but also to have a conversation about building a solid foundation from day one. And while this book and convo are definitely geared toward novice drummers, there are a ton of takeaways that can help any drummer — no matter where you're at in your journey.
So, whether you’re just picking up sticks for the first time or you're revisiting the fundamentals, I hope you dig this episode. Even if you think you’ve heard it all before... you might just grow a little more.
Here’s to the beginners — keep going. You got this!
Check out Bang! The Drum School HERE
Snag your copy of Drumming Decoded HERE
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ALSO...Get Your Copy of the my book Drummers on Drumming 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.
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50:45
The Drum Panel: What IS Rock?, Social Anxiety & "Networking" as a Drummer
Episode 13 of The Drum Panel
Welcome to The Drum Panel—a show where a rotating group of professional drummers engages in roundtable discussions pertaining to all things DRUM.
For today's panel, we have my co-host Eric Urrea and special returning guest, Mike Robinson.
Today we discuss:
What the hell does it mean to be "rock"?
Dealing with social anxiety and imposter syndrome while trying to network for your career.
Why the word "networking" is gross
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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.
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52:15
Big Fat Five: Marco Kleebauer (Drummer/Producer) Shares His Top 5 Influential Records
This is another installment of Big Fat Five, a segment where I ask some of my favorite drummers to break down five records that had a major impact on their approach to music.
This week, I’m joined by Marco Kleebauer—an Austrian drummer and producer who very recently popped up on my Instagram Explore page… and instantly peaked my interest. His drumming is minimalist yet experimental, and his analog-leaning recording approach is exactly the direction I want to explore with my own sound. This is just another reason I love doing this podcast—I get to discover someone new, connect with them, and then bring them to your attention, too!
Go check out his website HERE where you can purchase his original music, grab some drum break packs, and explore playlists featuring artists he’s either collaborated with or who’ve used his drum breaks in their own music. And some exciting news… Marco is releasing a book called Notes on Drum Recording by the end of this year. It’s all about how to record drums in a small, less-than-ideal room—which, let’s be honest, is the reality for most of us (myself included). So be sure to follow him on Instagram—not only for a bunch of reasons you’ll soon discover, but also to stay updated on the book’s release.
Marco dives into his backstory right at the top of our chat, so I’ll get out of the way. But I implore you to listen to the entire episode—he sprinkles some very tasty nuggets throughout.
Alright, here are the five records that helped shape Marco Kleebauer into the highly sought-after producer and drummer he is today. Cheers!
Check out his website HERE
Follow him on Instagram HERE
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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.
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55:49
Big Fat Five: Dee Simone (Doechii, Alison Wonderland, Madame Gandhi) Shares Her top 5 Influential Records
This is another installment of Big Fat Five, a segment where I ask some of my favorite drummers to break down five records that had a major impact on their approach to music.
Today, I’m joined by Dee Simone, a Bay Area-raised dummer currently based in Los Angeles. She’s funky, powerful, dynamic, and incredibly versatile behind the kit.
I have to give credit where it’s due—this interview wouldn’t have happened without Bill Burr. I was listening to his podcast when he gave a glowing review of Doechii’s recent Tiny Desk Concert for NPR, specifically shouting out Dee’s playing. For those who don’t know, Bill is a fantastic drummer himself, so that endorsement sent me down a rabbit hole of Dee's performances. Obviously, I have zero regrets.
Dee has shared the stage with an impressive list of artists, including Doechii, Alison Wonderland, and Madame Ghandi to name a few. She’s done a lot, yet she remains humble and hungry, and this was a really fun conversation.
Read Dee's Shoutout LA Feature HERE
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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.
DRUMMERS ON DRUMMING goes beyond technique and gear, diving into the stories, influences, and perspectives that shape the world’s most compelling drummers. Hosted by Ben Hilzinger (Cannons, Eve 6) and powered by Big Fat Snare Drum, this podcast delivers honest conversations, deep insights, and unfiltered takes from the drummers who move music forward.
Each episode explores what makes a drummer’s voice truly their own—whether through Big Fat Five, where guests break down the five albums, moments, or influences that defined their style, or The Drum Panel, a no-holds-barred roundtable on drumming’s most polarizing topics. Expect bold opinions, surprising connections, and an authentic look at the drumming life—on and off the kit.
For more information on Big Fat Snare Drum, check out www.bigfatsnaredrum.com and follow us on Instagram.
Ireland