I’ve been a talk radio junky since I was a kid, so I got hooked on podcasts pretty quickly. There’s a pretty severe dearth of percussive podcasts, especially those that go beyond traditional lessons and discuss drum industry news, events and gear. The most enjoyable show I’ve found thus far is the Memphis-based Drummertalk.

Finishing up its sixth year of production, the Drummertalk podcast is helmed by Dave Kropf, head of percussion studies (sorry if that’s not your title) at Visible Music school. Visible is a Christian music college, and as such, the podcast is consistently safe for listeners of all ages. I’m not personally a Christian, and I certainly don’t mind a “bluer” broadcast, but the “always safe for work” approach of the DT crew is refreshing. I’ve also never really felt like I was tuning into a faith-based program, as the cast rarely imposes their beliefs on the listener. The podcast is simply a forum for drummers to discuss the world of drumming.

That’s not to say the show doesn’t have a few…quirks. They’ll be the first to admit this; they occasionally make a few mistakes regarding player histories and product details, but it’s not too much of a distraction (I’ll definitely make my share of mistakes here, so I’m in no position to judge). The biggest problem I have with Drummertalk, however, is their inconsistency in releasing new episodes (I hope that speaks to how much I enjoy to program). I look forward to every Friday, hoping I’ll get to hear a new episode, but I’m disappointed more often than not.

On the whole, Drummertalk is a very fun listen with a great sense of humor. Check out a few of their archived episodes next time you you’ve got a long commute.

Drummertalk