Gregg Bissonette

Documented by Drum Faster

David Lee Roth's drummer in the Eat 'Em and Smile band, a Los Angeles session fixture for twenty years, and Ringo Starr's drummer since 2008 — which means playing Ringo's parts, as written, in front of Ringo. A North Texas reader who can play anything idiomatically.

Read our full Gregg Bissonette feature →

2014 — The Dixon years

He joined Dixon Drums in 2014 and moved to Sabian cymbals, while keeping the DW pedals, Remo heads and Vic Firth sticks that have been constant for decades.

The 2014 kit at a glance. Tap a piece to find it below; sticks, pedals and hardware aren't drawn.

Dixon kit ⤷ who plays this

Dixon 14" snare ⤷ who plays this

Sabian Hi-hats ⤷ who plays this

Sabian Crashes ⤷ who plays this

Sabian Ride ⤷ who plays this

DW pedals ⤷ who plays this

Remo heads ⤷ who plays this

Vic Firth sticks ⤷ who plays this

2008 — The All-Starr Band

His first kit as a member of Ringo Starr's band, and a deliberately plain configuration: one rack tom, one floor tom, a 24" kick. That is the right kit for playing sixties and seventies material properly, and it is a lesson in restraint from a drummer with far more chops than the gig needs.

The 2008 kit at a glance. Tap a piece to find it below; sticks, pedals and hardware aren't drawn.

Mapex Orion Traditional 24"x16" bass drum ⤷ who plays this

Mapex Orion 12"x11" rack tom ⤷ who plays this

Mapex Orion 16"x16" floor tom ⤷ who plays this

Mapex 14"x5" snare ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian K 14" Mastersound Hi-hats ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian K 18" Dark Crash Medium Thin ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian A 18" Medium Crash ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian A 21" Rock Ride ⤷ who plays this

DW pedal ⤷ who plays this

Remo heads tuned up and left to ring — Beatles drum sounds are much less muffled than people expect ⤷ who plays this

Vic Firth sticks ⤷ who plays this

2014 — The Dixon years

2008 — The All-Starr Band

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