Making a return to the Indie Rock Hit Parade is recurring guest Jon Wurster. Previous visits have been either conversation-based (including memorable chats about the Ramones and weird musical “Fun Topics.”) or performances where Jon ceded the spotlight to his bandmates in the Mountain Goats and Superchunk. For this special “Philly-Style Drum Workshop,” Jon chats with me from behind our studio’s house drum kit, surveying his nearly 40-year career in music.
Our discussion includes memories of Jon’s childhood days taking (and quickly abandoning) drum lessons, his early live performances in teenage punk bands, and how he decided to pursue a career as a professional musician. All the while, Jon celebrates the drummers who influenced him along the way, from Steve Gadd’s skittering polyrhythms to Bill Berry’s minimalist thwacks.
Watch Jon Wurster’s Philly-Style Drum Workshop below, and check out a playlist of the songs showcased and mentioned in the conversation.