457. John Sparrow - Violent Femmes
From Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico by Steev Riccardo
June 1, 2026 · 59 min · Season 1 · Episode 457
About this episode
John Sparrow, drummer of Violent Femmes, discusses his unique approach to drumming and the stories behind his musical journey.
In this episode, we are joined by John Sparrow, drummer of Violent Femmes. Modern Drummer once described his approach perfectly: his drumming isn't built around the idea of a traditional kit — it's about choosing the right drum for the song. That spirit of experimentation and sonic curiosity has made Sparrow one of the more distinctive voices in the percussion world, and today we get to hear the story behind it all. Music clips from The Charms, The Dogmatics, The Zulus, and The Prime Movers Produced and Hosted by Steev Riccardo
People in this episode
Host: Steev Riccardo
Guest: John Sparrow
Topics covered
- drumming
- music experimentation
- percussion
- Violent Femmes
- musical storytelling
Keywords
- drummer
- Violent Femmes
- Modern Drummer
- music clips
- percussion
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Violent Femmes, Modern Drummer, The Charms, The Dogmatics, The Zulus, The Prime Movers
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