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Drummers on DrummingAuthor: Ben Hilzinger Language: en Genres: Music, Music Commentary, Music Interviews Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Big Fat Five: Carla Azar (Autolux, Jack White, PJ Harvey)
Episode 223
Wednesday, 1 July, 2026
Welcome back to Drummers on Drumming, I’m joined by Carla Azar for a new installment of Big Fat Five. Carla is the drummer, a vocalist, and a creative force behind Autolux. She has also worked with artists like PJ Harvey, Jack White, T Bone Burnett, Jim Keltner, and more. But as you’ll hear in this conversation, the résumé is only part of the story. Carla’s playing has a rare kind of tension to it. It can feel mechanical and human at the same time. Heavy, strange, precise, loose, hypnotic, and deeply musical. She does not talk about drums as a way to show off. She talks about them as tone, shape, feel, texture, and response. In this episode, we get into the records and drummers that helped form her voice. CARLA'S BIG FAT FIVE: Artist - James Brown Album - Star Time Release Year - 1991 Key Track(s) - "Funky Drummer,” “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud” Drummer - Clyde Stubblefield, Jabo Starks - Artist - Can Album - Tago Mago Release Year - 1972 Key Track(s) - “Mushroom,” “Halleluhwah” Drummer - Jaki Liebezeit - Artist - The Beatles Album - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Release Year - 1967 Key Track(s) - “A Day in the Life” Drummer - Ringo Starr - Artist - Jimi Hendrix Album - Are You Experienced Release Year - 1967 Key Track(s) - “Manic Depression,” “Fire,” “Are You Experienced?,” “The Wind Cries Mary” Drummer - Mitch Mitchell - Artist - Aphex Twin Album - Come to Daddy Release Year - 1997 Key Track(s) - “Bucephalus Bouncing Ball,” “Come to Daddy - Mummy Mix” Drummer - Richard D. James - HONORABLE MENTIONS: Charlie Drayton - The first person Carla met and saw play in person and thought, “I want to play exactly like him.” He turned her onto the Star Time box set and the soul music that helped shape her playing. - Arist - J Dilla Album - Donuts - Artist - Timbaland Key Track(s) - Jay-Z’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” and “Nigga What, Nigga Who” --- 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, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
