Big Fat Five: Steve Goold (Drummer / Educator) Shares His Top 5 Influential Records

I’ve been deep into working on the second book, which has me going back through a bunch of the older conversations. One that really stood out again was with Steve Goold.

If you don’t know, Steve is actually the Steve of Steve’s Donut. He’s also played with Sara Bareilles, Owl City, Mat Kearney, and Scary Pockets, to name a few. But more than the resume, I was reminded how insightful he is. There’s this part where he talks about there being no neutral notes—like, every note carries weight, it’s never just filler. That idea has been rattling around in my head ever since I revisited the chat.

Steve just put out his first release under his own name, a live recording called Solo Improvisations On Drumset, and you can watch the whole thing on YouTube HERE.

STEVE'S BIG FAT FIVE:

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Artist – Pearl Jam

Album – Vs.

Release Year – 1993

Key Track – “Go”

Drummer – Dave Abbruzzese

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Artist – Owsley

Album – Owsley

Release Year – 1999

Key Track – “Oh No the Radio”

Drummer – Chris McHugh

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Artist – Jeff Buckley

Album – Grace

Release Year – 1994

Key Track – “Mojo Pin”

Drummer – Matt Johnson

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Artist – Happy Apple

Album – Body Popping – Moon Walking – Top Rocking

Release Year – 2000

Key Track – “Where Does a Stranger Go on Christmas Eve?”

Drummer – Dave King

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Artist – Dogs of Peace

Album – Speak Release

Year – 1996

Key Track – “The Truth”

Drummer – John Hammond

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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.

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