Louie Palmer: Drumming and Thriving in Today’s Music World | Freddy and Friends

In this episode of Freddy and Friends, I sit down with Louie Palmer — drummer, educator, and founder of Play Better Drums. Known for his technical precision and deep musical vocabulary, Louie opens up about his journey from London to Los Angeles, his influences, and how he’s navigating the changing landscape of the drumming world.

We get into:

• Moving from London to LA and finding the right creative environment
  
  
  
  

• Early inspiration from legends like Dave Weckl, Dennis Chambers, and Tony Williams
  
  
  
  

• The pros and cons of traditional grip in a modern context
  
  
  
  

• Building Play Better Drums and passing on the lineage of great drumming
  
  
  
  

• The rise of short-form drumming clips — and why he values musicality over trends
  
  
  
  

• How tennis, daily habits, and self-criticism keep him sharp
  
  
  
  

• His upcoming work with Greg Howe and the challenge of writing his own music
  
  
  
  

Whether you’re a drummer, a musician, or just someone interested in discipline, resilience, and passion, Louie’s story is packed with insight.