Russ Miller

Russ Miller is an American session drummer.

As a Multi-Platinum recording artist, he has played on multiple Grammy award winning recordings with combined sales of over 26 million copies. He has worked with over 50 international artists, including Ray Charles, The 5th Dimension, Cher, Natalie Cole, Tina Turner, Bobby Caldwell, Andrea Bocelli, Nelly Furtado, The Psychedelic Furs, Al Jarreau, Hilary Duff, Daniel Bedingfield, and Meredith Brooks. Modern Drummer Magazine Readers Poll voted Miller in the top five studio drummers in the world, three years in a row. He has performed on more than 300 albums and dozens of international movies such as Chicken Little, Fracture, Rugrats Go Wild!, Boondock Saints, Resident Evil Apocalypse, Silent Hill and Garfield. Miller has played on No. 1 songs/albums for three years in a row (2000–2003). Along with his album credits, he has two solo albums, Cymbalism and Arrival, on R.M.I Records. Miller also has authored two books: "The Drum Set Crash Course" and "Transitions", along with his two videos, "The Drum Set Crash Course" and "The Drum Set Crash Course Tuning Edition" from Warner Brothers Publications. A five time Modern Drummer readers poll winner, Miller's solo projects were voted the No. 1 educational books and videos in the world.

Russefeiring

The russefeiring (English: "russ celebration") is a traditional celebration for Norwegian high school students in their final spring semester. Students that take part in the celebrations are known as russ. The russefeiring traditionally starts on around 20 April and ends on 17 May, the Norwegian Constitution day. Participants wear coloured overalls, they make groups and name a bus, car or van and celebrate almost continually during this period. Students who buy a bus, are partying in this bus the entire night until school every day from the start to 17 May. Drunkenness, and public disturbances are regularly linked to the celebration.

History

The modern Norwegian russefeiring dates back to 1905, when the red russ caps (russelue) were introduced to graduation celebrations as a sign of the imminent acceptance into the system of higher education. The caps were initially only used by boys, and were inspired by German students, who in 1904 wore red caps when they visited Norway. In 1916, blue caps were introduced at the Oslo Commerce School, a prestigious high school specializing in economics, in order to separate them from the common graduates. Later, celebrations were gradually extended, similarly coloured overalls (russedress) were added, and the caps were saved for the final day of celebrations.

Miller

A miller usually refers to a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a cereal crop to make flour.

Description

Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalents in other languages around the world ("Müller" or "Mueller" in German, "Molnár" in Hungarian, "Molinero" in Spanish, "Molinaro or Molinari" in Italian etc.). Milling existed in hunter-gatherer communities, and later millers were important to the development of agriculture.

The materials ground by millers are often foodstuffs and particularly grain. The physical grinding of the food allows for the easier digestion of its nutrients and saves wear on the teeth. Non-food substances needed in a fine, powdered form, such as building materials, may be processed by a miller.

The most basic tool for a miller was the quern-stone—simply a large, fixed stone as a base and another movable stone operated by hand, similar to a mortar and pestle. As technology and millstones (the bedstone and rynd) improved, more elaborate machines such as watermills and windmills were developed to do the grinding work. These mills harnessed available energy sources including animal, water, wind, and electrical power. Mills are some of the oldest factories in human history, so factories making other items are sometimes known as mills, for example, cotton mills and steel mills. These factory workers are also called millers.

Mapex Drums

Mapex Drums is a Taiwanese drum brand manufactured by KHS Musical Instruments Company of Taiwan. Mapex has been in the drum making industry for 27 years.

Products

Mapex produces seven different lines of drums: the introductory Voyager and Horizon series, the intermediate Meridian Birch and Meridian Maple, and the professional level Saturn and Orion. In years past the V and Pro M series were called the Venus and Mars series, in keeping with the tradition of naming the kits after planets. However, the quality of these series have changed since they dropped the old names. For a short time Mapex also offered the "Deep Forest" line of drums, built entirely out of Walnut or Cherry plies, as well as the Aquiles Priester signature drum kit.

Mapex is also associated with Falcon pedals, Black Panther snare drums and kits, and Tornado starter kits.

Drum kits

Voyager and Horizon

As of January 2010, the Q and QR series are no longer made, having been replaced by the new Voyager series, while Horizon series has replaced the VX series (VXB for Britain). These entry-level, yet highly regarded kits have improved their lugs, mounts, badges and bass drum claws. The Horizon HZ kit offers a newly mixed birch/basswood drum shell. A newly available Mapex cymbal pack is optional with any of these kits.

Modern Drummer

Modern Drummer is a monthly publication targeting the interests of drummers and percussionists. The magazine features interviews, equipment reviews, and columns offering advice on technique, as well as information for the general public. Modern Drummer is also available on the internet.

First published in 1977, today the print version of Modern Drummer is available in 67 countries. The monthly digital edition, enhanced with music and videos corresponding to the current issue’s contents, is available on the internet. An electronic newsletter featuring unique editorial, MD Wire, is also published monthly. A corresponding website is used to supplement the magazine with blogs and other items which cannot be provided in the paper format (e.g., audio-video presentations).

In 1993 Modern Drummer Publications introduced a bimonthly drum dealer-oriented magazine called Drum Business, and for more than 20 years its book division has released works by drum educators. In 2006 the company published its first hardcover book on the history of drumming, entitled The Drummer: 100 Years Of Rhythmic Power And Invention. Since 1987 it has also produced the Modern Drummer Festival.