Drummerworld is a website that has been a mainstay in the drumming community for over 30 years. Bernhard Castiglioni created an encyclopedia devoted to celebrating the best drummers in the world. It all began by naming the three greatest drummers on earth, Buddy Rich, Steve Gadd, and Bernhard Castiglioni. While this was intended to be humorous, from that point forward Drummerworld grew to become a place where drummers from all over the world could communicate with one another and honor the greats. Bernhard’s contribution to the drumming community can not be overstated, and we want to celebrate him and all that he has done for drummers over the years.
Loyal Drummerworld forum user Stroman says,
“He’s an ambassador for good, spreading the love of drums and drumming all over the world. I will always be thankful he had the vision and the wherewithal to bring Drummerworld to life.”
How did you start your drumming journey in Basel, Switzerland?
“In Basel the Fasnacht-Carnival is enormous and the drumming is of a very high level. It takes years to learn and you are not allowed to participate if you do not meet the standards. I learned the famous Fritz Berger technique and notation at the age of eight and it took me three years to become worthy of participating.”
English instrumental rock group The Shadows was one of your earliest influences, what was it about drummer Brian Bennett’s playing that made you interested in playing a drum set?
“The Shadows were known for their electric guitar sound – which was fascinating for this generation. They also came into the spotlight at a pivotal time between Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Their greatest hits were “Apache” and “F.B.I”, while their drummer Brian Bennett had an amazing jazzy drum solo on the song “Little B”. All aspiring drummers tried to copy this solo, and I was proud to be able to perform it note for note.”
A turning point in your drumming career came when Joe Morello decided to visit Basel while on tour with Dave Brubeck. What do you recall from his visit?
“It was cool because Joe had come to give the first-ever drum set clinic in Basel in the mid-1960s, after learning about the drumming at Fasnacht. At a very young age, I had the chance to see an absolute monster drummer for the first time, up close and personal. After the clinic I couldn’t stop thinking about it, I couldn’t sleep for a week.”
Drummerworld has been the place to celebrate the world’s greatest drummers. What made you want to keep the website going over the last 30 years?
“As you know, it all started with the first three drummers. From there people began to ask about adding more drummers and the website slowly grew. I purchased the domain name at the perfect time and as more drummers were included, more drummers began to visit the website. At this time there was no Wikipedia or YouTube and uploading pictures and videos were a new sensation. It was easy to see that there was a need for such a website, and that need provided all of the inspiration to keep it going.”
You toured all around Europe in your younger years, how did those experiences help with the building of Drummerworld?
“I had the chance to play in great orchestras in my very young years. We played in the most luxurious locations, such as the Gstaad Palace Hotel, Suvretta House in St. Moritz, and the Bayerischer Hof in Munich. I played all over Europe, from Sweden to Austria, Switzerland, and Germany for 5 years. Personal highlights included playing with Josephine Baker, Daliah Lavi, and Errol Garner for a month in Locarno, Switzerland. Through all of these experiences, I learned how to work with people in many different countries and settings.”
John DeChristopher, a drum industry veteran and the creator and host of the Live From My Drum Room With John DeChristopher! podcast says,
“Bernhard and I had a running joke about the resemblance between him and Steve Gadd, so I had the pleasure of introducing them and taking a photo of them, which you can see on Drummerworld.com. Bernhard has done a spectacular job building an invaluable platform for drummers. It’s the one place for drummers to go for education, entertainment and information.”
You’ve cited Steve Gadd, Peter Erskine, Jojo Mayer, Mark Guiliana, and Steve Jordan as some of your recent favorite drummers. What makes each of these drummers stand out?
“It is so cool, each of these drummers are so different but at the same time, so recognizable. I always look to see which drummers are being original and stay away from those who copy others. Each of these drummers have an undeniable sound that is unique to them.”
How does it feel to know that Drummerworld has stretched across the world and is cherished by so many in the drumming community?
“It meant a lot to travel the world and be accepted with open arms by the drumming community. So many companies and drummers were very kind to me over the years. Drummerworld was successful in the early stages because of these relationships.”
Al Parrot, another loyal Drummerworld forum member explains,
“I joined the forum when I was overseas in Afghanistan with the Army and unable to play the drums. Drummerworld was a way to keep my passion for drums and music alive.”
Through countless advancements in technology, your site has stood the test of time. Why do you think that is the case?
“Again, I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time and I pushed without pause. After my retirement 20 years ago as an insurance broker I was flooded with work and was able to expand the pages on a daily basis without interruption.”
What is the mission for Drummerworld moving forward?
“When I see all these changes in the industry I see a very big chance to expand Drummerworld to become a news portal. I believe there is an opening for such a service in the percussion world. I wish you all the best.”
Longtime Drummerworld forum member and administrator, Thomas Rose recalls,
“I was young and broke when Bernhard invited me to attend NAMM with him. I drove from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and planned on staying in my car to save money, didn’t think much about it. The festivities began and as it got late Bernhard asked where I was staying, and I explained my plan to sleep in my car. Bernhard stopped me in my tracks and said, ‘No no no, absolutely not! You will stay in my hotel with me.’.”
As Drummerworld continues to grow, it is easy to see that Bernhard’s hard work has brought the drumming community closer together. Stay connected to learn more stories and tips to take your drumming to the next level!