The Power of Focused Practice: “Addicted to Progress”

From the start, Thomas underscores a foundational truth: Most musicians don’t know how to practice efficiently. Sharing wisdom from his childhood teacher, he emphasizes that true progress comes from organized, goal-oriented practice, not just hours of random jamming:

• Track Your Weaknesses: He suggests identifying weaknesses (rather than continually practicing what you’re already good at) and systematically working through them in relation to your goals.
• Practice Logbooks: Lang advocates for maintaining a logbook to monitor progress, set future benchmarks, and ensure focused results.
• Quality over Quantity: Surprisingly, Thomas believes he practiced less than others, but with much greater focus and discipline.

How “Creative Control” Changed Everything

Elmo and Thomas discuss the impact of the Creative Control DVD. Before its release, Lang was largely unknown to the drum community, but the project’s success thrust him into global prominence. Yet, he notes the real lifestyle change came from being convinced to do massive clinic tours—realizing education and community connection could be a viable career avenue alongside session and touring work.

Lang reflects that sharing his method—especially his advanced limb independence—let him finally “put on the cape” and go full drum-nerd superhero at festivals and clinics, balancing the “day job” of session work with opportunities to inspire and educate.

From Clinics to Bootcamps: Building a Drumming Brand

Thomas is much more than just a player—he’s consistently entrepreneurial. The episode dives into how he organized the world’s biggest drum clinic tour, pooling resources with companies like Sonor, Meinl, and Hudson Music. He describes:

• Breaking New Ground: Launching the first-ever German-language instructional video in the ‘90s.
• Synergy Between Sponsors: Aligning multiple sponsors and product launches to cross-promote his clinics, DVDs, and signature gear.

Birth of the Drumming Boot Camp: Leveraging MySpace and city-by-city touring downtime to offer group lessons, which organically evolved into formal bootcamps and eventually the acclaimed Big Drum Bonanza.

Social Media & Modern Drumming: Double-Edged Sword

Lang and Holland step into social media trends, discussing both the pros and cons of the hyper-connected drumming landscape:

• Viral Auditions & Trends: Thomas expresses discomfort with the popularity of “put the drummer on the spot” approaches—like surprise viral auditions or expecting advanced performances with little prep in front of cameras. He worries this trend can be exploitative and demoralizing, prioritizing entertainment over artistry.
• Sameness vs. Uniqueness: Both guests lament how Instagram and TikTok encourage copycats—everyone learns and posts the same five licks, and the drive for virality creates a homogenous sound, eroding what once made individual drummers’ voices unique.
• Reality Check: Despite the millions of views some internet drummers get, Thomas reminds listeners, “likes aren’t dollars.” True, sustainable careers often happen offline—in tours, clinics, and songwriting, not just through viral content.

Entrepreneurship in Music: Crafting Your Own Path

A major theme across the conversation is the necessity, now more than ever, for drummers (and all musicians) to take a DIY, entrepreneurial approach:

• Multiple Revenue Streams: Thomas shares how his main income comes not from performing, but from songwriting royalties, product design/licensing, and more. He’s run publishing companies, bootcamps, and signature product lines, always keeping “many balls rolling.”
• Owning Your Endeavors: Both Lang and Holland agree that the most fulfilling work is often self-made: organizing your events, teaching your camps, releasing your products. The risk is greater, but so is the reward—emotionally and financially.

Don’t Wait for the Phone: Lang is emphatic: being “self-employed” as a musician means employing yourself—creating your own work, building your own brand, and never depending on others for opportunities.

Technology, AI, and the Future: Real Musicians Still Matter

Peering into the future, Thomas remains optimistic. Despite the digital revolution, he believes the “real world” will always value genuine, human musicianship—people want to connect with live music, with skill, with real community. AI, drum machines, and social media are tools, not threats.