Drumming News :
In addition to nearly 30 years as Shakira’s drummer, co-composer and co-producer, Brendan Buckley has toured and recorded with a wide range of international artists, including Morrissey, Perry Farrell, Tegan & Sara, Damien Rice, Roberto Carlos, Leehom Wang, JJ Lin, Shelby Lynne, Miley Cyrus, Paulina Rubio, Alejandra Guzman and Alejandro Sanz. He also produces music out of his own studio, Reflector Music, located in Silver Lake, CA. Brendan recently sat down with Drumming News Network for a “Fast Five” interview.
Q1.
How did you become interested in the drums and what encouraged you to turn pro?
A. I spent the first 18 years of my life in New Jersey. There were many factors that pushed me towards the drums. In the late 1980’s, MTV was huge and I would watch that channel almost every day after school. I’d do my homework in front of the television while discovering countless new bands and drummers. This experience prompted me to buy a used Pearl Export drumset from a neighbor and to start playing in garage bands with my classmates.
Later, from the ages of 16 to 18, I studied drums and percussion with drummer/educator Tommy Igoe. I think that my drum classes with Tommy, combined with my exposure to the New York music scene, really encouraged me to pursue the drums at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and, later, professionally.
Q2.
How did being in Miami lead to getting the gig with Shakira?
A. When I lived in Miami, I worked as a session drummer in several of the local recording studios. One day, I was called by an engineer named Sebastian Krys to record drums on a new album being made at Gloria Estefan’s “Crescent Moon” studio. This project was Shakira’s 1998 album “Dónde Están Los Ladrones”. Shakira, Luis Fernando Ochoa (producer), Sebastian and I completed about 6 songs together over the course of a week or two and we really hit it off. When that album was released, I was asked by her manager to be part of Shakira’s live band, too.
Q3.
You’ve always been open-minded about playing different types of music, different drum gear, combining acoustics and electronics, etc. How did you develop that flexibility and how has it affected your career?
A. Both my high school and university experiences taught me to enjoy all types of musical styles and percussion instruments. I loved playing rock, punk, metal, funk, pop, electronic, classical, jazz, latin and world music and I loved learning the drumset, orchestral percussion and ethnic and world percussion instruments as well as electronic drums, drum machines and samplers.
There are so many ways to create and perform rhythms. I tend to ask myself questions like, “What would be interesting?, “What would be different?”, “What is appropriate?”, “What is unusual?”. This thought process helps me approach music and drumming from multiple angles. I imagine that this all-encompassing outlook towards rhythm making has greatly aided my career in respect to staying current, useful and relevant.
Q4.
Please tell us about your endorsements and the gear you’re playing.
A. I am very fortunate to have developed relationships with some of the best companies in the music industry. I endorse DW drums, Sabian cymbals, Remo drumheads, Vic Firth sticks, LP percussion, Roland electronics, Canopus snare wires, LowBoy beaters, JH in ear monitors, Big Fat Snare Drum percussion effects, Cympad cymbal washers and others.
Here’s a diagram and complete list of the gear I’m using on Shakira’s current tour. I also have several gear run-down’s on my YouTube channel.
Q5.
What do you do when you’re not on tour? What’s next on your schedule?
A. When I am not on tour, I like to immerse myself in “home life”. I have lived in Los Angeles for the past 20 years, so I spend a lot of time with my family and musician friends here. On a perfect day, I will exercise, go to see live music, do nature walks, read a book, drink a good coffee, train martial arts and eat a healthy meal.
I also like to spend plenty of time creating music in my home studio. We’ve recently started a Drum Club here in LA where my drummer friends and I can get together to share ideas and stay inspired. In the next month or so, I plan on releasing Volume 3 of the DrummerPlusDrummer duet series. The first two volumes can been found on any streaming service and the videos for the drum duets can be viewed on @drummerplusdrummer or on my YouTube channel.
For the remainder of 2025, I will be continuing the Shakira “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” concert tour. Our next stop is South America and the rest of the world tour is expected to extend through 2026 and beyond.
connect with Brendan
Thanks for your support of Drumming News Network! Visit us online and follow @drummingnewsnetwork for the latest news about drums, drummers and drumming.
Subscribe to the Drumming News Network Newsletter HERE
