The Drum Lounge Podcast

Jeremie Foster
  • 4.9 (16)
  • Performing Arts
  • Updated Weekly

My name is Jeremie Foster, and I am the founder of The Drum Lounge Podcast which I host alongside my college friend Bryon Russell. We have so many experiences and stories to share both inside and outside of drumming that we believe will be of inspiration to those who are drummers, those that are fans of drummers, and those who are just fans of podcasts in general.   In addition, we plan on reviewing different high school and HBCU bands/drumlines, interviewing different band directors/section leaders, providing tips and advice on being a better drummer, providing history on drumming, speaking on the culture of HBCU Life, and teaching rhythm exercises that you can expect to learn every episode and add to you drumming repertoire.  Episodes for Season 3 are released every week, and will be available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts! Find more information on IG: @TheDrumLoungePod Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-drum-lounge-podcast--3683925/support.

  1. 5h ago

    Episode 61 | "Langston vs Lincoln + Forest Hill STOLE THE SHOW!"

    It’s Homecoming Week at Bethune-Cookman University, and Episode 61 of The Drum Lounge Podcast is loaded with drumline battles, HBCU band talk, reactions, and plenty of CHOPS! 🥁🔥 Jeremie and Bryon kick things off showing love to their alma mater, Bethune-Cookman University, as B-CU prepares for Homecoming. We check out Cookman’s first home game of the season, react to the Marching Wildcats and the drumline, and talk about some of the changes we’ve noticed in the percussion book over the years. Jeremie also gets to hear one of the warm-ups he wrote back in 2016 still being played by the current B-CU drumline! Then it’s time for the battles. We break down the massive Langston University vs. Lincoln University drumline battle and talk about the importance of dynamics, clarity, balance, cleanliness, uniformity, and knowing when every section DOESN’T need to play at full volume. Langston brought the numbers and aggression, while Lincoln showed some strong moments of musical balance — but who actually won the battle? We also react to the wild North Carolina Central vs. North Carolina A&T situation that turned into more than just a battle of the bands 👀 — along with the battle over who has the best version of “Raise Up.” On the high school side, Whitehaven and Forest Hill gave us one of the BEST drumline battles we’ve reacted to this season. Both lines came with serious material, but Forest Hill’s combination of clarity, dynamics, cadence structure, chops, and creativity had us locked in. Then we bring it back home to Atlanta as Langston Hughes and Morrow battle it out while keeping the traditional ATL drumline sound alive. High-tension snares, leg tenors, gushes, chops and that classic Atlanta approach — we love to see it. 🥁 LOUNGE & CHOP Bryon teaches the Episode 61 Lounge & Chop featuring diddles, flams, flam drags, paradiddles, paradiddle-diddles and accent patterns designed to challenge your control as the tempo increases. Learn it. Practice it. Post it. And tag us so we can see you get it off! 🔥 FIFTH QUARTER PICKS Jeremie: Alcorn State University — “Ghetto Love Story” (2026) Bryon: Alabama A&M University — “You & I" (2026) 🟣 JOIN US LIVE ON TWITCH Follow @TheDrumLoungePod on Twitch and join us live on Sundays for: • Podcast behind-the-scenes content • Drumline and band reactions • Live percussion discussions • Drum lessons and music assistance • Competition watch parties • Unfiltered conversations with Jeremie and Bryon 🔥 Woodies Drumsticks Deal Level up your drumming! Grab a pair of Woodies Drumsticks and use promo code THEDRUMLOUNGEPOD for 10% off your order: https://woodiesdrumsticks.com/TheDrumLoungePod 🎙️ Stay Connected -Subscribe to The Drum Lounge Podcast on YouTube and all major podcast platforms -Follow us on Instagram (@TheDrumLoungePod) for clips, highlights, and HBCU drumline content -Like, comment, and share this episode to support the culture Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-drum-lounge-podcast--3683925/support. The Drum Lounge Podcast — where HBCU band culture lives, breathes, and evolves. 🥁🔥

  2. 5d ago

    Episode 60 | "P.O.I.S.O.N. vs. D.O.A. + Labor Day Classic BOTB Was INSANE!"

    Episode 60 is here, and HBCU band season is officially HEATING UP! 🥁🔥 This week on The Drum Lounge Podcast, Jeremie Foster and Bryon Russell break down one of the busiest weekends of the early HBCU band season. We start with the drumline battle between North Carolina Central’s DOA and Elizabeth City State’s Poison — and ECSU may have officially put everybody on notice. From the growth of their line to the cleanliness, sound, material, and aggression, Poison is quickly becoming one of the drumlines to watch this season. Then we head to the massive Labor Day Classic Battle of the Bands featuring Bethune-Cookman, Jackson State, Southern, Grambling, Alcorn State, Talladega, Langston, Tuskegee, UAPB and more. Of course, as proud B-CU alumni, we had to take a closer look at the Marching Wildcats’ first major field-show appearance of the season, their new percussion setup, arrangements, dance routine, stand tunes and overall sound. We also check out South Carolina State’s percussion feature from the Orange Blossom Classic, FAMU’s fifth-quarter performance, Prairie View’s drumline, Langston’s warm-up approach, Talladega’s massive sound and some of the wildest viral moments from around the HBCU band world. 🥁 LOUNGE & CHOP Jeremie teaches a brand-new two-measure lick packed with 32nd notes, flam fives, paradiddles, backsticks, buzzes, inverted flam taps, same-hand flam drags and more. Start slow, build it up and see how fast you can get it CLEAN. 🔥 FIFTH QUARTER PICKS Jeremie: FAMU — “Human Nature” (2026) Bryon: B-CU — “In The Stone" (Long Version, 2012) 🟣 JOIN US LIVE ON TWITCH Follow @TheDrumLoungePod on Twitch and join us live on Sundays for: • Podcast behind-the-scenes content • Drumline and band reactions • Live percussion discussions • Drum lessons and music assistance • Competition watch parties • Unfiltered conversations with Jeremie and Bryon 🔥 Woodies Drumsticks Deal Level up your drumming! Grab a pair of Woodies Drumsticks and use promo code THEDRUMLOUNGEPOD for 10% off your order: https://woodiesdrumsticks.com/TheDrumLoungePod 🎙️ Stay Connected -Subscribe to The Drum Lounge Podcast on YouTube and all major podcast platforms -Follow us on Instagram (@TheDrumLoungePod) for clips, highlights, and HBCU drumline content -Like, comment, and share this episode to support the culture Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-drum-lounge-podcast--3683925/support. The Drum Lounge Podcast — where HBCU band culture lives, breathes, and evolves. 🥁🔥

  3. Sep 3

    Episode 59 | "HBCU Band Season 2026 Is BACK!"

    HBCU football season is officially BACK — and that means the bands are back too! 🥁🔥 On Episode 59 of The Drum Lounge Podcast, Jeremie and Bryon break down some of the biggest HBCU band moments from opening weekend. We react to Albany State vs. FAMU, Alabama State vs. Southern, Jackson State vs. Tennessee State, Texas Southern, Norfolk State, South Carolina State, Hampton and more. We also talk about why Alabama State may be one of the bands to watch this season, the power coming from HBCU tuba sections this year, Norfolk State’s incredible identity and tradition, the importance of band and drumline media teams, and what we want to see from some of these programs as the season continues. 🥁 LOUNGE & CHOP Bryon teaches a new 12/8 spree-inspired lick featuring flam accents, cheese drags, flam fives and more. Grab your sticks and learn it with us! 🔥 FIFTH QUARTER PICKS Jeremie: Jackson State — “Distant Lover” (2026) Bryon: Alabama State — “Diamonds Never Die” (2026) 🟣 JOIN US LIVE ON TWITCH Follow @TheDrumLoungePod on Twitch and join us live on Sundays for: • Podcast behind-the-scenes content • Drumline and band reactions • Live percussion discussions • Drum lessons and music assistance • Competition watch parties • Unfiltered conversations with Jeremie and Bryon 🔥 Woodies Drumsticks Deal Level up your drumming! Grab a pair of Woodies Drumsticks and use promo code THEDRUMLOUNGEPOD for 10% off your order: https://woodiesdrumsticks.com/TheDrumLoungePod 🎙️ Stay Connected -Subscribe to The Drum Lounge Podcast on YouTube and all major podcast platforms -Follow us on Instagram (@TheDrumLoungePod) for clips, highlights, and HBCU drumline content -Like, comment, and share this episode to support the culture Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-drum-lounge-podcast--3683925/support. The Drum Lounge Podcast — where HBCU band culture lives, breathes, and evolves. 🥁🔥

  4. Aug 20

    Episode 58 | "From Southern University to Building Rudimental Control" (w/ Nissan Ballard)

    What happens when a Southern University snare drummer puts the sticks down for 20 years… then comes back and builds one of the most unique drum pad companies in the percussion world? On Episode 58 of The Drum Lounge Podcast, Jeremie Foster and Bryon Russell sit down with Nissan Ballard, founder and owner of Rudimental Control, to hear the story behind the man, the drummer, and the brand. Nissan takes us back to growing up in the rich musical culture of New Orleans, learning the Louisiana style of drumming, and eventually becoming a two-year section leader at Southern University during the 1990s. He breaks down the origins of Louisiana’s signature playing style, the influence of traditional drum-and-fife drumming, his experiences inside the Human Jukebox, and some unforgettable Southern University band memories. But Nissan’s story didn’t stop with marching band. After putting the sticks down for nearly 20 years, a move to Texas during the COVID era led him back to drumming—and eventually to an idea that would become Rudimental Control. We dive into how Nissan developed his signature real-head, real-hoop practice pad, why articulation and realistic feel were so important to the design, how long it takes to build each pad, custom drum pads, his signature sticks, future improvements to the product line, and his vision of getting Rudimental Control pads into drumlines across the country. Nissan also drops some incredible gems for entrepreneurs about building a business organically, listening to criticism, protecting your brand, staying focused when you have a million ideas, choosing the right people to join your team, and why sometimes you have to put the idea out there before it feels perfect. We also discuss the importance of Black entrepreneurship within the percussion community and what it means for young drummers to see someone who looks like them building a successful brand in the industry. 🥁 IN THIS EPISODE: -Nissan Ballard’s journey from New Orleans to Southern University -Becoming a Southern University snare section leader -The history behind the Louisiana drumming style -Southern University band culture in the 1990s -Putting the sticks down for nearly 20 years -The creation of Rudimental Control -Why the real-head, real-hoop design matters -Building and improving drum pads by hand -Rudimental Control signature drumsticks -Custom pads and memorial drum pads -Customer service and building trust with drummers -Black entrepreneurship in the percussion industry -Lessons for aspiring business owners -Taking constructive criticism and using it to improve -Nissan’s vision for the future of Rudimental Control -Why your practice pad might be exposing your dirty playing 👀 🥁 5th Quarter Picks Jeremie’s Pick:  Southern University – “Controlla” (2016) Bryon’s Pick:  Southern University – “Who Can I Run To” (1995) Nissan’s Pick:  Southern University – “In the Stone” (1993) 🟣 JOIN US LIVE ON TWITCH Follow @TheDrumLoungePod on Twitch and join us live on Sundays for: • Podcast behind-the-scenes content • Drumline and band reactions • Live percussion discussions • Drum lessons and music assistance • Competition watch parties • Unfiltered conversations with Jeremie and Bryon 🔥 Woodies Drumsticks Deal Level up your drumming! Grab a pair of Woodies Drumsticks and use promo code THEDRUMLOUNGEPOD for 10% off your order: https://woodiesdrumsticks.com/TheDrumLoungePod 🎙️ Stay Connected -Subscribe to The Drum Lounge Podcast on YouTube and all major podcast platforms -Follow us on Instagram (@TheDrumLoungePod) for clips, highlights, and HBCU drumline content -Like, comment, and share this episode to support the culture Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-drum-lounge-podcast--3683925/support. The Drum Lounge Podcast — where HBCU band culture lives, breathes, and evolves. 🥁🔥

  5. Aug 13

    Episode 57 | "JSU Has NOT Lost a Beat! | Thee Merge 2026"

    Band camp fever is officially HERE! On this episode of The Drum Lounge Podcast, Jeremie and Bryon break down the start of the 2026 HBCU marching band season, beginning with Jackson State’s highly anticipated Merge. We react to the freshman and upperclassmen coming together, the size and sound of the Sonic Boom, Jackson State’s drumline, their new-look Stingray drums, and whether the line is bringing the same energy we’ve seen in previous years. We also check in on North Carolina A&T’s band camp, the Blue & Gold Marching Machine’s preparation for the season, and the importance of the physical side of surviving band camp. Of course, we couldn’t talk band camp without checking in on our alma mater, Bethune-Cookman University, and remembering exactly what it feels like when Dr. Wells yells “PERCUSSION!” 😂 Then we head to South Carolina State, where their drumline is already putting out some ridiculous new material. We break down SCSU's percussion instructor Marc’s writing style, why SCSU’s cadences sound unlike just about anything else in HBCU percussion, and whether complex writing still needs to be easy on the ears. Later, we get nerdy with the music writers! Jeremie breaks down why he still uses Finale + Virtual Drumline, while Bryon makes his case for MuseScore. That conversation leads to a challenge: Finale vs. MuseScore in a 15-minute cadence-writing battle! Both of us will have the same amount of time to write something from scratch, and YOU will decide who came with the better cadence. 🔥 TOPICS COVERED -Jackson State’s 2026 Merge -JSU freshman vs. upperclassmen drumline -Jackson State’s Stingray drums -North Carolina A&T band camp -Bethune-Cookman freshman band camp -Why academics still come before marching band -How long it takes to reach “college-level” snare ability -Adjusting to different HBCU drumline styles -South Carolina State’s new drumline material -Marc’s “mad scientist” approach to writing -Finale + Virtual Drumline vs. MuseScore -Our upcoming 15-minute cadence-writing battle -Our FIRST Twitch livestream! 🥁 LOUNGE & CHOP For Lounge & Chop #57, Jeremie teaches a two-measure lick featuring buzzes, blurtas, 32nd-note passages, accented “grandmas,” a nine-stroke roll, paradiddle-diddles, a crossover, backsticks, flams, and double stops. Grab your sticks, slow it down, and add this one to the repertoire! 🥁 5th Quarter Picks Jeremie's Pick: Jackson State University – “Gin and Juice” | 2026 Merge Bryon's Pick:  South Carolina State University – “Raise Up” | 2025 🟣 JOIN US LIVE ON TWITCH Follow @TheDrumLoungePod on Twitch and join us live on Sundays for: • Podcast behind-the-scenes content • Drumline and band reactions • Live percussion discussions • Drum lessons and music assistance • Competition watch parties • Unfiltered conversations with Jeremie and Bryon 🔥 Woodies Drumsticks Deal Level up your drumming! Grab a pair of Woodies Drumsticks and use promo code THEDRUMLOUNGEPOD for 10% off your order: https://woodiesdrumsticks.com/TheDrumLoungePod 🎙️ Stay Connected -Subscribe to The Drum Lounge Podcast on YouTube and all major podcast platforms -Follow us on Instagram (@TheDrumLoungePod) for clips, highlights, and HBCU drumline content -Like, comment, and share this episode to support the culture Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-drum-lounge-podcast--3683925/support. The Drum Lounge Podcast — where HBCU band culture lives, breathes, and evolves. 🥁🔥

  6. Aug 6

    Episode 56 | "Rep Yo City Drumline Competition Flashback"

    The Drum Lounge is expanding! In this episode, Jeremie Foster and Bryon Russell announce that the podcast is officially heading to Twitch, where viewers will be able to join the conversation live, submit drumline clips for reactions, receive help with music, and watch the unedited behind-the-scenes experience of recording the podcast. The guys also share another major announcement: The Drum Lounge Podcast has been submitted for three Black Podcast Awards—Best Arts Podcast, Best Hosting Duo, and Best Podcast Outro! This week’s flashback episode takes us to North Carolina for a complete recap of the Rep Your City Drumline Competition. Bryon shares his experience attending the competition with Face Place and explains why the event felt like the “red carpet” of drumline competitions. The guys react to standout performances from: • Faith's Place • Ice Cold Experience • Brooklyn United • T.W. Andrews High School • R.J. Reynolds High School • Grimsley High School They also discuss the growing importance of themes, storytelling, entertainment, and crowd engagement in modern drumline competitions. Playing clean is no longer enough—the best groups are creating complete productions that audiences can understand and enjoy. 🥁 5th Quarter Picks Jeremie’s Pick: Bethune-Cookman University's Sudden Impact — "Spirit Groove" (2017) Bryon’s Pick: North Carolina A&T's Coldsteel Drumline— cadence from battle vs. NCCU (2023) 🟣 JOIN US LIVE ON TWITCH Follow @TheDrumLoungePod on Twitch and join us live on Sundays for: • Podcast behind-the-scenes content • Drumline and band reactions • Live percussion discussions • Drum lessons and music assistance • Competition watch parties • Unfiltered conversations with Jeremie and Bryon 🔥 Woodies Drumsticks Deal Level up your drumming! Grab a pair of Woodies Drumsticks and use promo code THEDRUMLOUNGEPOD for 10% off your order: https://woodiesdrumsticks.com/TheDrum... 🎙️ Stay Connected -Subscribe to The Drum Lounge Podcast on YouTube and all major podcast platforms -Follow us on Instagram and Twitch (@TheDrumLoungePod) for clips, highlights, and HBCU drumline content -Like, comment, and share this episode to support the culture Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-drum-lounge-podcast--3683925/support. The Drum Lounge Podcast — where HBCU band culture lives, breathes, and evolves. 🥁🔥

  7. Jul 30

    Episode 55 | "Band Camp Tips & Tricks"

    Band camp season is here! In Episode 55 of The Drum Lounge Podcast, Jeremie Foster and Bryon Russell share everything they learned from experiencing HBCU band camp as freshmen, returning upperclassmen, and section leaders at Bethune-Cookman University. For incoming freshmen, we break down how to prepare physically and mentally before arriving on campus—from staying hydrated, eating before those early-morning sessions, improving your conditioning, and practicing with a metronome to researching your school’s sound, music, traditions, and technique. We also explain why earning a band scholarship does not automatically guarantee your preferred instrument, what to expect during drumline auditions, why adaptability matters, and why every percussionist should have a secondary instrument in mind. We also speak directly to returning upperclassmen about avoiding complacency and continuing to improve every year. Your experience should make you one of the strongest examples in the band—not someone who returns out of shape, unprepared, or unwilling to follow the standard. For the section leaders, we discuss the responsibility that comes with carrying the culture of your program. That means eliminating laziness, maintaining your own playing ability, setting the example at every rehearsal, developing the next generation, bringing new ideas to the section, enforcing expectations consistently, and removing favoritism or politics from your leadership. Beyond the music, we also explain why students must stay on top of financial aid, housing, registration, and academics. You cannot fully enjoy the college band experience if your enrollment or eligibility is constantly in jeopardy. 🥁 5th Quarter Picks Jeremie’s Pick: Bethune-Cookman University's Marching Wildcats — "Outstanding" (2012) Bryon’s Pick: Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South — “King’s Affirmation” (2025) 🔥 Woodies Drumsticks Deal Level up your drumming! Grab a pair of Woodies Drumsticks and use promo code THEDRUMLOUNGEPOD for 10% off your order: https://woodiesdrumsticks.com/TheDrumLoungePod 🎙️ Stay Connected -Subscribe to The Drum Lounge Podcast on YouTube and all major podcast platforms -Follow us on Instagram (@TheDrumLoungePod) for clips, highlights, and HBCU drumline content -Like, comment, and share this episode to support the culture Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-drum-lounge-podcast--3683925/support. The Drum Lounge Podcast — where HBCU band culture lives, breathes, and evolves. 🥁🔥

  8. Jul 23

    Episode 54 | "HBCU Drumline Tier List: 2026 Pre-Marching Season Update"

    The official Pre-2026 Marching Season HBCU Drumline Tier List is here, and no school is safe! In this loaded episode of The Drum Lounge Podcast, Jeremie Foster and Bryon Russell evaluate HBCU drumlines based on everything they witnessed throughout the Fall 2025 marching season and Spring 2026 battle season. Each line is judged using four major categories: ensemble sound, visual appeal, level of complexity, and overall energy. South Carolina State, Florida Memorial, Virginia State, and Norfolk State continue to prove why they belong among the elite—but several programs made major moves. Jackson State and Fort Valley State earn their way into Tier One, Hampton finds itself right on the edge of joining them, and FAMU makes one of the biggest jumps on the entire list. Jeremie and Bryon also have to make a painful, unbiased decision regarding their alma mater, Bethune-Cookman University. They discuss Sudden Impact’s talent, lack of exposure, missed performance opportunities, and the consistency issues that ultimately affected their ranking. From established powerhouses to emerging programs finally putting themselves on the map, this episode breaks down where the HBCU drumline world currently stands—and what every line must do to move up during the 2026 season. 🥁 5th Quarter Picks Jeremie’s Pick: Alabama A&M University Drumline — 2025 Fan Day Performance Bryon’s Pick: South Carolina State University Drumline — Classic Vic Firth Performance 🔥 Woodies Drumsticks Deal Level up your drumming! Grab a pair of Woodies Drumsticks and use promo code THEDRUMLOUNGEPOD for 10% off your order: https://woodiesdrumsticks.com/TheDrumLoungePod 🎙️ Stay Connected -Subscribe to The Drum Lounge Podcast on YouTube and all major podcast platforms -Follow us on Instagram (@TheDrumLoungePod) for clips, highlights, and HBCU drumline content -Like, comment, and share this episode to support the culture The Drum Lounge Podcast — where HBCU band culture lives, breathes, and evolves. 🥁🔥 Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-drum-lounge-podcast--3683925/support. The Drum Lounge Podcast — where HBCU band culture lives, breathes, and evolves. 🥁🔥

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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

My name is Jeremie Foster, and I am the founder of The Drum Lounge Podcast which I host alongside my college friend Bryon Russell. We have so many experiences and stories to share both inside and outside of drumming that we believe will be of inspiration to those who are drummers, those that are fans of drummers, and those who are just fans of podcasts in general.   In addition, we plan on reviewing different high school and HBCU bands/drumlines, interviewing different band directors/section leaders, providing tips and advice on being a better drummer, providing history on drumming, speaking on the culture of HBCU Life, and teaching rhythm exercises that you can expect to learn every episode and add to you drumming repertoire.  Episodes for Season 3 are released every week, and will be available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts! Find more information on IG: @TheDrumLoungePod Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-drum-lounge-podcast--3683925/support.

Information

  • Creator
    Jeremie Foster
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    89
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jeremie Foster
  • Show Website
    The Drum Lounge Podcast