Big Fat Five: Philo Tsoungui's (The Mars Volta) Top 5 Influential Records

Drummers on Drumming

Today's guest is Philo Tsoungui, an independent drummer based in Berlin, Germany. Philo has played with many incredible artists both in Germany and internationally, including a recent stint with The Mars Volta.

I can't praise Philo's playing enough; it just works. While it can be categorized as Hip Hop, it's so much more than any single genre, as you'll discover in this episode. Philo shares many incredibly valuable insights, and we actually kicked off our recorded conversation by discussing practice routines (in an ideal world).

So, without further ado, please enjoy the top 5 influences that shaped the incredible Philo Tsoungui. Cheers!

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Drummers on Drumming (the book) takes you inside the stories, records, and moments that shaped some of the world’s greatest drummers. Built on the Big Fat Five format of digging into top influences, it’s packed with candid interviews and personal insights. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, this book is here to inspire you to sharpen your skills and find your own voice behind the kit.

PHILO'S BIG FAT FIVE:

Album - Black Orpheus

Artist - Keziah Jones

Release Year - 2003

Key Track - Afrosurrealismfortheladies

Drummer - Joshua McKenzie / Jose Joyette

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Album - The Bedlam in Goliath

Artist - The Mars Volta

Release Year - 2008

Key Track - Wax Simulacra

Drummer - Thomas Pridgen

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Album - Black Radio

Artist - Robert Glasper

Release Year - 2012

Key Track - Afro Blue

Drummer - Chris "Daddy" Dave

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Album - Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group: Live Los Angeles on Sept 14th, 2010 (video)

Artist - Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group

Release Year - 2010

Drummer - Deantoni Parks

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Album - Zildjian K Custom Special Dry Performance

Artist - Lenny "The Ox" Reece & The Lesson GK

Release Year - 2018

Key Track - The Weekend

Drummer - Lenny "The Ox" Reece

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