Aquarian Family

Rick Stojak

Rick Stojak is a professional touring drummer, studio musician, teacher, author and clinician whose success is fueled by a refreshing musical diversity and intensity. Rick is accomplished at reading drum charts and is known as a pocket player who grooves in any style with or without a click track. Rick is an avid drum collector known for performing on a wide variety of spectacular drum set and percussion set-ups that include acoustic drums, African drums, and multi-percussion. He is also an electronic drum specialist. Rick is a first-call drummer among top DJs in Southern California, and he can be seen playing clear acrylic drums that light up, change color, and strobe. Rick proudly endorses Sabian Cymbals, Aquarian Drumheads, Vic Firth Company, and SkyGel Damper Pads. Rick started drumming professionally at the age of 16 playing the legendary CBGB in New York City with the punk band, The Names. He then began touring the East Coast and recording with B. Wilde for Polygon Productions. In the mid-nineties, Rick joined Barnyard Ballers. The San Diego band was instrumental in developing a new style called psychobilly by mixing rockabilly with punk, metal, and country. The band is a psychobilly favorite who tours internationally and frequently plays sold-out shows on the Hollywood Strip. Barnyard Ballers have enjoyed the success of four full-length album releases. Rick is often hired as a touring drummer for this genre. He has played nationally and internationally with Guana Batz, Klax, Hillbilly Hellcats, and Bamboula. Rick is accomplished in various styles of music. He has performed with numerous artists including piano virtuoso Giovanni Marradi, world-class jazz vocalist Ariana Savalas and Latin Grammy Award nominee Gustavo Alarco. Rick has frequently performed at Legoland and the San Diego Zoo playing a unique mobile percussion cart. Rick has also performed with the bands Island Fever and Blu Gruv, playing an ethnic-percussion drum set in the styles of Reggae, Calypso, Worldbeat, and Latin. Rick Stojak’s Drum Studio is a place where drummers of every level grow musically, professionally, and personally by studying privately or in group workshops. Rick hosts some of the greatest drummers, including Daniel Glass of Royal Crown Revue and funk drumming legend Zoro The Drummer, for drum clinics and master classes. Rick has written a highly acclaimed drum method series called “How to Build a Drum Groove” which pairs drum beats with hit songs. Rick is a featured member of the Sabian Education Network, an international group dedicated to the highest level of drumming education. Rick has been recognized by Roy Burns of Aquarian for achievement in drumming education and performance. He has also attended several private drum teacher seminars hosted by Vic Firth Company. Rick has had the honor to be selected as a judge for the yearly Guitar Center Drum Off. Rick has studied with some of the greatest drummers in the world including Zoro, Daniel Glass, and metal legend, Gene Hoglan. Rick has also attended dozens of drum clinics and drum workshops. Rick has shared his professional knowledge of drumming as a successful educator and performer on several online platforms for drummers including “Drum Education Live” out of London and an interview by SABIAN President and CEO Andy Zildjian for “Drummer’s High”. Rick has been interviewed on and co-hosted the acclaimed drum talk radio show “Around the Kit” with host Joe Gansas. Rick is a co-founder of the Drummers Education Connection (D.E.C.) alongside world-renown drumming educators Bart Robley, Chip Ritter, and Jeremy Steinkoler. The D.E.C. hosts a weekly video Podcast on Facebook and YouTube featuring roundtable discussions on a vast range of topics related to drumming and teaching, as well as hosting notable drummers, educators, and industry experts. Since 2020 the goal of D.E