Miguel Lamas may be known for his incredible technique, precision and seemingly endless supply of chops, but when we caught up with the Spanish drummer, one thing became abundantly clear: for him, great drumming is ultimately about the music.
Speaking to Ollie Winiberg of Drummer’s Review, Lamas reflected on his journey from discovering drums at just four years old to performing around the world, winning a Latin Grammy and preparing to take the stage at The Europe Drum Show in Frankfurt in April 2027.
Growing up in Galicia, Lamas was regularly taken to live concerts by his parents, where he became fascinated by the drummers he saw performing. His first paid gig came remarkably early, at just eight years old. With his earnings, he bought himself a Ramones T-shirt for €20.
Despite his formidable technique, Lamas revealed that he has never formally studied the majority of the standard drum rudiments. Instead, much of his development came from playing along to records by some of his biggest influences, including Dave Weckl, Vinnie Colaiuta and Dennis Chambers.
“I got all the knowledge from playing over the albums,” he explained.
Interestingly, Lamas says that reading music was one of the most valuable things he took from his time at the conservatory, despite finding the experience frustrating because he wanted to be a drummer rather than a classical percussionist. That ability to read has subsequently helped him land work in television and recording environments.
However, while his spectacular chops regularly attract attention online, Lamas insists that playing simple grooves is actually more challenging for him.
“The main thing for me is the groove and make the people dance,” he said, explaining that he spends considerable time working on kick, snare and hi-hat alone to make sure the sound and feel are solid.
Lamas also shared the incredible story of recording with jazz legend Chick Corea. He described being told that Corea would be playing piano on a session as a genuine dream come true.
His approach to accolades is refreshingly grounded, too. Although winning a Latin Grammy is an extraordinary achievement, Lamas sees recognition as secondary to continually improving as a musician.
His upcoming performance at Europe Drum Show will see him embrace that same philosophy of spontaneity. Following his improvised drum solo at the Meinl Drum Festival, Lamas plans to create something unique in the moment rather than simply reproduce a rehearsed performance.
And his advice to aspiring drummers is perhaps the simplest message of all: enjoy it.
“Enjoy the way. And just have fun playing drums.”
For a drummer with the technique and achievements of Miguel Lamas, that might just be the most important lesson of all.
