Speaking as someone who first picked up his father's drumsticks at age three and began trying to execute a double-stroke roll on a pillow at age 11, seeing John & Belle's toddler daughters drumming brings warmth to my heart and tears to my eyes. In the interest of cultivating their talents, here are a few drummers they should seek to emulate:

1. Elvin Jones. Nuff said here. Lots of string and brass musicians have used their instruments percussively. Elvin Jones was the first, and best, to use the drums to provide melody. If not for him, we'd never know what the far side of the ride cymbal sounds like.

2. Stewart Copeland. I sort of hate the Police. There's a number of good songs out there in the dark of their catalogue -- "So Lonely" is pretty awesome -- but, by and large, their prog is corny and their punk is fake and their reggae is cringe-inducing and their rock is passable. The thing that brings me back to them is Stewart Copeland, who actually introduces breaks to a band that's as white as a fluffernutter. I'd advise the girls to listen to Stewart Copeland for those times that they need to rescue a song from its creators.

3. Janet Weiss. My dream interview is me & Janet, talking drums for hours and hours. I have so many questions about why she does what she does. With a band as frenetic and taught as Sleater-Kinney -- which, of course, has no bass guitar -- you can imagine the temptation exists to provide a stable beat and little else. (As Lara MacFarlane demonstrates on Call The Doctor.) Janet never, ever does this. You have to listen to her like you listen to a jazz musician -- always asking why she made this particular choice of rhythm, dynamic and tone and not another one. If ever you think she doesn't serve the song, notice how different her style is with Quasi than it is with S-K.

4. Topper Headon. The only band that mattered had the only drummer that mattered. The break in "Guns of Brixton" could be the entire basis of another drummer's style. (I say that because after I heard it, I made it the basis for my entire style.) Legend has it he recorded Give 'Em Enough Rope in one take. Topper married James Brown rhythms to the Clash and made punk rock transcendent. Just listen to how sad and pedestrian the Clash can sound when Tory Crimes drums for them -- a track as straightforward as "White Riot" comes alive with Topper behind the kit, but with Tory Crimes, the Clash are held back to a standard, plotting halftime two-four backbeat.

Remember, girls: learn your rudiments, and there's no substitute for proper gripping. Never hold your sticks using your thumb as a brace -- it's tempting, particularly when you're tired, but you're only cheating your finger strength. There are a lot of sucker drummers out there. Don't play yourselves.