Drum Biography

I always had a leg that wouldn’t stop tapping, indicating some sort of excessive nervous energy. Military music (Especially the marches of John Phillip Sousa) had always got the blood going. At secondary school after some vague ideas of music, I saw the film “ The Song Remains The Same” by Led Zeppelin, and after watching John Bonham’s solo, I thought, ”Yeah, I want to play drums!” Friends had discussed a band, so after a go on a splendidly blue and shiny Olympic drum set a friend owned, I started drum lessons with local player Phil Solomon in my final year at senior school (This was outside school, my school did not “Do” music!). In the meanwhile I had heard Bill Bruford with Yes, and that proved to me that drums were truly a serious instrument, as much as guitar, piano etc. In other words, I could use my brain as well as brawn.

After a year of furtive tapping on a collection of bits optimistically called my drum kit, and wrestling with the supreme mystery of written music, I started playing with “bands”. These were mostly punk, break neck buzz saw rock, which built up my endurance and arm muscles. My first progressive band appeared after this, and I also started doing the occasional covers band gig, as well continuing the odd punk fling. I was completely taken  by the bands Yes and King Crimson during this period, drummer wise, I had now heard Michael Giles (original Crimson God), Simon “Octopus” Phillips, Tony Williams, session drummer Tom Brechtlein and of course Buddy Rich! In the meantime I was slowly ploughing through standard books, such as Jim Chapin’s Independence, Stick Control and Buddy Rich Snare Drum Rudiments. First proper kit was by now a Beverley with Rototoms, various good and not so good cymbals decorated the kit.

More and more varied gigs appeared, the rule was to become as well rounded as possible, and though at the time I may have felt less tan a 100% enthusiastic, I am very glad I got exposed to all sorts of music. Your style will come through regardless of what you are playing (Except perhaps Country & Western!) My listening had increased to hear more Jazz, Classical and Latin as well as Fusion, the busy drumming appealed to my ears! I also took lessons at Drumtech in London, during one summer I was doing a summer season at Bournemouth and driving up for lessons during the day. By now Frank Zappa had crept in as a big influence, he always had great drummers and a great band, the Black Page drum solo became an obsession. I have a fair amount of his music lying around including the nightmare Mo and Herb’s Vacation, this is total mind warp! The Zappa influence also encouraged me to start writing my own music.

At the present time I now own various drums, Remo, Ludwig , Premier and Tama, which are mixed around depending on the music. Cymbals are Paiste (All types).Music ideas comes from many fields, the piano and composition provides a lot of inspiration (See music /Cd section), I even tried violin for a while. Though I have various “Old Favourites” I go back to now and again, I do not have any particular name drummers that I pick out; there is a lot of rhythm to listen to out there, from a car engine, to the sound of rain falling.