SEEKING
Vocalist, Saxophone, Keyboard.ABOUT
Exp drummer/percussionist,many gigs of many types, sporadic studio work, teach drums on & off.
GSOH I was asked gor a comprehensive bio once(honest!) Here it is, sorry.
In a four decade career I've played pop, cabaret, rock, blues/rock, small group jazz, big band swing, Shared stages with Slade, The Groundhogs, The Merseybeats, Dave Walker (Savoy Brown, Black Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac), Former members of Listen, one of Robert Plants pre-fame groups. Tribute bands include Janis Joplin, Deep Purple & Elton John. Shared drumming duties with Jon Broberg in leftfield "Famous Inhalers" Long stints with "Fire!" perennial favourites on the Black Country blues circuit of 80's/90's (being voted top drummer two years running by the area's Express & Star) and "Breathe," classic rockers from Stoke-on-Trent.Depped with numerous bands "The Grimleys" "Born Again Beatles" and part time member of Screwy Driver's Rock & Roll Looney Party Band, spin off from Lord Sutch's outfit.
Studio work in the early days was mostly at the behest of Jim Simpson, ex Locomotive trumpeter (and sometime manager of Black Sabbath, more lately a Jazz promoter in Birmingham) who worked closely with my guitarist/songwriter band-member Larry Rushton on various one off projects in various studios,sometimes using singing celebrities like "That's Life" presenter Bill Buckley, and occasional pop singles often under the banner of "Bobby Dazzler" one of which "Dance, Dance,Dance" sold well in Australia and (oddly)Scotland, on Jim's Big Bear label. This led to Larry's own studio/projects (Media Music) myself drumming on adverts/jingles for radio and coach firms mostly, one of the most well-know being Toshiba. Later I went on to work in J&K studios in Walsall owned by Fire! guitarist Johnny Harris on various sessions. More recent years have seen me involved in projects at Greenwood Studios in Hednesford. A lot of the bands I've played in were writers of original material, some exclusively, but that elusive recording contract never came our way, but I have been fortunate as you can see to work in so many studios on quite a variety of music in addition to my own band recordings.
I have taught drums over the years for various organisations and privately, also workshops in schools, very fulfilling, very hard work!!
A long time passion of mine is latin percussion (Santana being my all-time fave) and have often played percussion on studio dates in addition to drum-kit duties and occasional gigs plus nine months on conga's and percussion at Staffords Grapes run by ex Climax Chicago Blues Bands Derek Holt. I call it a residency, although more likely he simply didn't tell me to go away!!! Recently, I am the student, taking conga and timbale lessons from Eddie McGuire of Viva Santana, as my rhythms in the past have been somewhat homemade and less traditional Afro-Cuban.
Outside of Escape at the moment I'm occupying the drum chair with Stoke's "Down to Eleven" and writing articles for the Sheffield based Old Drummers Club.
Present gear....Tama Starclassic, cymbals by all the top guns including my own custom design (Thank you Sabian), Jobeky e-kit, Sonor congas & Pearl timbales and lots and lots of toys! (bells, blocks shakers etc)
Jack of all Trades? Master of some :-)
- Screen name:
- Footlight
- Member since:
- Oct 18 2009
- Active over 1 month ago
- Level of commitment:
- Very Committed
- Years playing music:
- 40
- Gigs played:
- Over 100
- Tend to practice:
- 2-3 times per week
- Available to gig:
- 6-7 nights a week
- Most available:
- Days
Influences
Almost everything, very ecelectic tastes eg Love Prog, Big Band Swing, Afro-cuban/Latin!
Needless to say drummers and percussionists of all persuasions.
Big Santana fan,also Yes, Dream Theatre, Thunder and some metal esp Ax7
EQUIPMENT
Tama Starclassic 6-pc, lots of top cymbals(Depending on type of gig)
Mics etc Lots of percussion inc congas, bongoes, timbales and toys!
