Halfway through the year...

So far, 2014 has been a mixed year:  Some good, some not so good, some exciting stuff, some boring stuff, some promises not kept and some very nice surprises...

As far as my music and drumming goes, I have had a lot of varied projects so far with what looks to be like a lot more to come in the second half of the year.

I will think back and start at the beginning of the year and work forward chronologically up to now, and beyond...  This list is purely for recording work.  My live shows can be viewed here.

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At the beginning of this year I had the opportunity to work with two amazing singer/song-writers, one here in Germany and the other back in the UK.

Zeki Min (ex-frontman of The Driftwood Fairytales) asked if I would play drums for his debut solo-album, "Majestic".  I of course said "yes"...  So, he and Mr Hadl (producer extraordinaire and bassist for the album), came over to my place and we recorded the album live in a weekend!
The resulting album is stupendous and I am extremely proud to have been a part of it...
We also played a few shows in Berlin and I was asked to help in the creation of this interactive video too:

Click on the icons and have a play around with the awesome interactiveness!!!

If you like your music to be edgy yet familiar, glorious, yet understated and acoustic with a punk attitude, then you should definitely check Zeki's debut album "Majestic" out immediately!
Visit Zeki's website here!
Buy Zeki's debut album "Majestic" here!


Not long after recording with Zeki I was asked to fly over to England to work with Mr Josh Kumra - we spent a week writing and recording demo's for Josh's new album.  

Hopefully work on the album will commence soon and a release won't be too long in the waiting...
Visit Josh's official facebook page here!


I also have been involved with loops and beat-making.  Mr Ilkka Ala-Fossi, AKA Ile, used some of my loops in one of his songs which you can listen to on mysoundcloud, here:
"The Best Day (Demo)".
Visit Ile's SoundCloud page here!


A couple of months back started a surge of recording work with UK singer/songwriter Si Hall calling upon my [remote] service for his forthcoming E.P.
More along the lines of Chuck Ragan, Dave Hause and Tim Barry, Si's E.P. is almost ready to be unleashed on the world...
Find out more about Si Hall and his music here!


The work, coming in thick and fast, then took a slightly more exotic turn (no offence Si!):
The wonderfully colourful Mr Rameez Khalid emailed me and asked if I could record drums for his new single.

Another amazing opportunity...  I jumped at the chance and I must say it was a pleasure to work for such a talented and kind man.  I look forward to working again with Rameez sometime in the future...  Who knows, maybe I will even get to do some live work with him one day...?!
Visit Rameez's official facebook page here!


Keeping things international, I have been working on an album for Italian duo "Mr Dog The Bear".  The album is in the very early stages, but I am being encouraged to have a lot of input: Some production input (and happily a lot of creative input too!), the first song, (self-titled) can be heard on their soundcloud page here:
"Mr Dog The Bear"


This about gets me up to speed as far as the year has gone so far...
...but what does the rest of the year have in store?!!!
Well, let me divulge a little more:


There are 2 new projects definitely coming up in the next couple of months, not to mention the continuing & "in-progress" work I already spoke about and also the possibility of 2 or 3 more projects which are "under-discussion"...


The two projects coming up that I can say are both quite simply amazing:


The first is a chance for me to stretch my funk muscles.  Rachelle Jeanty has been singing professionally for the past 20 years. She has toured the world as a backing vocalist for Celine Dion and has given performances as a solo artist at ''Les Francofolies de Montréal'', with the Vienna Boys Choir and at the United Nations in New York.

A powerful and soulful presence on-stage (I've seen her twice and she is quite simply outstanding), the talented Ms Jeanty has a new project with an American based guitarist and song-smith underway, which will see me on-board as the beats man - excited is an understatement!
Visit Rachelle's website here!


The most recent session to land on my table is a studio album for Le-Thanh Ho.  This one is so fresh, all I can say at the moment is that the studio is booked for August and I am the drummer (unless I totally mess it up in rehearsals!)
Here's looking forward to working on this project as much as the rest!
Visit Le-Thanh Ho's website here!
Visit Le-Thanh Ho's official facebook page here!

So, there it is.  2014 so far with some things to look forward too :-)

And I hope you enjoy the music as much as I do.

Back again...?

I flew back from England on Monday after spending 70 hours in the studio with some truly amazing musicians...

If being asked to attend a song-writing and recording session by the UK's "next biggest producer" wasn't enough, the fact that it was for Josh Kumra made it an extra special honour.  If you don't know who Josh Kumra is, you should definitely have a listen...  His songs are beautiful, his lyrics connect and his voice, well, that's something else entirely...

Mr Sam Bates

I've been lucky enough to play for some outstanding bands and musicians in my career and Josh has to be right up at the top of the list; Witnessing the magic when an artist can play a tune with perfect emotion and intent is something that always gets me, but to see it done in one take, the sun shining through the window shining off the guitar and with the fire crackling in the background, that is a moment I don't think I'll forget in a long time...

Hopefully this past weeks session won't be the last time I get to work with Josh and the team.







I am very excited about 2014.  It has obviously started extremely well, not only with the session last week, but also having already played a couple of shows with Strangers By Day.

There will definitely be more shows, not only from Strangers, but also from other projects and bands I am working with:

FlyCatFly are playing a show in Arpke, Germany in July (7th) along with some Swindoners!  I am hoping this won't be a one off!

On the same bill, and also with some stand-alone shows, I have been working with Zeki Min on his solo album (mixing in progress).  I can't wait to hear the finished product...

The extremely intense - (I think that's probably the most apt adjective) - "Frog Baseball", also have an album in the mixing stages and will be ready to explode live soon.

Dr Paradiddles WonderDrumporium is getting busier too, but still I want more!  I get bored when I don't have a million things to do!  So, if you need some drums recorded (anywhere!), or if you are in Berlin and want some drum lessons, please get in touch!

Hello 2014!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I know I'm about two weeks late to be saying that, but it's been a super busy start to 2014 for me!!!

News:

I joined a new band last week...  having had a couple of rehearsals for the super lovely "Strangers By Day", we have two gigs already happening this week in Berlin!  (No pressure then...)

I also started and finished(!) recording an album between Christmas and New Year with "Frog Baseball" in Berlin...  We're looking to gig as soon as we get out lazy arses into gear and book some shows...

I recorded a new tune, "My Good Day" with FlyCatFly which you can hear on my Soundcloud.  The other exciting news from the FlyCat's is that we have a show booked!  (July 12th)

Dr Paradiddles WonderDrumporium is fully functional now, (apart from the sign not being painted yet), but I still have room for students so email me if you want some!

At the end of 2013 I recorded a live album in my studio with Zeki, the fantastic lead singer from The Driftwood Fairytales.  A "solo" album, we recorded everything live (drums, bass, guitar and vocals) in two days.  The mixing is underway and so we look forward to some live touring and an album release in 2014.

I am finally ready to launch a Rock Club here in Berlin at the Berlin Met.  It's been a while in the offing, but the time is finally here.

All of this not to mention the most exciting upcoming work I have...

...Next week I am flying to the UK for a week.  I am extremely excited to have been asked to work on the new album with one of the UK's most exciting young singer/songwriter's!

It's gonna be a busy year ahead full of music and drums.  I am expecting there to be a lot of recording, a lot of shows and some teaching thrown in for good measure (and the world cup)!  Here's to 2014!  Happy music!