MUSICAL SKILLS
I have over thirty years experience playing live drums with bands at events in many of the finest hotels, pubs, venues and colleges in Ireland, England, Spain and even Dubai, as well as performing on TV and Radio.
I am first and foremost a “feel” player, but pride myself on being able to play tight with a click-track. I can deliver drums with any level of dynamic - from whispery soft to mega heavy. I play double-bass drum pedals with proficiency, though of course I only use them when required. I can also use brushes. I can read drum manuscript when required.
I know thousands of songs. I have a very good memory for themes from TV shows, movie music, as well as Radio/TV-aired tunes, jingles and adverts.
I can competently play most musical styles, including pop / rock / funk / blues / hip-hop / country / jazz / reggae / metal / prog / classical...and other stuff besides.
MY APPROACH
I understand the paramount importance of a vocal, as well as a song's arrangement, in context to my function in providing rhythm to this. At all times I aim to compliment the lead singer with anything and everything that I can on drums, or if appropriate, nothing at all. I also sing backing vocals, so I have an understanding of harmony and melody, and so know best how to integrate my drumming around vocals.
OTHER SKILLS
I am also a professional Graphic Designer (BDes Vis. Comm.), and also have a post-graduate diploma in Art Education (I am a qualified Art teacher at Secondary School level).
I was also the Entertainments Officer for one year while I attended NCAD college, Dublin.
I have also worked professionally in animation, as assistant animator on cartoons such as “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and “James Bond Jr.” from my time at Murakami Wolf Animation Studios, Dublin.
I am a non-smoker and a very moderate drinker.
I have excellent communication and time management skills, and I can prioritise tasks and meet deadlines successfully.
I am used to long hours and late nights!
EQUIPMENT
I own a lot of really fantastic drum stuff, including a selection of drum kits, snare drums, cymbal ranges, drum electronics...all from which I select the best items to use when I know in advance what the music for each event needs: what volume level I need to play at, who I’m going to be playing with, what the band’s instrument line-up is going to be, who’s singing what and how they sing, room acoustics, overall context of the band at the specific event etc. Although I am not endorsed by any music equipment company, I favour my top-of-the-range Sonor Hilite drum kit and my selection of Paiste Signature cymbals.
TRANSPORT
I hold a full, clean driving licence with no penalty points. I presently drive a Mitsubishi Pajero long wheelbase commercial jeep. I am a very careful and courteous driver, and I’ve never had an accident.
I am very used to driving long distances through the day and through the night, in all weather conditions and I know full well the associated perils of such a hazardous environment.
The Joshua Trio
Many years ago I was the original drummer and one of the founding members of one of Ireland’s first tribute bands, the U2 comedy spoof “The Joshua Trio” which included a live appearance on Channel 4’s “The Jonathan Ross Show” ( January 1992), and “Rapido” (March 1992), and many, many other TV and radio appearances both in the UK and Ireland. Other TV appearances included Cilla Black’s “Trading Places”, Irish TV's Gerry Ryan’s “Secrets”, Pat Kenny’s “Kenny Live”, “Dempsey’s Den” with Zig and Zag and many others. The band was also featured in many magazines such as the NME, Melody Maker, Hot Press, Select magazine and Q magazine.
U2’s own label, Mother Records gave the band the rights to record and release a fast country music version of “The Fly” from Achtung Baby, which coincided with U2’s own release. Around this time, Bono jokingly stated in an interview for Rolling Stone Magazine that his favourite band was The Joshua Trio.
Other incarnations of the same band simultaneously were an outrageous glam rock covers band “The Glam Tarts”, and a comedy spoof on 70’s Irish-showbands “Tony St. James and The Las Vegas Sound”, each of which had their own successful profiles on the scene, each playing regular headline gigs in venues like the Olympia Theatre and The Rock Garden, Dublin as well as the Camden Underworld and the prestigious Marquee in London. We even played the Edge’s sister’s wedding with our Tony St. James and The Las Vegas Sound band, with Bono joining us on stage for a loungey version of “Please release me (Let me go)”.
The band’s line-up was an all-live 4-piece and we played colleges, outdoor festivals, venues as well as some corporate work all over Ireland and England, as well as a once-off gig in Belgium.
Other than drumming, my duties included handling the band’s finances, managing the band’s bank accounts, liaising with accountant Alan McEvoy at Ossie Kilkenny accountants (U2’s then accountants), part-tour management, booking ferry and flights, booking hiried backline and PA systems, booking UK/Irish hotels and B&Bs, liaising with and paying booking agents including the now famous Louis Walsh.
