Stevie G – Drums & Percussion

I play a Peace Paragon Maple drum kit consisting of : 10,12 + 13 rack toms,14 + 16 floor toms,22 bass drum + various snare drums. (the wife say’s far too many!)
6,8+10 roto toms and various bit’s of percussion (including those oh so sexy wind chimes, otherwise known as “Stevie’s Tinklies”) I use Zildzian Z Custom and Stagg Furia cymbals of various sizes.

I was given a drum kit for Christmas when I was eleven ,so I started young. I had lessons at school and from my dad until I was about fifteen. From then on I picked up everything else from watching, playing with and listening to other musician’s.

Biggest influences drumming wise are: Mick Tucker (The Sweet) he was the first drummer I ever saw spin his sticks. Nice! Bill Ward (Black Sabbath) lot’s of power and some sweet timing all of his own. Ian Paice (Deep Purple) a true master on the drums. I can only dream of being that good. Cozy Powell (Rainbow / Whitesnake) a man who lived the rock n roll dream on and off the drum kit. You only have to listen to the snare drum intro to “Long Live Rock n Roll” to know what I mean!
Brian Downey (Thin Lizzy) have a listen to what that man can do with his hi-hat……ROCK! And more recently Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) he has the knack of playing the right thing at the right time.

My history with band’s goes back to when I was thirteen. I started playing with a club trio doing 50′s + 60′s numbers and some more up to date stuff, which would be The Bay City Rollers, Shawaddywaddy and Mud. My attentions soon switched to Rock when a school friend played me Burn by Deep Purple one dinnertime.

I have played in many rock and blues bands since. They include (amongst others): Tall Storey (Biffo is a true Wednesbury legend / guitarist John Campbell is the man behind Are You Experienced), Dave Copson’s Driving South (we could have been contenders), Tranzam (I met a lot of people I still play with now), Fire (a band that was a hole lot of fun to play with), Split Beaver (Wolvo’s finest, I also played The Marquee twice with these boy’s), Contraband (again people I still see)
Off The Rail’s (still playing with Steve + Chris and more to come).

I have appeared on numerous CD’s and studio recordings including a live session broadcast on The Paul Jones Blues Show on Radio Two.

About ten year’s ago I did appear on national T.V. naked as a jay bird. This was on Johnny Vaughn’s and Denise Van Houten’s Big Breakfast, advertising a naked calendar I had done with Aldridge Hockey Club! Don’t ask.

In July of this year (2009) I became a world record holder when I, along with 581 other drummers at The N.I.A. in Birmingham, BEAT a record held by The American’s for the largest number of drummers using full drum kit’s all playing at the same time. I have no doubt that when them pesky yank’s get wind of this they will try to beat it, but we are ready and waiting!

Food wise I do like kebab meat and chip’s (but not before a gig)

Drink wise my preferred tipple is Bank’s Mild or cider. (both in disgustingly large amount’s)

As far as gig’s go I saw The Floyd on The Animal’s tour in 1977.Fantastic.
Metalica this year was a real treat. Every time DARKSIDE play is a genuine treat for me.

My ambition is to tour the world with a great rock band. (DARKSIDE will do!)

I also like to say “rock n roll” a lot!