What Garf the Drummer is up to

I started drumming in about 1975, inspired by people like Ian Paice, Cozy Powell and Buddy Rich.

I bought my first kit (an old Olympic) with my brother Phil's help and have never looked back.

The bands we had together back then tended to be school boy, garage type bands playing punk or rock and then developing into pub rock.

The early bands were The Mirrors and Kent Pigg, followed by City Connection, Plastic Warrior, Juggernaut and Toronto.

However, I stopped playing in about 1985 for personal reasons and if I can offer any advice to any of the kids out there - it is - never give up!  I won't go into the reasons here, but suffice to say, it was not really my choice.

Anyhoo, fast forward to 2005.  I had still kept my kit and, indeed, my beautiful wife Siân had bought me a new Yamaha stage custom kit for my 40th birthday.  I have to say, I don't think I could have chosen a better kit myself - it is awesome.  I never thought I would ever get back into playing again when I happened to buy a local-ish paper (unusual) on a day I would never think of buying it, went to the musical section (not even musicians) and there was an advert for a drummer requiring cowbell and a voice.  Well, I stretched the point on the voice and turned up at the audition with Lawrence and Colin of Alley Cat on, I think, the 16th December 2005 and was in.  It was a bit nerve racking as it was the first time I had played with any other than headphones for nearly twenty years but it felt great.  Our first gig was, actually 26th december 2005 at the Clittaford Club in Southway.  Now, over twelve years on, Alley Cat have been put down and I have been involved with Mustang and One (?) Vision and thoroughly enjoyed this. This was followed by The Crocs/13 SecondS. 

This has all really culminated in Las Vegas Rush, playing classic rock and blues, with a healthy mix of our own in there as well.