about

Andy was just 8 years old when his junior school teacher asked if anyone wanted to learn to play violin. His hand shot up and he waited patiently in line as the instruments were handed out. Sadly (or maybe thankfully), by the time the teacher got to him, all the violins had gone, along with the clarinets and trumpets. And so it was that Andy was handed…….. a trombone.

For the next decade Andy would spend his Friday evenings and Saturday mornings playing trombone with the Bexley Schools Concert Band and Symphony Orchestra. Together with playing for his school Jazz Orchestra, his love of music and its many diversities was born.

It was, however, whilst with the school Jazz Orchestra, playing the classic big band sounds from the likes of Glen Miller, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Duke Ellington, that his passion for the drums started to emerge. He would watch and listen closely as the drummers played to the rhythm of the beat.

In the mid 1980’s, Andy discovered one of British musics biggest and most successful bands – Genesis. He was instantly captivated by them and especially by their drummers – the highly talented Phil Collins, progressive rock legend Bill Bruford and the solid rock groover Chester Thompson. 

By listening intently to records and watching countless video’s of Genesis, Andy started his drumming jorney.

Initially self taught he bashed around on pillows and boxes until, with money saved up from his paper-round, he purchased a snare drum to add to his make-shift kit. Shortly after this his parents bought him his first drum kit, a second hand Pearl Maxim (complete with Phil Collins’esq concert toms!)

Andy continued to teach himself, annoying his parents and the neighbours with the racket that ensued from his bedroom in his small semi-detached family home. Gradually, through his late teens, Andy put the trombone away and a move to being a drummer was complete.

Over those first few years of drumming, Andy’s style was eclectic. With school friends he formed a traditional jazz band, A Pack of Jokers, aptly named after a phrase used by a teacher who was inspirational in getting the band off the ground. With some other friends, a rock supergroup (in their eyes) called Lager Spill was born. With two albums of original and cover songs they were destined to never make it!

At the age of 20, Andy started full time work and with some like minded colleagues and some old school friends they formed The Late Shift, a 12 piece soul band. Sadly the band was short lived with the logistics of getting 12 members together at any one time proving impossible.

Another work colleague knew of a band looking for a drummer and recommended Andy to them. In the summer of 1995 Andy joined The Local Heroes a 5 piece up beat, high energy party and covers band. It was here that he mastered his art and honed his skills as a first class function band drummer, playing the classic hits from all the decades for weddings and corporate events. It was also with The Local Heroes that Andy got to dress up as a blues brother, YMCA police officer, glam rockster or a suitable outfit from the Rocky Horror Show!

The Local Heroes remained together for many years, gigging regularly into the new millennium around London and the home counties of south east England.

In 2006 Andy fullfilled a dream by landing the drum seat with the tribute band Genesis – In the Cage, playing predominately the Peter Gabriel era of Genesis. Along with four other highly talented individuals and a full sound, light and stage team, the band played across the UK together with stints in western Europe and were one of the most popular and successful bands on the circuit for several years.

During the early 2000’s, Andy started playing for local musical theatre shows, his first being the rock classic, Jesus Christ Superstar. His versatility and knowledge of styles has led him to play so many musicals that he cannot remember them all!  His personal favourites are Jesus Christ Superstar, Our House, Spamalot, Anything Goes, School of Rock and The Producers.

As Andy settled down with a family of his own, he started playing for Belvedere Concert Band, initially as their timpanist but in later years took over as their regular drummer.

Andy currently performs with the covers band Brizzler, Belvedere Concert Band, Greenwich Concert Band, and numerous pit bands for musical theatre shows, alongside teaching at several schools and privately in his own studio.