Palace Drum Camp 2024
The Palace Drum Camp is running as a 3 day drumming event over the weekend of 5th – 7th April 2024. The PDCamp will be in the home town of John Bonham, Redditch UK. The PDCamp is fully interactive with back to back workshops with some of the UK’s top tutors. Alongside the resident tutors, Rob Brian and Pete Cater, this years PDCamp guest tutors are hard hitting metal/punk drummer Smith T Smith and the internet sensation Emma Taylor. The PDCamp is open for any abilities from beginner to seasoned pro. Lots of new material to learn and take away for your own use and to ignite your teaching to take back to your students. Ages 15+ The cost of this non- residential PDCamp is for the 3 days £250 and just Saturday and Sunday will be £175. This includes lunch on Saturday and Sunday and refreshments throughout the 3 days. Pay in full or £50 to secure your place. (Balance must be paid by 31st March 2024) Schedule Friday 12pm till 6pm Saturday 9:30am till 6pm (with Special Guest) Sunday 9:30am till 4pm Guest Tutors Spike T Smith is a British professional freelance session drummer, artist, performer, musician and songwriter. He’s spent many years working internationally with some of the world’s finest artists and musicians, including Morrissey, punk legends The Damned, Killing Joke, New York Dolls, Steve Ignorant/Crass, Sona Fariq and Sacrilege, to name just a few. Originally from Wales, Spike has played drums and performed since he was 13 years old. He’s been described by Rhythm Magazine as ‘The British version of the American session heavy-weight, Josh Freese’. Spike Brings a new style of drumming to the PDCamp with his Metal and Punk background and also with a wealth of teaching experience, with over 25 years and also guesting at institutions like BIMM and Freddie Gee Drum Camp. Emma Taylor is a drummer, singer, educator, and content creator from the UK with a passion for sharing the knowledge gained through 15 years of playing music. She has a talent for making the process of learning drums as accessible and entertaining as possible. Since she started posting in 2021, she has gained over half a million followers across multiple social media platforms with her bite-sized drum lessons and straight-to-the-point explanations, covering concepts from the most simple to advanced. Bringing her energetic style of tutoring to the PDCamp, Emma will be converting her on screen education to this years PDCamp mates. Special Guest This years Special Guest on Saturday 6th April, is the closest thing you will get to the legendary drummer Ringo Starr – Gary Astridge. We will learn everything about Ringo Starr, his drum kits and also Gary and Ringo’s new book ‘Beats and Threads”. You have to be at this years PDCamp for this amazing insight into the world of Ringo Starr.
Artists
Rob Brian
Rob Brian is a busy UK session & touring drummer who also performs drum masterclasses & clinics for DW Drums and Vulcan Cymbals. Robert was introduced to drumming at an early age by his father, Ray Brian, who was a session drummer in the 1960s. His father played him a video of Buddy Rich which Rob described as a “defining moment of his musical education.” Rob has worked with many diverse artists such as Loreena McKennitt, Goldfrapp, Peter Gabriel, Laura Pausini, Miles Kane, Simple Minds, Siouxsie Sioux, Black Box, Clara Ponty, Michel Polnareff, Andy Partridge & Colin Moulding, Modern English, David Rhodes, Herbie Flowers, Hugh Cornwell, Charlie Jones, Jason Rebello, Derek Nash, Innes Sibun, Andy Sheppard, Coati Mundi, Alan Barnes, Roger Cook, Kenny Lynch. In 2018 he recorded tracks at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios for Canadian singer Loreena McKennitt’s new album Lost Souls. Then later that year he started the Lost Souls world tour with Loreena and the band which continued throughout 2019. Also in 2018 Rob recorded again with Laura Pausini for the album Fatti Sentire which went on to become a multi-Platinum selling record. The album also won a Grammy at the Latin Music Awards, Rob’s first Grammy winning album performance. In 2018 he signed his endorsement with the Italian company Vulcan Cymbals and uses them exclusively on all of his recordings, tours and drum clinics. In 2017 he recorded sessions for the band Goldfrapp which ended up being released on their album Silver Eye, one of them became the single Everything is Never Enough. In 2016 he was nominated for a Grammy Award with Italian singer Laura Pausini for her album Simili, which became a triple platinum selling record. The single ‘”Lato destro del cuore” went gold in Italy and became a top 10 single. Throughout 2015 Rob played on sessions in Belgium for French music sensation Michel Polnareff and the single L’Homme en Rouge gets released later that year. The rest of the sessions would appear on the album Enfin! in 2018. In 2013 Rob starts endorsing DW Drums and has an hour long show of drumming & interviews on the online drum teaching site Drum Channel in America. Also in 2013 Rob plays 2 sold out shows with Siouxsie Sioux at Yoko Ono’s Meltdown Festival at The Royal Festival Hall in London. In September 2008, Rob played on the Siouxsie Sioux DVD, Finale: The Last Mantaray and More Show recorded at Club KoKo in London which was released in May 2009. It charted at no. 4 in the BBC Radio 1 Music DVD Chart on the 24 May 2009. He was the live drummer for the Siouxsie Sioux Mantaray world Tour.
Pete Cater
Pete Cater “A gifted and versatile drummer, at home in any context”, (Rough Guide To Jazz) Pete Cater ended 2015 by being named in the top 8 jazz drummers in the world today in Rhythm magazine’s annual popularity poll (the other 7 were all from the USA). It was a fitting conclusion to a year including the 20th anniversary concert of the Pete Cater Big Band at London’s Cadogan Hall, artist in residence for the Premier Drum Company at Music China in Shanghai, a mainstage appearance at the 2015 London Drum Show,an appearance alongside Steve Gadd, Ian Palmer and Steve White at the World’s Greatest Drummer show and the launch of Pete’s new band, The Ministry of Jazz. Pete Cater has been involved with drums for his entire life. Movie footage exists of him hand drumming aged barely 12 months and the innate talent cannot be missed. His musical tastes matured similarly early, and courtesy of his Dad’s record collection he was, by age 5, already a devotee of Joe Morello, Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson. Also active in education Pete is a faculty member at the London Centre of Contemporary Music and appears at drum events throughout the UK and beyond as well as being an in demand private teacher.
Spike T Smith
Spike T Smith is a British professional freelance session drummer, artist, performer, musician and songwriter. He’s spent many years working internationally with some of the world’s finest artists and musicians, including Morrissey, punk legends The Damned, Killing Joke, New York Dolls, Steve Ignorant/Crass, Sona Fariq and Sacrilege, to name just a few. Spike has worked with some of the most respected music producers on the planet, including: Youth: The Verve; Pink Floyd; Paul McCartney; Crowded House; Black Grape; The Charlatans; Killing Joke. Jerry Finn: Green Day; Morrissey; Blink 182; Rancid; Sum 41; Pennywise. Alex Silva: Manic Street Preachers; Suede; Herbert Grönemeyer; Sona Fariq. Jagz Kooner: Primal Scream; Oasis; Garbage; Massive Attack; Kasabian; Reverend and The Makers. Andy Sneep: Megadeth; Saxon; Testament; Exodus; Arch Enemy; Opeth; Accept; Amon Amarth; Nevermore. Harvey Birrell: Therapy; Buzzcocks; Crass; Snuff; Senseless Things; Jolt; Alien Sex Fiend; Silverfish; Flesh For Lulu. Brendon Lynch: Paul Weller; Primal Scream; Ocean Colour Scene. Originally from Wales, Spike has played drums and performed since he was 13 years old. He’s been described by Rhythm magazine “As the British version of American session heavy-weight, Josh Freese”. Spike has a wide range of music styles and genres, and loves nothing more than being on the road touring and playing drums. www.spikesmith.com
Matt Green
With over 25 years of professional performing and 20 years teaching, the PDC’s Matt Green has the experience and knowledge which is needed for every aspect of playing. Matt has extensive experience working as a performer and still actively performs in the orchestral, rock, pop, jazz and world music scene which has equipped him with the necessary skills and makes him one of the most versatile tutors around. Matt has the necessary experience to teach all levels and abilities having previously taught in many schools and colleges. With his many years of experience in percussion teaching, Matt has developed various methods that makes learning fun, exciting and inspiring. Matt Green began his musical training at the age of three. At sixteen he attended Colchester Institute School of Music to study A Levels and later a BA Hons Degree, on the way winning competitions for solo and ensemble playing. Matt obtained a place to study at Birmingham Conservatoire, where he gained a Post Graduate Diploma in Performance with Distinction. During his education, Matthew was a member of the Britten-Pears Orchestra for six seasons where he held the principal timpani chair for five of them. Being as prolific at the back of the orchestra as behind a drum kit, Matt is also in demand to perform with premier Big Bands and Jazz ensembles in and around the Midlands/London and in the studio recording for rock/pop artists. Matt is working extensively in the UK, Europe and further a field playing with such orchestras/ensembles as City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, C18th Concert Orchestra, Northern Chamber Orchestra, Milton Keynes City Orchestra, Birmingham Opera, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Armonico Consort, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Nash Ensemble, Endymion Ensemble, The Bach Choir to name a few. Theatre experience includes the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Globe, Talking Birds and West End productions Jesus Christ Superstar, Abba The Show and Thriller Live. Matt has a passion for world music which has lead him to work with such artists as Ravi Shankar, collaborating between Eastern and Western musicians, UK’s leading nasheed group SHAAM and on the west coast of Ireland’s folk scene. In 2016, Matt was invited to play at the Queen’s 90th Birthday Thanksgiving Service at St.Paul’s Cathedral. He is also in demand as a workshop leader allowing him to perform to audiences across Europe and beyond. Matt’s commitment to education has also led him to coach on many summer music courses and he continues to give drum clinics throughout the UK.
Gary Astridge
Gary Astridge, a sincere and dedicated Ringo fan from childhood and the world’s leading authority on Ringo’s Beatles era gear. Gary originally launched ringosbeatlekits.com back in 2006 as a gift to drum enthusiasts and collectors everywhere. His goal was to help others make more informed decisions when collecting and researching Ringo Starr and his Beatles associated instruments. For years he’s conducted photo forensics, researched books and articles, visited websites, viewed videos, conducted interviews and compiled his findings on a site that has become the primary resource for Ringo enthusiasts, collectors and fans. All of this work was done for no reward other than the satisfaction of helping others. In 2012 things changed for Gary when The Grammy Museum in LA announced a major exhibit honoring the unparalleled career of Sir Richard Starkey, aka Ringo Starr. They would host displays featuring memorabilia from Ringo’s long and storied career. There would be stage clothing, documents, awards, photographs, art, music AND DRUMS, amazing, beautiful, iconic, goose-bump-inducing Ringo drums! “I’ve had the pleasure of watching his work with them grow over the years. You see, I met Gary at the Grammy Museum exhibit while covering it as Publisher of Classic Drummer Magazine and Director of The Classic Drummer Hall of Fame. I immediately loved the guy, and you would too. Soon his informative articles began gracing the pages of our publication and others. I’ve had the pleasure of watching his work with them grow over the years. You see, I met Gary at the Grammy Museum exhibit while covering it as Publisher of Classic Drummer Magazine and Director of The Classic Drummer Hall of Fame. I immediately loved the guy, and you would too. Soon his informative articles began gracing the pages of our publication and others. Gary’s about as solid a guy as anyone could hope to know and he’s created this site for your information and your enjoyment. There are no ads and no sponsors, just accurate, fascinating content. I hope you find it as valuable as I have and that you share it with others who also appreciate the music, equipment and persona of the one and only Ringo Starr. To quote Sir Richard himself, “Peace and Love . . . Peace and Love”. Steve Bryant Publisher, Classic Drummer Magazine