The Band - Lee Nicholas - Drums

Personal Biog

Having been brought up in a musical family (my father plays rhythm/ lead guitar and my sister plays keys), I decided at the age of nine, after watching two of my favourite drummers of all time – Stewart Copeland and Buddy Rich, that I wanted to play drums.

At the age of eleven, I played as part of a three-piece band at a Social Club in Newport with my father and sister playing covers.

I studied at the Welsh College of Music and Drama from the age of fourteen – this tuition being based more in percussion than drum kit.

My first band (outside our family trio) was Sercus in 1989. We played numerous gigs around the Gwent and Cardiff area and in 1990 we recorded an EP and single.

I then joined The Bootfreaks (who later became Ether – and got signed to Parlophone – without me of couse!).

In January 1994, I moved (for a brief while) to London to study drums with Bob Armstrong (I highly recommend Bob to anyone who is serious on learning to play drums!!).

Since then, I have worked with cover bands from South Wales such as Pipedream, Big Mac’s Wholly Soul band and Sidewinder.

I have played a few high profile gigs at Birmingham Symphony Hall and the NIA alongside Cliff Hall from The Shadows on keys and Colin Farley from Cutting Crew on bass. In addition to this, I played a handful of gigs in 2009 with Kee Marcello (former guitarist of the Swedish Rock Band “Europe”).

My regular gigging band is a 4-piece 70s-80s Classic Rock covers band called The Alliance.

Equipment used

Sonor Drums, Zildjian cymbals and Roland TD-12 Electronic Drums

Favourite Musicians

Buddy Rich
Stewart Copeland
Vinnie Colaiuta
Gregg Bisonnette
Will Kennedy
Steve Gadd
Jeff Porcaro
Neil Peart
Bob Dalton
Phil Gould
Dom Famularo
Steve Smith
Chris Hesse

Top 5 Albums of All Time

Regatta De Blanc – The Police
Every Man For Himself – Hoobastank
Eat Me In St Louis – It Bites
Moving Pictures – Rush
IV - Led Zeppelin

Favourite Movies

Favourite Movies Star Wars (Original Trilogy), Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, As Good As It Gets, The Bucket List, Gladiator, Good Will Hunting…and the original Flash Gordon Series.

Favourite Books

It’s not about the bike (Lance Armstrong) and The Cycle of Self Empowerment (Dom Famularo).

Most Memorable Musical Experience

Most Memorable Musical Experience Music in the Bay, Cardiff in 1996 with Big Mac’s Wholly Soul Band in front of approx. 10,000 people when we supported The Saw Doctors, Van Morrison, Squeeze and Midge Ure.