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Andy has been playing drums for over 25 years now and is the oldest
member in Pie Shop by some 10 years but this never worries him as
he sees age as 'just a number'! Playing alongside younger guys also
helps to keep him on his toes.
Andy is really loving his drumming these days, more than ever before.
Even though every other band he has performed with was enjoyable and has
contributed into moulding him into the player he is today, he feels that
the music that Pie Shop plays is by far the most challenging and
rewarding.
“The members of the band have always had a rule that we only play
music that we ALL want to play. This way, we enjoy what we are doing and
hopefully that feeling bounces onto our audience and, in return, they
can enjoy what they are watching and listening to.”
Andy has played for many cover bands such as Subtle Contrast
(1st band), Big Foot (twice),
Never Amber,
Nightshift, Stop, Kandidate, Shogun and now
Pie Shop along with doing many stand-in gigs for bands needing a
drummer at short notice.
He has even dabbled in the 'original' market with recording bands
Tour de Force and
Amoeba Red. Other ventures with the members of Pie Shop
include recording under the name of Love Fist for
Grand
Theft Auto Vice City and performing in
The
Darkest (tribute to 'The Darkness').
He, along with Trev and Neil (and Bob Crowe from Double Jack) have
now taken another step into the ‘tribute’ market by forming
In Your Honour, a
tribute to their favourite band the Foo Fighters. |
Caricature courtesy of Stewart (Stew!) Brown |
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The experience he has developed along the
way has helped him not only to face the challenge of playing to the
level that being a member of Pie Shop entails, but to have the knowledge
of how to approach it.
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"I always
have to be on my toes in this band because there is always a new
challenge around the corner" [Andy] |
This experience, and all the knowledge he
has gained over the years, also helps him in his mid-week job of
teaching drums. He set up his own drum teaching business in 2002 (click
here for details) and has around 30 students of different ages and
abilities on his books.
If you have seen Andy playing with the
band and it has given you the inspiration to learn to play drums, then
please contact him to find out more about starting lessons.
Andy's personal website -
www.andythomson.net
See layout of Andy's DW kit -
click
here |