Masterclass: Alex Thomas

As the drummer for artists as varied as Badly Drawn Boy, John Cale, Air, Squarepusher and UNKLE, Alex Thomas gave an inspirational Masterclass demonstrating to students the demands made on the modern recording and touring session drummer including his work recording drum parts remotely.

One of the highpoints of this particular masterclass was dissecting a client brief from a professional artist, during which Alex gave lucky BA Hons Pro Musicianship drums student Jack Ensor the chance to create his own drum parts on his 1968 Ludwig kit before demonstrating to the students what the finished part actually sounded like. Jack had this to say about the experience;

“It was really in depth and great to learn from the experiences of somebody who has been successful in the industry and see how we can use that in our own playing and our own work. I was a little nervous playing the kit, but it really helped me to see how ready I need to be when asked by an artist to perform at my best and not let nerves get in the way.”

Before leaving, Alex spent considerable time discussing students own approaches to drumming and their kit requirements and passing on his contact details for any further communication.

Insights gained from Masterclasses such as Alex’s are exactly what make studying at BIMM such a unique and valuable experience for anyone considering a career in music.