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BiographyName: Mark Cavanaugh
Styles/Influences: Ringo Starr, Bobby Caldwell (Johnny Winter And Live), Mitch Mitchell, John Bonham and Neil Peart. History: I was born on December 27, 1954 at Travis Air Force Base, CA. I grew up in the Seattle area and started playing a Ludwig chrome 5.5x14 drum in the 5th grade with the school band. I started playing a full kit when I was 12. The kit was a Silver Sparkle Pearl four piece. The same year (1967) my grandpa took me to a liqiuidation sale for a drum shop that had some Zildian cymbals. Grands bought me a 22" ride, a 20" ride/crash, 19" and 18" crashs, a set of 14" hi hats, and a 7" splash. I still have these cymbals today and I believe they are similar to the "A" line. My first gig was at age 15 with the Seallle Banjo Club which played Dixie Land jazz and we had many gigs at Shakeys Pizza. When I was 18 I obtained a performers permit from the state liquor control agency (the drinking age was 21) and started playing with a country/rock band in night clubs. One night, a bunch of my high school teachers dropped in and were a bit shocked to find me playing music in an adult environment on a school night. When I was 18, I bought a new Rogers 6 piece kit that I still use today. I paid my way through college at Arizona State playing with a lounge band working the resort circuit. It was a boring, unchallenging way to get through school playing covers for retired people. After graduation, I played jazz 5 nights a week while working for IBM by day in Tucson. The band was a trio with keyboards and a sax player named Chuck Morrison who was married to Bobby "Blue" Bland's Ex. During this time, I meet my wife (married 1981) and gave the drums up for 7 years. I started playing again in 1988 and played rock in a band with a bass player named Frank Cradall who is Alice Cooper's brother-in-law and has 3 gold records for writing. I bought my Pearl Custom Z kit in 1989. Since then I have played in many bands with several styles of music. I currently am in two bands: One a Christian blues band and the other kind of pop/rock. The blues band's lead guitar player is Richard Moore who was the Troggs (Wild Thing) replacement lead guitar player after the original player quit. I also play rock on occasion with Peter Lewis who was a founding member of the Moby Grape and jazz with Jim Barnett, formally Johnny Mathis' pianist and arranger. Finally, I teach and am taking lessons from George Pendergast who was Dishwalla's drummer. My biggest drumming influences are a mixed bag (as I am!) but I am a rock fan first: Ringo Starr, Bobby Caldwell (Johnny Winter And Live), Mitch Mitchell, John Bonham and Neil Peart. I don't consider myself a jazz drummer, though I play it quite often. I find jazz musicians and drummers are great but jazz doesn't move my soul. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in July 2004. I have had sleep deprivation issues for years but until I developed tremors in my left hand and the toes on my left foot in the spring 2004, I just figured I was an insomniac. Now my nuerologist believes that the sleep issue is also tied to PD, meaning I may had had PD for several yearss without knowing. The sleep deprivation makers me irritable and have great difficulty concentrating. I also on a cocktail of prescription medicines that drive me up and down all day and night long. The up side as a drummer is, I get to practice a lot more as I have no job. The downside is I have a tough time learning new riffs, so what might have taken me 20 miniutes to figure out and have nailed now takes days. George Pednergast has me working through "Mel Bays's Complete Modern Drum Set by Frank Griggs". I am struggling with some stuff that doesn't look to tough to do; just reading it or even stuff similar to what I have done in the past. I am very frustrated about this. The main thing is that I have a hell of hard time dealing with a 4 hour gig. I have top keep pinching myself to stay alert and this is with a band playing pretty loud. So far I have no problems with grip or any mechanical issues due to PD. I would say the mental aspec is the toughest to deal with as a drummer. As a drummer, I feel my growth is limited as it takes me so long to figure out new riffs and where to put them in a song. I tend to take the easy route and play what I have played for the last 40 years. This is prudent as I don't want to practice in front of an audience. MediaAudio #1 (mp3)
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Gear
Drums: Pearl Custom Z in Natural Maple Finish
Cymbals: Paiste
Hardware & Misc:
The rest of my hardware consists of a Jeff Porcaro Rack and Pearl & Tama stands. Heads: Evans
Sticks: Vic Firth Peter Erskine "The Ride" Stick |
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