DAVE HARRIS

Drum Afficianado

I'm Dave. I’m a full-time drummer, splitting my days between fixing and restoring drums, teaching, and playing live gigs.

​

I first got into drumming when I was 12. I’d always had a habit of tapping on things—desks, tables, anything within reach—but I hadn’t connected it to drumming. Then, when my grandfather passed away, he left me his xylophone, which inspired me to sign up for percussion lessons at school. I was pretty shy, so I never mentioned that I was there for the xylophone. Instead, they handed me some drumsticks, put me behind a drum kit, and the rest is history.

​

Drumming captured me right away. I wasn’t naturally coordinated, so I had to put in a lot of practice hours to get good. I worked towards my Guildhall grades, eventually taking grades 4 and 8, and joined junior bands at a Saturday music school (which is where I met Sophie). I even got into orchestral playing. Jazz became my early focus, and I played as the percussionist (not just the drummer!) for the North Herts Youth Jazz Orchestra.

​

After school, I studied Architecture at the University of Bath, but I spent nearly as much time playing in bands as I did studying. I played with any group that needed a drummer, from heavy metal to funk to musicals, and eventually joined a local cover band specializing in weddings and functions. To earn extra cash, I started teaching a few students and quickly found I really enjoyed it, building a small group of pupils.

​

Within a year at university, I convinced a local drum store (Assembly Music) to hire me part-time, which was where I first got hooked on drum repairs and servicing. I worked there throughout my degree, then full-time after graduating, until the owner retired.

​

That's when I took teaching more seriously, taking on evening students at the Bath School of Music while still doing other jobs to make ends meet.

After moving to Reading, I found a full-time role at DrumWright in Woodley, where I rebuilt my teaching business from scratch. Eventually, I took the leap to teach full-time, and that’s when I started Dave's Drums. Initially, it was just for teaching, but when DrumWright unexpectedly closed down, we expanded into drum sales and refurbishing. These days, I’m busy with repairs and servicing, teaching in the afternoons and evenings, and playing gigs at night!

​

Currently, I play with DeLorean, an 80's rock tribute band, The Skandal, a funky ska band, The Northern Lights, and Amanda and the Bad Men, an acoustic-style functions band. I also play at jam nights and often serve as the house drummer, plus I fill in as a dep drummer for other local bands.