Dave Ferrara
My drumming career has been both with my own bands, and working in-studio and onstage on outside projects. I’ve recorded well over 200 albums, and played live with an array of artists. Currently, I’m working as a session drummer in the Los Angeles area, as well as playing with my original bands. Since relocating from my hometown of Philadelphia in 2004, I’ve been involved with several LA-based bands – two of which remain my main projects – and I’m continuing my 10-year stint as the touring drummer for Herman’s Hermits.
I started taking drum lessons at the age of 6. Ten years later, I was playing with my first rock band, and by the age of 19 I was signed to a major label. My life has been playing the drums from early on. My first real taste of being in an original rock band was with The Original Sins. Previous to this, everything was local stuff, for fun, some money, for friends, etc. I was young, with 10 years of drum lessons behind me, and a love of music – aggressive music – punk, hardcore, rock. In an abandoned farm shed during a freezing Pennsylvania winter, we began rehearsing. Under those conditions, we knew we were hands-down dedicated to this band. We cut our first single at Water Music Studios in Hoboken, New Jersey, and the first Original Sins album came out six months later in 1987 on Bar None Records. After which, we hit the road on a US tour. We made our way around the country, earning ourselves some fans, MTV exposure and a future that held 7 more albums for the band.
After the decision to move on from The Sins, I began playing with a band called The Reach Around Rodeo Clowns. Formed by two brothers, this band can best be described as hard-edged rock-a-billy. The Clowns put out 3 albums, and are still actively playing and recording, with a new album coming out on Lanark Records in 2009. While working with The Rodeo Clowns gave me the opportunity (and still does) to play hard-hitting, fast songs, working with Brother JT gave me a chance to explore my drumming and really stretch. Brother JT was an offshoot of The Original Sins but harder, with more progressive, looser song structures and jamming. I did 3 albums with JT on Drag City Records out of Chicago.
In between all my original bands I’ve backed up oldies artists like Tommy Roe, Freddie Cannon, and Charlie Gracie. I’ve played with versions of the Temptations, The Four Tops, The Drifters, The Coasters and many more. Through a collaboration between Charlie Gracie and The Reach Around Rodeo Clowns, I ended up playing with Van Morrison, touring the west coast with him in 2000. It was also through my oldies band connections that I joined Peter Noone’s lineup, original Brit-pop invasion band Herman’s Hermits in 1999. I still tour with Peter Noone today both nationally and internationally. I love playing the band’s many hits live, and Peter always puts on a remarkable show.
After coming to Los Angeles five years ago to pursue more original music, the hardcore-punk Sabertooth Tiger was the first band I worked with. In 2006 Sabertooth put an album out on Gold Standard Labs and did a coinciding Australian tour. The band has a second album being wrapped up. Earth at Night is my other current band, which is more rock-oriented. Both bands’ music is all original and very heavy.
Having such a varied career and consistently working with great musicians has been, at times awe-inspiring and is perpetually interesting. Now, in the midst of it, I’m always on the edge of my seat for whatever comes next. This quote from drummer Pete Lockette sums up my philosophy as a working musician: “You have to be patient. I never hassle people for work because people don’t like being hassled. You make your case, say, this is what I can do…And that’s it. Leave it to lie and see what comes back.”
Why Sonor? “Sonor drums, in my opinion, hold the highest standard in manufacture, innovation and sound. As a young drummer growing up in bands, the best players always chose Sonor.
Now I play the best.”