Born March 13, 1962 and grown up in Vienna/Austria began drummin' at the age of 6 on a snare, a hi-hat and a crash/ride. I've got an old Ludwig bassdrum pedal and used an empty washing powder container as a BD-replacement. From then on I was able, instead abusing Mom's pots and pans, to play to my father's vinyl collection directed to C&W/Western Swing/Rockabilly/R&R and Boogie. We lived on the 3rd floor and that's the reason why I used mainly brushes for lower volume, so I got familiar with this technique very early.
In 1970 I was sitting behind a complete drumkit for the first time. I was also introduced to a coverband (formed 1968 called "The Teachers" cause each member was active as an instructor in different schools).
Their original drummer (himself graduated from the college of music in Vienna, certified in jazz drumming) became my teacher and taught me all these essential basics over the next years, sightreading, playin' "in time" straight and odd bars and also workin' on special snare-patterns called "ghost notes". Aged 10 I've played my first shows with that band. I was so stage frightened I thought, I would die, but after the first bars it all turned into obsession. The first tune including an odd measured part, I could play by heart, was "White Room" from Cream. Ginger Baker can be counted to my first main influence. Meanwhile, my interest also grew in bass, guitar and keyboard. Some members showed me some tricks, so I could play simple chords on the fret and keys or playin' certain lines.
I became a fixed member in that band in 1974 after their former drummer was involved in a nearly fatal motorcycle crash he luckily survived. Short before his accident he gave me a groundbreaking advice as he said,..."for all your future work as a drummer, always pay attention on what you play and how long. No matter what happens with the band on stage, never stop drummin'. Be aware of the responsibility towards the band and listen carefully, it will be easy for you to lead the whole thing to an end without a disgrace - that's the secret..." Until today, I've taken his wise words to heart.
Doin' a lot of shows up to the band's dissolution in 1976, not only got a lot of live experience, but also earned money beside my allowance.
1976 I've joined our school band, but left shortly afterwards because of my discontent with the other players.
1977 to 1979 I played in "Headquarter", a rock/jazz/fusion group incl. bass, guitar & kb. Among the rest we did
"Hocus Pocus", that famous, bizarre song from Dutch progressive band Focus (one of the strangest tunes ever entered the US charts even peaked at no. 9 in 1973). Here, for the first time, I've experimented with my high voice like Thijs Van Leer's demented yodeling. We also performed "Phenomenon:Compulsion", a track from John McLaughlin's solo release "Electric Guitarist". It is a fierce guitar/drum battle feat. John & Billy Cobham (my 2nd influence) and we arranged it instead of a drum solo (oh, my god - what a thrilling moment when we left our audience shocked!).
1979 to 1982 I've worked in three different projects (occasionally at the same time).
Summer '79 I joined a commercial pop/rock outfit "White House", did a lot of shows and earned money, but more and more I had enough playin' all that chart crap, so I decided goin' back to the roots and built up a southern tinged blues/funk/rock-project. It lasted until 1980 when I've found 2 suitable guitarplayers (able to play all required double leads), a female bassplayer & a lead singer. We began touring under the name "Southern Traffic",
performin' kind of a tribute to all those great southern acts, e.g. Allman Bros, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Outlaws, Molly Hatchet - to name a few.
During an open air at a biker-fest in Lower Austria, our vocalist got drunk and suffered from head injuries after fallin' back and hit his head on an amp's edge. We finished that show by sharing the vocal parts. While lookin' for a new singer, hangin' in a bar, I met a guy and took his offer to join a blues/soul/funk band where their former drummer had left overnight. "No Comment" had a often changing lineup (from 6 or 7 up to 12 members including 3 female backing singers and a brass section) and they had a well planned touring schedule, so I also could get some money. After a show, one of the backing singers told me, her sister would be very unhappy in the current punkband (supposed to be able playin' only 3 to 4 chords) and searchin' for a real good rockband. No sooner said than done, "Southern Traffic" was revived and after intense rehearsals, we continued touring in '81.
At that time, during one of our encore tracks, Zep's "Rock & Roll" including that excessive drum outro, I've lost control over my sticks unable to catch them again, so I had to use only my hands (like the late John Bonham) to play that part in combination with some fast double bass patterns. Our frontlady spontaneously screamin' before a blustering audience something like "...yeah! this guy in the back was born with heavy hands..." - that's why I preserved my nickname so far.
Playin' live for half a year, workin' on new material became very hard with our female vocalist because she more and more played with drugs and her personality had changed drastically. We already had planned shows with several organizers in all 9 federal states as one day sad news reached us - our frontlady was found dead in her apartment due to a drug overdose. Her untimely death left a deep gap and the band's successful future was brought to ruin. We disbanded shortly afterwards cause no-one in the band had further interest looking for a replacement a 3rd time.
Next, in "No Comment" the first disagreements rose up, it seemed the group's success went up to some member's head and it became intolerable to work under arrogance, unreliability and know-it-all behavior. I had to flee and the rest of the year up to autum 1982 I played several shows with "White House". I felt leached out after these happenings and in the following left them in friendship to overthink my future as a drummer & singer.
First half of '83 I was visiting several locations with live music in my region, again keep a lookout for good players. One night I took the opportunity doin' some jams with regional blues/funk/jazz players at a bar called Papa's Tapas (a traditional venue for many live events, sadly closed after serious troubles with neighbours due disturbing night's rest and a new manager continued under another name). There I met Rudi Staeger, an high respected Austrian drummer in the scene (famous for his incredible
stick-action on stage) and when I asked him he gave me private lessons in stick control and other show drumming stuff for a while, also he taught me how to develope an intro to an effective drumsolo. He was a real nice guy with a great sense of humour therefore difficult exercises seemed to be very easy. Unfortunately, his time was limited to teach me for a longer time (he became very busy with his own record company) but when I talked to him about my plan to visit the college of music here, he introduced me to another famous drum legend, Erich Bachträgl (that time instructor at the university of music). Now I entered new territory by intense jazz playing, sightreading and all these rudimentary patterns like all kind of strokes, rolls & paradiddles. At the
university mainly I have to swing, though it was an instructive periode, but with many restrictions so it didn't work out for longer. Three months later I've got worried due longing for more rock directed styles again so I had to quit. For me jazz was always the basic for improvisation and over the years I was more into e.g. jazzrock / fusion. I must confess I hadn't enough perseverance for all these prescribed theoretical stuff to finish with a certificate.
All in all, can say, the main thing I've learned there was to train my ears in improvisation and to get more knowledge of certain notations, but nothin' else. After a few months break, in summer 1983 I took a trial in a Motörhead cover band "666" but it didn't work for some reasons.
Same year I joined a heavyrock band "Bad Class" (feat. Eugen"Mauritius"Berger on voc and Georg"Guru"Hübner on bass), doin' some shows until some members intended to change the band's outfit into kind of Rocktheater like e.g. "Drahdiwaberl" & "Hallucination Co." - both cult-bands from Austria. I refused and same time Berger contacted two guitarists from Yugoslavia who wanted to make money by playin' AOR/Mainstream-edged Hardrock . After convincing Hübner, Berger, these 2 axe-men and
myself formed "Kerberos" (the band's name was slightly changed, based on Greek mythology's creature, a three-headed hell-dog awaking the gates of the underworld. A menacing band-logo was to be created). Fourteen days later, in May '84, we entered a small studio and recorded a five-track demo with the help of 2 musicians on sax & kb.
After finishing, we spread the demo over the state also abroad, followed by regular shows and looking for a contract. Few months passed by and there was no reaction from any label or promoters. It seemed, all was covered by the sound of the 80's and we didn't fit well due to our straight but rough style. Berger later surfaced on the live effort "Tschingo Bingo-Live" from Austrian's hardrock outfit Blind Petition in 1985 and worked with "Freak Weber & Friends" in the 90's. He disappeared from the scene afterwards.
With Hübner, I left "Kerberos" and we both collaborated in "Hektik" up to 1985, playin' lot of shows. With that band I rehearsed in Lower Austria under a church for free and after a nightly continuing cloudburst our studio was flooded and to save, what could been saved, I've sold all of my equipment. I had to quit music and withdrew into private life.
Hübner became a studio owner and producer (Guru-Productions), also he worked in several projects, most significant "The O5" (a Britpop band with even regional airplay, disbanded 2006) and is currently playin' with "The Billy Rubin Trio".
The next ten years saw me workin' for live/studio projects sporadically, did several jams to keep in training, but wasn't interested to be a steady band member.
1996 I bought my next kit and first, store it in a studio where famous C&W/R&R band "Salty Dogz" rehearsed. With a friend and his girlfriend we began to work on more acoustic stuff (I handled again the guitar) and thought highly about harmonies. We added a 2nd female singer to arrange some goosebumping vocal-parts, but it didn't work for a longer time and next, as a three-piece again, we went to the studio and tried to arrange more electric stuff, also including good harmonies. During this
periode, I've changed drums, bass, guitar and even kb (programmed some drum patterns to be able playin' live without an extra drummer).
Doin' few shows we noticed, we were in need for a bassplayer and by an advertisement, Istanbul born Yildirim Fakilar (g/b/voc) was found. Now, at home behind the kit again, we tried to find our sound (Fakilar changed guitar & bass) but for some reasons, it didn't work and as a result, Fakilar and I looked for another bassplayer because of Fakilar's intention to form a Jimi Hendrix-tribute band. After a short guest performance, the new bassplayer returned to his own project.
In 1998 (impossible to find a bassplayer), Fakilar left to collaborate with others. It seemed, the remaining guy with his girlfriend were more interested in things which were not related to serious makin' music, so I had to leave.
1999 I did a lot of jams and workin' as a substitute in the local area and looking again for players, I met Robert Klammer on bass/voc (ex-Blowin' Free) but our first trial to form a band failed.
Then I helped out in bluesrock band "Texas Senators" feat. Max Koch (g/slide/voc), in the following worked with a guitarist in a Rolling Stones-tribute project, but again, no suitable players in sight. From fall '99 to early '00 I worked with Martin Novak (g/voc_ex-Novak/currently Stillborn & Boozebrothers) and Jo Haas (b/prod_ex-Blind Petition/Federal Funk Department/Phantom Power/currently Blackfinger) on a program directed to heavy, southern, blues, rock like Zakk Wylde & ZZ Top. We disbanded cause Haas returned to Blind Petition for fulfilling concert obligations.
March 2000 I was introduced to "Day X", a rockband feat. Thomas"Beserker"Rauhofer (g_ex-Mordbuben AG/Observer) later replaced by Johnny Znord (g/voc_ex-Mordbuben AG) and Nightrocker (voc_ex-Missing Link). Stayin' there until autumn the same year, doin' some shows and left because of musical disagreements.
Fall 2000 again with Robert Klammer I tried to form a new band and after auditioned several guitarists, Thomas Karolyi (g/voc_ex-Our Message/Experience) became our new member. Our first rehearsings took place at Black Lagoon (an useful institution including rehearsing rooms and a recording studio, sadly closed their doors), later we rented another one and worked on own songs added by some covers in the direction of hard'n'heavy/blues/funk with English and German lyrics. With the decision, playin' shows regularly, we named the band "Thorn" (after somebody mentioned ..."it's a thorny way to the top...") and to be more diverse in our sound, Max Koch (g/slide) with whom I've already worked, completed the lineup in March 2001 and from then on we could arrange the songs with twin-guitar parts, too. In autumn, Koch was cancer-diagnosed and had to stay in hospital for radio-therapy at a distance of one week. Meantime we played all basic tracks and Koch re-arranged the songs or added guitar patterns at home after his release from hospital. His state of health got worse early 2002 and he passed away after he had lost the fight against his deadly disease. In spite of that shock, we intended not to give up, continued as a power-trio without lookin' for a replacement and increase our set up to a total playin' time of nearly 3 hours, so we could exchange the tracks. Always movin' between many styles, we did a lot of shows the next two years and earned only local recognition, nothing more. It became obvious, being successful, we had to work on a more consistent style and in one language. During 2004 we made several hearings with e.g. kb-players and a single lead singer who also played harmonica. We even attempted to record a demo but failed due disastrous mixing & mastering of our audio-engineer. Thorn played a last show at an open air summer 2004 and made the last trial to bring it all to the point, held auditions with various players which possibly could have been a creative turning point, but it all didn't work. The band's breakin' apart seemed to be unstoppable when disagreements concerning our future style rose up in combination with an high grade of unprofessional behavior of one band member.
Patience never was my strength, so I was searchin' for another challenge and joined the rock/pop band "50 Fingers" in autumn 2004, their drummer had prompt left the band and they needed a replacement for upcoming shows.
January 2005, unable to reach our goals, "Thorn" disbanded. Without the right management and heavy promotion, "Thorn" would have never seen the light of success. Klammer and Karolyi quit music biz and withdrew into private life afterwards. In February, after only 2 rehearsals, I did a charity show together with Matthias Anderle (g/voc_Mucky Pub) & Wolfgang "Big Bass" Schlegel-Tiefenbacher (b_former member of various tribute projects, currently in Crawuzi Capuzi). That trio rocked the house for nearly 3 hours, from Hendrix to ZZ Top before a blustering audience.
Until autumn 2005 I've worked in "50 Fingers" and left because of the musical development in the band.
Dec. 2005 I've joined a rock cover band. After some lineup changes, the band became constant with Jo Haas (b_currently Blackfinger) and Alex Gantz (g/voc_Harlequin's Glance). Under the name of WAH ("Wild At Heart") we did a lot of shows and in September 2006 I left due conflicts with the lead singer and disagreements concerning our future direction. Shortly after, my decision rose up to form again a band, mainly blues/funk/jazz/rock/fusion oriented, but also with southernrock trademarks - that means a lot of double-leads.
Next few months I was unable to find the right players here in my region up to early 2007 when I met a guitarist who already was part of the WAH-lineup and he brought in another guitarplayer as well as a female lead singer - she seemed to be the only one who could fulfil the vocal requirements.
By an advertisement a bassplayer was found as a steady member and immediately we began to work on our liveset which contained as my choice, among the rest, songs from POINT BLANK, one of the tightest and hardest workin' live acts came out of Texas. The whole thing developed promisingly but got worse when there was a permanent change at the position of the 2nd guitarist which made it impossible to arrange all these twin guitar parts constantly.
Running out of time the band recorded some demos during rehearsals early March 2008 and played the 1st show under the name "Root Resection" as a 4-piece early April same year. The last chance was the addition of a six string artist who was indeed a talented player but also left two months later cause in his own words felt overtaxed.
The band's decision to write and arrange also original music, further on in this manner was undermined.
I was never my destination to work in an average boringly ordinary bluesrock group as the band remained again, so I had to shut down my next band chapter cause no guitarist is able to replace a 2nd one as a single person.
As an experienced musician with an high grade of hearing and ears for sound, it's sheer unbelievable that so-called "professionals" being contented with certain band situations sometimes.
Beyond it, an incomplete lineup will ever lead to a loss of necessary dynamics and capability of expression which means also an unnecessary time waste to create music with strength and identity.
After an active periode of around 40 years, playin' in nearly each style in so many different lineups, occasional collaborating with musicians who mostly tended to underestimate the song material, workin' with vocalists who got in trouble while boozing or played with deadly toys like drugs, I came to the conclusion it's better letting things come up to me for a new start.
By chance, early Oct. 2008 I've heard about a cover-band named STRICT AREA in my hometown looking for a drummer to continue their work. The band's music ever ment to be performed live, this time our set consisting of favorite songs of all band members directed to classic rock/hard'n'heavy/metal with a bit of blues & funk. Currently we work on songs which again should be appealing to the public, strictly speaking the basic idea was to play for ordinary people, in between there are well-known tunes to let people sing-a-long. All members are body & soul players always performing plain, rough and loud in-to-the-face and mindblowing without any compromises as rock music should sound. Check out the band page at http://www.strictarea.at/ for further details.
Another project formed early 2009 was the power-trio "Crossroader" feat. Martin Novak - g/voc (Stillborn), Erik Buchelt on bass instead of Thomas Zamec (Maniac Saint/The Other Kind, who left due time troubles) and me on drums/vocals (Strict Area), at the moment preparing a liveset consisting of covers directed to blues/rock/funk/fusion including Southern Rock-elements, tryin' to perform songmaterial which is not often covered by other bands. We also will arrange some original music in the future.
All live dates and available music will be posted on my audio page
http://www.myspace.com/heavyhandmusic
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Heavy Hand Herb uses Tama Rockstar Custom Fusion Set, custom blue finished,
(22" x 18" BD / 14" x 6,5" SD / 10", 12", 14" Toms),
Tama hardware, Tama Iron Cobra double pedal, Paiste & Zildjian cymbals, LP cowbell, Remo, Evans & Tama drumheads, brushes, sticks from Vic Firth, Pro Mark, Vater & Carbon-sticks.
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Beside my activity as a musician I'm workin' as an instructor in the private area as well as in a college of music, an interesting challenge to give prospective customers at every age an understanding to play technically the most difficult instrument in the essential styles.
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