You’re only as good as your drummer. It’s one of those rock ‘n’ roll adages that holds true, even in these days of fix-it-in-the-mix Pro-Tools sessions. For over a decade now, Andrew McMullen has done his part to prove the upside of that adage, bringing out the absolute best in the musical settings in which he finds himself, be it on stage or in the studio.
McMullen is that all too rare musician—a drummer who takes a thoughtful approach to any piece of music, applying his ears, imagination and compositional skills, well before picking up the sticks. And when he does pick up the sticks, the years of experience and inspiration roll off the heads of his Yamaha Oak Custom kit with a lean-muscle economy, dynamic fluidity and inventiveness that’s entirely his own.
McMullen’s style developed at the crossroads of perspiration and inspiration. He won a Music Performance Diploma from Humber College of Applied Arts and studied under renowned drum educator Jim Blackley. All the while, he honed his skills in Toronto’s premier studios as well as the places where real music is made night after night—the sweaty dives, rock clubs and concert theatres.
His touring career thus far has taken him through every Canadian province as well as much of the U.S. His dues-paying years found him in such far-flung places as Cheju Island, South Korea, where he performed nightly with a jazz combo, and in Europe, where he performed on a cruise ship backing entertainers in full Vegas-style productions.
Finding his stride in the Toronto jazz and rock scenes, McMullen played and/or recorded with a wide range of artists, from Juno Award winners such as Michael Buble and Richard Underhill to indie-rockers Flashlight Brown and indie-pop songwriter Robi Levi, with whom McMullen recorded a well-received full-length album titled “Motion†(Next Exit Music).
In recent years, McMullen recorded and toured behind three critically acclaimed albums with Leviride, the edgy, dramatic alt-rock group he co-founded with singer Paul Lahey in 2000. For the band’s swan song, 2006’s “Night Of The Drive-By†(Addictive/Universal), McMullen and the band worked with renowned producer Frank Gryner (Rob Zombie, A Perfect Circle, Dandy Warhols), crafting a stunning album that managed to sound grand and bombastic yet intimate and soulful.
The disc received solid college and commercial airplay in Canada and the States as well as rave reviews. “The Big Takeover†praised the band’s “dynamic rhythm section†and “Chart Attack†pegged its “aggressive punk sound.†Touring behind the album, Leviride shared stages with countless groups including Finger Eleven, Nine Black Alps and Bryan Byrne.
During that time, McMullen accepted an invitation from American singer-songwriter Robert Cherry to perform on his latest album, “Paint No Devils.†Produced by former Afghan Whigs bassist John Curley in Cincinnati, Ohio, the album showcases McMullen’s solid, economical style as well as his inventive percussive approach and versatility.
Today, McMullen can be seen and heard onstage with Ministry of the Environment New releases pending.
