Mike Meyers (Drummer - MeyersDrums.com)

About Me

I began piano lessons (my parents insisted on them) in 5th grade, until a friend of the family and musical instrument dealer, Charlie Molina, brought some drumsticks by the family house. From 6th grade on, I was hooked and juggled an art and music career path from junior high through my first year at the University of Kansas. I studied with Ginger Zyskowski while I attended Hutchinson High School and took lessons with a drummer named Bill Glenn at the Hutchinson Community College my senior year. I also attended the Clark Terry Jazz Camp in the summer of 1986 which began my hunger for jazz. What began as a graphic design degree at KU, turned into a percussion performance degree, where I learned to play for the song and pull good tone out of every instrument I play. While I was there, I played in all three of the jazz bands, played in a couple of jazz combos, spent two years in the KU Marching Jayhawks, played in various college ensembles (wind and orchestra), and drummed for the KU Men's and Women's Basketball Bands (including a trip to the Final Four in 1991 with the Men's band). While I was at college, I also started lessons with KC drummer extraordinaire, Todd Strait. I have learned a lot from him, continuing lessons from 1989 to the summer of 2002. I currently take lessons from Kansas City Latin Drumming Guru, Doug Auwarter.I have played a multitude of styles including: jazz, alternative rock, funk, fusion, rock and roll, reggae, classical, country, and even polka. Some of the bands I have played in include: Broken Inglish, Felix, Third Stone, Blue River, Steel Horse, Kristie Stremel Band, Pendergast, Sellout, Shake Joint, the Snakebite Orphans, and most recently, Wylde Chipmunk & the Cuddly-Poos.My main drum influences are George Boberg (my percussion professor at KU), Todd Strait, Doug Auwarter (my latest drum teacher), John Bonham, Bill Bruford, Steve Smith, Terry Bozzio, Neil Peart, Omar Hakim, Stewart Copeland, Manu Katche, Denny Fongheiser, Stanton Moore, Gregg Bissonette, Jeff Hamilton, Bill Stewart, and most importantly Vinnie Colaiuta. I hope to achieve their level of precision and musicality, and mainly...HAVE FUN PLAYING DRUMS!!

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 12/27/2004
Band Website: meyersdrums.com
Band Members: Drummer/Vocals in these current bands: Erik Voeks & The LA Session Legends of Kansas City, The Cass County Lamenters, Wylde Chipmunk & The Cuddly-Poos. Formerly played with: Pendergast, The Octopus Frontier, The Kristie Stremel Band
Influences: George Boberg (my percussion professor at KU), Todd Strait, Doug Auwarter (my latest drum teacher), John Bonham, Bill Bruford, Steve Smith, Terry Bozzio, Neil Peart, Omar Hakim, Stewart Copeland, Manu Katche, Denny Fongheiser, Stanton Moore, Gregg Bissonette, Jeff Hamilton, Bill Stewart, Vinnie Colaiuta
Sounds Like: Drums, Baby!
Record Label: None at this time
Type of Label: None

My Blog

My Last Gig w/Pendergast...

As some of you already know from Tony's earlier post, I am leaving Pendergast. It was a tough decision, but I needed time to work on other projects and make some changes in my life. It has...
Posted by Mike Meyers (Drummer - MeyersDrums.com) on Wed, 05 Dec 2007 07:48:00 PST

I am leaving Pendergast

Well, after about 5 years, it's time for me to leave the band Pendergast. It was a tough decision to make, but I need more time to do different projects. I will truly miss playing with tho...
Posted by Mike Meyers (Drummer - MeyersDrums.com) on Fri, 23 Nov 2007 10:15:00 PST

It's over...

Well, the sad wait is over. My father-in-law passed away on Sunday, July 9th, 2006. He was surrounded by family and friends. I'm glad his suffering is over. RIP James Todd Burns 1944-2006 ...
Posted by Mike Meyers (Drummer - MeyersDrums.com) on Wed, 12 Jul 2006 08:39:00 PST

Update - July, 2006

Hope everyone had a happy 4th of July! I spent the day out at a friend of my wife's family place on a lake near Bonner Springs, KS. They had a pretty good fireworks display, and I ate WAY too much foo...
Posted by Mike Meyers (Drummer - MeyersDrums.com) on Fri, 07 Jul 2006 09:08:00 PST

Happy Birthday to Meeeeee!

What a busy new year! Tons of dates have been added to my schedule, and I'm filling in on a gig with a band called Seconds From Disaster. That should be a lot of fun! I had a great time this past week...
Posted by Mike Meyers (Drummer - MeyersDrums.com) on Mon, 13 Feb 2006 12:16:00 PST

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes...

Sorry about the long time between news postings. A lot has happened since the last one! Octopus Frontier recorded the drum tracks for a new disc a couple of weeks ago, but we will probably never play ...
Posted by Mike Meyers (Drummer - MeyersDrums.com) on Thu, 06 Oct 2005 01:59:00 PST

Good bands + bad sound = GRUMPY DRUMMER

I played a show with Wylde Chipmunk & the Cuddly-Poos and the Octopus Frontier last night at Mike's Tavern for 'Boozeday Tuesday'. The Cuddly-Poos did well (we are easy to please plus don't need m...
Posted by Mike Meyers (Drummer - MeyersDrums.com) on Wed, 17 Aug 2005 08:20:00 PST

NAMM in Indianapolis plus updates...

I'm back from this year's excellent NAMM show in Indianapolis! What a lot of fun! I got some new earplug impressions made by Dawn Flinn at the Sensaphonic booth and can't wait to get the new ones in t...
Posted by Mike Meyers (Drummer - MeyersDrums.com) on Mon, 01 Jan 1900 12:00:00 PST

Summertime Blues...

Ah, the summer is upon us. Unfortunately for me, that means I'm down to a lot less students. Since I teach mostly beginners, they like to take the summers off and start again once school is back in se...
Posted by Mike Meyers (Drummer - MeyersDrums.com) on Mon, 01 Jan 1900 12:00:00 PST

Lesson with Gregg Bissonette

My lesson with Gregg Bissonette was a blast. I have years of things to work on that I will have to transcribe off of my Mini-disc recorder (I recorded the lesson!). He is a very friendly person and a ...
Posted by Mike Meyers (Drummer - MeyersDrums.com) on Mon, 01 Jan 1900 12:00:00 PST