Name: Tony Cobley

Date of Birth:14/11/57

Status: Married with 2 daughters

Tell us about yourself

I''m just a guy that loves music. Born in St Albans and still residing there, I have been playing music in one form or another since the early 70''s. I have played bass, guitar and sung for different people in other bands and recordings but my main love is drums.

I work for a rather large delivery company that has Royal connections and goes to every house in the land.

How and when did you get into drumming?

I originally started messing about on an old cheap Spanish guitar and then I moved onto playing drums on furniture and kitchen utensils and pretty much any flat surface that made a good sound. This was helped when a friend of a friend let me have a go on his drum kit. After a short while I brought it off him. No idea what the kit was but can''t have been anything special except to say it was my love at the time.

During a summer job I met Dick Powell of local group Babe Ruth. He had a massive double Premier kit in gold which I used to drool over (not literally...). He sold me a couple of cymbals, a 5 star Super Zyn and a regular Zyn which were both lovely cymbals at the time for a beginner. This spurred me on to play more and as I improved I was asked to stand in one night for a working covers band whose drummer had gone to see Queen. I did the gig and played so well (allegedly) that they booted out the original guy and gave me the job, which was nice!

Then I began listening to Roxy Music. Alice Cooper, Free, Queen and all the Glam rock that was about. This was followed by my Funk/Disco period. My main influences then were The Ohio Players, early Kool & The Gang, Earth Wind & Fire and many more. Steely Dan were probably my biggest influence then along with Little Feat

Punk arrived and I was captivated. I also wanted to get out from behind the drums and run about a bit so my friend and I formed a punk band and I played bass. The band didn''t last long and I thankfully I got back behind the drums only to be scouted by a Punk/New Wave band called The Bodies. They were a much tighter set up, with good originals and a couple of Iggy covers and the odd Bowie tune meant we were very popular. We signed a record deal locally, spent a day in the studio and recorded 5 songs completely. Airplay by John Peel meant a session at Maida Vale and a few repeats for us on Radio 1.

After that I did an awful lot of recording with a friend of mine at his studio during which time I played and sang but didn''t do a massive amount of drumming. The kit I played for most of the above time was an Arbiter Auto Tune kit in white. I''m not saying that I was influenced by Jon Hiseman having one but Jon Hiseman had one so it was a cool kit at the time. I still have it and record with it at a friends studio and although cosmetically it ''s seen better days it still sounds good.

I brought myself a Roland TD6 in early 2002 and and used that to get my drumming back on course, once I''d sold it I had a DW Collectors made for me which I love. I also went out in May this year to buy an L arm for a cymbal I''d brought from our very own Mr Fletcher and somehow came out of the shop with a Sonor Jungle Kit. Whoops..

What are you doing musically at present?

Ok, currently I am pretty busy which I love. My main work (it pays...) is with a band called Moose On The Loose (!) and we have a lot of work with bookings up to November next year. Long may that continue.

My next project is learning jazz and with 1 lesson from Slingers and loads of advice from Mr Goatstarer and other forumites I have hooked up with an excellent guitarist, Chris Flegg, and we get together and play in a band situation twice a month. There''s no money in it for me but I get the chance to play with people who are very good musicians and the encouragement helps my playing develop. The jazz has even helped with my playing in Moose On The Loose when it comes to some old Rock''n''Roll numbers which just sound so much better with a bit of swing.

Most memorable drumming experience?

The first Dolbear Meet in Coventry was a huge stepping stone for me in so many ways. The actual event was such fun - thanks for organising it Deez - and I met such wonderful people and came away with information, memories and a huge smile on my face... and a small hangover.

Kit set up?

DW Collectors in Fusion Sizes, 10, 12, 14, 22, 14 Snare - Birch

Sonor 3007 Jungle Kit 10, 14, 16 plus Jungle Snare - Maple

Ludwig 400 (Olive Badge) my workhorse.

Cymbals by Zildjian, Ufip, and even a very nice sounding Stagg!

DW 9000 Hardware (oh jeez my back..)

Protection Racket Bags

My trusty (fibreglass)Arbiter AutoTune, 12,13,16,22

Sticks by Vater, Promark,

Favourite drummers and why?

Steve Gadd for his groove.

Jeff Porcaro for his versatility.

Mark Fletcher for his skill and invention

Virtually all the drummers on the Steely Dan LP''s for what they bring to each song.

There really is far too many to mention and rather than do a disservice to those guys I''d have to say pretty much anyone I''ve seen play in the last 5 years and anyone I''ve heard in the last 20.

Favourite drum DVD?

Easy - Jo Jo Mayer.

Favourite bit of kit?

My K Constantinople 22" Medium Ride

Anything you would like to add?

The Mike Dolbear Forum has been an immense help to me in understanding more about drums than I ever have before. The members are great and the information that can be got from simple questions to the most awkward is staggering. This is the only forum I use and so I can''t judge it against any others but I feel I''d be hard pushed to find anywhere else so welcoming and informative and above all fun!

Long may it continue!!