Gavin Harrison

Gavin Harrison
Gavin Harrison, performing live with Porcupine Tree
Background information
Birth name	Gavin Harrison
Born	North London, UK
Genres	Progressive rock Jazz Progressive metal
Occupations	musician songwriter
Instruments	drums & percussion
Labels	Lava Roadrunner Atlantic
Associated acts	Porcupine Tree King Crimson
Website	www.drumset.demon.co.uk/

Gavin Harrison (Harrow, London, England) is a British drummer and percussionist. He is best-known for playing with the British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree which he joined in 2002. As of 2008, he also plays with the band King Crimson. He is ranked 50th greatest rock drummer of all time by digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com

In 1983, Gavin played drums with the British progressive rock band Renaissance.

Harrison has authored two instructional drum books entitled Rhythmic Illusions and Rhythmic Perspectives. He also wrote and produced his own instructional DVDs, Rhythmic Visions and Rhythmic Horizons, at his home studio.

In 2007 Gavin collaborated with singer/extended range bass player 05Ric on a new CD project called Drop. Gavin released his first solo album Sanity & Gravity in 1998 to some critical acclaim.

In 2008, Gavin joined King Crimson as part of a dual-drummer lineup with Pat Mastelotto. Gavin played a number of shows in the United States in August with the band.

He won the Modern Drummer magazine readers' poll for "best progressive drummer of the year" consecutively in 2007, 2008 and 2009. He is the featured cover story on Modern Drummer January 2009. His influences come from his dad's jazz collection and from drummers such as Steve Gadd and Jeff Porcaro.

Recently, Gavin has released his second collaboration with 05Ric entitled Circles.

Equipment

Current Tour Kit (2009)

• Sonor SQ2 Maple Drums & Zildjian Cymbals:
• Drums Sonor: SQ2 in USA (Golden Madrone finish) and SQ2 in Europe (Tribal finish).
  • 8x7" Rack Tom
  • 10x8" Rack Tom
  • 12x9" Rack Tom
  • 14x12" Floor Tom
  • 16x14" Floor Tom
  • 22x17" Bass Drum
  • 14x5" 6 ply Birch Snare

• Cymbals - Zildjian
  • 22" Swish Knockers without rivets
  • 16" Oriental China Trash
  • 5 Custom-Made Chimes
  • 13" K Hi-Hats
  • 18" K Crash
  • 7" custom crash bell
  • 9" custom crash bell
  • 15" A Custom Crash
  • 20" K Ride
  • 18" A Custom Crash
  • 12" Oriental China Trash
  • 18" Z Custom China

(Note: All cymbals are listed in the order they appear on Gavin's kit from left to right. The five custom chimes were made by Gavin himself from some used Zildjian crash cymbals.)

• Drum Heads - Remo
  • Toms: (8", 10", 12", 14",16") Coated Emperors - batter, Clear Ambassadors - resonant
  • Bass Drum: (22") Powerstroke 3 Clear- batter,Standard Sonor Head - resonant
  • Snares (14") Coated CS or Coated Pinstripe - batter, Hazy Ambassador - resonant

• Hardware
  • Sonor Stands
  • Pearl Icon 3 Sided Rack
  • S-Hoops fitted to all Toms and Snare drums
  • Puresound Snare Wires (8 strands)
  • Axis Double Longboards A Bass Pedals

• Sticks - Vic Firth
  • Vic Firth Rock Hickory with "Vic Grip"

Home Studio Setup

• Mackie 32-8-2 mixing desk
• Apogee Rosettas 800 AD/DA
• Apple PowerMac G5
• Apple Logic Pro 7

• Mics:
• Bass Drum (Sennheiser MKH40)
• Bass Drum (Audix D6)
• Snare Top (Audix i5)
• Snare Bottom (SM57)
• Hi Hat (AKG CK391)
• Tom1 (Sennheiser 421)
• Tom2 (Sennheiser 421)
• Tom3 (Sennheiser 421)
• Tom4 (Sennheiser 421)
• Tom5 (Sennheiser 421)
• Overheads (Pair of Schoeps CMC5's)
• Close Ambience (Pair of Neumann TLM 103's)
• Distant Ambience (Pair of Royer 122's)

Discography

External links

• Gavin's Official Website
• Gavin's Drummerworld.com Page
• Ask Gavin Harrison - Hundreds of drumming questions answered by Gavin Harrison
• Examiner.com Sept. 2009 interview with Gavin Harrison

See also

• List of drummers
• List of jazz drummers
• List of musicians