The Line-Up - Roger Nunn

A Greenwich guy, he plays drums & percussion, sings and has a thing for African Drums! Roger has drummed professionally since the 80's when he recorded his first single with quirky indie band: 'The Telegents'. Since then he has toured & recorded extensively throughout Europe and the UK. Roger has been fundamental in the recording of the new CD via his technical skills and limitless energy.

EQUIPMENT:

Roger says, and I quote:

"The DRUMS I use are:

• REMO 20" Bass Drum

• Custom Made 18" Bass Drum

• SONOR-LITE 8" Power Tom

• REMO 10" Power Tom

• REMO 12" Power Tom

• SONOR-LITE 14" Rack Mounted Floor Tom

SNARES:

• SONOR-LITE 14 x 6.5" Wood Snare

• DIXON 13 x 3 1/4 Metal Piccolo Snare

HEADS:

• Remo Ambassador Clear Batters on the Bass Drums

• Remo Pin Stripe Batters on the Toms

• Evans White Reverse Dot Batters on the Snare Drums

CYMBALS:

• SABIAN AA 13" Flat Hats

• STAGG 8" Splash (Brillant Finish)

• MEINL 8" Splash

• MEINL 15" Hand Hammered Crash

• SABIAN AA 18" Fast Chinese

• (V. OLD!) ZILDJIAN 22" Crash/Ride

PERCUSSION:

• Gambian Djembe (African calling drum)

• Large Latin Percussion Cow Bell

• Rhythm Tech 'Hat Trick' Hi Hat Tambourine

• Various Shakers

• Aruban Percussion Stick (like a Voodoo-stick. We call: the Ju-Ju stick)!

• Chime Bar

• Moroccan Hand Drums

HARDWARE:

• Pearl, Sonor, Premier

STIX:

• Zildjian 5A, 6A nylon tip

• Standard Red 'Hot Rods'

If you scan my list of gear it probably looks like an odd mix but, basically, it's made from two separate drum kits. I tend to interchange the drums depending on the gig and size of venue. The material we play in 'So Long Angel' can at times be pretty rocky but also gets very soft and acoustic. Dynamics in the songs are often extreme! This calls for versatility, not only in the playing technique but also from the drums and cymbals.

The set-up gets changed around from one gig to the next. For example using the 18" bass drum, 8" and 12" toms with the piccolo snare for small venues, to the 20" bass drum, bigger toms and the warm, fat-sounding Sonor snare for bigger gigs.

With the cymbal set-up I always use: Hats, Ride, Crash and at least one of the Splashes (sometimes two in small gigs) and the China for larger venues - it's loud and really cuts! Again, they may seem an odd mix, but the tones match well together and produce a great sound together when played loudly or soft and jazzy.

As a band we are really into the percussion thing and on stage Roland will play shakers, maracas and Ju-Ju stick, which is great. This really adds flavour to the whole rhythm section. There are also some nice percussion parts we both played on the new CD which, again, really adds feel and changes and helps create mood within the song rhythms.

The African Djembe is a fairly recent addition. I’d always wanted to learn some African Drums and was fortunate to meet up with a local African Drum teacher and take some tuition. It’s a amazing instrument and surprisingly versatile! I found I could integrate it live into some of the tunes from ‘Falling’ like ‘Freedom’ and ‘Go’. if you see the band at more intimate, acoustic venues you’ll see and hear the Djembe played throughout pretty much most of the set giving the sound of the whole band a different, earthy and more basic feel.

Hope you enjoy!"

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