Lewd, crude and very good. Simon Hanson is not only an extraordinarily expressive
drummer, but also a striking personality. This master class was a rare treat for
Drumtech, Vocaltech and Guitar-X students as the former Death In Vegas drummer
was joined by Glenn Tilbrook, of Squeeze fame, and seasoned session bassist, Lucy
Shaw.

The evening kicked off with the super tight trio belting out lively renditions of Squeeze
standards, including ‘Tempted’ and ‘Pulling Muscles from a Shell’. Simon was in real hyper-
active form and totally lived up to his reputation as a driving powerhouse. For those that
have never seen or heard him play, he borders on aggressive in style but is still extremely
musical in his approach to the kit. This may seem something of a paradox but he manages
to heighten the music while still banging the hell out of the skins. Wrapped in all of this is a
cheeky control spiced with stick twirling flourishes that perfectly reflect Simon’s idiosyncratic
enthusiasm. Here was surely a man out to have a good time.

What separated this from other clinics was not just its casual informality but also the huge
emphasis put on audience participation A unique opportunity to jam with one of the UK’s most respected songwriters cropped up when Simon graciously relinquished his drum stool and invited the attending drummers to step up and perform ‘Tempted’ with Glenn and
Lucy. This interactive slot proved to be the highlight of the evening. Of

course the question and answer session maintained the same relaxed tone. In amongst
the dirty jokes and hilarious anecdotes, we were presented with a true insight into Simon’s
history and artistic ethos. Eccentrically enough, Simon does not even own his own kit.
Yamaha lend him the kits he needs for gigs and sessions. This mirrors his attitude towards
the drums, seeing himself more of an artist than a drummer and the drums themselves, as
an instrument of self expression.

Being a friend of Mark Mondesir, Simon went on to explain how he is currently trying to
adopt his mate’s practice methods. Practice is done not behind a drum kit but instead inside your head. This same philosophy carries through to his plans to study under a tutor in
America, who teaches drumming without the use of drums (obviously). All very spiritual stuff,
I’m sure you agree and could easily be dismissed as hippy twaddle if it was not for the fact
that Simon is definitely not a hippy, definitely knows what he’s on about and definitely kicks
ass on the kit.

Phil Casey (Drumtech 2004 Scholarship Winner)