Who we are
An event like this can’t be achieved without lots of people and organisations who provide help, sponsorships and hard work. Here’s a list of people we want to thank.
Rick & Karen Prince
Event organisers
Having worked at Granada Television in Manchester since the late nineties I was always keen to do something related to my long time hobby of drumming! Some time during 2007 I saw a clip on youtube that caught my imagination. This was of course the clip of 533 drummers setting the world record in Seattle, Washington for the ‘Largest full drum-kit ensemble’. Having played a little with Pipe bands I was familiar with playing in a ‘massed’ band with over 400 Pipers and drummers. The sound was incredible. As my first love is playing the drum-kit I thought it would be great to try and put on event for drummers that would see us take the world record away from the Americans.
In 2008, shortly having returned with Karen from our honeymoon, We set about finding a sponsor to help put on the event ‘Stick it to MS’
Craig Glover
Event organiser and Head of marketing and Product development - Natal Drums.
Craig has been an integral part of the Drumming community and Musical instrument retail world for over 20 years now and is the founder of the annual Drumfest and Guitarfest shows.
After opening the hugely successful Drum Company in Birmingham, it was from here that Craig realised the idea for Drumfest. With the demise of ‘Zildjian day’ (an event run by the world-renown Cymbal manufacturer), Craig decided it was time to do something that would reach people, educate and entertain, in a similar way to how the ‘Modern Drummer’ festival in the US had been doing.
1998 saw the first Drumfest event and was headlined by Rod Morgenstein. Since then, and for over 10 years now, the Drumfest has grown to be the collectively, the largest show of its kind in the world and has seen appearances by some of the world’s finest drummers to include Terry Bozzio, Mike Portnoy, Billy Cobham, Thomas Lang, Carmine Appice, Simon Philips, Jason Bittner, Gregg Bissonette, Mark Richardson and many, many more.
In pure testament to the Drumfest events, the heightened profile of the event on the world stage has translated to kudos attained by those appearing – more and more top-flight Drummers WANT to appear and perform and many have made return visits, due in no small part to what Drumfest has done for them and helped with their careers.
2010 saw Craig take step into another dimension when he took a new position with Marshall Amplification, heading up their new acquisition Natal drums. After a huge development period, coupled with huge investment by Marshall, Craig has developed Natal Drums into a full-blown drum and percussion company that is set to take the world by storm in 2011. Craig is proud to be involved with the next Stick it to MS event on behalf of Natal Drums and Marshall Amplification.
Marshall Amplification
Event sponsor
Marshall Amplification is a British company founded by drummer, Jim Marshall, which designs and manufactures the most recognizable guitar amplifiers in the world. Marshall Amplifiers and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among one of the most popular and familiar brands in popular music. Based in Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Marshall Amps were originally built and began to incorporate certain traits which made them more favourable to guitarists seeking a different, more heavier sound. In 2010 Marshall continues to grow and expand, whilst extending their British Musical Heritage values, their unbeatable artiste roster and have recently entered a new chapter after acquiring Natal Drums.
This latest chapter in Natal and Marshall’s history promises to be a hugely creative one and has already seen the development of a vast array of brand new percussion. 2011 see’s the unprecedented launch of the full Natal Drum Kits, ready to take the world by storm.
Natal Drums
Event sponsor
Since 1965, Natal has consistently produced revolutionary hand crafted percussion instruments, played and loved by drummers and percussionists around the world.
Originally conceived in the late ’50s, Natal has enjoyed huge success since, especially with their revolutionary fibreglass congas during the 60’s, and found favour with some of the world’s biggest bands. Natal was soon to be seen on stage with bands such as Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, Santana. T Rex and The Rolling Stones.
More recent times have seen Natal Percussion taking a step forward into a brand new dimension after the acquisition by another British company with a proud reputation and renowned musical heritage – Marshall Amplification. The connection between the two companies originally began back in the 60’s when founder Jim Marshall OBE, a talented drummer himself, sold Natal Percussion from his London music store – the very store in fact, where the first Marshall amplifiers were built.
Wilson Digital Media
Web site hosting
Wilson Digital specialise in providing web design and ecommerce/online payment processing systems for events, gig venues and other clients.
Blue Dreamer
Web design and build
Rob at Blue Dreamer specialises in building web sites using Jshop Shopping Cart, and Expressionengine CMS (which this site is built with). He’s a bass player but we won’t hold that against him!