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Tim H's Biography, Recordings, Drumming Perspectives and Favorite Recordings (unabridged version)
I grew up in a small college town in South-Central PA called Shippensburg. Not much going on there except the University and, well..... My interest in drumming started at a fairly young age. I had snare drum lessons for about a year when I was 10, but I found it pretty boring and my instructor was kind of a dull guy, so it didn't last too long. I knew I wanted to play, but not in a setting like that. Over the next few years, I basically would air drum in my room to my favorite rock records and tapes and I got pretty good at it. One of my friends and I would actually put on fake concerts (Kiss, etc.) in our living rooms during the summer, jamming to all of our favorite bands. Ever since those days, I wanted to be a real drummer in a real band. Since I didn't stick with the drums in a school setting, my parents didn't want to buy a drum set for me, for fear I wouldn't stick with it in any setting. They weren't really rock and roll fans either, so I was on my own to get a kit. Finally, an opportunity arose when I was 16 (1986). I got a pretty good paying summer job and was able to save enough money to buy a used kit from a friend of a friend. It was a pretty crappy set, but it was something to get started with and I figured I could fix it up and add to it later.
Of course, since I hadn't really played a drum kit before (well, maybe once or twice), I wasn't very good at it. I had a good feel for how to play and what drums made what sounds and how to apply them, but I just needed time to acclimate myself to the instrument and apply what I'd already taught myself by air drumming. From then on, I practiced as much as I could. I found a guitar player to jam with and within 6 months of getting the kit, I was in a band. We were called Polymorph Steel(1987). We did all original rock stuff and actually won a low level Star Search competition in our home town. We weren't great, but better than most local bands our age. Within a year, we had broken up and I was asked to join another band, which was more cover oriented, called This Mistress(1987-88). We basically played parties and a few local college talent shows. Again, within a year or two we had all moved on to other things. After a short stint with another band, Class Panic(1988), I was off to college and a different geographical area in Pottstown PA(1989).
In Pottstown I joined a cover band from Reading PA called Taaz(1989-91). It was a fun experience and a chance to play with some different people. We knew a lot of songs and played lots of bars around the Reading area, but after the guitar player left and they couldn't find a suitable replacement, I tired of the scene and quit after about a year and a half. It really wasn't going anywhere anyway and I'd had my fill of cover band hell. At that point I wanted to do originals. I played some cover tunes with some guys that I worked with in the summer of 1991 because I wanted to keep playing, but I still really wanted to do originals.
In 1992, I transferred to Kutztown University in sunny Kutztown PA to study Telecommunications (radio, TV) and music. I was able to participate in the Percussion Ensemble and even had a few lessons which were very helpful. Since I didn't really have a band at that point, I thought I'd try writing some originals on my own. My friends from This Mistress had formed an industrial, all electronic outfit called Any Questions? and they had built a recording studio in Pottstown. I still hung out with them a lot, so I did an experimental recording project there. The result was Drudgery. A collection of 5 tunes that I played drums and synth on with the help of some old friends on bass, guitar and vocals. I was pretty happy with the result, considering it was my first attempt at creating songs on my own. I actually sold a few copies at a local record store in Kutztown. Unfortunately, I never formed a band for it and the songs were never played live.
Then came the band I was waiting for. In the summer of 1992, the singer and guitar player for Polymorf Steel and Class Panic (whom I remained friends with) called me and asked if I wanted to join him in a super band he was forming with some guys I had the pleasure of jamming with only once or twice before. It was basically all guys that I was already good friends with and were a collection of the best musicians I'd played with up to that point so, of course, I jumped at it. Oh, and did I mention that we were going to do all originals? Yeah, it was on! We were called VERITAS.....
Tim H. Bands Timeline and musicians
1987 - Polymorf Steel: Kendal Chandler (vocals), David Chandler (synth), Steve Ott (bass), Tim Harrell (drums)
1987-88 - This Mistress: Scott McConnell (synth), Matt Norcross (bass), Matt Skirpan (guitar), Kevin Wilson (guitar), Brad Schaffer (vocals), Tim Harrell (drums), Kendal Chandler (vocals, 1988)
1988-89 - Class Panic: Kendal Chandler (vocals), Matt Skirpan (guitar), Kevin Wilson (guitar), Tim Harrell (drums), Steve Huge (bass)
1989-91 - Taaz: Scott (bass), Matt Skirpan (guitar), Kelly Reigner (synth, vocals), Tim Harrell (drums), Bob Melman(vocals, guitar), Kate (sound, vocals), Randy Poserboy(guitar)
1991 - Blue in the Face: Matt Skirpan (guitar), Billy (bass), Tim Harrell (drums), Jamie (vocals)
1992 - Drudgery: Tim Harrell (drums, synth, vocals), Matt Norcross (bass, production), Chad Miller (guitar), Kendal Chandler (vocals)
1993-2004 - VERITAS: Chad Miller (guitars), Kendal Chandler (vocals, electronica), Tim Harrell (drums, electronica), Dave Keagle (bass, vocals 97-04), Steve Kulp (bass 95-97), Mark Smith (bass 94-95), Matt Skirpan (bass 93-94), John Rivero (synth 93)
2004 to present - The Uncertainty Principle: Dave Keagle (guitar, vocals), Pete Quacken (bass), Tim Harrell (drums, vocals)
2006 - Glue Factory: John Pawlikowski (vocals), Art Smith (bass), Jake Kish (guitar, vocals) and Tim H.(drums)
Tim H. Recordings (discography):
The Secret Society (1988) Orange Street Oven, Shippensburg PA
Any Questions - Don't Ask (1991) Floating Fish Studios, Pottstown PA
Drudgery (1992) Floating Fish Studios, Pottstown PA
Veritas - Stellar Roadkill (1994) Floating Fish Studios, Pottstown PA
Veritas - Let the Flesh Instruct the Mind (1995) Holland Sound Studios, Scranton PA
Veritas - Intense Aphrodisiac (1996) Holland Sound Studios, Scranton PA
Veritas - Technika (1997) Holland Sound Studios, Scranton PA
Veritas - Earworm (1999) Holland Sound Studios, Scranton PA
Obomatic - Holy Uncontrollio (2002) Floating Fish Studios, Pottstown PA
Veritas Earthkorp - CyberTribal (2002) Plymouth Rocks Studios, Plymouth PA
Any Questions - Death (2004) Floating Fish Studios, Pottstown PA
Any Questions - Live Bootleg DVD (2005) Floating Fish Studios, Pottstown PA
Favorite Inspirational (Drum) Recordings:
Rush - Moving Pictures, Grace Under Pressure (Neil Peart); of course, no explanation needed
Led Zeppelin - IV, Houses of the Holy (John Bonham); one of the best rock drummers ever
AC/DC - Highway to Hell, Back in Black (Phil Rudd); not flashy, but solid as a rock with incredible feel
Def Leppard - High 'n Dry (Rick Allen); one of the best drum sounds ever, great song-writing
Missing Persons - Spring Session M (Terry Bozzio); one of the best, most creative drummers on the planet
The Police - Sychronicity (Stewart Copeland); unique style and feel w/ instantly recognizable snare sound
Queensryche - Rage For Order (Scott Rockenfield); not really a flashy guy, but solid, very creative and, lets face it, the chains for cymbal stands made his kit one of the coolest looking ever
Alice In Chains - Dirt (Sean Kinney); my favorite of the grunge era, Kinney was very under-rated and over shadowed by Matt Cameron (Soundgarden)
Primus - Sailing the Seas of Cheese (Tim Alexander); powerful player with great chops and tasty double bass work
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (Trent Reznor, Chris Vrenna, Stephen Perkins, various others); one of my favorite bands ever, Reznor has a nose for great drummers
Tool - AEnima (Danny Carey); uncompromising power and mastery of odd time, unique and creative arrangements
Sevendust - Home (Morgan Rose); quick feet and one of the best live drummers ever; if you haven't seen 7dust live yet, do it now!
Mudvayne - L.D. 50 (Matt McDonough); very unique style, feel and amazing creativity; can turn a simple time signature into something extremely complex
Lamb of God - Sacrament (Chris Adler); unbelievable technique, powerful double bass work and an excellent original drum sound
