Premier Percussion Limited is a Leicestershire-based manufacturer of drums and percussion instruments. Leicestershire ( IPA: (RP), IPA: (locally)), abbreviation Leics. ... Bass drum made from wood, rope, and cowskin A drum is a musical instrument in the percussion group that can be large, technically classified as a membranophone. ... Percussion redirects here. ...

The company was founded in 1922 as the Premier Drum Company by London drummer Albert Della Porta and drum builder George Smith. At first, the company produced drum kits for wholesalers, who then would sell them as their own, but Premier soon began producing drums under its own name. A drum kit (or drum set or trap set) is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as a cowbell, wood block, chimes or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single drummer. ...

Premier also began producing symphonic percussion, marching percussion, and cymbals in addition to drum kits. Premier was originally located in central London (where the current Footes Music Store is now) and moved to purpose built premises in Acton in the 1930s. When WW2 broke out, Premier was engaged in the manufacture of gun sights for tanks and aircraft, but the factory was bombed out in 1940 and the company was relocated to a new Leicester facility shortly thereafter. Marching percussion instruments are specially designed to be played while moving. ... For the Japanese rock band, see Cymbals (band). ...

The company enjoyed great success during the Beat Boom of the 1960s not only in the UK, but worldwide and won the Queens Award to Industry in 1966. During the 1970s, Premier invested heavily in a new, purpose built factory to meet demand for their products, but in 1983, the Della-Porta family resigned from the board and the company's name was changed to Premier Percussion in 1984 following a management buyout.

In October 1987, Premier was merged with Yamaha, which owned the Leicester factory until 1992. During this period, Limited was appended to the company name. In 1992, Tony Doughty, who originally arranged the Yamaha merger, took over the company. By 1997, Premier was sold to the Verity Group of Companies before yet another buyout by a British consortium a few years later. Today, Premier continues to produce drum kits, marching percussion, and symphonic percussion (including timpani and mallet percussion). The headquarters of Yamaha Corporation Yamaha redirects here. ... A timpanist in the United States Air Forces in Europe Band. ... The following instruments are collectively known as tuned percussion or keyboard percussion, or sometimes, mallet percussion. ...

Premier has had a history of new ownership. Although the chrome plating was lauded, the actual hardware and drum quality has been variable. In the 2000's, Premier started making drums in Taiwan under the Artists maple and birch series. The Premier series, maple, birch or hydbrid/ gen-x shells are made in England. Distribution in the USA isn't as large as it was in the past. The hardware is made on the same assembly line in Taiwan as Tama's.

Noteworthy drums: - Premier Chrome snare - Resonator Series drums - Signia - Genista - APK/XPK - Artists series - Premier series Gen-x hybrid shells

Notable artists

• Keith Moon - The Who
• Mitch Mitchell - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
• Nick Mason - Pink Floyd (live 1966-69, studio 1966-75, live, later used Ludwig)
• Steve Barney - Annie Lennox and Sugababes
• John Panozzo - Styx (1970-early 1979)
• Phil Collins - Genesis and solo (1974-82, occasionally uses them live)
• Chris Dangerous - The Hives
• Paul Doucette - Matchbox Twenty
• Ginger Fish - Marilyn Manson
• Jim Kilpatrick MBE - The House of Edgar Shotts & Dykehead Pipe Band
• Martin Lopez - ex-Opeth
• Nicko McBrain - Iron Maiden
• Scott Phillips - Alter Bridge, (Formerly Creed)
• Phil Selway - Radiohead
• Tommy Portimo - Sonata Arctica
• Chris Sharrock - Robbie Williams
• Mike Terrana - Rage
• Eric Tribbett - Jill Scott
• Mike Chiplin - Lostprophets (2000-2003)
• Matthew Slodowy - S-Control
• Thomas 'Thomen' Stauch - ex-Blind Guardian/Savage Circus
• Clem Burke - Blondie
• Matthew Helders - Arctic Monkeys
• John Bonham - Led Zeppelin (Though generally associated with Ludwig)
• Richard Christy - Death/Control Denied/Iced Earth
• Ringo Starr - The Beatles (Until 1963, Ludwig thereafter)
• Brad Wilk - Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave (1992-2000)
• Carl Palmer - Emerson, Lake & Palmer / Asia (Also uses Paiste drums)
• Chris Maitland - Porcupine Tree (1993 - 2002)
• Robert Feakin - Devil Trigger
• Travis Nunn - Chris Tomlin
• Samuel Giers - Mando Diao

Keith John Moon (August 23, 1946 – September 7, 1978) was the drummer of the rock group The Who. ... The Who are a British rock band that first formed in 1964, and grew to be considered one of the greatest[1] and most influential[2] bands in the world. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Jimi Hendrix Experience was a highly influential, though short-lived, English/American rock band famous for the guitar work of frontman Jimi Hendrix on songs such as Purple Haze, Foxy Lady, Fire, Hey Joe, Voodoo Child (Slight Return), All Along the Watchtower and Spanish Castle Magic. // Hendrix arrived in... Nicholas Berkeley Nick Mason (born January 27, 1944 in Birmingham, England) is the drummer for Pink Floyd. ... Pink Floyd are an English rock band that initially earned recognition for their psychedelic rock music, and, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. ... Ludwig-Musser is a drum and percussion instrument manufacturer owned by Conn-Selmer, Inc. ... Annie Lennox (born Ann Lennox on 25 December 1954) is a Scottish musician, vocalist, and Academy Award-winning songwriter. ... Sugababes are a BRIT Award-winning British pop group trio from London. ... John Anthony Panozzo (September 20, 1947 - July 16, 1996) was the drummer for the American rock band Styx. ... Styx (pronounced sticks) is an American rock band that was popular in the 1970s and 1980s, with such hits as Come Sail Away, Babe, Lady, Suite Madame Blue, Mr. ... For other uses, see Phil Collins (disambiguation). ... Genesis is an English rock band formed in 1967. ... This article is about the Swedish band. ... Paul John Doucette (born August 22, 1972) was the drummer for the band matchbox twenty. ... Matchbox Twenty (or MB20, MBT, matchbox twenty, originally spelled Matchbox 20) is a rock band formed in Orlando, Florida. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Marilyn Manson is a rock band based in Los Angeles, California. ... Martin Lopez Martin Lopez (born in Sweden on May 20, 1978) is a drummer, known best for his nine years with the Swedish progressive death metal band Opeth. ... Opeth is a Progressive death metal band from Sweden. ... Michael Henry McBrain (born June 5, 1952 in Hackney, London, England) is the drummer for heavy metal band Iron Maiden. ... Iron Maiden are a British heavy metal band from east London. ... Scott Phillips (born February 22, 1973 in Madison, Florida) is the drummer of Alter Bridge and is the former drummer of Creed. ... Alter Bridge is an American rock band[1] formed by Mark Tremonti, Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips (former members of Creed), with Myles Kennedy (lead vocals and guitar formerly of The Mayfield Four). ... This article is about the American Post-grunge band. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... Radiohead are an English rock band. ... Tommy Portimo (September 5th 1981) is the drummer from the band Sonata Arctica. ... Sonata Arctica is a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, originally assembled in 1996. ... For other people with the same name, see Robbie Williams (disambiguation). ... Mike Terrana (Born January 21, 1960 in Buffalo, NY)is a heavy metal drummer. ... Mike Chiplin (born 1979) is a Welsh musician, best known as the former drummer of successful rock band Lostprophets. ... Lostprophets (IPA: ) are a Welsh alternative metal band formed in 1997. ... Thomen Stauch was the drummer for German Power Metal act Blind Guardian until April 2005. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Clem Burke (born Clement Burke, November 24, 1955, in Bayonne, New Jersey) is the drummer for the band Blondie. ... Blondie is the name of an American rock band that first gained fame in the late 1970s, and which has sold over 40 million records. ... Matthew The Homo Helders is the drummer for the Arctic Monkeys. ... Arctic Monkeys are a Mercury Prize winning English indie rock band from High Green, a suburb of Sheffield. ... John Henry Bonzo Bonham (May 31, 1948 – September 25, 1980) was an English drummer and member of the English rock band Led Zeppelin. ... For the bands 1969 eponymous debut album, see Led Zeppelin (album). ... Ludwig-Musser is a drum and percussion instrument manufacturer owned by Conn-Selmer, Inc. ... Richard Christy (born Thomas Richard Christy on April 1, 1974) is an American drummer, comedian, actor, and radio personality who currently works for The Howard Stern Show. ... Death was an influential American death metal band founded in 1983 by guitarist and vocalist Chuck Schuldiner, and dissolved in 1999. ... Control Denied was started by Chuck Schuldiner to create a European-style power metal/progressive metal band, mixed with elements death metal recognizable in his earlier band Death. ... Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band that combines influences from thrash metal, power metal, progressive metal, opera, Speed metal and NWOBHM. In 1999 their leader and songwriter Jon Schaffer teamed up with Blind Guardian vocalist Hansi Kürsch to form a side project called Demons & Wizards. ... Richard Starkey Jr, MBE (born 7 July 1940), known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor, best known as the drummer for The Beatles. ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... Ludwig-Musser is a drum and percussion instrument manufacturer owned by Conn-Selmer, Inc. ... Brad Wilk (born September 5, 1968 in Portland, Oregon) is an American drummer, famous for being the drummer in Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. ... Rage Against the Machine (also Rage and RATM) is an American rock band, noted for their blend of hip hop, heavy metal, punk and funk as well as their revolutionary politics and lyrics. ... For the bands self-titled album, see Audioslave (album). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) were an English progressive rock group. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Chris Maitland (born 13 May 1964 in Cambridge, England) is a highly regarded English drummer. ... Porcupine Tree is an English progressive rock band formed in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England by Steven Wilson. ... Devil Trigger is a power mostly used by Dante and Vergil in the Devil May Cry video game series. ... Chris Tomlin is a Christian worship leader and songwriter from Grand Saline, Texas, United States. ... Mando Diao is a garage rock band from Borlänge, Sweden. ...

Trivia

• During an appearance on the Smothers Brothers television show, Keith Moon over-loaded his Premier bass drum with explosive charges which were detonated during the finale of "My Generation", which according to legend resulted in permanent hearing damage for bandmate Pete Townshend and caused Bette Davis to faint.

• Led Zeppelin's John Bonham received his first drum kit at the age of 14, an old rusty Premier set.

The Smothers Brothers are an American musical-comedy team, formed by real-life brothers Tom and Dick Smothers. ... Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (born May 19, 1945 in Chiswick, London), is an award-winning English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer. ... For the singer, see Betty Davis, for the meteorologist, see Betty Davis (meteorologist). ... John Henry Bonzo Bonham (May 31, 1948 – September 25, 1980) was an English drummer and member of the English rock band Led Zeppelin. ...

References

• "History". Premier Percussion official website. Retrieved February 11,

External links

• Official website