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 Few drummers can lay claim to the accomplishments of British-born Dave Mattacks. The master session drummer has played on a staggering number of recordings with artists ranging from household words to cult favorites. And that is but the start of it. Single-handedly, Mattacks has created a new genre, that of the "folk rock drummer", while retaining an uncanny ability to play other styles with exceptional authenticity and personality.
Born in London, Dave served as an apprentice piano tuner before taking residencies in Belfast, Glasgow, and London with a Lawrence Welk inspired orchestra. On the side, he played in jazz ensembles.
In 1969, Mattacks joined Fairport Convention and recorded that band's most significant albums, including Lieg & Lief (recently awarded Best Folk Album of All Time by the BBC), Full House, Babbacombe Lee, Nine, and Rising for the Moon. In this band, Dave ingeniously assimilated the feel of two-step jigs and reels with a rock backbeat, propelling the folkloric styles into the twentieth century.
After touring the globe with Fairport, Dave left in 1974 to pursue a freelance career. From that point until the year 2000, when he moved to Boston, Mattacks played with a long list of performers. Notably he did five albums with Paul McCartney, one with George Harrison on the day after John Lennon's death, two albums with Sir Elton John, one with Jimmy Page, and several with Richard Thompson. Other credits, by no means inclusive, are XTC, Cat Stevens, Brian Eno, Nick Drake, Jethro Tull, Steeleye Span, Sandy Denny, Chris Rea, Sir George Martin, The Proclaimers, Juliana Hatfield, and Chris Spedding.
From his new home base, Boston, Dave began touring and recording with Mary Chapin Carpenter. Again, word spread that here was a session drummer with impeccable taste, chops, and the right sound to fit any recording. Mattacks launched into television documentaries and also contributed to the music for three John Sayles feature films. Meanwhile Dave was busy producing and performing on albums with Jared Mason, John Shain, John Gorka, Susan Tedeschi, Four Piece Suit, and a host of others. He headlined the Marblehead Arts Festival in 2002 with The Dave Mattacks Trio, an acoustic jazz ensemble, and was special guest of Takashi Hagiwara for the Yamaha drum guru's retirement gala concert held at winter NAMM in 2004.
Finely attuned to drum capabilities, he's been recognized by Modern Drummer and various trades for his sensitivity at all dynamic levels. In fact, harkening back to his piano training, he's been known to articulate with bare fingers on snare drum, perhaps best heard on Joan Armatrading's The Shouting Stage. Of his relationship with LP, Dave is adamant: "They provide the most comprehensive, best sounding, and best made range of percussion gear," he enthuses. "I can always find a suitably great addition for a track in my trap case!"
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