Welcome to new RTYD member Steve from Birmingham

A ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP welcome to Steve, a drummer/percussionist from Birmingham.

Steve, who is 55, enjoys rock, blues and soul, and is looking to join a band. He plays acoustic drums and cajon, congas, bongos, maracas, guiro, claves and cabasa. He has mostly played in pubs and clubs; he has good kit, transport, and he is very reliable.

Introducing new RTYD member, Monica Salaste

Welcome to Monica Salaste from Saddleworth, Greater Manchester. Monica likes classic rock and soul, and plays the drums and sings backing vocals. She has been off the scene since last summer but is currently looking for either an established band or dep work, to get back into it.

Monica also enjoys writing music, and is looking for a writing partner.

Introducing new RTYD member, professional drummer, Ali Clark

Welcome to London-based professional drummer Ali Clark.

Ali is available for deps and sessions. He has worked in many bands, done pit work and taught both privately and as a workshop leader at a Performing Arts College. He says he's happy to play pubs if his diary's clear. He has his own kit, his own car and most of own teeth!

You can hear some of Ali's drumming and read more about him on his MySpace page here,

New RTYD Member: Lancashire

Welcome to Lancashire-based drummer, Dave Lang, who is looking to join a band on ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP: http://bit.ly/vcSCfr

New RTYD Member: Sheffield

Sheffield-based drummer Dave 'Budgie' Burgess is a new member of ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP's Musicians & Bands Network: http://bit.ly/ncrUm6

New RTYD Member: Manchester

Manchester-based drummer Simon Cooper is now a member of ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP's Mature Musicians & Bands Network http://bit.ly/p5C9VP

Guitarist & Drummer Wanted For Placebo Tribute

Guitarist & Drummer Wanted For Placebo Tribute Band: Northumberland/#Tyne&Wear: By Female Vocalist & Bassist: http://bit.ly/dOde2w

New RTYD Member

Rob, Drummer with Hampshire band Kranefly, is now a member of ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP's Mature Musicians & Bands Network http://bit.ly/ivtoUy

New RTYD Member: Plymouth-based drummer, Richard Colton

Plymouth-based drummer with StatusQuo tribute Quo-incidence, Richard Colton is now a member of ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP: http://bit.ly/mNvRRJ

Two songs by Bristol band Angel Up Front

Listen to two songs by Bristol band @AngelUpFront on drummer Stuart Chambers page on ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP: http://bit.ly/kndM1U

New RTYD Member: Hampshire-based rock drummer Bazza 'Geezer' Pickett

Aldershot, Hampshire-based rock drummer Bazza 'Geezer' Pickett is now a member of ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP Musicians: http://bit.ly/gnWm6c

New RTYD Member

Jeff Moon is drummer with East London covers band The Runaways, and a new member of ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP: http://bit.ly/eueCBe musicians

Quite a drum kit!

That is quite a drum kit! And quite a beard, too! ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP's Mature Musicians & Bands Network http://bit.ly/hLJkyY

Question: What do you call a drummer that doesn't turn up and doesn't call or text to say why?

The motivation for starting RTYD in October 2008 came partly from the trouble I had rebuilding my band Pocket Rocket around the same time. For a few years leading up to this, my band's line-up had diminished in number to two. Myself, and my stalwart bass player and life-long friend, Michael Wilson. It had come to this more out of necessity than musical or personal differences. I had chosen to go back to 'school' part-time to get my Art degree, I was working part-time, and my daughter had just been born. Playing only occasionally suited me, and to facilitate this we needed the drum machine, alias The Phantom Limb. It didn't forget its parts, the tempo, or its place in the band. It didn't complain about the dearth of gigs, either.

Trawling Gumtree and other musicians ads sites inspired the idea of a mature musicians social network that carried musicians ads. Now, one and three quarter years down the line, I know loads of drummers. Hobbyist drummers, to boot. Trouble is, they're all in bands.

Anyway, for a good few months now Pocket Rocket has been drummerless. We have a booking at a Street Festival in King Cross on the afternoon of 10th July. I want to honour this booking. And I would prefer to play it with a drummer. But can I get one? Not so far. The last shot came last week when I threw down the gauntlet on a number of musicians ads sites, challenging any drummer to three rehearsals and a street festival gig with us. No money, just kicks. I got one reply on Gumtree. I sent the guy 4 MP3s, and he rang me an hour or so before rehearsal to make sure it was all still going ahead. He sounded like he was coming from Streatham. He talked about his route, and said 'see you later'.

Well, later came. And later went. No sign of the guy. I sent a text to the guy. No response. Nothing. I nearly left The Phantom Limb at home, too, but thankfully didn't. Because after waiting and hour or so for him, we came to the conclusion he wasn't going to arrive at all, and strapped on the old Phantom Limb.

Fuck it. I'm not in a rush to find a drummer. We want the right guy. The long-term guy. We want a North London drummer. Local, reliable and committed. Like the Phantom Limb.

You switch it on. It plays. You turn it off. It stops. You pack it away. And it comes back next week, at the right speed and bang on it, without fail. It just doesn't have much of a personality. It keeps itself to itself, and doesn't (really) socialise with the other members of the band. You can't have everything, I suppose.

(Polite) Answer:  Rude

The right gig at the right time

In September 2008 just before I started ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP, I had just found a drummer on Gumtree. I ran an ad much like the one that is out there now. An honest one. It got one response. Thankfully, one was enough. I got lucky and met a new friend as well as drummer. Since then, because of hobbyist-differences, we had to part musical ways.

I'd already conceived of RTYD in September 2008, and wanted it to include a musicians ads site devoted to older musicians in order to cut out all that scrolling through teenage and 20-something drummers who aren't yet desperate enough to join a band comprising three grumpy old grey-hairs.

What I was yet to discover was that there was something else, other than age, that divided drummers, and mature drummers in particular. And that is the requirement of many that they join a semi-professional or professional band, i.e. one that plays regularly and gets paid to do so. They aren't interested in practicing. They don't care if it's originals or covers. They aren't interested in putting a new set together. In being in a 'gang'. They just want to get on with it. They want instant gratification. They are after all in high-demand, and can therefore afford to be choosy.

Mature hobbyist drummers are good honest people. However, as well as being few and far between, they are also virtually all already in bands. This, or their drum kits are in the loft gathering dust, or the garage gathering rust. Since October 2008, I have met loads of drummers, many of which I would happily play with. Unfortunately, they are all taken. This reminds me of school and when I fancied girls who were already spoken for. This happened a few times. Often, the most I could do then, was wait, and the best I could hope for was that before too long the boyfriend would find some other girl to finger at the Wilfred Noyce Disco and the girl of my obsession would chuck him. I had to be patient basically, and then in the right disco at the right time to get the girl, in the end.

So along with checking the usual musicians sites, I may well be found waiting in the wings at the end of your gig, hoping that your quietly frustrated drummer finally throws in his towel and storms off stage, knocking me over in the process. After the apology and hand up, and on receipt of the replacement pint, I am given the perfect opportunity to introduce my drummerless-self, if my drummerless-self is not already familiar to them.

Lock up your drummers.

A right knee's up (for at least ten days)

Our drummer injured his right knee recently pushing an excessive weight with his feet in the gymnasium. On Friday he had to have an operation to fix it. He has been advised to spend the next two weeks combining rest and physiotherapy to complete the healing process. The thing is we have a gig booked in about ten days. He is determined to recover in time. We have a rehearsal a couple of nights before the gig, which is at a club called Sin in the West End and is in aid of the National Advertising Benevolent Society. A bit odd, I know, but it's a gig and with a guaranteed audience who will be quite well-oiled by 8 or 9pm, I'm sure. I shall keep you posted about his progress.