Erik Stams (BMus-hons) has been a professional musician for over 20 years. He currently performs, records and teaches in London and South Wales.

Erik began playing drums at the age of ten. After graduating from New York's Fiorello Laguardia High School of Music and Art and the Performing Arts (FAME) under Justin Dicciocio, he studied at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, privately with the legendary Henry Adler (author of Buddy Rich's Snare Drum Rudiments and Louie Bellson's Modern Reading Text in 4/4), Walter Garces and briefly with Jerry Gonzalez (the Fort Apache Band). Erik honed his craft performing, recording and touring in and around NYC, specializing in Funk, Reggae, Jazz, Ska and Rock. He can be heard on various albums, film soundtracks (Francis Ford Coppola's New York Stories, Dust on the Wings - Australia, The Inbetweeners) and television commercials.

Erik settled in London after a tour of Japan with Walter Schreifels of Quicksand and Rival Schools (Island Records) in 1996. Since then he has performed in and around the UK with American saxophonist Butch Thomas (Lenny Kravitz, Sting, Jaco Pastorius), disco-diva Viola Wills, Ensemble Bash, the Glyndebourne Touring Opera, Stu Hamm (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani), Julian Crampton,   Drill Queen, Jamie Lawson , Monkjack and War Machines of Love (with former New Model Army guitarist Adrian Portas).

Erik is the Head of Drums at Drumtech / Thames Valley University (London) writing and teaching diploma and degree level courses. He teaches privately in London and Cardiff, conducts workshops and master-classes, contributes articles for Rhythm, Drummer, and Percussioni (Italy) magazines and has recorded several educational play-along cd's (Rhythm/Drumtech/Total Guitar).

SPONSORS:

         

NEWS:

PRESS RELEASE  - Erik Stams named as Head of Drums at Drumtech (Jan 2010)

Monthly RHYTHM SECTION column currently running in RHYTHM magazine

LISTEN on MySpace : www.myspace.com/erikstamsmusic

RHYTHMFEST- Erik confirmed as residential tutor at this year's annual event in Cheltenham          (previously held in Bath)


PROJECTS:

DRILL QUEEN                                                                  MONKJACK                

             
DRILL QUEEN video on You Tube                   http://www.myspace.com/monkjackfunkband           
 http://www.myspace.com/drillqueenmusicandinfo
(click the links)      

WAR MACHINES OF LOVE  (with Adrian Portas of New Model Army and Spear of Destiny)
Erik Stams does NOT appear on any current  WML recordings.  New album in the works with the 
legendary Chris Kimsey at Konk Studios in London.


 http://www.myspace.com/warmachinesoflove




 Teaching Aled Jones http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/playitagain/programmes/series1/aledjones/

 

'Play it Again' (Sunday April 8th , 2007, 8pm, BBC1)

BBC1 television production 'Play it Again' teaching singer, BBC television and radio presenter Aled Jones to play drums. The programme documents Aled's progress over the course of three months of lessons, challenges and performances including sitting in with a Led Zeppelin tribute band and a masterclass with Stewart Copeland.

 

 

                                                                                                                                              

On location  with BBC 'Play it Again' music initiative (2007). 

 

 Erik  in South Wales Argus.

 New York Bands (pre-1997):
The Second Step
Brother Mustard (NYC) - a poorly written but valid site
The Second Step
The Beat Brigade
Thick as Thieves (1987?)