“Durable & Strong” | Gary Powell of The Libertines & The Specials talks Career & Yamaha Drums

2014 marks the highly anticipated reunion of “The Libertines”- one of UK´s most influential rock bands. Before heading back on stage to perform the band´s biggest shows to date, headlining Hyde Park in front of 60.000 fans, Libertines drummer Gary Powell came out to check the new Yamaha "LIVE CUSTOM" Oak Drums, which he later took out to the band´s comeback shows in replacement of his previous Oak Custom kit.
We took this chance to sit down and talk with Gary about his career, his approach to drumming and why the Yamaha Oak shells are his choice of drums for most of his career.
Gary Powell's career has spanned over 15 years of performing music as diverse as concert band, to alternative rock and roll, culminating in a career as the drummer for The Libertines, Dirty Pretty Things & The New York Dolls.
As a member of the Don Ellis Connection, he performed big band and 'third stream jazz' by the composers Don Ellis and Don Sebesky. Gary has also performed the works of Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland to name but a few in the guise of a concert band percussionist.
With The Libertines, Gary gained some notoriety in the early 2000s. Although the bands mainstream success was initially limited, their profile soon grew, culminating in a No. 2 single and No. 1 album on the UK Charts. In December 2004, their self-titled second album was voted the second best album of the year by NME magazine. Both of their full-length LPs were produced by Mick Jones, of the British punk band The Clash.
In 2004 Gary was asked to perform for the legendary punk band, The New York Dolls for Morrisey's curation of the Meltdown festival at festival halls in London. Since then communication has been strong with the founders of punk and Gary again performed with Sylvain Sylvain, from the dolls in the summer of 2013.
Gary's career with The Libertines was at inception and included being a founding member of the Carl Barats 'Dirty Pretty Things - culminating in the 2010 Libertines reunion shows at the Reading, Leeds festival.
Gary is also an active dj and has dj'd all over the world as a member of London Guns, a dj-ing percussive duo including Adam Ficek from BabyShambles fame, or as solo dj.
Gary´s style of drumming combines an energetic mix of many musical influences. Besides solid rock grooves, Gary grew up playing reggae, punk as well as marching drums during his time in the US.
Previously playing the Yamaha Oak Custom series, Gary has decided to take the new Yamaha “Live Custom” Drums out on tour, which transports a solid, powerful & warm tone.
Find out more on Gary and his projects here:
www.garypowellm...
All Info’s on the new YAMAHA Live Custom drums:
europe.yamaha.c...
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/ yamaha.drumseurope
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/ yamahadrumseu
Video by Barbara Klein
Cut by Merlin Ettore
Second camera unit by Anthony Molina

[@milk_cow_blues]

The most underrated drummer of the Last 20 years

[@riffgallagher]

I had the pleasure of meeting Gary Powell when my sons band (Apollo Sunshine) toured Ireland with the Dirty Pretty Things in 2008.....I remember being blown away every night by Garys drumming, what was more impressive was Gary the man, nightly has was gracious, sharing, and sooo damned funny !

[@Alex-pg5ck]

I love this guy, he needs more love, he's great

[@GenGareau]

Gary is soooo awesome :D

[@thethrowawaythatstayed7055]

Absolute legend.

[@JLSXXX]

Brilliant

[@huopismith8120]

WHY ISNT THIS GUY HUGE ????

[@louisjeon97]

***** god knows why :(

[@brainimp]

I think he is huge inside the business, when not with the Libertines, he does a lot of studio drumming on the albums of some of the biggest names in music