Thomas Pridgen

[beatz]

When I was browsing the gospel chops site I came across a drummer named Thomas Pridgen who's playing is absolutely incredible. He won Guitar Center's drum off when he was nine and became the youngest drummer to be endorsed by Zildjian at twelve. He was accepted to Berklee at age fifteen. This guy is really good, just thought you guys should know about him.(He's not on the drummerworld site).

[Bonham to the moon]

man i hate prodigies. . . . . . .

[beatz]

I know, as soon as I read that he won the Guitar Center drumoff at nine, I had to go and practice so I wouldn't feel like a complete failure!!

[stagecustom]

you know what is funny man, i checked out that website and saw him on there, and i swear man i was just about to post a thread about him, you just post another one on eric more he won guitar center drum off in 2003, but yeah thomas is crazy, a little goofy, but damn good

[BigFreeze]

i checked out that website
Whats the name of his website?

[beatz]

Hey, I think site stagecustom is referring to is www.gospelchops.com

[Superlow]

man i hate prodigies. . . . . . .


Tony Williams was a child prodigy. He was playing clubs by the time he was ten. Also Buddy Rich was a child prodigy, do you hate him? I enjoy seeing prodigies personally. It makes things interesting. Some people are just lucky enough to discover what they were meant to do at an early age. I only wish I started younger.

[Bonham to the moon]

i meant it as a joke. . . .chill out. Its discouraging to hear that nine year has won the nationwide drumoff though. But good for him, though i havent heard much of recent child prodigies, just like actors, if you bring em to early they usually spiral downward pretty fast.

[Rudy McRudster]

I watched his video on Gospel Chops and the kid's pretty talented. He really doesn't seem like the average "child prodigy" that you see whose parents exploit them and parade them around. He seems like a nice and genuinely talented guy and if he keeps his attitude, he'll go far.

[LDGuy]

Wow. Pretty neat. He's very good.

I saw some cool Blush-da's there and the patented Steve Holmes Bla-Blush-da there too (if you dont know what i'm talking about check out www.houseofdrumming.com ).

[drumzalicious]

Wow. Pretty neat. He's very good.

I saw some cool Blush-da's there and the patented Steve Holmes Bla-Blush-da there too (if you dont know what i'm talking about check out www.houseofdrumming.com ).
yeah i went off and learned that after i saw him do it.

[Freddie Freeloader]

hey guys, i'm sorry to resurrect this somewhat ancient topic, but i just thought you must see what thomas has been upto lately...

http://www.abstractlogix.com/xcart/product.php?productid=20736&cat=0&page=1

now thats what i'm talking about. this guy is unbelievable.

[Freddie Freeloader]

new stuff with thomas pridgen on it....
http://www.myspace.com/christianscottmusic
wait for the player to load, all tracks feature thomas on drums.

[nathaniel_t]

http://www.myspace.com/burnerbeats


Thomas Pridgen's My Space..
what a great drummer...

[Dill X]

Once again, The Mars Volta has a new drummer.

After the loss of Jon Theodore, the unethusiastic joining of Blake Flemming, and the brief appearance of Deatoni Parks, The Mars Volta has added their newest member.

Thomas Pridgen, a really talented young Berklee drummer has officially joined for the upcoming dates. With a heavy gospel and R&B influence, he seems to mesh with the band well so far from the few dates he has already played with TMV.

In my personal opinion after hearing his stuff before TMV, I really think he'll work well with the band. Hopefully he will stay for longer than a year...

Check him and some sounds and videos on his MySpace page. (http://www.myspace.com/burnerbeats)

[bermuda]

I met Thomas at NAMM maybe 8 or 10 years ago - he was really young - and he was a great kid and a talented player. His mom was taking him around, and they were both really nice. I knew he'd be destined for great things, not just another child prodigy headed for the "cute then, but where are they now?" file.

Bermuda

[jonescrusher]

as seen on www.gospelchops.com.....

[Njdrumma]

HEY TMV'S got a new drummer Thomas Pridgen. I don t know much about him any one got any info?? im excited.

[cicatrizoo]

http://www.frontiertouring.com.au/uploads/tours_gallery/53/1174137239.jpg

Thomas just recently made his official debut with The Mars Volta overseas and the first live bootleg is exhilarating! He's a terror! All drum scholars take note: check this guy's page for a megaupload link: http://myspace.com/auslive You wont be sorry.

[meandhimcallitus]

Thanks for the link!

[caprisun3484]

check him out on Christian Scott's album Rewind That

really good playing their and it is a great album

[alan_pfeifer]

Thomas is quite the amazing player.

I've got a few videos of him with Volta, they're quite high quality if you want to see them Let me know.

[drum99]

I went to high school with Thomas my senior year, which was his sophomore year, and we were in jazz band together that year. Looking back, it was amazing to watch him play every day, talk shop, and I learned a lot from him. It's nice to see his new success, and I hope he blows everyone away on the new TMV album, cuz I know he can! Thomas, what's up with some tickets!

[Jack Slade]

I cannot wait until the new album comes out from TMV. I have also only heard one song they performed with Thomas Pridgen. He didn't really stand out much to me, but i've seen other solo videos of him, and they were sweet!

[jastjohn]

I remember Pridgen from the gospelchops videos I downloaded a while back, and from Christian Scott. If you told me then he'd be playing with TMV I'd laugh. Now I've heard... it's a damn good fit. But Deantoni Parks is much more of a personality, in my opinion. Pridgen's got a ton of chops but they sound like those of a lot of drummers.

[pearl_floyd]

Pridgen absolutly kills on the new TMV record, he fits in perfectly with whole band.

[caprisun3484]

yeah i agree he is so amazing on that record

[Cypriss]

Anyone know his cymbal set up i know he plays Zildjian. probably A customs. But from the look of the one's when TMV played on letterman almost looked like prototype's/custom made one's the china he was using sounded amazing.

[Das_Ist_Drums]

I recently bought the latest Mars Volta album and Thomas Pridgen has some sick drumming in it. I definately think that he should be added to the web sight. Here's the url of the Mars Volta playing there new song, Wax Simulacra, on the Letterman show.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH11YFqMoB0

[samzeppelin]

Saw them (TMV) yesterday here in Sweden, and Thomas is really kickass behind the set, best drummer ive seen live probably. Great show btw, Cedric threw out one of Thomas crashes to the adiuence DW stand and all, but I didnt get in the mosh pit of "grabbers" would been nice with a free A custom crash 16/17? thou =).

[ccdrummin]

yeah i went to the january 30 show and met him hes hella nice
and ofcourse hes ma favorite drummer...hella sick gospel chops man

[Njdrumma]

thomas pridgen will be playing at modern drum fest!!!!!!and he will be HELLA!!!!! AMAZINg

[GRUNTERSDAD]

I read an article about him in oen of my drumming mags, and he and his grandmother had to lie about his age, of three, to get him some lessons. I was just learning to run.

[Njdrumma]

I read an article about him in oen of my drumming mags, and he and his grandmother had to lie about his age, of three, to get him some lessons. I was just learning to run.

Do u know who he got lessons from?

[Njdrumma]

just to let you all know Thomas told me that he smashed his DW Acrylic Kit. But he will be getting a new kit

[Vicarious]

I saw him play with The Mars Volta last night and words cannot describe how insane he is! The performance was perhaps the single most amazing thing I've ever seen, and extremely exhilarating. His kit sounded so nice too, those floor toms and bass drum were among the deepest I've ever heard.

He was playing the usual DW Acrylic kit, I don't know if it was the same kit, or a new one.

[Simon]

Hi Guys,

since I've watched Thomas' videos on Drummerworld, i'm a fan. You must watch the Drumbattle between Thomas and Tony Royster Jr. on Youtube. I like Thomas' style much more. Check it out.

In the Video "Thomas Pridgen demonstrates a great Gospel Fill" Thomas names a book in the beginning. But I can't undestand the title.
Can someone name me the title of the book?

Thanks,

Simon

[cyclepilot2]

i believe he's just referring to the following fill as being played out ,so he's citing random penal code and infraction numbers for the "offense"
of people still using it

[drum.lad]

i love this guy hes incredible and such a deserving guy aswell not some cocky dude.also that tv performance of wax simulacra was amazing

[m1ck]

I've been checking this guy out since I read the interview in the latest Modern Drummer magazine. He is phenomenal and makes it all look SO easy. He looks like a kid in a candy store at the drums - he's having so much fun.

Only 24 years old!

[cantstandyourfunk]

:) mad drummer.

but I do love jon thodore. I love that guy's groove.

[Aggressivec]

When I heard "Wax Simulacra", I was like, "well, this guys pretty nifty with a double pedal". Then I read that he didn't use a double pedal and I shit myself. Thomas delivers chop after chop and slows down. Some drummers will have a chop fest at the beginning of the song and by the end they are totally dragging. Not Mr. Pridgen. The fact is, he is 9 years older then me, yet he plays like he is 100 years better.

[chopchop]

so good.. i think he's definitely one of the best right now, and probably my biggest influence. his style of playing is awesome, and he's doin stuff thats unheard of.. not to mention he's always havin a blast while he plays.

[DrumEatDrum]

Funny story:

Many years ago I worked at GC, and we had the drum off. I went to the regional finals, and there was this 9 year old kid representing the Oakland store. He certainly smoked, and was certainly one of the better guys there. At the end of the night, this 9 year kid was named the winner by the judges.

I met the kid a few days later, and then I never heard about him again.

Cut to a few months ago, I get the new Modern Drummer with Thomas Pridgen on the cover. I read the interview, and think he seems interesting. I go online, watch a few videos, and wow, this guy is good. Maybe I should check out the album with The Mars Volta.

Cut to last night, I'm looking for something on the web, and I see a link for an interview with Thomas, and I click it. He starts talking about the drum off he won at 9, and it hits me, this guy IS THAT kid.

Wow!!!!!!!!

[Cadet311]

I saw Thomas play at the Modern Drummer Festival this year and was not impressed. Well, let me clarify... I was impressed by his hand-foot coordination and the speed of his singles. However, that was all he had at this event. He jammed with a few other musicians and a majority of his fills were just those fast single strokes that crescendo and decrescendo. That's it. It felt to me as if he relied on them way too much - no variety.

That's just my humble opinion, though.

[MagicLemur]

I've been a huge TMV fan for sometime and I loved Jon Theodore so when I'd heard Pridgen replaced him I initially didn't like the new guy, but the more I listened to Pridgen's stuff away from TMV the more I grew to like him and respect him as a drummer I mean hes the youngest kid to ever recieve a zildijan sponsorship, he won the GC drumoff when we was super young too (like 10 or 13 i think?) so theres no doubt he has talent and his chops are amazing. Although I still think his playing is too technical for TMV, he's become one of my fav technical drummers.

[Nodiggie]

Thomas at Fresno State Wahlberg Hall.
May 7th.

Can't wait to finally hear Thomas outside of TMV. To make things even cooler, Drumhead61 and I finally get to meet outside of DW, chill and catch a GREAT clinic. Looking forward to it !!

[dfairley]

I am wondering if anyone knows what Zildjian cymbal (or cymbal combo) Pridgen is using in the MD 2008 DVD? It's in the traditional ride position and looks to be two cymbals stacked together. The Zildjian.com artist profile does not indicate what it is but its very trashy with almost instant decay (kind of like the Sabian Chopper cymbal only bigger).

Cheers
Derek

[Greendrum]

18" A Custom EFX Crash, 9" Oriental Splash, 16" Oriental China (x2) (cymbals stacked)

Thats what his Wiki page says... doesn't look like that many on the video though. Whatever it is I want one though.

Edit: I went back and watched it again, Looks like (Bottom to Top) 18'' Oriental China, 9" Oriental Splash, and a 16" EFX Crash.... I may be wrong though

[Gretsch09]

I saw Thomas play at the Modern Drummer Festival this year and was not impressed. Well, let me clarify... I was impressed by his hand-foot coordination and the speed of his singles. However, that was all he had at this event. He jammed with a few other musicians and a majority of his fills were just those fast single strokes that crescendo and decrescendo. That's it. It felt to me as if he relied on them way too much - no variety.

That's just my humble opinion, though.

Yea man, I was there too. His playing was really enjoyable for me, but I think his performance was a bit ruined by his public speaking skills. I'm sure he was nervous as ever though!

[Random Name 123]

I've watched a few of his videos. Top drummer I'm sure, but I don't like the way he waffles his way around the kit, too random.

[RollingStone000]

Word around the interweb is he's not doing the gig anymore. Bad news for us Volta fans (who were hip to the Pridgen "era" stuff i.e. it's a contentious topic; who's their better drummer). From what I've been able to find and if my chronology of events is correct. They did a show (their "actual" last show) in Charlotte, N.C. on the 22nd, cancelled the Raleigh show scheduled for the next night during sound check (apparently Pridgen and Zavala got into it), Pridgen got in a cab and left. And Omar, Juan, and Thomas were supposed to play at the Key Club in Hollywood for an event for Bass Player magazine. Pridgen didn't show so Gene Coye filled in. He's apparently removed a bunch of people from his Face Book page as well (not quite sure what the hell that's supposed to mean).

http://bbs.311.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60452

Anymore info on this from any of you cats would be much appreciated, I'd hate to find out that this is true.

[LinearDrummer]

Word around the interweb is he's not doing the gig anymore. Bad news for us Volta fans (who were hip to the Pridgen "era" stuff i.e. it's a contentious topic; who's their better drummer). From what I've been able to find and if my chronology of events is correct. They did a show (their "actual" last show) in Charlotte, N.C. on the 22nd, cancelled the Raleigh show scheduled for the next night during sound check (apparently Pridgen and Zavala got into it), Pridgen got in a cab and left. And Omar, Juan, and Thomas were supposed to play at the Key Club in Hollywood for an event for Bass Player magazine. Pridgen didn't show so Gene Coye filled in. He's apparently removed a bunch of people from his Face Book page as well (not quite sure what the hell that's supposed to mean).

http://bbs.311.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60452

Anymore info on this from any of you cats would be much appreciated, I'd hate to find out that this is true.

Geez he was just on youtube talking about his grammy and how much fun he was having with those guys.

Things change pretty fast I guess...

[RollingStone000]

Geez he was just on youtube talking about his grammy and how much fun he was having with those guys.

Things change pretty fast I guess...

I've still got my fingers crossed, they're doing shows in Europe at the end of November, I'll be interested to see who's behind the kit. Damn shame though.

[calverthalldrum]

From what I'm hearing from my teacher, who taught Jon Theodore, Thomas did indeed leave TMV. My teacher, Grant Menefee has told me that on of his other former students is in the lineup to be chosen as the next drummer for TMV. Don't shoot the messenger, as I am unsure how reliable this information is but I thought I'd share it.