Glyn Thomas

Infobox_person
name=Glyn Thomas


caption = Need a classic picture
birth_name = Glyn Nelson Thomas
birth_date=birth date and age|1939|04|22
birth_place=Newcastle upon Tyne, England
occupation=Professional Musician & Drum Company Executive

Glyn Thomas (born 22 April 1939) in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Glyn left school at 16 to become a professional drummer. Joining his first group the Bo Street Runners, winners of Ready Steady Win, a competition run by the producers of the hit TV show Ready Steady Go. After 3 years he left to join Mike Hugg, Manfred Mann and Tony Smith in the BLUES BROTHERS - an R&B Band who later change their name to Manfred Mann.

After a few years Glyn grew tired of life on the road, so stayed in London and fast gained a reputation as a First Call session musician playing TV, Film, Radio, Jingles and with many BBC Radio Bands. Countless sessions on both Drums and Latin Percussion plus recording and touring with many US and UK acts followed, including

*David Essex
*Cat Stevens
*Alan Price
*Amii Stewart
*Dusty Springfield
*Supremes
*The Seekers
*The New Seekers
*Springfield Revival
*Four Tops
*Roy Orbison
*Stevie Wonder
*Gene Pitney
*Martha and the Vandellas
*and many more.

Jazz was always a first love and stints with Barbara Thompsons Paraphernalia and Jubiaba, and countless sessions adding percussion to new recordings.

Pearl Drums

Glyns drum presence on many TV shows of that time such as Top of the Pops, prompted an approach by the Japanese drum company for him to endorse Pearl Drums. Glyn was soon using the Drums on all of his sessions and actively helped to promote the companies image in the UK and Europe performing many Drum Clinics at Trade shows and in music stores. The Japanese company were delighted with the results and in 1976 appointed him to act as their Artist and Relations Manager in association with Norlin Music based in Braintree, Essex. He quickly converted many of the UK's top players over to Pearl with users as diverse as session players Clem Cattini, Richard Burgess and Bob Henrit to Rat Scabies of The Damned, and Topper Headon of The Clash.

Then in 1978 Glyn and Gerry Evans, were appointed by the Pearl Japan to head up a new UK Distribution Centre for Pearl, and their combined efforts put Pearl firmly on the map as the number one brand in percussion to both players and music dealers. Glyn and Gerry re-designed the whole Pearl range and one of their new kits, the Rock Kit|, became the biggest selling drumkit all over Europe.

Simmons Drums

The latter part of the 70's saw the introduction of the LinnDrum Machine so Glyn quickly added LinnDrum Programming to his session skills. However, the introduction of this machine also affected the use of "live" drummers in the studios and after using one of the first prototype electronic Simmons Drums, loaned to him by inventor Dave Simmons, Glyn spotted an opportunity and flew to the USA to introduce this sensational instrument to the drummers of the USA. After demonstrating the SDSV to dozens of the top drummers in Los Angeles and New York, Glyn moved with his family to Los Angeles and launched Group Center Inc. as the exclusive distributor of Simmons Drums. Within 2-3 years just about every top player in the US was using an SDSV - Bill Bruford, J.R.Robinson, Vinnie Colaiuta, Harvey Mason, and dozens of others. Sadly, after a spectacular rise and several years of outstanding success, even the launch of several new and very innovative digital kits - SDS7, SDS8 and SDS9 - sales were starting to fall, and by the time of the launch of the Simmons SDX, the writing was on the wall and with most players abandoning electronics and going back to their "acoustic" drums, SIMMONS UK closed down.

Retirement

Glyn returned to England in 1990 and launched Creative Impressions based in Preston Lancashire, the company manufactures and exports tools and materials for the construction industry and recently was nominated for a UK Export Achievement award.