Thomas Pridgen

Infobox musical artist
Name = Thomas Pridgen


Img_capt = Thomas Pridgen in 2008
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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Thomas Armon Pridgen
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Born = birth date and age|1983|11|23
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Origin = El Cerrito, California, U.S.
Instrument = drums,
Genre = Jazz, progressive rock, gospel, Experimental Music
Occupation = Drummer, Tagger
Years_active = 1999-present
Label =
Associated_acts = The Mars Volta
Christian Scott
Wicked Wisdom
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Thomas Armon Pridgen (born November 23 1983 in Alameda County, California) is the current drummer for The Mars Volta.

Biography

Pridgen won the Guitar Center Drum-Off at age 9 and at age 10 was the youngest recipient for a Zildjian endorsement in the nearly 400 year history of the company. Thomas has studied with David Garibaldi, Walfredo Reyes Jr, Troy Luketta, and Curtis Nutall. He is endorsed by DW Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, Vater Drumsticks. Thomas was also the recipient of a 4 year scholarship to Berklee College of Music in 1999 at the age of 15; he was youngest musician to ever receive this scholarship. [ [http://www.berklee.edu/opi/1999/0916.html BERKLEE | Press Release ] ] He has played in clinics with Walfredo Reyes, Jr. and Dennis Chambers.

In 2007, Pridgen received a call from Omar Rodriguez-Lopez of The Mars Volta:

Pridgen's style on Bedlam in Goliath used "blistering 32nd-note full-set combinations, stunning single-stroke rolls, and blazing single bass drum patterns (sounding like double bass)" [ [http://www.moderndrummer.com/updatefull/200001694 Thomas Pridgen: Artist Update: Modern Drummer Magazine ] ] along with creative and precise paradiddle technique.

Thomas Pridgen has been voted as Best Up and Coming Drummer by Modern Drummer magazine beating Benny Greb.

Besides his work with The Mars Volta, he has also been involved with Christian Scott and Wicked Wisdom.

Discography

With Eric Gales

*"Crystal Vision" - (2006)
*"Psychedelic Underground" - (2007)

With Christian Scott

*"Rewind That" (2006)

With Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group

*"Calibration (Is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far)" (2007)

With The Mars Volta

*"The Bedlam in Goliath" - LP (2008)

Equipment

*Drums - Clear Acrylic DW Drums
**8x12 Rack Tom
**9x13 Rack Tom
**13x15 Floor Tom
**14x16 Floor Tom
**16x18 Floor Tom
**24x18 Bass Drumm
**6.5x14 Copper snare
* Cymbals - Zildjian
**A ARMAND RIDE
**A CUSTOM CRASH
**A CUSTOM MASTERSOUND HIHATS
**A MEDIUM RIDE
**K CUSTOM HYBRID CHINA
**ORIENTAL CHINA TRASH
**ORIENTAL CRASH OF DOOM
**ORIENTAL TRASH SPLASH

* Drum Sticks - Vater
**Universal Model
*Drum Heads - Evans
*Hardware - DW

References