Arizona Bay Special Guest - Tim Batkin

I first met Tim @ Rusheucon 2003 - for it was he who supplied the DDrums that were used in the enforced audience participation section of the show - he has a major claim to fame in that he has received a postcard from Neil Peart.... well I once got a postcard from Canada but it was not from Neil Peart. Tim is from the UK and is a session drummer - you can click on the You Tube link above to see him in action. He is also the drummer of legendary NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) act Cynic link to their site via the Spinal-Tap'ish banner at the top of this page above for more info about them.

Here is Tim in action - a very old pic......

Even older - Tim with Cynic - a NWOBHM act - in fact one of the original (but Def Leppard and Iron Maiden used up everyone else's 15 minutes of fame). Their single Suicide is considered one of the most collectable pieces of vinyl in the world.....

Back in the early 1980's - Tim with top Tama kit (concert toms & Zildjian cymabls)

Andy Timmons with Cynic CD.....

Classic Stix-God pose!

At EUCON 2004 @ the NEC - complete with Sabian Paragons -so new that they are still sporting barcodes! Here he can be seen to be using Tama Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Gretsch Snare & DW Hardware. At EUCON, Tim provides the drums and plays with the house band...... so he is very important.

Fast forwarding to October 2006, here is Tim recording in Rockfield Studios - yes, that's right, the studio where Rush recorded A Farewell to Kings in the 1970's. Queen recorded Bohemian Rhapsody here too. It is the Prog Rock equivelant of the Taj Mahal. Oh... I have played on this kit.

As I said, Tim once got a postcard from Our Lord Neil Peart - the image off the front of the card can be seen above - combining the twin rarities of Neil with Pink Tama (the equivalent of seeing a white whale) and also Neil with a mullet! This pic turned up in the Hold Your Fire Tour Programme - the ones he used on that tour were White (with a tiny hint of pink) and all double headed.....

The flipside of the card - I once read in Neil's own book (Travelling Music) about his decision to stop sending out these cards.....

Click to go back....