Saturday 23rd October 2010, 1pm to 3:45 pm

Gordy Marshall is the regular drummer for the Moody Blues. Gordy has also played with Rod Stewart, Katie Melua, Sir Cliff Richard, Mariah Carey, and in many West End musicals.

Biography:

After 10 years of rigorous classical training at the piano, Gordy started playing the drums at the age of 15. Within a short while he was playing in local clubs and pubs in Nottingham where he grew up. At age 17 the family moved to Blackpool, where Gordon continued to play drums in summer season shows, the Blackpool Tower Circus, and also moonlighting in various jazz clubs after work!
Aged 22 he moved to London with his friend Peter Howarth, and they joined the rock band Sahara. They had a recording contract and released a record, but that's as far as it went. (Peter has been singing backing vocals with Sir Cliff Richard since 1989, and is now also the lead singer of the Hollies)!
During the 1980s Gordy continued to gig and began to be called for recording sessions, he also began playing in West End musicals. He joined the band Everyday People signed to SBK, they had a number two UK hit "Headline News" from the album You Wash I'll Dry. They won the Radio One UK battle of the bands competition, and went to Japan to play in the international finals at the famous BUDOKAN.
He also did a short stint with Sir Cliff Richard, which included playing at the Diamond awards in Holland.
Gordy then played with the band Tin Tin Out, they had a number two hit and performed on Top Of The Pops in the UK with (What I am) featuring Emma Bunton from the Spice Girls (a.k.a Baby Spice). With Tin Tin Out Gordy also recorded tracks for Mariah Carey and Rod Stewart.
In 1991 Gordy got a call to audition for the legendary rock band the Moody Blues. They had a six-week tour coming up in America and wanted an additional drummer to join Graeme Edge who was recovering from an injury. This turned out to be such a successful arrangement that he has been asked to play every tour since then.
In between tours Gordy has played in a number of West End musicals including: Grease, Mamma Mia, Rent, Fame, Thriller (Live), Stop! In The Name Of Love, Whistle Down The Wind. We Will Rock You, and Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
In 2006 Jeff Wayne asked Justin Hayward (lead singer with the Moody Blues) to reprise his role for the Live tour of the seminal album The War Of The Worlds (TWOTW). When the subject of drummers came up, Justin suggested Gordy, which resulted in him playing on the tour.
In September 2008 Gordy performed with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall playing for the famous Greek tenor Mario Frangoulis.

Through working with Chris Spedding on TWOTW, he got a call to record on the Katie Melua album Piece by Piece, which was recorded at Mike Batt's recording studio.
As this biography is being written Gordy is halfway through production rehearsals for the 30-year anniversary tour of TWOTW. TWOTW has toured the UK twice already to packed audiences, and also toured Australia and New Zealand. This third tour, which plays to 125,000 people, starts in Ireland, takes in all of the UK and ends in Europe playing three concerts in Amsterdam and the final concert in Germany on 3rd July 2009.
On 21st July 2009 Gordy begins the Moody Blues US/Canadian summer tour in San Diego. Their final concert will be in St Louis on 6th September 2009.

http://www.playdrumswithgordymarshall.com/

Bookings: please contact Planet Drum on 020 7428 9012