| Thomas Lang | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas Lang |
| Born | August 5 1967 Vienna, Austria |
| Instrument(s) | Drums |
| Years active | 1995 - Present |
| Associated acts |
Geri Halliwell Robbie Williams B*Witched |
| Website | Official Website |
Thomas Lang (born August 5, 1967 in Vienna, Austria) is a professional drummer, frequent drum clinician and a producer.
Contents |
Biography
Thomas Lang was born in Vienna. He grew up in Stockerau, a small town in Austria together with his sister Sabine and brother Holger. He lived in London for ten years and moved to Los Angeles in December 2006. He started playing the drums at the age of five, and after years of private lessons, he attended the Vienna Conservatory of Music. Since then he has worked as an independent drummer. Though evidence is needed, he claims to having played on over 250 albums and touring with artists such as Robbie Williams and B*Witched. His work can also be heard on the solo albums Mediator (1995) and "Something Along Those Lines" (2007). In 1998/99, Thomas was teaching at the London Music School in Wapping, London (formerly the Musician's Institute). During this year, Thomas invited Robert Trujillo to perform a session at the school. When asked who he plays with in England, Robert Trujillo said he always plays with Thomas in England. In 2002, Meinl approached Remo to produce the “Thomas Lang Practice Kit”. Lang stated: "When I travel it's hard for me to keep up with my practice because I worry about disturbing people in hotel rooms, or backstage". The Remo Thomas Lang Practice Kit was the solution - an almost-silent, portable practice kit (it can be folded down and put in a small case). Thomas claimed to having worked with artists such as Geri Halliwell, Robbie Williams, John Wetton, B*Witched, Ozzy Osbourne(fact is he only auditioned for Ozzy; actually drummer Deen Castronovo got hired for "Ozzmosis" then) , Bonnie Tyler, Billy Liesegang, The Clash, Falco, Steve Hackett, Nick Kershaw, Robert Fripp, Gianna Nannini, Lighthouse Family, Boyzone, Ronan Keating, Westlife, Kylie Minogue, Asia, Robert Trujillo, Ian Dury, The Blockheads, Cathy O'Meara, Safe The Robot, The Vienna Art Orchestra and many more. Also, some people call Thomas Lang such names as "T-Lo", "Langy" and "Baron Munchausen".
Instructional Material
Lang's DVD Creative Control teaches advanced drumming technique. In Modern Drummer magazine, he has been voted by many drummers to be one of the fastest, most technical drummers in the world and can do many different drum tricks and stick tricks utilising his entire kit. In 2005 he headlined the UK Drumfest held in Birmingham alongside Kenny Aronoff and Jimmy Chamberlin. Lang also has a new DVD titled Creative Coordination & Advanced Foot Technique (Hudson Music) which was released in November 2006. The 3-disc set features over 7 hours of material. His playing and both of his DVD releases are strongly influenced by the work of drummers such as Virgil Donati, Marco Minnemann and Jon Hiseman. Thomas Lang was voted "2006 Drummer of the Year" in Rhythm Magazine's Reader's Poll. In March 2007, Thomas Lang released a solo album entitled "Something Along Those Lines".
Drum and Cymbal Setup
The kit presently used by Lang is a typical example of a progressive metal drum setup. He currently endorses Sonor drums and Meinl cymbals, and uses a Sonor Designer X-Ray kit (designed by himself)and sonor Delite kits when performing live. He has also designed a number of signature cymbals with Meinl - the 16" "Synthetik Crash", 17" "Kompressor Crash", 18" "Kinetik Crash", 18" "Signal Crash/Klub Ride", and "Filter Chinas" which come in even sizes between 8" and 16". Lang states on Creative Control that when he designed his signature cymbals, he wanted to recreate electronic cymbal sounds in acoustic cymbals. This unusual and somewhat "reversed" approach adds to his unique live sound. Lang also uses Sonor and Gibraltar Hardware, Roland Electronics, Hardcase Road Cases, AKG Microphones, Remo drum heads which include Controlled sound Heads on the snares, and clear ambassador heads on the toms . He also uses a powerstroke 3 bass head, with pillow. He Uses Vic Firth Thomas Lang Signature Sticks. It has a large shaft and oversized acorn tear drop tip to speak loudly and clearly. It is designed to produce a thunderous sound on the drums! It is a Hickory stick with a white lacquer. (L=16 1/8", Dia.=.650")
2003 - 2007 Tour Kit
- Sonor Delite Series or SQ2 Drums and Meinl Cymbals:
- Drums - Champagne Sparkle or X-Ray Acrylic
- 14x5.5" Snare
- 12x5" Wood Shell Soprano Snare
- Remo TSS marching drum (played with foot)
- 10x8" Tom
- 12x10" Tom
- 16x16" Floor Tom
- 18x16" Floor Tom
- 22x20" Bass Drum
- 20x16" Gong Bass Drum
- Cymbals - Meinl
- 8" Classics Low Bell Bottom/8" Amun Splash Top (Used as Hi-Hat)
- 13" Byzance Fast Hi-Hats
- 14" Byzance Fast Hi-Hats (Used as X-Hats)
- 12" Generation X Safari Hi-Hats (Used as X-Hats)
- 20" Byzance Ping Ride
- 16" Generation X Synthetik Crash
- 17" Generation X Kompressor Crash
- 18" Generation X Kinetik Crash
- 18" Generation X Signal Crash/Klub Ride
- 10" Generation X Filter China
- 12" Generation X Filter China
- 14" Generation X Filter China
- 16" Generation X Filter China
- 8" Generation X Filter China
- Lang also uses Sonor and Gibraltar Hardware, Remo Drum Skins, Latin Percussion & Vic Firth Sticks.
Selected Discography
- Thomas Lang - Something Along Those Lines (2007)
- Thomas Lang - Creative Coordination (2006)
- Thomas Lang - Creative Control (2003)
- B*Witched - Jump Up, Jump Down (Live)
- John Wetton - Arcangel
- John Wetton - Live at the Progfest L.A. (1997)
- John Wetton - Live in Tokyo
- John Wetton - Live in Argentina
- Thomas Lang - Mediator (1995)
- Billy Liesegang - No Strings Attached
- Willi Langer - Colours of the Octopus
- Willi Langer - Signs of Life
- Vienna Art Orchestra - Songs and other Adventures
- Vienna Art Orchestra - Art and Fun
Tour History
- 2007 Creative Coordination U.S Tour, Creative Coordination Asian Promo Tour
- 2006 Australian "Drum Scene Live" Tour w/ Tommy Igoe & Dom Famularo, U.S Summer Clinic Tour
- 2005 Gianna Nannini, Steve Jones, Bill Liesegang, Slow Club, Patrizio Buanne, X-Ray World Clinic-Tour
- 2004 Pop Idol Tour, Gianna Nannini, Creative Control World Clinic Tour & various clinic-tours
- 2003 Gianna Nannini, Rod Stewart, ABS, dynamo, various clinic-tours
- 2002 Vienna Art Orchestra, B. Tyler, Gianna Nanini
- 2001 S. Gately, R. Williams, Jonathan Wilkes, B.Tyler, R. Keating
- 2000 G.Halliwell, Robbie Williams, B*witched, Stephen Gately, Lena Marlen
- 2000 Vienna Art Orchestra, Ronan Keating
- 1999 Geri Halliwell, 911, B*witched
- 1998 J.Wetton, K. Ramirez, B. Tyler
- 1997 Falco, Bonnie Tyler, Asia, J. Wetton, Karen Ramirez
- 1996 Tom Lang, Falco, Bill Liesegang, Asia, John Wetton
- 1995 Papermoon, Falco, Csx, Tony O’ Mally, Machine Heart
- 1994 Falco, Save the Robots, Vienna Blue Brass, Hepcaolin, Calvinism
- 1993 Falco, B. Bukowski, S. Werger, Eav, Harry Stoyka
- 1992 Max, Andi Baum, Stefanie Werger, Eav, Falco
- 1991 Hallucination Company, Etta Scollo, Boris Bukowski, Bilgeri
- 1990 Etta Scollo, Gary Lux, Simone, Stefanie Werger
