Will Jones Live/Dep Drummer
I’m Will Jones and I have played the drums in cover, function, tribute and originals bands since the early 2000s, both as a permanent member and as a dep. I am based in Hertfordshire, UK. I have played hundreds of gigs all over the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
Male, late 30s, based in Hertfordshire.
20+ years in cover, function, tribute and originals bands.
Drive and have a full pro drum rig.
Play to a click and backing tracks. I have IEMs and a IEM rig.
Adept at most “2 & 4” drumming styles. Acoustic and singer/songwriter up to heavy rock.
Reader. Can take on short-notice dep gigs.
270+ songs on my song list.
Contact via Facebook, motownjunk@gmail.com or phone/WhatsApp 07855 702330.
To view the below video playlist directly on YouTube, click here.
To bring up the playlist contents, click the three horizontal bars in the top right of the video.
Other attributes
Upbeat and energetic stage demeanour, plenty of smiles. I do not just stare down at the kit.
Willing to adapt and dress according to different situations.
I have Musical Director experience and in that role I have coordinated my band's arrangements, interpretations and tones. The role has led me to be the first point of contact for new deps and give them crash courses in what to expect onstage (cues etc). So, if I dep for you, I know what to ask and what to be conscious of.
Road dog. Comfortable with long journeys/hotels/airports etc.
Team player. For me it’s all about the product we’re presenting. I never insert “me” into the music.
Brief CV and background
1999 - Started playing.
2000 - Began recording online (or “collaborating online” as it’s known today).
I am a self-taught player and aside from doing the standard thing of playing along to records, recording online is where I really cut my teeth, figuring out my own parts and what works for a song. I collaborated on covers and originals with people all over Europe.
2001-03 - Attended Cambridge Regional College and received a BTEC ND in Contemporary Popular Music.
I learned all manner of popular music-related things on the course, such as playing in bands/ensemble situations, music journalism, music business and music tech.
2003-10 - Played in a succession of originals bands.
I took the lead in my first two bands when it came to the administrative side, which included booking gigs and preparing promo packs. I also further honed my craft when it came to creating drum tracks.
In my third and final band, Kids Love Lies, I played my first UK tour.
2007-10 - Attended Anglia Ruskin University and graduated with a BSc (Hons) in New Media Production Technology.
There was no focus on audio on this course, though when possible I incorporated it into my assignments.
Gained much experience in web design and video-making with the Adobe packages of the time.
2011-present - I used my university experience to turn my online drum recording into a paid service, Drum Tracks Direct. I provide live drum tracks for songwriters/producers all over the world. I have recorded over 800 songs for over 160 customers in 19 countries.
2012-present - I have played in cover bands, moving on to function bands.
I predominantly played standard cover band rock/indie fayre until 2024. Played in “all eras”, indie-alt and classic rock bands.
In 2024, my reading (which I had begun to learn in 2019) became of the level that I moved into function bands as well.
2012-22 - I played in hard rock tribute bands.
My principle band was Guns N’ Roses Experience, with whom I played hundreds of gigs all over the UK, Europe and the Middle East. I was the “captain” and musical director of the band. See a video playlist here.
I also played in numerous tribute spin-offs, including Velvet Revolver, AC/DC and Billy Idol. The latter’s half-hour show was entirely my creation, built around the singer.