John A. Douglas - Artist, Drummer, Dreamer...

Born in Godfrey, Illinois, a small town across the mighty Mississippi from St. Louis, my earliest memories include beating on pots , pans and oatmeal boxes with my mom’s knitting needles and “customizing” my Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars ( ruining their value as collectable items now).

This ultimately lead to an orange sparkle “real” drumkit , the first installment of what would become a long line of ever-expanding and visually-exhausting custom drum kits.(click here for the Evolution of a Drummer photo gallery ) And what of my dubious efforts at improving the look of my Hot Wheels ? That eventually met its obvious conclusion….a full scale custom 1951 GMC pick-up truck built entirely in my garage. Somehow I have managed to forge a career or two out of these very passions.

Soon my father was transferred, so my family packed up the car and drove to Houston, Texas. With out a doubt, playing drums was ALL that I was driven to do. There I was, a senior at Cy-Fair High School, National Honor Society member, Math Club, graduating Magna Cum Laude with no college plans and no declared major ( what was I going to write down , drummer/rockstar ? )

My disappointed teachers and guidance counselors all had the same tag line, “At least you have your art to fall back on”. Right or wrong, let me tell you, aspiring musicians, artists and dreamers HATE hearing that they may have to “fall back on” anything!

Out of school, out on the road, I found myself playing drums for Rage, a band from California that was playing the Texas circuit. A few bands later ( Blue Blazes, X.O.X.) and I was with Kik Tracee , a recently -signed band in L.A.. After years of touring, making videos and recording two albums released on RCA, I realized that I actually wanted to “fall back on my art”. Make no mistake, that too, is a passion. And a blessing.

Evolution of a Drummer