Andy Newmark

Andy Newmark
Newmark at the Three Mariners, Faversham, Kent, England, in 2008
Newmark at the Three Mariners, Faversham, Kent, England, in 2008
Background information
Born (1950-07-14) July 14, 1950 (age 74)
Port Chester, New York, U.S.
Genres
OccupationDrummer
Instruments
  • Drums
  • percussion
Years active1967–present
Websiteandynewmark.com

Andrew Newmark (born July 14, 1950)[1] is an American session drummer who was a member of Sly and the Family Stone and has played with George Harrison, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Carly Simon, Ron Wood and Roxy Music.

Biography

Andrew Newmark was born on July 14, 1950, in Port Chester, New York, and raised primarily in the nearby suburb of Mamaroneck. His mother was Bermudian and his father, Charles W. Newmark, was an Assistant District Attorney from 1938 to 1940 in New York City under District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey. His Father was Russian-Jewish. Taking up the drums at the age of nine, Newmark gradually honed his craft and was taking paid gigs at age 15.[2] Visiting his mother's native Bermuda frequently throughout his youth, Newmark made the decision to move there at the age of 16.[1] Newmark played in the Bermuda Jam, a band that included guitarist Paul Muggleton.

One of his first gigs was recording with Carly Simon on her albums Anticipation and No Secrets. These and other sessions segued into a more permanent role as a member of the funk band Sly and the Family Stone from 1972 to 1973. Hired to replace Gerry Gibson, who had replaced founding member Greg Errico, Newmark was invited to audition for Sly Stone by saxophonist Pat Rizzo.[3] Newmark went on to record one album, Fresh (1973), as the Family Stone's drummer and performed with the band for two years in concert.

After leaving Family Stone in 1974, Newmark played drums for the first month of George Harrison and Ravi Shankar's 1974 North American tour, and returned to session work, playing drums on Gary Wright's 1975 album Dream Weaver.[4] He continued performing on Carly Simon's solo albums throughout the 1970s and again in the 1990s. Newmark has performed and recorded with John Lennon, Cat Stevens, Joe Walsh, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Roy Buchanan, Bryan Ferry, Dan Fogelberg, George Harrison, Rickie Lee Jones, Patrick Moraz, Randy Newman, Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Murray Head, Keith Richards, Rod Stewart, Luther Vandross, Ronnie Wood,[5] Roxy Music, ABC, Hue and Cry, Laura Nyro, Nicolette Larson, Elkie Brooks, Sting, Steve Winwood,[6] Nils Lofgren,[6] George Benson, and Michael Franks.

In 1980, Newmark was the drummer on John Lennon's last album, Double Fantasy, as well as Milk and Honey released in 1984. He was the featured drummer on Yoko Ono's Season of Glass in 1981. His connection with the Double Fantasy album was reprised in 2012 with his contributions to the Lennon Bermuda tribute album[7] on several tracks, including those by Paul Carrack, Bryan Ferry, Nils Lofgren, and Rocky and the Natives.

According to a 2006 Sound on Sound magazine interview[8] with engineer Andy Jackson, Newmark played drums on David Gilmour's On an Island album. Newmark also plays on several tracks on David Gilmour's 2015 solo album Rattle That Lock.

Equipment

Newmark uses Yamaha drums, Remo drum heads, Zildjian cymbals and Vic Firth drumsticks. His drum setup and cymbals vary slightly with who he plays with, but generally favors a setup consisting of a bass drum, rack tom, snare drum, and then one or two floor toms. He plays a mix of Zildjian A and K cymbals.

Drums: Yamaha Recording Custom and Tour Custom Series:

  • 16"x24" bass drum
  • 8"x12" rack tom
  • 16"x16" floor tom


Cymbals: Zildjian:

  • 13" A new beat hi-hats or 14" A new beat hi-hats
  • 8" A splash
  • 16" A rock crash or 17" A thin crash
  • 18" A thin crash
  • 20" A medium ride or 20" K ride or 20" K Constantinople ride

Drumheads: Remo

  • Yamaha variation of Remo drumheads

Drumsticks: Vic Firth:

  • Vic Firth 5A drumsticks

Discography

Year Album Collaborator(s) Notes
1971 Anticipation Carly Simon
1972 No Secrets Carly Simon
1973 Fresh Sly and the Family Stone
Kindling Gene Parsons
U.F.O. Ron Davies
1974 Hotcakes Carly Simon
Dark Horse George Harrison
Wrap Around Joy Carole King
I've Got My Own Album to Do Ronnie Wood
Good Old Boys Randy Newman
Smiler Rod Stewart
1975 Playing Possum Carly Simon
Gorilla James Taylor
Extra Texture (Read All About It) George Harrison
Now Look Ronnie Wood
Young Americans David Bowie
The Dream Weaver Gary Wright
In Concert-Carnegie Hall George Benson
Good King Bad George Benson
Atlantic Crossing Rod Stewart
Michael Bolotin Michael Bolton
1976 Another Passenger Carly Simon
Black Widow Lalo Schifrin
Benson & Farrell George Benson and Joe Farrell
Three Bob James
End of a Rainbow Patti Austin
The Story of I Patrick Moraz Side 2
Hank Crawford's Back Hank Crawford
The Fox Urbie Green
You Can't Argue with a Sick Mind Joe Walsh
Mr. Fathead David "Fathead" Newman
A Night on the Town Rod Stewart
1977 One World John Martyn
Little Criminals Randy Newman
Izitso Cat Stevens
Carole Bayer Sager Carole Bayer Sager
1978 Jungle Fever Neil Larsen
Nested Laura Nyro
Shooting Star Elkie Brooks
No Frills Mark Farner
1979 Airwaves Badfinger
George Harrison George Harrison
Rickie Lee Jones Rickie Lee Jones
In Love Cheryl Lynn
Phoenix Dan Fogelberg
Born Again Randy Newman
1980 Double Fantasy John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Red Cab to Manhattan Stephen Bishop
Nightbird Paul Carrack
Connections Richie Havens
Flesh and Blood Roxy Music
1981 Voice Murray Head
Season of Glass Yoko Ono
1982 Gloria Gaynor Gloria Gaynor
Anyone Can See Irene Cara
Bill LaBounty Bill LaBounty
Objects of Desire Michael Franks
Avalon Roxy Music
1983 Pacific Fire George Benson
The High Road Roxy Music
Beauty Stab ABC
The Final Cut Pink Floyd
1984 Milk and Honey John Lennon and Yoko Ono
The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking Roger Waters
1985 Skin Dive Michael Franks
Rock a Little Stevie Nicks
The Cat Is Out Judie Tzuke
Boys and Girls Bryan Ferry
1987 ...Nothing Like the Sun Sting
Exiles Dan Fogelberg
Bête Noire Bryan Ferry
1992 This is My Life Carly Simon
Come On Come On Mary Chapin Carpenter
1993 Taxi Bryan Ferry
1994 Letters Never Sent Carly Simon
1995 Nothing but the Blues Eric Clapton
Blue Views Paul Carrack
1996 Under the Angels Judie Tzuke
1997 Deuces Wild B.B. King
1998 Secret Agent Judie Tzuke
1999 As Time Goes By Bryan Ferry
2000 All the difference [9] David French [10]
2001 Not for Beginners Ronnie Wood
Satisfy My Soul Paul Carrack
2002 Frantic Bryan Ferry
2006 On an Island David Gilmour
2007 The First Barbarians: Live from Kilburn Ronnie Wood Recorded in 1974, released in 2007
Dylanesque Bryan Ferry
2010 Olympia Bryan Ferry
2014 Avonmore Bryan Ferry
2015 Rattle That Lock David Gilmour

References

  1. ^ a b Scrymgeour, Alex (2008). "Andy Newmark: And the beat goes on." The Royal Gazette (online) October 10, 2008. Retrieved 9-2-2013.
  2. ^ ANDY NEWMARK/Keef Trouble - an interview on YouTube. Retrieved 9-2-2013.
  3. ^ "Drummerworld: Andy Newmark". Drummerworld.
  4. ^ Gary Wright Dream Weaver Retrieved 24 September 2022
  5. ^ "Credits for "I've Got My Own Album To Do" (Ronnie Wood, 1974)". Allmusic. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
  6. ^ a b "Andy Newmark" by Rick Mattingly, Modern Drummer magazine, 8:2, Feb. 1984
  7. ^ "John Lennon Bermuda".
  8. ^ "Recording David Gilmour's On an Island". Sound on Sound. Retrieved 2006-06-01.
  9. ^ https://davidfrench.com
  10. ^ https://davidfrench.com