Doing things the ‘normal way’ has never been Andy Graham’s style. Playing drums is no exception.

"Back in high school, my friends were listening to Duran Duran, Madonna, and Culture Club, while I was much more of a Rush / Genesis / Police kind of guy. Nothing made me happier than spending countless hours on the drums, headphones on, trying to conquer songs like Rush’s La Villa Strangiato, Natural Science, or all 22 minutes of Genesis’ 'Supper’s Ready'".

But then came Stewart Copeland. "Stewart pulled … ripped the carpet out from under me," Andy says. "He pretty much rhythmically kicked my ass. I learned so much through his playing—how to loosen up and play a little more unpredictably, taking more chances, pushing the limits. Most of all, he showed me how to groove and really use that high-hat."

Andy played in various prog-rock and funk bands through the eighties, picking up other influences from drummers like Ian Mosely (Marillion), and Phil Gould (level 42), along the way. " I think I was in the only progressive rock band in L.A. at the time," Andy says. "Everyone else was doing the Glam-rock thing: Big hair, tattoos, cigarettes, and ‘bad-boy’ attitudes. Meanwhile, we were playing 12-minute instrumental overtures in 11/8!"

Influenced by Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum in 1991, Andy took up hand African percussion and added a djembe to his kit. This added a World Music twist to his sound. His new interest in World music eventually led him to the unique Australian aboriginal instrument called the didgeridoo, which immediately grabbed his interest.

"I was amazed at how the didge could be played rhythmically," Andy says. "It’s the world’s only wind-percussion instrument!" He built a special rack (he’s also an inventor), to hold didgeridoos on his drums so he could play them both at the same time. Andy’s "Didgeridoo Drum Kit" was featured in the June 2003 issue of Modern Drummer (The second time one of his custom drum kits has been featured in the national magazine).

Blowing into sticks while also hitting things with them was a whole new thing for Andy—an unplanned new music career waiting to happen. He did very well from the very first live gig in 1997.

In 1999, Andy released an instrumental CD, Primal Elements. This recording features World drums and percussion combined with drum kit grooves backed by his rhythmic didgeridoo. One track, Thunder, has been used in a Australian compilation dance CD, an HP flash animation ad and even in a corporate training video for a submarine-building company. "I’m still scratching my head, wondering how they used that song in that one," he says.

In 2000, Andy performed to large audiences at a series of trade shows, including NETWORLD/INTEROP Las Vegas, PC EXPO New York City, and COMDEX Las Vegas. Over the course of these 3 tradeshows, over 600,000 people attended, and 10,000 special promotional versions of Primal Elements were distributed to people from all over the world. He has also played numerous concerts and benefits, including a Kids at Risk Benefit, sitting in on didgeridoo in a group with Les Claypool.

Andy has just released a new single, Freja, that will eventually be on his second CD. This piece features Andy on didgeridoo and drums, Janessa Horner on vocals and Dave Tomkins on bass. "This is my movie soundtrack piece," he says. (Freja is now downloadable at andygraham.net.)

As an inventor who likes to 'push the envelope', Andy has developed several unique hybrid instruments that he now includes in his live shows. These instruments fuse the ancient sound of the didgeridoo with strings and modern electric pickups. They include the Electric Stringed Didgeridoo, the DIJBOW, and the DIJBASS—a bass guitar and didgeridoo hybrid that was featured in the nationally distributed Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

Today, Andy’s drumming is being shaped by yet another outside-the-box drummer, Thomas Lang. "I haven’t been this excited about a drummer in 20 years." says Andy. "Thomas Lang takes precision and ambidexterity to the extreme. He also has this double hi-hat system and technique that I am now working into my own act. It’s amazing how many possibilities this has opened up, especially for my one-man show. I don’t think I could ever go back to using only one hi-hat again."