About Tony
Hi, I'm Tony 'Madfingers' McBride
I'm a drummer who has played many diverse types of music. ..using many different types of percussion.
And I'm a creator of drum and percussion loop libraries.
I've performed in multitude of styles ranging from metal to Jazz, from Rag-time to Pipe Band. Drumkit, pipe band side drum, or snare drum, and washboard rig are my go to instruments.
I've studied drums for many years, receiving pipe band and drum kit instruction from educator John Fishero of PIT, and Schotts and Dykehead alumni circa Alec Duthart, J Reid Maxwell, lead side for SFU Pipes and Drums. I'm currently studying under Grade 1 side drummer and adjudicator David Fells of the City of New Westminster Pipes and Drums.
Here is Dave leading the drum salute we placed in at the Campbell River Highland Gathering Aug 2023
From Left to right is Martin: tenor, Brendan, Liam, David Fells, Chris and then myself: side drum, with Daniel on Bass drum on my right.
I believe that getting around someone who you find to be incredibly passionate about something you love, is the best way to learn! It always rubs off onto you!
Back throughout my high school years in the early 80's I was active with my kit drumming, playing Stage Band under the guidance of Dave Proznick. Probably the best way to begin learning swing jazz for your average 13 year old is to go through a really good Stage band program. Dave was one of the best teachers in the Lower Mainland, who would win an amazing amount of festivals. Dave would drill Ensemble Ensemble Ensemble into all his students, ,....producing the overall sound, ....paying attention to the mix as you play.
More recently I've performed Blues with Papa King and the Boogiemen here in the North West.
I've performed in many very good original music projects as well over the years from punk to metal to progressive, even jazz of course. But I think the most fun I've had recently in a small group would have to be the Genuine Jug Band, with whom I performed for twelve years
Ragtime Jazz of the late 1800's to late 1920's era was performed with tenor guitars, banjos, gut bucket bass , and a good washboard player, if I do say so myself. There often were some wonderful woodwind accompaniments as well.
Then I came across this a few years ago......frankly, I'm sorta flattered, but there are and have been a lot of talented and dedicated musicians , washboard players, who are or were each amazing in their own unique way over the years.
The top five washboard players! ( in case you wanted to know...)
Very regrettably, In late 2019, the band's leader Professor Douglas Fraser regrettably passed on. The band is currently on hiatus.
Recording and producing loops and sounds have been an enjoyment of mine for a long time. In the past I have produced custom packs, one of which I sold privately almost twenty years ago to a sound designer at Dreamworks in California.
This new collection contains recordings from my personally recorded collection of creator loops, be they drums or washboard, are layered and processed in my DAW. These loops sound live recorded because they are initially individually recorded, snare, hi-hat, etc... recorded and saved as wave files. The result is live percussive tones!
Live captured unprocessed recording can capture and array of tonal qualities out of a single percussive sound, giving a third dimensional 'depth' to a percussive beat. This collection features those tonal qualities. Rhythmically and melodically unique, I believe this is a one of a kind collection.
Tony - Aug 2023
