David Hopgood

David Hopgood (B. Ed. Secondary Music) is a respected drummer and percussion teacher employed by the South Australian Education Department’s Instrumental Music Service.
Born in Adelaide on April 17, 1967 he started drum lessons at age 9 and by age 11 was playing in trad. jazz groups and concert band. David’s early drumming influences were Chick Webb and Deep Purple’s Ian Paice.
David undertook a Bachelor of Education in Secondary Music at the S.A. College of Advanced Education in 1986 and in that time was resident drummer for the Jazz Choir and a member of the Percussion Ensemble.
In a 16-year career he has taught percussion through the T.A.F.E. Commercial Music Course, at St. Ignatius and Immanuel Colleges and now the Instrumental Music Service.
David has worked as a kit player in many and varied bands, from original hardcore alternative group Hobson’s Choice to cover bands Club Schmaltz, Paula and the Toy Boys, Catherine Lambert’s Party-On, Jellyhead and Soul Candy, as well as jazz/funk outfit Gosling and fusion group Cucumber Slumber.
His musical influences include; Weather Report, Deep Purple, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, The Beatles, Free, Bob Dylan, Stravinsky, King Crimson, prog. rock, metal, Living Colour, Tori Amos, Rage Against The Machine, Tool and drummers Ian Paice, Carl Palmer, Steve Gadd, Peter Erskine, Omar Hakim, Dave Weckl, Tony Williams, Jeff Porcaro and Marco Minnemann.