Community Artist / Deep Listener / Sound Therapist / Performer
The Drones
London-based contemporary quartet who play original acoustic music and songs with cello, mandolin, clarinet, percussion, car parts, toys, birdcalls, musical saw, items from the garden shed…
Steve Grocott: mandolin, bazouki, guitar, voice and more
Tanera Dawkins: cello (and sometimes recorder and duck chorus)
Giles Leaman: percussion, digeridoo, oboe and more
Jon Petter: woodwind, percussion, voice
Formed in the late 80s by Steve Grocott, the original line-up featured Cliff Stapleton on hurdy-gurdy until he left to be replaced by Tanera Dawkins on cello in the mid 90s. We recorded 1 album with Cliff and there are 3 more after that, all still available. Whilst not quite as active as we once were, we still love to meet and play and come up with new tunes and ideas together.
If you would like to hear or purchase our music visit our Bandcamp site at https://thedroneslondon.bandcamp.com/music
Here’s what the papers say:
“..musically, anything goes. ..from lyrical and evocative to discord and abandon.” The Observer
“A delight” Time Out
“Inspirational” TES
“Surprisingly pleasant” The Times
‘Marvellous stuff’ Evening Standard.
‘Elemental!’ Lol Coxhill.
‘…Freudian band…’ overheard at the bar.
Recordings
Drones 4 (2011)
Sounds From The Beehive (2003)
Giant Bonsai (1995)
The Drones cassette (1990)
Pictures
