Thomas Pridgen

Thomas Armon Pridgen (born November 23, 1983, Alameda County, California, United States) is an American drummer, best known for his role as the drummer of The Mars Volta from October 2006 until October 2009. He is currently touring with rapper Residente and is the drummer for his own project The Memorials.

Biography
Pridgen won the Guitar Center Drum-Off at age 9 and at age 10 was the youngest recipient for a Zildjian endorsement in the nearly 40-year history of the company. Pridgen is also naturally left-handed, but plays the drum kit as if he is a right-hander with his kit set-up right-handed. Thomas has studied with David Garibaldi, Walfredo Reyes, Sr., Troy Lucketta, and Curtis Nutall. He endorses DW Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, Audix Microphones, and Zildjian Drumsticks (as of 2017). Thomas was also the recipient of a 4-year scholarship to Berklee College of Music in 1999 at the age of 15; he was the youngest musician to ever receive this scholarship. He has played in clinics with Walfredo Reyes, Jr. and Dennis Chambers. By his teenage years he had already done studio sessions with many Bay Area Gospel artists.

Thomas's first non-gospel touring experience was as the drummer for The Coup, who he worked with in 2001 and 2002.

In 2006, Pridgen received a call from Omar Rodríguez-López of The Mars Volta:

In 2007, Pridgen became the new permanent drummer for The Mars Volta. Pridgen's first appearance was at the March 12th show in New Zealand, where the band debuted the song "Idle Tooth" which was later renamed "Wax Simulacra" for the forthcoming album. After shows in New Zealand and Australia, The Mars Volta toured a few West Coast venues as the headliner, then entered the studio to record their fourth LP, The Bedlam in Goliath. Pridgen's style on Bedlam in Goliath used "blistering 32nd-note full-set combinations, stunning single-stroke rolls, and blazing single bass drum patterns" along with creative and precise paradiddle technique.

Thomas Pridgen has been voted as Best Up and Coming Drummer by Modern Drummer magazine.

Besides his work with The Mars Volta, he has also been involved with Christian Scott and Wicked Wisdom. Thomas, for some time, was working with singer Keyshia Cole as her live and session drummer and being her music director. He also was featured alongside Tony Royster Jr., Eric Moore, and others in drumming DVD entitled "Shed Sessions", a Gospel Chops DVD.

Thomas was also featured on the Modern Drummer 2008 DVD with footage from his performance at the festival.

On one of the last dates of the Bedlam Tour in Mexico, Thomas and the band 'wrecked' the kit and cracked the 20"x24" acrylic bass drum. After this Thomas was seen only using DW maple jazz kits live, but he now uses his Acrylic kit again with his new band The Memorials.

Best alternative drummer by Modern Drummer 2012 Readers Poll.

While not on tour or recording sessions, Thomas is also available for drum lessons mainly in San Francisco Bay Area.

Part ways with The Mars Volta (2009)
In October 2009, Thomas Pridgen left The Mars Volta. To this day, the band has made no official statement as to the reason for the departure. Dave Elitch subsequently filled in the drummer position for the remainder of the tour, who was then replaced by Deantoni Parks.

On 14 October 2013, Mars Volta bassist Juan Alderete said on the podcast Let There Be Talk, that "He's an amazing drummer, just not a mature dude. […] One night, he got super wasted, peed on the bus, started fighting with Cedric […]."

The Memorials (December, 2009)
In December 2009, Thomas Pridgen formed another band called The Memorials with friends and former students from Berklee College of Music - Viveca Hawkins (vocals) and Nick Brewer (guitars).

The band's self-titled debut was released on January 18, 2011.

Played mainly US west coast in 2010. Roaded the US on the Freedom Tour (1st trimester 2011), Equinox Tour (2nd trimester 2011), now summer 2012 Waterguns, Bar B.Q. & Hot Chocolate Tour.

Elixir on Mute (2010)
By invitation of Elixir on Mute's headman Jordan Ferreira, Thomas Pridgen took part in the recording of the band's debut End of Sky (released September 1 2010).

November 10, 2011, the band had decided upon a name, Giraffe Tongue Orchestra. By then the supergroup was working on writing songs.

In January 2012, it was announced that fellow former The Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore replaced Thomas Pridgen in Giraffe Tongue Orchestra, though by March 2015, Pridgen once again became the drummer of GTO.

The Memorials (Delirium), TEN (Eric McFadden), Vigilant (Jon Reshard), Thundercat (Stephen Bruner), Elixir On Mute (Jordan Ferreira), Wicked Evolution (Jada Pinkett Smith) (2012) 

The Memorials

Still working on his personal project The Memorials. Second album, Delirium, released on June 5, 2012. The track "Fluorescent's Unforgiving" was released via Soundcloud in November 2011. Going on another US tour with the band (summer 2012).

TEN

Spring of 2012, teamed up with guitarist, Eric McFadden (P-Funk, The Animals, Stockholm Syndrome), and Fishbone bassist, Norwood Fisher. phYne Entertainment produced five tracks for the new trio in a San Francisco studio. The project is called, TEN, as there is talk of a tour in the Fall.

Vigilant

Recording album with Jon Reshard, Chloe Pappas, Jordan Ferreira. Work to be released in 2012.

Thundercat

Guest live drummer in support of Stephen Bruner's project Thundercat. Toured all over Europe in spring 2012.

Wicked Evolution

Took part in Wicked Evolution Jada Pinkett Smith's Live Recorded Sessions.

European tour with The Memorials

After completing 3 tours (Freedom Tour, Equinox Tour, Waterguns, B B Q, & Hot Chocolate Tour) over the United States with The Memorials, the band are preparing for a European tour to launch in October 2012.

Pinnick Gales Pridgen

On 12 February 2013, Magna Carta released the Mike Varney-produced "Pinnick Gales Pridgen," featuring Eric Gales on guitar and vocals, dUg Pinnick (of King's X) on bass and vocals, and Pridgen on drums. The 13-track album features one cover song, "Sunshine of Your Love", originally by Cream, one short instrumental based on  Ludwig van Beethoven's "Für Elise", and the remaining songs written by some combination of Pinnick, Gales, Pridgen and Varney.

Suicidal Tendencies, Chiodos (2014)
On March 11, 2014, Pridgen confirmed on his Instagram and Facebook page that he has joined Suicidal Tendencies. On September 3, Pridgen along with Joseph Troy have joined Chiodos after members Derrick Frost and  Matt Goddard left the band.

Giraffe Tongue Orchestra (2011, 2015-2017)
Over the summer of 2011 it was announced that Thomas Pridgen was working on a new group with Mastodon vocalist and guitarist Brent Hinds, the Dillinger Escape Plan guitarist Ben Weinman, and former Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery. Giraffe Tongue Orchestra was founded in 2012.

The band's debut album Broken Lines was released September 23, 2016 with the main line-up featuring Hinds, Pridgen and Weinman, who were joined by William Duvall from Alice in Chains and Pete Griffin from Dethklok.

Residente (2017–present)
On March 31, 2017, rapper Residente released his debut solo album self-titled Residente. Thomas Pridgen was announced later as part of the touring members of the Residente band.

Equipment

With The Mars Volta

Bedlam Tour Kit (2007 - 2008) 
DW Collector's Series & Zildjian Cymbals:
Drums - Clear Acrylic
12x8" Tom
13x10" Tom
15x13" Floor Tom
16x14" Floor Tom
18x16" Floor Tom
24x20" Bass Drum
14x6.5" DW Copper Snare
Cymbals - Zildjian
18" [x2] A Crashes used as Hi-Hats
24" A Medium Ride
20" A Armand Ride
20" A Custom Crash
20" Oriental Crash Of Doom
18" A Custom EFX Crash, 9" Oriental Splash, 16" Oriental China (x2) (cymbals stacked)
19" K Custom Hybrid China

Octahedron Tour Kit (2009) 
DW Jazz Series & Zildjian Cymbals:
Drums - Maple & Gum
12x12" Tom
13x13" Tom
15x13" Floor Tom
16x14" Floor Tom
18x16" Floor Tom
24x20" Bass Drum
14x7 Red Maple Snare
Cymbals - Zildjian
18" A Crashes [x2] used as Hi-Hats
24" A Medium Ride
24" K Custom Ride [x2]
18" A Custom EFX Crash, 9" Oriental Splash, 16" Oriental China (x2) (cymbals stacked)
20" A Custom China
20" Crash of Doom

With The Memorials
DW Collector's Series & Zildjian Cymbals:
Drums - Clear Acrylic
12x7" Tom
13x8" Tom
16x14" Floor Tom
18x16" Floor Tom
24x16" Bass Drum
14x6.5" DW Stainless steel snare
Cymbals - Zildjian
19" [x2] Z3 Custom Crashes used as Hi-Hats
24" A Medium Ride
20" A Custom Crash
20" Z3 Crash
18" A Custom EFX Crash, 9" Oriental Splash, 16" Oriental China (x2) (cymbals stacked)
20" A Custom China
Wind Chimes
Drum Heads - Evans
Toms: (12", 13", 15", 16") Clear G2s (top), Clear Resonants (bottom)
Bass Drum: (24") Clear EQ3 (batter), Clear EQ3 (with small hole) (resonant)
Snares : (14") Clear G2 (top), 300 Hazy (bottom)
Thomas also used DW 9000 Series Hardware and Pedals, Pro-Mark TX510 Thomas Pridgen Autograph drumsticks, & Shure Microphones.
Thomas has recently been seen using a kit made from resin by a company based out of Ventura, CA Thump Drums.

Discography
For a more complete discography, see Thomas Pridgen's entry on Album Credits.

With Zenith Patrol
 VU (2005)

With Christian Scott
Rewind That (2006)

With Eric Gales
Crystal Vision - (2006)
Psychedelic Underground (Eric Gales album) - (2007)

With dUg Pinnick and Eric Gales
"Pinnick Gales Pridgen" - (2013)
"PGP 2" - (2014)

With The Mars Volta
 The Bedlam in Goliath (2008)
 Octahedron (2009)

With Omar Rodríguez-López
Calibration (Is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far) (2007) - "Mexico", "Sidewalk Fins", "Las Lagrimas de Arakuine"
Los Sueños de un Hígado (2009)
Xenophanes (2009)
Equinox (2013) - "Sueños Salvajes" & "Popolon"
¿Sólo Extraño? (2013) - "Common Condescend"
Nom de Guerre Cabal (2016) - "Nom de Guerre"
Some Need It Lonely (2016) - "Sanity a Dream", "Back to the Same", "Zero Worth"/"Barachiel Is At It Again"
Gorilla Preacher Cartel (2017) - "Lección en Ignoracia"
Solid State Mercenaries (2017) - "Five Star" & "Try On Little Man"

With Juliette Lewis
 Terra Incognita (2009)

With Elixir on Mute
End of Sky (2010)

With Foxy Shazam
Foxy Shazam (2010)

With Jada Pinkett Smith
Live Recording Sessions (2012)

With The Memorials
The Memorials (2011)
Delirium (2012)

References

External links

Thomas Pridgen's on Album Credits
Drum Channel | Thomas Pridgen

Category:1983 births
Category:Living people
Category:People from Alameda County, California
Category:African-American drummers
Category:African-American rock musicians
Category:Berkeley High School (Berkeley, California) alumni
Category:Berklee College of Music alumni
Category:Grammy Award winners
Category:Progressive rock drummers
Category:21st-century American drummers