Rod de'Ath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rod de'Ath
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Roderick Morris Buckenham de'Ath |
| Born | 18 June 1950 Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK |
| Died | 1 August 2014 (aged 64) |
| Genres | Hard rock, blues rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, producer |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Years active | 1969–80s |
| Labels | Polydor, Chrysalis |
| Associated acts | Rory Gallagher, Screaming Lord Sutch, Killing Floor |
Roderick Morris Buckenham de'Ath (born June 18, 1950 – died August 1, 2014) was a talented musician from Wales. He was best known for being the drummer for the famous Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher during the 1970s.
Contents
Rod de'Ath: A Drummer's Journey
Rod de'Ath had a fascinating career in music. He played with several bands and became a well-known name in the rock world.
Playing with Rory Gallagher
Rod de'Ath was playing drums with a band called Killing Floor when he got an exciting offer. He was asked to fill in as a temporary drummer for Rory Gallagher's band for a tour in Europe in 1972. Rory Gallagher's regular drummer, Wilgar Campbell, later left the band for good. Because Rod did such a great job, he was asked to join Rory Gallagher's band full-time.
He stayed with Rory Gallagher for many years, playing on several of their albums. In 1978, Rod and the band's keyboard player, Lou Martin, decided to leave. Gerry McAvoy, who played bass for Rory Gallagher, once said that Rod's drumming was very unique. He mentioned that Rod's style was "so strange that it added a whole new dimension to Rory's sound." This means Rod's drumming made Rory Gallagher's music sound special and different.
After Rory: New Bands and a Challenge
After leaving Rory Gallagher's band, Rod de'Ath continued his musical journey. He joined a band called Ramrod, where he played again with Lou Martin. Later, he also played with the Downliners Sect. After these bands, Rod moved to the United States.
In 1981, he helped record new songs for Screaming Lord Sutch, a British musician. In the mid-1980s, Rod came back to the UK. He worked as a producer for a band named Road Erect, helping them create their album. Around this time, Rod had a serious accident while trying to catch a train. This accident caused him to lose one eye and also affected his brain. He worked very hard to recover from his injuries. Even though he got much better, he was no longer able to play the drums.
His Later Years
When Rory Gallagher passed away in 1995, many news reports mistakenly said that Rod de'Ath had also died. Because of this, Rod did not attend Rory Gallagher's funeral. Gerry McAvoy, Rory's bass player, had even heard a rumor that Rod had died in an accident years earlier.
However, a few months after Rory's funeral, Rod appeared at a special memorial service. He said he had "waited for a suitable moment" to show everyone he was still alive. Gerry McAvoy remembered that Rod looked quite weak and needed a stick to walk.
For many years after 1996, not much was known about Rod de'Ath. Then, in May 2012, an interview with him was published in Classic Rock magazine. This interview was part of a bigger story about Rory Gallagher. A few months later, in August, Rod de'Ath went to the funeral of Lou Martin, who had played with both Rory Gallagher and Ramrod.
Saying Goodbye
Rod de'Ath passed away on August 1, 2014, at the age of 64. He had been ill for a long time.
Albums He Played On
Rod de'Ath played drums on several important albums with Rory Gallagher. Here are some of them:
- Blueprint (1973) released by Polydor
- Tattoo (1973) released by Polydor
- Irish Tour '74 (1974) released by Polydor
- Against the Grain (1975) released by Chrysalis
- Calling Card (1976) released by Chrysalis
- Notes from San Francisco (2011) released by Capo/Legacy/Eagle Rock (This album was recorded in 1977 but released much later.)
See also
In Spanish: Rod de'Ath para niños
