Jim McCarty

Wikipedia:

James Stanley "Jim" McCarty (born 25 July 1943 in Liverpool, England) is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.

Early life

He was born at Walton Hospital in Liverpool, but his family moved to London when he was two years old. He attended Hampton School in Richmond upon Thames where Paul Samwell-Smith was a fellow pupil. When playing with the early Yardbirds, he worked as a stockbroker in London Stock Exchange.

The Yardbirds

Renaissance

Other bands

He has also played in the bands Shoot (on lead vocals), Illusion (as acoustic guitarist, with three other ex-members of Renaissance), Stairway and Pilgrim.

McCarty played in the Yardbirds reunion band Box of Frogs in the 1980s, and has been part of the Yardbirds' reformation since 1992. McCarty has also been a member of The British Invasion All-Stars, and his own Jim McCarty Band.

Innovative Influence

McCarty is respected for the innovative drumming styles which he introduced into rock music, particularly psychedelic music during the 1960s. There are The Yardbirds songs, like "Train Kept A-Rollin'", when McCarty produces a train style beat, and songs like "Mister You’re a Better Man Than I" and "Shapes of Things" when he often changes tempo mid song and as well as produces a martial beat, such as the fast military gallop which drives the Shapes of Things solo. "I'm A Man" has what became known as a speed metal beat, "I'm Not Talking" has the strong back beat. Although not as flamboyant as his contemporaries Keith Moon and Mitch Mitchell, McCarty’s drumming influenced an entire generation of drummers to experiment beyond the normal rhythm patterns that were prevalent in early Rock 'n' Roll, and he is especially recognized, for his early career innovations, many of which received extensive American and European airplay, such as "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" (a psychedelic rock highlight).

Bibliography