Blake Fleming
Encyclopedia
Blake Fleming is a drummer known for his involvement with several influential experimental bands. Fleming started drumming
at age 8, and spent several years in fife
and drumming corps, bagpipe bands, jazz
bands, orchestra
s, etc. His first band was Dazzling Killmen
, which he joined at age 15. Later he played with the Japan
ese prog-punk band Zeni Geva
. He then moved from St. Louis
to New York City
and formed the instrumental band Laddio Bolocko
. After breaking up Laddio, he moved to Los Angeles
and helped start The Mars Volta
in 2001, but left after only recording a handful of demos. He also drummed on Omar Rodríguez-López
's solo album 'A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume 1'. He then returned to New York City to form Electric Turn To Me, which in turn broke up in 2006. He rejoined The Mars Volta after drummer Jon Theodore
's departure on July 28, 2006. He later left the band and was replaced by Deantoni Parks
for the remainder of the 2006 tour. He has since built a career as a freelance performer and drum teacher in New York. Today he is a drum teacher at the State University of New York College at Oneonta and is currently playing in an experimental project with engineer/musician Andris Balins called: Future By Now in upstate New York
.
Upon Fleming's return to The Mars Volta in 2006, vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala
stated:
in 2006, used a Ludwig Stainless steel kit composed of a 24x16" kick, a 14x10" tom, a 16x16" floor tom, a 18x16" floor tom and a 14x6.5" steel snare. He currently endorses Truth Drums.
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
at age 8, and spent several years in fife
Fife (musical instrument)
A fife is a small, high-pitched, transverse flute that is similar to the piccolo, but louder and shriller due to its narrower bore. The fife originated in medieval Europe and is often used in military and marching bands. Someone who plays the fife is called a fifer...
and drumming corps, bagpipe bands, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
bands, orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
s, etc. His first band was Dazzling Killmen
Dazzling Killmen
Dazzling Killmen was a math rock band from the St. Louis, Missouri area. The band combining a punk-inspired noisy ruckus with jazzy Sun Ra-type intelligence and complex arrangements.-Biography:...
, which he joined at age 15. Later he played with the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese prog-punk band Zeni Geva
Zeni Geva
Zeni Geva is a Japanese heavy metal group led by singer and guitarist KK. Null, together with guitarist Mitsuru Tabata and drummer Tatsuya Yoshida...
. He then moved from St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and formed the instrumental band Laddio Bolocko
Laddio Bolocko
Laddio Bolocko was a noise rock band from New York City, formed in 1996 by members of Panicsville and the Dazzling Killmen. Their sound has drawn comparisons to experimental rock groups such as This Heat and Can and free jazz musicians like Albert Ayler. The band favored limited releases, offering...
. After breaking up Laddio, he moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and helped start The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...
in 2001, but left after only recording a handful of demos. He also drummed on Omar Rodríguez-López
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, writer, actor and film director who was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico...
's solo album 'A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume 1'. He then returned to New York City to form Electric Turn To Me, which in turn broke up in 2006. He rejoined The Mars Volta after drummer Jon Theodore
Jon Theodore
Jon Philip Theodore is a drummer, formerly a member of The Mars Volta. He has become best known for his explosive, multi-textural and dynamic playing style.-History:...
's departure on July 28, 2006. He later left the band and was replaced by Deantoni Parks
Deantoni Parks
Deantoni Parks is a new wave/avant-garde/experimental drummer, songwriter, film director, actor and record producer born in Newnan, Georgia. He is the founder; producer and drummer of the New York band, KUDU, and one-half of the writing duo, Dark Angels with producer and keyboardist Nick Kasper,...
for the remainder of the 2006 tour. He has since built a career as a freelance performer and drum teacher in New York. Today he is a drum teacher at the State University of New York College at Oneonta and is currently playing in an experimental project with engineer/musician Andris Balins called: Future By Now in upstate New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Upon Fleming's return to The Mars Volta in 2006, vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala
Cedric Bixler-Zavala
Cedric Bixler-Zavala is a Grammy Award-winning Mexican-American musician known for his work as frontman and lyricist of the progressive rock band The Mars Volta, and previously as frontman and occasional guitarist of the post-hardcore punk group At the Drive-In...
stated:
Gear
Blake Fleming, with The Mars VoltaThe Mars Volta
The Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...
in 2006, used a Ludwig Stainless steel kit composed of a 24x16" kick, a 14x10" tom, a 16x16" floor tom, a 18x16" floor tom and a 14x6.5" steel snare. He currently endorses Truth Drums.
Band history
- Dazzling KillmenDazzling KillmenDazzling Killmen was a math rock band from the St. Louis, Missouri area. The band combining a punk-inspired noisy ruckus with jazzy Sun Ra-type intelligence and complex arrangements.-Biography:...
- Zeni GevaZeni GevaZeni Geva is a Japanese heavy metal group led by singer and guitarist KK. Null, together with guitarist Mitsuru Tabata and drummer Tatsuya Yoshida...
- Laddio BolockoLaddio BolockoLaddio Bolocko was a noise rock band from New York City, formed in 1996 by members of Panicsville and the Dazzling Killmen. Their sound has drawn comparisons to experimental rock groups such as This Heat and Can and free jazz musicians like Albert Ayler. The band favored limited releases, offering...
- The Mars VoltaThe Mars VoltaThe Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...
- Electric Turn To Me
- The Rollo TreadwayThe Rollo TreadwayThe Rollo Treadway is a Brooklyn based psychedelic pop group formed in 2006. Their name is taken from a character in the 1924 Buster Keaton film, The Navigator. The group's music is distinguished by its intricate arrangements, lush vocal harmonies and cynical, idiosyncratic lyrics...
- Future By Now
With Omar Rodríguez-López
- A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume OneA Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume OneA Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume One, the solo debut from The Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López, was recorded in 2001 after the breakup of former band At the Drive-In and released in 2004. A Manual Dexterity is the first of a two part soundtrack set to go along to a film directed by...
(2004) - Absence Makes the Heart Grow FungusAbsence Makes the Heart Grow FungusAbsence Makes the Heart Grow Fungus is an instrumental record by Omar Rodríguez-López released by Infrasonic Sound. It is one of four solo albums completed in 2001 by Omar Rodríguez-López during the interim period following the demise of At the Drive-In and the formation of The Mars Volta...
(2008)