Mark White – drumming yourself to health

When your heart can beat with a voice, you’re mind and body will follow. Such is the case with Mark White who has been struck with a love for drumming and drummers and consumed by the passion of the art.

Mark has suffered with chronic arthritis since 1985 but in 2006 was struck with a stroke which led to a brain haemorrhage. With a strong character and with the help of drumming he has nursed himself back to relative health and with that, he has charged himself with a crusade to make drummers aware of their health.

Undaunted by his afflictions, his determination pushes him to seek out different techniques to enable those affected in similar ways to continue. All monies earned from his efforts go towards the various charities and his efforts have created a new form of therapy now recognised by the NHS and the government.

He has been fortunate to meet and have his playing recognised by Terry Bozzio and Dom Famularo, and has performed with Thomas Lang and Mark Schulman at drum events held by Paul Francis at Orchard Percussion.

To get to this playing stature at his present level of disablement is no mean feat and Mark is certain that "drumming saved my life!"

As human beings we all have a tendency to think we’re invincible and when reality kicks in, we realise how wrong we are. Mark White humbly tells his story to highlight the hidden dangers relating to health that may potentially lie before all of us and to raise awareness of something that we all take for granted.

Going back all those years, who and what turned you on to drumming and what you were into?

My neighbour, Henry Logan, who was and is a drummer. I used to listen to him practising his flamadiddles through the wall and I asked him over the garden fence what he was doing. He invited me round to listen to his records that Steve Gadd was playing on and records of Steely Dan and Frank Zappa. I was interested in learning rudiments and he taught me the paradiddle. I then joined Basildon Blue Eagles which was my junior schools marching band as a snare player. Then I found out my father was a drummer and my great grandfather was a band leader. My parents were reluctant for me to start playing the drums as they thought it would lead me astray, due to their religious beliefs. My dad did give me advice to study the drumming in jazz and that advice made me a very chop-heavy player. He really encouraged me to listen to Buddy Rich mainly, and Louis Bellson, Dave Brubeck and Joe Morello. In the early eighties, I moved onto Phil Gould''s work in Level 42. I saw Buddy Rich play three times in the early eighties.

You had to re-adjust your playing as you had early arthritis, tell me how you overcame the challenges?

For a while I was suffering with pain in my fingers and toes and, in 1985, I had my first big problem in my drumming life. I was diagnosed with a destructive form of Arthritis, associated with my Psoriasis skin condition, which I have suffered with since being a young boy. Anyway, I took the medication and ignored the advice that drumming may exacerbate my joint condition. Yes I had to adapt my stick positions... I changed from traditional to American matched grip due to the pain I felt with my left hand, plus the fact that my grip strength was diminished and my fingers were starting to deform. I started to analyse other things I do in my life that flairs up my joints. From that I figured that what I learnt hopefully I may be able to pass on to other drummers who suffer with issues like mine, but not necessarily Arthritis. In 2005, I dipped my toe into the Net with my own small site simply called "markwhitedrummer". It was designed to help those with inflammatory issues and, at the same time, offer some advice on the core language of drumming. Plus there were videos of me demonstrating different types of drumming. For years my little site has come to the aid of many drummers.

Playing drums is obviously where your passion lies - what still keeps you motivated?

I have to be uber honest here: apart from the very passion of the tactile feel and execution of beats, it''s also about me not accepting 30 plus years have gone forever, because the haemorrhage and stroke had stolen my first real love from me forever. I am in mourning for what I''ve lost and by caring and keeping in mind that I may be able to retain a reasonable level on the drums (with just one hand and one foot) without any assistance from any computers. I have never used assistance as I believe, in order to feel good on the kit, it is better to achieve things all on your own. I have always done this and, even though I was told I would never get fast hands or feet, (due to the Arthritis), I achieved both through hard work and rest. The reality is I just can''t say goodbye to my drums just yet, especially as it has given me such joy and happiness over the years. I am trying to develop techniques that may help other drummers.

What charities have benefited from your efforts?

Drumbeatstroke events are only there to raise money directly for the nearest Hospital to the gig; and only for the stroke wards. Why, you may reason? Well basically I want to try and do my little bit to thank all those wonderful people who helped save my life and who had the terrible task of cleaning me up every day for 4 months. The events raise awareness of a very very, very common problem all over the world. In the UK there are 150,000 Strokes and 67,000 deaths due to Strokes every year.

What message would you like to get out to drummers?

It’s very, very important to me that I try and do my bit in raising the reality of strokes within the drumming community as they are very, very common in the UK. In fact, it''s their prevalence which gave me the idea of making a Stroke Awareness video for the drumming community. I got in contact with the Government and asked if my video would be useful enough to have an association with the official Stroke F.A.S.T Campaign. Those with authority in the Government gave it the green light, Mike Dolbear has featured this on his site. All drummers need to watch this video as strokes affects each and every one of us in some way.

As long as I physically can, I am going to continue to help inspire drummers, with ‘Drumbeatstroke’ clinics, explaining how brain injury can hinder the rhythmatist and hopefully be as effective to the drummer as improving their technical skills.

A goverment backed official stroke awareness for the drummer

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm4tqAZO5e0

My most popular post stroke video: called "One"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaasabUOuA4

Mark’s tips for a healthy lifestyle…

Get regular blood pressure checks

Maintain a healthy weight

No smoking / drinking

Avoid unnecessary stress

Take regular exercise

Maintain a healthy diet

Check your family medical history

For more information:

Mark White: http://markwhitedrummer.tripod.com/  

Arthritis and drumming website:

http://markwhitedrummer.tripod.com/index.html

Interview: Jerome Marcus

Photography: Mark White

Website: www.jeromemarcus.com