Biography
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Born
24 December 1970 (age 53)
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Born In
Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany
Marco Minnemann (born 24 December 1970) is a German drummer, composer and multi-instrumentalist. He lives in San Diego, California. He is known for developing a very advanced drum technique called interdependence allowing him to play various patterns with each of his feet or hands, and has published several instructional books describing this concept.
Minnemann started playing organ at the age of 6, then switched to drums and guitar at the same time at the age of 11. Marco's fame as one of the extraordinarily talented drummers and composers, reached him at the age of 19 all the way to Munich. The first 'cross-over' band Freaky Fukin' Weirdoz offered him a position as drummer in 1992, in connection with a major deal with BMG Ariola. The "Weirdoz" were the originators of the so-called 'cross-elimination' style of playing, and are considered to be among the greatest pioneers of it's modern sound.
Also the "Weirdoz" had a gig with Nina Hagen on the album "Mao Mak Maa" where a fantastic cover version of Ian Dury's hit "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" was created.
Marco was immediately booked to play a Nina Hagen tour. The successful collaboration with the "Weirdoz" ended in 1997 after Marco's having worked together on four albums: "Senseless Wonder", "Mao Mak Maa", Culture Shock" and "Hula".
Almost simultaneously, an engagement with the Top Ten 'cross-over' band H-Blockx came up on the album "Fly Eyes". During 1997-1999, they played over 200 gigs together. Meanwhile, Marco's reputation as a talented drummer reached out worldwide. Prominent were solo workshops, for example, at the Frankfurt Music Fair, PASIC in Dallas, and a solo performance at the "Modern Drummer Festival" in Toronto, where Marco had the honor of being the first German drummer to display his talents there. This performance, in the eyes of professionals and music trade magazines, catapulted him into the Top Ten of the drumming world. Following Dumfest included the Australian TUDW fest and the Motreal Drumfest in Canada.
Even while working with the "Weirdoz", Marco produced with his former wife Artemis Gounaki, she is a well-known singer and a vocal coach in Germany, four albums with their band "Illegal Aliens", with the titles of: "Thickness", "Red Alibis", "Time" and "International Telephone"and two albums, focused more on drums and less on vocals called "The Green Mindbomb" and "Comfortably Homeless". Illegal Aliens stopped working in 2001 when the couple Minnemann/ Gounaki were divorced. Since then, there have been 4 solo albums:"Orchids", "Broken Orange", "Mieze" and the 2CD set"Contraire de la chanson", which are more on par with his talents as a multinstrumentalist, composer and Producer. "Motor" and "Normalizer" came out in 2003 in collaboration with the soud designer Mario Brinkmann and "Disarmed" along with Italian Bass Player Fabio Trentini followed in 2005.
Moreover, Marco could follow his passion for Jazz and Funk by playing with the Wolfgang Schmid's Kick band. Schmid was ex-bassist in Dolinger's "Passport" and composer of numerous film soundtracks. Marco also co-produced and played instruments on Paddy Kellys (The Kelly Family) solo CD which entered the charts in 2004 and played on the double platinum CD “Nena feat Nena”. Marco performed and recorded with artists such as: Paul Gilbert, Nena, Udo Lindenberg, Mike Keneally, FFW, Gianna Nannini, Garry Willis, The Kelly Family and many more.
Minnemann also provided additional guest voices in the Titmouse-animated series Metalocalypse on Adult Swim.
In 2011, he was the runner-up in a series of auditions for Dream Theater after Mike Portnoy left the band in 2010. These auditions with all participants have been posted on the official YouTube channel of Dream Theater.
From 2011-2016 he was a member of Steven Wilson's studio band and, on occasion, his touring band as well. He is a member of the rock group The Aristocrats and has performed with Joe Satriani since 2013. Currently he is also the drummer for The Mute Gods, which is a project of Nick Beggs (Kajagoogoo, Steven Wilson Band) and appears on their album "Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me".
In late 2017 he joined a new prog supergroup, The Sea Within, with an album and tour announced for 2018.
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