Roger Taylor - Drums (1978-1985) (2001-current)

Name: Roger Andrew Taylor

Born: April 26, 1960, Heathville Hospital, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham 8lb. 9oz.

Education: Castle Bromwich Junior School, Park Hall School.

Parents: Jean, a retired accounts clerk and Hughie, runs his own business

Roger was born in Heathville hospital weighing 8lb 9oz, he was quite a big baby!, he has an older brother called Steve 
who is a designer/draughtsman, they are as different as chalk and cheese, Steve was always outgoing while Roger
tended to be more placid and reserved - even as babies. Roger's first memory is of his dummy, he apparently used it until he was 5!.

Roger went to school in Castle Bromwich,he was a steady pupil turning in home work and never gave any problems at school. 
He was also cub scout. He left with 5 'O' levels, but was not interested in going on to further education.

Roger loved animals, he had loads of pets including a dog called Kelly which his parents Jean and Hughie gave him for christmas.

Roger used to play the Harmonica and guitar when he was younger, he first got into drums at the age of 15.

Jean recalls that Roger at an early age used to bash away at milk bottles with her knitting needles, it used to drive her mad, 
she says "That was his first attempt at drumming. I didn't think anything of it then." . Hughie adds that Roger would also use 
phone books as an improvised drum kit, although it came to a head when he needed to find a friends number and the book fell to pieces.

Roger also had a passion for boat. He would spend hours with his dad at the local boat club, when he left school he worked in a 
yacht shop for a little while and eventually bought a boat of his own. Roger then sold his boat to fund his first set of drums for £60, 
much to his parents disgust as they couldn't see any future in drumming and tried to put him off!

After much encouragement to get a proper job, Roger went to work at the Land Rover factory for a couple of weeks, and managed
a day at the local post office sorting mail.

But Roger was determined once he sets his mind on something that's pretty much it, he told his parents that this was all he really
wanted to do. He put his drums in his bedroom and naturally caused a few upsets, so he was limited to the amount of time he could 
actually practice.

Roger played briefly in a band call Crucified Toad before In 1977 Roger joining a band called The Scent Organs, they used to take it
 turns practicing in each others houses, but when it was Roger's turn to accommodate the band, the floors used to rattle, the pictures f
ell off the walls and everything shook off the fireplace, So Hughie and Jean arranged for them to use the Church hall.

After a while the Vicar came round and told them that the neighbours of the hall were complaining and he himself could stand no more!, 
so they were banished from the Church hall.

Practicing then switched to an old house near their home, unfortunately the resident tom cat would use Roger's Drum kit as a toilet while
he was playing!

By this time his parent's were pretty fed up, but Roger was not put off, the guys decided to hold a street concert, they set up their equipment
in the middle of the road and 'played'. It was a disaster, nobody could tolerate the noise.

A short while after that incident Roger left to Join a band called Duran Duran, once again his parent's strongly advised him against it 
saying,"This is ridiculous - your're going to end up doing nothing", in fact they were disappointed in him.

One night Roger came home and told his parents that he was going to play his first gig at a Wine Bar in Birmingham called The Hosteria, 
Hurst Street. Jean and some friends from her workplace decided to go along, although Hughie refused to attend. When Jean came out, 
she was bowled over, she couldn't believe it, Roger had actually made it work.