BORN IN:
London, England in 1964

LIVES IN:
London, England

DRUMMING SINCE:
1976

CURRENT BAND/PROJECTS:
The Waterboys, Sessions

BIGGEST INFLUENCES:
Steve Gadd, Jack DeJohnette, Bernard Purdie, Elvin Jones, Philly Joe Jones, Sonny Payne

FAVORITE ALBUM PLAYED ON:
“How Long has This Been Going On?”, Van Morrison with Georgie Fame & Friends

FAVORITE ALBUM DIDN’T PLAY ON:
“The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings”, Miles Davis & Gil Evans

CAREER HIGHLIGHT:
Coordinating the 1,000 drummers, recording & performing on the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony

FAVORITE SABIAN CYMBAL:
22″ Artisan Ride

Ralph’s versatility and signature groove have established him as the drummer of choice for producers and composers worldwide. Artists he’s worked with in the studio include Madonna, Tori Amos, Macy Gray, Alanis Morisette, Sheryl Crow, Kelly Rowlands, Celine Dion, John Williams, Elton John, Mike Oldfield , George Martin, Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello, Gloria Estefan, Tom Jones, Michel Legrand and Diana Ross. Ralph’s swinging feel can be heard on Bjork’s top ten hit “It’s Oh So Quiet” and Robbie Williams’ 7x Platinum “Swing When You’re Winning” album and live DVD.

Movie composers with whom he works regularly include Patrick Doyle, Hans Zimmer and Anne Dudley and he has worked on the soundtracks to over 100 movies, including Bridget Jones’s Diary, Chaplin, Donnie Brasco, Evita, Goldeneye, Love’s Labours Lost, Hamlet, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Askhaban, Tomorrow Never Dies, and BAFTA and Oscar-winning movies Gosford Park, Moulin Rouge, The Last King of Scotland and Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King.

Ralph spends a lot of time recording, composing and producing in his own studio, The Bunker. Artists that have recorded there recently include Georgie Fame (Relationships & Charlestons albums), Hamish Stuart (Average White Band), Graham Lyle, US Pop Idol, Eric Woolfson (Alan Parsons Project), Lulu, Gary Husband, Billy Cobham, Kyle Eastwood, David Sanborn and Michael McDonald. Ralph’s Sample CD “Beats Working: 5.1 drums recorded At The Legendary Abbey Road Studio 2” has received critical acclaim and is a winner of Keyboard Magazine USA’s Key Buy Award 2003.

Ralph is a committed educator. He has been Professor of Drum Kit at the Royal College of Music since 1992 and has since been giving clinics regularly. In 2005 he was guest Drum Kit Clinician at the Royal Northern College of Music Day of Percussion, appeared two years running at Drummer Live! and regularly gives master classes at The Academy of Contemporary Music and Drumtech, London, where he is a Patron.