Andrea
There are very few female drummers who can compare to the power Claudia Gonson has on the Magnetic Fields. She has been with the group for a very long time and continues to impress her fans with incredible moves.
Early life
Claudia Gonson was born on April 5, 1968, in Boston, Massachusetts. As a young girl, the now widely known drummers say she fancied playing with drums a lot, and she was always inspired to try out something new. She felt as though there was a calling for her to invest time in performing.
But it was not only drumming that got her attention with music lovers. Her angelic voice has played a huge role in making the woman she has become. All her life has revolved around singing and performing with different artists.
Even though she was talented, it was not until Gonson met Stephin Merritt in high school in the early 80s that she found real potential in what she could do. They started working together, making a journey that would lead to the creation of a very successful performer. Sometimes it is hard to imagine where she would have been, were it not for this encounter.
Her career
While studying at Concord academy, Gonson decided to focus a lot more on her career. It was the establishing moment for her. She performed with her first band, the Zinnias, where Merritt was one of the main writers for most of the band’s materials.
It did not take long though, because the band broke up, leaving Gonson to continue with her education at the University of Columbia. After a few years, she returned to attend Harvard University, where she joined a three-girl group called Lazy Susan.
This was just another moment in her life that created a reputable drummer. She has continued to perform on many of Merritt’s works, among them the famous 69 Love Songs album of 1999. Even today, she frequently appears live as part of the quartet that makes up the Magnetic Fields.
Apart from drumming and singing, the energetic musician has been Merritt’s manager for a very long time. They began together and have been involved in different aspects of music management. She works licensing songs to files, ads and TV, creating theater shows, and any other aspects of production and touring.
Gonson also played drums for another band called Tender Trap. Above all, the talented performers have written and performed her own song with big names like Shirley Simms, Michael Hearst, Tanya Donelly, and Rick Moody.
When Providence, Rhode-Island’s based group the Honey Bunch mention some of their influential drummers, her name is among the first on the list. And it is not just in what she can do but how she does it.
Claudia Gonson is very much the energy that propels Stephen Merritt. Besides being a frequent music collaborator, she juggles between drums, keyboards, and vocals. She sets the scenes and moods needed in Merritt’s songs. And she will always be appreciated as an influencer and one of the drummers who sing in the music industry.
