Andrea
A good drummer is always thinking about something new. And Mick Harris is one of those drummers who are very good at this. It is no wonder that he came up at number 35 on Loudwire’s 66 Top Hard Rock + Metal drummer of all time. He is best known by many as the inventor of the blast-beat. The drummer took sheer speed beyond human limits. And that is how he revolutionized musical extremity under the banner of grindstone pioneers Napalm Death.
And that is not all; Mick Harris has an eclectic musical taste and social awareness that shaped the band’s approach to music. It was his talent and influence that enabled Napalm to grow from strength to strength. He has such a charming character that he seems to attract people to him. One can easily assume that he is the one that holds his band together. And that is what a drummer should do.
In many instances, it is the vocalists and guitarists who get noticed when a band is playing. Drummers are often left in the background. But Mick Harris plays in a manner that makes him the star of the shore. His sounds ring loud through the crowd, making him the light of the show.
The English musician was born in 1967 in Birmingham. He grew up listening to radio shows involving his favorite band, Napalm Death and Scorn, which he later came to work with. His greatest influence came from listening to bands like Coil and Skinny Puppy.
Harris was 16-year-old when he started playing drums in 1984. Like many other drummers, he did not begin early, but that did not stop him from picking up to become one of the greatest. His friend in a psychobilly band asked him to play. And that is how his passion too roots. His first group was a punk band called Anorexia. He played alongside Dave Cochrane. During that time, he tried applying unsuccessfully to join Napalm as a vocalist. But he later found a spot behind the drums.
Harries came into Napalm Death as a replacement for their founding drummer, Mile “The Rat” Ratledge, in 1985. He immediately picked pace to become one of the most influential members of the band. Harris was the force behind “Scum” and “From Enslavement to Obliteration.” He was then the only member to play on both sides, A and B of Scum.
After releasing the EP “Mentally Murdered,” Napalm Death started shifting more towards death metal. Their sound started shifting from the British grindstone. Then, Bill Steer and Lee Dorian exited the and following creative differences. Harris would follow in 1991.
However, while still with the group, Harris was also working with other bands; Doom and Extreme Noise Terror. Besides, he took part in a side project called Defecation with Mitch Harris. He produced two records, “Purity Dilution” and “Intention Surpassed,” under Nuclear Blast. Over the years, Mick Harris has remained a significant influence on the hard rock and metal genre. His style has inspired many, and he continues to do so.
