In this exclusive interview for Drummer’s Review we sit down with James Compton, the session drummer for Catfish and the Bottlemen, to uncover the real story behind the beats that power one of the UK’s most energetic live acts.
From volunteering to now performing at The UK Drum Show, James shares his journey, his love for hearing others’ stories, and how networking and community have shaped his career.
James will be appearing in the Mike Dolbear Masterclass Room at The UK Drum Show 2025 on Sunday 19th October at 3.00pm at ACC Liverpool.
Grab your tickets now: www.theukdrumshow.com
00:00 – Intro
00:25 – The Secret Sauce to the Bands Ongoing Energy
04:05 – From Volunteering at Drum Shows to Performing at The UK Drum Show
06:15 – “I Love Hearing Everyone’s Stories”
08:40 – Getting The Gig With Catfish and the Bottlemen
11:10 – Networking and the Drumming Community
16:21 – Feel vs Technicality
19:17 – Advice For Drummers
23:40 – In 100 Years Time…
James Proudly Plays…
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BIOGRAPHY:
James has become a widely in-demand drummer working live for a variety of artists.
Playing drums has taken James on tours all over the world, performing on festival mainstages, sold out theatres, arenas and stadiums as well as many primetime, late night TV and radio shows. Some of these shows include; The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Queen Elizabeth’s televised Platinum Jubilee performance, The Graham Norton Show, multiple Radio 1 live lounges and Radio 2 sessions as well as other BBC broadcasts.
James has gained the reputation for being an energetic and diverse player, bringing an electrifying energy to whichever stage he is on. This has enabled him to be placed in a profusion of musical settings. Recently in his career, James has been touring with UK pop-star Mimi Webb, alt-pop singer Baby Queen, Egyptian-American R&B singer Col3trane, singer-songwriter Sam Tompkins and is now currently the touring drummer for the UK indie-rock band Catfish & the Bottlemen.
With a mix of hard-hitting and energetic flair, James incorporates his love of rock music, jazz and hip-hop as well as his experience playing in marching bands in his early life to bring his own unique sound to every stage he plays on around the world.
