Andy Newmark


Andrew Newmark is an American session drummer who was a member of Sly and the Family Stone and has played with John Lennon, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, and Roxy Music.

Biography

Andrew Newmark was born on July 14, 1950, in Port Chester, New York, and raised primarily in the nearby suburb of Mamaroneck. His mother was Bermudian and his father, Charles W. Newmark, was an Assistant District Attorney from 1938 to 1940 in New York City under District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey. Taking up the drums at the age of nine, Newmark gradually honed his craft and was taking paid gigs at age 15. Visiting his mother's native Bermuda frequently throughout his youth, Newmark made the decision to move there at the age of 16. Newmark played in the Bermuda Jam, a band that included guitarist Paul Muggleton.
One of his first gigs was recording with Carly Simon on her albums Anticipation and No Secrets. These and other sessions segued into a more permanent role as a member of the funk band Sly and the Family Stone from 1972 to 1973. Hired to replace Gerry Gibson, who had replaced founding member Greg Errico, Newmark was invited to audition for Sly Stone by saxophonist Pat Rizzo. Newmark went on to record one album, Fresh, as the Family Stone's drummer and performed with the band for two years in concert.
After leaving Family Stone in 1974, Newmark returned to session work, playing drums on Gary Wright's 1975 album Dream Weaver. He continued performing on Carly Simon's solo albums throughout the 1970s and again in the 1990s. Newmark has performed and recorded with John Lennon, Cat Stevens, Joe Walsh, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Roy Buchanan, Bryan Ferry, Dan Fogelberg, George Harrison, Rickie Lee Jones, Patrick Moraz, Randy Newman, Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Murray Head, Keith Richards, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Roxy Music, ABC, Hue and Cry, Laura Nyro, Nicolette Larson, Elkie Brooks, Sting, Steve Winwood, Nils Lofgren, George Benson, and Michael Franks.
In 1980, Newmark was the drummer on John Lennon's last album, Double Fantasy, as well as Milk and Honey released in 1984. He was the featured drummer on Yoko Ono's Season of Glass in 1981. His connection with the Double Fantasy album was reprised in 2012 with his contributions to the Lennon Bermuda tribute album on several tracks, including those by Paul Carrack, Bryan Ferry, Nils Lofgren, and Rocky and the Natives.
According to a 2006 Sound on Sound magazine interview with engineer Andy Jackson, Newmark played drums on David Gilmour's On an Island album. Newmark also plays on several tracks on David Gilmour's 2015 solo album Rattle That Lock.

Equipment

Newmark uses Yamaha drums, Remo drum heads, Zildjian cymbals and Vic Firth drumsticks. His drum setup and cymbals vary slightly with who he plays with, but generally favors a setup consisting of a bass drum, rack tom, snare drum, and then one or two floor toms. He plays a mix of Zildjian A and K cymbals.
Drums: Yamaha recording custom series:
Cymbals: Zildjian:
Drumheads: Remo
Drumsticks: Vic Firth:
With Carly Simon
With Sly and the Family Stone
With Ronnie Wood
With David Bowie
  • Young Americans
With Gloria Gaynor
  • Gloria Gaynor
With Gary Wright
  • The Dream Weaver
With Stephen Bishop
With B.B. King
  • Deuces Wild
With George Benson
With Bob James
  • Three
With Sting
  • ...Nothing Like the Sun
With Patti Austin
  • End of a Rainbow
With Murray Head
  • Voice
With Yoko Ono
  • Season of Glass
with Patrick Moraz
with Hank Crawford
  • Hank Crawford's Back
With Irene Cara
  • Anyone Can See
With Cheryl Lynn
  • In Love
With Laura Nyro
  • Nested
With Michael Franks
  • Objects of Desire
  • Skin Dive
With Urbie Green
  • The Fox
With Lalo Schifrin
  • Black Widow
With Rickie Lee Jones
  • Rickie Lee Jones
With Joe Walsh
  • You Can't Argue with a Sick Mind
With Elkie Brooks
  • Shooting Star
With Stevie Nicks
  • Rock a Little
With John Martyn
  • One World
With Richie Havens
  • Connections
With Mark Farner
  • No Frills
With Dan Fogelberg
  • Phoenix
  • Exiles
With Randy Newman
  • Good Old Boys
  • Little Criminals
  • Born Again
With Badfinger
  • Airwaves
With James Taylor
  • Gorilla
With John Lennon and Yoko Ono
  • Double Fantasy
  • Milk and Honey
With George Harrison
  • Dark Horse
  • Extra Texture
  • George Harrison
With Carole King
  • Wrap Around Joy
With Mary Chapin Carpenter
With David "Fathead" Newman
  • Mr. Fathead
With Cat Stevens
  • Izitso
With Roxy Music
With ABC
  • Beauty Stab
With Rod Stewart
  • Smiler
  • Atlantic Crossing
  • A Night on the Town
With Carole Bayer Sager
  • Carole Bayer Sager
With Pink Floyd
With Roger Waters
With Michael Bolton
  • Michael Bolotin
With Judie Tzuke
  • The Cat Is Out
  • Under the Angels
  • Secret Agent
With David Gilmour
  • On an Island
  • Rattle That Lock
With Bryan Ferry'