Don Powell

Don Powell
Powell signing copies of his biography Look Wot I Dun - My Life in Slade at Liverpool One's Waterstones in 2014.
Background information
Birth name	Donald George Powell
Born	(1946-09-10) 10 September 1946 (age 70) Bilston, Staffordshire, England
Genres	Glam rock, hard rock
Occupation(s)	Drummer
Instruments	Drums, percussion
Years active	1960s–present
Associated acts	Slade
Website	http://www.donpowellofficial.com/

Donald George "Don" Powell (born on 10 September 1946) is an English musician who was the drummer for glam rock and later style hard rock group, Slade for over twenty years.

As a child Powell joined the Boy Scouts where he became interested in the drums after being asked to join the band on a Sunday morning parade. After Etheridge Secondary Modern School he studied Metallurgy at Wednesbury Technical College. Powell then worked as a metallurgist in a small foundry before turning professional as a drummer. He was athletic and a keen amateur boxer, although an easy going personality, and apparently had his nose broken three times. It was he who was sent around with the hat money collection amongst early audiences.

Powell became a member of The Vendors, a band that guitarist Dave Hill later joined. The Vendors became the N'Betweens and bass guitarist / keyboard player / violinist / guitarist Jim Lea got in at an audition. Powell then spotted Noddy Holder playing with Steve Brett & The Mavericks and he and Hill got Holder to join the N'Betweens. They regrouped as Ambrose Slade, changed the name to Slade and the success began. It always amused them that they played their first rehearsal on 1 April.

He co-wrote a number of Slade's earlier songs, mainly with Lea. Many of them can be found on the 1970 Slade album Play it Loud. He also co-wrote one of Slade's Top 10 hits "Look Wot You Dun" with Holder and Lea in 1972, and made the breathing noises in the background of the song.

Powell started drumming on a borrowed Olympic kit as a youngster. He moved up to a deep blue Hayman set for his work with Slade until the early 1970s. From there he changed to Ludwig, but in the mid-2000s he switched to Pearl as the original Ludwig firm had changed ownership. Currently he states he likes a four-piece kit with a shallow snare drum.