Spit Stix

Tim Leitch
Also known as	Spit Stix
Born	Los Angeles
Genres	Rock, Punk Rock
Occupation(s)	Producer
Instruments	Drums
Associated acts	Fear, Sol-I, Nina Hagen, Dick Dale, Lickity, Nasalrod, Chris Loid Band

Tim Leitch (a.k.a. Spit Stix) is a Los Angeles-born drummer, producer and songwriter. He gained prominence as drummer for American punk rock band Fear and producer of the first Red Hot Chili Peppers demo tape.

Tim Leitch was born in Los Angeles into a musical family. Both his parents and all his siblings played or performed. At the age of eight, Tim chose drums and began to play Bossa and Jazz. At 12, he began tutoring with Marine drum and bugle corps instructor Don Clark, and speed drummer Deane Hagen (son of film/TV composer Earle Hagen). By 17 he had studied with Joe Pass and Art Pepper, and performed with Ralph Humphries and Don Ellis.

Later he joined seminal hardcore LA punk band Fear, performed with avant-garde singer Nina Hagen, Lydia Lunch, John Belushi, LA African Beat Kwashi and Dick Dale. He performed on Saturday Night Live on Halloween 1981. Leitch learned production, engineering, and songwriting skills from Richie Podler, Bill Cooper, and Bob Clearmountain. In 1983, Tim produced the first Red Hot Chili Peppers demo recording that led the band to its first recording contract. Those sessions were later released in 1994 as “Out in LA”, EMI. Tim had his first top 40 hit with “Paraiso” (WEA Latina artist Chantelle). His credits also include scoring the feature film, Night Eyes II and the film short, “In the Meantime”, as well as ghost-composing many other feature films under Steve “Don’t You Forget About Me” Shift.

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