Johnny Dee – Biography

 
Boarding a flight to the UK at the age of 22, drummer Johnny Dee had no clue that it would lead him on a musical odyssey that would last over 37 years. After landing the gig with British rockers Waysted, his first show would be at London's legendary Marquee Club, showcasing for EMI Records and sharing the stage with some of his musical heroes from U.F.O. & Iron Maiden. Quite a start for a kid from Philadelphia who had only months before been just a fan of the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal)...a term coined by the UK magazines he read religiously like Sounds & Kerrang. It would be only a short time later when he would appear in those pages himself...

 
Waysted went on to record 'Save Your Prayers' for the EMI label and to this day, it is considered a classic by many Melodic Rock critics and fans. Johnny learned the ropes working massive crowds (along with his band mates Pete Way & Paul Chapman from U.F.O. & Danny Vaughn, who would later form Tyketto) while supporting Iron Maiden on their 'Somewhere In Time' tour with shows in the Eastern Bloc, Europe, USA and Canada. 

 
Those early experiences proved to be beneficial for what would follow. Returning to his hometown at the height of the 80's Rock scene, he hit the launch pad again with his old friends…Columbia recording artists Britny Fox. Joining the band just before recording their major-label debut, Johnny would be propelled to another level. MTV exposure helped the album to be certified gold and sell over 800,000 copies. This led to tours with Poison, Alice Cooper, Ratt and an impressive New Years Eve show in Tokyo with Bon Jovi in front of 50,000 fans. Dee recorded the entire Britny Fox catalog and continued touring into the early 90's. 

In 1993, he returned to Europe to join forces with Germany's reigning Queen of Heavy Metal, Doro Pesch in the band DORO. His tenure has lasted an incredible 29 years !!! and the band continues to make albums and entertain crowds around the world to this day as his extensive discography and tour history attest.

 
Whether driving the arena rock anthems of Britny Fox, the heavy attack or ballads of DORO, or any other musical collaboration he is involved in, there is always a common thread in Johnny's drumming...creating a rock-solid foundation to support the music and melodies on top. When off the road, he continues to record and perform with a variety of talented artists.

 
Hailing from Philadelphia and raised on a diet of 60's and 70's Pop, Rock and Soul in addition to the foundations of 80's Metal…Johnny knows the importance of simplicity and groove.  His playing style, demeanor and professionalism reflect the music he grew up on and is embedded in his DNA. It is also these qualities that have allowed him to sustain lasting relationships with those he has worked with.

 

Johnny Dee endorses:

DW Drums, Pedals & Hardware, Paiste cymbals, Vater drumsticks, Evans drumheads, Porter & Davies drum thrones, Vision Ears In-Ear Monitors & SKY Percussion exclusively.