Drummer Darrin Mooney has played with some of the biggest names in the music industry, such as Gary Moore, Ian Anderson and the Scottish rock band Primal Scream.
However, before he became the well-known drummer that he is now, Mooney was just a young boy inspired by the greats.
He was surrounded by music from a young age, with his dad being a guitar player in a band. Mooney reminisces that “Rock stars were bigger than footballers. They were like kings. But now it’s sort of reversed. It’s the sportsman who is the big thing.”
Drummers like Buddy Rich inspired Mooney’s passion for drumming during his younger years. He recalls: “I saw Buddy Rich, and I was lucky enough to hear great drummers of the time my dad played me. So I was very lucky to get inspired by them.”
Mooney’s musical journey began with his drum teachers, who nurtured and kept him grounded. He admits: “I think I was more talented than the other guys in the class, and I just knew I could do it if the teachers said I could.”
His talent and versatility soon made him a sought-after session drummer, and he went on to play with legends of the industry, including Gary Moore. He explains, “Gary Moore was a guitar player from Thin Lizzy. Probably one of the greatest guitarists of all time. So I was lucky enough to work with him for 10 years.”
However, his first big break came when he was recommended to Primal Scream by some friends who were playing brass for the band. He says: “They got me in, and that was it. That’s how it works, really. Word of mouth, and you’ve got to be good.”
Mooney’s journey has been nothing but fascinating. He explains, “I’ve done a wide variety of stuff. I’ve played in a circus, I’ve played pubs, I’ve played festivals. I’ve done everything. Things have led to other things that have been really good. It’s been a good little journey. I suppose people would consider it lucky.”
One of Mooney’s fondest memories is playing at Glastonbury, which he describes as similar to “a footballer playing at the World Cup.” He also recalls playing at Reading with Oasis and Foo Fighters and watching the latter band grow from supporting acts to superstars.
Mooney has lived a movie-like lifestyle, and his long-term band Primal Scream has been renowned in the past for the “raucous times”.
“We’ve had some great instances,” he says. “Two guys fell asleep and flooded the rooms, or fell asleep with a cigarette, and the bed’s on fire, and the hotel has to be evacuated. All sorts of stuff like that. But what do they say? What happens on the road stays on the road.”
However, life on the road is not all glitz and glamour, and travelling is not entirely thrilling to him anymore. He says: “I used to love it. But I’ve been doing it for about 25 years now, so apart from the last five or six years, every couple of years we’d be doing all these countries. Flying around nonstop, on and off. Once, we did a tour where we did 18 long-haul flights in three weeks.”
Life on the road isn’t easy, as Mooney explains. “Some of the bus tours can get a bit tricky if you’re travelling overnight, so it gets a bit uncomfortable. If you want to go to the toilet on a bus, you’ve got to stop the bus. It’s service station after service station. After a while, you’re thinking, ‘I hate this. I just want a proper toilet.’ But apart from that, I like all of it. As long as people are enjoying it.”
Despite the challenges, Mooney’s love for music and performing has kept him going through all the ups and downs of his career. He describes the feeling of being on stage as “the best thing” about being a musician. He admits, “I love walking around the venues before they’re open. I love everything about stadiums and venues and theatres. To look on there and stand on the stage, soaking it in. I love that.”
Mooney’s talent and hard work have led to an exciting life and career many could only dream of. Still, he remains humble and grounded, always striving to improve his craft. He says: “I just want to keep playing. I want to keep getting better. I want to keep learning.”
His approach to drumming is focused and disciplined, emphasising the importance of practice and preparation. He says: “I’ve been up here [drumming] probably about five hours a day, on and off, just to get fit for going back out on tour.”
Moreover, his versatility as a drummer is one of his most striking attributes. He has played in numerous styles but describes his favourites as jazz and rock and roll. However, rock will always have a special place in his heart. He says: “When I’m playing with Gary Moore, it’s a rock gig. With Primal Scream, it’s a dance gig. So you’ve just got to adapt and change. But rock is my first love, always has been.”
Mooney also appreciates the significance of being a drummer in a band. He explains, “I start all the songs generally and count everything in, so everyone looks to me. If I mess it up, it’d probably crumble, so as long as I keep going, they can come back in if it goes wrong.” He recalls a wild instance of this occurring, “The rule is you keep going until someone stops you. Our singer fell off the stage a few years ago during the set, and he broke his back there in Switzerland. It was really odd because I was in the zone. Then I heard this bang where his mic hit the floor, but I just had to keep going.”
He describes another accidental instance which occurred early in his career. “I remember doing this ballroom dancing thing in a ballroom dancing band, and someone died on the floor. It was old-age pensioners dancing. We had to keep playing, and while it was all going on, the band leader had to play an upbeat, lively song. It was comedic tragedy.”
Mooney’s journey is a testament to the power of passion and hard work. His rise to success is inspiring to countless aspiring musicians due to his talent and dedication. Rock may be his first love, but his passion for his craft certainly knows no bounds. He is the epitome of a true drummer.
