Kip Dabbs has been playing drums in bands since grade school where he grew up in Covina, California. When most kids were playing with Hot Wheels, Kip had his mom chauffeuring him and his drum set to back and forth to school and friends’ parties. He and fellow drum student, Tom Lee Bass (a.k.a. Tommy Lee) were fortunate enough to have a middle school music department that performed full orchestra arrangements of current music featuring the drum set. Based in Orange County in the 1980’s, Kip hooked up with some of the most influential punk bands of the time like Mad Parade, China White and MIA where he focused on stamina and commitment. Later he recorded and toured with Foxy, which included members of Social Distortion and 4Gasm. But in the early 90’s he reached back to his father’s jazz influence and started honing his shuffle chops and made a name for himself as a “less is more” groove/shuffle player. He immersed himself in the Long Beach blues scene touring with the band Rhythm Lords in and around Long Beach, CA as well as Canada and Europe for over 6 years. But as Chris Isaak’s bass player Roland “Rolly” Salley once told Kip, “i don't get to hear...much less play with...a drummer who can shuffle like you. a good shuffle is worth its weight!” Quotes like these from his peers is what drives him to play like his influences, Gene Krupa, Mel Taylor, Richie Hayward, Max Roach, and Art Blakey. Currently, Kip tours and records with Rockabilly/Country/Americana artist James Intveld, a gig he’s been enjoying since 1996. He has recently toured with James Burton, Rosie Flores, Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, Nick 13 of Tiger Army, Sweethearts of the Rodeo, The Slimtones, and Canadian Travis picker, Cousin Harley (Paul Pigat). In his spare time, Kip keeps busy with several Los Angeles punk, blues and country acts. Set-up Spaun Custom Series - Silver Glass Maple 18x22 Kick Maple 5x14 SnareMaple 9x12 Tom Maple 14x16 FloorSpaun 800B Hideaway Booms- Med DutySpaun 870H Hi Hat Stand- Med DutySpaun coated drumheadsDW-7000 Bass PedalVic Firth American Classic 5AN Extreme nylon tip stickswww.myspace.com/nick13www.myspace.com/jamesintveldwww.kipdabbs.com
