The Good Musician

Musician Profile: Billy Atwell, Independent Drummer

by Arjun Muralidharan on November 7th, 2007

“I’ll take a pound of passion over an ounce of
technique.”

Billy Atwell is a musician - which makes him a good fit for being interviewed on this blog, because he’s really good. I had the honor of asking him a few questions and in the next few posts I’ll try to profile him as a musician. Today, we’ll just look at his story and how he got to where he is today.

Ask BILLY ATWELL where he’s from and you’re likely to get a number of responses, mostly theorizing he arrived in New York from West Virginia via the west Texas town of El Paso (to paraphrase Marty Robbins, one of ATWELL’s influences and heroes). Every place he touched down has impacted him in some way, and he has allowed his music to grow from all this knowledge he has accumulated.

Always on the cutting edge - whether as a musician, composer or songwriter - ATWELL began working with undiscovered talent and became a mentor and consultant to many, drawing on his experiences and expertise. Constantly on the lookout for, and approached by, exciting new musical genius, he longed for a way to help them in their search to achieve their dreams. Now, with the formation of his own AMP Audio in Hoboken, NJ, ATWELL has created a niche recording studio specializing in the development of singer- songwriters.” Combining all his knowledge and capabilities, ATWELL looks to develop young artistsinnate talents and move them along the road to success by giving them the benefit of his hard earned know-how and kicking it up several notches from recording at home in their bedroom to a real in-studio experience.

Although mostly recognized as an explosive and dynamic drummer, ATWELL actually started his musical career in eighth grade, delving into aspects of composition and guitar with various punk bands. Later as a junior in high school, he would sneak into college bars to hook up with similar groups composed of English, Business and Law majors.

Along the road he blasted away in various rock outfits (th’ Inbred/Rhythm Pigs), composed for student films and freelanced his drum skills. It’s fair to say ATWELL has damn near performed every genre of music including country music in desperate Southwestern honkytonks, rhythm and blues in East coast roadhouses, and dance-hall reggae and cocktail jazz in Rhode Island colleges and yacht clubs.

Listen to Billy’s music on his MySpace!

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