The Journey Begins
Bid’s musical path started at age 4, when he received a drum kit for his birthday. As the youngest of four brothers, most of what he owned were hand‑me‑downs — but this kit was his, and his alone. His brothers weren’t interested in playing it… and, truth be told, neither was Bid at first. He was far more entertained spinning the cymbal on his finger, pretending it was a UFO.
At 6, he began piano lessons, learning the basics of chords and melody. By 9, he had a “real” drum kit — a modest three‑piece with one cymbal. Kick, snare, hi‑hat, and a ride — and that was enough. For the next five years, he jammed along to his brothers’ record collection: Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, Toyah Wilcox.
Bands formed with school friends, until older kids in the village asked if he’d join theirs. Celestial Skies was born. The kit got bigger, the gigs got better, and Bid knew he’d found his calling.
At 17, he auditioned for Edwin Starr’s band The Team. Within 32 bars of their first jam — “25 Miles” — Edwin stopped the music, looked at Bid, and said:
“Shit man, that’s how it’s supposed to be played… you’re hired!”
Two days later, his drums were on the bus, and he was on tour.
London
By 1997, Bid had moved to London to study at Drumtech. There, he auditioned for Arkarna — a young electronic band signed to Warner Brothers, with their first releases just around the corner. He got the gig, not only as drummer but also with the chance to contribute to writing.
Their debut album Fresh Meat went Platinum in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, and the follow‑up The Family Album earned Gold.
It was during this period that Bid met Leftfield, who were based in the same studio.
“They were the old boys downstairs,” Bid recalls. “We’d go down and ask them for a smoke if we ran out, or catch them in the kitchen for a chat. I remember sometimes they’d crank up the big system in that room and the whole building would shake.”
Back home
In 2010, Bid joined Leftfield as their drummer, a role that would see him perform at major festivals, headline tours, and feature on their Tourism album recorded live one night in Australia.
He also stepped into the world of Above & Beyond, performing on both their Acoustic I and Acoustic II world tours. These shows brought Bid into iconic venues including the Hollywood Bowl, Royal Albert Hall, and Sydney Opera House — experiences that cemented his reputation as a dynamic and adaptable performer.
Alone
Away from the big stages, Bid began experimenting with technology and electronic drums at his Birmingham studio, DGHQ. One early project, BTLGR, saw him remix a cappella vocals from well‑known songs over his own live‑triggered backing tracks and synchronised video. A crowd‑pleaser in every sense — but impossible to commercially release due to copyright restrictions.
Instead, Bid focused on creating original music with the same energy and live‑triggered concept, combining his drumming skills, electronic production, and visual creativity.
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