User:Jonwhitaker/Preston Nash

Preston Nash
Preston Nash (born September 16, 1968 in Newark, NJ) is an American musician, drummer, songwriter, music producer, and radio personality. He is best known as the drummer for Dope, Primer 55, and Society 1, as well as producer for The Ralph Bailey Show on 1560 KNZR out of Bakersfield CA.



Music Bio
Preston began playing drums at the age of 13, and soon after formed his first band called Nasty Habits, soon to be changed to Opus 13. While still in high school, he would travel from NJ to Queens NY on weekends to practice and perform in a Jewish Center in Rego Park. The band changed names again to Cyanide, and Preston was playing clubs in NJ and NYC by the age of 17.

As Preston had more serious musical ambitions than his Cyanide bandmates, he broke up the band and soon helped form a pop metal band called Amazing Grace in 1989, with lead singer Lisa St. Ann, formerly from Kidd Gloves. Without a record deal, Amazing Grace put themselves on the road, doing self-financed tours up and down the east coast of the United States and Canada. Acts Amazing Grace opened for included Firehouse, Doro, and Blue Oyster Cult. After failing to get a recording contract, Amazing Grace disbanded in 1991, but Preston remained as Lisa's drummer in her solo project. Also in her band was guitarist/producer Andre Karkos (better known as "The Virus", who Preston later helped recruit into the industrial metal band Dope). Preston recorded some of the drum tracks on Lisa St. Ann's debut CD "Conversations from the Sidewalk" on Pax Records, which included a song Preston co-wrote called "Here".

Preston stayed very busy playing and recording with a number of other acts during this period of the early to mid 1990's, including The Right (featuring Tripp Eisen from Roughhouse/Dope/Static X/The Murderdolls) and the Rezin Hits. Around this same time, Preston was also the house drummer at Skylab Studios in southern New Jersey.

In 1993 Preston performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland with The Bang, a hard rock/metal band featuring classical violinist Alexander Markov, who played a 6 string electric violin that he invented.

Another notable side project Preston co-founded circa 1992 was Fractured Mirror, the world's only Ace Frehley (from KISS) tribute band. He started the band with Bill Baker, a guitar technician in New Jersey who worked on the real Ace Frehley's guitars and amplifiers in the early 1990's. Also in the band were guitarists T.R. Gwynne and Tripp Eisen. Fractured Mirror played KISS conventions in the New Jersey/New York City area, as well as clubs thoughout NJ and Pennsylvania, sometimes sharing the stage with bands such as Stain'd and Joe Lynn Turner. Aside from doing Ace Frehley and KISS covers, Fractured Mirror wrote an original song called "Put It On", about KISS reuniting and putting their makeup and 70's-style costumes back on (this was prior to KISS' 1996 reunion with the original members). The band and song are featured in the 2008 documentary about KISS fans called "KISS Loves You". Fractured Mirror ended when Preston and Tripp were about to embark on a national tour with Dope in 1999.

Dope (Flip/Epic Records) was Preston's first major label break. They recorded their debut album "Felons and Revolutionairies" in 1999, then hit the road and toured extensively between 1999-2000, touring or playing with artists such as Kid Rock, Slipknot, Stain'd, POD, Powerman 5000, Static X, Chevelle, Mudvayne, Orgy, Fear Factory, David Allen Coe, Alice Cooper, and many more. Dope's last show with the original lineup of Edsel Dope, Simon Dope, Acey Slade, Tripp Eisen, and Preston was opening for Alice Cooper on Halloween in New York City in 2000. Tripp Eisen was soon fired and Preston quit, but not until they brought "The Virus" in as a second guitarist. Preston then joined Primer 55 (Island Records) for their sophomore album "The New Release" and more cross-country tours throughout 2001-2002. During this time Preston fronted a side project, a punk band called NA$H (DK Records) with bassist Dirt (later to join Society 1) and guitarist Leo Curly (formerly from Biohazard). NA$H released a 4-song EP called "Toxic Children" and did a national club tour in 2002.

Primer 55 were dropped from Island Records, and Preston moved on. He briefly joined The Color Red (RCA/Dirty Martini) for 10 months in 2003. From there he went on to Society 1 in 2004 (Earache Records), who he had filled-in for once before when they were a support act for Primer 55 in 2002, after their drummer broke his ankle mid-tour. Shortly after joining Society 1, they performed their infamous "suspension show" at the Key Club in Hollywood CA, in which singer Matt Zane performed 3 songs suspended from meathooks. They toured Europe with Godhead in the spring of 2004, and Preston laid the drum tracks for their third album "The Sound Which Ends Creation", released late 2004.

He took a break from touring from 2005-2009 to spend more time with his family in Bakersfield CA. During this period he formed a band with his wife Rocky Nash, and went on to record (in addition to co-writing and producing) two albums with Rocky Na$h & The Average Americans, after getting a deal with short-lived U.K. based Sikotick Records. Rocky Na$h & The Average Americans also provided 2 songs for the independent movie "Stamped!", as well as 2 songs to the ECHL Hockey CD "Growing Up Fighting." As of 2010 Rocky Na$h & The Average Americans have been on indefinite hiatus.

Also during this period, Preston formed One Minute Masterpiece, a jingle and imaging company. He's provided jingles and imaging music for clients all over the United States, but mainly in California.

In 2010, Preston rejoined Society 1, who's currently working on a new album. In addition to playing, he is once again teaching private drum lessons, and is the educational coordinator at Dinky Music Studios in Corona CA, owned by Billie Stevens from Handsome Devil. Preston and Billie also formed Hydraphonic Music in April of 2010, a songwriting collective.

Radio Bio
Preston started his radio career in 2003 at 1230 KGEO, part of the American General Media cluster in Bakersfield CA. He was producer of "The Puck Show", from November of 2003 until November of 2005, also eventually acting as APD of KGEO. While with AGM, he also did a weekend shift as a "rock jock" on their sister-station Real Rock 93.1. He also worked weekends from November of 2004 to March 2005 doing a weekend on-air shift at 96.7 KCAL Rocks! out of Redlands CA.

Preston left AGM and KGEO to pursue teaching music full time. While doing so, he did a weekend on-air shift on Clear Channel Bakersfield's 98.5 The Fox, from January 2006 through June 2006.

Preston then moved over to the Buckley Radio Group in Bakersfield, taking on the role of producer for The Ralph Bailey Show on 1560 KNZR in August of 2006. Since then he's also produced The Jaz McKay Show, and hosted his own weekly talk show called Nashional Radio from November of 2007 through February 2010. He is currently APD of KNZR as well as producer for Ralph Bailey.

Education
In addition to rock drumming, his musical background also consists of formal training in orchestral percussion and composition (he's got a Bachelor's of Music degree in performance and a Master's in Music Theory/Composition from Montclair State University in NJ), and his classical experience even includes performing at Carnegie Hall. As an educator, he's taught private lessons in drumset and percussion, and has served on the staffs at Union County College and Montclair State University, both in New Jersey, and Kern Valley High School in Lake Isabella CA.

Music Equipment
Preston Nash is endorsed by Vic Firth Drumsticks, Pearl Drums, Sabian Cymbals, and Greg Bennett/Samick Guitars.

Personal Life
Preston married his wife Rocky Nash on May 7, 2002. He has one step-daughter and two sons. They currently reside in Bakersfield CA.

External Links

Preston Nash profile page at vicfirth.com: http://www.vicfirth.com/artists/profile/profile.php?id=938

Preston Nash profile page at pearldrum.com: http://www.pearldrum.com/Artists/Drumset-Artists.aspx?id=139