Loz Colbert

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Loz Colbert

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| background =

| birth_name = Laurence John Colbert

| alias = Loz

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1970|6|27}}

| birth_place = Kingston upon Thames, London, England

| death_date =

| instrument = Drums, percussion

| genre = Alternative rock, shoegazing, Britpop

| occupation =

| years_active = 1988–present

| label = Creation, Warner, Sire, The First Time, Wichita

| associated_acts = Ride, The Animalhouse, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Supergrass, Gaz Coombes

| website =

}}

Laurence John "Loz" Colbert (born 27 June 1970) is an English musician, best known as the drummer in Ride and formerly of The Animalhouse, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Supergrass and Gaz Coombes. His drumming style has been characterized as furious, drawing comparisons to Keith Moon.{{Cite web|last=Cramp|first=Nathaniel|date=19 November 2014|title=Ride: 10 of the best|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/nov/19/ride-10-of-the-best|access-date=10 April 2021|website=the Guardian|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Ride: Going Blank Again|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/17072-going-blank-again/|access-date=10 April 2021|website=Pitchfork|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Bergstrom|first=John|title=Can't Even Be Bothered: Two Great British Indie Rock Albums Turn 20, PopMatters|url=https://www.popmatters.com/155630-cant-even-be-bothered-two-great-british-indie-pop-albums-turn-twenty-2495875331.html|access-date=10 April 2021|website=PopMatters|date=12 March 2012 |language=en-US}}

Early life

Colbert was born in Kingston upon Thames, England{{Cite web|title=Ride – laut.de – Band|url=http://www.laut.de/ride|access-date=8 April 2021|website=laut.de|language=de}} and grew up in the Cotswolds.{{Cite web|last=redactie|title=Ride drummer Loz Colbert: The Mary Chain made me fall in love with noise|date=27 November 2020 |url=https://oost-online.nl/ride-drummer-loz-colbert-the-mary-chain-made-me-fall-in-love-with-noise/|access-date=8 April 2021|language=nl}} As he was in a relatively isolated area, Colbert had spent a lot of time in his bedroom listening to music as well as practicing the drums as there were few distractions or neighbors to be concerned about. Growing up, some of his influences included The Jesus and Mary Chain, New Order and Echo & the Bunnymen as well as drummers like Keith Moon, Mitch Mitchell and Ginger Baker.{{Cite web|last=March 2018|first=Rich Chamberlain 15|title=Behind the kit with Ride's Loz Colbert: "I'd finish a take and everyone would chuckle and mention Keith Moon. I didn't even know who he was"|url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/behind-the-kit-with-rides-loz-colbert-id-finish-a-take-and-everyone-would-chuckle-and-mention-keith-moon-i-didnt-even-know-who-he-was|access-date=10 April 2021|website=MusicRadar|date=15 March 2018 |language=en}}

Ride

At seventeen, Colbert attended Banbury Art School where he met Mark Gardener and Andy Bell. They used to meet at a Our Price record shop where Steve Queralt worked. The four of them formed the band, Ride, in 1988 after attending a concert by The Smiths. While still at Banbury the band produced a tape demo including the tracks "Chelsea Girl" and "Drive Blind". In February 1989 "Ride" were asked to stand in for a cancelled student union gig at Oxford Polytechnic that brought them to the attention of Alan McGee. After supporting The Soup Dragons in 1989, McGee signed them to Creation Records.{{Cite web|date=9 October 2020|title=Ride on the creation of all their albums: "It's a hell of a thing to be inside"|url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/ride-on-the-creation-of-all-their-albums-its-a-hell-of-a-thing-to-be-inside-128271/|access-date=8 April 2021|website=UNCUT|language=en-GB}}

Colbert was with Ride from the beginning in 1988 to its first dissolution in 1996. During this time he was involved in four studio albums: Nowhere, Going Blank Again, Carnival of Light and Tarantula, as well as other extended plays.

In 1996, Ride broke up due to various causes such as tensions between Bell and Gardener as well as the band having an unclear musical direction.{{Cite web|date=16 April 2015|title=Ride reunion: 'More bands should beat the crap out of each other for a while'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/16/ride-reunion-more-bands-should-beat-the-crap-out-of-each-other-for-a-while|access-date=8 April 2021|website=the Guardian|language=en}}

On 16 October 2001, all four members of Ride agreed to be filmed by Channel 4 for a one-off reunion. The footage was used for the show Pioneers, a documentary on Sonic Youth, and featured a thirty-minute improvised jam.{{Cite web|date=24 February 2004|title=PopMatters Music Interview {{!}} In a Different Place: Interviews with Andy Bell and Mark Gardener of Ride|url=http://www.popmatters.com/music/interviews/ride-030408.shtml|access-date=8 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040224132142/http://www.popmatters.com/music/interviews/ride-030408.shtml|archive-date=24 February 2004}} The recording of this song, plus two short sound checks, were released in 2002 as Coming up for Air.

On 19 November 2014 it was announced that Ride had reunited again for a series of tour dates in Europe and North America, in May and June 2015.{{Cite news|last=Gordon|first=Jeremy|title=Ride Reunite, Announce World Tour|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/57511-ride-reunite-announce-world-tour/|access-date=8 April 2021|website=Pitchfork|date=18 November 2014 |language=en-us}} Since then, the band has released three more studio albums, Weather Diaries, This Is Not a Safe Place, and Interplay.

The Animalhouse

In late 1997, Colbert and Gardener joined with Sam Williams and Hari T to form the Animalhouse. The band began making live appearances and received attention from the music press for its blend of 1960s psychedelica, Britrock, and electronica. Owing to a variety of legal and label related reasons, the band did not release any material until April 2000's Small EP. The album Ready To Receive followed in September, to commercial success in Japan, but limited success elsewhere.{{Cite web|title=The Animalhouse {{!}} Biography & History|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-animalhouse-mn0000395669/biography|access-date=8 April 2021|website=AllMusic|language=en}} Shortly after the release of the album, the Animalhouse disbanded, with Gardener stating that "it just didn't work."

The Jesus and Mary Chain

In 2007, Jim Reid recruited Colbert along with Phil King and Mark Crozer to be part of the reunion tour after The Jesus and Mary Chain was reformed.{{Cite web|date=18 June 2007|title=John Moore in search of The Jesus and Mary Chain|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/jun/18/popandrock.jesusandmarychain|access-date=8 April 2021|website=the Guardian|language=en}} Colbert was with the band from 2007 to 2008. During that period, the band produced the song "All Things Must Pass" as part of the Heroes: Original Soundtrack. It was their first new material in more than a decade.{{Cite web|date=24 April 2008|title=Listen to new The Jesus And Mary Chain song now|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-jesus-and-mary-chain-18-1332376|access-date=8 April 2021|website=NME|language=en-GB}}

Supergrass and Gaz Coombes

Colbert played for Supergrass during their 2005 tour as a brief fill in for Danny Goffey.{{cite web |title=On your Vapour Trail: Tracking the members of Ride since the band's 1996 split |url=https://vanyaland.com/2013/08/14/on-your-vapour-trail-tracking-the-members-of-ride-since-the-bands-1996-split/ |website=Vanyaland |date=14 August 2013}}

In addition, he has worked with Supergrass lead singer Gaz Coombes on several projects. Colbert played drums on four tracks on Coombes' Matador album,{{cite web |title=Gaz Coombes – Matador (2015, CD) |website=Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/Gaz-Coombes-Matador/release/6594179 |language=en}} as well as performing in his touring band.

Personal life

Colbert attended Oxford Brookes University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Music in 2010 and 2012 respectively.{{Cite web|date=15 January 2021|title=The School of Arts – Research Students - Oxford Brookes University|url=https://www.brookes.ac.uk/school-of-arts/research-degrees/research-students/|access-date=8 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115185534/https://www.brookes.ac.uk/school-of-arts/research-degrees/research-students/|archive-date=15 January 2021}}{{Cite web|title=Mr Laurence Colbert - MusicTeachers.co.uk|url=https://www.musicteachers.co.uk/teacher/2e573e1a81d973835e3d|access-date=8 April 2021|website=www.musicteachers.co.uk}} Currently he is pursuing a PHD.

Colbert is a Taekwando practitioner and holds a Black Belt.{{Cite web|date=17 February 2019|title=Mediation in Media Team - Mediation in Media|url=https://www.mediationinmedia.com/team/|access-date=11 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217002800/https://www.mediationinmedia.com/team/|archive-date=17 February 2019}} He used to regularly spar with Gardener who also does Taekwondo.{{Cite web|date=16 April 2015|title=Ride reunion: 'More bands should beat the crap out of each other for a while'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/16/ride-reunion-more-bands-should-beat-the-crap-out-of-each-other-for-a-while|access-date=11 April 2021|website=the Guardian|language=en}}

In 2020, Colbert participated in a 12-hour drum session to raise over £20,000 for the NHS.{{Cite web|title=Rock star bangs the drum for the NHS and helps appeal top £20k|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/leisure/18447174.ride-star-loz-colberts-12-hour-drum-session-helps-nhs-appeal-top-20k/|access-date=10 April 2021|website=Oxford Mail|date=13 May 2020 |language=en}}