Premier Percussion

Premier was established in 1922 when a drummer, Albert Della Porta, partnered with George Smith to establish a company. They set up on Berwick Street in London, and were soon joined by Albert's brother Fred, who eventually became the first sales manager of the recently created company.

File:Premier Drums - South Wigston (geograph 6348010).jpg

File:Premier Drums (geograph 7292194).jpg

In the beginning, they manufactured drums for other companies like John E. Dallas (with the "Jedson" trademark), then starting with "Premier" instruments. Early drum kits consisted of a bass drum, a snare, a stand, a cymbal, and sometimes a small tom-tom. The company grew to two factories, ending up in West London's Park Royal. By 1938 they were also producing brass instruments, as well as supplying drums to the armed forces. The company even built a guitar called "Premier Vox", in the early 1930s.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150214225417/http://www.mikedolbear.com/story.asp?StoryID=3499 Vintage (Over) View - Premier] on Mike Dolbear website (archived), 14 Feb 2015

During World War II, the Government forced Premier to manufacture gun sights and electrical plugs and sockets for radar equipment. After the West London factory was bombed in 1940, the company moved to the Leicestershire town of South Wigston, where they occupied three small factories.[http://drummagazine.com/the-rocky-history-of-premier-drums/ The Rocky History Of Premier Drums] by Robert Henrit on Drum Magazine, 24 Aug 2011

By 1986, Premier was one of the biggest factories in South Wigston, with 100,000 square feet covered and 180 employees. The company also exported its products to 120 countries.[https://web.archive.org/web/20170901165841/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-456000-297000/page/8 Premier Drum. South Wigston], Domesday reloaded on BBC (archived), Sep 1, 2017 However, in 2008, shortly after the NAMM show, Premier finally closed the factory. The entire site was eventually demolished in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wigstonhistoricalsociety.co.uk/Premier.html |title=Premier Drum Factory |website=wigstonhistoricalsociety.co.uk |date=2017-10-05 |publisher=GWHS |accessdate=2022-10-08 }} Once established in its new home in Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire, the brand was purchased by the online retailer Gear4music on 21 June 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lse.co.uk/rns/G4M/final-results-654198a1mhkl003.html |title=Gear4music Regulatory News. Live G4M RNS. Regulatory News Articles for Gear4music (Holdings) PLC |website=lse.co.uk |publisher=Gear4music (Holdings) PLC |accessdate=2022-10-08}}

File:Pictures of Lily drumkit.jpg" Keith Moon's drumkit]]

File:Bass drum Premier (8639408589).jpg

File:Premier drum kit at Two Temple Place, Astor House.jpg

• Nicholas 'Nick' Barker – Ancient, Borstal, Brujeria, Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Liquid Graveyard, Lock Up, Monolith, Noctis Imperium, Obskkvlt, Old Man's Child, Shining, Twilight of the God, Winter's Thrall
• Johnny Blitz – Dead Boys
• Julien Brown – Massive Attack{{Cite web|url=http://drumset.premier-percussion.com/artists |title=Artists |website=drumset.premier-percussion.com |publisher=Premier Percussion |access-date=14 May 2016}}
• Rick Buckler – The Jam
• Clem Burke – Blondie{{Cite web|url=http://mikedolbear.com/story.asp?StoryID=1711&Source=Search&txtSearch=Rci |title=Mike Dolbear DRUMS {{!}} Interview with Clem Burke |website=mikedolbear.com |access-date=12 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603120059/http://mikedolbear.com/story.asp?StoryID=1711&Source=Search&txtSearch=Rci |archive-date=3 June 2016 |url-status=dead}}
• Phil Collins – Genesis{{cite web |url=https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/november-1983-phil-collins/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518162421/https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/november-1983-phil-collins/ |archive-date=18 May 2019 |title=Phil Collins - Modern Drummer Magazine}}
• Bobby Colomby – Blood, Sweat & Tears
• Eric Delaney
• Bobby Elliott – The Hollies
• Ginger Fish – Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie
• Philly Joe Jones
• Rufus "Speedy" Jones
• Nick Mason – Pink Floyd{{Cite web|url=http://sparebricks.fika.org/sbzine23/ggg.html |title=Nick Mason's Drum Gear |website=sparebricks.fika.org |date= |publisher=Spare Bricks |accessdate=2022-10-08 }}
• Nicko McBrain – Iron Maiden{{Cite web|url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/drums/nicko-mcbrain-celebrates-20-years-with-premier-drums-570487 |title=Nicko McBrain celebrates 20 years with Premier Drums |website=musicradar.com |date=30 January 2013 |publisher=Future Publishing Limited |access-date=13 May 2016 }}
• Mitch Mitchell – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
• Keith Moon – The Who{{Cite web|url=https://drumcool.com/2011/12/28/premier-drums-to-return-to-uk-manufacture-by-2012-in-time-to-celebrate-its-90th-anniversary |title=Premier drums to return to UK manufacture by 2012 (in time to celebrate its 90th anniversary!) |date=28 December 2011 |website=drumcool.com |publisher=Drumcool |access-date=12 May 2016 }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gear/drums/drums6768.html |title=1967–1968 Pictures of Lily kit {{!}} Keith Moon's Drumkits {{!}} Whotabs |website=thewho.net |publisher=Whotabs |access-date=14 May 2016 }}
• Jerry Nolan – The Heartbreakers
• Hunt Sales – Iggy Pop
• Philip Selway – Radiohead{{Cite web|url=http://thekingofgear.com/phil |title=Phil Selway's Rig |website=thekingofgear.com |date= |publisher=The King of Gear |accessdate=2022-10-08 }}
• Chris Sharrock
• Ringo Starr – The Beatles{{Cite web|url=http://drumset.premier-percussion.com/history |title=Premier Music International Ltd. |website=drumset.premier-percussion.com |publisher=Premier Percussion |access-date=12 May 2016 }}
• Ronnie Verrell
• Brad Wilk – Rage Against the Machine{{Cite web|url=http://drumset.premier-percussion.com/history |title=History |website=drumset.premier-percussion.com |date= |publisher=Premier Percussion |accessdate=2022-10-08 }}
• Sam Woodyard – Duke Ellington

• APK/XPK series
• Elite Series (1970s){{Cite web|url=http://www.drumarchive.com/Premier/ |title=Premier |last=Youell |first=Andy |website=drumarchive.com |access-date=13 May 2016 }}
• Resonator Series
• Soundwave Series (1970s & 1980s)
• Black Shadow – a unique run of the Resonator series with a specially applied lacquer finish
• Projector Series
• Signia Series
• Signia Marquis Series
• Genista (original 90s version used only birch)
• Gen X (4ply maple/2ply birch)
• Artist Series
• Series Elite (Maple/Birch/Gen-X Hybrid)
• One series drums – unique one-off kits and snares named of British towns and places of interest
• Modern Classic drums{{Cite web|url=http://drumset.premier-percussion.com/news/premier-modern-classic-drumset |title=News – Premier launches British-made Modern Classic drum set |last=Ltd |first=Eazytiger |website=drumset.premier-percussion.com |access-date=13 May 2016}}
• Club (rebranded continuation of 1979 Olympic)
• Olympic by Premier{{Cite web|url=http://www.vintageolympic.co.uk/history.html |title =Vintage Olympic - a unique online history of Olympic drums |website=vintageolympic.co.uk |date= |publisher=Vintage Olympic |accessdate=2022-10-08 }}{{Cite web|url=http://drumset.premier-percussion.com/catalogue/drumset/drum-set/olympic |title=Olympic |website=drumset.premier-percussion.com |date= |publisher=Premier Percussion |accessdate=2022-10-08 }} (1937-1979, 1991–present), inc. Super Olympic
• Royale

File:Premier signia.jpg

Snare drums

• 2000 snare
• Royal Ace snare
• Carmine Appice Signature snare
• Project One snare
• 2003 snare
• 2005 snare
• Heavy Rock Nine 14"X9" brass snare
• Modern Classic snares
• XC Series – part of the 90th-anniversary line
• B.E.A.S.T. snare
• 1005 (Olympic brand)

Hardware

• 250 & 250S bass drum pedal{{Cite web|url=http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gear/drums/drumsmisc.html#pedal|title = Miscellaneous | Keith Moon's Drumkits | Whotabs |website=thewho.net |date=2021-01-09 |publisher=Whotabs |accessdate=2022-10-08 }}
• 252 bass drum pedal
• 1251 bass drum pedal

Other

• Gordon Mann 1 Wing pipes and drums
• Zyn cymbals (formerly)
• Power control unit: Model 1650. Bass drum damper. Worked by pivoting damper towards head, using a lever.

{{Reflist}}

• {{commons category-inline|Premier Percussion}}
• [http://www.premier-percussion.com/ Official website]
• [https://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/threads/premier-drum-wigston-leicester-april-2017.35465/ Photos of the derelict factory in 2017]

{{Percussion instruments brands}}

Category:Percussion instrument manufacturing companies

Category:English brands

Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1922

Category:1922 establishments in England

Category:Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom