Mike Cox - Drums

“On leaving school in 1949 I decided to join a local British legion brass band.

At fifteen shillings a week I purchased my first drum kit; today that’s around 75 pence.Later, while working with musicians, I was introduced to jazz and big bands.

I played in a polka band at a Polish refugee camp. In 1953 joined my first dance band, the N.E.Y. My musical career took a break when national service claimed me.

On demob I joined the Stan Rogers Oxford band. The baton was taken over by Eddie Cutis after Stan passed away. Eddie ran a very successful big band through the seventies and eighties.

I went on to play the club circuit backing Dennis Lotis and played several C.S.E. tours of Ireland entertaining the forces.

Unfortunately my music stopped once again after a motorway accident; this stopped me playing the drums for three years. I now play mainly for charities and regularly play for The James Goff Big Band helping to raise many thousands of pounds for good causes.”

Mike Cox