Neil Cooper (born 2 April 1971) is an English musician best known as the current drummer of

Therapy? Therapy? are a Northern Irish rock band from Larne, formed in 1989 by guitarist-vocalist Andy Cairns and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing. Therapy? recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar. To complete the lineup, the band r ...

, a rock band from Northern Ireland, and formerly of The Beyond, a rock band from England.

Career

Cooper was a founding member of The Beyond in 1988. The band signed with

EMI Records EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company of the same name in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succ ...

and released two albums, entitled ''Crawl'' and ''Chasm'', the latter being recorded in New York City with Jim Thirlwell. The band toured throughout the UK, Europe and US with Therapy?,

Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea (musician), Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates element ...

Soundgarden Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band), and bassist Hiro Yamamo ...

Claytown Troupe Claytown Troupe are an English alternative rock band from Bristol, England who came to success in 1989. Early history – 1984 – 1988 The Claytown Troupe were formed in 1984 in Bristol by lead singer Christian Riou, who claimed in an ''NME' ...

and

Living Colour Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band currently consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish (who replaced Muzz Skillings in 1992). S ...

. The Beyond disbanded in 1993, after which Cooper joined

Cable Cable may refer to: Mechanical * Nautical cable, an assembly of three or more ropes woven against the weave of the ropes, rendering it virtually waterproof * Wire rope, a type of rope that consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a hel ...

. The band signed to Infectious Records and Cooper appeared on their debut album ''Downlift the Uptrodden''. He also played on both of their

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...

sessions and toured the UK and Europe with

Ash Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...

Girls Against Boys Girls Against Boys is a post-hardcore band which formed in Washington, D.C. and subsequently relocated to New York City shortly after their formation in 1989. The band released albums on the labels Adult Swim, Touch and Go Records, Geffen Record ...

Boss Hog Boss Hog is an American punk blues band including the husband and wife duo of Jon Spencer (guitar) and Cristina Martinez (vocals) along with Jens Jurgensen (bass), Hollis Queens (drums) and Mickey Finn (keyboard). The band achieved some notorie ...

and

Oasis In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment'ksar''with its surrounding feeding source, the palm grove, within a relational and circulatory nomadic system.” The location of oases has been of critical imp ...

. In 1995, however, Cooper re-joined his old bandmates from The Beyond in a new group called Gorilla. In 1998, following the release of several EPs, the group disbanded. Cooper, by now operating freelance, had a stint with bigbeat combo Psychedeliasmith, and worked with

Fatboy Slim Norman Quentin Cook (born Quentin Leo Cook, 31 July 1963), also known by his stage name Fatboy Slim, is an English musician, DJ, and record producer who helped to popularise the big beat genre in the 1990s. In the 1980s, Cook was the bassist f ...

. Cooper also gained his Certificate in Teaching from the

Royal Schools of Music The ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) is an examination board and registered charity based in the United Kingdom. ABRSM is one of five examination boards accredited by Ofqual to award graded exams and diploma qualification ...

in 2001, the same year as he co-founded a Derby-based record label called Stressed Sumo Records. Cooper joined Therapy? in 2002, following the departure of

Graham Hopkins Graham Hopkins (born 20 December 1975) is an Irish drummer. He was the drummer in The Swell Season, The Frames and rock band Therapy?. Biography Early years Hopkins was born in Dublin and was brought up in Clane, County Kildare in a musica ...

. His first live performance with Therapy? took place at the Carvicais Rock Festival in Portugal on 10 August that year. It followed one rehearsal in which he had to learn the full sixteen song set. Cooper has since played on the band's last seven studio albums – ''

High Anxiety ''High Anxiety'' is a 1977 American satirical comedy film produced and directed by Mel Brooks, who also plays the lead. This is Brooks' first film as a producer and first speaking lead role (his first lead role was in ''Silent Movie''). Veteran ...

'', ''

Never Apologise Never Explain ''Never Apologise Never Explain'' is the eighth full-length album by the rock band Therapy?, and the second to be released on Spitfire Records. It was released on 27 September 2004. The album was recorded in June 2004 at Parkgate Studios, Hasti ...

'', ''

One Cure Fits All ''One Cure Fits All'' is the ninth full-length album by rock band Therapy?, and the third and final to be released on Spitfire Records. It was released on 24 April 2006. The album was recorded in January 2006 at Jacobs Studios in Surrey. The al ...

'', ''

Crooked Timber Crooked Timber is a left-of-centre political blog run by a group of (mostly) academics from and working in several different nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Australia and Singapore. The name all ...

'', ''

A Brief Crack of Light ''A Brief Crack of Light'' is the thirteenth studio album by the band Therapy?, and the third album to be released on ''Blast Records'', part of The Global Music Group family. It was originally scheduled to be released in October 2011, but was ...

'', '' Disquiet'' and ''

Cleave Cleave may refer to: *Cleave (surname) *Cleave (fiber), a controlled break in optical fiber *RAF Cleave, was an airfield in the north of Cornwall, England, May 1939 - Nov 1945 *The process of protein cleaving as a form of post-translational modifi ...

''.

Drum lessons

Whenever he is not touring or otherwise busy with Therapy?, Cooper provides drum lessons. He teaches at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School (QEGS),

Ashbourne, Derbyshire Ashbourne is a market town in the Derbyshire Dales district in Derbyshire, England. Its population was measured at 8,377 in the 2011 census and was estimated to have grown to 9,163 by 2019. It has many historical buildings and independent sho ...

. Cooper uses, and is endorsed by,

Mapex Mapex Drums (Music And Percussion EXcellence) is a Taiwanese brand of musical instruments established by KHS Musical Instruments in 1989. Instruments manufactured with the "Mapex" name include drum kits and hardware. Products Mapex produces se ...

drums. He also uses

Paiste Paiste (English pronunciation: , ) is a Swiss musical instrument manufacturing company. It is the world's third largest manufacturer of cymbals, gongs, and metal percussion. is an Estonian word that means "shine". Apart from cymbals and gong ...

cymbals.

Discography

The Beyond

* ''Manic Sound Panic'' (1990 EP) * ''No Excuse'' (1990 EP) * ''Crawl'' (1991 album) * "One Step Too Far" (1991 single) * "Empire" (1991 single) * ''Raging'' (1991 EP) * ''Chasm'' (1993 album)

Cable

* "Sale of the Century" (1994 single) * "Seventy" (1995 single) * "Blindman" (1995 single) * "Seventy" (1996 single) * ''Downlift the Uptrodden'' (1996 album)

Gorilla

* ''Extended Play'' (1995 EP) * ''Shutdown'' (1995 EP) * "Who Wants to Save the World Anyway?" (1997 single) * "Outside" (1998 single)

Therapy?

* All releases from 2003 to present

References

External links

Therapy? website

BBC Derby article

Stressed Sumo Records - The label Neil co-runs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Neil Therapy? members English heavy metal drummers 1973 births Living people Musicians from Derby 21st-century drummers