Nicholas D'Virgilio (born November 12, 1968), often abbreviated and referred to as NDV, is an American musician, singer, best known as a member of the
progressive rock
Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...
band
Spock's Beard. He was also one of two drummers chosen to replace
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...
in
Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Religion
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of humankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Bo ...
on the ''
Calling All Stations
''...Calling All Stations...'' (stylised in all capitals) is the fifteenth and final studio album by English rock band Genesis. It was released 1 September 1997 by Virgin Records and is their only album featuring Scottish singer Ray Wilson as ...
'' album. He has also done session work with many artists including
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath in 1981 by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the synth-pop bands o ...
and
Mystery, and is an official member of
Big Big Train
Big Big Train are an English progressive rock band formed in Bournemouth in 1990. The current line-up includes band founder Gregory Spawton (bass, guitars and keyboards), along with Nick D'Virgilio (drums, vocals, guitars and keyboards), Rikar ...
.
Career
Spock's Beard (1992–2011, 2017–2018)
D'Virgilio was the drummer in
Spock's Beard since the band began in the early 1990s.
After
Neal Morse
Neal Morse (born August 2, 1960) is an American singer, musician and composer based in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1992, he formed the progressive rock band Spock's Beard with his brother Alan and released an album which was moderately successful ...
left in 2002, D'Virgilio took over on lead vocals and became their frontman during live performances.
In this line-up, Spock's Beard subsequently recorded four albums, ''
Feel Euphoria'', ''
Octane
Octane is a hydrocarbon and also an alkane with the chemical formula C8H18, and the condensed structural formula CH3(CH2)6CH3. Octane has many structural isomers that differ by the location of branching in the carbon chain. One of these isomers ...
'', the self-titled ''
Spock's Beard'', and ''
X'', prior to D'Virgilio's departure in 2011.

On July 26, 2011, D'Virgilio released a solo EP called ''Pieces''. He performed a show in
Quebec City
Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...
, Canada performing the EP in its entirety with local musicians on the day of the album release.
On November 18, 2011, D'Virgilio announced that he had left Spock's Beard,
because of his work with
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil (, ; ) is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, Montreal, Saint-Michel, Montreal, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 Jun ...
, "It is very hard for me to write this, but as all good things come to an end at sometime or another, unfortunately I have to tell you all that my time with Spock's Beard has come to a close."
Later in 2014, D'Virgilio left
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil (, ; ) is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, Montreal, Saint-Michel, Montreal, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 Jun ...
due to show cutbacks and joined
Sweetwater Sound
Sweetwater is an American musical instrument retailer. Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sweetwater is the largest online retailer of musical instruments and pro audio equipment in the United States.
History
Chuck Surack established the company in ...
in August as a drum ambassador "where he creates how-to content, demonstration videos, and product reviews. He also teaches music and pro audio classes and serves as the Sweetwater Studios' first-call session drummer."
In July 2016, D'Virgilio and
Neal Morse
Neal Morse (born August 2, 1960) is an American singer, musician and composer based in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1992, he formed the progressive rock band Spock's Beard with his brother Alan and released an album which was moderately successful ...
joined Spock's Beard for the only two performances of the album ''
Snow
Snow consists of individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes.
It consists of frozen crystalline water througho ...
'', first at Morsefest on July 2 and then for Night of the Prog, in Loreley, Germany on July 15.
Kevin Gilbert (1994–1999)
In 1994, D'Virgilio joined
Kevin Gilbert's reformed band Giraffe for a one-off performance of the Genesis piece "
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
''The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'' is a studio double album and sixth overall by the English progressive rock band Genesis (band), Genesis. It was released on 22 November 1974 by Charisma Records, and is their last to feature original lead voc ...
" at Progfest '94. In 1995, he performed drums as part of Gilbert's touring band, Thud, which recorded a live album, ''
Live at the Troubadour'', released in 1999. After Gilbert's death in 1996, D'Virgilio was asked by Gilbert's estate to complete his second solo album, ''
The Shaming of the True'', based on the extant tapes and Gilbert's notes. ''Shaming'' was released posthumously in 2000 and has D'Virgilio on many tracks contributing drums, percussion, bass, guitar, keyboards and backing vocals.
In November 2002, D'Virgilio headlined ProgWest in
Claremont, California
Claremont () is a suburban city in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of Los Angeles. It lies in the Pomona Valley at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census it had ...
and played the entire ''The Shaming of the True'' album live in a band consisting of other friends and colleagues of Gilbert's. In 2008, video tapes of the Troubadour concert were uncovered for the first time, leading to a DVD, entitled ''Welcome to Joytown – Thud Live at The Troubadour'', released in 2009.
Big Big Train (2007–present)
After guesting on three tracks on
Big Big Train
Big Big Train are an English progressive rock band formed in Bournemouth in 1990. The current line-up includes band founder Gregory Spawton (bass, guitars and keyboards), along with Nick D'Virgilio (drums, vocals, guitars and keyboards), Rikar ...
's 2007 album ''
The Difference Machine'', he was billed as a "permanent guest" on ''
The Underfall Yard'' (2009) and subsequently joined the band as a full member, appearing on all of the band's releases since, and also performing live with the band since 2014 when they returned to live performances.
In 2024, he committed to the band's touring schedule when it conflicted with
Mr. Big's.
Other bands
A lifelong fan of the progressive rock band
Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Religion
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of humankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Bo ...
, D'Virgilio was given an opportunity by the band to replace Phil Collins on drums for their 1997 album ''
Calling All Stations
''...Calling All Stations...'' (stylised in all capitals) is the fifteenth and final studio album by English rock band Genesis. It was released 1 September 1997 by Virgin Records and is their only album featuring Scottish singer Ray Wilson as ...
''. D'Virgilio split percussion duties with
Nir Zidkyahu during work on the album.
D'Virgilio had been a full member of the
Mike Keneally Band from 2001 to 2004, playing on the tour supporting Keneally's 2000 album ''Dancing'' and later providing drums and vocals on the 2004 album ''Dog'', as can be seen on the DVD included as part of the ''Dog Special Edition'' in both live and "making-of" studio footage. Previous Keneally drummer Joe Travers took D'Virgilio's place in the band for the subsequent Guitar Therapy tour.
D'Virgilio's first solo album, ''Karma'', was recorded in 2001 at Kevin Gilbert's former studio, Lawnmower and Garden Supplies Studio, in Pasadena. The album included performances by Mike Keneally and
Bryan Beller, D'Virgilio's bandmates in The Mike Keneally Band. D'Virgilio also served as the chief engineer on Beller's solo album ''View'', recorded at the same studio as ''Karma''.
D'Virgilio filled in for Mark Zonder on
Fates Warning
Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman. There have been numerous lineup ch ...
's summer tour with
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 in Boston, Massachusetts. The band comprises John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), Mike Portnoy (drums), James LaBrie (vocals) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards).
Dream Theat ...
and
Queensrÿche
Queensrÿche () is an American progressive metal band. It formed in 1982 in Bellevue, Washington, out of the local band the Mob. The band has released 16 studio albums, one Extended play, EP, and several DVDs, and continues to tour and record ...
in 2003.
Zonder's prior commitments prevented him from taking part in the tour, and he ceased performing with the band following its 2005 release ''FWX'' due to a reported aversion to touring. D'Virgilio played with the band on a handful of gigs supporting that album and appeared on the 2006 DVD release ''
Live in Athens''. D'Virgilio also appeared on
Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess (born Jordan Charles Rudes; November 4, 1956) is an American keyboardist, composer, and software developer, best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.
Early lif ...
' 2007 album ''
The Road Home''.
In early 2014, D'Virgilio appeared on Roy Strattman's album ''The Lie of the Beholder'', stating: "Recording the drums for Roy's record was a total blast. I am really honored that he asked me to be a part of his new musical adventure. The record rocks and, from a drummer's perspective, I got to hit 'em hard and got challenged by the songs – 2 things drummers love. I really enjoyed the whole process and the music."
In August 2016, rock trio The Fringe released its self-titled debut album, featuring D'Virgilio on drums and vocals,
Jonas Reingold
Jonas Reingold (born 22 April 1969) is a Swedish bass guitarist from Malmö.
Biography
Reingold started to play bass in 1986 when he subbed for a friend in the locally-famous act WIRE. The band was happy with his performance and offered him t ...
of
The Flower Kings on bass and backing vocals, and Randy McStine (
Lo-Fi Resistance) on vocals and guitars.
In 2018, it was announced that D'Virgilio had returned to Spock's Beard as their recording drummer following the departure of
Jimmy Keegan.
He appears on their 13th studio release, ''
Noise Floor
In signal theory, the noise floor is the measure of the signal created from the sum of all the noise sources and unwanted signals within a measurement system, where noise is defined as any signal other than the one being monitored.
In radio com ...
''. It remains unclear whether D'Virgilio will continue recording with the band, which has designated Mike Thorne (of
Saga
Sagas are prose stories and histories, composed in Iceland and to a lesser extent elsewhere in Scandinavia.
The most famous saga-genre is the (sagas concerning Icelanders), which feature Viking voyages, migration to Iceland, and feuds between ...
) as their live drummer.
In 2020, D'Virgilio released his first solo album in nine years, ''Invisible''. The album was recorded at Sweetwater Sound with the string and brass sections recorded at
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a music recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, London, Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of ...
. D'Virgilio wrote the concept during his time in the booth while touring with the
Cirque Du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil (, ; ) is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, Montreal, Saint-Michel, Montreal, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 Jun ...
show ''
Totem
A totem (from or ''doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage (anthropology), lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system.
While the word ...
''.
In 2023, it was announced that he would be performing as the drummer for
Mr. Big on their "BIG Finish Tour".
During 2025, D'Virgilio is set to tour with
Steve Hackett
Stephen Richard Hackett (born 12 February 1950) is an English guitarist who gained prominence as the lead guitarist of the progressive rock band Genesis (band), Genesis from 1971 to 1977. Hackett contributed to six Genesis studio albums, three l ...
.
Personal life
D'Virgilio lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana with his wife Tiffany and his two children Anthony and Sophia.
Discography
Solo albums
*''Karma'' (2001)
*''Pieces'' (EP) (2011)
*''Invisible'' (2020)
With D'Virgilio, Morse & Jennings
* ''
Troika'' (2022)
* ''Sophomore'' (2023)
With Spock's Beard
Studio albums
*''
The Light'' (1995)
*''
Beware of Darkness'' (1996)
*''
The Kindness of Strangers'' (1998)
*''
Day for Night'' (1999)
*''
V'' (2000)
*''
Snow
Snow consists of individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes.
It consists of frozen crystalline water througho ...
'' (2002)
*''
Feel Euphoria'' (2003)
*''
Octane
Octane is a hydrocarbon and also an alkane with the chemical formula C8H18, and the condensed structural formula CH3(CH2)6CH3. Octane has many structural isomers that differ by the location of branching in the carbon chain. One of these isomers ...
'' (2005)
*''
Spock's Beard'' (2006)
*''
X'' (2010)
*''
Noise Floor
In signal theory, the noise floor is the measure of the signal created from the sum of all the noise sources and unwanted signals within a measurement system, where noise is defined as any signal other than the one being monitored.
In radio com ...
'' (2018)
Live albums
*''
Official Live Bootleg/The Beard Is out There'' (1996, recorded 1995)
*''Live at the Whisky and NEARfest'' (1999)
*''Don't Try This at Home'' (April 2000, recorded 1999)
*''Nick 'n Neal live in Europe - Two Separate Gorillas'' (October 2000) (From the Vaults, Series 2)
* ''Don't Try This @ Home Either'' (2000, recorded 1999) (From the Vaults, Series 3)
*''
There and Here'' (2000) (live – From the Vaults, Series 4)
*''The Beard Is Out There-Live'' (2003)
*''
Gluttons for Punishment'' (2005)
*''
Live
Live may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film
* ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film
* ''Live'' (2023 film), a Malayalam-language film
*'' Live: Phát Trực Tiếp'', a Vietnamese-langua ...
'' (2008)
*''Snow Live'' (2017, recorded 2016)
With Big Big Train
*''
The Difference Machine'' (2007)
*''
The Underfall Yard'' (2009)
*''
Far Skies Deep Time'' (2010)
*''
English Electric Part One'' (2012)
*''
English Electric Part Two'' (2013)
*''
Make Some Noise'' (2013)
*''
English Electric: Full Power'' (2013)
*''
Wassail
Wassail (, ) is a beverage made from hot mulled cider, ale, or wine and spices, drunk traditionally as an integral part of wassailing, an ancient English Christmastide and Yuletide drinking ritual and salutation either involved in door-to ...
'' (2015)
*''
Folklore
Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...
'' (2016)
*''
Grimspound
Grimspound is a late Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age settlement, situated on Dartmoor in Devon, England. It consists of a set of 24 hut circles surrounded by a low stone wall. The name was first recorded by the Reverend Richard Polwhele in 1 ...
'' (2017)
*''
The Second Brightest Star'' (2017)
*''
Grand Tour'' (2019)
*''
Common Ground'' (2021)
*''
Welcome to the Planet'' (2022)
*''
Ingenious Devices'' (2023)
*''
The Likes of Us'' (2024)
With The Fringe
*''The Fringe'' (2016)
Other collaborations
References
External links
Nick D'Virgilio Interviewat
NAMM Oral History Collection (2018)
Nick D'Virgilioofficial website
{{DEFAULTSORT:D'Virgilio, Nick
1968 births
Living people
Genesis (band) members
Musicians from Whittier, California
American rock drummers
Spock's Beard members
Mirage (British band) members
20th-century American drummers
American male drummers
Big Big Train members
Drummers from California