Bio: Chris Gibbs

Chris first started drumming at the ripe old age of five! Given two shortened golf clubs (made for a little person by his golf pro stepfather) he proceeded to turn over an aluminum wash tub, and beat out his own rhythm in the front yard. A short lived golf career, but the beginning of a life time of creativity behind the traps.

After a few lessons on guitar, Chris decided to continue his path with the drums in third grade, acquiring his first drum set that Christmas.

Junior high brought the promise of an aspiring musician, and his first public performance with a rock band (Electric Illusion) in November 1978. Throughout junior high Chris played with school bands. In high school, with a full beard and killer groove, he joined the marching and symphonic bands. Junior year transitioned from school performance to regular local gigs: Northcoast Tavern, ARS Club and Surfside 6.

The culmination of local performances came in 1982 – playing at the Palace Theater with the Leonard Smith Band to promote their first commercial recording under the production of Paul Pope.

Chris’s path in music unfolded as he set off to study at the Berklee School of Music in the area of performance on drumset. He returned to the Cleveland area and joined Face the World and D C and the Continentals, and later formed The Piranhas. Chris recorded and produced his own solo album, Pipe Dreams and Air Castles in 1992. Over the years he has played with an eclectic variety of musicians in bands in jazz, blues and rock genres such as King of Clubs, Coltrane Wreck, Blue Jazz, Misbehavin, The Dixie Stranglers and The Velvematics. Chris has opened for such artists as The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Chuck Berry, Lee Rocker and Joan Jett.

At a Cinco De Mayo party Chris met Clarke Nagle who invited him to see TEST OF TIME. Stepping into the vacant throne, Chris established the band’s groove during its metamorphosis into VERVE DADDY.