Thomas Lang

(born August 5, 1967, Vienna) is an Austrian drummer, multi-instrumentalist, composer and record producer. He is the founding member of the Los Angeles-based progressive/avant garde metal trio, stOrk.

Lang took up drumming at age 5. In addition to lessons at local music schools and years of private tuition, he was classically trained at the Vienna Conservatory of Music. After leaving the conservatory in 1985, Lang began working professionally, working his way through the European pop, rock and jazz scenes. As a session musician he played for artists such as John Wetton, Robert Fripp, Glenn Hughes, Peter Gabriel, Asia, Nik Kershaw, Tina Turner, Robbie Williams, Kelly Clarkson, Sugababes, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Victoria Beckham, Ronan Keating, Steve Hackett, 911, Boyzone, Falco, Nina Hagen, Steve Jones, Mick Jones, The Commodores, George Michael, Doogie White, B*Witched, Gianna Nannini, Lighthouse Family, Westlife, Kylie Minogue, The Blockheads, Sertab Erener, Vienna Art Orchestra, Bonnie Tyler, Nadine Beiler, and Paul Gilbert. In 1995 Lang released his debut solo project, Mediator, which topped the charts in Europe and garnered positive reviews.

Instructional material
Lang released the DVD Creative Control, teaching advanced drumming techniques. In 2005 he headlined the UK Drumfest held in Birmingham alongside Kenny Aronoff and Jimmy Chamberlin.

Lang’s original practice regime eventually became the basis for his 2-part series of instructional videos, “Ultimatives Schlagzeug I & II”, originally released in 1995. The videos were re-released on DVD in 2004 by Hudson Music. In 2003 Lang released the instructional DVD and book “Creative Control”.

In 2009, Lang launched The Thomas Lang Drumming Boot Camp a multi-day touring, educational drumming experience that he hosted in various locations around the world including London, Los Angeles, New York, Berlin, Austria and Finland among others.

His follow-up DVD and book, "Creative Coordination & Advanced Foot Technique" was released in November 2006. In 2010, he auditioned for Dream Theater, as revealed by a recent documentary trailer released by the band, but did not win the audition; the eventual winner was Mike Mangini.

Equipment
Lang is a 10-year endorser of Meinl cymbals. He has designed a number of cymbals with Meinl: the 16" Synthetik Crash, 17" Kompressor Crash, 18" Kinetik Crash, 18" Signal Crash/Klub Ride, and Filter Chinas. Lang stated on Creative Control that when he designed his cymbals, he wanted to recreate electronic cymbal sounds in acoustic cymbals. One of Lang's goals was to create a pitch-matched range of contemporary crash cymbals that provide acoustic and electronic drummers with modern sounds that resemble artificially engineered cymbal samples - “Tom’s Becken” launched in 2002. In 2004 Thomas Lang worked with Meinl again to design the “Fast Hats”, and a series of “Filter Chinas”.

In 2002, the Remo Corporation approached Thomas to produce the “Thomas Lang Practice Kit".

Other Thomas Lang products are Vic Firth’s “Thomas Lang signature model” stick and the “Thomas Lang signature Bigfoot bassdrum beaters”.

After endorsing Sonor Drums for 20 years, in 2010 he signed with Drum Workshop (DW) drums.

Awards

 * 1999, 2001: Best studio drummer (Rhythm magazine)
 * 2002: Best pop drummer, Best all-around drummer (Rhythm magazine)
 * 2002: Best drummer (Drums and Percussion magazine)
 * 2003: Best clinician (Modern Drummer magazine)
 * 2004: Best DVD, Best clinician runner up, Best drummer runner-up (Modern Drummer magazine); Best DVD, Best new signature product, Best drummer (Drummer magazine); Best studio drummer (Rhythm magazine); Best recorded drum performance (Sticks magazine)
 * 2005: Best pop drummer, Best Clinician, Best Solo Drum performance (Rhythm magazine); Best DVD, Best all around drummer, Best drum event (Drummer magazine)
 * 2006: Best drum clinician (DRUM! Magazine), Best drumming video/DVD (Drum! Magazine); Best DVD, Best drummer (Rhythm magazine)
 * 2007: Best DVD, Best drummer (Rhythm magazine); Best DVD, Best drummer, Best Clinician (Modern Drummer magazine)
 * Aurora Gold Award 2007 for Best Video Production
 * 2008: Best Clinician (Modern Drummer Magazine); Best Clinician (DRUM! Magazine)

Selected discography

 * Thomas Lang - Mediator (1995)
 * John Wetton - Live at the Progfest L.A. (1997)
 * Thomas Lang - Creative Control (2003)
 * Thomas Lang - Creative Coordination (2006)
 * Thomas Lang - Something Along Those Lines (2007)
 * B*Witched - Jump Up, Jump Down (Live)
 * Willi Langer - Colours of the Octopus
 * Willi Langer - Signs of Life
 * Billy Liesegang - No Strings Attached
 * Vienna Art Orchestra - Songs and other Adventures
 * Vienna Art Orchestra - Art and Fun
 * John Wetton - Arkangel
 * John Wetton - Live in Tokyo
 * John Wetton - Live in Argentina
 * StOrk - StOrk (2011)
 * Paul Gilbert - Vibrato (2012)