Gerry Pantazis: Fusion Drumming, TV Pressure, and 3.5 Hours of Drummer Wisdom

Strap in—this is a long one! This week, I’m joined by Gerry Pantazis, one of Australia’s most in-demand drummers, known for his incredible versatility across fusion, pop, session work, theatre, and TV performances. With a career spanning decades, Gerry has played with legends like Larry Carlton, Richard Marx, Tommy Emmanuel, Tina Arena, and The Seekers, as well as holding the drum chair for Carols by Candlelight for nearly 20 years.We dive into a huge range of topics, from his work with the fusion powerhouse Damage (with Phil Turcio, Brett Garsed, and Craig Newman), to the evolution of the music scene, music relationships, and the balance of longevity and change as a professional musician. Gerry shares what it’s like performing on Carols by Candlelight at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the pressure of playing live on national TV, and his thoughts on notation—specifically, the pet peeves that make charts a nightmare to read as a drummer.We wrapped up the podcast after an hour… and then Gerry asked to keep going. Suddenly, another two and a half hours passed, packed with even more stories, insights, and laughs. If you’re a hardcore Gerry fan, the second half is a deep dive into everything from gear (DW Electric Drums!) to industry wisdom.This was an epic conversation—enjoy the first hour, or stay for the full 3.5 hours of drumming gold!