David Leach
b. February 4, 1962

official website : www.davidleachmusic.net

Percussion — David Leach joined the band just before the release of The Will To Live (1997). He played his first show as an Innocent Criminal on April 30, 1997 at the Student Union Ballroom, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA.
He played percussion on Burn To Shine (1999) and features on the double album Live From Mars (2001). He left the band after a last concert at the RIMAC Field, UCSD, La Jolla, CA on May 28, 2001.

David Leach : "Ben writes lyrics that, afterwards... you can actually sit down and analyze his lyrics and try and understand what it is he's saying. Now there's, there's things where you can say, "Hey, let's party and have a good time" and write a song about that. That's great, we all need that. But it's also great to have an individual who writes something that makes you think... makes you wonder... question things that are going on in the world, as opposed to just glassing it over, or glossing it over and saying, "well, life stinks and so does my mother"... Ya know that... you have that, that type of thing... but lyrically he writes very great and in-depth lyrics. And musically, it is just so different for me, from what I'm used to hearing, just watching him play and getting the different sounds from the guitars, from the Weissenborns. It is so great. I haven't seen anyone, at least to this point, other than him that's doing things like that " (Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Morgane Production, Arte - transcript by Gavin Conaty - www.benharper.net)

Sandra Salazar: How did you become an Innocent Criminal?
David Leach: I auditioned, simply. Dean Butterworth and Juan Nelson called me and indicated me the place of the audition. Ben was in France at this moment.

Sandra Salazar: What did Leon (Mobley) become?
David Leach: I don't know, I guess he plays in a band. Actually, all I knew of Ben Harper, it was Leon, he was a friend of mine. I met him playing in Los Angeles.

Sandra Salazar: What was your musical education?
David Leach: I grew up by listening to Jazz; Miles and more old things. Later, I listened to Funk and R&B. When I began to play percussion, it was Ray Barretto and Tito Puente.

Sandra Salazar: Did you travell to study percussion?
David Leach: I went to faculty to study the theory but I travelled especially through discs, by listening to the others players. By going to concerts also. In my mind, I tripped a lot too.

Sandra Salazar: What induced you to play percussion?
David Leach: I began with drums from the age of six or seven years but from the secondary school, my friends began to exceed me. I wanted to continue to play, I looked then for something else to which I could apply the spirit of drums. Most of the bands haven't two drummers but some have a drummer and a percussion player. I was able to use my drummer's capacities without being in competition with another drummers.

Sandra Salazar: With whom did you play before Ben Harper?
David Leach: With everyone who wanted of me! I come from New Jersey and when I arrived in Los Angeles - I was 22 years old - I knew nobody. I played with everybody, in jam sessions or with people that I met during parties. I played in Churches, in Disneyland, in a band called The Emotions, in studio... I tried to be known, while I learnt new music styles.

Sandra Salazar: What is your style of predilection?
David Leach: Today, it's the music of Portorico, Cuba and Brazil. The African music also, naturally, where from all these musics come. I listen to a lot and I learn. I listen to a lot of Jazz and a lot of Rock - since I'm in a band of Rock. It's necessary to understand how that works.
I like Pearl Jam now for example, but I would have never listened to them before. I like them not only because they are friends of mine but because their music contains many elements, such as Blues, Jazz, Funk, things which I listened to when I was young. But I have a preference for all which is "rice and beans".

Sandra Salazar: Rice and Beans?
David Leach: All which is highly spiced, which has this type of flavor. I stole this expression from Dave Valentine, a flutist, he made an album live with a Black Bird's cover which he describes as the original version "but with a little rices and beans". In other words, a Black Bird's Latin version.

Sandra Salazar: What are the percussion which you play in these shows?
David Leach: Congas, Bongo, Cerdu, Berimbau... I try to play Berimbau, it's the instrument which you hear to the intro of "Less". It's an idea of JP (Plunier). We came back from Brazil, I already had Berimbau at home but I absolutely wanted one from Brazil.
We were repeting songs for the album and JP suggested me to bring it. It was tuned in the same tone as the song. I believed that we were the only band to have integrated Berimbau into the Rock'n'Roll...

Sandra Salazar: .... And someone tell you to listen to Sepultura!
David Leach: Yes! Yes! Nick (Rich), who works with us, said to me "It's cool, but listen to that". It was cool, that makes a reference point for us and then it's Carlihnos Brown who plays with them! I saw him in Hollywood Bowl and it was a slap! I find very interesting that it's us who took their ideas to Sepultura. They were inspired by the american Rock'n'Roll and this time, are the Americans who are inspired by them.
Since this time, we had the occasion to play with them, in the same festival, in England. There was also Metallica and other groups of metal.

Sandra Salazar: How many years are you in the band, now?
David Leach: Three years. The two first years were difficult because it was necessary that I learn the old songs, what Leon played, what the others played: it was necessary to play in a way that respect guitars, drums, bass. It was difficult for the others too, it was necessary that they get used to me.

Sandra Salazar: What means to be an Innocent Criminal for you?
David Leach: That means that every evening I'm on stage, I should give myself to 110%. That's really a part of me: if Ben Harper makes a good show, people are going to say "Ben Harper was very good this evening", but if the band makes a mistake, people will say "Ben Harper made a mistake".
Some persons know who's David Leach, and there, you can listen to: "Ben Harper was good, well, but David Leach got it all wrong!" but it's rare.
My responsibility, it's to do what I have to do, because they consider me like a member of this group, I'm not just the guy who plays percussion over there at the back.

Sandra Salazar: Did you perceive a spiritual dimension in the fact of playing persussion?
David Leach: Absolutely! Completely! It's doubtless the first means of communication that existed and it's also the only intrument wich the sound can be extracted, naturally, without knowing how to play it. It isn't possible with a saxophone, a bass, a piano... With percussion, not means to play false. Quite as the rhythm is the most important thing of our lives: we breathe in rhythm, our hearts beat in rhythm, we speak in rhythm. All these elements can be applied to the practice of percussion, which will restore them in a spiritual and emotional way. If I play well, there will be a certain spirit, connection with the unconscious which is made -I don't say that I reach there every time- and I believe that people perceive that also.

Sandra Salazar: Did you went to Africa?
David Leach: No, not yet. It's doubtless the only place in the world where I really like to go. What scares me in the fact of going to Africa, it's that probably I won't come back. I believe that I shall stay over there a little, maybe that I shall go to Brazil and that I would stay there a little also. It would be a way to go at the source of this music, for me. That will be made, one day. I would like to go to Ghana or in western Africa.

"I play music because I love it and because I do, I forget that people may enjoy what I do also your message makes me believe this is true."

swer.net: Do you know why band has changed?
David Leach: You'll have to ask Ben about the band change because it was his decision.

swer.net: What did you do since you left the Innocent Criminals?
David Leach: I've been doing all kinds of things since. I'm currently working with a band called "The Donavan Frankenreiter Band" that includes Dean Butterworth on drums. I also played with "A girl named Jaen". You can check out www.rhianbenson.com and listen to some songs that I've recorded with Rhian Benson. I'm also working with Adam Topol of Jack Johnson's band on a cuban folkloric record. I've been fortunate to do recording sessions with the top studio musicians such as Vinnie Colaiuta, Abe Laborial sr, Kenny Aronoff, Paul Jackson jr, Patrice Rushen, etc... I play with the R&B singing group The Emotions. I've played with Spearhead and I've played with many singer songwriters here in LA. I've been very fortunate!

swer.net: Do you think you'll ever play with Ben again?
David Leach: When I first joined the band I had no idea what it would become. It grew to beyond my expectations. If I never do it again I've had a lifetime of memories in 4 years.

swer.net: Do you have projects?
David Leach: Only time will tell !

swer.net: As a percusionnist, how can you remember all songs, all rhythms you have to play without scores?
David Leach: Years and years of studying, practicing and listening. Because in most situations there is no written music, one has to have a great memory and the ability to recall instantly. Sure, there are times that you temporarily forget a rhythm but that's what cd's, videos, dvd's, concerts and friends and teachers are for. You research.

swer.net: Dean Butterworth said that concerts at Paris Bercy were a very moving experience. What was your own feeling?
David Leach: My experience at Paris Bercy was both flattering and humbling. Flattering because it was a brief trip to rock and roll heaven. As I've said, I play music because I love it and to look out into the audience and see that amount of people enjoying it was awesome. It was humbling because I felt honored to be doing something I love in front of all of the people. It was very surreal!

swer.net: Can you evoke your best live experience?
David Leach: So many were great for many different reasons, but Bercy had to be one of them. And the other had to be playing with the Dave Matthews Band in Denver, Colorado in front of about 50,000 people. Those are two moments that I hope never to forget.

swer.net: Can you describe set-up you used?
David Leach: My set-up consisted of the following: Toca congas, bongos and timbales, Remo djembe and drum heads, Sabian cymbals and gong, Rhythm Tech tambourines, Gibraltor hardware, Audix microphones, Levy's Leathers bags, Vater sticks and various chimes, whistles and assorted toys.

A girl named Jaen
www.agirlnamedjaen.com

David played percussion on stage with Jaen - May 28, 2002 - April 13, 2002 - May 13, 2003.

Jaen : "David is truly a star! Who needs a drum machine to keep 3 different rhythms when you have David? I asked him recently if we could try to perform a drum and bass song live and acoustic to which he didn’t hesitate to say okay! He’s such a pro, who doesn’t distract, instead enhances the whole musical experience whether he’s recording or playing live. On top of that he’s fun. David Rocks!" | photo by Rollie

Walfredo Reyes - Drummer
www.walfredoreyesjr.com

Walfredo Reyes : "David Leach and I worked together on the Rhian Benson live/recording performances. He is what I call a musician first and a percussionist second, my ultimate compliment. As a percussionist/drummer is easy to go for all the instruments and toys, traditional, ethnic and tribal rythms, etc... which is great and needed at times, but to hear a song and only play what is needed, it takes a lot of musicianship, professional disipline and ears. Song and lyrics, complimented. This is David Leach, and I love to play with him because he is a great musician." | photo by Jerome Marcus

Rhian Benson
www.rhianbenson.com

David played percussion on Rhian's recording - Spirit EP | photo from official website