Hi there! I'm Martin, and I'm one of the co-founders of Tsuchigumo Daiko from Glasgow in Scotland. I've been drumming for over 25 years; first as a kit drummer in various Rock and Metal bands around the Glasgow area, and I've been playing Taiko for the last eight years. I only wish I had found this wonderful art and this vibrant community years ago!

I first experienced Taiko in 2010 whilst undertaking a Degree in Popular Music Performance, when I was shown videos of Ondekoza and Kodo. The synergy of physicality and musicality blew my mind, and I simply had to try it for myself. I started my journey Taiko training with Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers during my final year, and after graduating with First Class BA Honours, I was fortunate enough to begin playing and performing with the touring ensemble, playing over 400 shows in 5 years.

In January 2016 I co-founded Tsuchigumo Daiko with my partner Shonagh, and we set about revising and rebuilding our fundamental approach to Taiko, after discovering many issues with the methods we had been previously taught. By combining elements gleaned from many sources and teachers, we developed a new approach that better suited our new group philosophy, and allowed us to express ourselves more through our playing. The journey of exploring the many creative possibilities Taiko has to offer has been amazing so far, and it's been a real joy getting to know the growing community in Europe and connecting with Taiko players from around the world.

I'm also a massive comic-book nerd, and an avid lover of film, gaming, and collectables.