Drummer and percussionist, Matt Nolan, is a Cymbal & Gong Smith in Bath, England, UK.
As a musician, Nolan has performed on stages from The Royal Festival Hall and The Barbican in London to The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. He holds a degree in Electronic Engineering and spent many years designing Silicon Microchips, however the pull for tangible, hands-on creativity got the better of him in the end.
Driven by the exploration of new sounds, shapes and designs, Nolan uses his hands, ears, and eyes, as well as an assortment of hammers and anvils, to take the elemental forces of fire and water and various cutting and grinding tools, to create his artisan metal percussion Instruments.
Says Nolan, "I draw inspiration for my designs from many sources: the organic shapes of the natural world, harder geometric shapes and the interplay of the two. My work ranges from refining the traditional to defining the cutting edge."
Matt Nolan Custom Cymbals, Gongs and Percussion Sculptures are used by individuals all over the world: America, Australia, England, France, Italy, Japan, Norway, Spain and more. Drummers and percussionists, members of international touring bands and solo performers all find inspiration in the unique sounds and looks of Nolan's creations. Some of Matt Nolan Custom's more recent customers include Björk, for her Biophilia project, the band Massive Attack, and The Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Matt Nolan Custom instruments are endorsed by the likes of William Winant (Kronos Quartet, Steve Reich, Mr Bungle, John Zorn, Fred Frith, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Sonic Youth), Lisa Pegher (solo, Mira Mira, and various symphony orchestras) and Joe Travers (Zappa Plays Zappa, Duran Duran, Billy Idol, Lisa Loeb, Drake Bell, Warren Cuccurullo).
