DSO drummer delights in Grateful Dead's style

Drummer Dino English loves the Grateful Dead.

That's good considering English is one of the drummers for the Grateful Dead tribute band the Dark Star Orchestra.

DSO, as it is called by fans, consists of English, lead guitarist/vocalist John Kadlecik, vocalist Lisa Mackey, drummer Rob Koritz, bassist/vocalist Kevin Rosen, rhythm guitarist/vocalist Rob Eaton and keyboardist/vocalist Rob Barraco.

The band will perform two nights at the Depot next week.

But English didn't start off as a drummer.

"Originally I was a Kiss fan and liked Peter Criss when I was in grade school," said English during a phone call from Chico, Calif.

"I wanted a drum set. My parents wouldn't let me. I played guitar for a while until I was able to afford a drum kit.

"At that point my musical influences was progressive '70s rock and the Police."

However, it was the dual-drum team of Phil Collins and Chester Thompson of Genesis that got English into dual, double-drumming concept.

"I really loved those guys," English said. "I liked their '70s and early '80s stuff. One of my first concerts was them."

Then English was introduced to the Grateful Dead while in college.

"A friend took me to a show and all the light-bulbs went on and I got it," said English, who was a music major in college.

"I had a fairly large musical foundation before I got into (Grateful Dead drummers) Bill (Kreutzmann) and Mickey (Hart)."

English, who takes on the Kreutzmann role in the Dark Star Orchestra, joined DSO after seeing a want ad on the band's website, www.darkstarorchestra.net.

Throughout his musical career, English, while also playing original music, would get together with a bunch of other Deadheads and play Grateful Dead tunes.

So, when English applied for the DSO drum job, he was more than qualified.

"They gave me a slot on one of their sold-out nights and it was sink or swim. It was an actual gig. There was no audition."

He was well-versed in the songs and landed the job.

English said he likes Kreutzmann's approach to playing, something he has tried to emulate.