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Brian Cocivera was Born on
June 21, 1975. An adopted child, Brian was welcomed into the home of
Robert and Cynthia Cocivera at the age of 3 weeks. They lived in the
suburban town of Stoughton, MA about 20 miles south of Boston.
Brian expressed interest in
music at a very young age, and recieved a guitar for Christmas at the
age of four. Brian immediately began to try and make music, and would
perform for whoever would listen. Brian's grandmother, Cecelia Hood, was
his biggest fan, as she would attend every "concert" in the Cocivera
living room.
Brian continued with the
guitar for a few years, but his true love was always the drums. He would
set up all of his mothers' pots and pans and bang away for hours. A
short time later, Brian recieved a toy drum set and a drummer was born.
During elementary school,
Brian opted to take up the trumpet, as he already knew how to play
drums. Brian was very accomplised at the trumpet, and in 5th grade was
asked to join the Jr. High Jazz band, a group reserved for the best of
the 7th and 8th graders. Brian performed in many competions and won many
awards for outstanding musician as a trumpet player, however, his heart
wasn't in it, and the drums kept calling him back.
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Brian's Web Site |
"I remember when I was like in
5th or 6th grade, I wanted a real dumset so bad I could taste it."
recalls Brian. "My parents had a big yard sale one weekend, and my Dad
said that we made enough money to get me a drumset, used out of the
newspaper."
"We went to get it, it was like an old 1950's gretsch kit in red
sparkle, and it was only a 3 piece. It was $165.00, I remember that like
it was yesterday."
Brian played that drumset
everyday for the next couple of years, and was playing the drums for the
school choruses, and show choirs. He had still never taken even one
lesson. " I didn't take lessons until I got into High School." recalls
Brian. I decided one day that I wanted to get better, and so I decided
to take private lessons at a little music store in Stoughton." "It was
fun, and I stayed there for about a year, when I decided that I had
learned all that the teacher could show me." Brian moved on to another
music store, this one located in Quincy, MA. "There was one drummer that
I went to school with, and he took lessons with Dave DiCenso at
DiCenso's drum shop." "He was better than me, so I figured that I needed
to take lessons with Dave as well."
And take lessons he did, Dave showed Brian that he had learned
incorrectly and had developed bad habits. Brian was forced to re-learn
in order to take his playing to the next level. Brian took lessons with
Dave for a couple of years, and was able to adapt his playing in to a
wide variety of musical settings. (Dave went on to be an assistant
professor at Berkelee College of Music, where he still is today).
Brian graduated from
Stoughton High School in June of 1993. He continued to stay active in
the music business doing session work, and continuing with auditions
around the Boston area, all the while juggling his day job as a law
enforcement officer.(yes you read that right) "I felt that if I really
wanted to make it as a musician, I needed to move out of Boston." It
would take Brian close to 10 years to make that move.
Now, at the age of 28,
Brian is an extremely accomplished professional drummer. Brian has
toured and recorded with a number of artists, he has shared the stage
with Cyndi Lauper, Ozzy Osbourne, L.A. Guns, Bryan Adams, Warrant,
Dokken, Bad Karma, Billy Idol, and many more. He relocated to Phoenix,
AZ in the spring of 2001 and has become a major force in the Phoenix and
Los Angeles club and studio scene. He is a favorite of many bands and
artists for touring. Brian also teaches drum lessons privately, and
passes on his knowledge to the next generation. Recently, Brian opened
"Chop Shop Custom Drums" a custom drum building company, and state of
the art lesson facility in the Phoenix area.
"I am still having fun, I
can't imagine a day when I wake up and I don't play drums. It is all I
ever wanted to do, and I am fortunate that I am able to it."
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