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Acclaimed Educator and Musician, Francis is the founder of the world renowned Drumtech and Tech Music Schools.

Francis’ concepts and techniques have attracted musicians to his schools from over 50 different countries as well as some of the biggest names in music. Among them: Pick Withers of Dire Straits, Rat Scabies of The Damned, Phil Selway of Radiohead,  Jason Cooper, The Cure – Nathan Curran, Basement Jaxx – Jed Lynch – Peter Gabriel, Nick Avory – The Kinks, Elliott Fyfe – George Benson, Mark Roberts – Massive Attack, Tom Meadows – Lucy Silvas, Julian Brown – Kylie Minogue, and many more… A truly unique and unrivalled track record of training musicians successfully for the music industry.

A session drummer whose credits read like a who’s who of pop, rock, metal and jazz musicians, Mike Sturgis is not only one of the UK’s most diverse and experienced players, he is also one of its top music educators.

Based near London, Mike has toured or recorded with such major pop and rock names as David Bowie, Elton John, A-ha, Asia, Jack Bruce, Steve Winwood, Sam Brown, Tom Jones, Boyzone and Bono, as well as American jazz greats Bob James, Randy Brecker and Bob Mintzer. Hard rockers who have riffed over Mike’s great grooves and serious chops include 21 Guns (ft. Thin Lizzy’s Scott Gorham), PsychoMotel (ft. Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith), Phenomena (ft. Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple and Black Country Communion), Wishbone Ash and Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson. Mike is currently drumming with international jazz-funk group Redtenbacher’s Funkestra.

A music graduate of Florida’s University of Miami, Mike also has a PGCE from the University of London and for thirteen years was Head of Drums (and Head of Faculty for much of that time) at the famed Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Guildford. There his experience, knowledge and passion for the drums saw him author course curriculums and provide hundreds of students at all levels with a world-class education in a full range of musical subjects including reading and writing notation, technique, playing various styles, ear training and live performance.

In addition, as a columnist with Rhythm, the UK’s top drumming magazine, Mike has been reaching drummers around the world with his tutorial columns since 1999.