Roger Davis (drummer)

Roger Gilbert Davis (born May 18, 1977) is an American session drummer. He is a permanent member of The Cars and Scarlet Grain and a touring member of Atmosfear and Savior, having formerly played drums for The Missionaries (2004-2007), Grunge is Dead (2007-2012), and Scrub (2010-2013).

Early life
Roger Gilbert Davis was born on May 18, 1977 in, the son of music critic Rembrandt Davis, whom Roger has playfully referred to as "' worst nightmare" for his defense of progressive rock bands and solo artists such as and. As his father was African-American and his mother, assistant news editor Louise Davis, was white, Roger faced some discrimination growing up.

Work history
Roger attended, where he majored in broadcast techniques and music and minored in theater. While attending university, he had his first professional job at 's NBC-affiliated television station WZBV, where he had multiple duties as a technical director, cameraman, A/V technician, and assistant news director.

In 2001, at the age of 23, he began freelancing as a drum tech for Phish, Twisted Sister and Rush, and as an assistant drum tech for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Roger began professionally drumming in 2003. He was a member of The Missionaries from 2004-2007, replacing Scotti Eekhout. From 2007-2012, he was a member of ska band Grunge is Dead (leaving after Samantha Fearon rejoined the group). In 2010, he joined Guatemalan hard rock band Scrub. He left Scrub in 2013 due to scheduling difficulties. In 2011, he served with Christopher Lee's backing band on his promotional tour for Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross.

In late 2011, Davis joined a reformed The Cars as a "touring replacement" for for touring in  and El Kadsre, and became an official member in 2012 alongside Philip Mannsåker. Davis' first show with The Cars was in August 2011 at in. Davis has said that he learned to play drums thanks to the Cars' 1984 album Heartbeat City.

Davis began touring with Atmosfear in 2015 after Orin O'Mulryan was fired following his drink-driving arrest on the.

Equipment
Roger uses Ludwig acoustic drums, Alesis electronic drums, Remo drumheads and Rototoms, Zildjian cymbals, and Vic Firth drumsticks. Roger has stated the following about his typical setups:
 * "My set up almost never gets a bit unusual. You can pretty much always count on me starting off with the basic Ringo 4-piece set up, then adding from there. With The Cars, I add a second rack tom, Alesis electronic pads and Rototoms. With Scarlet Grain, it's just a second rack tom and a couple extra cymbals. With Savior, it's almost entirely Alesis pads except for the acoustic bass drum and snare. With Atmosfear I go back to the basic 4-piece but add a few more Alesis pads and two extra cymbals."