Scott Hammond (born 4 June 1973) is an English drummer. He plays with Ian Anderson (the leader and frontman of British Rock band Jethro Tull) and also tours with Jethro Tull itself and has recorded on several of the band's albums. He has been described as a "Jazz drummer with rock influences".
Early years Hammond was born in Bristol, England, UK. He started to learn the drums when he was 14 years old and later studied at The City of Leeds College of Music for three years, and also with Dave Hassell for two years.
Ian Anderson
Since April 2010 Hammond has primarily been touring internationally with Ian Anderson, rock flautist of Jethro Tull. Recordings with Ian Anderson have included Thick As a Brick 2 album (released in April 2012) - the sequel to Jethro Tull's 1972 album Thick As A Brick. Hammond's touring with the band has included the "Thick As A Brick" 2012/13 world tour, the 2014/15 Homo Erraticus world tour, Jethro Tull - The Rock Opera and Jethro Tull's 50th Anniversary tour in 2018.
Jethro Tull
In March 2011 Hammond toured with Jethro Tull in Ireland. This tour featured Martin Barre on guitar, David Goodier on bass, John O'Hara on keyboards and Ian Anderson on flute, guitar and vocals. From 2017 he is in a new line-up of Jethro Tull.
Hammond said in an interview: "I wouldn't describe myself as a prog rock drummer although it's obviously a part of what I do. My rock roots are based in bands like Deep Purple although I have always enjoyed listening to Jethro Tull's Minstrel in the Gallery since I was a teenager."
In the book "The Ballad of Jethro Tull", Hammond said "What attracted me (to Jethro Tull) was the variation in dynamics and the quirky arrangements. It was exciting."The Ballad of Jethro Tull - Rocket88 Books
Hammond's first studio album with Jethro Tull, The Zealot Gene, was released on 28 January 2022. He also played on Jethro Tull's 23rd album RökFlöte which was released on April 21, 2023. On Jethro Tull's 2025 album Curious Ruminant, he plays on two tracks.
Freelance career The majority of Hammond's working life has been jazz and funk based. He plays regularly with his own band JINGU BANG and also with the jazz organ trio The Hopkins-Hammond Trio. Other artists he has worked with include Ruth Hammond, Bruce Dickinson, Greg Lake, Justin Hayward, Tina May, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Herb Geller, Bobby Wellins, Pee Wee Ellis, Phil King and Limahl. More recently Hammond has featured on four albums by UK based trumpeter Ben Thomas with Thomas & Muse.
Hammond was voted 5th best rock drummer in the world in the 2022 MusicRadar Awards (public vote)
Discography Year Artist Title Type Label Peak chart position US UK Germany 2002 Ruth Hammond All The Good Things Studio Album Tenterhook Records 2006 Gary Bamford JADJ Studio Album Kintu Records 2006 The Forster King Band Keep The Music Playing Studio Album Unsigned 2007 Ilya Somerset Studio Album CDBY 2008 Azhar Saffar Out There Studio Album 33 Jazz 2008 Denny Ilett Calling The Children Home Studio Album Nugene 2009 Phil King They Come And They Go Studio Album Ragtag Records 2009 Thomas & Muse We All Fall Down Studio Album mtheart 2011 Thomas & Muse Dark Scrawls Studio Album safehouse 2011 Colman BrothersColman Brothers Another Brother 7" single Wah Wah 45s 2011 Colman Brothers Colman Brothers Studio Album Wah Wah 45s 2012 Ian Anderson Thick As a Brick 2 Studio Album Chrysalis/EMI Records 55 35 13 2013 Thomas & Muse Within This World Within My Mind Studio Album Safe House 2014 Ian Anderson Homo Erraticus Studio Album Kscope 14 13 2014 Ian Anderson Thick as a Brick - Live in Iceland Live Album Eagle Records 2015 Thomas & Muse Dead Horses and Divorces Studio Album Safe House 2018 Gary Alesbrook Jazz In The Movies Studio Album Gary Alesbrook 2022 Jethro Tull The Zealot Gene Studio Album InsideOutMusic 10 9 4 2023 Jethro Tull RökFlöte Studio Album InsideOutMusic 24 17 4 2025 Jethro Tull Curious Ruminant Studio Album InsideOutMusic 25 2
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