Thomas Pridgen

In May, 2020 Thomas announced he has rejoined Trash Talk to record their new EP, Squalor, which is due to be released June 6th.

“Omar asked if I wanted to come check out the band,” Pridgen recalls from his home in El Cerrito, California. “We talked on the phone for a couple of hours, and then I went to Ohio to meet them. Omar invited me to a back room, where the whole band was set up. We jammed for a good thirty minutes. He then said, ‘We’re going to play that groove tonight in front of everybody.’ This was for a huge show in Cleveland, when the band was touring with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Pridgen won the Guitar Center Drum-Off at age 9 and at age 10 was the youngest recipient for a Zildjian endorsement in the nearly 40-year history of the company. Pridgen is also naturally left-handed, but plays the drum kit as if he is a right-hander with his kit set-up right-handed. Thomas has studied with David Garibaldi, Walfredo Reyes, Sr., Troy Lucketta, and Curtis Nutall. He endorses DW Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, Audix Microphones, and Zildjian Drumsticks (as of 2017). Thomas was also the recipient of a 4-year scholarship to Berklee College of Music in 1999 at the age of 15; he was the youngest musician to ever receive this scholarship. He has played in clinics with Walfredo Reyes, Jr. and Dennis Chambers. By his teenage years he had already done studio sessions with many Bay Area Gospel artists.

On March 31, 2017, rapper Residente released his debut solo album self-titled Residente. Thomas Pridgen was announced later as part of the touring members of the Residente band.

The band's debut album Broken Lines was released September 23, 2016 with the main line-up featuring Hinds, Pridgen and Weinman, who were joined by William DuVall from Alice in Chains and Pete Griffin from Dethklok.

On March 11, 2014, Pridgen confirmed on his Instagram and Facebook page that he has joined Suicidal Tendencies. On September 3, Pridgen along with Joseph Troy have joined Chiodos after members Derrick Frost and Matt Goddard left the band.During this time period, Thomas also recorded the drums for the album "No Peace," by Trash Talk, which was released April 22, 2014.

On 14 October 2013, Mars Volta bassist Juan Alderete said on the podcast Let There Be Talk, that "He's an amazing drummer, just not a mature dude. […] One night, he got super wasted, peed on the bus, started fighting with Cedric […]."

On 12 February 2013, Magna Carta released the Mike Varney-produced "Pinnick Gales Pridgen," featuring Eric Gales on guitar and vocals, dUg Pinnick (of King's X) on bass and vocals, and Pridgen on drums. The 13-track album features one cover song, "Sunshine of Your Love", originally by Cream, one short instrumental based on Ludwig van Beethoven's "Für Elise", and the remaining songs written by some combination of Pinnick, Gales, Pridgen and Varney.

Best alternative drummer by Modern Drummer 2012 Readers Poll.

In January 2012, it was announced that fellow former The Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore replaced Thomas Pridgen in Giraffe Tongue Orchestra, though by March 2015, Pridgen once again became the drummer of GTO.

Still working on his personal project The Memorials. Second album, Delirium, released on June 5, 2012. The track "Fluorescent's Unforgiving" was released via Soundcloud in November 2011. Going on another US tour with the band (summer 2012).

Spring of 2012, teamed up with guitarist, Eric McFadden (P-Funk, The Animals, Stockholm Syndrome), and Fishbone bassist, Norwood Fisher. phYne Entertainment produced five tracks for the new trio in a San Francisco studio. The project is called, TEN, as there is talk of a tour in the Fall.

Recording album with Jon Reshard, Chloe Pappas, Jordan Ferreira. Work to be released in 2012.

Guest live drummer in support of Stephen Bruner's project Thundercat. Toured all over Europe in spring 2012.

After completing 3 tours (Freedom Tour, Equinox Tour, Waterguns, B B Q, & Hot Chocolate Tour) over the United States with The Memorials, the band are preparing for a European tour to launch in October 2012.

The band's self-titled debut was released on January 18, 2011.

November 10, 2011, the band had decided upon a name, Giraffe Tongue Orchestra. By then the supergroup was working on writing songs.

Over the summer of 2011 it was announced that Thomas Pridgen was working on a new group with Mastodon vocalist and guitarist Brent Hinds, the Dillinger Escape Plan guitarist Ben Weinman, and former Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery. Giraffe Tongue Orchestra was founded in 2012.

Played mainly US west coast in 2010. Roaded the US on the Freedom Tour (1st trimester 2011), Equinox Tour (2nd trimester 2011), now summer 2012 Waterguns, Bar B.Q. & Hot Chocolate Tour.

By invitation of Elixir on Mute's headman Jordan Ferreira, Thomas Pridgen took part in the recording of the band's debut End of Sky (released September 1 2010).

In October 2009, Thomas Pridgen left The Mars Volta. To this day, the band has made no official statement as to the reason for the departure. Dave Elitch subsequently filled in the drummer position for the remainder of the tour, who was then replaced by Deantoni Parks.

In December 2009, Thomas Pridgen formed another band called The Memorials with friends and former students from Berklee College of Music - Viveca Hawkins (vocals) and Nick Brewer (guitars).

Thomas was also featured on the Modern Drummer 2008 DVD with footage from his performance at the festival.

In 2007, Pridgen became the new permanent drummer for The Mars Volta. Pridgen's first appearance was at the March 12th show in New Zealand, where the band debuted the song "Idle Tooth" which was later renamed "Wax Simulacra" for the forthcoming album. After shows in New Zealand and Australia, The Mars Volta toured a few West Coast venues as the headliner, then entered the studio to record their fourth LP, The Bedlam in Goliath. Pridgen's style on Bedlam in Goliath used "blistering 32nd-note full-set combinations, stunning single-stroke rolls, and blazing single bass drum patterns" along with creative and precise paradiddle technique.

In 2006, Pridgen received a call from Omar Rodríguez-López of The Mars Volta:

Thomas's first non-gospel touring experience was as the drummer for The Coup, who he worked with in 2001 and 2002.

Thomas Armon Pridgen (born November 23, 1983, Alameda County, California, United States) is an American drummer, best known for his role as the drummer of The Mars Volta from October 2006 until October 2009. He is currently touring with rapper Residente and is the drummer for his own project The Memorials.