Chris Nixon has been a percussion artist for nearly ten years now, and an active member of the New Jersey chapter of the Percussive Arts Society for 5 years. He has always found playing drums to be the ultimate way of expression, and his means of self-mastery: an intimate playground for his melodic and rhythmic creation.
His palette ranges from playing timpani with major area orchestras, to recording with rock bands. From fusion, ethnic, and alternative to classical, latin, and progressive, he blends a careful mix of styles to support Savant’s diverse sound, providing the life-blood of rhythm behind the group’s powerful and driving melodies.
Chris’ playing influences include Metallica, Guns and Roses, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, Symphony X, Blind Guardian, Live, The Rolling Stones, Savatage, Gypsy Kings, Carlos Santana, Liquid Tension Experiment, Slayer, Jack Daniel’s, Screaming Headless Torsos, Hector Berlioz, Bella Bartok, L. V. Beethoven, W. A. Motzart, and Fate’s Warning to name a few. He performs using Mapex and Pearl drums and percussion, Paiste, Sabian, and Zildjian cymbals and effects, LP percussion, and Vic Firth, Malletech, and Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets.