by Anthony Williams

It takes quite a lot to be a good drummer.Almost every day you’ve got to spend hours perfecting your drum beats and your coordination.

To be a great drummer, one whose talent is sought after by international music stars, you must be able to perform with a level of skill, style and sophistication that is way beyond the ordinary. That’s what Marvelon “Stixx” Mitchell discovered in his quest to become not just a professional drummer but one determined to distinguish himself from the pack wherever he performs, be it at home in St. Lucia or any other part of the world.

Stixx, 30, was  in  his  late  teens when he decided that he wanted to be a fulltime drummer. He has always had a  passionate  love for music. After graduating from secondary school, he worked briefly and then realised that the eight-to-four treadmill was not for him. He persuaded his mother {“Joan Mitchell-Anius”} to buy him a drum set and then taught himself to play them.

Subsequently he hooked up with the band DeN5 and they did local gigs at various shows around the island, and at some of the hotels.

Stixx was then contracted to play on cruise ships. Eventually, he moved to New York. While there, a music producer spotted a couple of his demos via social media and he was fascinated. The producer happened to be Llamar “Riff Raff” Brown, the keyboard player for none other than Stephen “Raggamuffin” Marley, six-time Grammy Award winner and son of reggae legend, Bob Marley.

Brown showed Stixx’s demos to one of the Marleys and this led to a string of events that ultimately changed Stixx’s life. Before long he began living the dream that few aspiring musicians get the chance to experience. Other Jamaican reggae stars like Junior Reid, Bushman, Spragga Benz got wind of his remarkable drumming skills and soon Stixx was doing backup recordings with some of them and performing at international shows.

He’s currently rated as one of the most talented drummers in the business and the only drummer from St. Lucia and the Eastern Caribbean to play for one of the Marleys, Stixx is also the first Drummer from St. Lucia to play on international reggae records. He is endorsed by drumstick company Regal Tip by Calato & telecommunications company Digicel. It’s an achievement Stixx is understandably proud of and he was more than happy to share his amazing life experience with Dazzle readers.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your life growing up.

Stixx: I was born in Castries, resided in the CDC on Jeremie Street. I lived there for six years, then my mom moved to Bonne Terre. We lived there for 24 years. I attended Entrepot Secondary and began working soon after graduating. I worked at Cable & Wireless for one year and for one year at Digicel and then decided to do music fulltime. I am now a professional drummer.

When did you realise for sure that you wanted to pursue music as a career?

Stixx: I was 18. I taught myself how to play. My mom got me a drum kit. At the time we had already moved to Bonne Terre where I had my own space. My Pap had a stereo in the living room so I would set up in front of it and play.

When I started off I used to play with DeN5 at various shows like Calypso Spectacular, Outrageous Sexy in Black, Forever Gold. Then I began playing with a band called Spectacle. I wanted to do music fulltime but there was no other avenue to do that here so I left and went to work on the cruise ships. That was back in 2006. That’s when I really started my career professionally.

What band are you currently contracted with?

Stixx: It doesn’t really have a name because I play for an artiste. He’s Jo Mersa Marley, the eldest son of Stephen Marley. When we go on tours or do shows it’s basically Jo Mersa and his band. We’re his backup band, usually we’re called the ghetto youths which stemmed from Stephen, Damian & Julian Marley’s record label “Ghetto Youths International which Jo Mersa is signed to.

How did you get the opportunity to play for Jo Mersa Marley?

Stixx: I have a good friend named Lamar “Riff Raff”

Brown who’s a keyboard player for Stephen Marley. He’s produced for Morgan Heritage, Busy Signal, Stephen Marley and Jah Cure. He saw a couple of my demos and he was fascinated by the way I was playing. He showed it to Jo Mersa Marley. I was in New York at the time, so they arranged to meet me there. They were in Philadelphia on the “Catch Ah Fire Tour” along with Damian Marley and they were coming to do a show in New York. Stephen Marley set up a pass so I could come to the concert. He put me on his VIP list.

Afterwards we met and we went to the studio. We spent a couple days together. Jo Mersa asked me to run through a couple songs because he had his album on a player or something. I was in a booth in the console. Damian and Stephen were also there. I didn’t know it was an audition. I was just messing around with the songs unaware that they were listening. They were impressed. That’s how I was offered the gig.

Subsequently, where did you perform?

Stixx: First we did rehearsals in Miami and then we went to Jamaica where Jo Mersa was hired to do a gig at the Cannabis Festival. We then returned to Miami and worked on some other material. After that I Damian & Stephen Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise, an annual event, on the Norwegian Pearl. We performed there for two weeks along with artistes like Busy Signal, Maxi Priest, Tanya Stevens, Sly & Robbie, Bounty Killer, Capleton, Jah Cure, Elephant Man, Popcaan, Tarrus Riley, Morgan Heritage, the list goes on. After that we returned to Miami for our final show of the season at the Hialeah Park Casino, when then worked on Jo Mersa’s new single, Burn It Down. It was released in Miami and is now released internationally via iTunes and other music selling platforms, so I have to go to the radio stations for that.

I’ve played on a number of albums, including Dennis Brown’s new record “Everything Happens In It’s Own Time” which comes out sometime soon. I’ve played for Spragga Benz on more than four of his songs, with Jah Cure on an album we recorded at Salaam Remi’s studio in Miami, and with Kymani Marley and Spragga Benz.

What motivates you?

Stixx: What really fuels my motivations is my parents. My step dad, Neil Anius – I call him Paps – he instilled in me that whatever I need I must work for it. Paps never

just handed me what I wanted. I had to show interest in something. My parents would always give me what I needed and put me in a position where I had to work for it. At first that was my biggest motivation.

What advice would you give to young, up-and-coming musicians hoping to follow in your footsteps?

Stixx: First, you’ve got to know yourself and understand the business you’re in, and the environment you’re going to get into. You must also understand what you’re being hired to do and find a balance, and determine if you’re capable of doing the job.

When you’re touring or doing one-off shows the artiste wants someone who can represent what they do. They don’t want negativity. For example, even if you can play but they see you smoking all the time and talking negative stuff or you have an arrogant attitude, they don’t like it. Basically you just have to be a nice guy and be business oriented. It’s not a bed of roses and you have to put in a lot of hard work.

fun facts

Most embarrassing moment?

Once, when my drum stick broke during my solo (laughs).

Most  memorable moment?

Obtaining my very first endorsement with Drumstick Company Regal Tip by Calato at NAMM 2016.