Welcome to Vegas Rock Confidential, my series where I sit down with some of the most compelling rock‑star musicians from yesterday, today, and tomorrow!
In each conversation, I dive into their past, explore where they are now, and get a glimpse into what the future holds for these legends who continue to keep the beat alive in the neon glow of Las Vegas!
Today's Vegas Rock Confidential - Getting to know Les Warner, whose story reads like a rock documentary!
From London clubs to global tours, to The Cult’s explosive rise, to performances with Montrose and sessions with Peter Green. Today he’s settled in Las Vegas, where he remains one of the city’s busiest musicians, a studio warrior and live‑show sparkplug. I got to sit down with Les to talk about his past, what drives him today in the local Las Vegas Music Scene. And what the future may hold!
How did Les get introduced to the music world?
Growing up in London, the spark hit Les early thanks to the boys who lived upstairs—they were musicians, always rehearsing, always making noise, and that energy pulled Les straight toward the drums. His dad helped seal the deal every Sunday when he’d come home with a cardboard box filled with 45‑rpm records and candy. Between the upstairs jams and that weekly treasure chest of music, it didn’t take long before Les knew this wasn’t just a childhood fascination. Music was going to be his life!
The Early Years.
Back in the early ’70s, the London pub circuit was a nonstop parade of R&B and blues bands, all hammering out shuffles that could shake the floorboards loose. Les hooked up with Johnny Marrs and The Seven Sun, and those gigs were where his groove was born. Night after night of blues and shuffle playing hot-wired that feel into Les, which is still the foundation of how he plays today!
Under The Spotlights.
Les Warner didn’t join The Cult so much as he crashed into their world like a drum‑fueled lightning bolt. London clubs were his proving ground—sweaty rooms, loud amps, and nights where the only thing that mattered was whether the band could still stand after the encore! That raw, street‑hardened energy caught The Cult’s attention in the mid‑’80s, and suddenly Warner was behind the kit for a band about to explode into global fame!
On Electric, he didn’t just keep time—he defined it! His drumming was the steel spine of that music work: sharp, muscular, and unapologetically loud. Those thunderous grooves helped turn Electric into one of rock’s most iconic sonic pivots, and Warner’s fingerprints are all over its swagger!
Les Warner’s success isn’t some mystery; it’s the product of a relentless, full‑throttle drive to be the best musician in the room, every room, every night!
Les has carried that same rock‑and‑roll fire through every chapter of his career. Back in the mid‑’80s—around 1986—he flew into Dublin and dove straight into the studio with The Waterboys, hammering out those unmistakable drum tracks that only he could deliver. Decades later, those long‑lost tapes resurfaced, and the band used Warner’s original sessions in their recent Waterboys release, proving that his rhythm still hits just as hard today!
Back To My Story...
Les Warner's New Gig Home.
Eventually, Les traded London fog for Las Vegas neon, settling into a city that never sleeps and never stops making music. Las Vegas fit him perfectly! Endless stages, endless bands, endless chances to plug in and play. Today he’s busier than ever: studio work, laying drum tracks for artists across the map, and even throwing down bass when the moment calls for it. His professional recording studio in LV has become a go‑to spot for bands who want that unmistakable Les Warner punch!
And if you want to see the man in full rock‑and‑roll flight, you’re in luck!
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| Event Information & Tickets |
Later this month on Friday, August 28th at 9:30pm, Les hits the Orleans Showroom, banging skins for Petty And The Heartshakers,
{My Take}
And through it all, Les Warner keeps doing what he’s always done—hit harder, play louder, and chase the next great moment. His story isn’t a nostalgia act; it’s a living, breathing rock‑and‑roll engine that refuses to idle. Whether he’s behind the kit, laying down bass, or shaping tracks in his Las Vegas studio, Les is still proving that passion doesn’t fade—it just finds bigger stages and brighter lights. Catch him while he’s in town, because the beat never stops for a drummer who was born to keep the world in rhythm!
Gary England
For info, booking, or to tap into Les’s many musical talents, hit him up at http://Leswarner.com.
Phone (USA) 702.639-7715
Skype: lez.warner1
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