Born Aug. 5, 1967, in Vienna, Austria, Thomas Lang became renowned worldwide as one of the fastest, flashiest percussionists alive.

Lang started playing the drums at age 5, and after years of private lessons, he enrolled in the Vienna Conservatory of Music. After spending his formative  years in Austria, he lived in London for a decade, then moved to Los Angeles in 2006.

An independent drummer in high demand, Lang has played on more than 250 albums and has toured with such artists and groups as Robbie Williams and B*Witched. He has also played with Geri Halliwell (ex-Spice Girls), rocker Ozzy Osbourne, legendary vocalist Bonnie Tyler, punk-rockers The Clash, and techno-rock star Falco. His work has supported pop star Kylie Minogue and Lang also has appeared with the rock band Asia.

Beyond his work with other groups, Lang has recorded solo albums, as well, beginning with 1995’s “Mediator” and most recently featuring the 2007 release “Something Along Those Lines.”

He is a noted drum clinician (headlining UK Drumfest in 2005 with Kenny Aronoff and Jimmy Chamberlain) and tutor through the DVD medium. His disc “Creative Control” was an instructional video hit. He has more recently released “Creative Coordination & Advanced Foot Technique,” a three-disc set featuring more than seven hours of material on Lang’s unique approach to modern drumming.

Another of Lang’s accomplishments is the Thomas Lang Practice Kit.

According to Lang, “When I travel, it’s hard for me to keep up with my practice because I worry about disturbing people in hotel rooms or backstage.”

So, in 2002, German cymbal-maker Meinl approached U.S. drumhead manufacturer Remo about producing a kit that could be carried on the road, set up, and played with limited noise. The result was the aforementioned practice kit, a virtually silent drum set that can be folded down and transported in a small case.