Background

Jan is the eldest son of a musical family - the Van Dessels. His mother played piano, and his father played banjo and sang in a choir. Jan went to music school at the age of eight with the intention of studying classical piano, but he soon got sick of learning scales and decided to drop out. When he started to drum on old cookie boxes, it became clear to his parents where his talents lay. He got his first kit as a present on his twelfth birthday and soon developed into an exeptional drummer.

Musical career

Jan played with his brother Luc in the heavy blueas-rock band " Tails Blues ". They became quite successful in the mid-seventies, by which time Jan was going up against other well-known percussionists in drumming contests, and beating them. The sequel to this band, " Tails Blue " (now in the singular), was a symphonic-hardrock band. Jan became famous for his legendary drumsolos. In 1982 he was featured in the " Guinness Book Of World Records " for performing an epic 72-hour drum solo. Jan also became a sought-after drum instructor, and worked freelance in bands like The Mix, De Kreuners, Hot Beaver Band, Paul Michiels (Soulsister). In the sixties band " Mirror No 60 ", he drummed alongside " Boogie Clowns " vocalist Died Daems.

Today

Jan plays with his brother Luc in the blues band " The Rectifiers " . He also jams with his youngest brother, Marc, in the " Van Dessel Drumduo " while continuing to do freelance work.

Favourite drummers:   - Simon Phillips, Terri Bozzio, Chad Wakerman.

                                  - Influenced by : Keith Moon, Ian Paice, John Bonham, Carl Palmer and John Hiseman.

BACKLINE

Jan's expansive double drum-kit sits neatly at home.

With the " BOOGIE CLOWNS " he only uses a standard " PEARL " drum-kit with a double bassdrum-pedal + cymbals from " Paiste " and " Zildjian " . For a long time, he used exclusive handmade drumsticks from " JECA ", which were produced according to his personal specifications. Currently, he uses " Pro-Mark "- sticks as well.

Drumkit: " Pearl " (export series) consists of :   - 22 inch bassdrum

                                                                       - 14 inch snare (double set snares)

                                                                       - 14 inch reserve snare (single set snares)

                                                                       - 10 inch tom (deep model with drumhead down)

                                                                       - 12 inch tom (deep model with drumhead down)

                                                                       - 14 inch floortom (hanging deep model with drumhead down)

 Drumheads : - Bassdrum: Evans Gad/Camgenera

                      - Snare : Evans Genera HDD

                      - Toms : Remo Pinstripes

Bassdrum-pedal:  "TAMA" double-pedal with chain.

Cymbals: - "Paiste" : - 14 inch hihat  (series 3000)

                               - 18 inch power-ride (series 2000)

                               - 14 inch crash (series 2000)

                               - 16 inch china type (1976)

                               - "Zildjian" :  16 inch crash