Ted Kirkpatrick is drummer in Tourniquet. He is also founder and main songwriter of the Christian thrash metallers.



Ted's aggressive, musical, and often unorthodox approach to the drums has been recognized by thousands. Ted grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and began to play drums at age 12. The readers of HM Magazine voted him "Favorite Drummer" for 10 years in a row, and again in 2003. Ted has twice been featured in Modern Drummer Magazine.



Ted’s philosophy of treating the drums as a musical instrument - not just a noisy timekeeper - makes sense in light of the fact that he has written the music and lyrics for fifteen of Tourniquet's #1 singles, in addition to the songs that bring out the technical, melodic, and eccentric side of the band. He is well known for his ability to create and execute polyrhythms within the framework of songs and for his advanced double bass technique.



Besides the normal influence of other drummers, Ted's unique style developed from other more unconventional sources. As a great admirer of the classical masters, he has incorporated the staccato bursts of Scarlatti's harpsichord sonatas, the counterpoint of Bach's fugues, and the explosiveness of Beethoven's symphonies into his playing.



As a traveler to the jungles of Papua New Guinea, the Amazon Basin of Western Brazil, Malaysia, Taiwan, Ecuador, the Solomon Islands and other far off lands in search of butterflies and other insects, the fantastic and repetitive sounds of the jungle have influenced his drumming as well.



For the often requested acoustic sets Tourniquet occasionally performs, Ted plays 6 or 12 string guitar.



Ted Kirkpatrick names Simon Phillips, Carl Palmer, Dave Weckl, Terry Bozzio, Dean Castronovo, Akira Jimbo, Buddy Rich as drumming influences.