Premier Percussion

Premier was established in 1922 when a drummer, Albert Della Porta, partnered with George Smith to establish a company. They set up on Berwick Street in London, and were soon joined by Albert's brother Fred, who eventually became the first sales manager of the recently created company.

Premier Percussion, South Wigston (2005)

Premier Percussion (2005)

In the beginning, they manufactured drums for other companies like John E. Dallas (with the "Jedson" trademark), then starting with "Premier" instruments. Early drum kits consisted of a bass drum, a snare, a stand, a cymbal, and sometimes a small tom-tom. The company grew to two factories, ending up in West London's Park Royal. By 1938 they were also producing brass instruments, as well as supplying drums to the armed forces. The company even built a guitar called "Premier Vox", in the early 1930s.[2]

During World War II, the Government forced Premier to manufacture gun sights and electrical plugs and sockets for radar equipment. After the West London factory was bombed in 1940, the company moved to the Leicestershire town of South Wigston, where they occupied three small factories.[3]

By 1986, Premier was one of the biggest factories in South Wigston, with 100,000 square feet covered and 180 employees. The company also exported its products to 120 countries.[4] However, in 2005 after 65 years of activity, Premier finally closed the factory and the entire site was eventually demolished in 2017.[5] Once established in its new home in Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire, the brand was purchased by the online retailer Gear4music on 21 June 2021.[6]

Premier's replica of the classic "Pictures of Lily" Keith Moon's drumkit

Premier Impression bass drum

Premier 1920s 'jazz' drum kit

• Ringo Starr - The Beatles[7]
• Julien Brown – Massive Attack[8]
• Rick Buckler – The Jam
• Clem Burke – Blondie[9]
• Phil Collins – Genesis[10]
• Bobby Elliott – The Hollies[7]
• Ginger Fish – Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie
• Nick Mason – Pink Floyd[11]
• Nicko McBrain – Iron Maiden[12]
• Mitch Mitchell – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
• Keith Moon – The Who[13][14]
• Philip Selway – Radiohead[15]
• Brad Wilk – Rage Against the Machine[16]
• Johnny Blitz - Dead Boys

• APK/XPK series
• Elite Series (1970s)[17]
• Resonator Series[17]
• Soundwave Series (1970s & 1980s)
• Black Shadow – A unique run of the Resonator series with a specially applied lacquer finish
• Projector Series[17]
• Signia Series
• Signia Marquis Series
• Genista (original 90s version used only birch)
• Gen X (4ply maple/2ply birch)
• Artist Series
• Series Elite (Maple/Birch/Gen-X Hybrid)
• One series drums – unique one off kits and snares named of British towns and places of interest
• Modern Classic drums[18]
• Club (rebranded continuation of 1979 Olympic)
• Olympic by Premier[19][20](1937-1979, 1991–present), inc. Super Olympic
• Royale

Snare drums

• 2000 Snare
• 

  Premier Signia. Flagship of the company, produced in the 90's
  Royal Ace Snare
• Carmine Appice Signature Snare
• Project One Snare
• 2003 Snare
• 2005 Snare
• Heavy Rock Nine 14"X9" Brass Snare
• Modern Classic Snares
• XC Series – part of the 90th-anniversary line.
• B.E.A.S.T. Snare
• 1005 (Olympic brand)

Hardware

• 250 & 250S bass drum pedal[21]
• 252 bass drum pedal
• 1251 bass drum pedal

Other

• Gordon Mann 1 Wing Pipes and Drums
• Zyn Cymbals (Formerly)

• Media related to Premier Percussion at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website
• Photo's of the derelict factory in 2017