Marios T. Pavlou

My Journey

Born and raised on the island of Crete, Greece, I’ve been behind the drum kit since I was 9 years old but drums weren’t my first instrument. I actually started out on electric bass, until a close friend showed me a Mike Portnoy DVD featuring the song "Hell’s Kitchen". As a kid, I was completely in awe. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to become a drummer.

Since then, Portnoy has remained my biggest influence, but I've also drawn inspiration from legends like Tomas Lang, Dave Weckl, Tomas Haake, Chris Turner, and Gavin Harrison. Over time, I’ve worked patiently to develop solid double-kick technique, nothing too extreme, but tight enough to serve metal grooves with control and clarity.

I studied Audio Engineering at SAE Athens to deepen my understanding of music from both sides of the glass. Now based in Prague, I’m currently gigging with Ewenay (Afro-fusion/world) and Dirty Habits (alt-rock), staying active both live and in the studio. Whether it’s laying down groove-heavy tracks or bringing energy to the stage, I approach every beat with intention and feel.