Hirsh Gardner
Drummer
Hirsh Gardner talks about his music career, including the licensing of his work in Japan. He also delves into the lucrative aspects of music publishing. Gardner reflects on the songwriting process for the band New England, noting the primary role of John in writing many of their songs.
Hirsh Gardner
drummer for New England
(“Don’t Ever Wan’t to Lose You”)
About Hirsh Gardner
Hirsh Gardner is a drummer and producer best known for his work with the Boston hard rock band New England, formed in 1976. The band's single "Don't Ever Wanna Lose Ya," produced by Paul Stanley of KISS, became a Top 40 hit. Gardner supported KISS on their 1979 Dynasty Tour and later earned Producer of the Year honors from the Boston Phoenix and Boston Music Awards. He has released multiple solo albums and continues to perform with New England.
In this interview
- Discusses licensing his music in Japan through GB Music
- Reflects on the lucrative aspects of music publishing in the industry
- Notes that John was the primary songwriter for New England's recorded material
- Mentions "The Punk" (Puny Undernourished Kid) as a favorite song that remains current
“John was writing stuff that was just so good that, you know, we'd use his songs.”— Hirsh Gardner, in this interview
Since this interview
New England reformed in 2014 and released their first single in decades, "I Know There's Something Here," in 2015. The band played several shows in Japan in 2017. Gardner released his third solo album "Third Time's a Charm" on November 22, 2024, through Deko Entertainment, featuring original material and re-recorded New England classics.
