...Simon "Diffy" Difford

A slightly different episode today.

I wanted to shed a bit of light on someone who does a job most people don’t see. As session musicians, we’re often told a time to be somewhere, we arrive, and our equipment is already set up. Not to mention the stage and lights and whatnot. I thought it’d be fun to chat with a backline technician about what they do and what it’s like to be on that side of a gig or tour.

Diffy is a backline technician who specialises in drums and percussion. For the last twenty years he’s been touring with artists like Liam Gallagher, Glass Animals, Jamiroquai and Tom Jones. 

We discussed his move from drummer to drum tech, balancing tours with being a dad, what exactly a backline tech does, and how touring can be a lonely but brilliant job.

There was a weird issue with Diffy’s airpods for a while, so please excuse the clicking noises. They do eventually stop, I promise!

By the way, please check out the links at the bottom of the show notes. You can support the podcast, and also email me. I’m looking to do a Q&A episode soon, so send your questions to nwinsessionwith@gmail.com.

I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did. 

(Recorded 31st January 2023)