Wayne Bell


Wayne Bell is one of New Zealand’s most respected live and session drummers, and a sought after producer and arranger. It's hard to imagine the Auckland music scene, or indeed the New Zealand musical landscape, without his tasteful playing, astute ears and his endless list of hilarious road stories.

It has been my luck and privilege to have worked with Wayne on and off over the last (gulp!) 30 years; long may that last. I had a chat to Wayne about his musical life, and this is what I found out. It is a twisting and intriguing tale.

Wayne Bell on the 2001 Finn Runga Dobbyn tour
Photo credit: Photo by Mark Roach
Everything That Flies, 1986. L to R: Wayne Bell, Clive Sheridan, Peter Harrison, Dave Manning, Bruce Sheridan, Dianne Swann
Photo credit: Photo by Kerry Brown
Greg Johnson, Ted Brown and Wayne Bell rehearsing with the APO, 2006
These Wilding Ways: Jason Dempsey, Joel Haines, Michael O'Neill, Glenn Robson, Wayne Bell
Photo credit: Simon Grigg Collection
Greg Fleming - California Fishing
These Wilding Ways - Can't Control Her
Wayne Bell
Everything That Flies - As The Sun Goes Down
Splitter, clockwise from top left: Andrew Thorne, Joel Tobeck, Wayne Bell, Aidan Phillips
Wayne Bell with Greg Fleming and the Trains, 2013
Photo credit: Photo by Ted Baghurst
The Bads at the Leigh Sawmill, September 2013, with Tim Finn and Wayne Bell
Jan Hellriegel - Filled Me Up - live at the Wintergarden
Wayne Bell, June 2013
New Zealand musicians celebrate at the after-party of The Last Waltz 40th anniversary tour, 2016, with guest artist The Band's Garth Hudson and his wife Maud (in cap). Among those present are Arthur Baysting, Adam McGrath, Wayne Bell, Reb Fountain, Peter Dasent, and Tami Neilson.
Photo credit: Tami Neilson collection
Wayne Bell and Kurt Shanks, Backbeat, July 27, 2012
Photo credit: Photo by Mark Roach
Wayne Bell in the studio with Jan Hellriegel, 2013
Photo credit: Photo by Volume Eleven: Photography
Wayne Bell and Greg Fleming, The Lab 2013
Photo credit: Photo by Ted Bahurst
Splitter - Aidan Phillips, Andrew Thorne, Wayne Bell, Joel Tobeck
Wayne Bell playing with The Calico Brothers, September 2011
Photo credit: Photo by Wendy Tattersfield-Fleming
Rikki Morris and Wayne Bell, 2013
Photo credit: Courtesy of Richard Morris
Greg Johnson, Ted Brown and Wayne Bell doing radio in Boston
Greg Fleming and Wayne Bell.
Dianne Swann, Wayne Bell and Ben King, with Wayne weaving after-gig stories, March 2013
Wayne Bell, July 2012
Photo credit: Photo by Mark Roach
Wayne Bell at Village Music, Mt. Eden, Auckland, with Jan Hellriegel, June 2013
Wayne Bell talks to Tutor Lounge
Wayne Bell shaking up a storm in the studio with Greg Fleming, 2013.
Photo credit: Photo by Ted Baghurst
Wayne Bell with The Kurt Shanks Band at the launch of Kurt's Blood Line Heart album, Backbeat, Auckland, July 2012
Photo credit: Photo by Mark Roach
Wayne Bell and Greg Fleming recording, 2013
Photo credit: Photo by Ted Baghurst

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