Darren currently works with many projects as a drummer, as well as a host of bands in the past, rooted firmly in Oxford and Oxfordshire.

The current music projects are:

Indie Goth Rockers MarysGarden
Darren got involved when he met Laima a in 2021, during partially allowed music events. They decided to get the up and running again to re-ignite this old school Oxford Indie rock outfit that started in the early 2000s. There are recordings and links to materials here.

The Locals.
The Locals debuted their first gig in 2006 in Austria at the Nickelsdorf free jazz festival, with the incredible Pat Thomas, from Oxford. In 2021 the live gig that was recorded got released on CD and got good reviews. The Locals are now playing in Europe Jazz festivals such as Jazz em Ogosto in Portugal and in Italy, with hopefully more to come. The music takes thematic segments from Anthony Braxton’s repertoire, and turns them funky! Link here:

Osprey & OX4 All Stars.
A band with a huge number of members over the years, Darren developed a close working relationship with Osprey and even recorded an album in Master Rhythm Studios with him. Osprey was the most active promoter in Oxford city for 20 years and Darren was the right hand man, putting on and sound engineering many shows for thousands of local gigs over the years. They recently toured in the North in Middlesborough and Keswick. Links here:

The Legendary Pete Fryer Band and The Mighty Redox.
The Legendary Pete Fryer band is a 60s-90s cover band with a difference. We don’t play them like the records, we play them how we want to play them. This is where Darren learnt to play shuffles and blues in a punky – we don’t care way, with hundreds, if not, a thousand gigs under their belt and sits in as a dep for The Mighty Redox, with some of the same members of the tight family unit of the Fryers and the Smiths. Our aim in 2025 is to play on the roof of the Abingdon Town Hall.

Summit 7
Not active right now, but something Darren would like to get going again. Including Hafeez Karar on bass, offering Sudanese rhythms through the bass guitar, Evan Thomas on guitar with awesome funk abilities and wailing solos. It previously had Bobby Dee on vocals and Pat Thomas on Keyboard but settled in with Darren, Hafeez and Evan.

Sudanese Super Stars.
Darren likes to play with different cultures and learn different rhythms. He’s toured the UK with Muhammed Al Amin, and played the Camden Town Hall with Al Balibal.

Past bands and outfits.
Sexy Breakfast
Big Socieety
Mark Bosley
Third Eye Image
Des Barkus
Sparky
Ady Davey

Darren has inherited his Dad’s organic seed import business that he runs, Leary’s Organic Seeds. He runs this along side running the studio and gigging on a regular basis.

The studio also came about resulting in the need not to disturb neighbours. The studio has become a hub for many drummers, learners and musicians to be able to make a noise without disturbing neighbours with little care for people enjoying or learning for themselves.

Many of the instruments in the studio have been passed down from Darren’s family, such as the Fender Rhodes, Roland digital piano, Vox guitar amps, Fender Junior Blues amp, and gifts and donations from various people. Darren has kept many instruments from teenage years that are being enjoyed to this day.