Reggae, Rock ’n’ Roll, and Robert Rachelli

Ready to rock out with the relaxing appeal of reggae beats? Robert Rachelli is known for his drumming in Santa Barbara County rock and reggae bands, including Lion I’s, Turning Trees, and Spencer the Gardener, a well-known Santa Barbara–based band known for its unique fusion-pop music style. 

When Rachelli was growing up, he listened to a lot of progressive rock, which included artists like Elvis Costello, The Police, Bob Marley, and Kate Bush. These artists inspired him to mirror that rhythm: “My mom and uncle were going to a Yes concert, and they said, ‘Hey, do you want to come?’ — I wanted to go because they were going to an Italian restaurant. We didn’t ever go out to restaurants.”

Once young Rachelli saw Alan White on the drums, he was hooked. “I was like, ‘Oh, my God. What is that guy doing? I have to do that.’ It was an epiphany.”

Rachelli was born in Boyle Heights and grew up in Ojai. He started playing drums in 1988. “My family was pretty poor, so I didn’t have a drum kit,” said Rachelli. “But I found a stick, and then I had a dowel, and then I had this crutch and a leather chair, and I put the crutch up, and that was my cymbal. I put Led Zeppelin on and I’d be drumming, but then my friend would invite me over to his house, and he let me play his brother’s kit.”

When Rachelli was 18, he decided to forge his own creative path by dedicating himself to drumming, and he finally got his own official drum kit. “I gathered my first garage band in a basement, drumming for six to eight hours a day, and then I got asked to join this cover band, and I met this guy that I ended up meeting through a friend, and he came over and played keyboards,”  Rachelli said.

“After six months of drumming in 1988, I was in my first working band, then touring up and down California and Mexico with my band Lion I’s and Papa Nata,” Rachelli said. Lion I’s became really popular in Southern California. After that, “with Spencer the Gardener, we played the Ventura Theater, and we played clubs, and there would be lines out the door,” Rachelli said.

Rachelli has been drumming for more than 37 years, collaborating with industry professionals and equally passionate musicians such as Ed Kowalczyk, Dan Zimmerman, and the front man of Spencer the Gardener, Spencer Barnitz. 

Rachelli consistently performs in the Santa Barbara area with a variety of styles and covers in multiple bands. “With Spencer the Gardener, we’re always up in Santa Barbara. It’s been five years since I started working with them, and it’s always fun playing with Spencer. You never know what’s going to happen sometimes, but that keeps it on the exciting side,” Rachelli said. He reflected on his most memorable local show with Spencer the Gardener: “A couple of years ago, we did a show on the sand facing the Santa Barbara pier. That’s probably the most people I’ve played for. I think there were around 10,000 people there. I was looking back, and I thought the crowd went probably two football fields or more back.” 

Though Rachelli has dedicated years of effort to his drumming performances, he balances this playing with strenuous outside work and hours of practice. Like many musicians, he has a day job. “I’m a pool guy. So, I’ve got around 40 customers, and I’m in Ojai, so it’s hot from June to October. So I’m doing that work and then I come back, load out my truck and load all my drums in, and drive up and set up to play,” Rachelli said. “Luckily, my fiancée, Kimberly, helps me, which is awesome. And she also does art. She’s an artist, so she’ll draw and paint Spencer the Gardener.”

Rachelli emphasizes the importance of pursuing his interests along with what he does in his day-to-day life by showing up and “being early, trying to have a good performance even if I’m exhausted from my pool route. I chose to be a drummer. So every time I perform, I think, ‘Now I’m here, I’m going to load my stuff in, and we are going to make it happen.’ So, I am always trying to be creative and keep working at my craft, so that I’m always getting better.” 

Some final words from Rachelli to creative people and drummers are: “Have fun. Practice your craft and get as good as you can, and watch other musicians. Go check out other bands. Stay on it and try to get better, and have a good attitude and be humble and positive.”

Learn more about Rachelli at robertrachellidrums.com.

See Robert Rachelli playing with Spencer the Gardener at the free Music at the Ranch series at Stow House on Tuesday, August 19, 5:30-7:30 p.m. See goletahistory.org/music-at-the-ranch for details.