Pat Mastelotto
A rhythmic chameleon whose powerful, inventive drumming powered 80s pop smashes before anchoring the complex progressive rock of King Crimson.
Born 1955 (age 71)·American rock drummer and record producer·Birthday: September 10·Baby Boomers
Biography
Pat Mastelotto represents the rare drummer who can navigate the top of the pop charts and the outer limits of avant-prog with equal authority. His big break came with Mr. Mister, where his solid, radio-friendly grooves helped drive "Broken Wings" and "Kyrie" to number one. That commercial success opened studio doors, leading to session work with artists as diverse as The Pointer Sisters and XTC. But his artistic homecoming arrived in 1994 when he joined the reconstituted King Crimson, a band known for its ferocious musical intellect. There, Mastelotto's role expanded beyond keeping time; he became a textural architect, weaving electronic percussion and acoustic power into the band's dense, polyrhythmic tapestry. He has since been a cornerstone of Robert Fripp's various Crimson-related projects, proving that a great drummer is not just a metronome, but a composer with sticks.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Pat was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pat Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Pat's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 70
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 71 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As a member of Mr. Mister, played on the number-one hits 'Broken Wings' and 'Kyrie' in the mid-1980s.
- Joined the progressive rock group King Crimson in 1994 and remained a core member through multiple tours and albums.
- Co-founded the experimental rock group Stick Men with Crimson bandmate Tony Levin.
- Has an extensive session career, contributing to recordings for artists like XTC, The Rembrandts, and The Pointer Sisters.
Did You Know?
He is a self-taught drummer who never had formal lessons.
He built a renowned personal recording studio, The Bunker, in Austin, Texas.
He was a member of the band 'The Rembrandts', known for the 'Friends' theme song 'I'll Be There for You'.
He frequently uses a hybrid acoustic-electronic drum kit in performance.
“I went from playing four-four on the radio to seven-thirteen with King Crimson.”
