I know from my own bitter experience that not having a dad has been a big problem for me.

This is Joe Wong. Welcome to the Trapset, where each week we explore the lives of drummers.

I want to play something for you.

... You're hearing hair by her by PJ Harvey, featuring my guest Rob Ellis on drums.

From the release of her first record in 1991, Polly Jean Harvey emerged fully formed

as one of the most vital and ingenious songwriters of her generation.

Rob's propensity for avant-garde composition, coupled with his extraordinary sense of musical empathy,

resulted in drumming that elevated Harvey's songs in a brilliantly unexpected, yet perfectly suited manner.

Aside from his work with PJ Harvey, Rob has worked as a drummer, producer, and arranger for artists such as Bat for Lashes,

Robin Hitchcock, Cold Specks, and Marianne Faithful,

whose new album, Negative Capability, will be released later this week.

Rob is also a songwriter in his own right and has recorded two solo albums.

This conversation was recorded in Soho, London.

Subsequently, Ellis contacted me by phone for an in-depth discussion of his struggles with alcohol and his decision to get sober.

That conversation is available as a separate bonus episode.

And now my conversation with Rob Ellis.

Music now my conversation with Rob Ellis.

My dad was in the Navy, and he was in the fleet air arm and he was on an exchange with the American Air Force so we were in Santa Santa Monica I think San Diego sorry yeah

we were in San Diego and in yeah 64 66 around that time which was my kind of earliest memories.

Was your father a career Navy man?

He, not really.

Well, he died when I was 18, so he, in an accident, but not a military accident, but he, at that point, he was, so this is around 1980, so he, he was actually working at the Admiralty up here in London, but he kind of hated it. I think he was sort of on

...