Remember “Do You Feel Like I Do” by Peter Frampton? “Hello It’s Me” by Todd Rundgren?
The drummer on those songs was John Siomos.
Siomos (7/30/47-1/16/2004) was born in Chicago. He had a fraternal twin brother Steve.
His first professional foray came in 1966 as a member of the Chicago Loop, a group that also included keyboardist Barry Goldberg, when they released the single “(When She Wants Good Lovin’) My Baby Comes to Me” (DynoVoice 226). They would have enough success that they would sign with Mercury, releasing two more singles in 1968.
Siomos had been backing up Mitch Ryder as part of his Detroit Wheels in 1969 when he joined Buzzy Linhart in 1970. He quickly became known for his “steady upbeat drums” that powered songs.
He started being called on as a session musician he would begin working with Moogy Klingman, and was called in for Carly Simon’s 1971 debut album (Elektra) as well as appearing on Todd Rundgren’s Something/Anything (Bearsville) and A Wizard, A True Star (Bearsville).
He would then join Peter Frampton. Frampton shared a story in a Billboard interview about his first trip to New York as a solo artist to record his second album, 1973’s Frampton’s Camel. He recalled how his new drummer, John Siomos, only had a mismatched drum kit made of various odds and ends, so Frampton bought him a green Ludwig set.
While a member of Frampton’s Camel, he actually co-wrote the megahit “Do You Feel Like I Do” from the album Frampton Comes Alive and was part of Frampton’s band from 1972-78.
Siomos’ continued doing session work into the early ‘90s. He played drums on the 1977 Tufano & Giammarese album Other Side (Ode). After his music career, Siomos became an emergency medical technician. He passed away in 2004.
Photo of Chicago Loop – Bob Slawson, John Savanna, Stefan Grossman, Barry Goldberg, Carmine Riale, John Siomos and Judy Novy