Michael Knapp (3)

Drummer and songwriter; born in Hamilton, New Zealand, died July 2022. Mike Knapp, also known as Snap or Snapper, is a musician from Hamilton, New Zealand. Knapp started playing guitar, drums, and singing at an early age, around 1970, with his family in a group called The Doves, featuring multiple harmony vocals. In 1974, Knapp created a rock band called Butterburr with his sister Mary Knapp on lead vocals and friend Mark on guitar and vocals. He went on to form the hard rock group Hellzapoppin and a softer rock group called Airwaves in 1976, still with Mark, Mary, and newcomers Roo and Phil Hall. They were joined by keyboard player Jenny Hunt. Knapp went on to play with several other bands, including Spats and The Tigers. After moving to Australia in 1981, Knapp joined the band Dropbears. The Sydney-based rock outfit played for several years, doing tours and concerts across Australia. Knapp went on to drum for Dave Dobbyn and the Stone People band, with tours in both Australia and New Zealand, and he also played with The Warratahs, mostly performing in New Zealand. Knapp later worked as technical manager at the Academy of Performing Arts in Hamilton, New Zealand.