Mike Coolen
Within Temptation
Overview
Mike began playing the drums around the age of ten. His initial practice at home soon expanded to include playing in a high school band. He received weekly lessons from a piano teacher who also taught jazz at the local conservatory. During his high school years, Mike was influenced by a diverse range of musical styles including fusion, pop, rock, and jazz.
After graduating from high school, Mike enrolled in the conservatory in his hometown of Tilburg, Netherlands. During his conservatory years, he played in several bands, exploring genres ranging from hard rock and crossover rap-metal to world music. His academic pursuits included jazz performance and improvisation, as well as Latin and African percussion, and classical percussion studies.
Towards the end of his time at the conservatory, Mike began teaching drums, a role that complemented his performances across the Netherlands with Dutch bands such as Brotherhood Foundation, Chillburn, and the percussion group Medicamento.
In 2005, Within Temptation invited Mike to perform as an additional percussionist for a few songs at a special concert in Amsterdam. This event marked a reunion with Ruud Jolie, Within Temptation’s guitarist, and a former classmate from Tilburg. Two years later, Mike was again invited to play with Within Temptation, this time as a drummer for several shows.
Since 2011, Mike has been the drummer for Within Temptation, contributing to the band as a full member and participating in recording sessions and global tours.
