Meet Marcus Klepacki, the 19-year-old Phoenix musician who learned to play acoustic drums with one arm and is now debuting his own band.

Nineteen-year-old Phoenix musician Marcus Klepacki is preparing for his first official public performance with his new rock band, Third Man Factor, at Tempe’s historic Yucca Tap Room. What makes the performance unusual is not only the venue but also the way Klepacki plays. Born without a right arm and without a thumb on his left hand, the 19-year-old plays standard acoustic drums without major changes, using only one arm. According to reports in the Phoenix New Times and coverage published by Hoodline, Klepacki finds comparisons to Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen amusing, but says their approaches are very different. Allen lost his left arm in a car accident in 1984 and later used a specially designed electronic drum system with pedals. Klepacki, however, plays exclusively acoustic drums, relying on his physical ability and his own playing technique. “I think people need to know that Marcus isn’t good for having one arm; he’s just good,” Chuck Savale, a music instructor who trained Klepacki, told Phoenix New Times.

First battles for health and musical training.

Klepacki’s journey to the stage came after years of serious health problems. He was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 3 and wore a corrective back brace from kindergarten until he entered high school. At age 7, he was diagnosed with leukemia and underwent three and a half years of chemotherapy. In 2021, Dr. Greg White, chief of pediatric spine surgery at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, performed surgery to correct Klepacki’s spine. White also plays bass in local cover band Central Line. In 2024, he invited Klepacki’s former musical group to open for his band at Copper Blues Live in Desert Ridge. Throughout his medical challenges, his parents, Alex and Melissa Klepacki, made sure he was able to participate in normal childhood activities. His formal music education began around age 10 when he began taking lessons at Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers, a Phoenix nonprofit that provides free arts training to young people. Reports from the Phoenix New Times explain how Savale taught Klepacki by practicing with one arm. This helped him understand techniques that could produce a full, strong sound. Within a few years, Klepacki had learned difficult drum patterns, including the famous “Purdie shuffle” created by legendary session drummer Bernard Purdie. The rhythm uses a mid-tempo rhythm with triplet hi-hat patterns and soft snare notes. “It blew my mind when I saw Marcus do that,” Savale told reporters, adding that the young drummer quickly surpassed his own technical abilities.

Formation of the third man factor

Klepacki gained more performing experience by joining marching and concert bands at Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix. He also played drums on about half a dozen performances for Alice Cooper’s charity events. The formation of Third Man Factor was formed primarily through Arizona State University’s Bachelor of Popular Music program at the Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts. Joining Klepacki on drums are lead vocalist Fletcher Placko, guitarists Chris Sanchez and Ben Pakula, and bassist Noah Paz. Speaking to Phoenix New Times, Placko praised Klepacki’s team spirit and natural ability. He said other musicians quickly respected his talent when they played together during college classes. The band is inspired by alternative rock and grunge of the nineties. Klepacki’s influences on drums include Neil Peart of Rush, John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, Stewart Copeland of The Police, Buddy Rich and Meg White of The White Stripes.

Stage debut at Yucca Tap Room

The opportunity to perform at the Yucca Tap Room arose after the mother of the leader of local band The Black Hole saw Klepacki perform at an open mic event at the Solid Rock Teen Center. He later offered him a spot on the lineup, according to reports from Hoodline and Phoenix New Times. Open since the 1960s, Yucca Tap Room is Tempe’s oldest active live music venue. Over the years, he has helped launch and support independent rock and punk bands from across the East Valley. The Sunday afternoon show features Third Man Factor alongside a six-band line-up. The lineup includes headliners The Black Hole, Band of Fools, Hard Bop Group, Just About Halfway and Rino. Looking ahead, Klepacki hopes to build a long-term music career. You are considering working as a touring performer, session musician, or record producer. Reflecting on his experiences and his future, Klepacki told Phoenix New Times: “Part of my attitude is: I went through some of the hardest things that people could go through early on.”