John Stanier (drummer)
Encyclopedia
John Stanier first came into the spotlight in 1989 as the drummer for the band Helmet
. He is known for his speed, endurance, and precision as a performer.
Stanier grew up in Florida and is a veteran of the local hardcore
music scene. He is known for having a drum corps
background, but never actually marched a summer season. He played tenor drums for the Florida Wave through a few years of their winter/spring camps. He studied orchestral percussion at the University of South Florida
, but never took formal drumset lessons. Stanier cites Neil Peart
as his biggest influence, though he hates double bass drumming. He has also been influenced by drummers such as John Bonham
, Billy Cobham
, Bill Bruford
, Terry Bozzio
, Carl Palmer
, and Lenny White
. Stanier's drumming with Helmet has been cited as a big influence on a new generation of rock drummers. He endorses Tama drums, and is also well-known for his Zildjian K ride cymbal perched as high as it can go when playing with Battles.
The breakup of Helmet in 1998 was supposedly amicable, though Stanier offers few details beyond: "There's no big story or anything. It was just... time to call it a day. We'd been around for 10 years... no drama or fights or anything like that." Stanier has not kept in contact with former band mates Page Hamilton
and Henry Bogdan
, and Hamilton has commented that Stanier ignored attempts to communicate. With Helmet firmly in the past, Stanier wanted to get involved with other projects after taking some time off. A big fan of hip-hop music, he "accidentally" became a professional DJ for a year and a half. The length of his drumming inactivity was in part due to a broken wrist, as well as the fact that he simply could not find a band he wanted to play with. Since 2000, Stanier has been much more active with drumming. He is currently a member of three bands: Battles
, Tomahawk
, and The Mark of Cain.
Helmet (band)
Helmet is an alternative metal band from New York City formed in 1989. Founded by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton, Helmet has had numerous lineup changes, and Hamilton has been the only constant member....
. He is known for his speed, endurance, and precision as a performer.
Stanier grew up in Florida and is a veteran of the local hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
music scene. He is known for having a drum corps
Drum and bugle corps (modern)
A drum and bugle corps, also known as a drum corps, is a musical marching unit consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and color guard. Typically operating as independent non-profit organizations, drum corps perform in competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions...
background, but never actually marched a summer season. He played tenor drums for the Florida Wave through a few years of their winter/spring camps. He studied orchestral percussion at the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
, but never took formal drumset lessons. Stanier cites Neil Peart
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
as his biggest influence, though he hates double bass drumming. He has also been influenced by drummers such as John Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
, Billy Cobham
Billy Cobham
William C. Cobham is a Panamanian American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, who has called Switzerland home since the late 1970s....
, Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford
William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
, Terry Bozzio
Terry Bozzio
Terry John Bozzio is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa.-Biography:Terry Bozzio was born December 27, 1950 in San Francisco, California. He started at age 6 playing makeshift drum sets. At the age of 13 he saw The Beatles premier performance on The Ed...
, Carl Palmer
Carl Palmer
Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
, and Lenny White
Lenny White
Leonard White III, better known as Lenny White is an American jazz fusion drummer, who is best known for playing in Chick Corea's Return to Forever.-Biography:...
. Stanier's drumming with Helmet has been cited as a big influence on a new generation of rock drummers. He endorses Tama drums, and is also well-known for his Zildjian K ride cymbal perched as high as it can go when playing with Battles.
The breakup of Helmet in 1998 was supposedly amicable, though Stanier offers few details beyond: "There's no big story or anything. It was just... time to call it a day. We'd been around for 10 years... no drama or fights or anything like that." Stanier has not kept in contact with former band mates Page Hamilton
Page Hamilton
Page Hamilton is a guitarist, singer and record producer, mostly noted for his work with alternative metal band Helmet...
and Henry Bogdan
Henry Bogdan
Henry Bogdan , is an American musician. He is perhaps best known as the original bass guitarist and a founding member of the alternative metal band, Helmet...
, and Hamilton has commented that Stanier ignored attempts to communicate. With Helmet firmly in the past, Stanier wanted to get involved with other projects after taking some time off. A big fan of hip-hop music, he "accidentally" became a professional DJ for a year and a half. The length of his drumming inactivity was in part due to a broken wrist, as well as the fact that he simply could not find a band he wanted to play with. Since 2000, Stanier has been much more active with drumming. He is currently a member of three bands: Battles
Battles (band)
Battles is an American experimental rock group, founded in 2002 in New York City, comprising guitarists Ian Williams and Dave Konopka , and drummer John Stanier .-Biography:...
, Tomahawk
Tomahawk (band)
Tomahawk is an experimental alternative metal/alternative rock supergroup from the United States. They formed in 2000 when Fantômas, ex-Mr. Bungle and Faith No More singer/keyboardist Mike Patton and ex-The Jesus Lizard guitar player Duane Denison started swapping tapes with the intention of...
, and The Mark of Cain.
As a band member
- HelmetHelmet (band)Helmet is an alternative metal band from New York City formed in 1989. Founded by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton, Helmet has had numerous lineup changes, and Hamilton has been the only constant member....
— Strap It OnStrap It On (album)Strap It On is the first album by Helmet. Originally released in 1990 through Amphetamine Reptile Records, it was subsequently rereleased by Interscope in November 1991....
(1990) - Helmet — Meantime (1992)
- Helmet — BettyBetty (album)Betty is the third album by Helmet, released in 1994 on Interscope. The album was highly anticipated by both music critics and fans as a result of the band's success with the previous album, Meantime....
(1994) - Helmet — Born Annoying (1995)
- Helmet — AftertasteAftertaste (album)Aftertaste is the fourth album by Helmet, released in 1997 on Interscope. This proved to be Helmet's final album with original members John Stanier and Henry Bogdan . Guitarist Rob Echeverria, who appeared on Helmet's previous outing, Betty, left the group to join Biohazard...
(1997) - Helmet — Unsung: The Best of Helmet (1991–1997) (2004)
- The Mark of Cain — This is This (2001)
- TomahawkTomahawk (band)Tomahawk is an experimental alternative metal/alternative rock supergroup from the United States. They formed in 2000 when Fantômas, ex-Mr. Bungle and Faith No More singer/keyboardist Mike Patton and ex-The Jesus Lizard guitar player Duane Denison started swapping tapes with the intention of...
— TomahawkTomahawk (album)Tomahawk is the debut album by Mike Patton's supergroup of the same name. The album is somewhat of a concept album, documenting the events, emotions, and psychology of a serial killer. The opening track, "Flashback" is chronologically the final part of the story...
(2001) - Tomahawk — Mit GasMit GasMit Gas is the second studio album by American rock band Tomahawk, released on May 6, 2003 through Mike Patton's independent record label Ipecac Recordings...
(2003) - Tomahawk — Anonymous (2007)
- BattlesBattles (band)Battles is an American experimental rock group, founded in 2002 in New York City, comprising guitarists Ian Williams and Dave Konopka , and drummer John Stanier .-Biography:...
— EP C / B EPEP C / B EPEP C/B EP is a collection of American math rock band Battles's two previous EPs, EP C, B EP and the Tras single. It was released in 2006 on Warp Records....
(2006) - Battles — MirroredMirrored (album)Mirrored is the full-length debut album by American experimental band Battles, released on May 14, 2007 in the United Kingdom, and on May 22, 2007 in the United States...
(2007) - Battles — Gloss DropGloss DropGloss Drop is the second studio album by American experimental rock band Battles. The band have announced a spring tour in support of the record.It is the band's first release since the departure of Tyondai Braxton...
(2011)
As a studio contributor
- PitchshifterPitchshifter (band)Pitchshifter are a British five-piece electronic-metal band from Nottingham, United Kingdom formed in 1989. The band was started by bassist and vocalist Mark Clayden, lead guitarist and programmer Johnny A...
— DeviantDeviant (Pitchshifter album)- Album cover ban:Pitchshifter's album cover used a picture of one of Gee Vaucher's Paintings, who did artwork for Crass and Carcass. The painting shows a cross between the Pope John Paul II and Queen Elizabeth II. The album cover was banned in Poland, due to the some of the public's response and...
(2000) - Primer 55Primer 55-History:The band was formed in 1997 by guitarist Bobby Burns, who was influenced by heavy metal music and vocalist J-Sin, who was influenced by hip hop. Burns and J-Sin enlisted the help of bassist Mike "Jr." Christopher and drummer Josh McLane...
— (the) New Release (2001) - Align — Some Breaking News (2001)
- CageCage KennylzChris Palko, better known by his stage name Cage, is an American rapper from New York City. He has released three studio albums and two extended plays. Cage is also the founder of the underground hip-hop supergroup called the Weathermen.-Early life:...
— WeatherproofWeatherproofWeatherproof is a 2003 EP by American hip hop artist Cage. It was released on Eastern Conference Records on July 29, 2003. It was released between his two collaboration albums with Camu Tao and Tame One and features guest appearances from both.-Track listing:#"Intro"#*Produced by Cage & DJ...
(2003) - Melissa Auf der MaurMelissa Auf der MaurMelissa Auf der Maur is a Canadian rock musician from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Her career has included 5 years as bassist with the band Hole and she later toured with The Smashing Pumpkins for their 2000 tour. Her second solo album, Out of Our Minds, was released on March 30, 2010. She is also a...
— Auf der MaurAuf der Maur (album)Auf der Maur is the debut album from former Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf der Maur.Formed following her successful stints as bassist for both Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins, Melissa Auf der Maur's solo project Auf der Maur released their self-titled debut album after Melissa's...
(2004) - Primer 55 — Family for Life (2007)
- Prefuse 73 — PreparationsPreparationsPreparations is the fourth full-length album by Prefuse 73, released on October 23, 2007 on Warp Records . Unlike the 2006 EP Security Screenings, Preparations is considered the proper follow-up to 2005's collaboration-heavy Surrounded by Silence...
(2007) - The FieldThe Field (musician)Axel Willner, better known by the stage name The Field, is a techno artist based in Stockholm, Sweden.-Background:In 2005, Willner submitted a demo tape the German indie label Kompakt and was subsequently signed. He released his first 12", a demo mixtape of Annie's "Heartbeat" in 2005 as well as a...
— Yesterday and TodayYesterday and Today (The Field album)Yesterday and Today is the second album by The Field following his critically acclaimed debut From Here We Go Sublime. It was released on 26 May, 2009 in Europe and 26 May, 2009 in the USA....
(2009)