Todd Trainer
Encyclopedia
Todd Stanford Trainer is the drummer for the band Shellac
. He also performs as a solo artist under the name Brick Layer Cake. He previously played drums for the bands Breaking Circus
and Rifle Sport
, and he played drums with Scout Niblett
in 2005.
, manages a warehousing and shipping company, and maintains close ties to his parents and sister Terri. His Italian greyhound
, Uffizi, inspired the title of Shellac's fourth studio album, Excellent Italian Greyhound
.
critic Brent DiCrescenzo wrote that "Trainer beats his drums so primally, you'd swear he's only wearing a loincloth
." A Spin
review of the Shellac album Terraform declared that Trainer "gracefully resurrects the lost art of the Bonham stomp", a reference to the acclaimed Led Zeppelin
musician John Bonham
.
and favored multiple layers of gauzy, iridescent blouse
s, leading to the observation from bandmate Steve Albini
that the drummer was "double-bloused."
on downers fronting Black Sabbath
, if Black Sabbath played only the good parts of their songs."
Shellac (band)
Shellac is an American group composed of Steve Albini , Bob Weston and Todd Trainer...
. He also performs as a solo artist under the name Brick Layer Cake. He previously played drums for the bands Breaking Circus
Breaking Circus
Breaking Circus was a postpunk band from the 1980s, based in Chicago and later Minneapolis, led by guitarist and vocalist Steve Björklund.-History:...
and Rifle Sport
Rifle Sport
Rifle Sport was an American post punk band active in the 1980s and 1990s, from Minneapolis, Minnesota.-Studio albums:*Voice Of Reason *White ...
, and he played drums with Scout Niblett
Scout Niblett
Emma Louise Niblett , better known by the stage name Scout Niblett, is an English singer and songwriter. Her music is frequently minimal in style, many of her songs consisting merely of vocals accompanied by either drums or guitar, which she mostly plays herself. She is known for her intimate live...
in 2005.
Personal life
Trainer resides in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, manages a warehousing and shipping company, and maintains close ties to his parents and sister Terri. His Italian greyhound
Italian Greyhound
The Italian Greyhound is a small breed of dog of the sight hound type, sometimes called an "I.G.", or "Iggy" for short.-Appearance:The Italian Greyhound is the smallest of the sighthounds, typically weighing about and standing about tall at the withers...
, Uffizi, inspired the title of Shellac's fourth studio album, Excellent Italian Greyhound
Excellent Italian Greyhound
Excellent Italian Greyhound is the title of Shellac's fourth album. It was released on June 5, 2007. The album's title is a reference to drummer Todd Trainer's Italian Greyhound, Uffizi. The album was recorded at Electrical Audio and mastered at Abbey Road by Steve Rooke. The drawings for Excellent...
.
Drumming style
Critics have generally favored Trainer's brutal, primitive approach to rock drumming. A New York Times review of a 2001 Shellac performance described the "stubborn crack and thud Todd Trainer's drums", while former Pitchfork MediaPitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
critic Brent DiCrescenzo wrote that "Trainer beats his drums so primally, you'd swear he's only wearing a loincloth
Loincloth
A loincloth is a one-piece male garment, sometimes kept in place by a belt, which covers the genitals and, at least partially, the buttocks.-History and types:Loincloths are being and have been worn:*in societies where no other clothing is needed or wanted...
." A Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
review of the Shellac album Terraform declared that Trainer "gracefully resurrects the lost art of the Bonham stomp", a reference to the acclaimed Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
musician 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...
.
Onstage attire and persona
During Shellac's 2006-07 tours, Trainer sported a pronounced, spiky mulletMullet (haircut)
The mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back. . The mullet began to appear in popular media in the 1960s and 1970s but did not become generally well-known until the early 1980s...
and favored multiple layers of gauzy, iridescent blouse
Blouse
A blouse is a loose-fitting upper garment that was formerly worn by workmen, peasants, artists, women and children. It is typically gathered at the waist so that it hangs loosely over the wearer's body. Today, the word most commonly refers to a woman's shirt but can also refer to a man's shirt if...
s, leading to the observation from bandmate Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
that the drummer was "double-bloused."
Brick Layer Cake
Brick Layer Cake is the solo project of Todd Trainer, who plays every instrument and sings in a deep, spoken word monotone. The music of Brick Layer Cake features very slow tempos and "drone-like" compositions, which Steve Albini described as follows: “Think of Nick DrakeNick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
on downers fronting Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
, if Black Sabbath played only the good parts of their songs."
Discography
- Eye for an Eye - Tooth for a Tooth (Ruthless RecordsRuthless Records (Chicago)Ruthless Records was the name of a Chicago punk record label. Founded in 1981 by the Effigies, it was not a real business, but a name used by Chicago and Minneapolis punk bands from 1981 to 1990: Big Black, the Effigies, End Result, Naked Raygun, Rifle Sport and Urge Overkill...
) 1990 - Call It A Day (Touch and Go RecordsTouch and Go RecordsTouch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
) 1991 - Tragedy Tragedy (Touch and Go Records) 1994
- Whatchamacallit (Touch and Go Records) 2002