John Stanier (drummer)
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John Stanier | |
|---|---|
 Stanier at Moers Festival 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | August 2, 1968 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Drummer |
| Years active | 1989–1998, 2000–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | |
| Formerly of | |
John Stanier (born August 2, 1968) is an American drummer, best known for his work with alternative metal band Helmet – of which he was a founding member. He currently[when?] plays in experimental rock band Battles and alternative metal band Tomahawk, and has previously performed with Australian rock band The Mark of Cain. He has also played drums on several releases as a studio musician.
John Stanier was born on August 2, 1968.[1] He Stanier grew up between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and various cities in Florida.
His first drumming experience came when he joined a drum corps, playing tenor drums for the Florida Wave Drum and Bugle Corps through a few years of their winter/spring camps. He then studied orchestral percussion at the University of South Florida, but never took formal drum set lessons.[citation needed]
Career
In 1989, Stanier joined Helmet as their drummer. He played on the band's first four studio albums: Strap It On (1990),Meantime (1992), Betty (1994), and Aftertaste (1997). The breakup of Helmet in 1998 was supposedly amicable, though Stanier has offered few details since the initial end of the band. In a 2020 interview with Modern Drummer, Stanier said there was "no big story or anything" regarding his time in Helmet. "It was just... time to call it a day. We'd been around for 10 years... no drama or fights or anything like that."[2] Stanier has not kept in contact with former band mates Page Hamilton and Henry Bogdan, and Hamilton has commented that Stanier has ignored attempts to communicate.
Following Helmet's split, Stanier turned his attention to DJing in New York City, primarily playing hip-hop. In 2000, Stanier returned to drumming when he was recruited by Australian band The Mark of Cain, whom he had met while touring with Helmet in Australia years prior.[citation needed] He played on their 2001 album This is This, and would continue to play with the band until 2013.[citation needed]
Also in 2000, Stanier was recruited to play live drums on songs for the industrial metal band Pitchshifter's fifth album, Deviant, and was also invited to join Tomahawk by the project's co-founder Duane Denison. In 2002, Stanier was recruited to join Battles by guitarist Ian Williams, formerly of Don Caballero and Storm & Stress. The duo have overseen every iteration of the band, which has also previously included musicians Tyondai Braxton and Dave Konopka.[citation needed]
Influences and style
Stanier cites Rush drummer Neil Peart as his biggest influence. He has also been influenced by drummers such as John Bonham, Billy Cobham, Bill Bruford, Terry Bozzio, Carl Palmer, and Lenny White.[citation needed]
Stanier uses a Tama Artstar II drum kit and Zildjian cymbals; he is known for his Ziljian K crash cymbal being perched as high as it can go when playing with Battles.
