Jimmy Chamberlin | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Chamberlin performing with The Smashing Pumpkins in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Joseph Chamberlin |
| Born | (1964-06-10)June 10, 1964 (age 60) Joliet, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Alternative rock,jazz fusion |
| Occupation(s) | CEO (LiveOne), drummer,record producer |
| Instrument(s) | Drums,percussion |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Labels | Caroline,Virgin,Reprise,Sanctuary,TVT,Spitfire |
| Member of | The Smashing Pumpkins |
James Joseph Chamberlin (born June 10, 1964) is an American drummer andrecord producer. Described as "one of the most powerful drummers in rock,"[1] he is best known as the drummer for thealternative rock bandthe Smashing Pumpkins. Following the 2000 breakup of the band, Chamberlin joined Pumpkins frontmanBilly Corgan in thesupergroupZwan and also formed his own current group, the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex.
In late 2005, Chamberlin joined Corgan in reforming Smashing Pumpkins; he eventually left the group in March 2009, though he returned again in 2015 for a summer tour, and has officially performed with the band since then. Following guitaristJeff Schroeder's departure in October 2023, Chamberlin is the band's second-longest serving member. He also performed in the groupSkysaw until 2012 and joined Chicago jazz saxophonistFrank Catalano for a string of 2013–15 performances[2] in the Chicago area. An EP by Catalano and ChamberlinLove Supreme Collective was released on July 29, 2014.
Chamberlin originally trained as ajazz drummer and cites jazz musiciansBenny Goodman,Duke Ellington,Gene Krupa, andBuddy Rich, as well as rock drummersKeith Moon,Ian Paice, andJohn Bonham as major influences on his technique, and primarily strives for emotionally communicative playing.[3] In 2008,Gigwise named Chamberlin the 5th best drummer of all time.[4] In 2016,Rolling Stone ranked Jimmy Chamberlin 53 on their list of "100 Greatest Drummers Of All Time".[5]
Chamberlin was born inJoliet, Illinois, one of six children in aCatholic family ofEnglish andHungarian ancestry.[6] His father and his older brother Paul were both active injazz bands, playing clarinet and drums respectively, and his brother Paul is still an active rock drummer, with a localcover band, Chasing Amy.[7]
Chamberlin began drumming at age nine.[8] His early instruction includedLatin,Brazilian, andbig band techniques, but focused on jazz, under the tutelage ofCharlie Adams, known for working withYanni.[9]
Chamberlin dropped out of high school and left home at age 15[10] and joined a series of local bands, culminating in a five year stint in localshow band JP and the Cats.[6] Although his early music career proved profitable, Chamberlin's father pressured him into going to college. In 1994, Chamberlin revealed that he had been estranged from his father for seven years.[10] After several years with JP and the Cats, Chamberlin, wearied by the touring schedule, reduced his role and got a job building custom homes with his brother-in-law.[6] Before long, he was recruited into The Smashing Pumpkins.
The Smashing Pumpkins had been using adrum machine for early gigs, but were looking for a live drummer to open a show at Chicago clubthe Metro. Chamberlin andBilly Corgan met through a mutual friend, and Chamberlin expressed cautious interest, later recalling:
So I went out and saw the band – Billy,James, andD'arcy – playing at Avalon with adrum machine. Man, did they sound horrible! They were atrocious. But the thing I noticed was that not only were the song structures good, but Billy's voice had a lot of drive to it, like he was dying to succeed. So I ended up driving from work every Wednesday to rehearse with them.[6]
Corgan had his own concerns:
He was wearing a pink t-shirt,stonewashed jeans, he had amullet haircut, and he was driving a280Z, and had yellow drums. We were sort of looking each other in the eye thinking, 'This ain't gonna happen, this is not the guy.' [But] he'd learned all our songs, as only Jimmy can, off the top of his head, and, within one practice, we were ready to play. It was amazing. We just knew right away. He's that good.[11]
Chamberlin made "tons of cash" as a carpenter,[6] before giving up the job to move to Chicago and devote himself to the band. Chamberlin's entry quickly pushed the band toward a more powerful, intense sound.
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During this period Chamberlin struggled with substance abuse. During the recording of 1993'sSiamese Dream inMarietta, Georgia, Chamberlin often disappeared for days at a time into the drug underworld ofAtlanta, while the rest of the band feared for his life.[12] He later said of hisdrug addiction that "It's pretty textbook [...] Guy makes it in rock band, gets very full of himself, starts thinking he's indestructible, and all of a sudden he destroys himself."[13]
In the midst of the lengthy world tour supporting 1995's multi-platinumMellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Chamberlin's father died, and his substance abuse hit a fever pitch.[14] Of this period, Chamberlin later said, "I learned that escapism was better than emotion, and that's where I hid... It got to the point that I really didn't care. Life was scary for me."[14] Prior to shows scheduled for July 12, 1996 atMadison Square Garden in New York City, Chamberlin and touring keyboardistJonathan Melvoin overdosed on heroin; Melvoin subsequently died, and Chamberlin was kicked out of the band, ostensibly to protect his health.[15] Corgan later toldMTV News that Chamberlin had already overdosed on two different occasions during theMellon Collie tour prior to the July 1996 event, but that the band had managed to keep those situations private.[16]
In October 1998, Corgan convened a band meeting in which Chamberlin was reinstated as the group's drummer, and the band decided to break up after one more album and tour.[12] The band yielded two albums in 2000,Machina/The Machines of God and the freely distributedMachina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music, before performing a farewell show in Chicago on December 2, 2000.[citation needed]
Chamberlin went on to formZwan in 2001 with Corgan. Although Chamberlin predicted that "the band's going to be huge,"[13] Zwan produced only one album,Mary Star of the Sea, before disbanding in 2003. Chamberlin formed his next project, Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, in 2004, and released its first studio album,Life Begins Again, in 2005. Chamberlin stated that, with the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, "I just wanted to make music and not really be constrained to making a Zwan or a Pumpkins record.".[17] On April 29, 2016, the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex released a new song "Paranoia" via Jimmy Chamberlin's Official Twitter account[18]
While giving drum clinics in late 2009, Chamberlin announced his next project, a band calledThis. Describing the music as 'progressive,symphonic pop' he reported that the band, also including multi-instrumentalists Mike Reina and guitarist Anthony Pirog, would record withRoy Thomas Baker in Washington, D.C. in early 2010.[8]
This released their first album, a six-track release titledGreat Civilizations, on November 1, 2010 as a digital download only, on both Amazon and iTunes. No official release announcement was made even on the band's official website. Downloads from iTunes and Amazon were removed after there was confusion over the band's name.
In March 2011 it was announced that the Skysaw full-length LP would be released onDangerbird Records. On June 21, 2011, the new, extended 10 song LPGreat Civilizations was released. The band subsequently toured with label matesMinus The Bear, performed hometown shows at Chicago's Metro and the Black Cat in Washington, DC, and performed on theJBTV Television Show in Chicago, IL.
In 2011, after introductions by then 1871 CEO Kevin Willer, Chamberlin began working with the burgeoning Chicago tech scene as an investor and advisor. Chamberlin's increased involvement with startups led him to an introduction to LiveOne Inc., a digital media company. Founders Tim and John Ganschow (of Chicago) were presenting their new social platform, CrowdSurfing, to an investment group that included Chamberlin. Chamberlin was impressed with the fledgling company and the CrowdSurfing technology and subsequently came on board to support the company both financially and as an advisor. In 2013 Chamberlin became Chief Executive Officer of LiveOne Inc.[19] LiveOne Inc. has since partnered with Yahoo, YouTube, Live Nation, AEG, Vans, Phish, C3, Budweiser's Made In America Festival,[20] Umphrey's McGee,[21] among others.
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In November 2014 Chamberlin attendedWeb Summit, Ireland's top tech conference. While there, he spoke of his time with the Smashing Pumpkins as well as on the future of digital music[22] at the Web Summit Centre Stage withAdrian Grenier, Chris Kaskie, and Brian Morrissey. He pointed to digital as the medium for artists to truly express themselves and create art that connects with their fans: "Artists are looking for a destination ... [and] digital gives them the opportunity to realize some of those destinations and package them in a way that allows them to be creative".[22]
Chamberlin joined Chicago jazz saxophonist Frank Catalano in 2013 for a number of live performances in the Chicago area. Since then they have continued to play live shows and have released a series of albums together. On July 29, 2014, Love Supreme Collective - EP featuring Jimmy Chamberlin, Percy Jones, Chris Poland, and Adam Benjamin was released and quickly became the #1 selling jazz album on iTunes USA.[23] The follow-up album, released April 7, 2015 called "God's Gonna Cut You Down" debuted at No. 2 on the iTunes Jazz sales chart and was the #1 charting Instrumental album upon its release in April 2015. It reached number 4 on the Billboard Jazz charts.[24] On May 27, 2016, a 3rd collaboration between Catalano and Chamberlin was released called "Bye Bye Blackbird". This record features David Sanborn.[25]
Billy Corgan announced at an April 2004 solo performance that he and Chamberlin intended to work together again in the future. After appearing onLife Begins Again, Corgan announced plans to "renew and revive" the Pumpkins through a full-page advertisement in his hometown's newspaper, theChicago Tribune, on June 21, 2005.[26] Chamberlin contacted Corgan to accept, and on February 2, 2006,MTV.com reported that he and Corgan had signed a new management deal with the Front Line Management, with a spokesperson confirming they had signed under the name "Smashing Pumpkins".[27]
Chamberlin and Corgan, without the other original members, decided to record an album alone. They played their first show in Paris on May 22, 2007, with three new band members. On July 10, the new album,Zeitgeist, was released. Over the next year and a half, the band released more recordings and toured extensively.
On March 20, 2009 the Pumpkins' website announced that Chamberlin was leaving the band. Chamberlin released a blog stating that he left as he felt that the band would not further his commitment to music.[28]
Chamberlin again joined the band as a touring member for the 2015End Times Tour.[29] Chamberlin remained in the touring line-up for the subsequent "In Plainsong" Tour in 2016[30]
Chamberlin and former guitaristJames Iha rejoined on a permanent basis in February 2018, and the band embarked on their reunion tour, theShiny And Oh So Bright Tour and released an album at the end of 2018,Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun..[31] Chamberlin further contributed to the albumsCyr (2020) andAtum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts (2023).
Chamberlin comes from a jazz background, and he notes jazz musiciansBenny Goodman,Duke Ellington,Gene Krupa,Buddy Rich, andBilly Cobham[32] as influences.[7] He has also been compared to jazz drummerDennis Chambers for his "quick hands, furious snare rolls, and crackling rimshots."[9] In general, he is one of the few hard rock drummers to combine a driving backbeat with jazz-like flourishes. When asked about his influences in 2007, he responded:
Aside from the obvious –Keith Moon,John Bonham,Ian Paice – I would have to sayTony Williams,Elvin Jones, any of the jazz greats –Gene Krupa, those people. I think, more and more, as I get older, I've developed my own rock style and I tend to pull more stuff from Elvin Jones and Tony now that I can incorporate it into a rock arena and kind of modernize it.[33]
Other drummers that influenced Chamberlin around the recording ofZeitgeist includedBobby Caldwell ofCaptain Beyond,Lalo Schifrin'sDirty Harry soundtrack,Weather Report, andReturn to Forever'sLenny White.[34]
Through 2007, Chamberlin preferred not to usePro Tools orclick tracks, though has embraced both in more recent years.[35] He uses the slide technique for double strokes on the bass drum.[36]
BandmateBilly Corgan has said of Chamberlin, "he's up there withBonham, you know, that level of drummer, who has been able to play a variety of music and have his style impact the way people play drums. That's the hallmark of a great drummer. And, right now, I think, pound for pound, he's the best drummer in the world."[37]
On the Smashing Pumpkins album Zeitgeist and subsequent tour, Chamberlin used aYamaha Maple Custom Absolute kit with 60° bearing edges, rather than the standard 45°. His kit consisted of twosnares (5x12 and the main snare, his 5.5x14 "Signature" model – Yamaha SD-2455JC), sixtoms (12x14, 8x10, 9x13, and an 8x8 above his floor toms which are 16x16 and 16x18), a 16x22bass drum. Around 2000, as seen in "The Everlasting Gaze" video from "Machines of God" album, he switched from Sabian to Zildjian cymbals. His setup included fourcrash cymbals (a 15" thin and three Zildjian A customs – 15", 18", and 19"), an 8"splash cymbal, 15" New Beathi-hats, a 20" China High, a 22" K Constantinople mediumride, and a 22" rivetedswish knocker. He occasionally used a triangle on his kit, mounted above the hi hats. Chamberlin'sdrumheads areRemo coated Ambassador on snare-side, clear Emperors on tom batters with clear Ambassadors underneath, with a Powerstoke 3 on the bass drum batter andVic Firth 5B sticks. His signature snare drum is popular with other drummers –Chad Smith has been known to use it as a second snare drum.[34]
On April 6, 2011, Chamberlin announced[38] that he had switched from long-term drum manufacturer Yamaha toDrum Workshop. He has ordered[39] a custom "prototype" Copper Lacquer Specialty with Chrome Hardware. The Shells are a ply combination of VLT Maple and Mahogany with no reinforcement hoops. The kick drum hoops are Solid Black Lacquer. The sizes are 5x8, 7x10, 8x13, 10x14 rack toms; 14x14, 16x16 floor toms; 16x22 kick and with a matching 5.5x14 snare; and a stainless steel 6.5x14 snare.[citation needed]
In 2015, Chamberlin began endorsing Sakae drums. His set up consisted of a 22x16" bass drum, 13x9" rack tom, 8x7" rack tom, 10x8" rack tom, 14x14" floor tom and a 16x16 floor tom. His snare was a Sakae maple 14x6.[citation needed]
In 2017 Chamberlin switched from Zildjian cymbals to Istanbul Agop cymbals. In 2018, Chamberlin returned to Yamaha Drums.
The Smashing Pumpkins Main article:The Smashing Pumpkins discography
With Frank Catalano
Side projects
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