After being the drummer and clean vocalist for over a decade with one of the most recognized metalcore bands of its time, Underoath, Aaron Gillespie has certainly carved his name into the modern rock world. Gillespie, who is most commonly known for his drumming, has decided to take his journey through music in different paths. [...]

Life was hard for the family growing up on the tough streets of Compton, Calif., and they moved some 30 times during Zoro’s childhood.

Adrian Young is a quite a character, of that there’s no doubt. Born Aug. 26, 1969, in Long Beach, Calif., Adrian Samuel Young is one of five sons born to a hippie couple. His mother left the boys when Adrian was young. After reaching adulthood, Young quickly became involved in the 1990s California music scene. [...]

Tony Williams’ life and career were cut short, but his discography lives on and represents a quality and volume of work that would’ve taken others two lifetimes to achieve. Anthony Tillmon Williams was born Dec. 12, 1945, in Chicago, but he grew up in Boston. The lad began studying the drums with Alan Dawson at [...]

Seven-time Grammy winner Paul Wertico has been drumming since he was 12, has worked with musicians from around the world, and of late has decided to put his family first. Wertico was born Jan. 5, 1953, in Chicago. He took up the drums, self-taught, at age 12 and was a pro by the age of [...]

Once he’d graduated high school and was free to test out the world, Dave Weckl didn’t waste much time becoming an accomplished percussionist. Born Jan. 8, 1960, Weckl graduated from Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, Mo., in 1978. He was quickly off to the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut, where he majored in [...]

From a drumming family and with an enviable resume, Chad Wackerman continues to leave his own unique mark on the music world. Wackerman was born March 25, 1960, in Long Beach, Calif. His father, Chuck, was director of the Los Alamitos High School Band. Chad’s also the older brother of Brooks Wackerman, who’s been a [...]

Tony Verderosa is a technological genius with percussion. Widely considered a leading authority on live sample triggering and electronic drumming, Verderosa has spent years perfecting his one-man, live techno concept that originated in New York City’s underground music scene. He’s released records on his own New York-based label, Thwak!, and also has issued three videos [...]

Glen Velez has shaped the percussion world with the artistry of his own hands. Velez, of Mexican-American ancestry, grew up on Texas, but moved to New York City in the late 1960s. He began his percussion career playing on a jazz drum set, but soon felt himself drawn to hand drums from around the world [...]

As a youth, Lars Ulrich swung a mean tennis racket. But he swung even better drumsticks. Born the day after Christmas, 1963, in Gentofte, Denmark, Ulrich was the son of Torben Ulrich, an accomplished tennis pro from the late 1940s through the early 1980s. Lars was a quite a prodigy in the sport and at [...]