Chris Pennie
Encyclopedia
Chris Pennie is the former drummer for the progressive rock
band Coheed and Cambria
and former drummer and co-founder of mathcore
band The Dillinger Escape Plan
.
at the age of 13, and at age 16 decided he wanted to pursue music
seriously. He spent two years at Berklee College of Music
and received a diploma in Music Synthesis, which focuses on electronic music composition and manipulation.
and Stewart Copeland
as his main early influences. In regard to his current playing, Sean Reinert
is one of his biggest inspirations. He's also emphasized on several occasions that listening to and playing a diverse assortment of music has been an integral part in developing his style, noting such eclectic influences as 70's jazz-rock fusion group Mahavishnu Orchestra, technical metal
bands Meshuggah
, Cynic
, and electronic-influenced groups such as Nine Inch Nails
and DJ Shadow
.
Pennie also spent time with the pop-punk group Boxer. Formed in 1995 with another Berklee graduate, Jeremy McDowell, they became the first band to be signed to the now famous Vagrant Records
. They released one album, "The Hurt Process" in 1998, and broke up in late 1999. Pennie also recorded drums for his former tourmates in experimental metalcore
group All Else Failed on their 2004 album "This Never Happened". Pennie describes his band, The Dillinger Escape Plan, as being 'mathcore' where they start each song with no structure and an open palette.
As for his role in the Dillinger Escape Plan, he and guitarist Ben Weinman
, along with now departed singer and bassist Dimitri Minakakis
and Adam Doll
respectively, formed the band in March 1997. He and Ben Weinman wrote the majority of Dillinger's material and Pennie called Weinman his "musical soulmate". Pennie also took care of a lot of the electronic influence in the band’s material in the studio as well as onstage, triggering effects and loops with footswitch pedals.
Chris began working in the studio with rock band Coheed and Cambria
, because the drummer Josh Eppard
had left the band. Due to contractual obligations, Pennie was not allowed to record for Coheed's 2007 album Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow
. Instead the band recruited Foo Fighters
drummer Taylor Hawkins
for the task. On June 28, 2007, Coheed and Cambria announced on their Myspace that Chris Pennie joined the band.
On 2nd November 2011, Coheed and Cambria announced on their Facebook page that Pennie had left the band. Chris also announced: he had parted ways with Coheed and Cambria, in order to focus on other projects such as Return to Earth and Fight Mannequins.
on their 2007 released album Wolves. "In addition, the Dillinger Escape Plan's Chris Pennie appears on the album, augmenting several of Wolves' tracks with his drumming prowess. Anderson said the one-two punches of Hoppus, Robinson, Barker, and Pennie are bringing something new to Idiot Pilot's established sound."
He is also the drummer for hard rock
band Return to Earth.
Finish: Black Cherry Sparkle
Sizes: 20"x22" Bass Drum, 9"x12" Tom, 16"x16" Floor Tom, 7"x14" Snare drum (Mapex "Classic" Sizes)
Cymbals: Sabian - 14" HHX Groove Hats, 18" HHXplosion Crash, 19" HHXplosion Crash, 21" HH Raw Bell Dry Ride, 19" Signature Paragon Chinese
Sticks: Vater Xtreme Design 5B.
Chris Pennie also uses Mapex Falcon Double Bass Pedals.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria is an American progressive rock band from Nyack, New York. Formed in 1995, the group incorporates aspects of progressive rock, punk rock, metal and post-hardcore....
and former drummer and co-founder of mathcore
Mathcore
Mathcore is a rhythmically complex and dissonant fusion style of hardcore punk and Metal. It has its roots in bands such as Converge, Botch, and The Dillinger Escape Plan. The term mathcore is suggested by analogy with math rock. Both math rock and mathcore make use of unusual time signatures...
band The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Dillinger Escape Plan is an American mathcore band from Morris Plains, New Jersey. The group originated in 1997 after the disbanding of Arcane, a hardcore punk trio consisting of Ben Weinman, Dimitri Minakakis, and Chris Pennie. The band's current line-up consists of guitarist Ben Weinman,...
.
Background
Chris started playing drumsDrum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
at the age of 13, and at age 16 decided he wanted to pursue music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
seriously. He spent two years at Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
and received a diploma in Music Synthesis, which focuses on electronic music composition and manipulation.
Influences
As far as drummers, Pennie has cited Lars UlrichLars Ulrich
Lars Ulrich is a Danish drummer, and one of the founding members of the American thrash metal band Metallica. He was born in Gentofte, Denmark to an upper-middle class family. A tennis player in his youth, Ulrich moved to Los Angeles, California at age sixteen to pursue his training; though rather...
and Stewart Copeland
Stewart Copeland
Stewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...
as his main early influences. In regard to his current playing, Sean Reinert
Sean Reinert
Sean Reinert is the drummer of Cynic and Æon Spoke. He is known for his technical, original and creative drumming technique....
is one of his biggest inspirations. He's also emphasized on several occasions that listening to and playing a diverse assortment of music has been an integral part in developing his style, noting such eclectic influences as 70's jazz-rock fusion group Mahavishnu Orchestra, technical metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
bands Meshuggah
Meshuggah
Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
, Cynic
Cynic (band)
Cynic is an American progressive rock band, incorporating experimental music, alternative, metal and jazz fusion elements, founded in Miami, Florida and currently based in Los Angeles, California. Their first album, Focus, released on September 14, 1993, is widely regarded as a landmark release of...
, and electronic-influenced groups such as Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
and DJ Shadow
DJ Shadow
Joshua Paul Davis better known as DJ Shadow is an American music producer, DJ and songwriter. He is considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental hip hop and first gained notice with the release of his highly acclaimed debut album Endtroducing....., which was constructed...
.
Bands
While in high school he was playing in the local New Jersey based band, Prozak. The other 3 members of Prozak were 8 – 10 years Pennie's senior, and in order for Prozak to play the local bars and clubs, Pennie's father would accompany him to the various gigs. Chris played with Prozak from ‘93 until he began attending Berklee School of Music in '95. He recorded ten songs with Prozak during his time with the band but they were never commercially released.Pennie also spent time with the pop-punk group Boxer. Formed in 1995 with another Berklee graduate, Jeremy McDowell, they became the first band to be signed to the now famous Vagrant Records
Vagrant Records
Vagrant Records is an indie rock label based in Los Angeles, California and is home to such artists as The Hold Steady, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Active Child, PJ Harvey, Reptar, School of Seven Bells, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Thrice, James Vincent McMorrow, Placebo, and many...
. They released one album, "The Hurt Process" in 1998, and broke up in late 1999. Pennie also recorded drums for his former tourmates in experimental metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
group All Else Failed on their 2004 album "This Never Happened". Pennie describes his band, The Dillinger Escape Plan, as being 'mathcore' where they start each song with no structure and an open palette.
As for his role in the Dillinger Escape Plan, he and guitarist Ben Weinman
Ben Weinman
Ben Weinman is an American musician, who is most notable for being the lead guitarist for the band The Dillinger Escape Plan. He is the founder and only original member remaining in the band....
, along with now departed singer and bassist Dimitri Minakakis
Dimitri Minakakis
Dimitri Minakakis grew up in Morristown, New Jersey. Minakakis is the original singer and founding member of the band The Dillinger Escape Plan. Minakakis left the band in 2001 to focus more on Graphic Arts/Design...
and Adam Doll
Adam Doll
Adam Doll was the original bass player for the band The Dillinger Escape Plan. He played on the band's self-titled EP and the Under the Running Board EP...
respectively, formed the band in March 1997. He and Ben Weinman wrote the majority of Dillinger's material and Pennie called Weinman his "musical soulmate". Pennie also took care of a lot of the electronic influence in the band’s material in the studio as well as onstage, triggering effects and loops with footswitch pedals.
Chris began working in the studio with rock band Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria is an American progressive rock band from Nyack, New York. Formed in 1995, the group incorporates aspects of progressive rock, punk rock, metal and post-hardcore....
, because the drummer Josh Eppard
Josh Eppard
Josh Eppard is an American musician from Kingston New York and the drummer for progressive rock band Coheed and Cambria. He has worked as a solo rapper under the name Weerd Science and was the drummer for supergroup rock band Terrible Things...
had left the band. Due to contractual obligations, Pennie was not allowed to record for Coheed's 2007 album Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow
Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow
Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow, often shortened to No World For Tomorrow, is the fourth studio album by American prog band Coheed and Cambria, released on October 23, 2007. The album is a direct sequel to their previous album, Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV,...
. Instead the band recruited Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
drummer Taylor Hawkins
Taylor Hawkins
Oliver Taylor Hawkins is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters....
for the task. On June 28, 2007, Coheed and Cambria announced on their Myspace that Chris Pennie joined the band.
On 2nd November 2011, Coheed and Cambria announced on their Facebook page that Pennie had left the band. Chris also announced: he had parted ways with Coheed and Cambria, in order to focus on other projects such as Return to Earth and Fight Mannequins.
Current projects
He has also lent his talent to the predominately electronic band Idiot PilotIdiot Pilot
Idiot Pilot is an alternative rock/electronica duo from Bellingham, Washington, United States consisting of Michael Harris and Daniel Anderson.-History:...
on their 2007 released album Wolves. "In addition, the Dillinger Escape Plan's Chris Pennie appears on the album, augmenting several of Wolves' tracks with his drumming prowess. Anderson said the one-two punches of Hoppus, Robinson, Barker, and Pennie are bringing something new to Idiot Pilot's established sound."
He is also the drummer for hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Return to Earth.
Equipment
Drums: Mapex Saturn SeriesFinish: Black Cherry Sparkle
Sizes: 20"x22" Bass Drum, 9"x12" Tom, 16"x16" Floor Tom, 7"x14" Snare drum (Mapex "Classic" Sizes)
Cymbals: Sabian - 14" HHX Groove Hats, 18" HHXplosion Crash, 19" HHXplosion Crash, 21" HH Raw Bell Dry Ride, 19" Signature Paragon Chinese
Sticks: Vater Xtreme Design 5B.
Chris Pennie also uses Mapex Falcon Double Bass Pedals.
With Dillinger Escape Plan
- 1997 The Dillinger Escape Plan
- 1998 Under the Running BoardUnder the Running Board-Personnel:*Adam Doll – bass*Dimitri Minakakis – vocals*Chris Pennie – drums*Ben Weinman – guitar, vocals*John Fulton – guitar-Additional personnel:*Alan Douches – mastering*Steve Evetts – producer, engineer*Adam Peterson – graphic design...
- 1998 Split with Nora
- 1999 Split with Drowningman
- 1999 Calculating InfinityCalculating InfinityCalculating Infinity is the debut album by American mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan, released in September 1999 by Relapse Records. Calculating Infinity showcases the band's heavier and more technical sound and would go on to be considered a landmark of avant-garde metal...
- 2002 Irony Is A Dead SceneIrony Is a Dead Scene-Personnel:The Dillinger Escape Plan* Liam Wilson – bass* Adam Doll – keyboards, sampling* Chris Pennie – drums, keyboards* Ben Weinman – guitar, keyboards* Brian Benoit – guitarGuest musicians* Mike Patton – lead vocals, percussion, samples, keyboards...
- 2002 Black On Black: A Tribute To Black Flag (cover of "Damaged, Pt.s I & II")
- 2003 Cursed, Unshaven and Misbehavin': Live InfinityCursed, Unshaven and Misbehavin': Live InfinityCursed, Unshaven and Misbehavin': Live Infinity is a live album by American mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan. It is a live album with songs from Under the Running Board and Calculating Infinity released on 7" vinyl. The album is a rarity and not often included in their discography...
- 2004 Bring You To Your Knees: A Tribute To Guns 'N Roses (cover of "My Michelle")
- 2004 Miss MachineMiss MachineMiss Machine is the second album by American mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan, released in July 2004 through Relapse Records. It is the first release by the band to feature vocalist Greg Puciato...
- 2005 We Reach The Music Of The Melvins (cover of Honeybucket)
- 2006 PlagiarismPlagiarism (EP)-Personnel:* Ben Weinman – guitar, keyboards, producer, engineer* James Love - guitar * Liam Wilson – bass guitar* Greg Puciato – vocals...
With Coheed and Cambria
- 2008 Kerrang - Maiden Heaven (Iron Maiden tribute record) - "The Trooper" (coversong)
- 2009 Neverender: Children of The Fence EditionNeverender: Children of The Fence EditionNeverender: Children of the Fence Edition is a live CD/DVD box set by rock band Coheed and Cambria that was released on March 24, 2009. It contains five DVDs and four CDs featuring live footage of the concert series Neverender and audio from each night. In addition, a fifth disc features a...
- 2010 Year of the Black RainbowYear of the Black RainbowYear of the Black Rainbow is the fifth studio album by American progressive rock band Coheed and Cambria, released on April 13, 2010 on Columbia. The album is a prequel to the band's previous four concept albums, which comprise The Amory Wars narrative. Year of the Black Rainbow marks drummer Chris...
Others
- 1998 Boxer The Hurt Process
- 2005 Getaway Car "Getaway Car" Mass Appeal
- 2004 All Else Failed This Never Happened
- 2007 Idiot PilotIdiot PilotIdiot Pilot is an alternative rock/electronica duo from Bellingham, Washington, United States consisting of Michael Harris and Daniel Anderson.-History:...
Wolves - 2010 The ArmedThe ArmedThe Armed is a six-piece band from Detroit, Michigan playing a blend of hardcore punk and extreme metal since 2009. Three of its members—Chris Elkjar, Tony Wolski, and Aaron Jones—were previously in another Detroit-based hardcore punk band, Slicer Dicer...
"Common Enemies" - 2010 New World Man - A Tribute to Rush
External links
- Dillinger Escape Plan official site
- Return to Earth official site
- Vagrant Records official Boxer site
- All Else Failed on MySpace
- Interview with Chris Pennie by Ferrante's Power Equipment - Picture source
- Interview with Chris Pennie by The Drum Report
- Interview with Chris Pennie by Empty Words
- Interview with Chris Pennie by Silent Scream (Italian)
- Interview with Boxer by Lollipop Magazine
- Sibelius - Software used to create musical example
- http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1564675/20070712/dillinger_escape_plan.jhtmlInterview with DEP guitarist Ben WeinmanBen WeinmanBen Weinman is an American musician, who is most notable for being the lead guitarist for the band The Dillinger Escape Plan. He is the founder and only original member remaining in the band....
] - l Original recordings made from '93 -'95 with Decker, Holden, Pennie, & Zuccolo
- The Armed video Trailer with Chris Pennie