Danny Carey
Encyclopedia
Daniel Edwin "Danny" Carey (born May 10, 1961 in Lawrence, Kansas
) is an American drummer best known for his work in American Grammy Award-winning rock
band Tool
. He has also contributed to albums by artists such as ZAUM
, Green Jellÿ
, Pigface
, Skinny Puppy
, Adrian Belew
of King Crimson
, Carole King
, Collide, The Wild Blue Yonder, Lusk
, and the Melvins
.
. Two years later, Carey began to practice on a drum set. In his senior year of high school
in Paola, Kansas
, Carey joined the high school jazz band and began to study under drumming great Ben Kelso specifically for jazz drumming
training. Jazz would later play a huge role in his signature approach to the drum set in a rock setting. As Carey progressed through high school and later college
at the University of Missouri–Kansas City
, he began expanding his studies in percussion with theory into the principles of geometry, science, and metaphysics as well as delving into Sacred Geometry
and certain hidden aspects of life and the occult
. Carey also played jazz while attending college and got to experience the jazz scene in Kansas City
.
After college, a friend and bandmate convinced Carey to leave Kansas for Portland
, Oregon
, where he played briefly in various bands before moving to Los Angeles
, California
, where he was able to perform as a studio drummer with Carole King
and perform live sets with Pigmy Love Circus
. He also played in Green Jellÿ as Danny Longlegs and recorded the album Cereal Killer. He would later find his way to Tool
after coming to know singer Maynard James Keenan
and guitarist Adam Jones
and practicing with them in place of drummers the two had requested but had never shown up. Besides Tool, Carey also finds time for other projects new and old such as Pigmy Love Circus, VOLTO!
, and ZAUM
.
or religion
, he has projected a deep interest in and understanding for the magical arts among them various occult teachings. Enochian symbols, geometric designs, and special symbolic percussive devices are featured on and in his drum kit. He is also a collector of First Edition Aleister Crowley
books as well as books by one of Crowley's more innovative students, Kenneth Grant
.
. The final product is very recognizable, fluent drumming, although to him it is much more: the official Tool website claims that Danny uses drumming as a ritual similar to occult rituals, with purposes varying from spiritual exploration to "a gateway [which] summoned a daemon he has contained…that has been delivering short parables similar to passages within The Book of Lies
". Another geometric reference from the website was the inclusion of Nothing in This Book Is True… by Bob Frissell on the band's recommended reading list, a book that deals with sacred geometry and the evolution of human consciousness.
(beech shells with inner and outer makassar ebony veneers - 1" thick on 8" tom and progressively thinner as the drums get larger), which he designed himself and used on Tool's recent 10,000 Days
album and tours. Carey also uses a kit composed of custom cast bronze shells (3/16" thick and same dimensions as the SONOR) made from recycled Paiste cymbals, manufactured by master drum tech and drum maker Jeff Ocheltree (mostly on US tours as it is too heavy to readily transport elsewhere; The bass drums alone are 93
pounds each and special front-loading cases had to be made for them and the floor toms). He has also used it on "Jambi" from 10,000 Days
. The set-up for both kits is nearly identical, with the Sonor kits having 14x16" and 16x18" "tunnel floors."
On Daney Carey's official website, he states that the toms on his drum kit are usually tuned to the key signature of the song he is playing while working with Tool. He says this isn't as hard as it sounds as most of Tool's songs are in the key of D
Drum Heads (Evans):
The hardware is mainly composed of Sonor stands (particularly Sonor Designer 5000 series or Signature series, recognizable by the unusual nut holding the cymbal), Pearl Eliminator Drum pedals, a Roc-n-Soc Throne and a Pearl RH-2000 remote hi-hat stand.
Carey uses the wood tip version of his own signature model of drumstick made by Vic Firth
. He previously had endorsed a signature model with Trueline Drumsticks (now Trueline's Tribal Assault model http://www.truelinedrumsticks.com).
At Winter NAMM 2009 Sonor
released a Danny Carey signature snare drum, which is a 1 mm thick bronze 14x8" snare with laser etched talisman symbols and his signature engraved around the vent hole. It was unveiled by Carey at VOLTO!'s
annual NAMM party, and since then has been used by Carey with Pigmy Love Circus
.
He uses seven electronic drum pads around his kit, which he co-designed with Vince DeFranco. These pads are high resolution position and velocity sensing drums called Synesthesia Mandala Drums
, and have replaced the various Simmons
SDX pads formerly in his setup. He uses a program called Battery, from Native Instruments, on a MacBook Pro to manage the samples. Additionally, he uses a Korg
Wave Drum, a Roland Handsonic HPD-15 and a few electronic pedals.
s and polymeters. He has stated in interviews that he effectively treats his feet as he does his hands: he practices rudiments (used for sticking techniques) and even snare drum solos with his feet to improve his double bass
drumming, hi-hat control and foot independence.
In search of new techniques, Carey has studied tabla
with Aloke Dutta
, who can be heard playing on the live version of the song "Pushit" (from Salival
). This is especially apparent on tracks such as "Disposition" (Lateralus
) or "Intension" (10,000 Days), for which Carey has recorded the tabla parts himself in studio. The tabla (and other percussive instruments) used in Tool's music are replicated live using the Mandala pads (in fact the pads are also used when recording in the studio, a notable example being the tabla solo of "Right in Two" from 10,000 Days).
He has also stated that when he is playing to an odd time signature, he tries to drum to the "feel" of the song and establish general "inner pulse" for the given time signature instead of fully counting it out.
Carey has been featured in many drum and music magazines.
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
) is an American drummer best known for his work in American Grammy Award-winning rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
. He has also contributed to albums by artists such as ZAUM
ZAUM
Zaum was an electronica project band that includes Tool drummer Danny Carey, along with Tool associates Chris Pitman, Vince DeFranco, and Marko Fox.The official Tool newsletter of April 2000 had the following to say the about the project:...
, Green Jellÿ
Green Jellÿ
Green Jellÿ is a Grammy-nominated American comedy rock band formed in 1981. Originally named Green Jellö, the band changed its name due to legal pressure from the owners of the Jell-O trademark, Kraft Foods, who claimed that it was an infringement of their trademark...
, Pigface
Pigface
Pigface is an industrial rock supergroup formed in 1990 by Martin Atkins and William Rieflin.-History:Pigface was formed from Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste tour, which produced the In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up live album and video. For the tour, Al Jourgensen brought...
, Skinny Puppy
Skinny Puppy
Skinny Puppy is a Canadian industrial musical group, formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1982. The group is widely considered to be the founders of the electro-industrial genre....
, Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
of King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
, Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
, Collide, The Wild Blue Yonder, Lusk
Free Mars
Free Mars is the only album from the heavily experimental psychedelic pop band Lusk, released in 1997 in a Digipak-style case. The case and booklet list "The Hotel Family Affair" and "Black Sea Me" together as one track, but they are separate tracks on the disc itself. Despite this minor error, the...
, and the Melvins
The Melvins
The Melvins are an American band that formed in 1983. They usually perform as a trio, but in recent years have performed as a four piece with two drummers. Since 1984, singer and guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover have been the band's constant members...
.
Biography
Carey's first encounter with the drums began at the age of ten by joining the school band and taking private lessons on the snare drumSnare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
. Two years later, Carey began to practice on a drum set. In his senior year of high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Paola, Kansas
Paola, Kansas
Paola is a city in and the county seat of Miami County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,602.-History:...
, Carey joined the high school jazz band and began to study under drumming great Ben Kelso specifically for jazz drumming
Jazz drumming
Jazz drumming is the art of playing percussion in jazz styles ranging from 1910s-style Dixieland jazz to 1970s-era jazz-rock fusion and 1980s-era latin jazz...
training. Jazz would later play a huge role in his signature approach to the drum set in a rock setting. As Carey progressed through high school and later college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
at the University of Missouri–Kansas City
University of Missouri–Kansas City
The University of Missouri–Kansas City is a public university located in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. It is a branch of the University of Missouri System. Its main campus is in Kansas City's Rockhill neighborhood east of the Country Club Plaza...
, he began expanding his studies in percussion with theory into the principles of geometry, science, and metaphysics as well as delving into Sacred Geometry
Sacred geometry
Sacred geometry is the geometry used in the planning and construction of religious structures such as churches, temples, mosques, religious monuments, altars, tabernacles; as well as for sacred spaces such as temenoi, sacred groves, village greens and holy wells, and the creation of religious art...
and certain hidden aspects of life and the occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
. Carey also played jazz while attending college and got to experience the jazz scene in Kansas City
Kansas City Jazz
Kansas City Jazz is a style of jazz that developed in Kansas City, Missouri and the surrounding Kansas City Metropolitan Area during the 1930s and marked the transition from the structured big band style to the musical improvisation style of Bebop...
.
After college, a friend and bandmate convinced Carey to leave Kansas for Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, where he played briefly in various bands before moving to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he was able to perform as a studio drummer with Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
and perform live sets with Pigmy Love Circus
Pigmy Love Circus
Pigmy Love Circus is a Los Angeles rock band that has existed since the late 1980s era of the Hollywood underground rock scene.Pigmy Love Circus originally consisted of Shepherd Stevenson on bass, Mike Savage on vocals, Anthony Martinez on drums, with Rand "Pig" Walters and Peter Fletcher on guitars...
. He also played in Green Jellÿ as Danny Longlegs and recorded the album Cereal Killer. He would later find his way to Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
after coming to know singer Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan is an American rock singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, winemaker, and actor. Originally from Ohio, Keenan spent his high school and college years in Michigan. After serving in the Army in the early 1980s, he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids...
and guitarist Adam Jones
Adam Jones (musician)
Adam Thomas Jones is a three time Grammy Award-winning Welsh-American musician and visual artist, best known for his position as the guitarist for Grammy-Award winning band Tool. Jones has been rated the 75th Greatest Guitarist of all time by the Rolling Stone and placed 9th in Guitar World's Top...
and practicing with them in place of drummers the two had requested but had never shown up. Besides Tool, Carey also finds time for other projects new and old such as Pigmy Love Circus, VOLTO!
VOLTO!
Volto! are an American jazz rock fusion jam band group from Los Angeles, California. They are a quartet, featuring Kirk Covington, Lance Morrison, John Ziegler, and Danny Carey, who live and work in the Los Angeles area....
, and ZAUM
ZAUM
Zaum was an electronica project band that includes Tool drummer Danny Carey, along with Tool associates Chris Pitman, Vince DeFranco, and Marko Fox.The official Tool newsletter of April 2000 had the following to say the about the project:...
.
Religion and the occult
Although Carey has not officially aligned himself with any particular school of philosophyPhilosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
or religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, he has projected a deep interest in and understanding for the magical arts among them various occult teachings. Enochian symbols, geometric designs, and special symbolic percussive devices are featured on and in his drum kit. He is also a collector of First Edition Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
books as well as books by one of Crowley's more innovative students, Kenneth Grant
Kenneth Grant
Kenneth Grant was a British occultist, novelist, and poet, who with his partner, the artist Steffi Grant, headed the magical order previously known as the Typhonian Ordo Templi Orientis but which is now referred to as the Typhonian Order.-Occult background:Grant's occult experiences began in 1939...
.
Geometric designs
Carey has laid claim to various drumming techniques that use sacred geometric figures such as the unicursal hexagramUnicursal Hexagram
The unicursal hexagram is a hexagram or six-pointed star that can be traced or drawn unicursally, in one continuous line rather than by two overlaid triangles...
. The final product is very recognizable, fluent drumming, although to him it is much more: the official Tool website claims that Danny uses drumming as a ritual similar to occult rituals, with purposes varying from spiritual exploration to "a gateway [which] summoned a daemon he has contained…that has been delivering short parables similar to passages within The Book of Lies
The Book of Lies (Crowley)
The Book of Lies was written by English occultist and teacher Aleister Crowley and first published in 1912 or 1913...
". Another geometric reference from the website was the inclusion of Nothing in This Book Is True… by Bob Frissell on the band's recommended reading list, a book that deals with sacred geometry and the evolution of human consciousness.
Side projects and other musical endeavours
In his time away from Tool, Carey has contributed (and still regularly does) to a vast number of projects:- Fusion band VOLTO!VOLTO!Volto! are an American jazz rock fusion jam band group from Los Angeles, California. They are a quartet, featuring Kirk Covington, Lance Morrison, John Ziegler, and Danny Carey, who live and work in the Los Angeles area....
, which regularly plays shows in the Los Angeles area, consisting of both covers and original material - Pigmy Love CircusPigmy Love CircusPigmy Love Circus is a Los Angeles rock band that has existed since the late 1980s era of the Hollywood underground rock scene.Pigmy Love Circus originally consisted of Shepherd Stevenson on bass, Mike Savage on vocals, Anthony Martinez on drums, with Rand "Pig" Walters and Peter Fletcher on guitars...
, which has recorded several albums - ElectronicaElectronicaElectronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
-oriented project ZAUMZAUMZaum was an electronica project band that includes Tool drummer Danny Carey, along with Tool associates Chris Pitman, Vince DeFranco, and Marko Fox.The official Tool newsletter of April 2000 had the following to say the about the project:... - Green JellÿGreen JellÿGreen Jellÿ is a Grammy-nominated American comedy rock band formed in 1981. Originally named Green Jellö, the band changed its name due to legal pressure from the owners of the Jell-O trademark, Kraft Foods, who claimed that it was an infringement of their trademark...
- PigfacePigfacePigface is an industrial rock supergroup formed in 1990 by Martin Atkins and William Rieflin.-History:Pigface was formed from Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste tour, which produced the In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up live album and video. For the tour, Al Jourgensen brought...
- Drums on the track "Use Less" from the album The Greater Wrong of the RightThe Greater Wrong of the RightThe Greater Wrong of the Right is the ninth studio album by Skinny Puppy. It was their first new full-length LP since 1996's The Process. It was also their first album since 1985's Bites without the support of deceased keyboardist Dwayne Goettel...
by Skinny PuppySkinny PuppySkinny Puppy is a Canadian industrial musical group, formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1982. The group is widely considered to be the founders of the electro-industrial genre.... - Contributed to Adrian BelewAdrian BelewAdrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
's Side OneSide OneSide One is a 2005 album by Adrian Belew featuring Les Claypool , and Danny Carey on tracks 1, 2 and 3.The track "Beat Box Guitar" was nominated for a Grammy under the "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" in 2005...
and Side ThreeSide ThreeSide Three is a 2006 album by Adrian Belew.It is part of a series of albums. The other three so far to be released are Side One , Side Two and Side Four.-Track listing:All songs written by Adrian Belew.# "Troubles" - 3:14...
projects with bassist Les ClaypoolLes ClaypoolLeslie Edward "Les" Claypool is an American musician and writer, best known as the lead vocalist and bassist in the band Primus. Claypool's playing style on the electric bass mixes tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends and slapping.Claypool has also self produced and engineered his... - Drums on certain tracks of the Carole King album Colour of Your DreamsColour of Your DreamsColour of Your Dreams is a studio album by singer-songwriter Carole King, released in March 1993. The album includes "Now and Forever", a Grammy-nominated song which was featured in the film A League of Their Own.- Track listing :...
(as a session drummer) with Velvet RevolverVelvet RevolverVelvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
guitarist SlashSlash (musician)Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
playing on select tracks - Drums on the track "Somewhere" from the Collide album Some Kind of StrangeSome Kind of StrangeSome Kind of Strange is the fourth release and third studio album by Darkwave duo Collide.-Track listing:#Crushed – 5:20#Euphoria – 5:28#Modify – 5:57#Somewhere – 6:17#Slither Thing – 4:00#Inside – 4:10#Mutation – 4:31#Tempted – 6:45...
and several tracks from Two Headed MonsterTwo Headed Monster (album)Two Headed Monster is the seventh release and fourth studio album by Darkwave duo Collide. It was the first release of new material by the group since the 2003 release of Some Kind of Strange.-Track listing:# Tongue Tied & Twisted 5:25# Chaotic 4:49... - Made an appearance on the 1997 album Free MarsFree MarsFree Mars is the only album from the heavily experimental psychedelic pop band Lusk, released in 1997 in a Digipak-style case. The case and booklet list "The Hotel Family Affair" and "Black Sea Me" together as one track, but they are separate tracks on the disc itself. Despite this minor error, the...
by former Tool bassist Paul D'AmourPaul d'AmourPaul D'Amour was the original bass guitarist for Tool. His bass sound was recognized by the aggressive picked tone he developed with his Chris Squire Signature Rickenbacker 4001CS, which can clearly be heard on Tool's first full length album, Undertow.Originally a guitar player, D'Amour became...
's band LuskLusk (band)Lusk was a short-lived psychedelic rock "supergroup" featuring members from Tool, Replicants, Failure and Medicine.-History:The band formed when bassist Paul D'Amour, having recently departed from Tool, and keyboardist Chris Pitman got together. Greg Edwards and Brad Laner joined them shortly...
Equipment
Carey plays a Designer kit from SONORSONOR
Sonor is a German percussion manufacturer. Founded in 1875 as a percussion manufacturer, Sonor drum sets and hardware are historically known for being constructed in a very durable, and therefore, unusually heavy manner...
(beech shells with inner and outer makassar ebony veneers - 1" thick on 8" tom and progressively thinner as the drums get larger), which he designed himself and used on Tool's recent 10,000 Days
10,000 Days
10,000 Days is the Grammy Award-winning fourth studio album by American rock band Tool. The album was released on April 28, 2006 in parts of Europe, April 29 in Australia, May 1 in the United Kingdom, and May 2 in North America...
album and tours. Carey also uses a kit composed of custom cast bronze shells (3/16" thick and same dimensions as the SONOR) made from recycled Paiste cymbals, manufactured by master drum tech and drum maker Jeff Ocheltree (mostly on US tours as it is too heavy to readily transport elsewhere; The bass drums alone are 93
93
Year 93 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Pompeius and Priscinus...
pounds each and special front-loading cases had to be made for them and the floor toms). He has also used it on "Jambi" from 10,000 Days
10,000 Days
10,000 Days is the Grammy Award-winning fourth studio album by American rock band Tool. The album was released on April 28, 2006 in parts of Europe, April 29 in Australia, May 1 in the United Kingdom, and May 2 in North America...
. The set-up for both kits is nearly identical, with the Sonor kits having 14x16" and 16x18" "tunnel floors."
Current tour kit (2006-2007)
- SonorSONORSonor is a German percussion manufacturer. Founded in 1875 as a percussion manufacturer, Sonor drum sets and hardware are historically known for being constructed in a very durable, and therefore, unusually heavy manner...
custom drums & PaistePaistePaiste, a Swiss manufacturer and designer, is the world's third largest manufacturer of cymbals, gongs, and metal percussion. Paiste is an Estonian/Finnish word which means "shine"...
cymbals: - Drums
- 14x8" Jeff Ocheltree Custom Bronze snare
- 8x8" Jeff Ocheltree Custom Bronze Rack Tom
- 10x10" Jeff Ocheltree Custom Bronze Rack Tom
- 14x14" or 14x16" Floor Tom
- 16x16" or 16x18" Floor Tom
- 22x18" Jeff Ocheltree Custom Bronze Bass Drum
- 24x18" Jeff Ocheltree Custom Bronze Bass Drum
- Cymbals
- 13" Signature Sound Edge Hi-Hat
- 22" Signature Dry Heavy Ride
- 18" Signature Full Crash
- 19" Signature Power Crash
- 22" Signature Thin China
- 20" Signature Power Crash
- 22" 2002 Novo China (has been a 24" 2002 Novo China in the past, which may still be used on occasion)
- 11/18" Noise Works Dark Buzz China
- 8" New Signature Dark Energy Splash Mark I
- 10" New Signature Dark Energy Splash Mark I
- 7.5" 2002 Cup Chime
- 8" 2002 Cup Chime
- 6" 2002 Accent Cymbal
- 8" Signature Bell
- 5" 2002 Cup Chime
- 40" Symphonic Gong
On Daney Carey's official website, he states that the toms on his drum kit are usually tuned to the key signature of the song he is playing while working with Tool. He says this isn't as hard as it sounds as most of Tool's songs are in the key of D
Drum Heads (Evans):
- Snare: Power Center on batter side, Evans Hazy 300 on snare side.
- Toms: G2 clear on batter side, G1 clear on resonant side.
- Bass: EQ3 clear on batter side, Retro Screen on resonant side.
The hardware is mainly composed of Sonor stands (particularly Sonor Designer 5000 series or Signature series, recognizable by the unusual nut holding the cymbal), Pearl Eliminator Drum pedals, a Roc-n-Soc Throne and a Pearl RH-2000 remote hi-hat stand.
Carey uses the wood tip version of his own signature model of drumstick made by Vic Firth
Vic Firth
Vic Firth is an American musician and is the founder of Vic Firth Company , a percussion stick and mallet manufacturing company that he started in 1963. The company bills itself as the world's largest manufacturer of drum sticks and mallets...
. He previously had endorsed a signature model with Trueline Drumsticks (now Trueline's Tribal Assault model http://www.truelinedrumsticks.com).
At Winter NAMM 2009 Sonor
SONOR
Sonor is a German percussion manufacturer. Founded in 1875 as a percussion manufacturer, Sonor drum sets and hardware are historically known for being constructed in a very durable, and therefore, unusually heavy manner...
released a Danny Carey signature snare drum, which is a 1 mm thick bronze 14x8" snare with laser etched talisman symbols and his signature engraved around the vent hole. It was unveiled by Carey at VOLTO!'s
VOLTO!
Volto! are an American jazz rock fusion jam band group from Los Angeles, California. They are a quartet, featuring Kirk Covington, Lance Morrison, John Ziegler, and Danny Carey, who live and work in the Los Angeles area....
annual NAMM party, and since then has been used by Carey with Pigmy Love Circus
Pigmy Love Circus
Pigmy Love Circus is a Los Angeles rock band that has existed since the late 1980s era of the Hollywood underground rock scene.Pigmy Love Circus originally consisted of Shepherd Stevenson on bass, Mike Savage on vocals, Anthony Martinez on drums, with Rand "Pig" Walters and Peter Fletcher on guitars...
.
He uses seven electronic drum pads around his kit, which he co-designed with Vince DeFranco. These pads are high resolution position and velocity sensing drums called Synesthesia Mandala Drums
Synesthesia Mandala Drums
The Synesthesia Mandala Drum is an electronic drum pad developed by Vince DeFranco and drummer Danny Carey from Tool. It has 128 strike position detection rings from its center to its edge, along with 127 levels of velocity sensitivity. In its current iteration, version 2.0, both values are...
, and have replaced the various Simmons
Simmons (electronic drum company)
Simmons was a pioneering British manufacturer of electronic drums that supplied electronic kits from 1980 to 1994. The drums' distinctive, electronic sound can be found on countless albums from the 1980s....
SDX pads formerly in his setup. He uses a program called Battery, from Native Instruments, on a MacBook Pro to manage the samples. Additionally, he uses a Korg
Korg
is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
Wave Drum, a Roland Handsonic HPD-15 and a few electronic pedals.
Drumming techniques
Carey's popularity among drummers and non-drummers alike stems from the diversity of his sound and dynamics, his technical ability, frequent use of odd time signatures, polyrhythmPolyrhythm
Polyrhythm is the simultaneous sounding of two or more independent rhythms.Polyrhythm in general is a nonspecific term for the simultaneous occurrence of two or more conflicting rhythms, of which cross-rhythm is a specific and definable subset.—Novotney Polyrhythms can be distinguished from...
s and polymeters. He has stated in interviews that he effectively treats his feet as he does his hands: he practices rudiments (used for sticking techniques) and even snare drum solos with his feet to improve his double bass
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
drumming, hi-hat control and foot independence.
In search of new techniques, Carey has studied tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
with Aloke Dutta
Aloke Dutta
Aloke Dutta is an established Bengali tabla player.Aloke has become an important figure in modern music, having taught some of the most influential drummers of our time...
, who can be heard playing on the live version of the song "Pushit" (from Salival
Salival
Salival is a limited edition box set in CD/VHS and CD/DVD formats released in 2000 by American rock band Tool. It includes a 56-page book of photos and stills from their music videos. As the box set has now been out of print for some time, it can only be found secondhand, usually at a price...
). This is especially apparent on tracks such as "Disposition" (Lateralus
Lateralus
Lateralus is the third studio album by American rock band Tool. The album was released on May 15, 2001, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. On August 5, 2003, Lateralus was certified double platinum by the RIAA. On August 30, 2004 the album was certified Silver by the BPI for...
) or "Intension" (10,000 Days), for which Carey has recorded the tabla parts himself in studio. The tabla (and other percussive instruments) used in Tool's music are replicated live using the Mandala pads (in fact the pads are also used when recording in the studio, a notable example being the tabla solo of "Right in Two" from 10,000 Days).
He has also stated that when he is playing to an odd time signature, he tries to drum to the "feel" of the song and establish general "inner pulse" for the given time signature instead of fully counting it out.
Carey has been featured in many drum and music magazines.
Personal information
- Carey is 6'5" (1.96m) tall.
- Carey is a fan of the University of KansasUniversity of KansasThe University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
Jayhawks. He occasionally wears a Kansas basketball jersey at Tool concerts, with the number 22 and name "Carey" on the back. The jersey's name and number are that of Jeff Carey, who played at Kansas from 1997-2002. The two are not related to each other, but Jeff Carey's roommate and fellow teammate of the Jayhawks, Eric Chenowith, was a fan and told Danny about the idea. Danny was happy to wear the jersey to show his Jayhawk support. - Carey is also a fan of the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. The band's webmaster - a fan of the division rival Oakland RaidersOakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
- often engages in a friendly rivalry during the teams' matchups. - Carey has been known to play in the NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
entertainment league, at different times his team has included actors such as Ray LiottaRay Liotta[File:Ray Liotta is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Henry Hill in the crime-drama Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese and his role as Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams...
and Michael RapaportMichael RapaportMichael David Rapaport is an American, actor, director and a comedian. He has acted in more than forty films since the early 1990s...
, who have played games against sides featuring rap icons Ice CubeIce CubeO'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
and Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
along with Shaq and Magic Johnson. - Carey is a collector of vintage analog synthesizersAnalog synthesizerAn analog or analogue synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses analog circuits and analog computer techniques to generate sound electronically. The earliest analog synthesizers in the 1920s and 1930s such as the Trautonium were built with a variety of vacuum-tube and electro-mechanical technologies...
. - Carey is a notable special guest musician, with appearances at The Baked PotatoThe Baked PotatoThe Baked Potato is a noted night club located in Studio City, Los Angeles, often regarded as the world's oldest music venue specializing in jazz fusion music. The club's name is derived from its unusual menu which features more than 20 types of baked potatoes....
night club in Studio City, Los Angeles, NAMM ShowNAMM ShowThe NAMM Show is one of the largest music product trade shows in the world, founded in 1901. It is held every January in Anaheim, California, USA, at the Anaheim Convention Center...
, and Guitar Center'sGuitar CenterGuitar Center is the largest chain of musical instrument retailers in the world with 223 locations throughout the United States. Its headquarters is in Westlake Village, California....
annual Drum Off.