John Kiffmeyer
Encyclopedia
John Kiffmeyer was born on July 11, 1969. He was the first drummer
of the punk rock
/alternative rock
band Green Day
. He was given his nickname in reference to his hometown, El Sobrante.
. The group was popular in the East Bay
, and mainstays at the famed club, 924 Gilman Street
.
However, Kiffmeyer is most well known for his time in Green Day
. After the end of Isocracy, Kiffmeyer helped form Green Day. Because of his experience and knowledge of the underground community, Kiffmeyer was able to get the young band on its feet by placing calls to friends, among them prominent figure of the East Bay Larry Livermore
. The first few performances took place at Contra Costa College
, where Kiffmeyer was a journalism student. On the strength of an early performance, Livermore vowed to release a Green Day record on his Lookout! Records
. The group's first full-length effort, 39/Smooth
, would feature a Kiffmeyer original, "I Was There", which documented the band at that place in time. Being a fan of Ozzy Osbourne
, it was he who inspired the mini-covers of some famous songs, such as I Don't Know by Ozzy Osbourne
and Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
during the bridge of Disappearing Boy, a practice that is still carried out today.
In 1990, he left the band to attend college
at Humboldt State University
in Arcata, California
. Kiffmeyer later joined the band The Ne'er Do Wells
, leaving abruptly in 1994. Following a stint with punk band The Ritalins, he became manager of The Shruggs until their split. Recently he produced "The Lobom Funka Album" by The Troublemakers, a garage band from Sacramento, California
. He now lives in San Francisco, California
with his wife Greta and his young son Lolo. He coaches baseball.
cymbals with his left hand, and the ride cymbal
positioned just to the left of the hi-hat.
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
of the punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
/alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
. He was given his nickname in reference to his hometown, El Sobrante.
Biography
John Kiffmeyer was born in California on July 11, 1969. His first exposure in the punk scene was as the drummer of the band IsocracyIsocracy (band)
Isocracy was an American punk rock band from the Berkeley, California-area, formed in 1986. The band was one of the key bands in the MRR/Gilman Street project. John Kiffmeyer , who later went on to form Green Day, was the drummer for the band...
. The group was popular in the East Bay
East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
The East Bay is a commonly used, informal term for the lands on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay, in the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, United States...
, and mainstays at the famed club, 924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street is an all-ages, not for profit, collectively organized music club usually referred to by its fans simply as "The Gilman." It is located in the West Berkeley area of Berkeley, California about a mile and a half west of the North Berkeley BART station and a quarter-mile west of San...
.
However, Kiffmeyer is most well known for his time in Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
. After the end of Isocracy, Kiffmeyer helped form Green Day. Because of his experience and knowledge of the underground community, Kiffmeyer was able to get the young band on its feet by placing calls to friends, among them prominent figure of the East Bay Larry Livermore
Larry Livermore
Lawrence "Larry" Hayes , best known by the pseudonym Larry Livermore, is an American musician, record producer, and music journalist. He is best known as the co-founder of Lookout! Records.-Biography:...
. The first few performances took place at Contra Costa College
Contra Costa College
Contra Costa College, in San Pablo, California, is the west campus of the Contra Costa Community College District. It is part of the California community colleges system, one of the three college systems in California.- History :...
, where Kiffmeyer was a journalism student. On the strength of an early performance, Livermore vowed to release a Green Day record on his Lookout! Records
Lookout! Records
-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
. The group's first full-length effort, 39/Smooth
39/Smooth
-Personnel:* Billie Joe Armstrong – lead vocals, guitar* Mike Dirnt – bass, backing vocals* John Kiffmeyer – drums, percussion, backing vocals* Andy Ernst – producer, engineer...
, would feature a Kiffmeyer original, "I Was There", which documented the band at that place in time. Being a fan of Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
, it was he who inspired the mini-covers of some famous songs, such as I Don't Know by Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
and Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
during the bridge of Disappearing Boy, a practice that is still carried out today.
In 1990, he left the band to attend college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
at Humboldt State University
Humboldt State University
Humboldt State University is the northernmost campus of the California State University system, located in Arcata within Humboldt County, California, USA. The main campus, nestled at the edge of a coast redwood forest, is situated on Preston hill overlooking Arcata and with commanding views of...
in Arcata, California
Arcata, California
-Demographics:-2010 Census data:The 2010 United States Census reported that Arcata had a population of 17,231. The population density was 1,567.4 people per square mile...
. Kiffmeyer later joined the band The Ne'er Do Wells
Ne'er Do Wells
The Ne'er Do Wells were an American Rock and Roll band formed in Arcata, California by Chris Imlay, late of Brent's T.V. and John Denery, brother of Dallas Denery from Sweet Baby...
, leaving abruptly in 1994. Following a stint with punk band The Ritalins, he became manager of The Shruggs until their split. Recently he produced "The Lobom Funka Album" by The Troublemakers, a garage band from Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. He now lives in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
with his wife Greta and his young son Lolo. He coaches baseball.
Drumming style
John Kiffmeyer is left-handed and plays drums open handed, playing the hi-hatHi-hat
A hi-hat, or hihat, is a type of cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a drum kit by percussionists in R&B, hip-hop, disco, jazz, rock and roll, house, reggae and other forms of contemporary popular music.- Operation :...
cymbals with his left hand, and the ride cymbal
Ride cymbal
The ride cymbal is a standard cymbal in most drum kits. It maintains a steady rhythmic pattern, sometimes called a ride pattern, rather than the accent of a crash...
positioned just to the left of the hi-hat.