Neil Sanderson
Encyclopedia
Neil Christopher Sanderson is the drummer, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the Canadian
band Three Days Grace
. He cites his influences as John Bonham
, Danny Carey
and Stewart Copeland
.
He entered the Norwood, Ontario high-school in 1992,before that he attended Adam Scott C.V.I high school in Peterborough Ontario, and met Adam Gontier
, both of them were in Grade 9. With bassist Brad Walst, they practiced writing and playing instruments. With Phil Crowe and Joe Grant, they created the band "Groundswell".
Sanderson was also the drummer for the band Thousand Foot Krutch
from 1996 to 1997.
Groundswell reformed as Three Days Grace
in 1997.
label, Jive Records
.
The band's first album, the self titled Three Days Grace, was released in 2003. Three singles from the album, "I Hate Everything About You", "Just Like You", and "Home" became hits, each reaching #1 on the US Rock Charts. This album has been certified "Platinum".
The band released a second album, One-X in 2006. That album reached fifth place on the Billboard Album Chart
. Three singles from that album "Animal I Have Become", "Pain", and "Never Too Late" also reached first place on the US Rock charts. This album has also been certified "Platinum".
In 2006 Three Days Grace won an American Billboard "Song of the Year" award.
In 2006, Three Days Grace served as the opening act for the Rolling Stones in Saskatchewan
. Three Days Grace has toured in the United States
, Canada
, Australia
, Brazil
, Europe
, and Japan
.
Speaking of the bands comeback from problems in 2007 (when a band member spent time in rehab) Sanderson said, "Now it's all about maintaining that communication, and it makes [touring] so much easier and a so much more enjoyable experience."
Sanderson was thrilled by the success of Three Days Grace. Speaking in Greensboro, North Carolina
during their 2008 tour, he said: "We get to blow stuff up onstage now. We like to put in as much production and lights as we can. The seizure factor has gone way up." Speaking of the band's move to larger playing sites, he continued "It's great to be able to see everybody in a smaller place. But the same people who were there in the early days are still there for us." Speaking of fan response to album songs, he said: "[W]e also play a lot of album tracks, and the crowd sings along just as much for those. These days, you have to make an awesome album. I think we're getting back to where people want to hear real stuff, since so much is contrived these days."
In 2009 the band released the album Life Starts Now. It was initially listed at number three on the Billboard album chart.
Drums:
Yamaha PHX
Finish: textured black sunburst
Cymbals:
Sabian
Drum sticks:
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
band Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace is a Canadian rock band, formed in Norwood, Ontario, Canada in 1992, originally under the name Groundswell. After a breakup in late 1997, the band regrouped in the same year under its current name and with a line-up consisting of guitarist and lead vocalist Adam Gontier, drummer...
. He cites his influences as John Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
, Danny Carey
Danny Carey
Daniel Edwin "Danny" Carey is an American drummer best known for his work in American Grammy Award-winning rock band Tool...
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...
.
Early years
Neil Sanderson was born on December 17, 1978. Sanderson took up the piano before he started school. He had an avid interest in music and worked with different instruments while he was in elementary school. He became enamored of drums during this timeHe entered the Norwood, Ontario high-school in 1992,before that he attended Adam Scott C.V.I high school in Peterborough Ontario, and met Adam Gontier
Adam Gontier
Adam Wade Gontier is a Canadian musician and songwriter. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter of the rock band Three Days Grace...
, both of them were in Grade 9. With bassist Brad Walst, they practiced writing and playing instruments. With Phil Crowe and Joe Grant, they created the band "Groundswell".
Sanderson was also the drummer for the band Thousand Foot Krutch
Thousand Foot Krutch
Thousand Foot Krutch is a Canadian Christian rock band formed in 1995. They have released five major studio albums: Set It Off , Phenomenon , The Art of Breaking , The Flame In All of Us , and Welcome to the Masquerade . They also have one live album, Live at the Masquerade...
from 1996 to 1997.
Groundswell reformed as Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace is a Canadian rock band, formed in Norwood, Ontario, Canada in 1992, originally under the name Groundswell. After a breakup in late 1997, the band regrouped in the same year under its current name and with a line-up consisting of guitarist and lead vocalist Adam Gontier, drummer...
in 1997.
Success
Under the name "Three Days Grace" the band played various concerts and locations in Toronto and eventually signed a recording contract with the AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
label, Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
.
The band's first album, the self titled Three Days Grace, was released in 2003. Three singles from the album, "I Hate Everything About You", "Just Like You", and "Home" became hits, each reaching #1 on the US Rock Charts. This album has been certified "Platinum".
The band released a second album, One-X in 2006. That album reached fifth place on the Billboard Album Chart
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. Three singles from that album "Animal I Have Become", "Pain", and "Never Too Late" also reached first place on the US Rock charts. This album has also been certified "Platinum".
In 2006 Three Days Grace won an American Billboard "Song of the Year" award.
In 2006, Three Days Grace served as the opening act for the Rolling Stones in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. Three Days Grace has toured in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Speaking of the bands comeback from problems in 2007 (when a band member spent time in rehab) Sanderson said, "Now it's all about maintaining that communication, and it makes [touring] so much easier and a so much more enjoyable experience."
Sanderson was thrilled by the success of Three Days Grace. Speaking in Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
during their 2008 tour, he said: "We get to blow stuff up onstage now. We like to put in as much production and lights as we can. The seizure factor has gone way up." Speaking of the band's move to larger playing sites, he continued "It's great to be able to see everybody in a smaller place. But the same people who were there in the early days are still there for us." Speaking of fan response to album songs, he said: "[W]e also play a lot of album tracks, and the crowd sings along just as much for those. These days, you have to make an awesome album. I think we're getting back to where people want to hear real stuff, since so much is contrived these days."
In 2009 the band released the album Life Starts Now. It was initially listed at number three on the Billboard album chart.
Equipment
Sanderson, has over the years used yamaha drums, sabian cymbals and vic firth sticksDrums:
Yamaha PHX
Finish: textured black sunburst
- 24"x17" Bass Drum (Evans EQ3 Bass Head)
- 12"x9" Tom (Evans G2 Clear)
- 16"x16" Floor Tom (Evans G2 Clear)
- 18"x16" Floor Tom (Evans G2 Clear)
- 14"x6.5" Mike Bordin Black Lacquered Copper Snare ( Evans 14" Super Tough Snare Head)
Cymbals:
Sabian
- AA Medium Hi-Hats 14"
- HHX Evolution Splash 10"
- V-crash 17"
- V-crash 18"
- APX Splash 10"
- APX Solid Crash 18"
- HHX Legacy Crash 18"
- AA Chinese 18"
- AAX Stage Crash
- HH Raw Bell Dry Ride 21"
- APX Chinese 18"
Drum sticks:
- Vic Firth Danny Carey