Brad Wilk
| Brad Wilk | |
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 Brad Wilk performing at Optimus Alive '08 (10–12 July) in Lisbon, Portugal |
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| Background information | |
| Born | September 5, 1968 Portland. Oregon, United States |
| Genres | Alternative metal, rap metal, funk metal, alternative rock, hard rock |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Drums, percussion, vocals |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Labels | Epic, Interscope |
| Associated acts | Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, Puscifer, Greta |
| Notable instruments | |
| Premier Signia Marquis Drums Gretsch USA Maple Custom Drums Zildjian & Paiste Cymbals |
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Brad Wilk (born September 5, 1968, Portland, Oregon, United States) is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the American rock bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave.
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[edit] Family and early life
Wilk was born on September 5, 1968, in Portland, Oregon to a family of German and Russian Jewish descent.
He lived in Chicago during his childhood, and then later settled in Southern California. Wilk started to play the drums when he was 13 years old. Wilk has stated that his biggest three influences are John Bonham, Keith Moon, and Elvin Jones.[1]
[edit] Musical career
[edit] Rage Against the Machine
Wilk's success as the drummer of Rage Against the Machine came from the failure of a different band; he once auditioned for a band called Lock Up, who released one album (titled Something Bitchin' This Way Comes) through Geffen records in 1989 and broke up when the album received little media attention upon release. Former Lock Up guitarist Tom Morello was looking to pick up where Lock Up left of and start a new band, and contacted Wilk, who was playing with the band Greta, to see if he was interested in playing the drums. A short while after, the duo met Zack de la Rocha, a rapper, and through de la Rocha met bassist Tim Commerford (a childhood friend of Zack's) and Rage Against the Machine was born. After frequenting the L.A. club circuit, Rage Against the Machine signed a record deal with Epic Records in 1992. That same year, the band released their self titled debut. They achieved a phenomenal amount of mainstream success and released three more studio albums.
Wilk met his current drum tech Andy Veasey in 1990, when the latter was working for Warren Entner Management in Los Angeles.[2]
[edit] Audioslave
In late 2000, de la Rocha quit the band. On September 13, 2000, Rage Against the Machine performed their last concert at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. The remaining members formed Audioslave with former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. The band released theirs selftitled debut album in 2002, which was followed by Out of Exile in 2005 and the bands final studio album Revelations in 2006. Audioslave disbanded when Cornell formally left the band in February 2007 to focus on his solo career..
[edit] Rage Against the Machine reunion
Rumors of a Rage Against the machine reunion were first heard on January 22, 2007. On April 29, 2007, Rage Against the Machine reunited at the Coachella Music Festival (see Rage Against the Machine reunion tour). The band played in front of an EZLN backdrop to the largest crowds of the festival. The performance was initially thought to be a one-off, this turned out not to be the case. The band played 7 more shows in the United States in 2007 (including their first non-festival concert in 7 years at the Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, Wisconsin), and in January 2008, they played their first shows outside the US as part of the Big Day Out Festival in Australia and New Zealand.
The band has since continued to tour around the world, headlining many large festivals in Europe and the United States, including Lollapalooza in Chicago.
[edit] Other projects
Wilk and bandmate Tom Morello joined with Maynard James Keenan of Tool and Billy Gould of Faith No More to record the song "Calling Dr Love" for the 1994 Kiss tribute album Kiss My Ass. The lineup was billed as Shandi's Addiction. Wilk also contributed drums to rap group Cypress Hill's album Skull and Bones. Wilk and bassist Tim Commerford contributed in Keenan’s side project Puscifer and his album "V" Is for Vagina on the track "Momma Sed". In addition, Wilk composed the song "Snoop Bounce (Roc N Roll Remix)" for Snoop Dogg's Death Row's Greatest Hits CD.
In 2005, Wilk played the lead role in the independent short movie Sleeping Dogs Lie by writer Chumahan Bowen and director Stuart Lessner. The film also features Tool lead singer Maynard James Keenan as Deputy Lance.
Wilk played drums on Josh Homme's tracks on the soundtrack to Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys. Wilk has also performed live with band mate Tom Morello's sideproject Street Sweeper Social Club at the 2010 Coachella music and arts festival.
[edit] Outside interests
Wilk, having been diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic in 1997, offers help and support to other young sufferers.[3] Unable to find an all natural, sugar-free lemonade that would fit with his diet management and exercise plan, Wilk began formulating his own lemonade in his kitchen along with the help of his wife, Selene Vigil. After much feedback from friends and family, Wilk started Olade, a sugar-free beverage intended for others who suffer from diabetes.[4] As of December 2009, the Food and Drug Administration approved Olade to be put into the market as a non-dietary supplement, meaning anyone with or without diabetes can consume it.
[edit] Personal life
In 1993 on Rage Against The Machine's Funkdoobiest tour with Cypress Hill, Wilk met Selene Vigil while she was the lead vocalist in the now defunct band 7 Year Bitch. Wilk married Vigil in 2005, and since has had two children with her, Luka and Alex.
Wilk is a vegetarian, and has converted to Buddhism.
Wilk has mentioned a weird connection to the number 3 throughout his life, and little "3"'s are plastered all over his drumkit, and as well as in the liner notes for Rage Against the Machine's third album, The Battle of Los Angeles. In an interview with Modern Drummer Wilk said "Ever since I was eight or nine I've gravitated to the number three. It's something that has always been a really heavy number for me. It's tattooed on my arm, and I count in threes. Everyone in school was taught two, four, six, eight, ten- I'd count in threes in the way I'd walk, even in the decisions I'd make. It was all based on threes," and also incorporates 3 into his playing.
[edit] Equipment
The following are the drum kits used by Brad Wilk during his musical career:
- Rage Against the Machine (1991–2000) era
Premier Signia Marquis Drums and Zildjian Cymbals[5]
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- Audioslave (2002–2006) era
Gretsch USA Maple Custom Drums and Paiste Cymbals[6]
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- Rage Against the Machine (2007–present) era
Gretsch USA Maple Custom Drums and Paiste Cymbals[7]
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Wilk also uses DW Hardware (9000 Series), Remo drum heads (Emperors & Ambassadors) and Vic Firth 5B sticks (hickory with wood tips).
[edit] Discography
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Rage Against the Machine studio albums Main article: Rage Against the Machine discography
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Audioslave studio albums Main article: Audioslave discography
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[edit] References
- ^ http://www.drummersrepublic.com/drummers/ratm-drummer-brad-wilk-biography/
- ^ http://www.drummagazine.com/features/post/brad-wilk-second-strike/
- ^ Sistrunk, Jeff. "Rock Drummer Brad Wilk on Type 1 and Touring | Diabetes Forecast Magazine". Forecast.diabetes.org. http://forecast.diabetes.org/magazine/features/rock-drummer-brad-wilk-type-1-and-touring. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ http://www.artsupplywarehouse.com/finelineDisplay.php?id=383170
- ^ http://www.drummerworld.com/pics/drum32/bradwilk92.jpg
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ [2][dead link]
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- 1968 births
- Living people
- American rock drummers
- American heavy metal drummers
- American vegetarians
- Rage Against the Machine members
- Audioslave members
- Musicians from Portland, Oregon
- American Buddhists
- Jewish American musicians
- American musicians of German descent
- American musicians of Russian descent
- Rap metal musicians
![[1]](http://www.dianerichterphotography.com/store/DRP0728c.jpg){kind=link}