Brian Viglione

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Brian Viglione
Background information
Birth name	Brian Viglione
Born	May 16, 1979 (age 27)
Origin	Greenville, New Hampshire
Genre(s)	Alternative rock Punk rock Dark Cabaret Punk Cabaret
Occupation(s)	Performer, Musician
Instrument(s)	Drums, Bass Guitar, Guitar

Brian Viglione (born May 16, 1979) is the drummer for the Brechtian punk cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls.

Viglione was born and grew up in Greenville, New Hampshire. His father introduced him to playing the drums on Christmas Day, when he was 5. It was only when he reached his teenage years that drumming became important to him.

In January 1996, Viglione joined his first band, Green Eggs and Ham. They performed around southern New Hampshire for two years before breaking up.

In October 2000, he first met Amanda Palmer, and together they formed The Dresden Dolls. In addition to playing drums, Viglione also plays guitar on several Dresden Dolls songs including the first single, "Sing", from their 2006 album Yes, Virginia and sings back-up vocals, most notably on their version of "Pierre" from the The Dresden Dolls: Live in Paradise DVD. His range allows him to cover backing vocals on stage for songs such as "Delilah".

He has also worked with Helicopter Helicopter, Nanette Perrotte Jazz Combo and the Neovoxer Ensemble and currently with HUMANWINE.

Brian Viglione was introduced to the drums by his father at age five with his interest quickly deepening at age nine when rock music became a primary focus and passion. A pivotal moment occurred in 1990 when Brian’s father brought him to see The Elvin Jones Jazz Machine and Brian witnessed his first up-close exposure to the drummer who would become his principal inspiration on the instrument. At sixteen years old, Brian began playing gigs in clubs with bands around New England before moving from New Hampshire to Boston in 1999. There, he played with several Boston punk bands on both drums and bass guitar, before forming The Dresden Dolls in October 2000 with songwriter/pianist, Amanda Palmer.

The Dresden Dolls are a Boston based keyboard/drum duo now famous around the globe. After signing with Roadrunner Records in early 2004, the band re-released their self-titled debut The Dresden Dolls to worldwide acclaim and recently made their Billboard chart debut with the equally applauded follow up Yes, Virginia. In addition, the band’s live audiences continue to grow exponentially around the planet as The Dresden Dolls have completed sold-out tours on four continents, supported Nine Inch Nails, and performed at prestigious world festivals including Reading, Leeds, Coachella, Fuji Rock, Roskilde and Glastonbury. Locally they have won numerous awards ranging from multiple Boston Music Awards to topping the Boston Phoenix/FNX Best Music Poll.

Recently, Viglione starred and played drums in the American Repertory Theatre’s production of The Onion Cellar, in Cambridge, MA which ran from December 9, 2006 to January 13, 2007.

Brian has finished recording drums with HUMANWINE on their upcoming debut album Fighting Naked to be released through Warner Music Group's Cordless Recordings and will embark on a US national spring tour to support this release in Mar/Apr of 2007.

When not on tour with The Dresden Dolls, Brian gives drum lessons and collaborates with many other Boston musicians including The Gill Aharon Trio, Neovoxer Ensemble, Reverend Glasseye and HUMANWINE.