Disturbed

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Background information
Origin Chicago, Illinois, USA Flag of United States
Genre(s) Alternative metal
Nu metal
Hard rock
Heavy metal
Years active 1996 – Present
Label(s) Giant Records
Warner Bros. Records
Reprise Records
Website www.disturbed1.com
Members
David Draiman
Dan Donegan
John Moyer
Mike Wengren
Former members
Steve "Fuzz" Kmak
Matt Konopinski

Disturbed is an American Hard Rock band from Chicago, Illinois. The group was formed in 1996 when musicians Dan Donegan, Steve "Fuzz" Kmak, and Mike Wengren hired singer David Draiman in Chicago, Illinois. Originally classified as a nu metal band, Disturbed is now regarded by some music critics as hard rock or heavy metal[1], although others now regard them as alternative metal[2]. However, the band's genre is still being debated. When asked about die-hard metal fans not finding Disturbed heavy enough, frontman David Draiman stated: "We probably have too much melody going on or we're not quite as turbulent or caustic. While I really love that type of music, it's not what we try to do. If we have to place things in context, we're more hard rock than heavy metal these days."[3]

Contents

[edit] History

In its early years Disturbed recorded two separate demo EPs, Stupify (featured on The Sickness) and Perfect Insanity (on no known album) which it then sent out to different record companies. The band sent two to show the record companies that it was dedicated to its music and that the first EP wasn't a fluke. The band broke out in 1999 with its single "Stupify" and subsequent album The Sickness.

Disturbed circa 1999 [Left - Right]Dan Donegan, Steve "Fuzz" Kmak, David Draiman, and Mike Wengren
Disturbed circa 1999 [Left - Right]
Dan Donegan, Steve "Fuzz" Kmak, David Draiman, and Mike Wengren

The album launched the band into stardom. It also released a revamped cover version of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's theme music for the WWE, called "Glass Shatters." After participating in Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzfest tour in 2001, the band started the Music as a Weapon Tour.

In September 2002, Disturbed's second album Believe debuted at #1 and David recorded the vocals for "Forsaken", a song written and produced by Jonathan Davis for the Queen Of The Damned Soundtrack. In 2003, the band participated again in the Ozzfest tour.

Disturbed circa 2002 [Left - Right]Steve "Fuzz" Kmak, David Draiman, Mike Wengren and, Dan Donegan
Disturbed circa 2002 [Left - Right]
Steve "Fuzz" Kmak, David Draiman, Mike Wengren and, Dan Donegan

Disturbed's bassist, Steve Kmak, A.K.A "Fuzz" left the band in early 2003; as singer David Draiman puts it, "When Kmak was with the band, Disturbed wasn't totally clicking; musically or personally." The band tells fans that he left for personal reasons. He was replaced with Matt Konopinski and then later with John Moyer.

The group recently toured with 10 Years and Ill Niño in support of its third album Ten Thousand Fists, released worldwide on September 20th, 2005, which debuted at #1 in the U.S. Ten Thousand Fists had several b-side tracks. Currently the track "Hell" can be found on the "Stricken" single (a second version of this single has the studio version of "Dehumanized", which was first released on the live album "Music As A Weapon II"). The track can also be heard on the band's Myspace page. The track "Monster" did not see release for several more months, but can now be found on the "European Tour Edition" of Ten Thousand Fists (along with the track "Two Worlds"). It was, however, part of an iTunes pre-order package. Finally, the track "Sickened" is on the Land of Confusion single. There was a European tour scheduled which has been moved twice due to David Draiman having troubles with his voice.

"I had been taking Prevacid for about four years and my body built up a resistance to it, to the point where it wasn't doing anything anymore," he told MTV.com. "I had a night of drinking in London followed by a full day and night of drinking on a day off in Dublin, because what else is there to do in Ireland but drink? That, coupled with a show where I had monitor problems, and I pretty much trashed my voice." - David Draiman

Draiman is no longer drinking.

Disturbed also headlined the Jägermeister tour in November 2005 and headlined "Music as a Weapon III" in 2006 with Flyleaf, Stone Sour, and Nonpoint. It supplied the song "Stricken" for WWE New Years Revolution 2006.

The band's singer recently became involved in the music filesharing controversy by publicly speaking out against the RIAA's lawsuits against filesharing individuals, despite the fact his record label is a member of the RIAA.

"This is not rocket science. Instead of spending all this money litigating against kids who are the people they're trying to sell things to in the first place, they have to learn how to effectively use the Internet. For the artists, my ass... I didn't ask them to protect me, and I don't want their protection." - David Draiman

Draiman also told NYRock:

"[I'm] Very positive about the internet, Napster. I think it's a tremendous tool for reaching many more people than we ever could without it. When you release music you want it to be heard by people. Artists really want to have their music heard. They want to have their creation heard by people. Nothing is going to do that better than Napster. I can't tell you how many kids have come up to me and said, 'I downloaded a couple of tunes off Napster and I went out and bought the album.' Or they say, 'I want to come see you play.' I don't really make money off of record sales anyway." - David Draiman
Disturbed Playing In Ozzfest 2006
Disturbed Playing In Ozzfest 2006

Disturbed headlined Ozzfest 2006 along with System of a Down. In April 2006, the band completed an Australian tour supporting Korn and sharing the tour with 10 Years and Hatebreed. They went on a European tour in late 2006, fulfilling the previously postponed dates, because of clashes with an American tour. On the last stop on the Music For A Weapon Tour in Madison, WI., the band stated that they are going off the road to start work on their next CD. As of March 2007 their official website also states they are in studio recording.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio albums

Album cover Album information
The Sickness
Believe
Ten Thousand Fists

[edit] B-Sides

  • A Welcome Burden - Dracula 2000 soundtrack, MOL DVD (played live)
  • God of the Mind - Valentine soundtrack, Import Versions of The Sickness
  • Dehumanized (studio version) - Stricken Single
  • Hell - Stricken single
  • Sickened - Land of Confusion Single
  • Monster - Ten Thousand Fists European Tour Edition
  • Two Worlds - Ten Thousand Fists European Tour Edition
  • Perfect Insanity - MOL DVD; Played In Early Live Shows
  • Forsaken - Written by Jonathan Davis, Queen of the Damned soundtrack
  • Glass Shatters - WWF Forceable Entry

[edit] Other Contributions

  • Music as a Weapon (2001)
  • Music as a Weapon II (2004)
  • Music as a Weapon III (2006)

[edit] Singles

[edit] Soundtracks

[edit] TV Shows

  • 1998 - Charmed - Disturbed poster regularly seen at P3
  • 2000 - Friends - Banner saying 'Disturbed' in musicshop
  • 2000's - Grounded for Life - Jimmy and Henry's bedroom has a Disturbed poster advertising the album Believe.
  • 200x - "Voices" song can be heard on the show 3rd Watch in the episode that involved a school shooting ("...And Zeus Wept"). The song is playing in the background while police search the school.
  • 2002 - "Glass Shatters" - WWF Forceable Entry (Stone Cold Steve Austin's theme music at one time)
  • 2002+ - Days of our Lives - The Believe logo in the background
  • 2004 - Floorfiller (Swedish dance competition) - Songs "Down with the Sickness" and "Meaning of Life"
  • 2005 - Homewrecker - A banner in the background for Ten Thousand Fists
  • 2005 - CSI Miami - "Down with the Sickness" can be heard in the episode Urban Hellraisers, when the team goes to a suspect's apartment building.
  • 2006 - WWE New Years Revolution - "Stricken" was the theme song
  • 2006 - MTV Cribs - Tour of Draiman's house
  • 2006 - The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - Ozzfest special
  • 2007 - South Park - With Apologies to Jesse Jackson Season 11-01 - "Down with the Sickness" can be heard during Cartman's fight scene with the dwarf and during the end credits
  • 2007 - "Land of Confusion" is the song used on promos for Painkiller Jane (TV series).

[edit] Reviews

[edit] External links

Look up Disturbed in
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Disturbed
David Draiman | Dan Donegan | John Moyer | Mike Wengren
Steve "Fuzz" Kmak
Discography
Albums: The Sickness | Believe | Ten Thousand Fists
Singles: Stupify | Voices | Down with the Sickness | The Game | Prayer | Remember | Liberate | Bound | Guarded | Stricken | Just Stop | Land of Confusion | Ten Thousand Fists
Live: Music as a Weapon II
DVDs: Music as a Weapon II
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