Jeremy Spencer (drummer)

Jeremy Spencer

Spencer performing with Five Finger Death Punch in 2014
Background information
Born January 8, 1973
Oakland City, Indiana
Genres Heavy metal, thrash metal, hard rock, speed metal, Groove metal
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, producer
Instruments Drums, percussion
Years active 2005–present
Labels Firm/EMI,
Prospect Park
Spinefarm/Universal (UK)
Associated acts Five Finger Death Punch
Website www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com

Jeremy Spencer is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He is the drummer for the metal band, Five Finger Death Punch. In 2012, he was named Golden God's "Best Drummer" by Revolver Magazine.[1] He is the creator of Extreme Metal Loops CDs.[2] His autobiography, Death Punch'd--Surviving Five Finger Death Punch's Metal Mayhem, was published on September 2, 2014 by HarperCollins imprint, Dey St, and named a New York Times Celebrity Bestseller.[3]

Career

Spencer started playing drums at age six on a drum set his grandmother purchased at Sears. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles, where he met BulletBoys guitarist, Mick Sweda. In L.A., he became friends with future 5FDP guitarist, Jason Hook. Spencer played in a number of bands, with the typical frustration of unreleased material and shelved projects—while working a variety of odd jobs—including recording tracks with heavy metal band W.A.S.P. In 2005, Spencer and former U.P.O. bassist, Zoltán Báthory, formed the heavy metal band, Five Finger Death Punch, with vocalist Ivan Moody, bassist Matt Snell (replaced by Chris Kael in 2011), and guitarist, Caleb Bingham, (replaced by Darrell Roberts in 2006, then by Jason Hook in 2009).

5FDP recorded its first album in 2006. The band signed a record deal with Firm Music and on July 10, 2007, released an EP, Pre-Emptive Strike[4] from their debut album, The Way of the Fist, followed by the album's lead single, "The Bleeding." The album was certified Gold[5] and spawned 3 top 10 singles.[6] The band's second album, War is the Answer, debuted at #7 on Billboard Top 200[7]—staying in the Top 100 for 89 weeks and selling over 500,000 units.[8] American Capitalist, debuted at #3 on the Billboard Album charts[9] (October 2011) and achieved Gold status (September 2012). "Coming Down" is the band's first #1 single (2012). In (2013) 5FDP released The Wrong Side of Heaven/The Righteous Side of Hell Vol I & II. Both volumes debuted at #2 on Billboard's Hot 200 Album Chart. The first single, Lift Me Up (with metal God, Rob Halford of Judas Priest) reached #1 on the Active Rock Chart and won the Revolver Golden Gods Award for Song of the Year.

The band has played in numerous music festivals including Mayhem Festival in 2008[10] 2010,[11] and 2012, and International Festivals such as the Download Festival in 2009 and 2010.[12] 5FDP has supported U.S. troops with trips to Iraq and Kuwait.[13] 5FDP previously headlined Metal Hammer's Trespass America Tour (Summer, 2012).[14] 5FDP will be featured on the main stage of the 2013 Rockstar Mayhem Festival—following a European Tour of Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Poland and Germany; and the Download Festival, Donington Park, UK.[15] After completing a summer of major festivals, including mega-festivals in the UK, Germany, Spain and Russian, the band will launch a 29-city co-headling tour with Volbeat.

Personal

Born Jeremy Spencer Heyde on January 8, 1973 in Oakland City, Indiana, he is the son of country music songwriter Gary Heyde (aka novelist Austin Gary), and actress Glory (Kissel) Heyde.[16] His sister is stage director Rachel Rockwell.[17] Spencer's musical influences include 1980s metal giants and pop icons like Prince. Growing up in Boonville, Indiana, he was a member of several local bands, one of which (Cornucopia of Death) opened in Indianapolis for Pantera, when he was seventeen. He is known for his wicked sense of humor[18] and his YouTube video pranks.[19] He currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada[20]

Equipment & Gear

References

  1. ↑ 2012 Golden Gods Award: Best Drummer. RevolverMag.com. Retrieved July 2012, from http://www.revolvermag.com/goldengods2014/2012-golden-gods-winners/
  2. ↑ 2012 Extreme Metal Loops. Retrieve July 2012, from http://extrememetalloops.com/
  3. ↑ New York Times" Celebrities Bestseller. Retrieved October 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2014-10-26/celebrities/list.html?date=2014-10-26&category=celebrities&pagewanted=print/
  4. ↑ Pre-Emptive Strike EP. Billboard.com. Retrieve July 2012, from http://www.billboard.com/artist/302183/five+finger+death+punch/chart
  5. ↑ FFDP Certified Gold. 93x.com Retrieve July 2012, from http://www.93x.com/Article.asp?id=2165446
  6. ↑ FFDP 3 Top 1910s. Myspace.com Retrieve July 2012, from http://www.myspace.com/ffdp
  7. ↑ 2009 War Is The Answer Album. Billboard.com. Retrieved July 2012, from http://www.billboard.com/artist/302183/five+finger+death+punch/chart
  8. ↑ Fiver Finger Death Punch Sales. Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved July 2012, from http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=153514
  9. ↑ American Capitalist #3. Rougemag.co.uk. Retrieve July 2012, from http://www.roguemag.co.uk/five-finger-death-punch%E2%80%99s-new-album-american-capitalist-has-charted-at-3-on-the-us-billboard-top-200-chart/
  10. ↑ Mayhem Tour (2008). CantStopRockin.com. Retrieved July 2012, from http://www.cantstoprockin.com/tours/2008-rockstar-mayhem-festival-lineup-dates-and-tickets/
  11. ↑ Mayhem Tour (2010). MetalInjection.net. Retrieved July 2012, from http://www.metalinjection.net/tour-dates/mayhem-fest-2010-official-lineup-full-itinerary-announced-rob-zombie-korn-lamb-god/
  12. ↑ Download Tour (2008). eFestivals.co.uk. Retrieved July 2012, from http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/download/2010/
  13. ↑ FFDP Drummer Interview (June 2007). Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved July 2012, from http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=175116
  14. ↑ FFDP Trespass America Festival (2012). Trespassamerica.com. Retrieved July 2012, from http://trespassamerica.com/
  15. ↑ European Tour (2013). concertboom.com. Retrieved March 2013. from http://www.concertboom.com/europe/
  16. ↑ Artist Bios: Glory Kissel. GoodmanTheatre.org Retrieve July 2012, from https://www.goodmantheatre.org/Artists-Archive/creative-partners/actors/Glory-Kissel/
  17. ↑ Jeff Award Winning Director Rachel Rockwell. fearnoartchicago.com Retrieve July 2012, from http://fearnoartchicago.com/jeff-award-winning-director-rachel-rockwell/
  18. ↑ Sept 2009 Q&A. DrummerMagazine.com. Retrieved July 2012, from http://www.drummagazine.com/features/post/jeremy-spencer-of-five-finger-death-punch/
  19. ↑ FFDP Mayhem Festival Tour Diary#1 (2008). Youtube.com. Retrieved July 2012, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUZ7Z7dMcOE
  20. ↑ Jeremy Spencer Facebook Fan Page. Facebook.com Retrieve July 2012, from https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jeremy-Spencer-fan-page-official/293852039291?sk=info

External links