Brooks Wackerman
Busy As He Wants To Be

When it comes to challenges—and keeping very busy—Brooks Wackerman is always up to the task. Whether it’s tracking without cymbals, playing in the searing heat, jumping aboard well-established bands, or creating his own diverse projects, the drummer has proved that no gig’s too tough.

    Wackerman’s main gig is with Los Angeles punk veterans Bad Religion. He’s recorded the band’s last three albums, including their latest, New Maps Of Hell.

    Wackerman adopted a recording technique producer Joe Barresi used with Queens Of The Stone Age, tracking the album’s single, “Honest Goodbye,” without cymbals. “We wanted the sound of the 26" kick, but we just didn’t want to battle with cymbal leakage,” says Wackerman. “It was a little unusual playing without cymbals, but after a couple takes of air drumming, I got used to it. And after hearing the end result, it was definitely worth it.”

    Wackerman took his DW VLT kit on the road with him last summer for Bad Religion’s headlining stint on the Vans Warped Tour. But the outdoor festival didn’t come without its obstacles, including experiencing the 120° heat in Florida in July. According to Brooks, “It made a half-hour show feel like a two-hour set.”

    Wackerman’s cranked some heat for other bands recently, including touring with Tenacious D and recording half of Korn’s latest album. (Terry Bozzio tracked the other half.) “They called me up, and I played one show with them at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles,” says Wackerman. “After that, they asked me to come into the studio and record about five songs. It was a great experience.”

    And if all these gigs aren’t enough, Wackerman’s got his own solo project, Kidneys, which he describes as “muso-pop.” He drums on the self-titled debut, but sings lead vocals and plays guitar live. (Brooks’ brother John, another powerhouse Wackerman drummer, plays drums on stage.) Brooks is also working with a metal group called The Innocent, featuring members of No Use For A Name and Bleeding Through.

Waleed Rashidi