Danny Carey

Daniel Edwin Carey(born May 10, 1961)is an American musician and songwriter who is the drummer for theprogressive metalbandTool.He has also contributed to albums by artists such asZaum,Green Jellö,Pigface,Skinny Puppy,Adrian Belew,Carole King,Collide,Meat Puppets,Lusk,and theMelvins.

Danny Carey
Carey with Tool in 2019
Background information
Birth name	Daniel Edwin Carey
Born	(1961-05-10)May 10, 1961 Lawrence, Kansas,U.S.
Genres	Progressive metal progressive rock heavy metal art rock alternative metal hard rock jazz fusion experimental rock
Occupations	Musician songwriter
Instrument(s)	Drums, sampler
Member of	Tool Pigmy Love Circus Volto! Legend of the Seagullmen
Formerly of	Zaum Green Jellö Pigface
Website	dannycarey.org

He was ranked among the 100 greatest drummers of all time byRolling Stonemagazine, occupying the 26th position,in addition to being frequently considered by other magazines.

Biography

Born inLawrence, Kansas,Carey's first encounter with the drums began at the age of ten when he joined the school band and began taking private lessons on thesnare drum.Two years later, Carey began to practice on adrum set.In his senior year of high school inPaola, Kansas,Carey joined the high school jazz band. Carey also played basketball.Jazz would later play a huge role in his signature approach to the drum set in a rock setting. As Carey progressed through high school and later college at theUniversity of Missouri–Kansas City,he began expanding his studies in percussion with theory into the principles of geometry, science, and metaphysics as well as delving into theoccult.Carey also played jazz while attending college and got to experience the jazz scene inKansas City.

After college, a friend and bandmate convinced Carey to leave Kansas forPortland, Oregon,where he played briefly in various bands before moving toLos Angeles,where he was able to perform as a studio drummer withCarole Kingand perform live sets withPigmy Love Circus.During this period he played in a country band, the Wild Blue Yonder, withJeff BuckleyandJohn Humphrey.He also played inGreen Jellöas "Danny Longlegs" and recorded the albumCereal Killer.He would later find his way toToolafter coming to know singerMaynard James Keenanand guitaristAdam Jonesand practicing with them in place of drummers the two had requested but had never shown up. Besides Tool, Carey also finds time for other projects new and old such as Legend of the Seagullmen, Pigmy Love Circus,Volto!,andZaum.

Legal issues

Carey was arrested at theKansas City International Airporton December 12, 2021, after allegedly using a homophobic slur and repeatedly jabbing someone in the chest with two fingers. He was charged with a municipal assault violation.The charges were dropped in January 2023.

Influences

Carey's drumming influences includeNeil Peart,Billy Cobham,Buddy Rich,Bill Bruford,Lenny White,Stewart Copeland,Tony Williams,John Bonham,Barriemore BarlowandTim Alexander.

Equipment

Danny Carey uses the wood tip version of his own signature model of drumstick made byVic Firth.He previously had endorsed a signature model with Trueline Drumsticks (now Trueline's Tribal Assault model). Carey also usesSonordrums,Paistecymbals,Evansdrumheads,Hammerax,and electronic devices such asMandala,KorgandRoland.

Paiste and Jeff Ocheltree (noted drumtech forBilly Cobham,John Bonham,Lenny White,etc) teamed up in the late 90s to develop an entire drumset made out of recycled cymbals. The final product was a melted down Paiste's Signature bronze custom cast cymbals.Danny Carey used the kit during the Lateralus 2002 tour and during some drum clinics through the years.

Only three versions of this kit were ever created. Carey andCarl Palmereach own one, while the third resides at Paiste's Switzerland headquarters.

At the 2009 WinterNAMM ShowSonorreleased a Danny Carey signature snare drum, which is a 1 mm thick bronze 14x8 "snare with laser etched talisman symbols and his signature engraved around the vent hole.

In 2016 Paiste released a Danny Carey signatureride cymbalcalled "Dry Heavy Ride - Monad" based on their discontinued model that Carey always used since becoming a Paiste artist. The cymbal has a purple color andsigilsprinted on. It is named "Monad" because the main print is anesoteric glyphfromJohn Dee.

During 2019, builder Alan Van Kleef from VK Drums was contacted by Carey to create adrum kitand a snare drum. After much debate Alan developed the set called "Monad",made by hand inSheffield,England.Shortly after the completion of the Monad set, it was announced that a snare drum replica called "7empest" (after Tool'sgrammy award winning song) would be made available as part of a limited collection of 33 individual pieces. At the same time that the 7empest snare was launched, Alan was also developing the first complete 7empest drum set. Like the snare, the 7empest drums is a Monad replica in almost every way, except for the engravings.

Drumming techniques

Carey's popularity among drummers and non-drummers alike stems from the diversity of his sound and dynamics through his years of learning jazz music, his technical ability, frequent use of odd time signatures,polyrhythms,and polymeters. He has stated in interviews that he effectively treats his feet as he does his hands: he practicesrudiments(used for sticking techniques) and even snare drum solos with his feet to improve hisdouble bassdrumming, hi-hat control, and foot independence.

In search of new techniques, Carey has studiedtablawithAloke Dutta,who can be heard playing on the live version of the song "Pushit" (fromSalival). This is especially apparent on tracks such as "Disposition" (Lateralus) or "Right in Two" (10,000 Days), for which Carey has recorded the tabla parts himself in the studio. The tabla (and other percussive instruments) used in Tool's music are replicated live using theMandala pads(in fact the pads are also used when recording in the studio, a notable example being the tabla solo of "Right in Two" ).

He has also stated that when he is playing to an odd time signature, he tries to drum to the "feel" of the song and establish general "inner pulse" for the given time signature instead of fully counting it out.

Carey has been featured in many drum and music magazines.

Side projects and other musical endeavors

In his time away from Tool, Carey has contributed (and still regularly does) to a vast number of projects:

• Fusion bandVolto!,which regularly plays shows in the Los Angeles area, consisting of both covers and original material
• Pigmy Love Circus,which has recorded several albums
• Electronica-oriented projectZaum
• Green Jellö
• Pigface
• Drums on the track "Use Less" from the albumThe Greater Wrong of the RightbySkinny Puppy
• Contributed toAdrian Belew'sSide OneandSide Threeprojects with bassistLes Claypool
• Drums on certain tracks of the Carole King albumColour of Your Dreams(as a session drummer) withGuns N' RosesguitaristSlashplaying on select tracks
• Drums on the track "Somewhere" from theCollidealbumSome Kind of Strangeand several tracks fromTwo Headed Monster
• Made an appearance on the 1997 albumFree Marsby former Tool bassistPaul D'Amour's bandLusk
• Drums on the track "Bird's Eye", (2008, from the movieBody of Lies):Serj Tankian(System Of A Down,vocals),Mike Patton(Faith No More,vocals),Daron Malakian(guitar),Les Claypool(bass)
• Drums on the track "The Fourth" on the self-titled album from Feersum Ennjin, the band of former Tool BassistPaul D'Amour
• Drums on the track "Misery" fromAuthor & Punisher's 2022 albumKrüller.
• Drums with psychedelic rock supergroup Legend of the Seagullmen along withBrent HindsofMastodon,Jimmy Haywardand others. Their eponymous debut album was released in February 2018, on Dine Alone Records
• He would work with Hayward on his second animated feature,Free Birds,voicing a character who shares his name.
• Drums onForever Love's Fool,a 22-minuteprogressive rocktrack recorded with Canadian musicianDaniel Romano
• Touring North America in 2024 with the supergroup "BEAT" named after theKing Crimson album,who are playing the music of 1980'sKing Crimsonfrom this and other albums. The group consists of Carey, former King Crimson membersAdrian BelewandTony Levin,andSteve Vai.
• Playing withPrimuson their opening slot for Tool inPunta Cana,Dominican Republicin March 2025 replacing former drummerTim Alexander.

External links

• Danny Carey's website
• Danny Careydiscography atDiscogs