Jeremy Ronald John Taggart (born April 7, 1975) is a Canadian drummer, radio host, and author, best known for playing with
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace (sometimes shortened to OLP) is a Canadian alternative rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently also features Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur on guit ...
from 1993 until 2014.
Early life
Taggart was born in
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, Ontario, later growing up in
Mansfield, Ontario
Mulmur is a township in Dufferin County in Southern Ontario, Canada. There are a number of original settlements such as Mulmur Corners, some of which can still be identified as to location, including Rosemont and Stanton.
Communities
The townshi ...
br>
and has two brothers and one sister. Music was a central part of his youth, as his parents were also musicians, and Taggart learned to play drums at an early age. He has said the loss of R.J. Logan was a driving force to take his drumming to the next level. He auditioned for the then up-and-coming
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace (sometimes shortened to OLP) is a Canadian alternative rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently also features Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur on guit ...
in April 1993.
Career
Our Lady Peace
In 1993, Jim Newell, Our Lady Peace's previous drummer, left the band due to commitment issues. The remaining members and their management held open auditions for his replacement. They auditioned over a hundred drummers, ultimately choosing Taggart, who was 17 at the time.
The band offered him the drumming position which Taggart accepted. Our Lady Peace had also recently been given a record deal with Sony Music Canada and were playing some small club shows. Taggart's age created a legal issue for the band; he was only seventeen and performers have to be legal drinking age, nineteen in Ontario, to perform in bars and clubs.
In June 2014, Taggart announced that he had left Our Lady Peace and was not coming back.
[
]
Other projects
In addition to drumming for Our Lady Peace, Taggart has worked on various side projects, including providing the drums on Chantal Kreviazuk
Chantal Jennifer Kreviazuk ( ; born May 18, 1974) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, composer, and pianist. Born in Winnipeg, she played music from a young age before signing with Columbia Records in the 1990s. Her debut studio album, ''Under The ...
's song "Blue", Geddy Lee
Geddy Lee Weinrib (; born Gary Lee Weinrib, July 29, 1953) is a Canadian musician, best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Rock music, rock band Rush (band), Rush. Lee joined the band in September 1968 at the request o ...
's song "Home on the Strange", and The Beautiful Unknown's song "Riot in the House of Ruin". He also appears in the music video for Chad Kroeger
Chad Robert Kroeger (, Turton; born November 15, 1974) is a Canadian musician who is best known for being the lead singer, lead guitarist, primary songwriter, and founding member of the rock band Nickelback. In addition to his work with Nic ...
and Josey Scott
Joseph Scott Sappington (born May 3, 1972) is an American musician, best known as the former lead vocalist of the rock band Saliva. In addition to Saliva, Scott co-wrote and performed "Hero" (which was used as one of the theme songs to the 200 ...
's song, "Hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...
", off the Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
soundtrack
A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...
. Kroeger and Scott asked Taggart to appear in the video after Soundgarden
Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Cornell switched to rhythm guitar in 1985, replaced on drums initially ...
drummer Matt Cameron
Matthew David Cameron (born November 28, 1962) is an American musician who is the drummer for the rock band Pearl Jam. He first gained fame as the drummer for Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden, which he joined in 1986, appearing on each of the ...
was unable to appear at the video shoot.
He ran a radio/podcast show called ''Taggarts Take'', which mixes interviews of bands and politicians with Taggart's personal remarks.
Taggart is also a member of the judging panel for the 10th and 11th annual Independent Music Awards. as well as judge for the 9th Season.
Taggart is involved in mentoring aspiring musicians such as Arkells
Arkells is a Canadian rock band, formed in Hamilton, Ontario. In 2006, they signed with Dine Alone Records, and have since signed with Universal Music Canada. They have released nine albums: '' Jackson Square'' (2008), '' Michigan Left'' (2011) ...
.
He is also a frequent guest on TSN's, Jay and Dan Podcast, hosted by sportscasters Jay Onrait
Jay Michael Onrait (born August 29, 1974) is a Canadian television personality and sports anchor who hosts ''SC with Jay Onrait'' on TSN. From 2003 to 2021, he was frequently paired with fellow Canadian broadcaster Dan O'Toole.
In his first ...
and Dan O'Toole
Daniel Gerard O'Toole (born September 10, 1975) is a former Canadian television sports anchor who was last employed by TSN. From 2003 to 2013 and 2017 to February 2021, he co-hosted the 1:00 AM ( ET) weekday broadcast of TSN's ''SportsCentre'', ...
.
In 2013, Taggart, who grew up in nearby Mansfield, emceed an event in Melanchton, Ontario celebrating the decision by The Highland Companies to withdraw its license to start mining in the area for limestone. He became involved in stopping the mine when a childhood friend alerted him about the issue.
In January 2014, Jeremy teamed up with fellow Canadian Jonathan Torrens
Jonathan Ormond Torrens (born October 2, 1972) is a Canadian actor and television personality best known for his co-hosting of ''Street Cents'', his talk show ''Jonovision'', and his role as "J-Roc" in the popular Canadian mockumentary ''Trailer ...
to create the Taggart and Torrens Podcast. They discuss everything from sports to politics and offer a unique Canadian "everyman" perspective on the issues. They also play games they have created such as "Poem Sayin" and "Callin Pranks". In October 2017, Taggart and Torrens released the paperback book Canadianity: Tales From The True North Strong And Freezing, "a collection of showbiz tales from the road and relatable everyday anecdotes, all wrapped up in a nostalgic fondness for this great country. Canadianity takes readers on a cross-country journey, shining the spotlight on notable local heroes (or bands), the best places to crush food and the greasiest watering holes, coast to coast to coast."
Taggart has been drumming for Canadian alternative rock band Limblifter
Limblifter is a Canadian alternative rock group from Vancouver, formed in 1995.
History
The group was originally formed by brothers Ryan Dahle and Kurt Dahle, as a side project from their main band, The Age of Electric, along with a third memb ...
since 2024.
He is the cousin of Australian footballer Adam Taggart
Adam Jake Taggart (born 2 June 1993) is an Australian soccer player who plays as a striker (association football), striker for Perth Glory FC, Perth Glory in the A-League Men, A-League competition. Taggart has also represented the Australia nati ...
and musician Andrew Taggart
The Chainsmokers are an American electronic DJ and production duo consisting of Alex Pall and Drew Taggart. They started out by releasing remixes of songs by indie artists. The EDM-pop duo achieved a breakthrough with their 2014 song " #Self ...
.
References
External links
Jeremy Taggart
on Myspace
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taggart, Jeremy
Living people
1975 births
Canadian male drummers
Canadian people of Scottish descent
Musicians from Toronto
Canadian alternative rock drummers
Our Lady Peace members
20th-century Canadian drummers
21st-century Canadian drummers
20th-century Canadian male musicians
21st-century Canadian male musicians