Jimmy Chamberlin Complex
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James Joseph Chamberlin (born June 10, 1964) is an American drummer and
record producer A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...
. Described as "one of the most powerful drummers in rock," he is best known as the drummer for the
alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
band
the Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins (also simply known as Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band formed in Chicago in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. The ...
. Following the 2000 breakup of the band, Chamberlin joined Pumpkins frontman
Billy Corgan William Patrick Corgan Jr. (born March 17, 1967) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, primary songwriter, singer, and only constant member of alter ...
in the supergroup
Zwan Zwan was an American alternative rock supergroup formed in 2001 by lead guitarist/vocalist Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin (both of the Smashing Pumpkins). Other members included bassist Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle), plus guitari ...
and also formed his own current group, the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex. In late 2005, Chamberlin joined Corgan in reforming Smashing Pumpkins; he eventually left the group in March 2009, though he returned again in 2015 for a summer tour, and has officially performed with the band since then. Following guitarist
Jeff Schroeder Jeffrey Kim Schroeder (born February 4, 1974) is an American musician. He is best known as a former guitarist in the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, performing with them from 2007 to 2023. He recorded five studio albums with the ba ...
's departure in October 2023, Chamberlin is the band's second-longest serving member. He also performed in the group
Skysaw Skysaw was an American alternative rock band featuring The Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin along with multi-instrumentalist/vocalist/songwriter Mike Reina and guitarist Anthony Pirog. History Formed in 2009, alternative rock band Skys ...
until 2012 and joined Chicago jazz saxophonist
Frank Catalano Frank Catalano is an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Frank Catalano began playing saxophone at age 7. When he was 16, his right middle finger was severed while working on a car engine. Following reconstructive surgery, he forced his hands t ...
for a string of 2013–15 performances in the Chicago area. An EP by Catalano and Chamberlin ''
Love Supreme Collective ''Love Supreme Collective'' is a 2014 extended play by jazz musician Frank Catalano, released on July 29, 2014. The recording features Jimmy Chamberlin from the Smashing Pumpkins, Percy Jones from Brand X, Chris Poland from Megadeth, and Adam ...
'' was released on July 29, 2014. Chamberlin originally trained as a
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
drummer and cites jazz musicians
Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing bi ...
,
Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...
,
Gene Krupa Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973) was an American jazz drummer, bandleader, and composer. Krupa is widely regarded as one of the most influential drummers in the history of popular music. His drum solo on Benny Goodman ...
, and
Buddy Rich Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, ...
, as well as rock drummers
Keith Moon Keith John Moon (23 August 1946 – 7 September 1978) was an English musician who was the drummer for the rock band the Who. Regarded as one of the greatest drummers in the history of rock music, he was noted for his unique style of playing and ...
,
Ian Paice Ian Anderson Paice (born 29 June 1948) is an English musician who is the drummer and last remaining original member of the rock band Deep Purple. He remains the only member of Deep Purple who has served in every line-up since the band's incep ...
, and
John Bonham John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980) was an English musician who was the drummer of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Noted for his speed, power, fast single-footed kick drumming, distinctive sound, and feel for groove, John Bonh ...
as major influences on his technique, and primarily strives for emotionally communicative playing. In 2008,
Gigwise ''Gigwise'' is a British online music news site featuring music news, photos, album reviews, music festivals, concert tickets and video content. Founded in June 2001, the site is based in London, England. History Gigwise was launched in 2001 in ...
named Chamberlin the 5th best drummer of all time. In 2016, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' ranked Jimmy Chamberlin 53 on their list of "100 Greatest Drummers Of All Time".


Biography


Early life and education

Chamberlin was born in
Joliet, Illinois Joliet ( ) is a city in Will County, Illinois, Will and Kendall County, Illinois, Kendall counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County, Illinois, Will County. It had a population of ...
, one of six children in a
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
family of
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...
and Hungarian ancestry.Jimmy Chamberlin Interview
, ''
Modern Drummer ''Modern Drummer'' is a monthly publication targeting the interests of drummers and percussionists. The magazine features interviews, equipment reviews, columns offering advice on technique, and information for the general public. ''Modern Dru ...
'', January 1994.
His father and his older brother Paul were both active in
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
bands, playing clarinet and drums respectively, and his brother Paul is still an active rock drummer, with a local
cover band A cover band (or covers band) is a band that plays songs recorded by someone else, sometimes mimicking the original as accurately as possible, and sometimes re-interpreting or changing the original. These remade songs are known as cover songs. N ...
, Chasing Amy. Chamberlin began drumming at age nine.Knutson, Kari.
Former Pumpkin beats out a smashing clinic
". ''
La Crosse Tribune The ''La Crosse Tribune'' is a daily newspaper published in La Crosse, Wisconsin, covering the tri-state area of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota in the United States. The paper was first founded in 1904, following a media scandal in which existin ...
''. December 4, 2009.
His early instruction included
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
, Brazilian, and
big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...
techniques, but focused on jazz, under the tutelage of Charlie Adams, known for working with
Yanni Yiannis Chryssomallis (; born November 14, 1954), known professionally as Yanni ( ), is a Greek composer, keyboardist, pianist, and music producer. Yanni continues to use the musical shorthand that he developed as a child, blending jazz, clas ...
. Chamberlin dropped out of high school and left home at age 15 and joined a series of local bands, culminating in a five year stint in local show band JP and the Cats. Although his early music career proved profitable, Chamberlin's father pressured him into going to college. In 1994, Chamberlin revealed that he had been estranged from his father for seven years. After several years with JP and the Cats, Chamberlin, wearied by the touring schedule, reduced his role and got a job building custom homes with his brother-in-law. Before long, he was recruited into The Smashing Pumpkins.


The Smashing Pumpkins

The Smashing Pumpkins had been using a
drum machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument that creates percussion sounds, drum beats, and patterns. Drum machines may imitate drum kits or other percussion instruments, or produce unique sounds, such as synthesized electronic tones. A d ...
for early gigs, but were looking for a live drummer to open a show at Chicago club the Metro. Chamberlin and
Billy Corgan William Patrick Corgan Jr. (born March 17, 1967) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, primary songwriter, singer, and only constant member of alter ...
met through a mutual friend, and Chamberlin expressed cautious interest, later recalling:
So I went out and saw the band – Billy,
James James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...
, and D'arcy – playing at Avalon with a
drum machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument that creates percussion sounds, drum beats, and patterns. Drum machines may imitate drum kits or other percussion instruments, or produce unique sounds, such as synthesized electronic tones. A d ...
. Man, did they sound horrible! They were atrocious. But the thing I noticed was that not only were the song structures good, but Billy's voice had a lot of drive to it, like he was dying to succeed. So I ended up driving from work every Wednesday to rehearse with them.
Corgan had his own concerns:
He was wearing a pink t-shirt,
stonewashed jeans Stone washing is a textile manufacturing process used to give a newly manufactured cloth garment a worn appearance. The process became popular in the 1980s, as acid jeans gained popularity; however, stone washing has roots going back to 1960s su ...
, he had a mullet haircut, and he was driving a
280Z The Nissan S30, sold in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z but badged as the Datsun 240Z, 260Z, and 280Z for export, are 2-seat sports cars and 2+2 GT cars produced by Nissan from 1969 until 1978. The S30 was conceived of by Yutaka Katayama, ...
, and had yellow drums. We were sort of looking each other in the eye thinking, 'This ain't gonna happen, this is not the guy.' uthe'd learned all our songs, as only Jimmy can, off the top of his head, and, within one practice, we were ready to play. It was amazing. We just knew right away. He's that good.
Chamberlin made "tons of cash" as a carpenter, before giving up the job to move to Chicago and devote himself to the band. Chamberlin's entry quickly pushed the band toward a more powerful, intense sound. Chamberlin drumming in 2014 During this period Chamberlin struggled with substance abuse. During the recording of 1993's ''Siamese Dream'' in
Marietta, Georgia Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Cobb County, Georgia, United States. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 60,972. The 2019 estimate was 60,867, making it one of Atlanta's largest suburbs. Marietta is the fourth largest ...
, Chamberlin often disappeared for days at a time into the drug underworld of
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
, while the rest of the band feared for his life. He later said of his
drug addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use can ...
that "It's pretty textbook ..Guy makes it in rock band, gets very full of himself, starts thinking he's indestructible, and all of a sudden he destroys himself."McKeough, Kevin. "The Beat Goes On". ''
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
'', March 2003.
In the midst of the lengthy world tour supporting 1995's multi-platinum ''
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness ''Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness'' is the third studio album and first double album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on October 23, 1995, in the United Kingdom and on October 24 in the United States ...
'', Chamberlin's father died, and his substance abuse hit a fever pitch. Of this period, Chamberlin later said, "I learned that escapism was better than emotion, and that's where I hid... It got to the point that I really didn't care. Life was scary for me." Prior to shows scheduled for July 12, 1996 at
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
in New York City, Chamberlin and touring keyboardist
Jonathan Melvoin Jonathan David Melvoin (December 6, 1961 – July 12, 1996) was an American musician, active in the 1980s and 1990s. Early life He was the son of Constance (née Ives) and Mike Melvoin, keyboardist for the Wrecking Crew, and brother of t ...
overdosed on heroin; Melvoin subsequently died, and Chamberlin was kicked out of the band, ostensibly to protect his health. Corgan later told
MTV News MTV News was the news production division of MTV. The service was available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network and an online news team. In 2016, MTV refreshed the MTV News brand to compete with the likes of BuzzFeed and ...
that Chamberlin had already overdosed on two different occasions during the ''Mellon Collie'' tour prior to the July 1996 event, but that the band had managed to keep those situations private. In October 1998, Corgan convened a band meeting in which Chamberlin was reinstated as the group's drummer, and the band decided to break up after one more album and tour.Kot, Greg. "Pumpkin Seeds", ''Guitar World'', January 2002. The band yielded two albums in 2000, ''
Machina/The Machines of God ''Machina/The Machines of God'' is the fifth studio album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on February 29, 2000, by Virgin Records. A concept album,Interview with Billy Corgan, May 24, 2000, KROQ-FM it marked ...
'' and the freely distributed ''
Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music ''Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music'' is the sixth studio album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was released for free on the Internet on September 5, 2000. Plans for a standard physical release, bund ...
'', before performing a farewell show in Chicago on December 2, 2000.


Other projects, 2001–2016

Chamberlin formed
Zwan Zwan was an American alternative rock supergroup formed in 2001 by lead guitarist/vocalist Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin (both of the Smashing Pumpkins). Other members included bassist Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle), plus guitari ...
in 2001 with Corgan. The drummer predicted, "The band's going to be huge," but Zwan produced only one album, '' Mary Star of the Sea'', before disbanding in 2003. "The band's only truly essential complement to Corgan, it's no surprise he's the sole Pumpkin to remain on board," noted Q's Garethy Grundy, "and it's still a thrill to hear him cut loose, his
jackhammer A jackhammer (pneumatic drill or demolition hammer in British English) is a pneumatic or electro-mechanical tool that combines a hammer directly with a chisel. It was invented by William McReavy, who then sold the patent to Charles Brady Ki ...
fills lifting the more straightforward moments like Ride a Black Swan beyond the mundane and lending some overwhelming firepower to Baby Let's Rock!'s hysterical
glam Glam is a shortened form of the word glamour. Glam or GLAM may also refer to: Film * ''Glam'' (film), a 1997 experimental drama film Institutions * University of Glamorgan, founded in 1913 and merged into the University of South Wales in 2013 ...
spectacular." Chamberlin formed Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, in 2004, and released its first studio album, '' Life Begins Again'', in 2005. Chamberlin stated that, with the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, "I just wanted to make music and not really be constrained to making a Zwan or a Pumpkins record.". On April 29, 2016, the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex released a new song "Paranoia" via Jimmy Chamberlin's Official Twitter account


Skysaw

While giving drum clinics in late 2009, Chamberlin announced his next project, a band called
This This may refer to: * ''This'', the singular proximal demonstrative pronoun Places * This (Egypt), or ''Thinis'', an ancient city in Upper Egypt * This, Ardennes, a commune in France * This, a country mentioned in the ''Periplus of the Erythraea ...
. Describing the music as ' progressive,
symphonic pop A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning c ...
' he reported that the band, also including multi-instrumentalists Mike Reina and guitarist Anthony Pirog, would record with
Roy Thomas Baker Roy Thomas Baker (10 November 1946 – 12 April 2025) was an English record producer, songwriter and arranger who produced rock and pop songs. Life and career Baker was born in Hampstead, London on 10 November 1946. He began his career at De ...
in Washington, D.C. in early 2010. This released their first album, a six-track release titled '' Great Civilizations'', on November 1, 2010 as a digital download only, on both Amazon and iTunes. No official release announcement was made even on the band's official website. Downloads from iTunes and Amazon were removed after there was confusion over the band's name. In March 2011 it was announced that the Skysaw full-length LP would be released on
Dangerbird Records Dangerbird Records is an independent record label in Los Angeles, California. The label is home to artists from around the world and part of the burgeoning Silver Lake music scene. The label has had international success from its small roster of ...
. On June 21, 2011, the new, extended 10 song LP ''Great Civilizations'' was released. The band subsequently toured with label mates
Minus The Bear Minus the Bear are an American indie rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 2001, and comprising members of Botch, Kill Sadie, and Sharks Keep Moving. Their sound has been described as " Pele-esque guitar-taps and electronics with sophi ...
, performed hometown shows at Chicago's Metro and the Black Cat in Washington, DC, and performed on the
JBTV ''JBTV'' (a.k.a. ''JBTV Music Television'') is a Chicago-area broadcast, weekly 60-minute music television show featuring live in-studio performances, music videos, and music-related interviews from emerging and established musicians. Based in C ...
Television Show in Chicago, IL.


Business ventures

In 2011, after introductions by then 1871 CEO Kevin Willer, Chamberlin began working with the burgeoning Chicago tech scene as an investor and advisor. Chamberlin's increased involvement with startups led him to an introduction to LiveOne Inc., a digital media company. Founders Tim and John Ganschow (of Chicago) were presenting their new social platform, CrowdSurfing, to an investment group that included Chamberlin. Chamberlin was impressed with the fledgling company and the CrowdSurfing technology and subsequently came on board to support the company both financially and as an advisor. In 2013 Chamberlin became Chief Executive Officer of LiveOne Inc. LiveOne Inc. has since partnered with Yahoo, YouTube, Live Nation, AEG, Vans, Phish, C3, Budweiser's Made In America Festival, Umphrey's McGee, among others. Chamberlin at the Web Summit in 2014 In November 2014 Chamberlin attended
Web Summit Web Summit is an annual technology convention (meeting), conference held in Lisbon, Portugal. Founded in 2009 by Paddy Cosgrave, Web Summit was held in Dublin, Ireland until 2016, when it moved to Lisbon. The conference's topics center on intern ...
, Ireland's top tech conference. While there, he spoke of his time with the Smashing Pumpkins as well as on the future of digital music at the Web Summit Centre Stage with
Adrian Grenier Adrian Sean Grenier (born July 10, 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Vincent Chase in the television series '' Entourage'' (2004–2011). He has appeared in films such as '' Drive Me Crazy'' (1999), '' The Devil ...
, Chris Kaskie, and Brian Morrissey. He pointed to digital as the medium for artists to truly express themselves and create art that connects with their fans: "Artists are looking for a destination ... nddigital gives them the opportunity to realize some of those destinations and package them in a way that allows them to be creative".


Frank Catalano

Chamberlin joined Chicago jazz saxophonist Frank Catalano in 2013 for a number of live performances in the Chicago area. Since then they have continued to play live shows and have released a series of albums together. On July 29, 2014, Love Supreme Collective - EP featuring Jimmy Chamberlin, Percy Jones, Chris Poland, and Adam Benjamin was released and quickly became the #1 selling jazz album on iTunes USA. The follow-up album, released April 7, 2015 called "God's Gonna Cut You Down" debuted at No. 2 on the iTunes Jazz sales chart and was the #1 charting Instrumental album upon its release in April 2015. It reached number 4 on the Billboard Jazz charts. On May 27, 2016, a 3rd collaboration between Catalano and Chamberlin was released called "Bye Bye Blackbird". This record features David Sanborn.


Revival of The Smashing Pumpkins

Billy Corgan announced at an April 2004 solo performance that he and Chamberlin intended to work together again in the future. After appearing on ''Life Begins Again'', Corgan announced plans to "renew and revive" the Pumpkins through a full-page advertisement in his hometown's newspaper, the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'', on June 21, 2005. Chamberlin contacted Corgan to accept, and on February 2, 2006,
MTV.com MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
reported that he and Corgan had signed a new management deal with the Front Line Management, with a spokesperson confirming they had signed under the name "Smashing Pumpkins". Chamberlin and Corgan, without the other original members, decided to record an album alone. They played their first show in Paris on May 22, 2007, with three new band members. On July 10, the new album, ''
Zeitgeist In 18th- and 19th-century German philosophy, a ''Zeitgeist'' (; ; capitalized in German) is an invisible agent, force, or daemon dominating the characteristics of a given epoch in world history. The term is usually associated with Georg W. F ...
'', was released. Over the next year and a half, the band released more recordings and toured extensively. On March 20, 2009 the Pumpkins' website announced that Chamberlin was leaving the band. Chamberlin released a blog stating that he left as he felt that the band would not further his commitment to music. Chamberlin again joined the band as a touring member for the 2015 End Times Tour. Chamberlin remained in the touring line-up for the subsequent "In Plainsong" Tour in 2016 Chamberlin and former guitarist
James Iha (born March 26, 1968) is an American rock musician. He is best known as a guitarist and co-founder of the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. He was a member until the band's initial breakup in 2000 and rejoined in 2018. Iha has als ...
rejoined on a permanent basis in February 2018, and the band embarked on their reunion tour, the Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour and released an album at the end of 2018, '' Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.''. Chamberlin further contributed to the albums '' Cyr'' (2020), '' Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts'' (2023), and ''
Aghori Mhori Mei ''Aghori Mhori Mei'' is the thirteenth studio album by American rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. The album was released digitally on August 2, 2024, through Martha's Music and Thirty Tigers. Physical versions of the album were released on November ...
'' (2024).


Musical style and influences

Chamberlin comes from a jazz background, and he notes jazz musicians
Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing bi ...
,
Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...
,
Gene Krupa Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973) was an American jazz drummer, bandleader, and composer. Krupa is widely regarded as one of the most influential drummers in the history of popular music. His drum solo on Benny Goodman ...
,
Buddy Rich Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, ...
, and
Billy Cobham William Emanuel Cobham Jr. (born May 16, 1944) is a Panamanian–American jazz drummer who came to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s with trumpeter Miles Davis and then with the Mahavishnu Orchestra. He was inducted into the '' Mode ...
as influences. He has also been compared to jazz drummer
Dennis Chambers Dennis Milton Chambers (born May 9, 1959) is an American jazz fusion and funk drummer. He was inducted into the ''Modern Drummer'' Hall of Fame in 2001. Early life Chambers was born on May 9, 1959, in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. He began drumming ...
for his "quick hands, furious snare rolls, and crackling rimshots." In general, he is one of the few hard rock drummers to combine a driving backbeat with jazz-like flourishes. When asked about his influences in 2007, he responded:
Aside from the obvious –
Keith Moon Keith John Moon (23 August 1946 – 7 September 1978) was an English musician who was the drummer for the rock band the Who. Regarded as one of the greatest drummers in the history of rock music, he was noted for his unique style of playing and ...
,
John Bonham John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980) was an English musician who was the drummer of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Noted for his speed, power, fast single-footed kick drumming, distinctive sound, and feel for groove, John Bonh ...
,
Ian Paice Ian Anderson Paice (born 29 June 1948) is an English musician who is the drummer and last remaining original member of the rock band Deep Purple. He remains the only member of Deep Purple who has served in every line-up since the band's incep ...
– I would have to say Tony Williams,
Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such albums as ''My Fa ...
, any of the jazz greats –
Gene Krupa Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973) was an American jazz drummer, bandleader, and composer. Krupa is widely regarded as one of the most influential drummers in the history of popular music. His drum solo on Benny Goodman ...
, those people. I think, more and more, as I get older, I've developed my own rock style and I tend to pull more stuff from Elvin Jones and Tony now that I can incorporate it into a rock arena and kind of modernize it.
Other drummers that influenced Chamberlin around the recording of ''
Zeitgeist In 18th- and 19th-century German philosophy, a ''Zeitgeist'' (; ; capitalized in German) is an invisible agent, force, or daemon dominating the characteristics of a given epoch in world history. The term is usually associated with Georg W. F ...
'' included
Bobby Caldwell Robert Hunter Caldwell (August 15, 1951 – March 14, 2023) was an American singer and songwriter. He released several albums spanning R&B, soul, jazz, and adult contemporary. He is known for his soulful and versatile vocals. Caldwell release ...
of
Captain Beyond Captain Beyond is an American rock supergroup formed in Los Angeles in 1971.
at
,
Lalo Schifrin Boris Claudio "Lalo" Schifrin (born June 21, 1932) is an Argentine-American pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor. He is best known for his large body of film and TV scores since the 1950s, incorporating jazz and Music of Latin America, Lati ...
's ''
Dirty Harry ''Dirty Harry'' is a 1971 American action-thriller film produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry (film series), ''Dirty Harry'' series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first appearance as San Francisco Polic ...
'' soundtrack,
Weather Report Weather Report was an American jazz fusion band active from 1970 to 1986. The band was founded in 1970 by Austrian keyboardist Joe Zawinul, American saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš, American drummer Alphonse Mouzon a ...
, and
Return to Forever Return to Forever was an American jazz fusion band that was founded by pianist Chick Corea in 1972. The band has had many members, with the only consistent bandmate of Corea's being bassist Stanley Clarke. Along with Weather Report, The Headhun ...
's
Lenny White Leonard White III (born December 19, 1949) is an American jazz fusion drummer who was a member of the band Return to Forever led by Chick Corea in the 1970s. White has been called "one of the founding fathers of jazz fusion". White has won thre ...
.Micallef, Ken. "The Evolution of Jimmy Chamberlin: Still Smashing!". ''Modern Drummer'', November 2007. Through 2007, Chamberlin preferred not to use
Pro Tools Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed and released by Avid Technology (formerly Digidesign) for Microsoft Windows and macOS. It is used for music creation and production, sound for picture (sound design, audio post-productio ...
or
click track A click track is a series of audio cues used to synchronize sound recordings, sometimes for synchronization to a Film, moving image. The click track originated in early sound movies, where optical marks were made on the film to indicate precise ...
s, though has embraced both in more recent years. He uses the slide technique for double strokes on the bass drum. Bandmate
Billy Corgan William Patrick Corgan Jr. (born March 17, 1967) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, primary songwriter, singer, and only constant member of alter ...
has said of Chamberlin, "he's up there with Bonham, you know, that level of drummer, who has been able to play a variety of music and have his style impact the way people play drums. That's the hallmark of a great drummer. And, right now, I think, pound for pound, he's the best drummer in the world."


Equipment

On the Smashing Pumpkins album Zeitgeist and subsequent tour, Chamberlin used a
Yamaha Yamaha may refer to: People * Torakusu Yamaha, a Japanese businessman and founder of the Yamaha Corporation Companies * Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese musical instrument and audio equipment manufacturer ** Yamaha Music Foundation, an organi ...
Maple Custom Absolute kit with 60° bearing edges, rather than the standard 45°. His kit consisted of two snares (5x12 and the main snare, his 5.5x14 "Signature" model – Yamaha SD-2455JC), six
tom Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name. Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tom'' (1973 film), or ''The Bad Bunch'', a blaxploitation film * ''Tom'' (2002 film) ...
s (12x14, 8x10, 9x13, and an 8x8 above his floor toms which are 16x16 and 16x18), a 16x22
bass drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter usually greater than its depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. The head ...
. Around 2000, as seen in "The Everlasting Gaze" video from "Machines of God" album, he switched from Sabian to Zildjian cymbals. His setup included four
crash cymbal A crash cymbal is a type of cymbal that produces a loud, sharp "crash" and is used mainly for occasional accents, as opposed to a ride cymbal. It can be mounted on a stand and played with a drum stick, or by hand in clash cymbals, pairs. One ...
s (a 15" thin and three Zildjian A customs – 15", 18", and 19"), an 8"
splash cymbal In a drum kit, splash cymbals are the smallest accent cymbals, often a smaller derivative of the more common crash cymbals. Splash cymbals and china cymbals are the main types of effects cymbals. The most common sized splash has a diameter of 10" ...
, 15" New Beat
hi-hats A hi-hat (hihat, high-hat, etc.) is a combination of two cymbals and a pedal, all mounted on a metal stand. It is a part of the standard drum kit used by drummers in many styles of music including rock, pop, jazz, and blues. Hi-hats consist o ...
, a 20" China High, a 22" K Constantinople medium
ride Ride may refer to: People * MC Ride, a member of Death Grips * Sally Ride (1951–2012), American astronaut * William Ride (19262011), Australian zoologist Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Ride'' (1998 film), a comedy film by Millicen ...
, and a 22" riveted
swish knocker The swish cymbal and the pang cymbal are exotic ride cymbals originally developed and named as part of the collaboration between Gene Krupa and the Avedis Zildjian Company. The current Zildjian Swish Knocker is a redesign of their original swish, ...
. He occasionally used a triangle on his kit, mounted above the hi hats. Chamberlin's
drumhead A drumhead or drum skin is a membrane stretched over one or both of the open ends of a drum. The drumhead is struck with sticks, mallets, or hands, so that it vibrates and the sound resonates through the drum. Additionally outside of percus ...
s are
Remo Remo Inc. is an American musical instruments manufacturing company based in Valencia, California, and founded by Remo Belli in 1957. Products manufactured include drum kits, drumheads, drums, and drum hardware, hardware, and various percussio ...
coated Ambassador on snare-side, clear Emperors on tom batters with clear Ambassadors underneath, with a Powerstoke 3 on the bass drum batter and
Vic Firth Everett Joseph "Vic" Firth (June 2, 1930 – July 26, 2015) was an American musician and the founder of Vic Firth Company (formerly Vic Firth, Inc.), a company that makes percussion sticks and mallets. He was also known for his association ...
5B sticks. His signature snare drum is popular with other drummers –
Chad Smith Chad Smith (born October 25, 1961) is an American musician who is the drummer of the rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Smith has played with the Chili Peppers since 1988, appearing on ten of the band's studio albums and becoming the band's lo ...
has been known to use it as a second snare drum. On April 6, 2011, Chamberlin announced that he had switched from long-term drum manufacturer Yamaha to
Drum Workshop Drum Workshop, Inc. (also known as DW Drums or DW) is a drum kit and hardware manufacturing company based in Oxnard, California. Current products by DW include drum sets, snare drums, and hardware. History Drum Workshop was founded in 1972 ...
. He has ordered a custom "prototype" Copper Lacquer Specialty with Chrome Hardware. The Shells are a ply combination of VLT Maple and Mahogany with no reinforcement hoops. The kick drum hoops are Solid Black Lacquer. The sizes are 5x8, 7x10, 8x13, 10x14 rack toms; 14x14, 16x16 floor toms; 16x22 kick and with a matching 5.5x14 snare; and a stainless steel 6.5x14 snare. In 2015, Chamberlin began endorsing Sakae drums. His set up consisted of a 22x16" bass drum, 13x9" rack tom, 8x7" rack tom, 10x8" rack tom, 14x14" floor tom and a 16x16 floor tom. His snare was a Sakae maple 14x6. In 2017 Chamberlin switched from Zildjian cymbals to Istanbul Agop cymbals. In 2018, Chamberlin returned to Yamaha Drums. As stated by himself in a Modern Drummer interview about his 2022 tour drumkit, Jimmy currently uses Vic Firth Modern Jazz MJC4 Drumsticks.


Discography

The Smashing Pumpkins *1991: ''
Gish ''Gish'' is the debut studio album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on May 28, 1991, by Caroline Records. The album was produced by Butch Vig and frontman Billy Corgan, with the latter describing ''Gish'' as ...
'' *1993: ''
Siamese Dream ''Siamese Dream'' is the second studio album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 19, 1993, by Virgin Records. The album was produced by Butch Vig and frontman Billy Corgan. Despite its recording sessions ...
'' *1995: ''
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness ''Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness'' is the third studio album and first double album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on October 23, 1995, in the United Kingdom and on October 24 in the United States ...
'' *2000: ''
Machina/The Machines of God ''Machina/The Machines of God'' is the fifth studio album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on February 29, 2000, by Virgin Records. A concept album,Interview with Billy Corgan, May 24, 2000, KROQ-FM it marked ...
'' *2000: ''
Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music ''Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music'' is the sixth studio album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was released for free on the Internet on September 5, 2000. Plans for a standard physical release, bund ...
'' *2007: ''
Zeitgeist In 18th- and 19th-century German philosophy, a ''Zeitgeist'' (; ; capitalized in German) is an invisible agent, force, or daemon dominating the characteristics of a given epoch in world history. The term is usually associated with Georg W. F ...
'' *2018: '' Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.'' *2020: '' Cyr'' *2022–2023: '' Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts'' *2024: ''
Aghori Mhori Mei ''Aghori Mhori Mei'' is the thirteenth studio album by American rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. The album was released digitally on August 2, 2024, through Martha's Music and Thirty Tigers. Physical versions of the album were released on November ...
'' (2024) With Frank Catalano *2014: '' Love Supreme Collective - EP'' *2015: ''
God's Gonna Cut You Down "God's Gonna Cut You Down" (also known as "God Almighty's Gonna Cut You Down", "God's Gonna Cut 'Em Down", "Run On" and "Sermon") is a traditional American folk song. The track has been recorded in a variety of genres, including country, folk, al ...
'' *2016: ''
Bye Bye Blackbird "Bye Bye Blackbird" is a song published in 1926 by Jerome H. Remick and written by composer Ray Henderson and lyricist Mort Dixon. It is considered a popular standard and was first recorded by Sam Lanin's Dance Orchestra in March 1926. Song i ...
'' (with
David Sanborn David William Sanborn (July 30, 1945 – May 12, 2024) was an American alto saxophonist. He worked in many musical genres; his solo recordings typically blended jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He began playing the saxophone at the age o ...
) Side projects *1998: ''The Last Hard Men'' ( The Last Hard Men) (limited release 1998, reissue 2001) *2003: '' Mary Star of the Sea'' (
Zwan Zwan was an American alternative rock supergroup formed in 2001 by lead guitarist/vocalist Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin (both of the Smashing Pumpkins). Other members included bassist Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle), plus guitari ...
) *2005: '' Life Begins Again'' (Jimmy Chamberlin Complex) *2011: '' Great Civilizations'' (
Skysaw Skysaw was an American alternative rock band featuring The Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin along with multi-instrumentalist/vocalist/songwriter Mike Reina and guitarist Anthony Pirog. History Formed in 2009, alternative rock band Skys ...
) *2011: ''Prana'' & ''Pinda'' (Shaman Durek) *2017: '' The Parable'' (Jimmy Chamberlin Complex) *2020: ''Honor'' (Jimmy Chamberlin Complex) Guest appearances *1994: ''She Knows Everything (remix)'' (
Medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...
) *1997: '' Starjob'' (
The Frogs ''The Frogs'' (; , often abbreviated ''Ran.'' or ''Ra.'') is a comedy written by the Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. It was performed at the Lenaia, one of the Festivals of Dionysus in Athens, in 405 BC and received first place. The pla ...
) *1997: ''Boom! Boom! Boom!'' ( The Kelley Deal 6000) *2005: ''
TheFutureEmbrace ''TheFutureEmbrace'' is the debut solo album by American musician Billy Corgan, frontman of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. Released in June 2005, the album's sound was markedly different from most of Corgan's earlier work, esche ...
'' (
Billy Corgan William Patrick Corgan Jr. (born March 17, 1967) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, primary songwriter, singer, and only constant member of alter ...
) (appears on "DIA") *2006: ''Gone'' ( Bill Madden) *2006: ''Help Yourself'' Charlie Paxson (appears on "C.Y.T") *2010: ''Not From Here'' (Gannin Arnold) (appears on "Not From Here" and "Get On with It") *2010: ''Metro: The Official Bootleg Series, Volume 1'' (appears on "
Freedom Freedom is the power or right to speak, act, and change as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving oneself one's own laws". In one definition, something is "free" i ...
") *2014: "Tomorrow In Progress" (
Tyson Meade Tyson Todd Meade (born September 15, 1962) is an American singer and songwriter best known as the leader and creative force behind alternative rock groups Defenestration and Chainsaw Kittens. Background Meade was born in Bartlesville, Oklahom ...
)


References


External links

*
Jimmy's Love Letters
nbsp;– blogs by Chamberlin about the reformation of The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chamberlin, Jimmy 1964 births Living people Musicians from Joliet, Illinois The Smashing Pumpkins members Zwan members American jazz drummers Jazz fusion drummers American alternative rock drummers Grammy Award winners 20th-century American drummers American male drummers Jazz musicians from Illinois American male jazz musicians The Last Hard Men (band) members Starchildren members Drummers from Illinois