Chris Pennie

[LordQuas]

Does anybody of you know Chris Pennie from The Dillinger Escape Plan and what's your opinion about his drumming?

[Ash]

I have heard some dillinger and the drumming is pretty outstanding,if a little hard to follow and understand!!! Maybe thats just me though!

[spacebeat3117]

That guy and that band are out of this world. Their first cd is incredible.

[darkcherryfade]

Incredible band, mind blowing drummer. He's in my top ten.

[XNIRVANAX]

Hes pretty fast good drummer

[DogBreath]

LordQuas, Bernhard must agree with you because Chris Pennie is already on the DrummerWorld Wishlist.

[TubbyDrummer18]

I recently went to a concert that included Dillinger Escape Plan, and they blew me away. Chris Pennie is a psycotic drummer with blazing speed.

[LordQuas]

I think Chris Pennie is fu****g insane, the whole band is insane. The Albums "Miss Machine" and "Irony is a dead scene" with Mike Patton from Faith no more blew me away.
The drumming is incredible and the whole composition is mad. It's just crazy and perfect.
This year, they had a concert in germany, in Wiesbaden in the famous "Schlachthof", but I couldn't get there, it was a pitty for me....
@ DogBreath: Very well, he must on this page. He's so good and outstanding.

[Ashton Drum's]

Found This if anyone wants to have a read

THERE IS NO ESCAPE! THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN

The Dillinger Escape Plan is a band to be reckoned with. They've got chops and their live show is as energetic and chaotic as they come. A furious blend of metal, jazz, and alternative styling define DEP. Their latest release is entitled Miss Machine and is available on Relapse Records. FPE Agent F had a chance to speak to drummer Chris Pennie in Los Angeles prior to the band's sold out stint at the El Ray Theater. Please Read ON!

FPE: Did you record Miss Machine using a click?

Chris Pennie: "Some songs and parts of songs were played to a click so we could add loops and orchestrations later on in the recording."

FPE: Who are you drumming influences?

CP: "Growing up I was influenced by drummers like Lars Ulrich and Stewart Copeland. Although they still are big influences I now tend to be influenced by musicians and producers not just drummers.

FPE: What drum heads are you using?

CP: "Evans Power Centers on my snare, G2's on tops and G1's on the bottoms of my toms, and the EMAD on my kick drum.

http://www.f-p-e.com/interviews/images/35/2.jpgFPE: We see that you received a producers credit on Miss Machine. Is it difficult to produce your own recordings?

CP: "It can be tricky producing your own material. You have to know when it's a good time to say you're finished, THAT'S IT,OVER."

FPE: Which songs on Miss Machine were the most challenging for you to record?

CP: "They were all challenging for different reasons. Recording each song required different levels of groove, technique, and stamina.

FPE: Songs such as "Sunshine the Werewolf" cover a wide range of tempos and styles. Is it difficult for you to remember all the unique sections to your songs when performing live?

CP: "No. I'd say live it's more a matter of stamina then memorization."


http://www.f-p-e.com/interviews/images/35/3.jpgFPE: Do you have a warm up routine prior to your shows?

CP: "Playing rudiments on the Real Feel all day and taking advantage of sound checks help me stay warm up and until the show.

FPE: DEP shows are really high energy. How do you keep up the momentum?

CP: "Again proper warm up and drinking lots of water prior to the show enable me to play the set without feeling tired.

FPE: Do you use two bass drums or a double-kick pedal?

CP: "Double Pedal."

FPE: What is DEP have in store for 2005?

CP: "Early 05 we're hitting Canada, Japan, Australia France, and Scandinavia.

FPE: What advice do you have for young drummers out there?

CP: "Do not be afraid to listen to and incorporate different genres of music into your playing. Become a good musician not just a good drummer.

Drums:

Mapex Orion series drums

Cymbals:

Sabian Cymbals

Sticks:

Vater Drumsticks

Heads:

Evans Drumheads

[finnhiggins]

I think Chris Pennie is fu****g insane, the whole band is insane. The Albums "Miss Machine" and "Irony is a dead scene" with Mike Patton from Faith no more blew me away.

I don't really like Miss Machine, their new singer bothers me. It sounds like they liked Mike Patton so much that they went searching for a soulless second-rate Patton clone. It's really weird how many obvious Patton-isms he pulls out on almost every track.

But Irony is a Dead Scene is great, and also really really funny. That's probably the thing of theirs I like the most. Calculating Infinity is very good too. It's certainly a lot better than Miss Machine for my money.

[LordQuas]

I don't really like Miss Machine, their new singer bothers me. It sounds like they liked Mike Patton so much that they went searching for a soulless second-rate Patton clone. It's really weird how many obvious Patton-isms he pulls out on almost every track.

But Irony is a Dead Scene is great, and also really really funny. That's probably the thing of theirs I like the most. Calculating Infinity is very good too. It's certainly a lot better than Miss Machine for my money.


I like Greg Puciato's style. It's different from many other "singers". I don't think that he is a Patton-clone.

[finnhiggins]

I like Greg Puciato's style. It's different from many other "singers". I don't think that he is a Patton-clone.

You've got to admit though, he does borrow a *lot* of Patton's little stylistic quirks.

[LordQuas]

You've got to admit though, he does borrow a *lot* of Patton's little stylistic quirks.

*lol* This is true, but most shouters sound like this.

[finnhiggins]

*lol* This is true, but most shouters sound like this.

No, not the screaming - everything else! Things like the semi-rapping talking stuff like around 1:45 on the first track, that's a dead ringer for what Patton does all over the last Tomahawk album. Or indeed almost every other album he's been on ever. It's on "Baby's First Coffin" too, at around 1:00 or so.

Or the singing on "Highway Robbery" at around 0:50. I could go on, there's something like this on almost every single track, and his screaming style is quite Patton-y too rather than sounding like generic death metal vocals.

He's a really heavily derivative vocalist. I find it quite hard to listen to Miss Machine without constantly going... "but... that sounds just like Mike Patton... that sounds like Trent Reznor...." and so forth. He'd have been awesome in a covers band back in around 1994 or so, but it just sounds wierd on original material.

[Sticksman]

I believe he recorded the new album with a three piece set and a select amount of cymbals, which is pretty good considering that most metal drummers have an outrageous kit size yet only use four drums, you know what I mean?

He's a pretty good drummer, though his speed and how he blends different styles is probably how he'll be remembered best. Great chops too, plus his playing (most of it) fits DEP pretty good.

[finnhiggins]

I believe he recorded the new album with a three piece set and a select amount of cymbals, which is pretty good considering that most metal drummers have an outrageous kit size yet only use four drums, you know what I mean?

He's a pretty good drummer, though his speed and how he blends different styles is probably how he'll be remembered best. Great chops too, plus his playing (most of it) fits DEP pretty good.

He's also different from most metal drummers in that he really doesn't hit hard at all. I've seen video of him playing and he doesn't even hit as hard as a lot of fusion drummers out there.

[LordQuas]

I believe he recorded the new album with a three piece set and a select amount of cymbals, which is pretty good considering that most metal drummers have an outrageous kit size yet only use four drums, you know what I mean?

He's a pretty good drummer, though his speed and how he blends different styles is probably how he'll be remembered best. Great chops too, plus his playing (most of it) fits DEP pretty good.

This is right. He has got a very small kit.

[LordQuas]

I got some older Dillinger stuff and I must say, Chris Pennie is so damn great.

[darkcherryfade]

"Calculating Infinity" is my favorite album, and it's definitely Chris' best drumming album. Very fast, but more notably, alot more complex, with many more jazzy syncopations and what not. A very unique and creative take on an often cliche'd and uncreative style of drumming.

[burnthehero]

This guy is just incredible. Ever since I heard Calculating Infinity, he's been one of my favorite drummers. Some of the stuff he does is just mind-boggling. I just love listening to him and trying to pick apart what he's doing. What's funny is that I'm not really a fan of metal and hardcore, but I can listen to Dillinger Escape Plan all day because of him.


With that said, let's discuss the awesomeness that is Chris Pennie.

[3/4over5/4]

Finnhiggins i believe they added Greg Puciato before they recorded with Mike Patton, at least thats what their biography on relapse makes it sound like.

[finnhiggins]

Finnhiggins i believe they added Greg Puciato before they recorded with Mike Patton, at least thats what their biography on relapse makes it sound like.

OK, so modify my statement - they obviously wanted Mike Patton and didn't realise they could actually get him :) The guy still sounds way, way too Patton-esque too much of the time for comfort.

[mr.niceguy]

if you search youtube.com for chris, you will find three vidoes from a clinic he did a few weeks ago, one is a solo piece, one is him playing to a dillinger song, and the last is a short lesson on linear time, i had trouble posting the vids, so if someone knows how to, please do.

[Ashton Drum's]

Got Those vids Mr Niceguy was talking about

Chris Solo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG-LJVVQpDI&mode=related&search=

Panasonic Youth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRP3UqvIEIY&mode=related&search=

Linear Playing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R745PURqXqY&mode=related&search=

[meandhimcallitus]

Yea am not going to lie guys... Chris Pennie is beast. And still he is one of the most underrated players out theyre today. And his able to blend/play so many different styles of music into one big "unstoppable" monster called The Dillinger Escape Plan. hahaha

But on a serious note:

Do you guys have any more Chris Pennie videos from that Clinic or any for that matter cause ive seen those before but cant seem to find anymore?

And Bernhard, pls, am begging you.... get Chris Pennie to do Q+A on drummerworld.com it would make my life.

[low-tech]

hearing calculating infinity you can tell his blastbeats are a bit weak, which is not really criticism, but indicates to me judging from his blasts as compared to everything else that his background in learning drums was not primarily metal or hardcore.

so i think most of his unique playing has to do with him looking from outside the box, in a sense. i bet he started liking fusion and jazz music then later joined dillinger when it was an ordinary hardcore band. then that band allowed him to really apply that other source of learning.

this is just a theory.

definately one of my favorite drummers

[Mr. Bananagrabber]

hearing calculating infinity you can tell his blastbeats are a bit weak, which is not really criticism, but indicates to me judging from his blasts as compared to everything else that his background in learning drums was not primarily metal or hardcore.

so i think most of his unique playing has to do with him looking from outside the box, in a sense. i bet he started liking fusion and jazz music then later joined dillinger when it was an ordinary hardcore band. then that band allowed him to really apply that other source of learning.

this is just a theory.

definately one of my favorite drummers

hmm, i don't agree with this. I don't think his blast beats are weak, I think he just has a better grasp of dynamics than most metal drummers.
Also, I have a feeling he co-founded DEP with Ben W (guitarist) but i could be wrong.

[low-tech]

hmm, i don't agree with this. I don't think his blast beats are weak, I think he just has a better grasp of dynamics than most metal drummers.
Also, I have a feeling he co-founded DEP with Ben W (guitarist) but i could be wrong.


check thier first album, no blasts. calculatung infinity, weak bomb blasts, mostly what hes doing is thrash, albiet really,really technical. the stuff after im sure he got alot better, im mostly refering to those first two albums<im most familiar with those>

i just had a feeling he was, for that duration, a little behind the learning curve of playing grind style music<late 90s to 2000>, but lightyears ahead with being technical, playing rediculously off time stuff, playing double kick etc. and i think that ability came from studying up on completely unrelated genres. when calculating infinity was released, noone including the locust were doing anything even remotely similiar. that was a milestone seminal album for its time<2000, i think>i can only think of meshugah,melt banana,orchid of having drummers so unorthodox at that time but nowhere near as fast and refined. the first time i heard that album i couldnt believe my ears and i think most people hadnt heard anything like it.


its just an observation, i could be wrong so im not really disagreeing at all, just clarifying my point

[Stu_Strib]

I've never heard them, but I just sampled them on iTunes, after reading all the discussions about the singer. I like this band a lot! It is very intense for sure.

Here is the first thought that popped into my head about the singer on Miss Machine:

"The hired Animal from the muppets to sing lead?"

[JIM_fear]

hmm, i don't agree with this. I don't think his blast beats are weak, I think he just has a better grasp of dynamics than most metal drummers.
Also, I have a feeling he co-founded DEP with Ben W (guitarist) but i could be wrong.

He was the co-founder of DEP as you said. But, i don't think it matters if he can do blast beats at all. His drumming sets him apart from other metal/hardcore/thrash/whatever drummers because he doesn't use traditional techniques. He incoporates styles from other genres, such as jazz and latin, that wouldn't expect to see in a metal band and he does it extremely well. That's why he's one of my favorite drummers. He doesn't pigeonhole himself into playing just one style of music because that's the genre he's in. That's what seperates a good drummer from a great drummer imo.

[finnhiggins]

I've never heard them, but I just sampled them on iTunes, after reading all the discussions about the singer. I like this band a lot! It is very intense for sure.


If you haven't got it already, get yourself "Pig Latin", that's one hell of a funny song. Also "Hollywood Squares" and "When good dogs do bad things".

The stuff off Calculating Infinity is cool, but nothing like as hilarious as the stuff with Patton on it..

[Mr. Bananagrabber]

here's a video of chris pennie jamming with TM Stevens at a clinic
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2252892466947659519&q=chris+pennie&hl=en

PS i also agree with what JIM_fear said

[meandhimcallitus]

Nice find! ive never seen that one


that was some serious jamming

[Drum-Head]

If you haven't got it already, get yourself "Pig Latin", that's one hell of a funny song. Also "Hollywood Squares" and "When good dogs do bad things".

"Pig Latin" is my favorite tune, along with "When good dogs do bad things."


In my opinion, Mike Patton is nothing more than a genius vocalist; I can't get enough of him and it would be a dream come true if he joined permanantly DEP.

Although I've been listening to the genre for some time now, I've definately got into these "wierdo" styles of metal (DEP, SiKth, Psykup...) lately - I just love the "WTF!? effect" and the creativity involved. The drummers in these bands are real sources of inspiration, in DEP's case, Chris Pennie's versatlilty, that way he shifts from chaos to groovery, is brilliant.

On a side note, the main riff ("Your mother *Jinga!* your father *Jinga!*...) of "Pig Latin" is the ringtone on my cellphone. Everytime I get a call people turn around giving me a wierd look!


Regards,
Christopher.

[Neurotica]

Chris Pennie is one of my favorite drummers. He makes great job. Mixing jazz with metal. Its awesome. Difficult chaotic music, polyrythmic. Just insane. What can be better? =)

[JIM_fear]

Supposedly Pennie is now drumming for Coheed and Cambria as well. Not a big fan of Coheed but I think I might start listening just to hear what he brings to the band.

[xizoesira]

here's a video of chris pennie jamming with TM Stevens at a clinic
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2252892466947659519&q=chris+pennie&hl=en

PS i also agree with what JIM_fear said

I thought some of his fills and rolls were a little on the tastless side, but otherwise, sweet video. The man can groove.

[Shinx]

Supposedly Pennie is now drumming for Coheed and Cambria as well. Not a big fan of Coheed but I think I might start listening just to hear what he brings to the band.(Even though this is a few months old) I was actually thinking the same thing. Amazing drummer, my current favorite along with Tomas Haake

[Iain]

Does anybody know if Chris is working on anything except the new Dillinger album? I know he's recorded drum parts for other bands (All else Failed, Idiot Pilot) and I heard he's redording the drum parts for the new Coheed and Cambria album.

Anybody know what he's up to?

[Shinx]

I'm pretty sure Dillinger is working full force on their own material

A cool teaser for the album if you haven't seen it yet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzIrZsY6jak

And a Dillinger Escape Plan Fan Forum I started. I'm the only member :) For now

http://z6.invisionfree.com/TDEPForum/index.php?act=idx

[JIM_fear]

Sadly, Chris Pennie has officially left Dillinger, or at least they make it seem that way. Gil Sharone (http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Gil_Sharone.html) is taking over for at least the recording duties. You can read more about it here (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=13372776&blogID=276676860&MyToken=194de597-35ca-4e83-8f0a-d170e755c86e). I wonder if Pennie will still play the live shows?

I think Sharone is a terrific drummer, but I don't know if he can bring to Dillinger what Pennie did. I guess we'll see what happens when their album comes out this fall. I was really looking forward to hearing Chris Pennie on the new album though.

[TopCat]

Gil has monster chops, but I agree, I don't think he'll bring to table what Pennie did.

[Neurotica]

Pennie is one of the greatest metal/metalcore drummers. He brings jazz in metal. So crazy and chaotic. So fast and spontaneous. He's amazing.

[Southpaw]

I, too, am curious to see how Pennie fits into Coheed and Cambria. Being a big fan of Coheed's departed drummer, Josh Eppard, I'm having a hard time imagining the combination of Pennie's more frenetic style with Coheed's classic/prog music.

I'm trying to keep an open mind...

I'd also like to hear more from Eppard.

[papaholdy]

Dude, this is going to sound like total BS, but Chris was the drummer in a band I was in many moons ago (before both Coheed and TDEP). At the time I had taken a break from the drums to play front man for a spell. All I can say is, don't let the speed fool you. He is an amazing drummer. Even back then he displayed dynamics and talent like no other drummer. I have a good story about him on my blog, check it out!

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog&pop=1&ping=1

This is not a spam ambush I assure you!

[Mr. Bananagrabber]

Dude, this is going to sound like total BS, but Chris was the drummer in a band I was in many moons ago (before both Coheed and TDEP). At the time I had taken a break from the drums to play front man for a spell. All I can say is, don't let the speed fool you. He is an amazing drummer. Even back then he displayed dynamics and talent like no other drummer. I have a good story about him on my blog, check it out!

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog&pop=1&ping=1

This is not a spam ambush I assure you!

Dude that IS total BS, i know the band eighthnerve (i saw brett last night) and they have nothing to do with chris pennie, will has always been their drummer. They are great, i can't believe i just found a post about them! even if it was BS.

Anyway, i am so annoyed that chris has left DEP... for coheed? come on! i'm Gil will be sick but its just so disappointing.

[schist]

hearing calculating infinity you can tell his blastbeats are a bit weak, which is not really criticism, but indicates to me judging from his blasts as compared to everything else that his background in learning drums was not primarily metal or hardcore.

so i think most of his unique playing has to do with him looking from outside the box, in a sense. i bet he started liking fusion and jazz music then later joined dillinger when it was an ordinary hardcore band. then that band allowed him to really apply that other source of learning.

this is just a theory.

definately one of my favorite drummers

Define "weak" here, please?

[hateplow]

Chris Pennie is one of my favorite drummers. I love his use of single stroke rolls, they are so fast and clean. He is very creative, and makes his kit sound twice as big as his actual setup.

[DanBritt]

Hey Chris,

You came up in our discussion!

Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PykoV2IUIo

[NJX]

Hello. I just wanted to mention that the transcription of the Sugar Coated Sour intro on Chris Pennie's Drummerworld page is incorrect. The first bar is right, but the second bar is 6/4 not 5/4, there are two notes missing!

[Connorcor1]

Coheed And Cambria has been one of my favorite bands for some time. I generally dislike Chris Pennie, because he took the place of Josh Eppard, who i loved.

[Trip McNealy]

I actually missed Chris this past Friday. He frequents the same drum shop as I do. In fact, his hometown is about 15 minutes from my house.

Needless to say I was like "OHHH DARN!!" to one of the storekeepers when he told me he was in there 2 hours before me.

I like his style, certainly a powerhouse with dynamics.

[TopCat]

Coheed And Cambria has been one of my favorite bands for some time. I generally dislike Chris Pennie, because he took the place of Josh Eppard, who i loved.
But didn't Eppard leave the band as opposed to being kicked out?

[bberg]

hey trip, do you go to jersey drums? im from jersey also and go there sometimes. i wouldnt mind running into him.

[papaholdy]

Dude that IS total BS, i know the band eighthnerve (i saw brett last night) and they have nothing to do with chris pennie, will has always been their drummer. They are great, i can't believe i just found a post about them! even if it was BS.

Anyway, i am so annoyed that chris has left DEP... for coheed? come on! i'm Gil will be sick but its just so disappointing.

Sorry Dude, I posted the wrong link. And you are wrong. First here is my posting...
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=103715108&blogID=294050449

Second, go to...

www.myspace.com/dhpz

Everyone thinks they know everything, but all they really know is contempt prior to investigation.