Jarrod Alexander
Jarrod Fletcher Alexander (born August 13, 1981) is an American musician who has played with many hardcore punk bands. Alexander has been the drummer for the bands The Suicide File, A Static Lullaby, Dead Country, and more recently, My Chemical Romance, Alkaline Trio, Matt Skiba, Meg Myers, and Necessary Noise.
Jarrod Alexander | |
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Birth name | Jarrod Fletcher Alexander |
Also known as | The Thickness |
Born | Long Beach, California, U.S. | August 13, 1981
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments |
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Years active | 1996–present |
Labels | Reprise |
Associated acts |
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Website | jarrodfletcheralexander |
Early life
Alexander started playing the drums in his early teens. Alexander went to the prestigious Berklee College of Music and graduated in 2003.
Bands
Alexander has played the drums for several bands throughout his career. He was the original drummer for Death By Stereo, who appeared on the band's first album If Looks Could Kill, I'd Watch You Die. He left the band in 2000, but rejoined it in 2006 to record a new album.[1]
He performed drums on the American Nightmare album Background Music. He toured Europe drumming for the Vandals in 2001, before touring with Jamison Parker in 2004. Alexander played the drums on Hunter Revenge's 2007 tour as well as performing with Only Crime in 2007.
In September 2011, Alexander filled in as the drummer for My Chemical Romance on their "Honda Civic tour", after touring drummer Michael Pedicone was fired after being caught stealing from the band.[2] Alexander has continued to play with My Chemical Romance into 2012, including their appearances on the Australian Big Day Out tour dates and their final show at Bamboozle Festival. After their last concert, he stayed with the band and also recorded Fake Your Death until the band broke up in 2013. He's also contributed to My Chemical Romance members Gerard Way, Ray Toro, and Frank Iero's respective solo projects, after the break-up of the band.
In 2014, Alexander became a permanent member for the backing band for Gerard Way. He performed drums and is credited on Way's solo release, Hesitant Alien. From October 2014 until October 2015,[3] Alexander played on a global tour supporting the record. He also played other dates with Way such as the Australian Soundwave music festivals,[4] as well as the Boston Calling Music Festival in May 2015.
In October 2019, My Chemical Romance announced a reunion show, with Alexander returning on drums. He was slated to tour with the band in 2020, however, the shows were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recently, Alexander has also done drum work and toured for indie-pop act Meg Myers, and is currently working on new music with pop-punk act Necessary Noise.
Equipment
Alexander endorses Craviotto drums, Remo drumheads, Istanbul Agop cymbals, and Vic Firth drumsticks. He also uses Ludwig pedals and hardware. As of April 2020,[5][6] Jarrod has been endorsed by Gretsch Drums, and has become an official Gretsch artist.
Drums: Craviotto:
Alexander usually favors a standard setup consisting of a bass drum, snare drum, rack tom and one or two floor toms.
Drumheads: Remo:
- Snare: Controlled Sound Coated
- Toms: Coated Emperors/Controlled Sound Clear Black Dot
- Kick: Varies, usually Powerstroke P3 Clear
Cymbals: Istanbul Agop:
- 16" Agop Signature hi-hats
- 20" Xist crash
- 24" 30th Anniversary ride
- 22" Xist crash
- 20" Sultan Crash
Drumsticks: Vic Firth:
- Vic Firth Rock Wood tip drumsticks
Pedals/hardware: Ludwig:
- Uses pedals and hardware from Ludwig's Axis series.
Discography
- with D-Cons
- "Fed Up" Demo Tape - 1996 (self released)
- "Can't Pull My Strings" 7" ep - 1997 (Slow Gun Records)
- "The Operation Room ep" cdep - 1998 (Slow Gun Records) limited release
- with Death By Stereo
- Demo Cassette (1998, Dental Records)
- Fooled By Your Smile 7" (1998, Dental Records)
- If Looks Could Kill, I'd Watch You Die (1999, Indecision Records)
- Death Is My Only Friend (2009, Serjical Strike)
- with Adamantium
- When It Rains, It Pours (Indecision ReMcords)
- Bane/Adamantium split 7" with Bane (2001, Indecision Records)
- with The Suicide File
- "The Suicide File" demo tape - 2001
- "The Suicide File" 7" - 2001 (Indecision Records)
- The Suicide File (2002)
- "The Suicide File/The Hope Conspiracy" split 7" - 2002 (Deathwish Inc.)
- "The Suicide File/R'N'R" split 7" - 2002 (This Blessing, This Curse)
- "Things Fall Apart" 7" - 2003 (Indecision Records)
- "Live On WERS" 7" - 2004 (Lifeline Records)
- Things Fall Apart (2003)
- Twilight (2003)
- Some Mistakes You Never Stop Paying For (2005)
- with The Hope Conspiracy
- "The Suicide File/The Hope Conspiracy" split 7" - 2002 (Deathwish Inc.)
- Endnote (2002, Equal Vision Records)
- with American Nightmare
- with Throwdown
- Haymaker (2003, Trustkill Records)
- Deathless (2009, eOne Music)
- Intolerance (2014, eOne Music)
- with Bars
- Introducing... (2004, Equal Vision Records)
- with A Static Lullaby
- A Static Lullaby (2006, Fearless Records)
- with When Tigers Fight
- Ghost Story (2006, Indecision Records)
- with Rogue Sounds
- Jupiter And Beyond The Infinite (2012)
- with Downburst
- Abandon Balance (2012) - Drum Tech
- with Frank Iero
- This Song Is a Curse (2012, Walt Disney)
- Stomachaches (album) (2014, Staple Records / Hassle Records)
- with My Chemical Romance
- "Fake Your Death" (2014, Warner Bros Records)
- with Gerard Way
- Hesitant Alien (2014, Warner Bros Records)
with Matt Skiba & The Sekrets
- Babylon (2012, Superball Music)
- Kuts (2015, Superball Music)
References
- "Death By Stereo regroups with Jarrod Alexander, Jim Miner". Anonymous. Punknews.org. August 30, 2006. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
- Zaleski, Annie (September 3, 2011). "My Chemical Romance replacement drummer identity revealed". Alternative Press. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
- https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/gerard-way
- https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/gerard-way-brings-his-new-solo-sound-soundwave/2558669/
- https://www.musicinstrumentnews.co.uk/2020/04/02/gretsch-announce-jarrod-alexander-brad-webb-and-stephen-bidwell-as-endorsers/
- http://mikedolbear.com/news/jarrod-alexander-chemical-romance-others-become-gretsch-drums-endorsers/
* The Sharpest Lives - MCR Announces New Touring Drummer September 4, 2011