Dave Lombardo
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David Lombardo (born February 16, 1965) is a Cuban-American drummer, best known as a co-founding member of American
thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
band Slayer. He is currently playing drums with Testament,
Fantômas Fantômas () is a fictional character created by French writers Marcel Allain (1885–1969) and Pierre Souvestre (1874–1914). One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction, Fantômas was created in 1911 and appear ...
,
Suicidal Tendencies Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice in Los Angeles, California by vocalist Mike Muir. Muir is the only remaining original member of the band. Along with D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, and Stor ...
,
Dead Cross Dead Cross is an American crossover thrash supergroup (music), supergroup formed in Southern California. The band consists of guitarist Michael Crain (Retox (band), Retox), bassist Justin Pearson (the Locust, Head Wound City and Retox), drummer ...
,
Mr. Bungle Mr. Bungle is an American experimental rock band formed in Eureka, California in 1985. Having gone through many incarnations throughout their career, the band is best known for music created during their most experimental era. During this time, ...
, and the
Misfits Misfits or The Misfits may refer to: Film and television * ''The Misfits'' (1961 film), a film starring Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, and Montgomery Clift * ''The Misfits'' (2011 film), a Mexican film * ''The Misfits'' (2021 film), an American ...
. Lombardo previously played drums on nine Slayer albums, including '' Reign in Blood'' (1986) and ''
Christ Illusion ''Christ Illusion'' is the tenth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on August 8, 2006 by American Recordings. It was the band's first album featuring all four original members in over sixteen years. Slayer's drummer, D ...
'' (2006). His music career has spanned over 40 years, during which he has been involved in the production of 35 commercial recordings covering a number of genres. He has performed with numerous other bands, including
Grip Inc. Grip Inc. was an American groove metal band and side project of drummer Dave Lombardo. The band was formed in 1993 and was signed to SPV GmbH, Steamhammer Records. History Following the birth of his first child in 1993, Lombardo formed Grip I ...
, Philm and
Fantômas Fantômas () is a fictional character created by French writers Marcel Allain (1885–1969) and Pierre Souvestre (1874–1914). One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction, Fantômas was created in 1911 and appear ...
, in addition to Slayer. Lombardo is widely known as an aggressive heavy metal drummer. His drumming has been praised as "astonishingly innovative".
Drummerworld Drummerworld is a Swiss drum website created by Bernhard Castiglioni in 1997. The site focuses on the biographies of prominent rock and jazz drummers and drum lessons, along with a discussion forum. Popularity and awards Half of ''Drumme ...
named him "The Godfather of
Double Bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox additions such as the octobass). Similar i ...
". He has had a significant influence on the metal scene and inspired modern metal drummers, particularly extreme metal drummers.


Biography


Early years

Lombardo was born in Havana, Cuba, on February 16, 1965, where his father owned three meat markets. He is of Italian descent through his paternal great-grandfather, who relocated to Cuba in the 19th century. Lombardo moved with his family to
South Gate, California South Gate is the 19th largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, with . South Gate is located southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. It is part of the Gateway Cities region of southeastern Los Angeles County. The city was inc ...
, when he was two years old, and still speaks Spanish. He has two older brothers and an older sister; his brothers had previously emigrated to the US via
Operation Peter Pan Operation Peter Pan (or Operación Pedro Pan) was a clandestine exodus of over 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban minors ages 6 to 18 to the United States over a two-year span from 1960 to 1962. They were sent after parents feared that Fidel Castro and ...
. His musical interests were fueled by his first musical performance when he was eight years old; he played bongos to
Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer Boats * Santana 20, an American sailboat design by W. D. Sch ...
's "Everybody's Everything". Lombardo joined his school's band and played the marching drum. After noticing his son's persistent interest in music, Lombardo's father bought him a five-piece Pearl Maxwin drum set for $350 when Lombardo was ten years old. Lombardo bought his first record, '' Alive!'' by
Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
, to play along with. He learned to play Kiss' "100,000 Years" by repeatedly listening to the record until he could play the drum solo perfectly. Lombardo asked his parents for drum lessons. Although they agreed, the lessons were short-lived. Lombardo grew bored because the lessons were repetitive and did not challenge him. Lombardo's friends introduced him to disco, which appealed to his affinity for funk,
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
and
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...
. He became a temporary DJ for a mobile disc jockey under the name A Touch of Class. Unimpressed with their son coming home at 4:00am, Lombardo's parents pressured him into quitting the DJ gig or face military school. Lombardo returned to playing rock music in 1978 and befriended several like-minded musicians around South Gate. Lombardo moved to Pius X High School after eighth grade. He performed
Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...
's " Johnny B. Goode" with a guitarist named Peter Fashing during the school's talent show. "I'll never forget the roar of the crowd during the drum solo. We brought the house down," said Lombardo, who became known as "David the Drummer" the following day. Lombardo soon formed a band named Escape with two guitarists. Lombardo found a vocalist to join the band after he transferred to South Gate High School in 1979. The band performed at several events under the name Sabotage, but the band was short-lived. Lombardo's parents convinced him to quit the band because he was withdrawing from everything except music. Knowing her son was set on pursuing a life on the stage, Lombardo's mother asked him to at least graduate high school. He honored her wish and graduated from South Gate High School in June 1983. Immediately following, Lombardo was recommended by his Technical Drafting teacher to Diesel Energy Systems Company. Impressed with his skill, Lombardo was hired on the spot. Around this time, Lombardo's musical career was ready to take off.


Musical career


Slayer

When he was 16, Lombardo's friends told him about a guitar player,
Kerry King Kerry Ray King (born June 3, 1964) is an American musician, best known for being the co-lead guitarist and songwriter of thrash metal band Slayer. He co-founded the band with Jeff Hanneman in 1981 and remained a member for nearly four decades. ...
, who lived a few blocks away. Lombardo dropped by
King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
's house to meet him. Lombardo introduced himself, mentioned he played drums and shared that he wanted to start a band. King jammed with Lombardo and later showed Lombardo his guitar collection. The two quickly realized they shared some of the same musical interests. After rehearsing in Lombardo's garage several times, King introduced the drummer to another guitarist named
Jeff Hanneman Jeffrey John Hanneman (January 31, 1964 – May 2, 2013) was an American musician, best known as a founding member and guitarist of the thrash metal band Slayer. Hanneman composed both music and lyrics for every Slayer album until his death in 20 ...
. The three rehearsed several times before they decided they needed a singer and bass player. King had previously played with
Tom Araya Tomás Enrique Araya Díaz (; born June 6, 1961) is a Chilean American musician, best known as the vocalist and bassist of American thrash metal band Slayer. Araya is ranked 58th by ''Hit Parader'' on their list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocali ...
in a band called Quits and decided to introduce Araya to Lombardo and Hanneman. With Slayer's line-up now complete, Lombardo stabbed out the now iconic logo and the band began to develop their groundbreaking sound. Slayer recorded their debut album ''
Show No Mercy ''Show No Mercy'' is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released in December 1983, by Metal Blade Records. Brian Slagel signed the band to the label after watching them perform the song "Phantom of the Opera" by Iron M ...
'' soon after. Lombardo enlisted producer
Rick Rubin Frederick Jay Rubin (; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is the co-founder (alongside Russell Simmons) of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. Rubin helped popula ...
for their third album '' Reign in Blood'' (1986). Lombardo left the band during their tour to promote ''Reign in Blood'', stating, "I wasn't making any money. I figured if we were gonna be doing this professionally, on a major label, I wanted my rent and utilities paid." Tony Scaglione of
Whiplash Whiplash may refer to: * The long flexible part of a whip * Whiplash (medicine), a neck injury ** Whiplash Injury Protection System (WHIPS), in automobiles Film and television * ''Whiplash'' (1948 film), a US film noir about a boxer * ''Whiplas ...
was enlisted to replace Lombardo. Unhappy with the change, Rick Rubin repeatedly called Lombardo asking his return. Lombardo initially refused before eventually returning to the band in 1987. Lombardo recorded drums on the Slayer albums ''
South of Heaven ''South of Heaven'' is the fourth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on July 5, 1988 by Def Jam Recordings. The album was the band's second collaboration with producer Rick Rubin, whose production skills on their previo ...
'' (1988) and ''
Seasons in the Abyss ''Seasons in the Abyss'' is the fifth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on October 9, 1990, through Def American Records. Recording sessions began in March 1990 at Hit City West and Hollywood Sound, and ended in June 1 ...
'' (1990). He left the band again in 1992. Lombardo left Slayer because he wanted to be present for his first child's birth. Lombardo told his bandmates at the beginning of the pregnancy, stating he would be unable to tour the last two weeks of September. He got a phone call from Slayer's manager, Rick Sales, stating that they were booking a festival in September. Lombardo, however, was firm in his decision and insisted he would not miss his child's birth. Ten years after leaving Slayer, Lombardo got a phone call from the band in 2001, asking if he would like to perform a few shows. Jeff was eager for Dave to return, but Kerry was less enthusiastic. King thought Dave was not up to snuff, but was "blown away" by Dave's performance in rehearsals. Kerry later said, "He's got the feet and he's got the hands, he's not missing a step." Lombardo decided to resume drumming duties. His first show was at
Toad's Place Toad's Place is a concert venue and nightclub located in New Haven, Connecticut. History The building, located on York Street down the street from Ashley's Ice Cream and across an alley from Mory's Temple Bar, was the original location of t ...
in
New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134 ...
on January 24, 2002. At the beginning of the band's show at The 7 Flags Event Center near
Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...
on February 2, 2002, Araya welcomed Lombardo's return and dedicated the show to
Exodus Exodus or the Exodus may refer to: Religion * Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible * The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan Historical events * Ex ...
vocalist
Paul Baloff Paul Baloff (April 25, 1960 – February 2, 2002) was an American singer, best known as the original lead vocalist of the thrash metal band Exodus. He was shortly fired from Exodus after the release of the band's 1985 debut album ''Bonded by B ...
, who had died earlier that day. Lombardo toured with Slayer as part of
Ozzfest Ozzfest is an annual music festival tour of the United States and sometimes Europe and later Japan, featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Sharon Osbourne and her husband Ozzy Osbourne, both ...
, H82k2, Summer Tour, and the 2004 Download Festival. While preparing for the Download Festival in England, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich was hospitalized for a mysterious illness. Metallica's vocalist James Hetfield searched for volunteers to replace Ulrich; Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison, Flemming Larsen (Ulrich's drum technician) and Lombardo volunteered. Lombardo performed the songs "
Battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
" and "
The Four Horsemen The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are figures in the Christian scriptures, first appearing in the Book of Revelation, a piece of apocalypse literature written by John of Patmos. Revelation 6 tells of a book or scroll in God's right hand th ...
", while Jordison and Larsen performed the rest of the songs. Lombardo recorded drums on Slayer's 2006 release ''
Christ Illusion ''Christ Illusion'' is the tenth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on August 8, 2006 by American Recordings. It was the band's first album featuring all four original members in over sixteen years. Slayer's drummer, D ...
'', promoting the album on The Unholy Alliance tour. King said Lombardo was a major attraction for the fans, and one of the reasons for their surge in popularity. King and other band members preferred Lombardo on drums. Araya said, "It's kind of right back where we started. He's an amazing performer. We took off right where we left off, you know? It's like he was never gone. He's working with
Kerry Kerry or Kerri may refer to: * Kerry (name), a given name and surname of Gaelic origin (including a list of people with the name) Places * Kerry, Queensland, Australia * County Kerry, Ireland ** Kerry Airport, an international airport in Count ...
on his tunes. He's helped out a lot actually!" ''Christ Illusion'' received generally favorable reviews with critics praising Lombardo's return. Chris Steffen of ''
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. It was first known for its ...
'' wrote, "''Christ Illusion'' is ''
God Hates Us All ''God Hates Us All'' is the ninth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on September 11, 2001 by American Recordings. It was recorded over three months at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, and includes the Grammy Award-nom ...
'' without the memorable riffs, at least their awesome drummer Dave Lombardo shows off some chops, particularly on the raging 'Supremist.'" Don Kaye of '' Blabbermouth'' gave the album a favorable review and praised Lombardo. Kaye wrote, "One thing's for sure: Lombardo's influence on this band is absolutely undeniable. He is simply essential to the Slayer sound. He is one of metal's all-around best drummers, perhaps the very best in the field of thrash/speed metal, and his power, style, and chops – not to mention his intangible chemistry with the rest of the group and those amazing flying feet – bring Slayer's overall performance, intensity and music to a higher level." Lombardo recorded another album with Slayer in 2009, titled ''
World Painted Blood ''World Painted Blood'' is the eleventh studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer. It was released through American Recordings and Sony Music on November 3, 2009 and was produced by Greg Fidelman and executively produced by Rick Rubin. ...
''. He left the band once again in February 2013 shortly before the band was due to play Australia's Soundwave festival. He left following a contract and pay dispute with band members. Slayer's final concert was held on November 30, 2019. Lombardo stated that he had no interest in attending their final performances because he was busy with his own musical projects. In 2022, he listed '' Captor of Sin,'' '' Ghosts of War,'' and '' Beauty Through Order'' as his favorite Slayer songs.


Grip Inc.

After the birth of his first child in 1993, Lombardo formed
Grip Inc. Grip Inc. was an American groove metal band and side project of drummer Dave Lombardo. The band was formed in 1993 and was signed to SPV GmbH, Steamhammer Records. History Following the birth of his first child in 1993, Lombardo formed Grip I ...
with
Voodoocult Voodoocult was an international thrash metal supergroup formed in 1993 by Phillip Boa, vocalist of the alternative band Phillip Boa & The Voodooclub. The project was especially notable for the reputation of the participating musicians, such as ...
guitarist Waldemar Sorychta. The pair recruited bassist Jason VieBrooks and vocalist Gus Chambers to complete the line-up. An early five-piece line-up briefly featured former Overkill guitarist
Bobby Gustafson Robert Wayne Gustafson (born July 15, 1965) is an American musician, best known as the former guitarist of the New Jersey-based thrash metal band Overkill from 1982 until his split with the band in 1990. He was also the rhythm guitarist for thr ...
who claims to have come up with the name Grip which Lombardo expanded to Grip Inc. after Gustafson's departure in order to avoid a potential lawsuit. Grip Inc.'s debut record was released in 1995. The album, titled Power of Inner Strength, was distributed via California-based label
Metal Blade Records Metal Blade Records is an American independent record label founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The US office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distr ...
. All-music reviewer Vincent Jeffries singled out Lombardo for praise on the album, saying Slayer fans would "enjoy the drummer's double bass work and overall aggression throughout the disc." Sorychta claimed critics and music fans always spot mistakes in their music, because of Lombardo's popularity with Slayer—they expect the band to sound like Slayer and complain. However, when Lombardo uses the double bass drum, Sorychta said people complain "now Grip Inc. sound exactly like Slayer." The band released '' Nemesis'' in 1997. Jeffries praised Lombardo's "crushing drum work" which takes center stage on the album. Bassist VieBrooks left the band in 1999; he was replaced by Stuart Carruthers. The band released '' Solidify'' later that year. The album was described as a step towards "progressive and exotic rhythms,
structures A structure is an arrangement and organization of interrelated elements in a material object or system, or the object or system so organized. Material structures include man-made objects such as buildings and machines and natural objects such as ...
, and instrumentation, while never compromising intensity". Lombardo was once again praised for his drumming on the album by Jeffries, who stated his style is "expressive and technically excellent tom work on cuts like 'Bug Juice' and 'Lockdown.'" Lombardo is proud of Grip Inc. and believes it made him more creative as a musician. Lombardo recorded his final album with Grip Inc., '' Incorporated'', in 2004. He said the band is on the "back burner" because of time taken up touring with Slayer.


Philm

In 1997, Lombardo began collaborating with vocalist/guitarist
Gerry Nestler Gerry Paul Nestler is an American vocalist/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter best known for his work with L.A. avantgarde progressive metal band Civil Defiance and experimental post-hardcore triumvirate Philm, featuring former Slayer drummer Dave ...
and bassist Juan Perez after the demise of their former band, Civil Defiance. Initially called Letter Bomb, the experimental trio later changed the name to Philm. The group played shows in the LA area and worked on material at Lombardo's home studio until Lombardo returned to Slayer in 2001. Nestler and Perez kept going with new drummer George Hernandez, releasing the ''M'' album under the name Kkleq Muzzil in 2002. Lombardo and Nestler both guested on
DJ Spooky Paul Dennis Miller (born September 6, 1970), known professionally as DJ Spooky, That Subliminal Kid, is an American electronic and experimental hip hop musician whose work is often called by critics "illbient" or "trip hop". He is a turntabli ...
's 2005 album, '' Drums of Death'', and eventually reformed Philm in early 2010 after a jam at the famous
Rainbow Bar and Grill The Rainbow Bar and Grill is a bar, restaurant and grocery store on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, United States, adjacent to the border of Beverly Hills, California. Its address is 9015 Sunset Boulevard. The bottom level of ...
in
West Hollywood, CA West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. It is considered one of the most ...
, recruiting
War War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
's Francisco 'Pancho' Tomaselli on bass. The band initially recorded a three-song demo with producer Piers Baron; The first release came in August 2010 in the form of a 7" single, a cover of the
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
classic '' Symptom of the Universe''. It was issued by
Volcom Entertainment Volcom Entertainment, officially founded in 1995, in Big Bear, California, and currently based in Costa Mesa, CA is the brainchild of Volcom founder Richard Woolcott and theLINE's singer/guitarist Ryan Immegart. Ryan being Volcom's first sponsor ...
as part of the Volcom Vinyl Club in translucent blue vinyl, limited to 500 copies. Philm would play a run of U.S. dates as openers for Halford in late 2010 and signed with
Mike Patton Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American singer, producer, film composer and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist of the alternative metal band Faith No More. Noted for his vocal proficiency, diverse singing techni ...
's
Ipecac Syrup of ipecac (), or simply ipecac, is a drug that was once widely used as an expectorant (in low doses) and a rapid-acting emetic (in higher doses). It is obtained from the dried rhizome and roots of the ipecacuanha plant ('' Carapichea ipec ...
label for the release of their 2012 debut album, 'Harmonic', which included updated versions of the songs "Amoniac", "Dome" and "Meditation", written by the original Philm line-up and first released by Kkleq Muzzil on the ''M'' album. In October 2013, Lombardo, Nestler and stand-in bass player Dan Lutz performed the world live premier of composer Christopher Young's Suite from ''
Ghost Rider Ghost Rider is the name of multiple antiheroes and superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider. The first s ...
'' with the
Golden State Pops Orchestra The Golden State Pops Orchestra (GSPO) is an American symphony pops orchestra located in the San Pedro district of Los Angeles, California in the United States of America. The GSPO is the resident orchestra of the Warner Grand Theatre, an Art D ...
at the
Warner Grand Theatre The Warner Grand Theatre is a historic movie palace that opened on January 20, 1931. It is located in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, at 478 West 6th Street. The design of the Warner Grand Theatre was a collaboration by architect B. Marcus ...
in Los Angeles, CA as part of an evening of horror movie scores performed with a 75-piece orchestra. In July 2014, Philm announced a new partnership with German-based company UDR Records for the release of the group's sophomore effort, 'Fire From the Evening Sun'. The album was supported with a European tour in late 2014. In a September 2015 interview, Lombardo talked about plans for the next Philm release, a 19-song double album recorded in New York City. "It's called 'Philm Noir', and that's piano, bass and drums. Gerry (Paul Nestler, guitar/vocals) plays piano really, really, really well, and Pancho (Francisco Tomaselli), obviously, on bass and myself. I tone it down and play with brushes. So, I would say 'Fire From the Evening Sun' is the extreme side of Philm, but then we also have a very avant-garde, jazz and ambient side of Philm, which is 'Philm Noir'." Lombardo left the group a couple of months later and proclaimed its demise in early 2016. However, Nestler and Tomaselli carried on with a new drummer and released a third album, 'Time Burner', in early 2021.


Fantômas

In 1998, Lombardo joined a side project called
Fantômas Fantômas () is a fictional character created by French writers Marcel Allain (1885–1969) and Pierre Souvestre (1874–1914). One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction, Fantômas was created in 1911 and appear ...
with Faith No More vocalist
Mike Patton Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American singer, producer, film composer and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist of the alternative metal band Faith No More. Noted for his vocal proficiency, diverse singing techni ...
and Melvins' guitarist
Buzz Osborne Roger "Buzz" Osborne (born March 25, 1964), also known as King Buzzo, is an American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. He is a founding member of the rock band Melvins, as well as Fantômas and Venomous Concept. Biography Born in Morton, ...
. The band formed when Lombardo was approached by Patton at a Faith No More concert; Patton asked Lombardo about his "fusion" project (Grip Inc.). Patton called Lombardo several months after Faith No More broke up and asked if Lombardo wanted to join Patton's fusion project. Lombardo enthusiastically agreed, "Fuck yeah!" Lombardo later described
Fantômas Fantômas () is a fictional character created by French writers Marcel Allain (1885–1969) and Pierre Souvestre (1874–1914). One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction, Fantômas was created in 1911 and appear ...
as the hardest music he has played: "Slayer doesn't even come close. Slayer was hard in a physical way, this is physically demanding and requires 'feeling'. (The kind of connectedness that demands) no clicking of sticks." The drummer described Fantômas' sound by stating " Picasso was a musician, this would be his music." Lombardo recorded four albums with the band.


Dead Cross

Lombardo revealed the formation of yet another new musical project,
Dead Cross Dead Cross is an American crossover thrash supergroup (music), supergroup formed in Southern California. The band consists of guitarist Michael Crain (Retox (band), Retox), bassist Justin Pearson (the Locust, Head Wound City and Retox), drummer ...
, in November 2015. With ruthless, hardcore punk music,
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. It was first known for its ...
described the band as a "vicious statement of renewed intent from Lombardo, the most influential drummer of the past 30 years

Dead Cross Dead Cross is an American crossover thrash supergroup (music), supergroup formed in Southern California. The band consists of guitarist Michael Crain (Retox (band), Retox), bassist Justin Pearson (the Locust, Head Wound City and Retox), drummer ...
announced on December 12, 2016, that
Mike Patton Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American singer, producer, film composer and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist of the alternative metal band Faith No More. Noted for his vocal proficiency, diverse singing techni ...
would front the band
Mike Patton Joins Dave Lombardo's Hardcore Supergroup Dead Cross as Lead Singer
Produced by
Ross Robinson Ross Robinson (born February 13, 1967) is an American record producer who discovered acts such as Korn, Glassjaw, The Blood Brothers, Slipknot, and Limp Bizkit. Robinson has also worked with Tech N9ne, The Cure, Sepultura, and many others. ...
and
Dead Cross Dead Cross is an American crossover thrash supergroup (music), supergroup formed in Southern California. The band consists of guitarist Michael Crain (Retox (band), Retox), bassist Justin Pearson (the Locust, Head Wound City and Retox), drummer ...
, the band released their eponymous debut album in August 2017.


Suicidal Tendencies

Lombardo joined
crossover thrash Crossover thrash (often abbreviated to crossover) is a fusion genre of thrash metal and hardcore punk. The genre lies on a continuum between heavy metal and hardcore punk. Other genres on the same continuum, such as metalcore and grindcore, ...
band
Suicidal Tendencies Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice in Los Angeles, California by vocalist Mike Muir. Muir is the only remaining original member of the band. Along with D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, and Stor ...
in February 2016 and toured with the band for their spring tour with Megadeth and summer European dates. Fans speculated Lombardo was only playing with the band as a fill-in drummer. Those rumors were dispelled, however, when the band posted a video to their Instagram account on May 15, 2016. The video showed Lombardo recording drums for a new album, '' World Gone Mad.'' The album was released on September 30, 2016.


Misfits

In August 2016, the
Misfits Misfits or The Misfits may refer to: Film and television * ''The Misfits'' (1961 film), a film starring Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, and Montgomery Clift * ''The Misfits'' (2011 film), a Mexican film * ''The Misfits'' (2021 film), an American ...
announced Lombardo as their drummer for their reunion shows. Due to the success of the shows, the Misfits announced in August 2017 that they would do two more. Lombardo would again be on drums. Lombardo performed two shows - one on December 28, 2017, at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas and December 30, 2017, at the Forum, Los Angeles, California, in which all 16,000 tickets for the show were sold out in less than one minute.


Mr. Bungle

In 2019, Lombardo was announced as the drummer for the seven upcoming Mr. Bungle reunion shows in 2020 in which the band performed their 1986 Demo ''The Raging Wrath of The Easter Bunny''. In 2020, the band rerecorded the demo, with Lombardo on drums. It was released on October 30, 2020.


Testament

In 1999, Lombardo performed drum work on the Testament album '' The Gathering'', rounding off a veritable "supergroup" with Steve Di Giorgio and James Murphy. However, he left the band right before the album's world tour in 1999-2000. On March 1, 2022, it was announced that Lombardo had rejoined Testament as the replacement of
Gene Hoglan Eugene Victor Hoglan II (born August 31, 1967) is an American drummer, acclaimed for his creativity in drum arrangements, including use of abstract devices for percussion effects and his trademark lengthy double-kick drum rhythms. Though his pla ...
, who had left the band nearly two months earlier. His return to Testament occurred just one month before the start of his first major tour with the band, and they also plan to record a new album with him.


Side projects

In 1999, Lombardo collaborated with Italian classical musician ''Lorenzo Arruga'' to record ''
Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widesprea ...
– The Meeting''. The seven-track album had drum improvisations on Vivaldi's work including two pieces from '' The Four Seasons'' composition. In 2000, Lombardo released a book titled ''Dave Lombardo:Power Grooves''. The book and video contained warm ups, eight, sixteen, and double bass grooves, riding the toms and more. He has appeared on two albums by John Zorn: ''Taboo and Exile'' (1999) and '' Xu Feng'' (2000) performing with Zorn,
Bill Laswell William Otis Laswell (born February 12, 1955) is an American bass guitarist, record producer, and record label owner. He has been involved in thousands of recordings with many collaborators from all over the world. His music draws from funk, ...
, Fred Frith, William Winant and others. He also played in Paris with Zorn, Laswell and Frith in an improvisatonal quartet project called Blade Runner. 1999 also saw the release of avant-garde sculptor/filmmaker
Matthew Barney Matthew Barney (born March 25, 1967) is an American contemporary artist and film director who works in the fields of sculpture, film, photography and drawing. His works explore connections among geography, biology, geology and mythology as well ...
's "Cremaster 2", inspired by the life of
Gary Gilmore Gary Mark Gilmore (born Faye Robert Coffman; December 4, 1940 – January 17, 1977) was an American criminal who gained international attention for demanding the implementation of his death sentence for two murders he had admitted to committing ...
. Lombardo played an epic drum solo accompanied by a swarm of angry bees on the track "The Man in Black". In 2005, Lombardo recorded '' Drums of Death'' with
DJ Spooky Paul Dennis Miller (born September 6, 1970), known professionally as DJ Spooky, That Subliminal Kid, is an American electronic and experimental hip hop musician whose work is often called by critics "illbient" or "trip hop". He is a turntabli ...
. Spooky played some records with Lombardo playing along and interpreting his own rhythms. Spooky recorded the session and took the tapes to his New York recording studio, downloaded it onto his computer, and mixed the beats and drums incorporating
scratching Scratching, sometimes referred to as scrubbing, is a DJ and turntablist technique of moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable to produce percussive or rhythmic sounds. A crossfader on a DJ mixer may be used to fade between two record ...
and other DJ techniques. Scott Peace-Miller of ''Glide Magazine'' noted, "Lombardo's influence is front and center in the driving, up tempo "Quantum Cyborg Drum Machine," and the almost straight-up thrash of Kultur Krieg." Lombardo recorded six tracks with the Finnish cello metal group
Apocalyptica Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso, and jazz drummer Mikko Sirén. Originally a classical- ...
on their 2003 album '' Reflections''. Members of Apocalyptica had approached Lombardo in 1998 at a drum clinic in the Netherlands titled "Headbangers fest", and asked if Lombardo would like to do a duo with the band, which he agreed to. Both Lombardo and Apocalyptica enjoyed playing a duo and Lombardo said to Apocalyptica, "Whenever you need a drummer, call me!". The band sent the recording tapes of ''Reflections'' to his home studio in California where he recorded the drums. Lombardo's later Apocalyptica contributions have consisted of playing the drums for the track "Betrayal/Forgiveness" on the 2005 album ''
Apocalyptica Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso, and jazz drummer Mikko Sirén. Originally a classical- ...
'' for the track "Last Hope" on the 2007 album '' Worlds Collide'' and for the track "2010" on the 2010 album '' 7th Symphony''. In October 2009, it was announced that he had recorded a cover of " Stand by Me", featuring Lemmy on vocals and bass, and produced by DJ and producer Baron. The song was made for legendary pro skateboarder
Geoff Rowley Geoffrey Joseph Rowley Jr. (born 6 June 1976) is an English professional skateboarder, former co-owner of Flip Skateboards and owner of the Civilware Service Corporation. He received ''Thrasher Magazine'' "Skater of the Year" award in 2000. Ea ...
. Lombardo has contributed to television and film scores including '' Dawn of the Dead'', '' Insidious: Chapter 3'', and the seventh season of the
Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
series ''
Californication Californication may refer to: *Californication (word) ''Californication'' is a portmanteau of California and fornication, appearing in ''Time'' on May 6, 1966 and written about on August 21, 1972, additionally seen on bumper stickers in the U.S. ...
''.


Style and legacy

Lombardo named Bill Ward,
Mitch Mitchell John Graham "Mitch" Mitchell (9 July 194612 November 2008)In his book about the Experience, Mitchell states he celebrated his 21st birthday while on tour on 9 July 1967, which makes his birth year 1946.Mitchell's obituaries in ''Billboard' ''T ...
,
John Bonham John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980) was an English musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band Led Zeppelin. Esteemed for his speed, power, fast single-footed kick drumming, distinctive sound, and feel for groove ...
,
Ian Paice Ian Anderson Paice (born 29 June 1948) is an English musician, best known as the drummer and last remaining original member of the rock band Deep Purple. He is often cited as one of the greatest drummers of all-time. He remains the only membe ...
,
Ginger Baker Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker (19 August 1939 – 6 October 2019) was an English drummer. His work in the 1960s and 1970s earned him the reputation of "rock's first superstar drummer", for a style that melded jazz and African rhythms and pi ...
and Keith Moon as main influences at early age. He is known for his fast, aggressive style of play utilizing the
double bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox additions such as the octobass). Similar i ...
technique which has earned him the title "the godfather of double bass" by Drummerworld. Lombardo states his reasons for using two bass drums: "when you hit the bass drum the head is still resonating. When you hit it in the same place right after that you kinda get a 'slapback' from the bass drum head hitting the other pedal. You're not letting them breathe." In an interview with
Guitar Center Guitar Center is an American Music store, musical instrument retailer chain. It is the largest company of its kind in the United States, with 294 locations. Its headquarters is in Westlake Village, California. Guitar Center oversees various sub ...
in the spring of 2012 he said: "I don't like a double pedal because when the beater hits, I immediately come back with the other pedal. And that head is resonating, which creates a momentum that isn't helpful. It throws me off balance. With two bass drums, I don't have any problems. It's just a feel thing." When playing the double bass, Lombardo uses the 'heel-up' technique and places his pedals at an angle. As well as considering him an influence,
Arch Enemy Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a supergroup from Halmstad, formed in 1995. Its members were in bands such as Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, The Agonist, Nevermore, and Eucharis ...
drummer Daniel Erlandsson feels Lombardo is "really tasteful in his playing, and doesn't overplay. He's gifted with a groove that not many speed metal, or metal drummers generally, have." In response to an interview question, "How talented is Dave Lombardo?" King responded, "Have you ever seen the movie ''
The Natural ''The Natural'' is a 1952 novel about baseball by Bernard Malamud, and is his debut novel. The story follows Roy Hobbs, a baseball prodigy whose career is sidetracked after being shot by a woman whose motivation remains mysterious. The story mo ...
''? That's Dave. He doesn't have to try to be good. He comes into the venue 10 or 15 minutes before we hit the stage and he doesn't warm up. He just goes and does it, after me and Jeff anneman, guitaristhave been warming up for like an hour." In an interview with ''
Modern Drummer ''Modern Drummer'' is a monthly publication targeting the interests of drummers and percussionists. The magazine features interviews, equipment reviews, and columns offering advice on technique, as well as information for the general public. ''Mo ...
'', Lombardo has stated that when he plays drum beats on the bass drums, he always begins with his left foot. German newspaper '' Die Zeit'' named Slayer's '' Reign in Blood'' #79 on their list of 100 Classics of Modern Music, with critic Matthias Schönebäumer writing: Lombardo's work has been an influence on many rock and heavy metal drummers.
Per Möller Jensen The Haunted is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1996. The original members were Anders and Jonas Björler, Peter Dolving, Adrian Erlandsson and Patrik Jensen. Both of the Björler brothers and Erlandsson were members of th ...
of
The Haunted Haunted or The Haunted may refer to: Books * ''Haunted'' (Armstrong novel), by Kelley Armstrong, 2005 * ''Haunted'' (Cabot novel), by Meg Cabot, 2004 * ''Haunted'' (Palahniuk novel), by Chuck Palahniuk, 2005 * ''Haunted'' (Angel novel), a 200 ...
cites Lombardo as a major influence, having grown up listening to Slayer; the band was a big influence on his style and The Haunted's. Suffocation drummer Mike Smith also cites Lombardo as an influence.
Rocky Gray William Rocky Gray (born July 2, 1974) is a drummer and guitarist who has been part of the Arkansas metal scene since the early 1990s. He is best known as a former drummer of the rock band Evanescence from 2003-2007. He is the lead guitarist ...
, former member of the alternative metal band Evanescence was influenced by Lombardo's choice of equipment; "All those old school guys are all TAMA Drums, TAMA guys. Where I'm from, if you're in the big time, you get a TAMA drum set. You have to be good if you've got a TAMA set." Richard Christy, former member of Death (metal band), Death was "blown away" by Lombardo's performance and double bass on the album '' Reign in Blood'', as was Cannibal Corpse drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz. Raymond Herrera of the band Fear Factory cites Lombardo as one of his major influences, as do Pete Sandoval (Morbid Angel), Igor Cavalera (Sepultura, Cavalera Conspiracy), Chris Pennie (The Dillinger Escape Plan), Adrian Erlandsson (Paradise Lost (band), Paradise Lost, Cradle of Filth, Brujeria (band), Brujeria), George Kollias (drummer), George Kollias (Nile (band), Nile, Nightfall (band), Nightfall), Joey Jordison ( Slipknot), Dirk Verbeuren (Soilwork), Derek Roddy (Aurora Borealis (band), Aurora Borealis, Nile (band), Nile, Hate Eternal), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Adrenaline Mob), The Rev, James Sullivan (Avenged Sevenfold), Steve Asheim (Deicide (band), Deicide), Michael Thomas (drummer), Michael "Moose" Thomas (Bullet for My Valentine), Tony Laureano (Dimmu Borgir, Nile (band), Nile, Angelcorpse, Malevolent Creation), Dave Witte (Municipal Waste (band), Municipal Waste, Burnt by the Sun (band), Burnt by the Sun, Black Army Jacket), Max Kolesne (Krisiun), Patrick Grün (Caliban (band), Caliban), Nicholas Barker (Cradle of Filth (band), Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir) and Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall). Lombardo endorses and uses Tama Drums, Promark Drumsticks, Paiste Cymbals and Remo Drumheads. Lombardo is left handed, but drums right handed and plays a right handed kit.


Art

Lombardo began the creation of his first art collection, "Rhythm Mysterium" in early 2014. To execute the project, Lombardo worked with art team Scene Four in Los Angeles, California. The art collection is titled "RHYTHM MYSTERIUM". Containing 13 works, the collection is built from the new medium of rhythm-on-canvas. In 2015, Lombardo released "LOMBARDO", a book-and-vinyl set
Ex-SLAYER Drummer DAVE LOMBARDO: Audio Preview Of Book And Vinyl Package Showcasing His Artwork
The book is a comprehensive look at Dave Lombardo's artwork built from rhythm, and the vinyl contains Lombardo's improvised drum interpretations for each art piece within the book.


Discography

;Slayer *1983: ''
Show No Mercy ''Show No Mercy'' is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released in December 1983, by Metal Blade Records. Brian Slagel signed the band to the label after watching them perform the song "Phantom of the Opera" by Iron M ...
'' *1984: ''Haunting the Chapel'' (EP) *1984: ''Live Undead'' (Live album) *1985: ''Hell Awaits'' *1986: '' Reign in Blood'' *1988: ''
South of Heaven ''South of Heaven'' is the fourth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on July 5, 1988 by Def Jam Recordings. The album was the band's second collaboration with producer Rick Rubin, whose production skills on their previo ...
'' *1990: ''
Seasons in the Abyss ''Seasons in the Abyss'' is the fifth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on October 9, 1990, through Def American Records. Recording sessions began in March 1990 at Hit City West and Hollywood Sound, and ended in June 1 ...
'' *1991: ''Decade of Aggression'' (Live album) *2006: ''
Christ Illusion ''Christ Illusion'' is the tenth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on August 8, 2006 by American Recordings. It was the band's first album featuring all four original members in over sixteen years. Slayer's drummer, D ...
'' *2009: ''
World Painted Blood ''World Painted Blood'' is the eleventh studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer. It was released through American Recordings and Sony Music on November 3, 2009 and was produced by Greg Fidelman and executively produced by Rick Rubin. ...
'' *2010: ''The Big 4 Live from Sofia, Bulgaria'' (Live DVD) ;Philm *2012: ''Harmonic'' *2014: ''Fire from the Evening Sun'' ;Fantômas *1999: ''Fantômas (Fantômas album), Fantômas'' *2001: ''The Director's Cut'' *2002: ''Millennium Monsterwork 2000'' *2004: ''Delìrium Còrdia'' *2005: ''Suspended Animation (Fantômas album), Suspended Animation'' *2005: ''Fantômas / Melt-Banana'' ;Grip Inc. *1995: '' Power of Inner Strength'' *1997: '' Nemesis'' *1999: '' Solidify'' *2004: '' Incorporated'' *2015: "Hostage to Heaven EP" ;Testament *1999: '' The Gathering'' ;Suicidal Tendencies *2016: '' World Gone Mad'' *2018: ''Get Your Fight On!'' (EP) *2018: ''Still Cyco Punk After All These Years'' ;Dead Cross *2017: ''Dead Cross'' *2018: ''Dead Cross'' (EP) *2022: ''II'' ;Mr Bungle *2020 ''The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo'' ;Annihilator *2022: ''Metal (Annihilator album), Metal II'' ;Other works *1994: ''Jesus Killing Machine'' –
Voodoocult Voodoocult was an international thrash metal supergroup formed in 1993 by Phillip Boa, vocalist of the alternative band Phillip Boa & The Voodooclub. The project was especially notable for the reputation of the participating musicians, such as ...
*1999: ''Cremaster 2'' *1999: ''Vivaldi The Meeting – Lorenzo Arruga, DAVE LOMBARDO & Friends'' *1999: ''Taboo & Exile'' – John Zorn *2000: ''Xu Feng'' – John Zorn *2003: '' Reflections'' –
Apocalyptica Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso, and jazz drummer Mikko Sirén. Originally a classical- ...
*2004: Dawn of the Dead *2005: ''
Apocalyptica Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso, and jazz drummer Mikko Sirén. Originally a classical- ...
'' –
Apocalyptica Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso, and jazz drummer Mikko Sirén. Originally a classical- ...
("Betrayal/Forgiveness") *2005: '' Drums of Death'' – with:
DJ Spooky Paul Dennis Miller (born September 6, 1970), known professionally as DJ Spooky, That Subliminal Kid, is an American electronic and experimental hip hop musician whose work is often called by critics "illbient" or "trip hop". He is a turntabli ...
*2007: '' Worlds Collide'' –
Apocalyptica Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso, and jazz drummer Mikko Sirén. Originally a classical- ...
("Last Hope") *2009: ''Flip Skateboards#Extremely Sorry, Extremely Sorry'' – "Stand by Me (Ben E. King song), Stand By Me", with Baron and Lemmy Kilmister *2010: '' 7th Symphony'' –
Apocalyptica Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso, and jazz drummer Mikko Sirén. Originally a classical- ...
("2010") *2013: ''The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart'' – Sepultura ("Obsessed") *2013: ''Californication (season 7), Californication'' *2014: ''The Monkey King (film), The Monkey King'' *2015: '' Insidious: Chapter 3'' *2016: ''I.T. (film), I.T.'' *2016: ''The Belko Experiment''


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lombardo, Dave 1965 births Living people American entertainers of Cuban descent American heavy metal drummers Cuban emigrants to the United States Hispanic and Latino American musicians Cuban people of Italian descent People from Havana Slayer members Cuban musicians Dead Cross members 20th-century American drummers American male drummers Voodoocult members Suicidal Tendencies members Misfits (band) members Grip Inc. members Fantômas (band) members Testament (band) members American people of Italian descent Thirsty Ear Recordings artists People from South Gate, California