Greg Saenz (a.k.a. Gregory Pecker) (born April 27, 1967) is an American drummer from

Highland Park, California Highland Park is a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, located in the city's Northeast region. It was one of the first subdivisions of Los Angeles and is inhabited by a variety of ethnic and socioeconomic groups. History The area was set ...

, currently based in Coachella Valley. He started playing for groups around North East Los Angeles in 1985, mainly influenced by drummers such as

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 ...

Cozy Powell Cozy Powell (born Colin Trevor Flooks; 29 December 1947 – 5 April 1998) was an English rock drummer who made his name with major rock bands and artists such as The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Gary Moore, Robert Plant, B ...

and Phil Taylor. He later joined

Excel ExCeL London (an abbreviation for Exhibition Centre London) is an exhibition centre, international convention centre and former hospital in the Custom House area of Newham, East London. It is situated on a site on the northern quay of the ...

where he stayed for several years. Saenz is a former member of My Head and the Dwarves. He occasionally serves as a touring drummer for

Yawning Man A yawn is a reflex lasting 4-7 seconds, and is characterized by a long inspiratory phase with gradual mouth gaping, followed by a brief climax (or acme) with muscle stretching, and a rapid expiratory phase with muscle relaxation. For fish an ...

, and is currently a touring drummer for John Garcia and the Band of Gold.

History

Saenz was born in East Los Angeles, raised in Highland Park. He took interest in music at a young age influenced by 1960s and 1970s

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm a ...

and hard rock musicians such as

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...

and

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...

. In 1985 he joined his first band, Wreched Horde. They were inspired by

NWOBHM The new wave of British heavy metal (commonly abbreviated as NWOBHM) was a nationwide musical movement that started in England in the mid-1970s and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Journalist Geoff Barton coined the term ...

, but Saenz modified their style to some extent- (Greg said: "We sounded like UFO,

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...

and Judas Priest, but I was already playing their songs a bit faster as I had gotten into tape trading in '83 and had been turned on to hardcore punk and thrash....bands like

Venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a st ...

, Motorhead,

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 ...

, Slayer, and

Minor Threat Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C. by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guitar ...

".) Wreched Horde was offered a demo deal with Chrysalis Records after playing a house party in Highland Park, but the band dissolved before it could gain momentum. In summer of 1986, Greg read an advertisement in ''Recycler Magazine'' that said: "

looking for a dedicated, talented, punk metal influence. No egos". Saenz called

singer Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

Dan Clements and after an audition with

Adam Siegel Adam Siegel (born March 9, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and graphic designer (he has provided artwork and design for several releases by L.A. groups) from Venice, California, United States. KISS, B ...

Greg was asked to join as Excel's drummer. Between the rest of 1986 and 1989 they recorded three demo their first studio album ('' Split Image'') in 1987 (the recording was paid by

Mike Muir Michael Allen Muir (born March 14, 1963) is an American singer who is the lead vocalist and the only sole continuous member of Los Angeles-based bands Suicidal Tendencies, Los Cycos, and Infectious Grooves. He has also released several solo al ...

and distribution was conducted by

Caroline Records Caroline Records is a record label originally founded in 1973. Initially founded in the United Kingdom to showcase British progressive rock groups, the label ceased releasing titles in 1976, and then re-emerged in the United States in 1986. ...

), the second one ('' The Joke's on You'') in 1989, and a tour in

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

the same year with that line-up. In January and February 1989 he recorded together with Dan Clements the

background vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...

for the fourth studio album by the

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

Kreator Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen, formed in 1982. Their current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and bassist Frédé ...

, titled ''

Extreme Aggression ''Extreme Aggression'' is the fourth studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator released in 1989. While the band had already gained a sizeable following in the US due to their 1988 tour with the crossover thrash band D.R.I., this album int ...

''. In 1992, Excel recorded a fifth and last demo: '' Third album demos''. The next year guitarist

left the band definitely to form the

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commerci ...

and grunge

power trio A power trio is a rock and roll band format having a lineup of electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit (drums and cymbals), leaving out a second rhythm guitar or keyboard instrument that are often used in other rock music bands that are quart ...

My Head, with Saenz on drums and the former

Bad Radio Bad Radio was a four-piece, American funk rock band that formed in San Diego, California in 1986. The band is most notable for having featured future Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder as its lead singer from 1988–1990. The band was a popular li ...

member Dave Silva on bass. However, this project was interrupted on several occasions for Siegel's participation in

Infectious Grooves Infectious Grooves is an American funk metal supergroup led by vocalist Mike Muir and initially a side project from his group Suicidal Tendencies. The current lineup also includes guitarists Dean Pleasants and Jim Martin; bassist Robert Truji ...

. In early 1996, Saenz became the drummer of the first solo release by

(

vocalist), together

, who recorded various tracks on the album. Then My Head signed a record contract with Capitol Records and released their debut album '' Endless Bummer'', the song "Humbucker" became their only single and music video. The band broke up in the fall of 1997 and Saenz moved to Marin County. A My Head recording "The Beard" later ended up on an EP called ''

Pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

'' August 29, 2000. Also the

appeared in the compilation album by

titled '' Friends & Family, Vol. 2''. In the summer of 1999 Saenz re-locates to Coachella Valley and ends up joining

The Dwarves The Dwarves are an American punk rock band formed in Chicago, Illinois and based in San Francisco, California as of 2009.Gentile, John (2009)Interview: Blag Dahlia of the Dwarves, ''The A.V. Club'', April 13, 2009, retrieved February 7, 2010 ...

for the Epitaph Records "Punk-O-Rama 2000 Tour" to promote their new album ''Come Clean'', and played drums for the tenth studio album by

, titled ''How To Win Friends And Influence People''. Exiting The Dwarves in 2001, Saenz took a two-year hiatus, re-surfacing in 2003 to play in various desert bands such as Eagles of Death Metal, Vega, Forever Changing Concept, and You Know Who. In 2007, he returned to The Dwarves and made several tours around the United States, and Oceania between 2007 and 2012. In early 2010, he drummed on The Dwarves fourteenth studio release ''The Dwarves Are Born Again'', and is on the 2016 release "Radio Free Europe" Live at BBC 2011. In summer of 2013, Saenz re-united with his old bandmates in

after 20 years. In 2014 Greg became drummer for John Garcia of

Kyuss Kyuss ( ) was an American rock band, formed in Palm Desert, California, in 1987. The band disbanded in 1995, and since then, members of Kyuss have gone on to form or play in several notable bands including Queens of the Stone Age, Fu Manchu, ...

fame.

Discography

''See also'': List of Excel demos

References

External links

*
My Head MySpace

Greg Saenz MySpace
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saenz, Greg Excel (band) members 1967 births American rock drummers Musicians from California Living people 20th-century American drummers American male drummers Dwarves (band) members