Tempesta, John (US)

John Tempesta (The Bronx (New York City), September 26, 1964) is an American heavy metal drummer and drum technician.

Tempesta began as a drum tech for Anthrax in the late ’80s and later drummed with bands including Exodus, Testament and Rob Zombie. After playing with Helmet in 2004 and 2005, Tempesta was hired to play with The Cult in 2006. John Tempesta is worldwide renowned for his engaging drum clinics – a must see!

With thanks to TAMA & ZILDJIAN

In a career spanning over two decades, drummer John Tempesta has built a body of work that has deservedly earned him a place among metal’s most popular and well-respected players. Perhaps best known for his tenure with Rob Zombie – both in White Zombie and with Rob’s solo project – John worked his way up through the drumming ranks, always seeking his next challenge and never resting on past achievements. His extensive professional résumé includes gigs with Exodus, Testament, Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society, Tony Iommi, Helmet and Scum of The Earth (which features John’s brother, guitarist Mike Tempesta). Presently, John can be found touring the world behind the drum throne of The Cult.

Growing up in the Bronx, John was first inspired to play drums as a child after watching the classic Beatles film A Hard Day’s Night on TV. “I thought Ringo Starr looked so cool,” he remembers. Shortly thereafter, John heard that a neighbor was selling a drum kit and begged his mom to let him buy it for $25. “It all happened from there,” John says. In 1977, he attended his first live concert – seeing David Bowie at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. There, he was blown away by Bowie’s drummer Dennis Davis. “Dennis was amazing,” John says. “He was a soulful groove player but also a total rock drummer. Dennis Davis became my first major drum influence.”

John was further influenced by hard-hitting rock drummers such as John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, Alex Van Halen and Bill Ward of Black Sabbath – one of John’s favorite bands. As John began to experiment stylistically, getting into progressive rock and fusion, Terry Bozzio became another important influence along with prolific session drummers like Simon Phillips and Cozy Powell.

Early in his career, John gained crucial experience on the road and in the studio as drum tech for Anthrax’s Charlie Benante. “Charlie definitely taught me how to approach playing thrash metal, because I wasn’t that type of drummer,” John says. “From watching his double bass technique, I learned so much about how to improve my speed and accuracy. I owe a lot to Charlie for his help.” In 1989, after four years with Anthrax, John took the drum throne of Bay Area thrash metal stalwarts Exodus, with whom he recorded three albums. He then joined cross-town rivals Testament. Although he recorded only one studio album with that band (1994’s Low), John left a lasting impression on guitarist Eric Peterson. “John is definitely one of the best drummers in the country,” Peterson remarks. “He has the power of John Bonham, the finesse of Carter Beauford, and the aggression of Dave Lombardo. As a drummer, John really has it all.”

John’s profile grew in 1994, the year he joined industrial metal juggernauts White Zombie. The release of 1995’s Astro-Creep 2000 made White Zombie a household name, largely due to the hit “More Human Than Human.” Former White Zombie bassist Sean Yseult recalls, “John was the best… He’s like a machine, but brutal.” When White Zombie split up in 1997, Rob Zombie kept John on as drummer for his solo band. Playing with Rob Zombie also gave John the freedom to drum on albums like Tony Iommi’s self-titled solo record and Black Label Society’s Hangover Music Vol. VI.

When Rob Zombie put his band on hiatus in 2003, John didn’t waste time finding his next gig. He ended up joining Helmet, one of the ’90s’ most influential metal bands, after meeting guitarist / singer / songwriter Page Hamilton. The musical chemistry between them led to demos that attracted the interest of Interscope Records and sparked a new era for Helmet, culminating in their 2004 album Size Matters. John toured extensively with Helmet for nearly three years before an opportunity with The Cult came his way in 2006, and he has toured the world with them ever since.

“As a drummer,” John confesses, “being in The Cult is great for me because I get to play really heavy, but I can play soft as well because there are so many dynamics in this music. It’s definitely a change for me from thrashing with Testament or playing loops with Zombie. It’s a nice progression and I really enjoy the music.” John had actually planned to audition for The Cult back in 1993, but timing once again proved crucial.

John is also proud to announce his new signature snare drum, The John Tempesta Stealth Snare by TAMA. “I’ve been working on this drum with TAMA for a while and had the prototypes on tour,” John explains. “I’m really proud of it.” The Stealth Snare measures 7"x14" with a black nickel-plate finish over a 2 mm brass shell, and was designed with heavy hitters in mind. “Not only does it have my name on it, but it’s also a snare drum that I will always play,” he continues.

John’s drum clinics have taken him as far away as Moscow at Zildjian’s Day Out and Australia. “To play in front of people around the world – because everyone appreciates music – is really gratifying,” John confesses. “Participating in these clinics has also given me a chance to play with great drummers like Dave Weckl, Virgil Donati, John Blackwell, Chad Wackerman, Dom Famularo and many others.”