Jason McGerr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jason McGerr
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McGerr performing in 2013
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| Background information | |
| Born | July 19, 1974 Bellingham, Washington, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Drummer |
| Years active | 1996–present |
Jason McGerr (born July 19, 1974) is an American musician. He is best known as the drummer for the popular indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie.
Contents
Jason McGerr's Music Journey
Starting Out as a Drummer
Jason McGerr grew up in Bellingham, Washington. He started playing drums at age ten. He wanted to join his middle school band. By the time he was 16, he was already earning money. He played at local bars. In an interview, he shared that he knew he wanted to be a professional drummer. This happened when he first heard Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog" at age 14. Growing up, he loved fishing. He worked at a local fishing shop during high school.
Before joining Death Cab for Cutie, Jason was in other bands. These included Krusters Kronomid and Eureka Farm. He also played in a jazz trio called Rockin' Teenage Combo. Jason has said that drummer Neil Peart is his hero.
Joining Death Cab for Cutie
Jason McGerr joined the Bellingham, Washington-based indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie in early 2003. He replaced their previous drummer, Michael Schorr. Two band members, Ben Gibbard and Nick Harmer, had played in Eureka Farm before. Jason had actually replaced Ben Gibbard in that band.
Jason first played on Death Cab for Cutie's fourth album, Transatlanticism. This album came out in October 2003. Jason even helped write two songs on it. Transatlanticism became very popular. Critics loved it, and it sold many copies. It even earned a gold certification. This means it sold over 500,000 copies. This album helped Death Cab for Cutie become widely known. In 2003, Benjamin Gibbard said he believed Jason would be their last drummer. He felt Jason was the perfect fit for the band.
Other Music Projects
Jason McGerr has also worked with other artists. He played drums on Tegan and Sara's album The Con in 2007. He also played on their next album, Sainthood, in 2009. Jason also played drums on songs for Matt Nathanson's albums Some Mad Hope (2007) and Modern Love (2009). He also played on three songs for his bandmate Chris Walla's solo album, Field Manual, in 2008.
In 2007, Jason opened his own recording studio. It is called Two Sticks Audio and is in Seattle. Many artists have recorded there. These include Smoosh, Barcelona, Tegan and Sara, and even Death Cab for Cutie. After opening his studio, Jason worked with a Swedish music software company. He helped create an expansion pack for their software program Reason. This pack, called "The Jason McGerr Sessions," helps other musicians create drum sounds.
Jason also teaches at the Seattle Drum School. He has helped and mentored young bands like Smoosh (now called Chaos Chaos).
Jason McGerr's Drum Gear
Jason McGerr uses specific equipment for his drumming. He plays Gretsch Drums. He uses Remo drumheads, which cover the drums. His cymbals are from Zildjian. He uses Vic Firth drumsticks. For pedals and other hardware, he uses Drum Workshop.
His main Zildjian cymbals for live shows include:
- 14-inch A Zildjian New Beat Hi-Hats
- 19-inch K Zildjian Sweet Crash
- 23-inch A Zildjian Sweet Ride
- 20-inch K Zildjian Sweet Crash
For studio recordings, he often uses:
- 15-inch Kerope Hi-Hats
- 18-inch Kerope
- 22-inch Kerope
- 20-inch Kerope
Jason also has older cymbals from the 1960s and 70s. These have been used on several Death Cab for Cutie recordings. He also has other cymbals from Zildjian's K Constantinople and A Avedis lines. Before using Zildjian, he played Paiste cymbals. He has also played Craviotto drums and Ludwig Drums in the past.
Jason McGerr's Music Albums
With Death Cab for Cutie
- Transatlanticism (2003, Barsuk)
- Plans (2005, Atlantic)
- Narrow Stairs (2008, Atlantic)
- Open Door EP (2009, Atlantic)
- Codes and Keys (2011, Atlantic)
- Kintsugi (2015, Atlantic)
- Thank You for Today (2018, Atlantic)
- Asphalt Meadows (2022, Atlantic)
Other Album Credits
- Travis Morrison – Travistan (2004, Barsuk)
- Tegan and Sara – The Con (2007, Sire)
- Matt Nathanson – Some Mad Hope (2007, Vanguard)
- Chris Walla – Field Manual (2008, Barsuk)
- Tegan and Sara – Sainthood (2009, Sire)
- Matt Nathanson – Modern Love (2011, Vanguard)
- Frank Turner - FTHC (2022)
