Brooks Wackerman

**Brooks Wackerman** (born February 15, 1977) is an American musician, currently the drummer for the American heavy metal bands Avenged Sevenfold and Mass Mental, also known as the former drummer for Bad Religion, and is the younger brother of John and Chad Wackerman (formerly a member of Frank Zappa's band). He is the son of Chuck Wackerman, an educator in the Los Alamitos California Unified School District. Brooks is also a former student of Murray Spivack and Chuck Flores. After Wackerman's departure from Bad Religion, it was announced on November 4, 2015 that Wackerman would replace Arin Ilejay as the drummer for Avenged Sevenfold and is The Rev's 3rd and current successor.

## Career

By the time he left Bad Religion in 2015, Wackerman was their all-time longest-standing drummer, surpassing Bobby Schayer, who was in the band for a decade. He was also the youngest member of the band, with all of the other members being at least a decade older.

Brooks Wackerman started his musical career as a teen with a group called Bad4Good in 1991. Under Steve Vai's guidance, the band released one album in 1992 called Refugee, produced by Vai himself. However, the band disbanded shortly after. From 1993-2000, Wackerman was a member of Infectious Grooves, playing drums on the albums Groove Family Cyco (1994) and Mas Borracho (2000) and touring with the band.

Brooks played drums for the Vandals' album Look What I Almost Stepped In... (2000). He is the substitute for Vandals drummer Josh Freese, due to Freese's commitments with groups such as Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle, and Devo.

In 2001, he became the drummer for Bad Religion by replacing Bobby Schayer, who left the band due to an arm injury. He appeared on five albums with them (The Process of Belief, The Empire Strikes First, New Maps of Hell, The Dissent of Man and True North) as well as their 2013 EP Christmas Songs.

Alongside Terry Bozzio, he contributed drums and percussion for Korn's untitled album. He is the frontman for Hot Potty. Wackerman is also the drummer for The Innocent, a thrash metal band featuring bassist Ryan Sinn (formerly of Angels & Airwaves and The Distillers), vocalist Brandan Schieppati (Bleeding Through) and guitarist Dave Nassie (No Use for a Name). In March 2008, Wackerman joined Korn guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer's newest solo project, experimental industrial rock band Fear and the Nervous System, alongside vocalist Steve Krolikowski (Repeater), Billy Gould (Faith No More), Leopold Ross (Error), and Zac Baird (Korn, Billy Goat).

Brooks played drums for the Tenacious D 2006-2007 Tour as well as working with Avril Lavigne.

He currently fronts Kidneys alongside Tenacious D's John Spiker and his brother John Wackerman. A full-length album titled 'Talkie Walkie' was released in 2007, and another album in 2012 entitled 'Sophomore' for digital download.

Brooks played with Tenacious D again on their Rize of the Fenix tour where he got the nickname "Thunderskin" from Jack Black for comical remark, making appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. They also performed at the 2012 Rock Am Ring Festival. Wackerman also appeared in the music video for their song "The Roadie".

Brooks filled in for Travis Barker in Blink-182's 2013 tour of Australia in the Soundwave festival as well as their sideshows.

Brooks was hired to record drums on former Blink-182 member Tom DeLonge's debut solo album "To The Stars", appearing on the track "New World".

On October 27, 2015, Brooks left Bad Religion after deciding it was time to pursue another path and was announced Avenged Sevenfold's new drummer just over 1 week later.