Jeremy Spencer Heyde | |
---|---|
Spencer performing with Five Finger Death Punch in 2014
|
|
Background information | |
Born |
Oakland City, Indiana |
January 8, 1973
Genres | Heavy metal, thrash metal, hard rock, speed metal, groove metal |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, producer |
Instruments | Drums, percussion |
Years active | 2005–present |
Labels |
Firm/EMI, Prospect Park Spinefarm/Universal (UK) |
Associated acts | Five Finger Death Punch |
Website | www |
Jeremy Spencer Heyde, known simply as Jeremy Spencer, (born January 8, 1973) is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He is the drummer for the metal band, Five Finger Death Punch. In 2012, he was named Golden God's "Best Drummer" by Revolver Magazine, and was voted Best Drummer of 2015 by Loudwire. His autobiography, Death Punch'd—Surviving Five Finger Death Punch's Metal Mayhem, was published on September 2, 2014 by HarperCollins imprint Dey St, and named a New York Times Celebrity Bestseller. Voted Best Drummer at the 5th Annual Loudwire Music Awards.
Spencer started playing drums at age six on a drum set his grandmother purchased at Sears. Spencer's musical influences include a lot of 1980s metal. Growing up in Boonville, Indiana, he was a member of several local bands, one of which (Cornucopia of Death) opened in Indianapolis for Pantera, when he was seventeen. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles, where he met BulletBoys guitarist, Mick Sweda. In L.A., he became friends with future 5FDP guitarist, Jason Hook. Spencer played in a number of bands, with the typical frustration of unreleased material and shelved projects—while working a variety of odd jobs—including recording tracks with heavy metal band W.A.S.P. In 2005, Spencer and former U.P.O. bassist, Zoltán Báthory, formed the heavy metal band, Five Finger Death Punch, with vocalist Ivan Moody, bassist Matt Snell (replaced by Chris Kael in 2011), and guitarist, Caleb Bingham, (replaced by Darrell Roberts in 2006, then by Jason Hook in 2009).
5FDP recorded its first album in 2006. The band signed a record deal with Firm Music and on July 10, 2007, released an EP, Pre-Emptive Strike from their debut album, The Way of the Fist, followed by the album's lead single, "The Bleeding." The album was certified Gold and spawned 3 top 10 singles. The band's second album, War is the Answer, debuted at #7 on Billboard Top 200—staying in the Top 100 for 89 weeks and selling over 500,000 units. American Capitalist, debuted at #3 on the Billboard Album charts (October 2011) and achieved Gold status (September 2012). "Coming Down" is the band's first #1 single (2012). In 2013 5FDP released The Wrong Side of Heaven/The Righteous Side of Hell Vol I & II. Both volumes debuted at #2 on Billboard's Hot 200 Album Chart. The first single, Lift Me Up (with Rob Halford of Judas Priest), reached #1 on the Active Rock Chart and won the Revolver Golden Gods Award for Song of the Year. In 2015, "Got Your Six" debuted at #1 on the Billboard top album charts. Currently, the band has garnered 10 Gold albums and one Platinum.