Mike Byrne (musician)
Encyclopedia
Michael William Byrne is the drummer for The Smashing Pumpkins
. When Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan
called for rehearsals to replace Jimmy Chamberlin
, Byrne auditioned and was chosen out of thousands of applicants. He played drums in Sky Saxon
tribute band Spirits in the Sky
for 6 shows in August 2009, along with Corgan, Kerry Brown
, Kevin Dippold, Mark Tulin
, Linda Strawberry
, Ysanne Spevack
, Mark Weitz
, and Dave Navarro
, and also will perform drums on the new Pumpkins album, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope
. On April 17, 2010, Byrne played his first show under the Smashing Pumpkins moniker in celebration of Record Store Day.
suburb of Beaverton, Oregon
with his parents Eric and Chris Byrne and his sister, Elise Byrne. He started playing the drums regularly at age 12 and later played in local bands The Mercury Tree, Bearcubbin'! and Moses, Smell the Roses. He also participated in marching band throughout high school. During high school at Beaverton High School
, where he graduated in 2008, he worked at McDonald's
to save money for college.
among his most influential drummers. His YouTube
channel, which he created three years prior to joining that band, had been "MarquisinSpadez", a reference to the song "Marquis in Spades", from the Smashing Pumpkins' Zero EP
. In 2011, Mike won best "Up and Coming" drummer in Modern Drummer
's Reader's Poll.
, The Cure
, Maserati
, Maps and Atlases
, and Pelican
and enjoys post-rock
and math rock
.
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
. When Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan
Billy Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
called for rehearsals to replace Jimmy Chamberlin
Jimmy Chamberlin
Jimmy Chamberlin is an American drummer, songwriter, and producer. He is best known as the former drummer for the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. After a drug-related incident with touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin in 1996, Chamberlin was fired from the band and joined The Last...
, Byrne auditioned and was chosen out of thousands of applicants. He played drums in Sky Saxon
Sky Saxon
Sky "Sunlight" Saxon was an American rock and roll musician who was best known as the leader and singer of the 1960s Los Angeles psychedelic garage rock band The Seeds.-Biography:...
tribute band Spirits in the Sky
Spirits in the Sky
Spirits in the Sky is a casual supergroup led by Billy Corgan, frontman of The Smashing Pumpkins. The band convened, initially, in July 2009 to perform at a memorial concert for the late Sky Saxon of The Seeds. The band played three songs - a Seeds cover, a cover of "Spirit in the Sky", and a new...
for 6 shows in August 2009, along with Corgan, Kerry Brown
Kerry Brown (musician)
Kerry Brown is a record producer, movie soundtrack producer and a musician. He was the drummer in Chicago alternative rock band Catherine in the 1990s. He was married to D'arcy Wretzky of The Smashing Pumpkins at that time, and is now married to Stacey Sher...
, Kevin Dippold, Mark Tulin
Mark Tulin
Mark Tulin was the bassist with The Electric Prunes. They had hit singles with "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night" and "Get Me To The World on Time"...
, Linda Strawberry
Linda Strawberry
Linda Strawberry is the nom de plume of a Los Angeles singer, best known as Billy Corgan's touring bandmate on the Future Embrace Tour. She signed to Chrysalis Records with a publishing development deal, but announced in her blog in October 2006 that she has since left the label, citing artistic...
, Ysanne Spevack
Ysanne Spevack
Ysanne Spevack is a British violinist, composer and string arranger best known for her work recordings for the Smashing Pumpkins, Dub Gabriel featuring Michael Stipe, Tiesto, and Asian Dub Foundation...
, Mark Weitz
Mark Weitz
Mark Weitz is an American musician. A former keyboard player for the 1960s psychedelic rock group Strawberry Alarm Clock, Weitz was the principal composing member of the band.- Early life and The Strawberry Alarm Clock :...
, and Dave Navarro
Dave Navarro
David Michael "Dave" Navarro is an American guitarist who plays in the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction and cover band Camp Freddy. He has also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Panic Channel, and many others.- Early life :...
, and also will perform drums on the new Pumpkins album, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope
Teargarden by Kaleidyscope
Teargarden by Kaleidyscope is the eighth album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. A series of 44 individual songs, it is being released one track at a time through free MP3 downloads over the course of several years...
. On April 17, 2010, Byrne played his first show under the Smashing Pumpkins moniker in celebration of Record Store Day.
Early life
Byrne grew up in the PortlandPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
suburb of Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, seven miles west of Portland in the Tualatin River Valley.As of the 2010 census, the population is 90,267. This makes it the second-largest city in the county and Oregon's sixth-largest city...
with his parents Eric and Chris Byrne and his sister, Elise Byrne. He started playing the drums regularly at age 12 and later played in local bands The Mercury Tree, Bearcubbin'! and Moses, Smell the Roses. He also participated in marching band throughout high school. During high school at Beaverton High School
Beaverton High School
Beaverton High School, is a public high school located in Beaverton, Oregon. Opened in 1902, it is the oldest high school in Beaverton.-History:...
, where he graduated in 2008, he worked at McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
to save money for college.
The Smashing Pumpkins
On August 17, 2009, he was officially named as the new drummer for The Smashing Pumpkins. The Pumpkins were already one of his favorite bands, with Jimmy ChamberlinJimmy Chamberlin
Jimmy Chamberlin is an American drummer, songwriter, and producer. He is best known as the former drummer for the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. After a drug-related incident with touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin in 1996, Chamberlin was fired from the band and joined The Last...
among his most influential drummers. His YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel, which he created three years prior to joining that band, had been "MarquisinSpadez", a reference to the song "Marquis in Spades", from the Smashing Pumpkins' Zero EP
Zero (song)
"Zero" is a song by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was the third single from their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and was a return to the familiar angsty rock of the first single, "Bullet with Butterfly Wings". This style of their music was called...
. In 2011, Mike won best "Up and Coming" drummer in Modern Drummer
Modern Drummer
Modern Drummer is a monthly publication targeting the interests of on drummers and percussionists. The magazine features interviews, equipment reviews, and columns offering advice on technique, as well as information for the general public...
's Reader's Poll.
Musical influences
Byrne cites some of his influences as The Smashing PumpkinsThe Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
, The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
, Maserati
Maserati (band)
Maserati is a band from Athens, Georgia, United States whose sound is best described as a combination of post-rock and psychedelic influences. Their music is instrumental, relying on the standard rock instrumentation of guitar, bass, and drums...
, Maps and Atlases
Maps And Atlases
Maps & Atlases is a indie rock group from Chicago, Illinois USA, equally influenced by folk and experimental music. They have often been labeled as a math rock band though their music has developed a slightly more pop-oriented style over time....
, and Pelican
Pelican (band)
Pelican is a post-metal quartet from Chicago, Illinois.-Biography and description:The band is known for its dense combinations of different melodies and extended track lengths. Its distinctive sound draws from stoner rock, doom metal, post-rock, and other influences...
and enjoys post-rock
Post-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
and math rock
Math rock
Math rock is a rhythmically complex guitar-based style of experimental rock that emerged in the 1980s and that was very influenced by progressive rock like King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Henry Cow - and 20th century composers such as Steve Reich and John Cage...
.
External links
- Smashing Pumpkins’ “Drummer of the Future” May Be 19 Years Old – Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...