Tre Cool
Encyclopedia
Frank Edwin Wright III, a.k.a. Tré Cool, (born on December 9, 1972) is an American drummer
, best known as the drummer for the punk rock
band Green Day
. He replaced the group's former drummer John Kiffmeyer
in 1990. Cool has also played in The Lookouts
, Samiam
and the Green Day side-projects The Network
and the Foxboro Hot Tubs
.
, Germany
. He lived in Willits, California
with his father and his elder sister, Lori. His father was a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War
. Wright's closest neighbor was Larry Livermore
, whom at the time was the singer of the punk band The Lookouts
. When Wright was 12, Livermore recruited him as the drummer of The Lookouts and gave him the name of "Tre Cool", relying on both the French word "très" (meaning "very") combined with the word "cool
". However, the silent "s" has been dropped in the spelling, as a play on the "third" in his name. A common misconception is that Larry Livermore gave Tre Cool his full nickname; however, Cool was known as Tre long before he joined The Lookouts.
When Green Day's drummer, John Kiffmeyer, left the band, the group recruited Cool to be its drummer. In his sophomore year, Cool dropped out of high school and opted to earn a GED
. He began taking classes at a local community college
but would later drop out as well as the band became a more time consuming priority. During this time the band considered breaking up because it took a long time to adjust to playing with Tre.
Cool's father was supportive and overhauled a bookmobile
to transport the band. He would later say: "I watched them go from a bunch of kids to a group of musicians with work ethic", also adding: "On their first tour or two, it was more of a party than anything else. I still scratch my head and say, 'How in the hell did they make it?' They used to practice in my living room here – a lot of the songs they did on Dookie. You hear it coming together, and you don't expect people are going to go out and buy it. But when it does, you just say, 'Wow that's so cool.'"
In 1998, after Green Day won a "Moon Man" Trophy at the MTV Music Awards, Tre Cool famously scaled the Universal Globe at Universal Studios, but escaped with no punishment, only compliments and cheers. Cool has been the only person to ever do so.
, respectively, both of which he wrote and composed (on "Dominated Love Slave", guitarist and vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong
played drums). He wrote and sang the subtrack "Rock and Roll Girlfriend" from the medley "Homecoming" featured on the album American Idiot
. He also sang and composed the track "DUI" ("Driving Under the Influence"), which was recorded for Green Day's fifth studio album Nimrod (1997) and was due to be released on the compilation album Shenanigans in 2002, but was omitted and can only be found online.
During a radio interview at Washington DC's alternative station DC 101, Cool sang and played acoustic guitar on a short song entitled "Like a Rat Does Cheese," a song about the pleasure of fellatio
.
Several live tracks also exist, usually from around 1993, such as "Food Around the Corner", a song from the 1943 Elmer Fudd
cartoon An Itch in Time
. Another live track, "Billie Joe's Mom" was also recorded.
Cool had also recorded a version of Tay Zonday
's "Chocolate Rain
." It was posted on YouTube
on August 1, 2007. His cover was mentioned in several news journals.
American Idiot Drum Setup:
Drum Set: Ludwig Classic Maple Series Kit in Silver Sparkle Finish with Remo
Drumheads
21st Century Breakdown Drum Setup
Drum Set: Leedy Custom Maple Kit in White Marine Nitron Finish with Remo
Drumheads
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, best known as the drummer for the punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
. He replaced the group's former drummer John Kiffmeyer
John Kiffmeyer
John Kiffmeyer , was born on July 11, 1969. He was the first drummer of the punk rock/alternative rock band Green Day. He was given his nickname in reference to his hometown, El Sobrante.-Biography:...
in 1990. Cool has also played in The Lookouts
The Lookouts
The Lookouts were an American punk rock band that existed from 1985 to 1990 on Iron Peak, a remote rural mountain community outside of Laytonville, CA. The members were Lawrence Livermore on guitar and vocals, Kain Kong on bass and vocals and Tre Cool on drums and vocals. All three have...
, Samiam
Samiam
-Biography:Samiam was formed in late 1988 after the breakup of the Gilman club mainstay Isocracy. Their first show was in January 1989 with Christ on Parade. They released records through New Red Archives and Hopeless Records in the US and Burning Heart Records in Europe. In the mid-'90s, the band...
and the Green Day side-projects The Network
The Network
The Network is a six-piece New Wave band. They released their debut album Money Money 2020 on Adeline Records on September 30, 2003. A re-release of the album, with two bonus tracks, followed in 2004. The band has not played a live performance since about late 2004 and is believed to have disbanded...
and the Foxboro Hot Tubs
Foxboro Hot Tubs
The Foxboro Hot Tubs band is a side project of Green Day. All members of the band perform live with Green Day . Their debut album, Stop Drop and Roll!!! was released on April 22, 2008....
.
Life and career
Frank Edwin Wright III was born in FrankfurtFrankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He lived in Willits, California
Willits, California
Willits is a city in Mendocino County, California, United States. Willits is located north-northwest of Ukiah, at an elevation of 1391 feet . The population was 4,888 at the 2010 census, down from 5,073 at the 2000 census. Willits is at the center of Mendocino County and its redwood forests...
with his father and his elder sister, Lori. His father was a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Wright's closest neighbor was Larry Livermore
Larry Livermore
Lawrence "Larry" Hayes , best known by the pseudonym Larry Livermore, is an American musician, record producer, and music journalist. He is best known as the co-founder of Lookout! Records.-Biography:...
, whom at the time was the singer of the punk band The Lookouts
The Lookouts
The Lookouts were an American punk rock band that existed from 1985 to 1990 on Iron Peak, a remote rural mountain community outside of Laytonville, CA. The members were Lawrence Livermore on guitar and vocals, Kain Kong on bass and vocals and Tre Cool on drums and vocals. All three have...
. When Wright was 12, Livermore recruited him as the drummer of The Lookouts and gave him the name of "Tre Cool", relying on both the French word "très" (meaning "very") combined with the word "cool
Cool (aesthetic)
Something regarded as cool is an admired aesthetic of attitude, behavior, comportment, appearance and style, influenced by and a product of the Zeitgeist. Because of the varied and changing connotations of cool, as well its subjective nature, the word has no single meaning. It has associations of...
". However, the silent "s" has been dropped in the spelling, as a play on the "third" in his name. A common misconception is that Larry Livermore gave Tre Cool his full nickname; however, Cool was known as Tre long before he joined The Lookouts.
When Green Day's drummer, John Kiffmeyer, left the band, the group recruited Cool to be its drummer. In his sophomore year, Cool dropped out of high school and opted to earn a GED
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
. He began taking classes at a local community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
but would later drop out as well as the band became a more time consuming priority. During this time the band considered breaking up because it took a long time to adjust to playing with Tre.
Cool's father was supportive and overhauled a bookmobile
Bookmobile
A bookmobile or mobile library is a large vehicle designed for use as a library. It is designed to hold books on shelves so that when the vehicle is parked the books can be accessed by readers. It usually has enough space for people to sit and read books inside. Mobile libraries are often used to...
to transport the band. He would later say: "I watched them go from a bunch of kids to a group of musicians with work ethic", also adding: "On their first tour or two, it was more of a party than anything else. I still scratch my head and say, 'How in the hell did they make it?' They used to practice in my living room here – a lot of the songs they did on Dookie. You hear it coming together, and you don't expect people are going to go out and buy it. But when it does, you just say, 'Wow that's so cool.'"
In 1998, after Green Day won a "Moon Man" Trophy at the MTV Music Awards, Tre Cool famously scaled the Universal Globe at Universal Studios, but escaped with no punishment, only compliments and cheers. Cool has been the only person to ever do so.
Singing and songwriting
Cool sang and played guitar on the tracks "Dominated Love Slave" and "All by Myself", from Kerplunk and DookieDookie
Dookie is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on February 1, 1994 through Reprise Records. It was the band's first collaboration with producer Rob Cavallo and its major record label debut. Dookie became a worldwide commercial success, peaking at number...
, respectively, both of which he wrote and composed (on "Dominated Love Slave", guitarist and vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
played drums). He wrote and sang the subtrack "Rock and Roll Girlfriend" from the medley "Homecoming" featured on the album American Idiot
American Idiot
American Idiot is the seventh studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on September 21, 2004 through Reprise Records and was produced by longtime collaborator Rob Cavallo. In mid-2003, the band began recording songs for an album entitled Cigarettes and Valentines...
. He also sang and composed the track "DUI" ("Driving Under the Influence"), which was recorded for Green Day's fifth studio album Nimrod (1997) and was due to be released on the compilation album Shenanigans in 2002, but was omitted and can only be found online.
During a radio interview at Washington DC's alternative station DC 101, Cool sang and played acoustic guitar on a short song entitled "Like a Rat Does Cheese," a song about the pleasure of fellatio
Fellatio
Fellatio is an act of oral stimulation of a male's penis by a sexual partner. It involves the stimulation of the penis by the use of the mouth, tongue, or throat. The person who performs fellatio can be referred to as the giving partner, and the other person is the receiving partner...
.
Several live tracks also exist, usually from around 1993, such as "Food Around the Corner", a song from the 1943 Elmer Fudd
Elmer Fudd
Elmer J. Fudd/Egghead is a fictional cartoon character and one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, and the de facto archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheon . His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring...
cartoon An Itch in Time
An Itch in Time
An Itch in Time is a 1943 Warner Bros. cartoon in the Merrie Melodies series, directed by Bob Clampett and starring Elmer Fudd and a dog which looks very similar to, if not a modified Willoughby the Dog....
. Another live track, "Billie Joe's Mom" was also recorded.
Cool had also recorded a version of Tay Zonday
Tay Zonday
Adam Nyerere Bahner , better known by the pseudonym Tay Zonday, is an American musician, YouTube personality and voice actor. He is well known by listeners for his deep baritone voice whilst singing. He garnered mainstream exposure when his song "Chocolate Rain", and accompanying video on YouTube,...
's "Chocolate Rain
Chocolate Rain
"Chocolate Rain" is a song and music video performed by American Internet personality Tay Zonday. After being posted on YouTube on April 22, 2007, the song quickly became popular. , the video has over 74,000,000 views. The music video portrays a bespectacled Zonday in a recording studio wearing a...
." It was posted on 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....
on August 1, 2007. His cover was mentioned in several news journals.
Green Day
- Kerplunk! (1992) – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
on "Dominated Love Slave" - DookieDookieDookie is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on February 1, 1994 through Reprise Records. It was the band's first collaboration with producer Rob Cavallo and its major record label debut. Dookie became a worldwide commercial success, peaking at number...
(1994) – drums, guitar and vocals on "All by Myself" - Insomniac (1995) – drums
- Nimrod (1997) – drums
- WarningWarning (Green Day album)Warning is the sixth studio album by American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on October 3, 2000 through Reprise Records. Building upon its predecessor, Nimrod , the album eschewed the band's trademark punk rock sound and incorporated acoustic and pop rock elements...
(2000) – drums - American IdiotAmerican IdiotAmerican Idiot is the seventh studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on September 21, 2004 through Reprise Records and was produced by longtime collaborator Rob Cavallo. In mid-2003, the band began recording songs for an album entitled Cigarettes and Valentines...
(2004) – drums, vocals on "Rock and Roll Girlfriend" - Bullet in a BibleBullet in a Bible-Certifications:-Personnel:* Billie Joe Armstrong – lead vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, harmonica* Mike Dirnt – bass, backing vocals* Tré Cool – drums, percussion-Additional musicians:* Jason White – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, backing vocals...
(2005) – drums - 21st Century Breakdown21st Century Breakdown21st Century Breakdown is the eighth studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It is the band's second rock opera, following American Idiot, and their first album to be produced by Butch Vig. Green Day commenced work on the record in January 2006...
(2009) – drums - Awesome as F**k(2011) – drums
DVD
- Bullet in a Bible (film; 2005) – drums, himself
- Awesome as F**k (film; 2011) – drums, himself
The Lookouts
- One Planet One PeopleOne Planet One PeopleOne Planet One People is the debut album by the American punk rock band The Lookouts. It was released in 1987 through Lookout! Records and was the first ever release on Lookout!. One Planet One People is the first recording featuring Tré Cool of Green Day...
(1987) - drums, vocals - Spy Rock RoadSpy Rock RoadSpy Rock Road is the second and final studio album by the American punk rock band The Lookouts. It was released in 1989 through Lookout! Records-Track listing:#"That Girl's from Outer Space" - 2:29#"Wild" - 3:37#"Alienation" - 4:35...
(1989) - drums, lead vocals on "That Girl's from Outer Space"
Other media appearances
- King of the HillKing of the HillKing of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
(TV series; 1997) – Cane Skretteberg - Riding in Vans with BoysRiding in Vans with BoysRiding in Vans with Boys is a 2003 documentary film directed by Matthew Beauchesne describing the experiences of the band Kut U Up, a relatively unknown group that went on tour in the spring of 2002 as an opening act for major groups like Blink-182, Green Day and Jimmy Eat World in the Pop Disaster...
(film; 2003) – himself - Live Freaky! Die Freaky!Live Freaky! Die Freaky!Live Freaky Die Freaky is a stop motion-animated, musical independent film directed by John Roecker. It is a black comedy based on the Charles Manson murders...
(film; 2006) - The Maid - The Simpsons MovieThe Simpsons MovieThe Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
(film; 2007) – himself - Green Day: Rock BandGreen Day: Rock BandGreen Day: Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and distributed by Electronic Arts. It is the fifth major console release in the Rock Band music video game series and, like other games in the series, it allows players to simulate the playing of...
(video game; 2010) – himself
Equipment
Cool has used drums of different companies. He currently uses Leedy drums and Zildjian cymbals. In the past, Cool has used drums built by DW (Drum Workshop), Ayotte, Slingerland, Sherwood and LudwigAmerican Idiot Drum Setup:
Drum Set: Ludwig Classic Maple Series Kit in Silver Sparkle Finish with Remo
Remo
Remo is a male given name of Latin origin - see Romulus and Remus.Remo may also refer to:* Remo, an American drum skin company* Remo , another name for the German wine grape Riesling* Remo language, a Panoan language of Brazil and Peru...
Drumheads
- 18"×22" Bass drum with a Clear Powerstroke 3 on batter and Ebony Powerstroke 3 (with Green Day's American Idiot logo) on reso
- 10"×14" Rack Tom with a Coated Emperor on batter and Clear Ambassador on reso
- 16"×16" Floor Tom with a Coated Emperor on batter and Clear Ambassador on reso
- 16"×18" Floor Tom with a Coated Emperor on batter and Clear Ambassador on reso
- 7"×14" Noble & Cooley Classic SS Series Snare with a Coated Powerstroke 3 on Batter and hazy snare side Ambassador on reso (Tre occasionally used a 6.5x14 Ludwig Black Beauty Snare)
- 14" K/Z Special Hi-hats
- 19" K Dark Medium Crash
- 18" A Medium Crash
- 22" A Ping Ride or 22" A Deep Ride
- 21" A Sweet Ride (Used as Crash) or 20" Vintage Avedis Ride (Used as Crash)
- 20" FX Oriental Classic China (Tre occasionally used the 20" FX Oriental China "Trash")
21st Century Breakdown Drum Setup
Drum Set: Leedy Custom Maple Kit in White Marine Nitron Finish with Remo
Remo
Remo is a male given name of Latin origin - see Romulus and Remus.Remo may also refer to:* Remo, an American drum skin company* Remo , another name for the German wine grape Riesling* Remo language, a Panoan language of Brazil and Peru...
Drumheads
- 16"×22" Bass drum with a Clear Powerstroke 3 on batter and Smooth White Powerstroke 3 (with Green Day's 21st century Breakdown logo) on reso
- 09"×13" Tom with a Coated Emperor on batter and Clear Ambassador on reso
- 16"×16" Floor Tom with a Coated Emperor on batter and Clear Ambassador on reso
- 16"×18" Floor Tom with a Coated Emperor on batter and Clear Ambassador on reso
- 6.5"×14" Leedy Broadway Standard Snare with a Coated Emperor x on batter and hazy snare side Ambassador on reso
- 14" K/Z Special Hi-hats
- 19" K Dark Medium Thin Crash
- 19" A Medium Thin Crash
- 22" A Ping Ride
- 20" K Crash Ride (Used as Crash)
- 20" FX Oriental Classic China (Tre has used the 20" but in the later shows of the 21st Century Breakdown Tour, He can be seen using the 22 Inch)
External links
- DRUM! Magazine's interview with Tre Cool
- Tre Cool at DrummerWorld.com
- Tre Cool at BehindTheDrums.com contains discography and equipment list
- Tre Cool at Zildjian.com
- Tre Cool biography on Green Day Authority
- YouTube Chocolate Rain as performed by Tre Cool