17 September 2008

M. Shadow


M. Shadows

Background information
Birth name Matthew Charles Sanders
Born July 31, 1981 (1981-07-31) (age 27)
Huntington Beach, California, USA
Genre(s) Metalcore
Hard rock
Post-Hardcore
Heavy metal
Experimental rock
Punk rock
Occupation(s) Musician, Songwriter, Singer
Instrument(s) Vocals, Piano, Guitar
Years active 1999–present
Label(s) Warner Bros.
Associated acts Avenged Sevenfold, Death by Stereo, Good Charlotte, Bleeding Through, The Confession
Website AvengedSevenfold.com

M. Shadows (born Matthew Charles Sanders on July 31, 1981) in Huntington Beach, California, (also known as Shads), is the vocalist/lead singer for the American hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Biography
o 1.1 Biography
o 1.2 Music career
o 1.3 Vocal style
* 2 Featured Guest appearances
* 3 References

[edit] Biography

[edit] Biography

In his youth, Sanders was notorious for his disorderly conduct and misbehavior. He was quoted as saying "I was in between being a good kid & a bad kid - I had a good heart, but a bad attitude." He was expelled from two different Huntington Beach schools, one for smashing a woman's car windows after a sixth-grade pizza party and another for defacing campus property in seventh grade. The latter event culminated in the untimely death of the school principal due to a heart attack, which earned Sanders the nickname "the kid that killed the principal."[1]

On the All Excess DVD, while all of the members were talking about how they got their stage names, M. Shadows said that he got his name because when he attended Huntington Beach High School and the band was just starting out, he was a darker kid (hence the name "Shadows") but he also wanted to incorporate his name, Matt, into his stage name. Matt was reduced to M and since has been known as M. Shadows.[2].

Shads is engaged to Valary DiBenedetto, his long time girlfriend and former tour manager. Val starred in A7X's video for Seize the Day. She is also featured in Warmness on the Soul and Dear God videos.


[edit] Music career

Matt used to play the bass before he started to sing. When he was growing up, he listened to a lot of punk rock and got into the metal scene when his father bought him Appetite for Destruction by Guns'N'Roses after he had seen them on the Headbanger's Ball. [3]

In following years, Shadows formed a number of bands with Avenged Sevenfold's rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance. He was previously a member of a punk group called 'Successful Failure'. While in this band he penned the song "Streets," which would later be recorded after Avenged Sevenfold was formed, and released on the first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. The album was a mix of metalcore and a song that is soft(Warmness On The Soul)

Shadows feels a strong support for the troops serving the United States, having very close friends who are currently in service in Iraq. The song "M.I.A." ("Missing In Action") was written in tribute to these friends. The song "Gunslinger" from Avenged Sevenfold's self-titled album further expresses these feelings (though it was stated in the album's extra MVI that it's not just about troops - "it can be about anyone away from home, missing their families.") The song "Critical Acclaim" is an attack on people who criticize the soldiers fighting in Iraq.

[edit] Vocal style

In the band's debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, M. Shadows' vocals had a heavy metalcore influence and consisted mostly of screaming and guttural growls. This style gradually decreased in later albums into more conventional clean singing and had been almost completely jettisoned (with the exception of backing introduction screams) by the release of City of Evil, the band's major label debut. Despite having admitted having minor throat surgery this was not a cause for change and in an interview on All Excess, manager Larry Jacobson states that Shadows had decided several years before the making of City of Evil that it would be an all singing album. He had made it clear to their producer, Mudrock, that the album they were working on at the time Waking the Fallen would be half singing and half screaming, and that the next would be all singing. In the past Shadows would sing on all parts of the songs during live performances, supporting the theory that he was no longer able to scream or growl. Perhaps becoming fed up with those claims, Shadows has resumed screaming again during live shows, this can be seen in the band's new live video for the single "Afterlife". Some of Shadows' biggest musical influences are The Ramones, Black Flag, Metallica, Pantera, and Guns N' Roses. He is also very fond of Phil Anselmo's super group Down as well as strongly appreciating their first album NOLA.

[edit] Featured Guest appearances
Year Song Artist(s) Album
2007 "Buffalo Stampede" Cowboy Troy Black in the Saddle
2007 "The River (Good Charlotte song)" (with Synyster Gates) Good Charlotte Good Morning Revival
2007 "Like Always" Kisses For Kings[2] Demo
2006 "Falling Away from Me" (Live) (temporarily replaced Jonathan Davis (due to medical attention)) Korn[3] Download Festival 2006
2005 "Entombed We Collide" and "This is Not the End" (additional vocals) Death by Stereo Death for Life
2002 "Savior, Saint, Salvation" Bleeding Through Portrait of the Goddess

15 September 2008

Johny Christ


Johnny Christ

Background information
Birth name Johnathan Lewis Seward
Also known as Johnny Christ
Born November 18, 1984 (1984-11-18) (age 23)
Huntington Beach, California, United States
Genre(s) Metalcore, Hard rock, Post-hardcore
Occupation(s) Musician
Instrument(s) Bass
Years active 2002-present
Label(s) Hopeless, Warner Bros.
Associated acts Avenged Sevenfold
Website AvengedSevenfold.com
Notable instrument(s)
Music Man Stingray/Gallien Krueger

Johnny Christ (born Jonathan Lewis Seward November 18, 1984) is the bassist for the Hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold, from Huntington Beach, California, in Orange County.

He is the third bassist for Avenged Sevenfold, following the departures of Daemon Ash and Justin Meacham (Sane). He is also the youngest member of the band.

He is currently dating Lacey Franklin.


Contents
[hide]

* 1 Early Years
* 2 Musical Career
* 3 Equipment
* 4 Links
* 5 References

[edit] Early Years

Johnny Christ attended Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California. He proceeded through high school and eventually formally met M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates, and The Rev (the latter of the two which he already knew from school) through his older brother. He also is friends with Zacky Vengeance's younger brother Matt Baker from the band The Dear and Departed. Johnny's family is Polish.

[edit] Musical Career

He initially "took a few weeks" off of high school during his senior year to fill in for their previous bassist, Dameon Ash during one of their tours. These "few weeks" would become permanent as Johnny dropped out of high school to become the band's current bassist.

When the band was practicing in Matt's parents garage, Johnny would walk down the street and tell them that their bassist was no good and that they should let him play with them instead. Johnny has apparently known Jimmy since he was in kindergarten.

His two biggest influences are Cliff Burton (now deceased bassist for Metallica) and Duff MacKagan (the bassist from Velvet Revolver and formerly Guns N Roses). The person that inspired him the most to pick up a bass was Les Claypool, the bassist and vocalist from Primus. [1]

Johnny first recorded on their second CD Waking the Fallen. He used to write only Johnny on his autographs until Zacky came up with the name 'Johnny Christ', and in All Excess he said, "That sounds... really ballsy. Everyone's gonna hate that, so... I should definitely go with that!" He resides in Huntington Beach, Orange County.[2]

[edit] Equipment

* Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray Bass W/ Custom "Mr.Death" Graphic
* Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray Custom Grey Burst W/ Matching Head Stock
* Ernie Ball Musicman Sterling (2H) Bass
* Ernie Ball Musicman 30th Anniversary Stingray Bass
* Seymour Duncan Pickups
* Gallien Krueger 412 Neo cab
* 2 Gallien Kruger 410RBH Cabs
* Gallien Krueger 2001 RB Head
* Ernie Ball 2831 Power Slinky Bass Strings

Also Seen In Recording:

* Ampeg SVT CL Head
* Dunlop CryBaby Bass WAH
* Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray 5 Red w/ White Pick Guard

Old Setup:

* Ernie Ball Musicman Sterling Bass Black/Black
* Ampeg SVT 8x10 Cab
* Gallien Krueger 1001 RB Head
* Ernie Ball 2831 Power Slinky Bass Strings

[edit] Links

* Interview with PunkTV (2008)

Zacky Vengeance


Zacky Vengeance

Background information
Birth name Zachary James Baker
Also known as Zacky Vengeance.
Born December 11, 1981 (1981-12-11) (age 26) Huntington Beach, California
Genre(s) Metalcore, Hard rock, Heavy metal
Occupation(s) Musician, Songwriter, Guitarist
Instrument(s) Guitar, Piano
Years active 1999-present
Label(s) Warner Bros.
Associated acts Avenged Sevenfold, Mad Porno Action
Website AvengedSevenfold.com
Notable instrument(s)
Schecter Vengeance Custom Model

Zacky Vengeance (born Zachary James Baker on December 11, 1981) is the rhythm guitarist and back up vocalist for the band Avenged Sevenfold.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Biography
* 2 Vengeance University
* 3 Equipment
o 3.1 Guitars
o 3.2 Amplifiers
o 3.3 Speaker Cabinets
o 3.4 Effects Units and Accessories
* 4 References

[edit] Biography

In the Avenged Sevenfold DVD "All Excess" he recalls that before Avenged Sevenfold, he played in a one time punk band called MPA*, which stood for Mad Porno Action. The Music Of Mad Porno Action comes through in A7X's music at least the style. He implies that they were not successful. He and M. Shadows (who at the time was singer for the band Successful Failure) formed Avenged Sevenfold. He took the name Zacky Vengeance, stating that he had grudges against many people who doubted his success. He was also responsible for the creation of the acronym "A7X". Stating that the 'A' stood for avenged, and then the 7 stood for seven and the X common referred to as fold thus 'avenged seven fold' .[1] He is also left-handed. He taught himself how to play the guitar when he was thirteen.

The guitar he first learned on was actually his dad's, who was right handed. He learned by watching his favourite bands and other people he knew who played and practiced as much as he could. He would also read each edition of Guitar World cover to cover, learning the tabs of the songs published in there and watching the professionals perform it until he got it right. His influences in his style are Rancid, Misfits and Bad Religion. Zacky's favourite bands also include Metallica, ELIXIR, and Guns N Roses

He has a brother named Matt Baker who is with the band The Dear and Departed. He has a sister, named Zina Baker.

Zacky is half-German and half-Italian.

He has a dog name Ichabod, for whom he made a Myspace page.

Zacky formerly worked at a coffee shop, and while he was in high school he played baseball, stating that if he had not pursued a career in Avenged Sevenfold, he would have gone on to professionally play baseball.

Zacky has recently released a Guitar model, which he, himself, designed.

He has been dating his hairstylist girlfriend, Gena Paulhaus since 2005.


[edit] Vengeance University
Zacky V. Presents... logo
Zacky V. Presents... logo

Zacky released a clothing line called [1]"Vengeance University." He just released a new site called Vengenz.com. The line currently features t-shirts and belt buckles, featuring his trademark "Est. 6661" tagline on it. 6661 is 1999 flipped upside down and backwards, which is the year the band was formed.

[edit] Equipment

[edit] Guitars

Zacky uses Schecter Guitars

* The Vengeance custom S-1
* The Vengeance Standard Model (discontinued)
* The ZV special

The following are all his custom Models Each one is a S1 as He stated " The shape and size is perfect'

All models are loaded with Seymour Duncan JB Pickups

[edit] Amplifiers

* Bogner Ubershall and Caveman Head
* Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier Head
* Marshall JCM-2000

[edit] Speaker Cabinets

* Bogner Uberkab 4x12 Cabinet
* Mesa/Boogie Rectifier Cabinet

[edit] Effects Units and Accessories

* Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner
* Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor
* Visual Sound H2O Liquid Chorus
* Line 6 Tonecore Coise Constrictor
* Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler
* Line 6 PODxt Pro
* Ibanez LF7
* Seymour Duncan SFX-01 Pickup Booster
* Voodoo Lab PEDAL POWER 2
* Voodoo Lab GCX Audio Switcher
* Ernie Ball "skinny top, heavy bottom" strings[2]
* Dunlop Tortex yellow plectrums 0.73mm (Avenged Sevenfold logo)
* White Get'm Get'm Sergeant Stripes Strap

Synister Gates


Synyster Gates

Background information

Birth name Brian Elwin Haner, Jr.
Born July 7, 1981 (1981-07-07) (age 27)
Huntington Beach, California, United States
Genre(s) Metalcore, Hard rock, Post-hardcore, Heavy metal,Alternative rock
Occupation(s) Musician, Songwriter
Instrument(s) Guitar, Piano, Organ, Keyboards
Years active 2000–present
Label(s) Goodlife, Hopeless, Warner Bros. Records
Associated acts Avenged Sevenfold, Pinkly Smooth, Good Charlotte
Notable instrument(s)
Schecter Synyster Custom Electric Guitar

Synyster Gates (born Brian Elwin Haner, Jr. on July 7, 1981), also known as Syn, is an American musician and is the lead guitarist for Avenged Sevenfold.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Biography
* 2 Discography
* 3 Equipment
o 3.1 Guitars
o 3.2 Amplifiers
o 3.3 Effects Units
o 3.4 Accessories
* 4 Featured Guest appearances
* 5 References

[edit] Biography

Brian's first guitar was given to him by his grandparents and his father showed him some of the ropes. One of the first songs he learned was Stairway to Heaven. He transcribed most songs by himself and by sixth grade, he was playing by ear.

Synyster Gates attended Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach, California and Mayfair High School in Lakewood, California. The According to him, he met the rest of the band through The Rev (Jimmy Sullivan). The Rev and Synyster Gates met in metal shop back in 8th grade when Jimmy started to make fun of Brian, but when the two actually started talking, they realized they both played music and became almost inseparable.

He openly admits that he didn't do well in school. Brian graduated and attended the Musicians Institute in Hollywood as part of the GIT program, studying jazz guitar. Up until that time he was primarily self taught by watching music videos and reading books, which is surprising because his father was/is a songwriter and guitar player, having played with Frank Zappa during his career. After six or so months of being there, he got a phone call from Jimmy (and the rest of the current line up of Avenged Sevenfold) asking him if he wanted to come and be their lead guitarist. Brian joined up with them rather than continuing his education and becoming a studio musician.[1]

Gates joined Avenged Sevenfold (A7X) when he was 18 at the end of 1999, right before the recording of the band's first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. He was featured on their EP, "Warmness on the Soul," and on the reissue of their first album. He also plays piano for the band on songs such as "The Beast and the Harlot" and "Sidewinder," though a friend of the band, bassist Justin Sane, played the piano on Warmness on the Soul.

In the Avenged Sevenfold DVD "All Excess," to emphasize the seemingly random placing of names, Gates stated that his name was thought of on a drunken drive through the park with The Rev. His exact words were, "I am Synyster Gates, and I am awesome!"[2]

Gates cites Django Reinhardt, Adam Aparicio, Dimebag Darrell, Slash, John Petrucci and Francis Canavan as his favorite guitarists and major influences. He has won numerous awards, including the "Young Shredder" award of the year in the Metal Hammer awards in 2006 and the "Guitarist of the Year" Award for Total Guitar Magazine in 2006. In June 2008 Guitar World magazine interviewed Syn, reader Shawn Butterfield asked "You're one hell of a guitarist. But who do you really look up to?" to which he responded "Definitely Slash! the Ozzy guitar dudes, Alexi Laiho from Children of Bodom! Jimi Hendrix of course, Dimebag Darrell from Pantera, Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin, a lot man!"

Synyster Gates was also a member of the "Goblin Metal" side-project Pinkly Smooth with The Rev and Justin Sane. Pinkly Smooth was disbanded because Gates and The Rev wished to focus full-time on Avenged Sevenfold, although when asked recently, they both revealed there is a new side project being planned, featuring the two playing older Pinkly Smooth tunes.

Gates has a younger brother Brent and a younger sister McKenna.

Brian is currently dating Michelle DiBenedetto, Val's twin sister [also Shads' fiance']

[edit] Discography

* With Pinkly Smooth:
* Unfortunate Snort (2001)

* With Avenged Sevenfold:
* Sounding the Seventh Trumpet (2001)
* Waking The Fallen (2003)
* City of Evil (2005)
* Avenged Sevenfold (2007)
* Diamonds in the Rough (2008)

[edit] Equipment

[edit] Guitars

Syn is currently endorsed by Schecter Guitar Research, as is Zacky Vengeance.

* Syn uses his custom 'Synyster' models, which are a hybrid of a few custom shop models.
* A white C-1 FR with white Invader pickups.
o Syn also has a lot of variations of his Synyster models, eg. (all of the following are the Avenger/Synyster shape) an American flag, a German flag, a Rebel flag, black with red pinstripes, and white with gold pinstripes, as seen in the Afterlife music video. The white with gold pinstripes signature guitar is available and is limited in production to 100.

Most, if not all, of Syn's guitars are custom made. Syn uses Seymour Duncan SH-8 Custom Shop Invader pickups in his guitars and also a sustainiac pickup in the neck. He uses Drop D tuning most of the time. He uses drop Db tuning for "Almost Easy", and "Scream".

In the past Syn has used a Gibson Les Paul, a Parker Fly, B.C Rich Mockingbird and Ibanez RG Prestige.

[edit] Amplifiers

* Bogner Uberschall and caveman (main)
* Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Roadster Head
* Marshall various low-watt combos

Speaker Cabinets

* Marshall 4x12" cab
* Bogner Uberkab 4x12" (main)
* Mesa/Boogie 4x12" Recto Cabinet Straight

[edit] Effects Units

* Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner
* Boss CS-3 Compressor
* Visual Sound H20 Chorus/Echo
* Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer
* Frantone "The Sweet" Distortion
* Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
* Boss BF-3 Flanger
* Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter
* Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor
* Seymour Duncan SFX-01 Pickup Booster
* Voodoo Lab PEDAL POWER 2
* Voodoo Lab GCX Audio Switcher
* Jim Dunlop Crybaby From Hell Wah Pedal

[edit] Accessories

* Ernie Ball 'skinny top, heavy bottom' strings.
* Jim Dunlop Gator Grip 2.0mm picks in custom black with a "Deathbat" logo printed
* Voodoo Labs GCX Guitar Audio Switcher rack unit
* Voodoo Labs DMC Ground Control Polo pro
* Rebel Straps Skull Bottle Opener Strap
* Rebel Straps Skull Pick Box Strap
* White Get'm Get'm Sergeant Stripes Guitar Strap
* Black Schaller Strap Locks
* Red Schaller Strap Locks

[edit] Featured Guest appearances
Year Song Artist(s) Album
2007 "The River" (with M. Shadows) Good Charlotte Good Morning Revival
2008 "Dirty Little Girl" Burn Halo

The Rev

The Rev (born James 'Jimmy' Owen Sullivan on February 10, 1981), short for The Reverend Tholomew Plague, is the drummer and backing vocalist of Avenged Sevenfold. He is also a vocalist and played the piano in the Avant-garde metal side-project Pinkly Smooth, his name in that band was first Rat Head.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Biography
* 2 Equipment
o 2.1 Avenged Sevenfold [2007]
+ 2.1.1 DW Drums
# 2.1.1.1 Hardware
# 2.1.1.2 Sabian Cymbals
+ 2.1.2 Heads
+ 2.1.3 Sticks
o 2.2 City of Evil [2005]
+ 2.2.1 DW Drums
+ 2.2.2 Sabian Cymbals
+ 2.2.3 DW Hardware
+ 2.2.4 Pro-Mark Sticks
* 3 Trivia
* 4 References

[edit] Biography

He attended a Catholic school with M. Shadows, and was expelled in the 2nd grade. James was also expelled from Huntington Beach High School in 2000, and was then expelled from the reform school resulting in his dropping out. He was in and out of homes as a teenager living in his car and at a laundromat where he worked. At one time he lived with Synyster Gates, where Papa Gates has said Jimmy is eccentric to a nearly dangerous level and is the most natural musician he has ever met. His first record was released with the band Suburban Legends at the age of 18.

He was also formerly the drummer for third-wave ska band Suburban Legends, and vocalist for Avenged Sevenfold side project Pinkly Smooth. The Rev took part in the band Ballistico as their guitarist and vocalist. On the Avenged Sevenfold DVD, All Excess, while discussing how each member got their stage names, it was stated that Sullivan attained his name via a shortened version of The Reverend Tholomew Plague. The decision was seemingly random, as there were no specific reasons stated as to the inspiration for the name. He had a tendency to wear eccentric outfits such as outrageously colored kimonos or bath robes, baggy shorts, and fluorescent socks. In the DVD, he was said to terrorize people on his campus while wearing the eccentric outfits , and rode around in a golf cart.[1]

Jimmy has been to jail several times in his life, mainly for fighting, which he claims to have given up forever now. When he was 15 years old, he and a friend were caught stealing from an electronics store and then fled from the cops, they were both caught and were charged with armed robbery but plea bargained, he does not recommend fighting, stealing or fleeing from cops.

Jimmy is married to Leana Silver (Macfadden, she starts to use Silver, as a tribute to her most fave authors, Sid & Nancy Silver) and as a tribute to her got her name tattooed on his ring finger.

One of his favorite tattoos is the word 'FICTION' down his sternum.

Some of his favorite bands are Rancid,The Transplants, Slayer, and Organized Riot. Sullivan cites his influences as being Vinnie Paul of Pantera, Dave Lombardo and Paul Bostaph of Slayer ,Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater, and Terry Bozzio.

Sullivan uses and is sponsored by DW Drums, although he appears in advertisements for DW's budget company, PDP, his old tour set was a PDP. He is also sponsored by Sabian cymbals, Pro-Mark sticks and Evans drum heads. [2]

Recognized for vocals and piano in side project Pinkly Smooth, Sullivan is utilized as a back-up vocalist in Avenged Sevenfold. Besides screaming with M. Shadows in songs Chapter Four and Eternal Rest, the single from the band's eponymous album, Critical Acclaim features Sullivan at lead vocals during the chorus of the song, both singing and screaming. His vocals are also featured in other songs from the Avenged Sevenfold eponymous album.

The Rev is featured singing in the songs he wrote, "A Little Piece of Heaven", "Brompton Cocktail", "Afterlife", "Almost Easy". He also sang in songs he co-wrote such as, "Critical Acclaim", "Scream" and "Lost". All of which are from the eponymous album.

The Rev was recently voted in GuitarWorld to be the second best drummer of the year. He was only bested by the Neil Peart of Rush.

[edit] Equipment

[edit] Avenged Sevenfold [2007]

[edit] DW Drums

* DW Collector Series with a Snakeskin Wrap and Black Hardware on drums
* 22"x18" Bass (x3)
* 8"x4", 8"x7", 10"x8", 12"x9", 12"x14"Mounted Toms
* 16"x14", 18"x16" Mounted Floor Toms
* 14"x5" Bronze Snare

[edit] Hardware

* DW 9000 series with all boom stands
* DW 9000 single pedals
* DW Combo Rack

[edit] Sabian Cymbals

* AAX X-Celerator Hats(14")
* AAX Metal Crash (18 & 19")
* AAX Metal Ride (22")
* Paragon Chinese (19")
* AAX Chinese (18")
* Signature Max Splash (7 & 9")
* Ice Bell (12")
* HHXTreme Crash (19")
* Chopper Effects Cymbal (10")

[edit] Heads

* Evans EQ4 Batter Clear
* Evans EQ3 Resonant Black
* Evans Genera G2 Clear
* Evans Genera G1 Clear
* Evans Power Center Reverse Dot
* Evans Hazy 300 Snare Side

[edit] Sticks

* Pro-Mark TX5BW Wood Tip Hickory

[edit] City of Evil [2005]

[edit] DW Drums

2003 to 2005

* 22x18 bass drum (DW 9000 double pedal)
* 10x8 tom tom
* 12x9 tom tom
* 14x12 mounted floor tom
* 16x14 mounted floor tom
* 14x5 brass snare

2005 to 2007

* 22x18 x2 bass drum (in 2007 he switched to a triple bass drum set-up)
* 8x7 tom tom
* 10x8 tom tom
* 12x9 tom tom
* 14x12 mounted floor tom
* 16x14 mounted floor tom
* 14x4" Bell Brass snare

[edit] Sabian Cymbals

* 14" Sabian AAX-XCelerator Hi-Hats
* 18" Sabian AA Metal-X Crash
* 19" Sabian AA Metal-X Crash
* 24" Sabian AA Metal-X Ride
* 18" Sabian AA Metal-X China
* 9" Sabian Mike Portnoy Signature Max Splash
* 11" Sabian Mike Portnoy Signature Max Splash

[edit] DW Hardware

2006 to 2008 (DW 9000)

[edit] Pro-Mark Sticks

Pro-Mark Natural 5B Wood Tip

[edit] Trivia

* Says that he is addicted to tattoos, he gets one and he gets ideas for a few more. He has one tattoo that scares him and he's thinking of getting it removed. His tattoos include: the Zombie Virgin Mary – It was his first tattoo that a friend of his did, it took 5 hours and he got it because he was raised Catholic but didn't want a traditional Virgin Mary, FICTION – Going down the middle of his chest in red and black ink. Got it because that is the way his life is, if he told someone about it, they probably wouldn't believe him, a set of handcuffs around his neck, SULLIVAN and a 0 outlined on his back, a biblical gray scale design on his upper chest, a skull with small wings on his upper left arm, and a hooded figure on a horse on his left arm (under the skull with wings)
* At 6 feet and 3 inches tall, he is the tallest member of the band.
* He is the oldest member of the band.
* Worked and lived at a laundromat.

10 September 2008