Shawn Drover | |
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Background information | |
Born | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | May 5, 1966
Genres | Thrash metal, power metal, heavy metal, death metal, metalcore |
Occupation(s) | Drummer |
Years active | 1979–present |
Shawn Drover (born May 5, 1966) is a Canadian drummer, best known for his work with the American heavy metal band Megadeth.
He began playing the drums at the age of 13. In 1993 he founded the power metal band Eidolon with his brother Glen. He uses Sabian cymbals and Yamaha drums, Pro-mark drum sticks, Toca Percussion, Evans Drumheads and Extreme Isolation headphones.
After ten years in Megadeth, Drover along with guitarist Chris Broderick announced their departures from the band in November 2014. [1] The pair formed the extreme metal supergroup Act of Defiance together in late 2014.
After releasing 2 records with Act of Defiance, shawn started his new band WITHERING SCORN and re-united with his brother and EX-Megadeth bandmate Glen Drover to release their first record “Prophets of Demise” in July of 2023. They are currently working on their 2nd record which is slated for release in 2025.
While in rehearsal for "Blackmail the Universe Tour" in October 2004, six days before the first show, Shawn replaced newly returned drummer Nick Menza in thrash metal band Megadeth, who was unable to prepare for the physical demands of a full US tour.
Shawn also has been playing guitar since 1980, which he learned from watching his brother, Glen Drover play. Shawn wrote most of the music for all 6 Eidolon records as well as all of the lyrics for all Eidolon records except "The Parallel Otherworld". He was playing guitar during Megadeth's "Blackmail The Universe Tour" in Kawasaki, Japan (April 3, 2005). Shawn and his brother Glen Drover switched instruments playing "Paranoid" and the second half of "Peace Sells". [2] Glen sat at the drums, and Shawn played the guitar, during Gigantour show in Toronto on September 3, 2005. Shawn co-wrote the Grammy Nominated song "Head Crusher" from 2009's Endgame , as well as "Built for War" from 2013's Super Collider .
While on the Gigantour in 2005, Shawn became the third Megadeth guitarist on stage during "Peace Sells" while Mike Portnoy previously of Dream Theater played the drums. Shawn also did one solo of the song. The night after the statements were released that Shawn's brother Glen had quit Megadeth, Shawn and Glen recommended Chris Broderick as a possible replacement. Shawn then proceeded to show Dave a video of Chris playing both classical and electric guitar. Dave was immediately won over and soon managed to get in contact with Chris. Two weeks later, Broderick was officially declared the new guitarist for Megadeth.
As opposed to many drummers, who cross over their sticks to play the hi-hat with their right hand and snare with their left hand, Shawn instead keeps time with his left hand, keeps a ride cymbal on the left side of his set, and relegates his right hand for snare drum hits (similar to Gene Hoglan and Simon Phillips). Although the role of each hand is reversed. This is known as "Open handed drumming". Shawn Drover is himself left-handed.
As of 2015, Shawn Drover was Megadeth's longest-serving drummer, having been a member of the band for just over 10 years, and had the third-longest tenure in the band after only bass guitarist David Ellefson and guitarist and frontman Dave Mustaine. [3] On November 25, 2014, Drover announced his departure from Megadeth, wanting to pursue his own musical interests. [4] Following his departure from Megadeth, Drover teamed up with Chris Broderick, who left Megadeth the same day as him, to form Act of Defiance with vocalist Henry Derek and bassist Matt Bachand. [5] In July 2023, Drover stated the band had come to a point of close after Broderick joined In Flames. [6]
He currently resides near Atlanta, Georgia, has a wife, a daughter, a son, and grandson. On May 5, the same date as his birthday, 2010, his first grandson was born. [7] Shawn is a huge fan of the NFL, and College Football. His favorite team is the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is also a huge NHL fan citing favorite teams such as the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Calgary Flames. Shawn is an avid golfer as well, and participates in several charitable golf events each year.
Shawn Drover endorses Yamaha Drums, Sabian, Evans Drumheads, Toca percussion, Extreme Isolation headphones and Pro-Mark Drumsticks. The "MegaKit" used on tours from 2004 through 2010 was manufactured by Ferguson Fabrication out of Tempe, Arizona. The structure was revised and redesigned making the cage lighter and easier to assemble. Shawn formerly from October 2006 to February 2014 endorsed the DDRUM maple kit and electronic DDRUM triggers with Sabian cymbals. [8]
Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along with Metallica, Anthrax, and Slayer, responsible for the genre's development and popularization. Their music features complex arrangements and fast rhythm sections, dual lead guitars, and lyrical themes of war, politics, religion, death, and personal relationships.
David Scott Mustaine is an American musician. He is the co-founder, frontman, primary songwriter and sole consistent member of the thrash metal band Megadeth. Mustaine has released sixteen studio albums with Megadeth, sold over 38 million records worldwide, with six albums platinum-certified, and won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2017 at the 59th Grammy Awards, for the title track of their fifteenth studio album, Dystopia.
David Warren Ellefson is an American musician, best known for his long tenure as the bassist for thrash metal band Megadeth.
Chris Poland is an American guitarist, best known as the former guitarist of the thrash metal band Megadeth. Since 2002, Poland has been the guitarist of the instrumental rock/jazz fusion bands OHM and OHMphrey, among others, and has appeared on several projects and albums from a variety of different genres.
The System Has Failed is the tenth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on September 14, 2004. It was the band's second and final studio album to be distributed by Sanctuary Records. The System Has Failed was the first album to be released after Dave Mustaine recovered from his arm injury sustained in 2002. It is also the first of four Megadeth studio albums not to include original bassist and co-founder David Ellefson. The album features former Megadeth member Chris Poland (guitar), who previously performed on Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985) and Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (1986), and session musicians Vinnie Colaiuta (drums) and Jimmie Lee Sloas (bass).
Christopher Alan Broderick is an American musician, best known as a former guitarist of the heavy metal band Megadeth. He is also formerly the lead guitarist and keyboardist for Jag Panzer, appearing on four of the band's albums, The Age of Mastery, Thane to the Throne, Mechanized Warfare and Casting the Stones. Prior to joining Megadeth and while still in Jag Panzer, he served as a touring guitarist for Nevermore from 2001 to 2003, and again between 2006 and 2007. Following his departure from Megadeth, Broderick formed Act of Defiance in 2014. He joined Swedish metal band In Flames in 2019 as a touring guitarist, before becoming the band's permanent rhythm guitarist in 2022.
Glen Drover is a Canadian heavy metal guitarist from Ottawa, Ontario. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of Megadeth and King Diamond, along with his brother Shawn Drover who also performed with Megadeth.
American thrash metal band Megadeth has released sixteen studio albums, six live albums, seven compilation albums, one EP, fifty-nine singles, ten video albums, and fifty music videos. After he was fired from Metallica in 1983, guitarist and vocalist Dave Mustaine formed Megadeth along with bassist Dave Ellefson, guitarist Greg Handevidt, and drummer Richard Girod. After some initial lineup changes during 1984, Megadeth's lineup was cemented, consisting of guitarist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson, guitarist Chris Poland, and drummer Gar Samuelson. The band toured and gained a following, signing with the independent label Combat Records in late 1984. Megadeth's debut album Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985), sold very well for an independent release, and the group attracted the attention of major record labels. By the end of the year, the group signed with Capitol Records. Megadeth's first major-label album, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?, was released in 1986.
Eidolon was a Canadian power metal band formed in 1993 by brothers Shawn and Glen Drover. The band was signed to Metal Blade Records, and released four records on that Label. Eidolon signed soon after to Escapi Records. The band has released seven studio albums to date. In 2005, Eidolon announced the addition of new vocalist Nils K. Rue.
Arsenal of Megadeth is a DVD by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on March 21, 2006 via Capitol. Presented as an anthology of the band's first 20 years, the two-disc DVD set contains music videos, live performances, interviews, home videos, and special appearances. As a result of licensing issues, videos from soundtrack and non-Capitol albums are not featured, save for "No More Mr. Nice Guy" and "Go to Hell" as well as despite being on Risk, "Crush 'Em" and "Breadline" were not included. The album was certified gold in the United States and platinum in Canada.
"Gears of War" is a song by the American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was released as a promotional single off of their tenth studio album United Abominations (2007). It was the first song from the album released. An instrumental of the song is featured in the 2006 video game of the same name.
"Never Walk Alone... A Call to Arms", also known simply as "Never Walk Alone", is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was released as the second official single from their eleventh studio album, United Abominations (2007).
Anthology: Set the World Afire is the third greatest hits album by Megadeth. It was released on September 30, 2008, through Capitol Records. It is a two-disc set with additional songs not offered in previous compilations including demos, live performances and unreleased tracks. The album's name refers to the second song of the band's third studio album, So Far, So Good... So What!.
Thirteen is the thirteenth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was first released in Japan on October 27, 2011, and worldwide on November 1, 2011. It is the first Megadeth studio album since The World Needs a Hero (2001) to feature bassist and founding member David Ellefson, who returned to the band in 2010. Thirteen debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 42,000 copies in its first week. The album broke into the top 20 in several other markets as well. It has sold about 120,000 copies in the United States as of December 2012. The album has received positive reviews from critics.
"Public Enemy No. 1" is a song by American heavy metal band Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine. It is the first single and second track from their thirteenth studio album Thirteen, which was released on November 1, 2011. The song was commercially released as a single on September 13, 2011, which was Mustaine's 50th birthday. A music video for the song was released on November 5, 2011.
Dystopia is the fifteenth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was released on frontman and guitarist Dave Mustaine's Tradecraft label via Universal on January 22, 2016. It is the first Megadeth album to feature guitarist Kiko Loureiro, the only album with drummer Chris Adler, and their last with bassist David Ellefson. The album was produced by Mustaine and Chris Rakestraw and features cover artwork by Brent Elliot White.
Countdown to Extinction: Live is a live album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on September 24, 2013, through Dave Mustaine's Tradecraft label in Blu-ray, DVD, and CD formats. It was recorded during the band's "Countdown to Extinction 20th Anniversary Tour" at a show at Fox Theatre in Pomona, California, on December 7, 2012, and features the band performing the entire Countdown to Extinction album. The album debuted at number 119 on the Billboard 200.
Act of Defiance was an American heavy metal supergroup from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2014 by guitarist Chris Broderick and drummer Shawn Drover of Megadeth after they both resigned from the band on the same day, vocalist Henry Derek and bassist Matt Bachand. In 2019, guitarist Chris Broderick joined In Flames as a touring member. During the length of the Covid-19 pandemic Act of Defiance stayed inactive. Through an interview in July 2023, Shawn Drover stated that the band had come to a close at point of Chris Broderick joining In Flames as a permanent member.
Warheads on Foreheads is a compilation album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on March 22, 2019 through Capitol Records. The album was created as a celebration of the band's 35th anniversary and compiles 35 songs personally chosen by Dave Mustaine from throughout the band's career.