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Gregg Bissonette (born June 9, 1959[citation needed]) is an American jazz and rock drummer and vocalist. He is the brother of bassist Matt Bissonette, with whom he frequently collaborates. Bissonette is known for playing and recording many different styles of music. That experience led to him winning the 2023 Modern Drummer readers poll for best “All Around” drummer and also winning their 2015 category of best “Studio” drummer. He has played on albums by dozens of recording artists, including David Lee Roth's first three solo albums and has toured as part of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band since 2008.
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Gregg Bissonette | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Bissonette in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 9 June 1959 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instruments |
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| Member of | |
| Formerly of | |
| Website | greggbissonette |
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One of Bissonette's first recordings was on jazz trumpet legend Maynard Ferguson's Live from San Francisco in 1983. Brother Matt was also in the band and on the recording. He later appeared on Brandon Fields' The Other Side of the Story in 1985. It featured David Garfield on keyboards. A few years later Bissonette would start playing shows with Fields, Garfield and Steve Lukather on guitar and with John Peña on bass as Los Lobotomys. These shows took place at the Baked Potato, a jazz club and restaurant in Los Angeles, California, playing rock, Latin, and jazz.
Bissonette got his big break joining former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth. The band included guitarist Steve Vai and future Mr. Big bassist Billy Sheehan. During 1985–1992 Gregg appeared on all three US Billboard 200 hit albums Eat 'Em and Smile (no.4) Skyscraper (no.6) and A Little Ain't Enough (no.18)[1] and the subsequent world tours.[2]
In 1990 and 1993, Bissonette released drum videos Private Lesson[3] and Playing, Reading & Soloing with a Band,[4][5] respectively. Private Lesson covers a variety of topics including double bass drumming, rudiments (with a backsticking technique from the snare drum solo Tornado[6] by Mitch Markovich), playing with a metronome and brushes.
From 1994 to 2004, he played on the musical interludes for every episode for the TV show Friends.[7]
In late 1995, Toto was beginning their Tambu tour when Simon Phillips developed back problems. Phillips asked Bissonette to fill in for him during the tour's first leg.
He played drums on one track on Santana's album Supernatural (1999).[8] In 2007, he recorded on the album La La Land by Daniel Glen Timms.[9]
In 2001 he was set to play on the Electric Light Orchestra's Zoom Tour Live with his brother Matt on Bass. The tour was cancelled after two televised performances: one at the CBS Television City on PBS and one on VH1 Storytellers.
Bissonette started playing double drums with Ringo Starr in 2003 in his band Ringo and The Roundheads. This band also included his brother Matt Bissonette on bass. Gregg has been a member of Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band since. (2008–present)
In 2013 Bissonette released his 3rd solo album where he plays drums and sings called Warning Will Robinson. This album also features his brother Matt on bass and backing vocals.
Bissonette played on Steve Lukather's 2021 album, I Found the Sun Again. With eight songs on the album, he played seven songs while Ringo Starr played one.
2021 was the release of The Reddcoats debut album. The album features Gregg and Matt Bissonette on drums and bass with Andy Timmons on guitar, Wally Minko on keyboards and Mike Medina on percussion.
Also in 2021 was the release of the debut album of The Red Locusts, again with Gregg on drums and his brother Matt on bass with Rick Springfield on guitar and vocals.
Bissonette can be heard on a number of rock instrumental and progressive rock albums, including The Extremist by Joe Satriani, Temporal by Shadrane, Deep Forest by Deep Forest, Bass Invader by Martin Motnik, Inner Galactic Fusion Experience by Richie Kotzen, Shadow King by Steve Fister, Revolution Road by Rocket Scientists, In the Eye of Time by Vox Tempus, Bug Alley[10] and the soundtrack to the movie The Endless Summer II by Gary Hoey.[11]
In 2012, Bissonette played drums on several tracks featured on Docker's Guild's album The Mystic Technocracy: Season 1: The Age of Ignorance, the progressive rock space opera masterminded by the French-American musician, teacher, and ethno-musicologist Douglas R. Docker.[12]
In 2024 Gregg and his brother Matt’s band The Reddcoats released its second album, “Reddcoats 2”, which also features Andy Timmons, Ron Pedley, Wally Minko and Mike Medina. The album is 1/2 instrumental and 1/2 with Matt Bissonette on vocals. The album is a mix of pop, funk, fusion and Beatles influenced tunes throughout.
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| Artist | Album | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Maynard Ferguson | Live from San Francisco | 1983 |
| Yarborough and Peoples | Heart Beats | 1983 |
| Brandon Fields | The Other Side of the Story | 1985 |
| David Lee Roth | Eat 'Em and Smile | 1986 |
| Keiko Matsui | A Drop of Water | 1987 |
| David Lee Roth | Skyscraper | 1988 |
| Pat Kelly | Views of the Future | 1989 |
| Frank Gambale | Thunder from Down Under | 1990 |
| David Lee Roth | A Little Ain't Enough | 1991 |
| Joe Satriani | The Extremist | 1992 |
| Steve Bailey | Dichotomy | 1992 |
| Tab Benoit | Nice and Warm | 1999 |
| L.A. Blues Authority | L.A. Blues Authority | 1992 |
| Stan Bush | Every Beat of My Heart | 1992 |
| Lanny Cordolla | Of Riffs and Symphonies | 1992 |
| Ann Lewis | Rockadelic | 1993 |
| Robin Zander | Robin Zander | 1993 |
| Joe Satriani | Time Machine | 1993 |
| Circus of Power | Magic & Madness | 1993 |
| Vasco Rossi | Gil Spari Sopra | 1993 |
| Brandon Fields | Brandon Fields | 1994 |
| Gary Hoey | The Endless Summer II soundtrack | 1994 |
| Milos Dodo Dolezal/Guy Mann-Dude | Milos Dodo Dolezal/Guy Mann-Dude | 1994 |
| Joe Satriani | Joe Satriani | 1995 |
| Richie Kotzen | Inner Galactic Fusion Experience | 1995 |
| Wayne Watson | Field of Souls | 1995 |
| Bryan Duncan | Christmas Is Jesus | 1995 |
| Jason Becker | Perspective | 1995 |
| Andy Summers | Synaesthesia | 1995 |
| Mustard Seeds | Mustard seeds | 1996 |
| Enrique Iglesias | Enrique Iglesias | 1996 |
| Larry Carlton | The Gift | 1996 |
| Steve Vai | Fire Garden | 1996 |
| Ron Kenoly | Welcome Home | 1996 |
| Gary Hoey | Bug Alley | 1996 |
| Steve Fister | Shadow King | 1997 |
| Steve Lukather | Luke | 1997 |
| Pat Boone | In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy |
1997 |
| Kalapana | Captain Santa Island Music | 1997 |
| Andy Summers | Last Dance of Mr. X | 1997 |
| Michael Thompson | The World According to M.T. | 1998 |
| Gregg Bissonette | Gregg Bissonette | 1998 |
| Paul Anka | A Body of Work | 1998 |
| Bette Midler | Bathhouse Betty | 1998 |
| Luis Villegas | Cafe Ole | 1998 |
| Matt Bissonette | Spot | 1998 |
| Kombo | Big Blast | 1999 |
| Steve Vai | The Ultra Zone | 1999 |
| Santana | Super Natural | 1999 |
| Carl Verheyen | Slingshot | 1999 |
| Matt Bissonette | Spot 2 | 2000 |
| Duran Duran | Pop Trash | 2000 |
| Don Henley | Inside Job | 2000 |
| David Benoit | Great Composers of Jazz | 2000 |
| Jann Arden | Blood Red Cherry | 2000 |
| Gregg Bissonette | Submarine | 2000 |
| Crush Velvet Cowboys | Crush Velvet Cowboys | 2000 |
| Gordon Goodwin | Swingin for the Fences | 2001 |
| Larry Carlton & Steve Lukather |
No Substitutions: Live in Osaka | 2001 |
| Steve Mindick | So It Begins | 2001 |
| Lana Lane | Covers Collection | 2002 |
| Jughead | Jughead | 2002 |
| Rico Garcia | The Beginning | 2002 |
| Lana Lane | Winter Sessions | 2003 |
| Eric Norlander | Music Machine | 2003 |
| Engelbert Humperdinck | Definition of Love | 2003 |
| Under-Radio | Bad Heir Ways | 2003 |
| Steve Lukather | Santamental | 2003 |
| Dan Ramsey | Gentle Giants | 2003 |
| Robert Downey Jr. | The Futurist | 2004 |
| Chester E. Smith | Monster Groove Party | 2004 |
| Raizing Lazarus | Raising Lazarus | 2004 |
| Rocket Richotte | Salute | 2004 |
| Vox Tempus | In the Eye of Time | 2004 |
| Deep Forest | Deep Forest | 2004 |
| Matt Bissonette | Oh No! Bass Solo! | 2004 |
| Owen Kortz | Owen Kortz | 2004 |
| Ryan Cabrera | Take it all | 2004 |
| Richard Marx | My Own Best Enemy | 2004 |
| Matt Swindells | Matt Swindells | 2004 |
| Matt Swindells | Matt Swindells Here | 2005 |
| Ozzy Osbourne | Under Cover | 2005 |
| Ten by Tuesday | Tearing Down the Walls | 2005 |
| Dan Ramsey | Everybody's Songs But My Own | 2005 |
| Martin Motnik | Bass Invader | 2005 |
| Brian Setzer | Dig That Crazy Christmas | 2005 |
| Steve Vai | Real Illusions: Reflections | 2005 |
| Ray Charles | Genius and Friends | 2005 |
| Brian Ghiglia | Mystery | 2006 |
| Dave C. Norman | Stratosfear | 2006 |
| Santo Garofalo | Further Up and Further In | 2006 |
| Phil Soussan | Vibrate | 2006 |
| Eric Norlander | Hommage Symphoniqe | 2006 |
| Michele Pillar | I Hear Angels Calling | 2006 |
| Globus | Epicon | 2006 |
| Dave Rogers | Blow Your Mind | 2006 |
| Lou Rawls | Lou Rawls Christmas | 2006 |
| Various Artists | 80's Metal Tribute to Van Halen | 2006 |
| Rocket Scientists | Revolution Road | 2006 |
| Harry Shearer | Songs Pointed and Pointless | 2007 |
| Katharine McPhee | Katharine McPhee | 2007 |
| Sasha & Shawna | Siren | 2007 |
| Mick Abrahams | Rattlesnake Shake Guitar: Music of Peter Green |
2007 |
| Code | The Enemy Within | 2007 |
| Cal Leonard and His Orchestra |
Mr. Irrelevant | 2007 |
| Daniel Glen Timms | La La Land[9] | 2007 |
| Keith Emerson Band: featuring Marc Bonilla |
Keith Emerson Band | 2008 |
| Overland | Breakaway | 2008 |
| Chris Boardman | Midtown Moves | 2008 |
| Mustard Seeds | Mustard Seeds 3 | 2008 |
| Marco Cardona | Instrumentality | 2008 |
| Shadrane | Temporal | 2008 |
| Dick Wagner | Full Meltdown | 2009 |
| Colin Hay | American Sunshine | 2009 |
| Spinal Tap | Back from the Dead | 2009 |
| Norm Stockton | Tea in the Typhoon | 2009 |
| Jason Sadites | Weve | 2009 |
| Randy Jacobs | The Return of Randy Dynamite | 2010 |
| Grand Illusion | Brand New world | 2010 |
| Ralf Jung | The Art of Pop | 2010 |
| The Doobie Brothers | World Gone Crazy | 2010 |
| Mark Nilan Jr. | Hands On | 2010 |
| Ringo Starr | Live at the Greek Theatre 2008 | 2010 |
| Jet Velvet | Jet Velvet | 2010 |
| Dave C. Norman | Higher Ground | 2011 |
| Cindy Horstman and Friends |
Fretless | 2011 |
| Abby Cubey & Margarita | Devil Dressed in Lace | 2011 |
| Barry Manilow | 15 Minutes | 2011 |
| Globus | Break From This World | 2011 |
| Mari Hamada | Legenda | 2012 |
| Docker's Guild | The Mystic Techocracy: Season 1: The Age of Ignorance |
2012 |
| Gianni De Chellis | Bondage | 2013 |
| Gregg Bissonette | Warning Will Robinson | 2013 |
| Ringo Starr | Postcards From Paradise | 2015 |
| Mari Hamada | Mission | 2016 |
| Ringo Starr | Give More Love | 2017 |
| Mari Hamada | Gracia | 2018 |
| Norm Stockton | Grooves & Sushi | 2019 |
| Charly Zurcher | Eleven | 2020 |
| Steve Lukather | I Found The Sun Again | 2021 |
| The Red Locusts | The Red Locusts | 2021 |
| Globus | Cinematica | 2022 |
| Mari Hamada | Soar | 2023 |
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Gregg Bissonette's movie soundtrack credits include the following:
- The Devil Wears Prada
- Bourne Supremacy
- Sex and the City
- Superbad
- Encino Man
- Payback (1999)
- The Endless Summer II[11]
- Waiting for Guffman
- For Your Consideration
- Best in Show
- Hope Floats
- The Craft
- A Mighty Wind
- 2 Days in the Valley
- The Bucket List
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall
- Finding Nemo
- American Pie
- American Pie 2
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