Dave Buckner

Band: Papa Roach, Last Angels
Date of Birth: May 29, 1976
Factoid: For a time, Buckner was married to Mia Tyler, daughter of Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler.

Bio

Dave Buckner and his Papa Roach bandmates joined forces in the small town of Vacaville, California, and eventually became one of the best-selling acts of modern rock.

Born in East L.A. in 1976, Buckner spent his childhood in various Southern California neighborhoods. He got his first drum set when he was 12 and began talking lessons right away. His modest dream to get good enough to play in the Santa Monica High School drum corps took a different turn when his family relocated to Vacaville, where he honed his skills in a succession of local bands throughout high school, modeling his playing on greats like John Bonham and Lars Ulrich. He met his future Papa Roach bandmates before graduating.

The first incarnation of Papa Roach included vocalist Jacoby Shaddix and guitarist Jerry Horton. Bassist Tobin Esperance originally signed on once the and the lineup was complete.

Buckner left for a year to study at the Art Institute Of Seattle, but came back in time to record Papa Roach's first studio album, Old Friends From Young Years, in 1997. They toured heavily during this period, playing with such bands as Incubus, Hed PE, Snot, Powerman 5000, and Far, though they still struggled to get signed by a major label. Dreamworks Records finally picked them up in 1999, leading to their first major-label release, Infest, in 2000. That album, features the singles “Last Resort” and “Between Angels And Insects,” propelled the band's momentum through lengthy tours and a growing popularity.

More hit albums followed, including Lovehatetragedy (2002), Getting Away With Murder (2004), and The Paramour Sessions (2006).

Buckner left Papa Roach in 2008 and was replaced by Tony Palermo, but his contribution remains a key component of the band's rap-rock sound. Within Papa Roach, Buckner relied heavily on simple yet heavy beats to complement the crunching guitars and angry vocals. On tracks like “Last Resort” and “Broken Home,” Buckner’s amped-up drumming and rapid-fire hard-rock approach help define the band's sound.

—Greg Dawson