Jimmy Degrasso

BandsMegadeth, Ozzy Osbourne. Lita Ford
Date of BirthMarch 16, 1963
FactoidJimmy owns and runs San Jose Pro Drum, in San Jose, California.

Bio

He’s one of the biggest drummers of hard rock and has played with Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, Suicidal Tendencies, Lita Ford, Y&T, and Megadeth.

Degrasso's lifelong career as a drummer began at age two in his hometown of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He began taking lessons at five, but quit by the time he was eight years old. Already with several years of experience behind him, Degrasso began playing covers of rock songs by bands like Led Zeppelin and UFO with kids nearly ten years his senior. Though he had his first gig when he was only six, it wasn't until he was 11 or 12 that he began to play regularly, gigging multiple nights a week all the way through high school. With so much drumming experience already behind him, Degrasso soon left Bethlehem for the mecca of Los Angeles.

His first big gig once he got to L.A. was with the legendary Ozzy Osbourne. Degrasso played on Osbourne's Ultimate Sin album, and afterward moved on to play with metal pioneers Y&T, where he remained from the late ’80s until the early ’90s. From 1992–’95, Degrasso explored a new punk direction as a member of Suicidal Tendencies, recording Suicidal For Life in 1994. One of Degrasso's biggest breaks came when he was asked to fill in as the drummer for Alice Cooper. He went on tour with Cooper from 1995–’98 and appeared on the live album, Fistful Of Alice (1997).

While Degrasso has played with numerous acts of varying genres, he is best known for his stint with metal gods Megadeth, where he was asked to remain as a permanent member following 1998's Cryptic Writings tour. His drumming appears on Risk (1999), The World Needs A Hero (2001), and Rude Awakening (2002). Degrasso continued to play with Megadeth until the band broke up temporarily in 2002 following an injury Mustaine suffered, leaving him unable to play guitar for a time. More recently, Degrasso has played numerous side gigs with David Lee Roth and Alice Cooper.

—Greg Dawson

Photos

Videos

Music

: “The World Needs A Hero”; Megadeth; from “The Wold Needs A Hero”

Gear

DrumsPearl MMX Maple: 22” x 18” Bass Drum; 14” x 6 1/2” Stainless Steel Snare; 14” x 5” Maple Snare; 10” x 8” Tom; 12” x 9” Tom; 14” x 11” Tom; 16” x 14” Floor Tom; 18” x 16” Floor Tom

CymbalsPaiste: 14” Signature Power Hi-Hats; 20” Signature Power Crash; 10” Dimensions Power Splash; 19” Signature Power Crash; 19” Signature Power Crash; 22” Signature Power Ride; 14” Signature Sound Edge Hi-Hats; 20” 2002 Crash; 20” Signature Dry Crisp Ride; 20” Signature Heavy China