| Adam "Atom" Willard | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Adam David Willard |
| Also known as | Atom Willard |
| Born | August 15 1973 |
| Origin | U.S. |
| Genre(s) | Alternative rock Punk rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Drums |
| Years active | 1990-present |
| Associated acts |
Rocket from the Crypt MOTH The Offspring Angels & Airwaves The Special Goodness |
Adam David Willard (born August 15, 1973), better known by his stage name Atom Willard, is an American drummer. Active since 1990, Willard is known for his stints in the bands Rocket from the Crypt (1990-2000) and The Offspring (2003-2007) as well as his current stint in the supergroup Angels & Airwaves (2005-present), which features former blink-182 singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge. He has also played in other projects such as MOTH and The Special Goodness.
Contents |
Career as a musician
Rocket from the Crypt
John Reis started Rocket from the Crypt in 1990 after the breakup of his original band, Pitchfork, and gave himself the stage name of "Speedo". Other original band members included N.D. (Andy Stamets), guitar; Petey X (Pete Reichert), bass. Atom (Adam Willard) joined as drummer after Rocket's first drummer 'Sean' departed following the release of their debut LP Paint as a Fragrance. Citing disagreements between members over the band's direction, Atom left RFTC in early 2000. Atom recorded several albums while a member of the band, one of which was the band's 1995 major label debut Scream, Dracula, Scream!, which was thought by many to be the "breakthrough" album for the band. Atom's final record with Rocket from the Crypt was the band's 1998 release, RFTC.
MOTH
Atom Willard drummed for MOTH on their 3rd album Provisions, Fiction and Gear released on Virgin Records in 2002. After the band was dropped from their major-label, he departed for The Offspring and was replaced by Kevin Hogle.
The Offspring
Atom Willard was the drummer for The Offspring between 2003 and 2007. Willard joined The Offspring in 2003, replacing the popular Ron Welty on drums during the sessions of their seventh album Splinter. However, Welty or Willard both remain absent on the credits. Josh Freese actually handled the drum tracks. While a member of the band, Willard participated in several tours around the globe, including the 2005 Vans Warped Tour, in support of two of the band's records, Splinter, and Greatest Hits. Despite Offspring shows with Willard, he had not recorded drums for their still-untitled follow-up to Splinter and left the band in July 2007 to concentrate on his work with Angels & Airwaves and was replaced by former Saves the Day and Face to Face drummer Pete Parada.
Angels & Airwaves
In 2006, when The Offspring were on a "touring hiatus" Atom joined Angels & Airwaves, a band created by former blink-182 guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge alongside Hazen Street and former Box Car Racer guitarist David Kennedy, and The Distillers bassist Ryan Sinn who has been replaced by now bassist Matt Wachter, former bassist for 30 Seconds to Mars. According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, DeLonge trademarked "Angels & Airwaves" on June 24, 2005 amidst the lingering confusion of blink-182's abruptly announced hiatus. Their debut album, We Don't Need to Whisper, was released on May 23, 2006. Their announced first single, "Valkyrie Missile", was set for a March/April release, but following the subsequent leaking of the song "The Adventure", the label chose to release that in its place. DeLonge personally claims that his new project will be "the best music made in decades" as well as being "much more powerful, emotional and melodic than Box Car Racer and blink put together."
Gear Used
We Don't Need To Whisper OCDP Drums White Marine Pearl Wrap w/ Tube Lugs 26x18" Kick 14x6.5" Brass Snare 12x7" Snare 6x6" Rack Tom 13x9" Rack Tom 16x16" Floor Tom 18x16" Floor Tom Zildjian Cymbals (FLTR) 18" A Custom EFX Crash 14" K Custom Session HiHats 19" A Custom Projection Crash 22" K Custom Ride 20" A Custom Projection Crash 20" K Custom Medium Ride DW Hardware & Pedals 9000 Series Boom and Straight Stands, 9000 Series Singal Pedal, 9000 Series HiHat Stand, 9000 Snare Stands Zildjian Super 5B Wood Tip Remo Coated Emperor's, Powerstroke 3, and Sound Control on the snares.
I-Empire OCDP Drums Clear Acrylic w/ Tube Lugs. 26x20" Kick 14x6.5" Brass Snare 12x7" Snare 6x6" Rack Tom 13x9" Rack Tom 16x16" Floor Tom 18x16" Floor Tom Zildjian Cymbals (FLTR) 18" A Custom EFX Crash 14" Avedis New Beat HiHats (Brilliant Top, Traditional Bottom) 20" A Custom Projection Crash 22" A Custom Ping Ride 21" Avedis Sweet Ride Brilliant 22" Avedis Medium Ride Brilliant 6" Zil Bel DW Hardware & Pedals 9000 Series Boom and Straight Stands, 9000 Series Singal Pedal, 9000 Series HiHat Stand, 9000 Snare Stands Zildjian Super 5B Wood Tip Remo Coated Emperor's, Powerstroke 3, and Sound Control on the snares.
External links
- The Official Rocket from the Crypt Website
- The Official Angels & Airwaves Website
- The Official Angels & Airwaves MySpace
- The Official Angels & Airwaves Forum
- The Official Offspring Website
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| Tom DeLonge · David Kennedy · Adam "Atom" Willard · Matt Wachter Ryan Sinn |
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| Studio albums | We Don't Need to Whisper · I-Empire |
| Demos | I-Empire 5 track promo (Mixed not Mastered) |
| Singles | "The Adventure" · "It Hurts" · "Do It for Me Now" · "The War" · "Everything's Magic" · "Secret Crowds" |
| Label(s) | Geffen |
| Related Articles | Discography · I-Empire · Blink-182 · Box Car Racer · The Offspring · 30 Seconds to Mars · Rocket from the Crypt · The Distillers · Hazen Street · Over My Dead Body |
