Damon DeLaPaz

Damon DeLaPaz
Background information
Born	July 22, 1974
Origin	Houston, Texas, United States
Genres	punk rock, hard rock
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Drums, Guitar
Years active	1995 – present
Labels	Drive-Thru Records MCA Records Sezio Records
Associated acts	Fenix Tx 30 Foot Fall Demasiado The Definitive (UK) Laserwolf and Thunderbolt Sing the Body Electric Sci-Fi/Horror

Damon DeLaPaz (born July 22, 1974) is an American drummer and songwriter. He was a founding member of the punk rock groups Fenix TX, 30footFALL, Demasiado, and the now defunct Sing The Body Electric. Frequently switching from the position of guitarist to drummer, he is currently the drummer for UK duo The Definitive and guitarist in the metal influenced punk act Laserwolf and Thunderbolt. He has also recorded music for an instrumental solo project called Sci-Fi/Horror. DeLaPaz has recorded, performed and toured with a variety of different bands and toured as a fill in drummer for Blink-182,^[1] The Vandals,^[2] Good Charlotte, Pulley, and Homegrown. Delapaz is currently the drummer for the irish-punk group, Manoverboard.

History

30 Foot Fall

DeLaPaz was recruited to play drums for 30 Foot Fall in the early 90s by then drummer Rubio Cisneros, Broken-Note founder/guitarist Crazy Tony Avitia, and lead singer Butch Klotz. Touring Houston, Dallas, and Austin, 30 Foot Fall's popularity grew. The band at this point had developed their own sound, comparable to early NOFX or based on elements developed by Minor Threat.

DeLaPaz's first recording with the band was on the "Elementary School Love" 7". 30 Foot Fall then recorded and released their first LP with DeLaPaz, Divided We Stand on Fuzzgun Records in 1995 and began touring the United States extensively, eventually gaining a strong underground fanbase.

The band followed up their first LP with the Junior High Sucked 7" and in 1996 Fearless Records signed the band and produced their next record, Acme-143. DeLaPaz toured extensively with the band during their most active years before moving to California with his other band, Fenix TX.

Riverfenix / Fenix Tx

Fenix TX formed in late 1995 in Houston, Texas under the name Riverfenix by guitarists Will Salazar and Damon DeLaPaz (also the drummer for 30 Foot Fall at the time). The four piece played extensively on the Texan pop punk scene alongside such renowned bands as 30 Foot Fall, Good Riddance and Goldfinger.

In 1996, the band released their debut EP G.B.O.H. under the Houston-based record label Fuzzgun Records, which they then followed by playing the Mullets Across America Tour with Home Grown, Cousin Oliver and The Hippos. Two Mojo Records interns Richard and Stefanie Reines, were on the brink of starting their own label, Drive-Thru Records, and agreed to sign Riverfenix as their first band.^[1]

In December 1997, Drive-Thru released Riverfenix's thirteen-track full-length debut Riverfenix, produced by Jim Barnes. Within the following year, the album managed to sell out its first three print runs of 5,000 copies each. Blink-182's Mark Hoppus offered the band an opening slot on an upcoming Blink-182 tour, and eventually became their manager. Hoppus passed managing duties on to Blink-182 manager Rick DeVoe. While Fenix TX's song "Speechless" was slowly garnering radio airplay and major labels' attention, Hoppus' effort in promoting Riverfenix was overheard by Blink-182's record label MCA, who showed major interest in signing the band.^[2]

Riverfenix became Fenix TX. With a new record deal, Fenix TX re-recorded the majority of their 1997 eponymous album for their MCA debut Fenix TX with new tracks produced by Ryan Greene and mixed by Jerry Finn, and released it July 13, 1999. The album debuted at #115 on the Billboard 200 and reached #3 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers.^[3] The hit single "All My Fault" received heavy radio and TV airplay, triggered through the song's integration in the TV movie Jailbait (2000), which even featured a cameo appearance by Fenix TX. The music video, in return, starred Alycia Purrott from the cast of Jailbait, as well as Blink-182's Hoppus. "All My Fault" reached #21 on the Billboard Modern Rock charts.^[3]

Fenix TX went on numerous tours, including the Warped Tour and both national and international tours with label mates New Found Glory. However, in late 2000, drummer Reyes left the band to pursue other interests. To compensate, DeLaPaz took over drumming duties for the band.

DeLaPaz's second recording with the band, Lechuza was released on May 22, 2001 and debuted on #87 of the Billboard 200, with its single "Threesome" reaching #66 on the UK Singles Chart.^[4] "Lechuza" featured DeLaPaz on Guitar as well as Drums. The album was produced by Jerry Finn and also includes Keyboard tracks performed by Roddy Bottum of the band Faith No More. The hidden track at the end of the album entitled "Kool-Aid", features DeLaPaz on all instruments including bass guitar. The instrumental song was inspired by a drum cadence that DeLaPaz and Salazar performed as part of the drum line in their high school marching band.

The decision to break up the band occurred in the middle of the writing process for what would have become Fenix TX's third album. On September 19, 2002, the disbandment of Fenix TX was officially announced. However, the band reunited again to record a live album at The Clubhouse in Tempe, Arizona, which was released under the title Purple Reign in Blood - Live on November 8, 2005. DeLaPaz's concept for the album's artwork merged the band's logo with the pentagram from Thrash Metal Band Slayer's logo on top of Prince's iconic glyph. The album's artwork resulted in a cease and desist order from Prince's attorneys.

Equipment

Kit

• Drums - Pork Pie Percussion Custom set
  • 13x9" Tom
  • 16x18" Floor Tom
  • 18x20" Floor Tom
  • 27x22" Bass Drum
  • 14x9" Pork Pie Percussion Custom Snare
  • 14x7" Pork Pie Percussion Custom Snare
  • 14x9" Premiere Rock 9 Brass Snare

• Cymbals - Zildjian A's
  • 15" Hi-Hats
  • 24" Ride
  • 18" Crash
  • 20" China

• Sticks - Vater
  • Vater 3A Signature Sticks (played backwards)

Discography

• 30footFALL - "Elementary School Love" 7" (Yo Mama's Records, 1994) - Drums
• 30footFALL - "Divided We Stand" LP (Fuzzgun Records, 1994) - Drums
• 30footFALL - "Jr. High Sucked" 7" (1996) - Drums
• 30footFALL - "Acme 143" LP (Fearless Records, 1997) - Drums
• 30footFALL - "Cartoons 7" (Die Cow Die Records, 1998) - Drums
• Riverfenix - "G.B.O.H." EP (Fuzzgun Records, 1996) - Guitar
• Riverfenix - S/T LP (Drive-Thru Records, 1997) - Guitar
• Fenix TX - S/T LP (MCA Records. 1999) - Guitar
• Fenix TX - "Lechuza" LP MCA Records. 2001) - Drums, Guitar
• Fenix TX - "Purple Reign In Blood Live" LP (MCA Records. 2005) - Drums
• Sing The Body Electric - S/T (Restart Records, 2004) - Drums
• Sci-Fi/Horror - S/T (Sci-Fi/Horror Records, 2006) - All Instruments
• Demasiado - "May The Horse Be With You" LP (Sci-Fi/Horror Records, 2006) - All Instruments
• Demasiado -"EP" (Sezio Records, 2007) - Drums, Guitar
• Lindsey Cook - "Cold Days" EP (Sezio Records, 2007) - Drums, Guitar
• Avitia - "Oceanside Boulevard" EP (Broken Note Records, 2008) - Drums, Percussion
• Vanja James - "Vanja James Music" (2009) - Drums

References

1. ^ http://www.moderndrummer.com/updatefull/200001199/Damon%20Delapaz
2. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vandals
3. ^ Billboard Singles, Allmusic

Persondata
Name	Damon Delapaz
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	July 22, 1974
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death