Jimmy DeGrasso joined speed-metal pioneers Megadeth on the cusp of recording their 1999 release,
Risk. It wasn't as if Jimmy needed a gig. He was touring Europe with no less a rock icon than Alice Cooper at the time. But Megadeth's Dave Mustaine was an old friend, and Jimmy loved the group's music. So he made the change.
Risk was a stylistic departure from what Megadeth was famous for. But their 2001 release, The World Needs A Hero, marked a return to the classic formula: guitar, bass, and drums, played with ferocious intensity. And that's right up Jimmy's alley.
Known for his powerful groove - even at lightening speeds - Jimmy considers himself a fairly technical drummer. His footspeed alone would scare most normal mortals. Even so, his first priority is "getting the right feel for the song." Well, Jimmy's been getting it right for quite a while now. Speed, power, groove, creativity... it's all there. And it all rocks.
(reprinted from the Modern Drummer 2002 program)
www.jimmydegrasso.com
