Discover how Brooks Wackerman became a part of Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged Sevenfold drummer Brooks Wackerman has been behind the kit for ten years, but he recently shared the factors that ultimately caused him to leave Bad Religion in order to take on the new drumming challenge. Wackerman described that time in his life and his decision to make that move after working behind the kit of Bad Religion for 15 years. He was a guest on former Sum 41 drummer Steveo 32’s new interview podcast. Wackerman claims that Diony Sepulveda, his former personal manager and the tour manager for Avenged Sevenfold at the time, initiated the conversation. The drummer acknowledges that when “you just start envisioning yourself in a completely different light,” he was first taken aback but then tempted. The drummer was ultimately persuaded to make the switch by the fresh challenge and the opportunity to experiment a little more with his drumming. The drummer acknowledged that the prospect of performing at metal festivals piqued his interest.

It was exciting. I’m, like, ‘Okay, I haven’t felt this way in a while’ at the time. I was grateful for all my work with Bad Religion, but I was in the band for 15 years, and I wanted to spread the wings a little wider, too, musically. So I’m, like, ‘Okay, not only are they interested, but they’re also interested in writing with me for this record. They want me to contribute.’ And I’m, like, ‘Yeah, let’s do this.’ ‘Cause to actually feel like you’re a proponent between five guys in a studio, it’s special. The writers were Brett [Gurewitz] and Greg [Graffin], and as they should be, because they created the sound. I always call them the [John] Lennon and [Paul] McCartney of punk rock. There’s no one that can write like those guys. I did parameters, but I’m not gonna sit here and say [they] didn’t allow me creativity — they did,” said Wackerman, who added that he didn’t truly felt like he was himself within the band until his second album with the group But then turning back to Avenged, he offered, “When you get the Avenged call, it’s, like, ‘Okay, so the Latin beat that I practiced when I was 12, I can now apply this in a song.’ It’s, like, just the rhythmic possibilities, the creative possibilities [were endless]…

We also discovered what he played at his audition.

‘Nightmare,’ ‘Little Piece of Heaven’, ‘Bat Country,’ I think ‘Buried Alive.’ Yep, ‘Buried Alive.’ I think it was just that.