Neil Sanderson

Neil Christopher Sanderson (born December 17, 1978) is the drummer, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the Canadian rock band Three Days Grace.[1] He cites his influences as John Bonham, Danny Carey, and Stewart Copeland.[1]

Neil Sanderson
Sanderson in 2009
Background information
Birth nameNeil Christopher Sanderson
Born (1978-12-17) December 17, 1978
Peterborough, Canada
OriginPeterborough, Canada
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Drums
  • vocals
Years active1992–present
Associated acts

Early years

Neil Sanderson was born on December 17, 1978 in Peterborough, Canada. Sanderson took up the piano before he started school.[1] He had an avid interest in music and worked with different instruments while he was in elementary school. He became enamored of drums during this time.[1]

He entered Norwood District High School in 1992. Before that, he attended Adam Scott C.V.I High School in Peterborough, where he met Adam Gontier when both of them were in grade 9. With bassist Brad Walst, they practiced writing and playing instruments. They created the band "Groundswell" with Phil Crowe and Joe Grant.

Sanderson was also the drummer for the band Thousand Foot Krutch[2] from 1996 to 1997.

Groundswell reformed as Three Days Grace in 1997.

Success

Under the name "Three Days Grace" the band played various concerts and locations in Toronto and eventually signed a recording contract with the American label, Jive Records.[1][3][4]

The band's first album, the self-titled Three Days Grace, was released in 2003. Three singles from the album, "I Hate Everything About You", "Just Like You", and "Home" became hits, each reaching No. 1 on the US Rock charts. This album has been certified "Platinum".[1][4]

The band released a second album, One-X in 2006.[4][5][6] That album reached fifth place on the US Billboard 200.[1] Three singles from that album "Animal I Have Become", "Pain", and "Never Too Late" also reached first place on the US Rock charts. This album has also been certified "Platinum".[1][7]

In 2006 Three Days Grace won an American Billboard "Song of the Year" award.[1]

In 2006, Three Days Grace served as the opening act for the Rolling Stones in Saskatchewan. Three Days Grace has toured in the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Europe, and Japan.[1]

Speaking of the band's comeback from problems in 2007 (when a band member spent time in rehab[4]) Sanderson said, "Now it's all about maintaining that communication, and it makes [touring] so much easier and a so much more enjoyable experience."[8]

Sanderson was thrilled by the success of Three Days Grace. Speaking in Greensboro, North Carolina during their 2008 tour, he said: "We get to blow stuff up onstage now. We like to put in as much production and lights as we can. The seizure factor has gone way up."[9] Speaking of the band's move to larger playing sites, he continued "It's great to be able to see everybody in a smaller place. But the same people who were there in the early days are still there for us."[9] Speaking of fan response to album songs, he said: "[W]e also play a lot of album tracks, and the crowd sings along just as much for those. These days, you have to make an awesome album. I think we're getting back to where people want to hear real stuff, since so much is contrived these days."[9]

In 2009 the band released the album Life Starts Now. It was initially listed at number three on the US Billboard 200.[5][6][7]

Sanderson, along with Canadian songwriter Casey Marshall, were part owners of an artist development company and songwriting collective, Püblicwürks, based in Toronto and Nashville.

Sanderson is also working with Lukas Rossi on a project called King City.[10]

Critical reaction

Sin Lucas, writing in The Silver Tongue said "It's hard to pick a highlight ... but the drum solo by Neil Sanderson was nothing short of spectacular."[11] A reviewer for Electric City wrote of Sanderson's "impressive chops and accuracy."[12] But Nikki M. Mascali of The Weekender wrote of the same performance "Though an interesting concept, it was an unnecessary lull in the show."[13]

References
  1. "Neil Sanderson: Biography". SABIAN Ltd. 2008. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  2. "Thousand Foot Krutch: Biography". Last.FM. September 16, 2009. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  3. Malachowski, David (February 4, 2010). "Three Days Grace keep fame in perspective". Times Union. Albany, NY: Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  4. Jordan, Mark (February 22, 2008). "Small-town angst fuels Three Days Grace's lyrics". DeSoto Appeal. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  5. Mascali, Nikki M. (February 2, 2010). "Three Days Grace Goes Raw". Times Leader -- Weekender. Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on February 24, 2010. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  6. Franklin, Kelly-Ann (February 11, 2010). "Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace and FlyLeaf to bring their alternative sounds to the Sun". Norwich Bulletin. Norwich, CT: GateHouse Media. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  7. Tuni, Walter (January 31, 2010). "Three Days Grace has a more upbeat outlook these days". Lexington Herald-Leader (LexGo online supplement). Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  8. Sculley, Alan (March 13, 2008). "Musical grace period: Bands on the rise after rocky beginning". Evansville Courier & Press. Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  9. "Three Days Grace bounds towards bigger venues". The Flint Journal. March 20, 2008. Archived from the original on November 15, 2009. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  10. LukasRossiOfficial (August 16, 2016), King City - Neurotic (Feat. Lukas Rossi & Neil Sanderson), retrieved October 20, 2016
  11. Lucas, Sin (February 24, 2010). "Live Show Review: Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin and FlyLeaf at James Brown Arena". The Silver Tongue. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  12. Ear Full (February 11, 2010). "A Graceful Evening". Electric City. Scranton, PA: Times-Shamrock Communications. Retrieved February 26, 2010. drummer Neil Sanderson had the stage and the audience to himself for a five-minute solo which started with a keyboard/sampler segment followed by an intense drum solo on a riser which turned 360 degrees displaying Sanderson’s impressive chops and accuracy.
  13. Mascali, Nikki M. (February 8, 2010). "Three Days Grace's night of highs and lows". Times Leader -- Weekender. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
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