Jason Cooper
{{Short description|British drummer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
{{for|the Australian swimmer|Jason Cooper (swimmer)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Jason Cooper
| image = The Cure en Chile (8652608086) (cropped).jpg
| landscape = yes
| caption = Cooper performing with The Cure in 2013
| image_size =
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name = Jason Toop Cooper
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|1|31|df=y}}
| birth_place = London, England
| genre = {{hlist|Post-punk|gothic rock|alternative rock}}
| occupation = Drummer
| years_active =
| current_member_of = The Cure
| past_member_of = My Life Story
| website = {{URL|thecure.com}}
}}
Jason Toop Cooper (born 31 January 1967) is an English drummer, best known as a member of The Cure since 1995.
Biography
Cooper was born in London and grew up in Bath. His father, an employee of Virgin Records, gave him a copy of the early Cure album Seventeen Seconds; Cooper became a fan of the band and first saw them live in 1990. He studied drums at London's Drumtech institute, where he later became a patron and visiting artist.{{Cite book |last=Price |first=Simon |title=Curepedia: An A-Z of The Cure |publisher=William Morrow |year=2023 |isbn=978-0-06-306864-3 |location=New York, NY |publication-date=2023 |pages=67–68}}
Cooper's first professional drumming work was as an early member of My Life Story, and he also performed as a session drummer for acts including Jean-Jacques Burnel and Billy Ray Martin. In 1995 he responded to an ad that said simply "Drummer wanted for international band". The ad was placed by the Cure following the departure of previous drummer Boris Williams. Cooper's first live performance with the band was in Greece in June 1995. Cooper was one of four drummers to play on the band's 1996 album Wild Mood Swings,{{Cite news |year=2016 |editor-last=Uncut |title=The Cure |work=The Ultimate Music Guide |pages=110–113}} but he was invited to join the band officially and has been their drummer ever since.{{cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Caroline |date=10 May 1996 |title=The Cure: Wild Mood Swings (Fiction) |work=The Guardian}}
Cooper also participated in the COGASM project with bandmate Robert Smith in 1998.[https://web.archive.org/web/20041201075017/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1427730/19980819/cure.jhtml Cure Frontman's Side Project] in MTV News, Aug. 19, 1998 He has made guest appearances with David Bowie, Bat for Lashes, Marina and the Diamonds, and Steven Wilson.{{Cite web |last=Earls |first=John |date=2023-08-29 |title=Steven Wilson on new album 'The Harmony Codex': "I'm privileged to basically do what the fuck I want" |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/steven-wilson-interview-harmony-codex-economies-scale-manic-street-preachers-porcupine-tree-3490247 |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=NME |language=en-GB}} Cooper also composes music for film, most notably the score for the horror movie From Within, for which he and co-composer Oliver Kraus won the award for best original score at the 2008 Solstice Film Festival.{{Cite web |title=Oliver Kraus - Wise Music Creative |url=https://wisemusiccreative.com/us/writers/oliver-kraus/ |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=wisemusiccreative.com |language=en-US}} In 2019, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Cure.{{Cite magazine |last=Grow |first=Kory |date=2019-03-30 |title=Read Cure Frontman Robert Smith's Gracious Rock Hall Induction Speech |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/cure-robert-smith-rock-hall-of-fame-induction-speech-814638/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}} In 2023, Cooper and Smith collaborated with Noel Gallagher for a one-off single.{{Cite web |last=Laing |first=Rob |date=2023-03-08 |title=The Cure's Robert Smith and Jason Cooper join forces with Noel Gallagher on new version of Pretty Boy |url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/the-cures-robert-smith-and-jason-cooper-join-forces-with-noel-gallagher-on-new-version-of-pretty-boy |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=MusicRadar |language=en}} Cooper is also known as a bicyclist for charity fund-raising events.{{Cite web |last=Shutler |first=Ali |date=2022-06-09 |title=The Cure's drummer taking part in charity bike ride to honour long-time crew member |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-cures-drummer-taking-part-in-charity-bike-ride-to-honour-long-time-crew-member-3243354 |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}
Discography with The Cure
- Wild Mood Swings (1996)
- Galore (1997)
- Bloodflowers (2000)
- Greatest Hits (2001)
- Trilogy (2003), DVD
- The Cure (2004)
- Festival 2005 (2005), DVD
- 4:13 Dream (2008)
- Bestival Live 2011 (2011)
- 40 Live Curaetion 25 + Anniversary (2018) DVD/BluRay
- Songs of a Lost World (2024)
References
{{reflist}}
{{TheCure}}
{{2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Jason}}
Category:English rock drummers
Category:English male drummers