Jeremy Taggart

{{short description|Canadian drummer, radio host, and author (born 1975)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| image = Jer-Dec-2002.jpg

| name = Jeremy Taggart

| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist

| caption = Taggart in December 2002

| birth_name = Jeremy Ronald John Taggart

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|4|7|mf=y}}

| origin = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| instrument = Drums

| occupation = Musician, songwriter

| years_active = 1993–present

| associated_acts = Our Lady Peace

| website = [https://myspace.com/taggartstake Jeremy Taggart] on Myspace

[http://www.taggartntorrens.ca TAGGART And TORRENS Podcast]

}}

Jeremy Ronald John Taggart (born April 7, 1975) is a Canadian drummer, radio host, and author, best known for playing with Our Lady Peace from 1993 until 2014.

Early life

Taggart was born in Toronto, Ontario, later growing up in Mansfield, Ontario [http://www.simcoe.com/whatson-story/2074555-dancing-for-taters/] and has two brothers and one sister. Music was a central part of his youth, as his parents were also musicians, and Taggart learned to play drums at an early age. He has said the loss of R.J. Logan was a driving force to take his drumming to the next level. He auditioned for the then up-and-coming Our Lady Peace in April 1993.

Career

=Our Lady Peace=

In 1993, Jim Newell, Our Lady Peace's previous drummer, left the band due to commitment issues. The remaining members and their management held open auditions for his replacement. They auditioned over a hundred drummers, ultimately choosing Taggart, who was 17 at the time.{{cite news|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/1424236/drummer-jeremy-taggart-out-of-our-lady-peace/|title=Drummer Jeremy Taggart out of Our Lady Peace|date=June 30, 2014|work=Global News|access-date=July 10, 2014}}

The band offered him the drumming position which Taggart accepted. Our Lady Peace had also recently been given a record deal with Sony Music Canada and were playing some small club shows. Taggart's age created a legal issue for the band; he was only seventeen and performers have to be legal drinking age, nineteen in Ontario, to perform in bars and clubs.{{Clarify|date=July 2022|Current regulations allow working in bars at 18 and up in Ontario (although drinking age is still 19+). I believe it was the same at the time, but if it was different, could use a reference to verify. Current wording is slightly inaccurate if it was not different then. https://www.agco.ca/general/general-information-legal-drinking-age-and-photo-id}}

In June 2014, Taggart announced that he had left Our Lady Peace and was not coming back.

=Other projects=

In addition to drumming for Our Lady Peace, Taggart has worked on various side projects, including providing the drums on Chantal Kreviazuk's song "Blue", Geddy Lee's song "Home on the Strange", and The Beautiful Unknown's song "Riot in the House of Ruin". He also appears in the music video for Chad Kroeger and Josey Scott's song, "Hero", off the Spider-Man soundtrack. Kroeger and Scott asked Taggart to appear in the video after Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron was unable to appear at the video shoot.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fooloNJvSwY|title=Theory of a Deadman - Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?|website=YouTube |date=September 3, 2014 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/9za3j7/nickelback-saliva-members-fake-it-for-hero-video|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527001340/https://www.mtv.com/news/9za3j7/nickelback-saliva-members-fake-it-for-hero-video|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 27, 2023|title=Nickelback, Saliva Members Fake It For 'Hero' Video|website=MTV }}

He ran a radio/podcast show called Taggarts Take, which mixes interviews of bands and politicians with Taggart's personal remarks.

Taggart is also a member of the judging panel for the 10th and 11th[http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima/judges/11th-annual-ima-judges/ "11th Annual IMA Judges]. Independent Music Awards. Retrieved on September 4, 2013. annual Independent Music Awards. as well as judge for the 9th[http://miccontrolblog.com/2009/05/27/the-independent-music-awards-announces-judges-for-9th-annual-imas/ MicControl] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626231446/http://miccontrolblog.com/2009/05/27/the-independent-music-awards-announces-judges-for-9th-annual-imas/ |date=June 26, 2009 }}{{cite web|url=http://top40-charts.com/news/Charts-Awards/She-&-Him-The-Black-Keys-Mark-Hoppus-Aimee-Mann-And-Bettye-LaVette-Join-Judging-Panel-For-The-9th-Annual-Independent-Music-Awards/48785.html |title=Top40-Charts.com |publisher=Top40-Charts.com |access-date=2011-10-29}} Season.

Taggart is involved in mentoring aspiring musicians such as Arkells .{{cite web |url=http://ciraa.ca/mentors/jeremy-taggart/ |title=Jeremy Taggart - CIRAA |access-date=2014-10-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006112659/http://ciraa.ca/mentors/jeremy-taggart/ |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |df=mdy-all }}

He is also a frequent guest on TSN's, Jay and Dan Podcast, hosted by sportscasters Jay Onrait and Dan O'Toole.{{cite web |url=https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/jay-and-dan-podcast/id564178351 |title=iTunes - Podcasts - Jay and Dan Podcast by TSN |website=iTunes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121223211338/https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/jay-and-dan-podcast/id564178351 |archive-date=2012-12-23}}

In 2013, Taggart, who grew up in nearby Mansfield, emceed an event in Melanchton, Ontario celebrating the decision by The Highland Companies to withdraw its license to start mining in the area for limestone. He became involved in stopping the mine when a childhood friend alerted him about the issue.{{Cite web|url=http://www.simcoe.com/whatson-story/2074555-dancing-for-taters/|title = Dancing for taters| date=February 11, 2013 }}

In January 2014, Jeremy teamed up with fellow Canadian Jonathan TorrensJonathan Torrens to create the Taggart and Torrens Podcast.{{Cite web|url=https://soundcloud.com/taggart-and-torrens|title=Taggart and Torrens}} They discuss everything from sports to politics and offer a unique Canadian "everyman" perspective on the issues. They also play games they have created such as "Poem Sayin"{{cite web| url = https://soundcloud.com/taggart-and-torrens/taggart-and-torrens-episode-5| title = SoundCloud - Hear the world's sounds}} and "Callin Pranks".{{cite web| url = https://soundcloud.com/taggart-and-torrens/taggart-and-torrens-episode-4| title = SoundCloud - Hear the world's sounds}} In October 2017, Taggart and Torrens released the paperback book Canadianity: Tales From The True North Strong And Freezing, "a collection of showbiz tales from the road and relatable everyday anecdotes, all wrapped up in a nostalgic fondness for this great country. Canadianity takes readers on a cross-country journey, shining the spotlight on notable local heroes (or bands), the best places to crush food and the greasiest watering holes, coast to coast to coast."

He is the cousin of Australian footballer Adam Taggart and musician Andrew Taggart.