Jess Margera

Margera was born on August 28, 1978, and raised in West Chester, Pennsylvania to April and Phil Margera. He is the older brother of professional skateboarder and TV personality Bam Margera, alongside whom he is considered a founding member of the CKY crew, which worked on the video series of the same name.{{cite AV media |people=Joe Frantz (Director) |date=November 2, 2014 |title=CKY: The Greatest Hits |time=4:10 |publisher=MTV }}{{cite web |url=http://www.drummagazine.com/features/post/weird-gigs-jess-margera-risks-death/ |title=Weird Gigs: Jess Margera Risks Death |last=Zulaica |first=Don |publisher=DRUM! Magazine |date=June 27, 2011 |access-date=July 11, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713025351/http://www.drummagazine.com/features/post/weird-gigs-jess-margera-risks-death/ |archive-date=July 13, 2015 }} He chose to play the drums as he had two uncles who played the instrument, one of whom later worked as a drum technician on a CKY tour.{{cite web |url=http://www.markprindle.com/margera-i.htm |title=Jess Margera Interview |last=Prindle |first=Mark |publisher=Mark's Record Reviews |access-date=July 11, 2015 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.sickdrummermagazine.com/index.php/features/off-beat-interviews/1530-jess-margera-of-cky-interview-continued |title=Jess Margera of CKY Interview Continued |last=Sternberg |first=Craig |publisher=Sick Drummer Magazine |date=September 1, 2009 |access-date=July 11, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712120031/http://www.sickdrummermagazine.com/index.php/features/off-beat-interviews/1530-jess-margera-of-cky-interview-continued |archive-date=July 12, 2015 }} His "biggest influence" was Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, but as a young musician he also took an interest in jazz drummers such as Elvin Jones.

Margera first played in a band in 1991 or 1992. One of his first bands was Soalroach, which featured brother Bam and friend Ryan Dunn.{{cite news |url=http://loudwire.com/the-company-band-talk-new-ep-jess-margera-recalls-rocking-with-brother-bam-ryan-dunn/ |title=The Company Band Talk New EP + Jess Margera Recalls Rocking With Brother Bam & Ryan Dunn |last=Hartmann |first=Graham |publisher=Loudwire |date=August 9, 2012 |access-date=July 11, 2015 }} He later formed Foreign Objects with future CKY vocalist and guitarist Deron Miller, whom he originally met at high school.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/cky-mn0000634463/biography |title=CKY Biography |last=Prato |first=Greg |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=July 11, 2015 }} The band released its debut extended play (EP) The Undiscovered Numbers & Colors in 1995. Along with bassist Ryan Bruni, the duo later performed under the name Oil, before meeting guitarist Chad I Ginsburg (who was then working as an audio engineer) and changing the name of the band to CKY. Speaking about the formation of the band, Margera recalled in a 2003 interview that the main reason he joined CKY was Miller's guitar playing ability, particularly his ability to write "complicated [guitar] riffs that are catchy".

As a member of CKY, Margera performed drums on all five of the band's studio albums, and was credited for contributing to songwriting on Infiltrate•Destroy•Rebuild.{{cite AV media notes |title=Volume 1 |others=Camp Kill Yourself |year=1999 |publisher=Distant Recordings/Teil Martin International }}{{cite AV media notes |title=Infiltrate•Destroy•Rebuild |others=CKY |year=2002 |publisher=The Island Def Jam Music Group }}{{cite AV media notes |title=An Answer Can Be Found |others=CKY |year=2005 |publisher=The Island Def Jam Music Group }}{{cite AV media notes |title=Carver City |others=CKY |year=2009 |publisher=Roadrunner Records }}

Margera was also member of the CKY-related comedy band Gnarkill, formed in 2002, alongside Brandon DiCamillo on vocals, guitarist Rich Vose and brother Bam on keyboards; he performed on both studio albums: 2002's Gnarkill and 2006's GnarKill vs. Unkle Matt and the ShitBirdz.{{cite AV media notes |title=Gnarkill |others=Gnarkill |year=2002 }}{{cite AV media notes |title=GnarKill vs. Unkle Matt and the ShitBirdz |others=Gnarkill |year=2006 |publisher=10/90 }}

File:The co band.jpg in 2007 with Neil Fallon and James Rota]]

In November 2006, it was announced that Margera had joined English band Viking Skull, replacing founding member Gordon Morrison.{{cite news |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/viking-skull-announces-new-lineup-begins-work-on-new-album/ |title=Viking Skull Announces New Lineup, Begins Work On New Album |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=November 18, 2006 |access-date=July 11, 2015 }} Speaking about his replacement of Morrison, Margera revealed that he unwittingly contributed to the temporary breakup of the band in 2006, after drinking heavily with the band on tour.{{cite web |url=http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/vikingskull.htm |title=Viking Skull Interview: A Conversation With Drummer Jess Margera |last=Bowar |first=Chad |publisher=About.com |access-date=July 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712104818/http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/vikingskull.htm |archive-date=July 12, 2015 |url-status=dead }} The new lineup released the album Chapter Two in September 2007, which was mixed by CKY guitarist Chad I Ginsburg.{{cite news |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/viking-skull-new-album-title-announced/ |title=Viking Skull: New Album Title Announced |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=May 22, 2008 |access-date=July 11, 2015 }} Viking Skull and Ginsburg (this time as producer) worked together again for the follow-up album Doom, Gloom, Heartache & Whiskey, recorded and released in 2008 in the US. The CKY collaboration was extended further, as Joe Frantz and Margera's brother Bam directed the music video for the song "Hair of the Dog".{{cite news |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/viking-skull-hair-of-the-dog-video-to-be-co-directed-by-bam-margera/ |title=Viking Skull: 'Hair Of The Dog' Video To Be Co-Directed By Bam Margera |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=December 9, 2008 |access-date=July 11, 2015 }}

In addition to his work with CKY and Viking Skull, in 2007 Margera formed The Company Band, a supergroup featuring Clutch frontman Neil Fallon and Fireball Ministry frontman James Rota.{{cite news |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/cky-fireball-ministry-clutch-members-launch-side-project/ |title=CKY, Fireball Ministry, Clutch Members Launch Side Project |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=March 9, 2007 |access-date=July 11, 2015 }} Each of the bands had toured with one another between 2005 and 2006, after which the group began jamming together and eventually formed into an official band.{{cite web |url=http://antiquiet.com/interviews/2009/11/jess-margera-company-band-interview/ |title=Flexing Corporate Muscle With Jess Margera Of Company Band |last=Firecloud |first=Johnny |publisher=Antiquiet |date=November 5, 2009 |access-date=July 11, 2015 }} With the addition of guitarist Dave Bone and bassist Jason Diamond, the band recorded its debut EP Sign Here, Here and Here with producer Andrew Alekel and released it later in the year.{{cite news |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/the-company-band-putting-finishing-touches-on-sign-here-here-and-here-ep/ |title=The Company Band Putting Finishing Touches On 'Sign Here, Here And Here' EP |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=October 15, 2007 |access-date=July 11, 2015 }} The band recorded its full-length debut in 2009, and released it in November that year as The Company Band.{{cite news |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/the-company-band-s-full-length-debut-due-in-november/ |title=The Company Band's Full-Length Debut Due In November |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=September 17, 2009 |access-date=July 11, 2015 }} Another EP, Pros & Cons, was released in 2012.{{cite news |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/the-company-band-to-release-pros-cons-ep-in-july/ |title=The Company Band To Release 'Pros & Cons' EP In July |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=June 7, 2012 |access-date=July 11, 2015 }}

The fate of CKY was cast into doubt in 2011, when the band released a video in which each member spoke about their desires for the future of the band; all members but Ginsburg wanted to record solo albums, while the guitarist favored releasing another CKY album.{{cite news |url=http://www.metalinsider.net/splits/shall-we-wish-cky-rip-now-or-later |title=Shall We Wish CKY R.I.P. Now Or Later? |last=Shaw |first=Zach |publisher=Metal Insider |date=August 2, 2011 |access-date=July 11, 2015 }} Miller later claimed that Ginsburg had left the band, while Margera tried to calm the situation by suggesting that Miller had problems with alcohol abuse, and that he needed "support ... not insult[s]". Margera, along with Ginsburg and bassist Matt "Matty J" Janaitis, later returned as CKY in 2012 with Year Long Disaster frontman Daniel Davies in place of Miller.{{cite news |url=http://www.metalinsider.net/metal-musical-chairs/cky-replaces-deron-miller-with-year-long-disasters-daniel-davies |title=CKY Replaces Deron Miller With Year Long Disaster's Daniel Davies |last=Shaw |first=Zach |publisher=Metal Insider |date=March 19, 2012 |access-date=July 11, 2015 }} This lineup (with Matt Deis in place of Janaitis) later reunited in 2015, following another split with Miller.{{cite news |url=http://www.theprp.com/2015/04/17/news/cky-confirm-the-return-of-daniel-davies-for-amnesia-rockfest/ |title=CKY Confirm The Return Of Daniel Davies For 'Amnesia Rockfest' |author=wookubus |publisher=Theprp.com |date=April 17, 2015 |access-date=July 11, 2015 }} Margera has claimed that Davies offered to join the band during a phone call with the drummer, after he had performed on the singer's solo album.

Margera also performs drums in brother Bam's group Fuckface Unstoppable, and has contributed to both studio albums: Stórfréttir Í Reykjavík and Fuckface Unstoppable.{{cite AV media notes |title=Stórfréttir Í Reykjavík |others=Fuckface Unstoppable |year=2013 }}{{cite AV media notes |title=Fuckface Unstoppable |others=Fuckface Unstoppable |year=2014 }}

On June 16, 2017, the fifth CKY album titled The Phoenix was released.

Jess and Ginsburg are currently working on a new CKY album,{{cite web |last=Ginsburg |first=Chad I |title=Happy Birthday to my CKY brother and friend for decades! 🎂 The one and only @jessmargera ! Psyched to be working on our Greatest album with you right now 🙌👊 |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/ChzuPbvOFZf/ |website=Instagram |access-date=October 3, 2022 |date=August 28, 2022}} titled New Reason to Dream.{{cite web |last=Marshall |first=John |title=CKY on Rock 106.1 Full interview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFWxwhaN5H4 |website=YouTube |access-date=July 17, 2024 |date=April 30, 2024}}

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;with Foreign Objects

• The Undiscovered Numbers & Colors (1995)
• Universal Culture Shock (2004)

;with CKY

• Volume 1 (1999)
• Volume 2 (1999)
• Infiltrate•Destroy•Rebuild (2002)
• An Answer Can Be Found (2005)
• Carver City (2009)
• The Phoenix (2017)
• Too Precious to Kill (2018)
• New Reason to Dream (TBA)

;with Gnarkill

• Gnarkill (2002)
• GnarKill vs. Unkle Matt and the ShitBirdz (2006)

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;with Viking Skull

• Chapter Two (2007)
• Blackened Sunrise (2007)
• Doom, Gloom, Heartache & Whiskey (2008)
• Cursed By the Sword (2012)
• Live at Voodoo Lounge (2014)
• Viking Skull (2016)

;with The Company Band

• Sign Here, Here and Here (2007)
• The Company Band (2009)
• Pros & Cons (2012)

;with Fuckface Unstoppable

• Stórfréttir Í Reykjavík (2013)
• Fuckface Unstoppable (2014)

;with The Evesdroppers

• The Evesdroppers (2016)

;with Sovereign Eagle

• Lady Strange (2022)
• Sovereign Eagle (2022)

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{{Wikiquote}}

• {{IMDb name|1062606}}
• {{instagram|jessmargera}}

{{CKY (band)}}

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Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:CKY (band) members

Category:People from West Chester, Pennsylvania

Category:American heavy metal drummers

Category:Male actors from Pennsylvania

Category:Songwriters from Pennsylvania

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:20th-century American drummers

Category:American male drummers

Category:21st-century American drummers

Category:20th-century American male musicians

Category:21st-century American male musicians

Category:American male songwriters

Category:CKY crew

Category:Drummers from Pennsylvania