Eric Singer

Eric Singer (* 12. May 1958 in Cleveland , Ohio as Eric Doyle Mensinger ) is an American drummer .

Singer is the drummer for the band KISS , of which he was a member from 1991 to 1996 as the successor to the late Eric Carr . After the comeback in the original line-up, which the group started in 1996, he replaced Peter Criss temporarily in 2001 and permanently from 2004. He was also the drummer for Lita Ford (1984), Black Sabbath , Gary Moore and Badlands . He played for Brian May on his tour in 1998 and until 2003 and from 2005 for Alice Cooper . He also played for Tobias Sammet's Avantasia project .

Childhood and youth

Eric Singer is the son of John and Bess Mensinger. He had two brothers, John and Kurt; John died on September 13, 1994. Singer's father was a band leader and played tenor saxophone , and later performed as a solo entertainer at weddings and celebrations. Bess Singer was a musical singer, her son often played in the summer holidays as part of the respective orchestra.

Eric Singer started playing the drums when he was eleven. When he was thirteen, he was allowed to play in his father's big band , the Johnny Singer Band . Originally he didn't like it because his father was a very disciplined musician. After Eric Singer had first taught himself to play the drums, he now began taking lessons from Buddy Kummil.

Working in the big band was a huge influence for Singer. He developed a strong work ethic after realizing that his father had a firm idea of what the songs the band was performing should sound like. When his son failed to live up to expectations, John Singer played for him what he wanted to hear - an embarrassing situation for Eric Singer because the other musicians in the band heard his father's rebuke. Ultimately, Eric developed such a strong discipline in the game that his father just wanted to work with him. On the one hand he liked it, on the other hand he missed some things in his youth that the other students in his school experienced on the weekends.

In the mid-1970s Singer worked for King Musical Instruments , a factory that made saxophones and other instruments, and later also in the parts warehouse of a Ford dealer.

Musical career

Singer in Hollywood March 20, 2012

Pop Opera / Beau Coup

Together with singer Tommy Amato and guitarist Mike McGuill, Singer founded the trio Pop Opera . The band recorded a few demos before stepping up with David Lewin on keyboards and Bill March on bass . Shortly thereafter, the group was renamed Beau Coup . The band had some success in Cleveland and even got a recording deal .

In 1982 Singer stopped working for his father, at the same time he increased his rehearsals and practiced several hours a day. Singer took lessons again, this time from Casey Scheuerell. In 1983 he moved to Los Angeles .

Lita Ford

In Los Angeles, Singer first played as the drummer for the band Icebreaker . During this time he applied for a drum competition run by Carmine Appice , the Carmine Appice Drum-Off . After participating, he was hired to do a video recording for the Playboy's Women in Rock series , and while filming, he learned that Randy Castillo , then Lita Ford's drummer , was leaving her backing band.

Singer practiced Ford's songs with Ray Marzano, and Randy Castillo recommended him for a casting. Singer got the job and became a member of the band. He played with Ford in the opening act of the US tour of Ratt and should also participate in the recordings for their album Dancin on the Edge , but Ford brought Randy Castillo back. She was at that time with Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath together, who planned to record a solo album. He asked Singer if he would like to help record the demos, and later asked him to record the album, Seventh Star , with him as well.

Black Sabbath

After the recordings Singer made with Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and singer Glenn Hughes , Iommi decided that the record should be released as a Sabbath album. The band went on tour, which ended in June 1986, and then went to work on the follow-up album, The Eternal Idol . After the recordings, Singer dropped out of Black Sabbath to work with Gary Moore .

With Moore Singer denied the Wild Frontier tour, then he worked as a session musician for the group Drive , with whom he recorded the album Characters in Time . Then worked with Singer Ian Astbury of The Cult of demo recordings for the album Sonic Temple .

Badlands

In spring 1988, Jake E. Lee and Ray Gillen formed the band Badlands with Singer and Greg Chaisson . The group completed the recordings for their debut album in mid-1989, and since Singer's soundtracks were finished early, he applied as a drummer for the solo tour of Kiss guitarist and singer Paul Stanley and accompanied him on the tour.

His own band's debut album was released on May 11, 1989 and peaked at number 57 on the Billboard 200 . Despite the success, Singer was kicked out of the band after the subsequent tour after he had a disagreement with the other members.

Alice Cooper

Singer on tour with Alice Cooper

Singer then became the drummer for Alice Cooper and joined the band on February 23, 1990 after his European tour. He can be seen in the video for Only my Heart Talkin ' . Since then, Singer has worked with Cooper repeatedly, most recently as a session musician for the album The Eyes of Alice Cooper (2003)

Kiss

Eric Singer in his mask on the stage

Singer recorded the song God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II with Kiss in 1991 , when their drummer, Eric Carr , was unable to play due to cancer. When it became clear that Carr was unlikely to return to the band, the group recorded the album Revenge with Singer . Singer became an official member of the band after Carr's death, with which he was then only able to record one more studio album, Carnival of Souls , which was only released in 1997. In 1996 the group decided to make a comeback attempt with founding members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss , which was initially successful. Criss left the band in 2001 and was replaced by Singer, who now also wore the make-up of the "Catman". Criss returned again in 2003 and was finally replaced after another separation in 2004 by Singer, who is still a member of the group to this day. In 2009 he released the studio album Sonic Boom with the band , followed by Monster in 2012 .

Discography excerpt

Black Sabbath

Seventh Star (1986)
The Eternal Idol (1987)

Drive

Characters in Time (1988)

Badlands

Badlands (1989)

Bill Ward

Ward One Along the Way (1990)

Kiss

God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II (1991)
Revenge (1992)
Kiss Unplugged (1995)
Carnival of Souls (1997)
Sonic Boom (2009)
Monster (2012)

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b Modern Drummer, 10/1990

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Singer, Eric
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Mensinger, Eric Doyle (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American drummer
DATE OF BIRTH	May 12, 1958
PLACE OF BIRTH	Ohio

[Modern-1] Modern Drummer, 10/1990


Studio albums	Kiss (1974) • Hotter Than Hell (1974) • Dressed to Kill (1975) • Destroyer (1976) • Rock and Roll Over (1976) • Love Gun (1977) • Dynasty (1979) • Unmasked (1980) • Music from the Elder (1981) • Creatures of the Night (1982) • Lick It Up (1983) • Animalize (1984) • Asylum (1985) • Crazy Nights (1987) • Hot in the Shade (1989) • Revenge (1992) • Carnival of Souls (1997) • Psycho Circus (1998) • Sonic Boom (2009) • Monster (2012) Solo albums: Peter Criss: Peter Criss (1978) • Ace Frehley: Ace Frehley (1978) • Gene Simmons: Gene Simmons (1978 ) • Asshole (2003) • Paul Stanley: Paul Stanley (1978) • Live to Win (2007)
Live albums	Alive! (1975) • Alive II (1977) • Alive III (1993) • Kiss Unplugged (1996) • You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best! (1996) • Kiss Symphony: Alive IV (2003) • Kiss Alive 35 (2008/2009) • Kiss Rocks Vegas (2016)
Soundtracks	Detroit Rock City
Compilation albums	The Originals (1976) • Double Platinum (1978) • The Best of the Solo Albums (1978) • Killers (1982) • Smashes, Thrashes & Hits (1988) • Chikara (1988) • Greatest Kiss (1997) • The Box Set (2001) • The Very Best of Kiss (2002) • The Best of Kiss: The Millennium Collection (2003) • The Best of Kiss, Volume 2: The Millennium Collection (2004) • Gold (2005) • Kiss Chronicles: 3 Classic Albums (2005) • The Best of Kiss, Volume 3: The Millennium Collection (2006) • Kiss Alive! 1975–2000 (2006) • Jigoku-Retsuden (2008) • Ikons (2008) • Kissology (2019)
Video albums	Kiss Konfidential & X-Treme Close Up (1993) • Kiss Unplugged (1995) • The Second Coming (1998) • Kiss Symphony - The DVD (2003) • Kiss Rock The Nation Live! (2005) • Kissology, Vol. 1, 1974–1977 (2006) • Kissology, Vol. 2, 1978–1991 (2007) • Kissology, Vol. 3, 1992-2000 (2007) • Kiss Rocks Vegas (2016)
Singles	Detroit Rock City • Beth • Christine Sixteen • I Was Made for Lovin 'You • Dirty Livin' • Hide Your Heart • God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II • Unholy • Jungle
Featurings	Wicked Lester • Kiss - Chased by Phantoms • Detroit Rock City


Studio albums	Black Sabbath (1970) • Paranoid (1970) • Master of Reality (1971) • Volume 4 (1972) • Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973) • Sabotage (1975) • Technical Ecstasy (1976) • Never Say Die! (1978) • Heaven and Hell (1980) • Mob Rules (1981) • Born Again (1983) • Seventh Star (1986) • The Eternal Idol (1987) • Headless Cross (1989) • Tyr (1990) • Dehumanizer (1992 ) • Cross Purposes (1994) • Forbidden (1995) • 13 (2013)
Live albums	Live at Last (1980) • Live Evil (1982) • Cross Purposes Live (1995) • Reunion (1998) • Black Sabbath - Live at Hammersmith Odeon (2007)
Compilation albums	We Sold Our Soul For Rock & Roll (1976) • The Best of Black Sabbath (2000) • Greatest Hits 1970–1978 (2007) • Black Sabbath: The Dio Years (2007) •
Singles	Black Sabbath (1970) • Evil Woman (1970) • NIB • Paranoid (1970) • The Wizard (1970) • Iron Man (1971) • War Pigs (1971) • Fairies Wear Boots (1971) • Sweat Leaf (1971) • Children of the Grave (1971) • After Forever (1972) • Snowblind (1972) • Tomorrow's Dream (1972) • Supernaut (1973) • Changes (1973) • Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973) • Sabbra Cadabra (1974) • Am I Going Insane (1975) • Hole in the Sky (1975) • Symptom of the Universe (1975) • Rock'Roll Doctor (1976) • Never Say Die (1978) • Hard Road (1978) • Dirty Woman (1979) • Neon Knights (1980) • The Young (1980) • Mob Rules (1981) • Turn Up the Night (1982) • Voodoo (1982) • Trashed (1983) • No Stranger to Love (1986) • The Shining (1987) • Headless Cross (1989) • Devil and Daughter (1989) • Feels Good to Me (1990) • TV Crimes (1992) • The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (1994) • Psycho Man (1998) • Selling My Soul (1999) • The Devil Cried (2007) • God is Dead? (2013) • End of the Beginning (2013) • The Loner (2013)


Studio albums	Dreamtime (1984) • Love (1985) • Electric (1987) • Sonic Temple (1989) • Ceremony (1991) • The Cult (1994) • Beyond Good and Evil (2001) • Born into This (2007) • Choice of Weapon (2012)