Originally from Southern Illinois, Michael Jade is a drummer now based in Austin, Texas. Receiving his first toy drum set at age four, Michael started playing early. It was only three years later when he began saving for his first real drum set by performing various chores for his family and neighbors. By his ninth birthday, he got his drum set.

By age fourteen, he was playing the cymbals in his high school marching band; moving to lead snare by his sophomore year. That same year, he helped lead the band to place, and win more parade competitions than the previous twenty years.

When Michael was sixteen, he joined his local church’s youth group band, which was his first true experience with playing in a (non-marching) band. He credits this period in his life as a great time of learning the role of a drummer in a band, and how to interact and communicate musically with the rest of the band.

While attending college, he joined his first series of cover bands, and played out regularly; earning money to live, and (of course) afford more drums. With Red Devil Radio alone, Michael performed over three hundred shows in three years, Pointfest 2010, and a pre-game show at Busch Stadium being a couple of the highlights from this period.

At the end of 2011, Michael took a leap of faith, by leaving Southern Illinois and moving to Austin, Texas in order to pursue a better life, and further his career in music. The first seven years were fraught with temporary, and often unpaid pick-up gigs, in order to gain a foothold in the vast music community in Austin. It was around this time, Michael decided to start a YouTube channel featuring himself playing along to some of his favorite music, known as The Michael Jade Drum Channel.

During the pandemic, Michael took a sabbatical from playing live music, and began to revisit his old YouTube channel. He then proceeded to spend the following two years teaching himself how to record his drums and get a good sound from them. This endeavor introduced him into a community of drummers on YouTube who supported one another and had common goals. Fortunately for Michael, one of those drummers happened to be Eric Henninger.

In the summer of 2022, Michael began playing live music again when he joined original hard rock band, Inch of Dark. As of now, Michael additionally plays in the Alice In Chains tribute band, Layne Unchained, and is also a reserve drummer for Austin metal greats; A Good Rogering. Though when he has time, he still enjoys coming back to YouTube for collaborations with friends, and continuing his own drum covers.

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Michael's Gear:

Attic Custom Drums custom snare: 6.5x14 10-ply maple.

Chrome lugs and hardware. Custom "Christine" paint job by Billy Smith.

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Attic Custom Drums custom snare: 6.5x14 Battered Black Dawg Brass. Black tube lugs and hardware. "The Pitbull."

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Find Michael on Social Media:

Instagram:

meangreencat13

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Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/inchofdark

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMichaelJadeDrumChannel

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