Al Sobrante
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| Al Sobrante | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Birth name | John Kiffmeyer | |
| Born | 1969 California |
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Al Sobrante (born John Kiffmeyer 1969) was the original drummer for the punk rock band Green Day. His name is a reference to El Sobrante, California, a town north of Berkeley.
Sobrante's first exposure in the punk scene was as the drummer of the band Isocracy. The group was popular in the East Bay, and mainstays at the famed club, 924 Gilman Street.
Sobrante's claim to fame, however, is his time in Green Day. After the end of Isocracy, Sobrante helped form the group. Because of his experience and knowledge of the underground community, Sobrante was able to get the young band on its feet by placing calls to friends, among them prominent figure of the East Bay Larry Livermore. The first few performances took place at Contra Costa College, where Kiffmeyer was a journalism student. On the strength of these performances, Livermore vowed to release a Green Day record on his Lookout! Records. The group's first full-length effort, 39/Smooth would feature a Sobrante original, "I Was There", which documented the band at that place in time.
In 1990, he left the band to attend college at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. Sobrante later joined the band The Ne'er Do Wells, leaving abruptly in 1994. Following a stint with punk band The Ritalins he became manager of The Shruggs until their split. Recently he produced "The Lost Troublemakers Album" by The Troublemakers, a garage band from Sacramento, California. He now lives in San Francisco, California with his wife Greta and his young son Lolo.
[edit] Trivia
- Al is left-handed and plays drums open handed, playing the hi-hat cymbals with his left hand, and the ride cymbal positioned just to the left of the hi-hat.
- With the Ne'er Do Wells, Al was known for not showing up for practices and even missing gigs if so inclined. He would often interrupt shows with jokes or monologues and get up and wander away from the drums.
