Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan (1981-2009)


Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan (1981-2009)

James Owen Sullivan, professionally known by his stage name The Rev (shortened version of The Reverend Tholomew Plague), was an American musician, best known as the drummer, songwriter, backing vocalist and founding member of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The Rev was widely regarded and critically acclaimed for his work on Avenged Sevenfold albums, and contributed entire songs composed by himself, such as "Afterlife", "A Little Piece of Heaven", and "Almost Easy". He was also the lead vocalist/pianist in Pinkly Smooth, a side project where he was known by the name Rathead, with fellow Avenged Sevenfold member, guitarist Synyster Gates (Brian Elwin Haner Jr.), and he was the drummer for Suburban Legends from 1998 to 1999.
Sullivan was born in Huntington Beach, California, on February 9, 1981, of Irish descent. He received his first pair of drumsticks at the age of five and his own drum set at the age of twelve. In high school, he started playing in bands. Before leaving to join Avenged Sevenfold as one of the band's founding members, Sullivan was the drummer for the third wave ska band Suburban Legends. At the age of twenty he recorded his first album with Avenged Sevenfold titled Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. His early influences included Frank Zappa and King Crimson. The Rev said in a Modern Drummer Magazine interview that "I was raised on that stuff as much as rock and metal."

Achievements:
The band was formed in March 1999 in Huntington Beach, California by Matt Sanders, The Rev and Matt Wendt. Although they are not a religious band, Sanders came up with the name as a reference to the story of Cain and Abel from the Bible, which can be found in Genesis 4:24. Shortly after their formation, they were joined by an acquaintance from high school, Zachary Baker, who played in the punk-band MPA at the time.

Avenged Sevenfold's first creative output was a three-track-demo, some months later, they were asked by Sadistic Records to contribute to two compilations. To that end, they recorded two new songs and released them along with the previously recorded songs on a second demo in early 2000. They sent this demo to the Belgian label Good Life Recordings and were subsequently signed. Shortly afterward, Matt Wendt left for college and Justin Meacham, the previous bassist of Suburban Legends joined Avenged Sevenfold. In late 2000, the foursome took on their initial stage names and recorded their debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. In early 2001, lead guitarist and old friend Synyster Gates joined the band and they re-recorded the introductory track "To End the Rapture" for the album's lead-single/EP, Warmness on the Soul, released in April. Although their debut album was initially planned for a late April release, it was pushed back multiple times and eventually released in June or July 2001 on Good Life Recordings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenged_Sevenfold#Accolades

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