Pictures Courtesy of Mike Connelly
CHRIS "CJ" MESSIER
Chris "CJ" Messier (Drums)
CJ started drumming at three years old when his brother, Ryan, began drumming for his high school’s marching band. He would take lessons with Ryan throughout grade school and
eventually joined the High School Marching Band in 8th grade as a bass drum player. He would eventually end up playing all three marching percussion instruments and even became Co-Section Leader in his Senior year. Outside of Marching Band season, Chris was a part of the Concert Band and Jazz Band playing Bass Trombone and the Indoor Percussion Group. After high school, Chris attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst and played with the award-winning UMass Drumline as a tenor player.
After a year in the UMass Drumline, Chris realized that his true passion lay in playing drum set.He then began lessons with renowned artist and session drummer Thomas Giampietro (Jazz Drum Set Professor at UMass Amherst) and local drummer
Ed Dupont (drummer for 80's cover band Aquanett).
Chris is now a full time "IT Guy" and also plays in three different groups (Moose and the High Tops, 7 Bridges Road, and Monarch). He survives both jobs with the love from his wife Emma. "She encourages me everyday to be the best person I can be both at my job and with my music. I cannot ask for a better life partner!"
CJ's Favorite Drummers (Alphabetical order): Dave Weckl, Gavin Harrison, Heracio Hernandez, Jojo Mayer, Mike Mangini, Marco Minnemann, Mike Portnoy, Neil Peart, Ringo Starr, Scott Travis, Simon Phillips, Steve Gadd, Steve Smith, Terry Bozzio, Todd Sucherman, Virgil Donati, and the list could go on!
Some of CJ's Favorite musical groups in alphabetical order: 311, Alter Bridge, Black Sabbath, Dave Matthew's Band, Deep Purple, Dio, Dream Theater, Extreme, Extreme, Foo Fighters, Haken, Helloween, Incubus, Iron Maiden, Journey. Judas Priest, Kamelot, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Opeth, Pearl Jam, Porcupine Tree, Queensrÿche, Soundgarden, Styx, The Beatles, Unisonic, and Van Halen.
"Music has been my passion for so many years, and it's what keeps me going! \m/(><)\m/"
Pages: Please feel free to check out CJ's music on his personal Facebook page and YouTube channel.
EQUIPMENT
4 piece Pearl Masters MCX (Maple) Drum set (Piano Black w/ Chrome Hardware)
Rack Tom:12x9"
Floor Tom: 16x16" ;
Bass Drum: 22x18"
Snares: 14x5.5" Maple Pearl Custom MCX Masters
Drum Heads
Batter: Evans G2 Coated/G2 Clear
Resonant: Evans G1 Clear
Bass Drum: Evans Emad 2 Batter and Emad Resonant
Snare Heads: Batter: Evans Coated Heavyweight (batter)/ 500 Snare Side
Sabian Cymbals
Crashes: 17” AAXplosion Crash, 18” AAXplosion
Hi Hats: Main-14" HHX Evolution
22" HHX Evolution Ride
Hardware
Bass Pedal: Tama Speed Cobra Double Pedal, DW 5000 Single Bass Pedal
Stands: Tama Speed Cobra Hi Hat Stand, Pearl 1000/2000 series stands
Throne: Pearl D-2000 Throne
Sticks/Mallets
Vic Firth Extreme 55A Hickory L=16.5" Dia=.580"
Vic Firth Rute 202 (7: .188" + 1 .250" dowels)
Vic Firth Rute 606 (19: .125 dowels)
Stick Bag: Vic Firth Leather carrier
Sound
In Ears: 64 Ears A6t monitors
Behringer Powerplay 1 Headphone Amp
Microphones:
Sennheiser E604 (Tom12)
Shure SM 57 (snare)
Shure Beta 52 (Bass and Floor Tom)