Derrick William Plourde was an American drummer, musician and artist. Born in Goleta, California, he was active from 1989 until his death in 2005. Although best known as a former member of Lagwagon, Derrick also played in several different bands like Bad Astronaut, Jaws, The Ataris, Mad Caddies and Rich Kids on LSD, among others. Besides drums, he also played guitar and was described as a multi-instrumentalist. Aside from music, he was also known as being a skilled painter and a gifted carpenter, appreciated for his off-beat sense of humor. After a long battle with drug addiction, Derrick committed suicide on March 30, 2005.
Career
Derrick first caught the attention of the pop-punk underground in the Goleta/Santa Barbara scene in the early 1990s in the band Lagwagon. That recognition expanded outside of the Southern California scene in 1992 with the release of Lagwagon's debut album "Duh" and the two follow-up albums "Trashed" and "Hoss". Derrick left Lagwagon in 1995 and was replaced by Dave Raun of RKL. In 1997, Plourde contacted Kris Roe of The Ataris, who were looking for a rhythm section at the time. The two immediately hit it off and Plourde would stay with the band through the recording of their debut album "Anywhere But Here" Derrick also played with acclaimed Santa Barbara outfit The Mad Caddies, and appeared on their 2001. album "Rock the Plank". Later in 2001, Derrick teamed up with his friend and former bandmate Joey Cape in the band Bad Astronaut and played on their first two albums "Acrophobe" and The band also released a third album in 2006. named "Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment" with several tracks featuring Derrick on drums. After Derrick's death, Joey Cape announced that there will be no more Bad Astronaut albums because "without Derrick, there is no Bad Astronaut".
Influences and playing style
Although Rush's Neil Peart and RKL's Bomer Manzullo are often credited as his biggest influences, Derrick developed his own distinctive sound and style that was considered innovative and fresh in the hardcore/punk music scene. His playing style can best be described as a mixture of fast, complex grooves and fills, often played with a lot of dynamics. Songs like "Move The Car" and "Rifle" by Lagwagon are often considered the best examples of his skill, speed and technique as these songs involved many things that were prominent in Derrick's style such as linear and syncopated drum grooves, fast single strokes and double strokes with both hands and feet. Songs like "Bury The Hatchet", "Mr.Coffee" and "Give It Back" by Lagwagon, all originally recorded with Derrick on drums, are also often cited as examples of his progressive influences and outstanding skill and versatility.
Death and tributes
Although the official cause of death and other details were not immediately disclosed, a posting by The Ataris frontman Kris Roe to that band's website confirmed reports that Derrick took his own life — the victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Despite never being diagnosed, Derrick was suspected as bipolar and was battling drug addiction. Joey Cape described in one interview that many people, including himself, felt like "it's not if, it's when" . His former band, Lagwagon, produced a tribute album titled Resolve in his honor and made a video for the song "Heartbreaking Music" that consisted almost entirely of different photographs of Derrick along with the footage of the band playing. The first verse in the lyrics for the NOFX song "Doornails", on their Wolves in Wolves' Clothing album is about Plourde while the song itself is a tribute to punk rock musicians who have died.
