Joey Castillo
Joseph William Castillo is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known for being the drummer of the hard rock band Queens of the Stone Age from 2002 to 2012. He has also been a member of Danzig, Eagles of Death Metal, California Breed, Zilch, and Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts.
Castillo joined Queens of the Stone Age in 2002, following the departure of temporary drummer Dave Grohl. He recorded two studio albums, Lullabies to Paralyze, Era Vulgaris, and recorded half of ...Like Clockwork before being fired by founding member Josh Homme during the process.
Since leaving Queens of the Stone Age and Homme side project Eagles of Death Metal in 2012, Castillo joined California Breed, replacing founding member Jason Bonham, joined Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts, touring with the band before the singer's death in 2015, and joined three groups with former Queens of the Stone Age bandmate Nick Oliveri: supergroups Bloodclot, Royale Daemons, and historic punk band Bl'ast. Castillo also has joined Zakk Wylde-led Black Sabbath cover band Zakk Sabbath.
Currently, Joey is touring with The Bronx, after founding member Jorma Vik left to play with Eagles of Death Metal.
Musical career
A native of Gardena, California, Castillo began playing drums at age 15, when his grandmother loaned him the money to buy a drum kit. His playing is influenced by War, Al Green, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, and Black Flag. He started off his drumming career by joining the Los Angeles punk band Wasted Youth in 1984. After recording two albums and several tours, he left Wasted Youth and joined Sugartooth in 1991. During the summer of 1994, he formed a short-lived punk rock band called Chronic Halitosis. They played punk covers of bands like Misfits and Black Flag.In 1994, Castillo left Sugartooth and joined Danzig, having turned down previous offers from Slayer and Suicidal Tendencies. He worked as Chuck Biscuit's drum tech circa '90-'93 and finally replaced him as live drummer on the '94 tours, following the release of Danzig 4
Castillo joined Queens of the Stone Age without an audition, playing through half a song at an informal rehearsal before frontman Josh Homme walked out of the room, returned saying "I just fired the drummer. The tour starts tomorrow," and offered Castillo the gig. Castillo also played on Mark Lanegan's solo album Bubblegum and Eagles of Death Metal's second album Death by Sexy.
On June 25th, 2017, Castillo, along with Trent Reznor, Mariqueen Maandig Reznor, Robin Finck, Atticus Ross, and Alessandro Cortini appeared as "The Nine Inch Nails" in Episode 8 of on Showtime, performing an alternate live rendition of the song "She's Gone Away" which previously appeared on Nine Inch Nails' 2016 album "Not the Actual Events"
In 2015, he was a touring replacement for Jason Bonham in the Glenn Hughes project, California Breed. Bonham quit before the tour to join Sammy Hagar and Hughes wanted the tour that supported Alter Bridge to continue as planned.
Personal life
Castillo has two drumkits which belonged to Chuck Biscuits and considers them his most prized possessions. Castillo currently resides in Silver Lake, California.of Queens of the Stone Age performing at the Southside Festival near Tuttlingen, southern Germany, June 24, 2007
Equipment
Castillo currently uses Tama drums, pedals and hardware, Zildjian cymbals, Vater sticks and LP equipment. Castillo is famous for his use of the LP Jam block. The tone of the jam block appears solo at the outset of the Queens of the Stone Age single "Little Sister" from the album Lullabies to Paralyze, Castillo's first studio album with the band. In 2018, he switched back to Tama after over ten years with Oxnard, California's Drum Workshop and five years with San Pedro's Q Drum Co. Pre-QOTSA he was known to use Tama drums, Paiste cymbals and Easton sticks.Post QOTSA Gear
Q Drum Co drumsDW Hardware
- DW 6710 straight cymbal stands
- DW 5000 Hi-Hat Stand
- DW 9000 bass pedal
- Zildjian 24-inch K Light ride
- Zildjian 21-inch K Crash Ride
- Zildjian 20-inch K Crash
- Zildjian 16-inch K Light Hi Hats
- Vater Rock, Power 5B and Power 3A
- Snare: Remo Emperor X
- Toms: Remo Clear Emperor's
- Bass: Remo Clear Powerstroke III with Falam Slam
QOTSA Era Gear (2002–2012)
Reissue tours equipment (2010–2012)
DW Drums Jazz Series- 24"x16" Bass Drum
- 14"x10" Mounted Tom
- 16"x16" Floor Tom
- 18"x16" Floor Tom
- 14"x8" Steel Sonor Snare formerly owned by Chuck Biscuits
- DW 6710 straight cymbal stands
- DW 6500 Hi-Hat Stand
- DW 9300 Snare Stand
- DW 9000 Bass Drum Pedal
- DW 9100AL Airlift throne
- Zildjian 24" A Medium Ride 24-inch K Light ride
- Zildjian 21" K Crash Ride
- Zildjian 19" K Custom Hybrid crash
- Zildjian 14.25" K Custom Hybrid Hi-Hats
- Vic Firth Extreme 5B sticks
- Snare: Remo Controlled Sound Clear
- Toms: Remo Controlled Sound
- Bass: Remo Clear Powerstroke III with Falam Slam
- LP160 Cyclops Tambourine Brass and Steel
- LP1208-K Stealth Jam Block
- LP Matador Wood Bongos Black/Chrome
Heart On (Eagles of Death Metal) tour equipment (2008–2012)
- 22"x14" Bass Drum
- 16x16" Floor Tom
- 14"x8" Steel Sonor Snare formerly owned by Chuck Biscuits
- DW 6710 straight cymbal stands
- DW 6500 Hi-Hat Stand
- DW 9300 Snare Stand
- DW 9000 Bass Drum Pedal
- DW 9100AL Airlift throne
- Zildjian 16" Oriental China
- Zildjian 15" A Crash
- Zildjian 14" New Beat Hi-Hats
- Vic Firth Extreme 5B sticks
- Snare: Remo Controlled Sound Clear
- Toms: Remo Controlled Sound
- Bass: Remo Clear Powerstroke III with Falam Slam
- LP160 Cyclops Tambourine Steel and Brass
- LP1207 Jam Block
Era Vulgaris tour equipment (2007–2008)
DW Drums
- 22"x18" Bass Drum with rail consolette cymbal mount for Cup Chime
- 14"x12" Mounted Concert Tom
- 18"x16" Floor Concert Tom
- 14"x6.5" Cast Bronze Snare with wood top hoop
- 5000TD Delta3 Turbo Single Bass Drum Pedal, 9000 Series Pedal
- 5500TD Delta Turbo Hi-Hat Stand
- 9300 Snare Drum Stand
- 6710 Straight Cymbal Stand
- 9101 Low Drum Throne
- Vic Firth American Classic Series X5A & X5B
- 13.25", 14.25" Zildjian K Custom Hybrid Hi-Hats
- 17" Zildjian K Custom Hybrid Crash, 19" K Custom Hybrid Crash
- 24" Zildjian K Light Ride
- 18" Zildjian K Crash Ride, 21" K Prototype Crash
- 18" Zildjian K China
- 13" Paiste Mega Cup Chime
- Snare: Remo Emperor X, Remo Clear Controlled Sound
- Toms: Remo Controlled Sound
- Bass: Remo Controlled Sound with Falam Slam
- LP160 Cyclops Tambourine Brass and Steel
- LP1207 Stealth Jam Block
Joey also used Rtom Moongel on Toms and Snare and Remo 0 ring on Snare
Lullabies To Paralyze tour equipment (2005–2006)
For the Lullabies tour, Castillo continued to use DW drums, Paiste cymbals and Remo heads. Though during this tour he started using Vic Firth sticks instead of Vater. Joey also dropped his second floor tom and LP bongos during this tour and added on a LP jamblock to his drumkit. From this tour and on, he would use the toms to play "Better Living Through Chemistry" during the verses. During the Lullabies tour Joey started removing his bottom heads on both his tomsTo achieve the "concert tom" sound which gave his toms a punchy, fatter sound
DW Drums
- 26"x20" Bass Drum
- 13"x10" Rack Tom
- 16"x14" Floor Tom
- 14"x6.5" Cast Bronze Snare with wood top hoop
- 5000TD Delta3 Turbo Single Bass Drum Pedal
- 5500TD Delta Turbo Hi-Hat Stand
- 9300 Snare Drum Stand
- 6710 Straight Cymbal Stand
- 9101 Low Drum Throne
- Vic Firth American Classic Series X5B
- 14" 2002 Medium Hi-Hats
- 19" Black Rude Thin Crash
- 20" Black Rude Thin Crash
- 24" 2002 Ride
- Snare: CS Coated Power Dot on top or Emperor X, Remo Ambassador Snare Side on bottom
- Toms: Coated Emperor tops, Clear Ambassador bottoms
- Bass: Clear Powerstroke 3 on batter, DW Ambassador resonant side
- LP160 Cyclops Tambourine Brass and Steel
- LP1207 Jam Block
Joey also used Rtom Moongel on Toms and Snare and Remo 0 ring on Snare
Songs for the Deaf tour equipment (2002–2004)
Castillo used DW drums and hardware, Paiste cymbals and Remo heads during the Songs for the Deaf tour, occasionally using PDP kits for one off performances.DW Drums
- 24"x18" Bass Drum
- 13"x11" Rack Tom
- 16"x14" Floor Tom
- 18"x16" Floor Tom
- 14"x6.5" Cast Bronze Snare Drum
- 5000TD Delta3 Turbo Single Bass Drum Pedal
- 5500TD Delta Turbo Hi-Hat Stand
- 9300 Snare Drum Stand
- 9710 Straight Cymbal Stand
- 9700 Straight/Boom Cymbal Stand
- 9101 Low Drum Throne
- Vater Rock and Power 5A
- 15" 2002 Sound Edge Hi-Hats
- 18" 2002 Medium Crash
- 20" 2002 Medium Crash
- 24" 2002 Ride
- Snare: CS Coated Power Dot on top, Remo Ambassador Snare Side on bottom
- Toms: Coated Emperor tops, Clear Ambassador bottoms
- Bass: Clear Powerstroke 3 on batter, DW Ambassador resonant side
- LP160 Cyclops Tambourine Brass
- LP201A-2 Generation II Bongos
Discography
| Year | Band or artist | Album |
| 1986 | Wasted Youth | Get Out of My Yard! |
| 1988 | Wasted Youth | Black Daze |
| 1994 | Sugartooth | Sugartooth |
| 1996 | Danzig | Blackacidevil |
| 1997 | Sugartooth | The Sounds of Solid |
| 1998 | Zilch | 3.2.1. |
| 1998 | Zilch | Bastard Eyes |
| 1998 | Danzig | |
| 2001 | Zilch | Skyjin |
| 2001 | Youjeen | Hey Jerks |
| 2001 | Danzig | Live on the Black Hand Side |
| 2001 | Son of Sam | Songs From The Earth |
| 2002 | Danzig | I Luciferi |
| 2003 | Desert Sessions | Volumes 9 & 10 |
| 2004 | Mark Lanegan Band | Bubblegum |
| 2005 | Queens of the Stone Age | Lullabies to Paralyze |
| 2005 | Queens of the Stone Age | Over The Years And Through The Woods |
| 2006 | Eagles of Death Metal | Death by Sexy |
| 2007 | Danzig | The Lost Tracks of Danzig |
| 2007 | Queens of the Stone Age | Era Vulgaris |
| 2008 | Eagles of Death Metal | Heart On |
| 2009 | Hello=Fire | Hello=Fire |
| 2013 | Queens of the Stone Age | ...Like Clockwork |
| 2020 | Danzig | Danzig Sings Elvis |