He is the founding drummer of "Red Hot Chili Peppers" and a former "Pearl Jam" member. He has been a member of "Eleven", "The Wallflowers" and the "Mark Lanegan Band" and worked with so many artists such as Joe Strummer Les Claypool Neil Young and more. Here are some interesting facts about drummer Jack Irons:
(Photo: Jim Bennett)
= He was born on July 18, 1962, in Los Angeles, California. His full name is Jack Steven Irons.
= He grew up using his family's cutlery as drumsticks, playing along to the radio. He talked his parents into buying him a drum set and took a drum class.
= Jack attended Bancroft Jr. High School in Hollywood, where he met future bandmates Michael "Flea" Balzary and Hillel Slovak.
= In 1980 he formed the band "Chain Reaction", later renamed "Anthym", with Alain Johannes, Hillel Slovak, and Todd Strassman. Flea joined the band shortly after.
= In 1983 he co-founded the band "Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem" with Flea, Anthony Kiedis, and Hillel Slovak, which was later renamed "Red Hot Chili Peppers".
= In 1984 they released the self-titled debut album, "Red Hot Chili Peppers", but Irons left the band shortly after to focus on "What Is This?"
= In the years 1984-1985 Irons released with his new band "What Is This?" an EP called "Squeezed", A live EP called "3 Out of 5", and a full-length self-titled album.
= Irons is not part of "Red Hot Chili Peppers" second album "Freaky Styley" released in 1985, but he co-wrote the songs "Nevermind" and "Sex Rap".
= In 1986 he rejoined the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" and recorded the album "The Uplift Mofo Party Plan". Irons also sang backing vocals an co-wrote most of the songs on the album.
= He played in two tracks on "Red Hot Chili Peppers" "The Abbey Road E.P." from 1988 and co-wrote the track "Backwoods".
= In 1988 he left the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" following the death of Hillel Slovak.
= Right after he briefly played with Joe Strummer and "the Latino Rockabilly War".
= In 1990 he formed the band "Eleven" with Alain Johannes and Natasha Shneider.
= In 1991 he released "Awake in a Dream" with "Eleven".
= In 1993 he released the self-titled album "Eleven".
= In 1994 he joined "Pearl Jam", replacing Dave Abbruzzese. He also recorded "Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me" for their third album "Vitalogy".
= In 1995 he toured and recorded "Mirror Ball" with Neil Young, "Merkin Ball" with "Pearl Jam" and released "Thunk" with "Eleven".
= In 1996 he released the album "No Code" with "Pearl Jam".
= In 1998 he released the album "Yield" with "Pearl Jam". He wrote and sang the song "Red Bar" from the album, which is a kind of a drum based track.
= After the "Yield" Irons left "Pearl Jam" due to dissatisfaction with touring.
= In 2000 he played with the initial lineup of "Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade".
= In 2002 he rejoined "Eleven" and recorded "Howling Book".
= In 2004 he released his first solo album, "Attention Dimension".
= In 2007 he was featured on Perry Farrell's band "Satellite Party's" album "Ultra Payloaded".
= In 2009 he collaborated with Brody Dalle's band "Spinnerette", contributing to their self-titled debut album.
= In 2010 he released his second solo album, "No Heads Are Better Than One".
= In the same year he played in Hole's 4th and final studio album "Nobody's Daughter".
= Early in 2012 Irons Joined "The Wallflowers" recording their 6th album "Glad All Over". He was a member of the band until September 2013.
= In 2012 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the "Red Hot Chili Peppers". He performed "Give It Away" with the band sharing the stage with drummers Chad Smith and Cliff Martinez.
= The same year he contributed to Flea's solo EP, "Helen Burns".
= Also in 2012, Irons played drums on "Blues Funeral", the solo album by Mark Lanegan. He continued playing for Lanegan in albums like "Phantom Radio" from 2014 and "Straight Songs Of Sorrow" From 2020.
= In 2017 Irons opened for the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" on "The Getaway World Tour".
= In 2019 he played on five tracks of Josh Klinghoffer’s ("Pluralone") debut solo album "To Be One With You".
= In 2020 Irons recorded four songs on Josh Klinghoffer's ("Pluralone") follow-up album, "I Don't Feel Well".
= In 2022 Jack released two EP's: "Koi Fish in Space" and "Dreamer's Ball".
= In 2023 he released another EP called "Walnut".
= In 2024 he joined the duo "Slow Burn Drifters" releasing few singles.
= Irons is diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
= He is married with two children. His son, Zach Irons, is the founder and lead guitarist for "Irontom" and joined "AWOLNATION" in 2015.
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