Mike Wengren (born September 3, 1971) is a drummer from Chicago, Illinois, best known for his work with the heavy metal band Disturbed, he is one of the founding members of the band, which was formed in 1996. He is well known for his hard hitting bass drum techniques that have become a staple of Disturbed's music.
Born and raised in Evergreen Park, Illinois, Wengren has been playing drums since around the age of 10, when he took some lessons for about a month but didn’t begin to take his drumming seriously until the age of 15.
He has been quoted as saying that Metallica, Slayer, Judas Priest, Testament, Mötley Crüe, Pantera and Racer X were his strongest influences.
On August 31, 2005 he proposed to his girlfriend onstage. Before the set closer, frontman David Draiman handed the microphone to Wengren, who explained how he's spent a lot of time in Milwaukee recently and how he met his girlfriend here. He then invited her onstage and proposed marriage to her.
In recent years, he has appeared in advertisements for Pearl Drums, since the Masters Series was his first professional kit purchased from Midwest Percussion the early 90's. Wengren uses Evans Hydraulic Glass drumheads on all toms and EQ heads on both bass drums. He has also been added to the Vater Signature line of drumsticks, which now has the Mike Wengren model. Additionally, he uses Sabian cymbals.
His previous tour kit was a 'cranberry fade' Pearl MRX Masters Series drumset with black hardware. Wengren's tour kit in support of the album Ten Thousand Fists was a 'vintage sunburst' variation of the same drumset, also with black hardware.
Wengren is currently pursuing a side project band, Fight or Flight, in collaboration with Disturbed member Dan Donegan.
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