Currently with HIGH SPIRITS, CEMETERY, and PROFESSOR BLACK, Ian Sugierski, born and raised in Michigan, began music lessons at age nine with Bob Grundner, who drummed for Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad and Dolly Parton. He continued these studies for nine years, during which he also performed in school concert, orchestral, and marching bands. These ensembles greatly influenced Ian’s approach to the drum set, as he started applying marching cadences and a wide range of auxiliary percussion to his playing.
At twenty-two he joined Red Swan, a group self-described as “swamp rock” that also played murder ballads. From 2002 to 2007, Ian recorded a 7” and three albums with the outfit. The 2004 debut, After The Barn Goes, was partly recorded by Steve Albini at Electrical Audio Studios. It received praise in Spin Magazine for having one of the best inappropriate Christmas songs, as well as being one of the top eight releases representing the proto-grunge “pigfuck” genre. In his book, Rock And Roll Always Forgets, Chuck Eddy even mentions Red Swan as one of the bands strongly continuing the efforts of underground rock’n’roll after the deluge and saturation of grunge.
Wastelander, a Michigan metal/punk group with a post-apocalyptic theme, asked the drummer to join them in 2007, replacing their drum machine, which was used for their 2006 demo and live. Inspired by the programmed drumming, seeing its cold, mechanical, relentless drive as important to the band’s theme, Ian incorporated it into his playing. With their sound established, the band recorded Wardrive, which was credited as one of the best underground metal releases of 2008.
In 2007, Ian was also part of reforming two bands: the beer metallers, Superchrist, with Chris Black (known also for Dawnbringer and Pharaoh), and the hardcore legends, The Meatmen, featuring Tesco Vee. Over the next two years, the drummer toured with both bands extensively, performing at 2008’s South By Southwest Music Festival with the latter, and played on 2009’s Defenders of the Filth (Superchrist) as well as Cover the Earth (The Meatmen). The same year Ian started a new endeavor – being the live drummer for Chris Black’s High Spirits, a high-energy rock’n’roll act.
In addition to touring more with Wastelander, Superchrist, and High Spirits in 2010 and 2011, Ian played on Dimension Thule, the debut of the psychedelic rock band, Blue Snaggletooth, which received much acclaim in Classic Rock Magazine, and Superchrist’s second live album, Burn Again. However, the biggest project was preparing, with Chris Black and company, a live version of the experimental metal and studio-only act, Dawnbringer, following their lauded 2010 release, Nucleus, which was met with much success.
After recording and touring on Superchrist’s eighth album, Holy Shit, Ian moved in 2012 to Chicago, where Chis Black was based, wishing to work with him more. Since then Sugierski has been on four European tours, three with High Spirits and one with Dawnbringer, as well as seven North American tours with those outfits and Cemetery, a Chicago deathrock band. With the latter he also helped arrange and performed on their celebrated 2015 release, Wind And Shadows. That same year he joined and went into the studio with Moros Nyx for their power metal debut, Revolution Street, a much anticipated record for 2016. And recently Sugierski became the live drummer for Black’s career-spanning solo project, Professor Black.
Although he enjoys recording, Ian’s passion is touring and live performance. To know what, when, and where something will be transmitted powerfully on stage is his favorite study and objective. With that he hopes to embark on the world and all possible venues for many years ahead. And the balance, brilliance, and bombast of Soultone Cymbals will make great accompaniment.