Claude Coleman Jr.

Claude Coleman Jr.
Coleman performing in 2007
Background information
Born	(1974-08-29) August 29, 1974 (age 50) Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Drummer
Years active	1989–present
Website	amandlanet.net

Claude Coleman Jr. (born August 29, 1974)^[1] is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the alternative rock group Ween.^[2] He has also worked with Eagles of Death Metal, Chocolate Genius, the Wooden Soldiers, Elysian Fields and 3 Input Woman. Coleman has also served as a touring member of Mike Dillon's band on multiple occasions.

A multi-instrumentalist, Coleman is also the singer/songwriter for his own group Amandla. In 2006, he released his second album as Amandla, titled The Full Catastrophe.

Coleman survived a near-fatal car crash on August 7, 2002, in which he suffered multiple pelvic fractures and brain injuries.^[3] During his extensive and difficult recovery, members of Ween organized a series of benefit concerts on October 7 and 8, 2002, hosted at New York's Bowery Ballroom. Josh Freese performed with Ween in Coleman's place. Coleman eventually recovered, and remained an active member of Ween until their dissolution in 2012 and since their reunion in 2016^[4]

Coleman is also active in music education through the Paul Green School of Rock, and through the New York City music program Music Ascension.^[5]

Since 2017, he has co-owned and actively managed SoundSpace@Rabbit's, a music rehearsal and art studio facility inside of a 1947 Black-owned tourist court and soul food café known as Rabbit's Motel, in the historically African-American district of Southside, Asheville, North Carolina.^[6]

A resident of Maplewood, New Jersey,^[7] he is a graduate of Columbia High School in Maplewood.^[8]

Discography

Main articles: Ween discography

With Amandla

• Falling Alone (2001)
• The Full Catastrophe (2006)
• Laughing Hearts (2018)^[9]

References

1. "Claude Coleman's Artist Info". Discogs. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
2. DeRogatis, Jim (October 1, 2003). Milk it!: collected musings on the alternative music explosion of the 90's. Da Capo Press. p. 330. ISBN 978-0-306-81271-2. Retrieved April 8, 2011.^{[permanent dead link]}
3. Gorce, Tammy La (September 24, 2006). "Rocking on Two Fronts After a Near-Fatal Crash (Published 2006)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 21, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
4. Kreps, Daniel (November 17, 2015). "Ween Announce Reunion, Plan 2016 Concerts". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
5. "Claude Coleman Jr – Teaching Artist". Music Ascension. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
6. "SoundSpace@Rabbit's – A music-rehearsal space facility, soul food kitchen and cultural landmark inside of a historic segregation-era motel/restaurant "tourist court" in the city of Asheville, NC". Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
7. Jordan, Chris; and Biese, Alex. "Drum roll, please: New Jersey's 12 greatest drummers" Archived June 21, 2024, at the Wayback Machine, Asbury Park Press, August 28, 2016. Accessed September 2, 2022. "Claude Coleman Jr. (Maplewood) — When alt-rockers want to get weird without looking their grounding in the groove, they know to call on Maplewood native Claude Coleman Jr."
8. Claude Coleman Jr. Archived June 21, 2024, at the Wayback Machine, Ween.net. Accessed September 2, 2022. "He is a graduate of Columbia High School in Maplewood, NJ."
9. "Alt rock legend Claude Coleman Jr of Ween makes inspired noise on Amandla's latest 'Laughing Hearts'". AFROPUNK. June 8, 2018. Archived from the original on June 21, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2020.