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Deryck Whibley

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Deryck Whibley
Whibley performing in 2023
Born
Deryck Jason Whibley

(1980-03-21) 21 March 1980 (age 44)
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada[1]
Other namesBizzy D
Gunner
EducationExeter High School
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Spouses
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 2006; div. 2010)​
  • Ariana Cooper
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2015)​
Children2
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active1993–present
Labels
Member ofSum 41

Deryck Jason Whibley[2] (born 21 March 1980),[1] nicknamed Bizzy D,[3] is a Canadian musician, best known for his work as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, main songwriter, producer, founder and only constant member of the rock band Sum 41.

Recording career

Sum 41

Main article: Sum 41
Whibley performing in 2008

Whibley formed Sum 41 with bassist Grant McVittie.[4] They were originally called Kaspir,.[5][6] After several lineup changes, the band consisted of Whibley, Steve Jocz, Dave Baksh and Jason McCaslin. In 1999, the band signed an international record deal with Island Records.[7] The band released their debut EP, Half Hour of Power in 2000, then an album, All Killer No Filler, in 2001.[7][8] The band achieved mainstream success with their first single from the album, "Fat Lip", which reached number-one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and remains the band's most successful single to date.[9] All Killer No Filler was certified platinum in the United States, Canada and in the UK.[10] The band has since released six more studio albums: Does This Look Infected? (2002), Chuck (2004), Underclass Hero (2007), Screaming Bloody Murder (2011), 13 Voices (2016), Order in Decline (2019), and Heaven :x: Hell (2024). The three albums before Screaming Bloody Murder have been certified platinum in Canada.

Whibley performing in 2017

The band often performs more than 300 times each year and holds long global tours, most of which last more than a year.[11] They have been nominated for seven Juno Awards and have won twice (Group of the Year in 2002 and Rock Album of the Year for Chuck in 2005).[12][13] Their fifth studio album, Screaming Bloody Murder, was released on March 29, 2011.[14] During the Screaming Bloody Murder Tour, the band added Whibley's cousin Matt Whibley on keyboard.

Solo work

Besides Sum 41, Whibley developed a professional career in the music industry as producer and manager. He was part of Bunk Rock Music, a music management and production company. He produced for No Warning with the company as well. Since parting ways with Greig Nori, he sold his part of the company in early 2005.

During the Sum 41 hiatus in 2005 and 2006, he worked with Tommy Lee on guitar and backing vocals for his album, Tommyland: The Ride, and A Million in Prizes: The Anthology with Iggy Pop.

He worked as the producer of We Have an Emergency, the debut album by Sum 41 co-member Jason McCaslin's side project The Operation M.D. In 2007, he mixed the debut album of the band Permanent Me. He was also involved with the Avril Lavigne album, The Best Damn Thing, where he produced and played guitar.[15]

Besides his musical career, he has worked on occasion as an actor. He portrayed the character Tony in the movie Dirty Love, and himself as a guest character in King of the Hill.

In November 2007, Whibley suffered a herniated disc while drumming on the song "Pain for Pleasure". This happened while Sum 41 was on tour with Finger Eleven, and the remainder of the Strength in Numbers Tour was canceled although Finger Eleven did travel to Winnipeg, Manitoba to play the show with Die Mannequin and Inward Eye in replacement of Sum 41.[16]

On the Operation M.D.'s second album Birds + Bee Stings, which was released on June 29, 2010, Whibley mixed one track entitled "Sick + Twisted". He also played keyboard and piano on the same track. He also joined the band live, playing guitar on this song, on December 21, 2010, at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto.

Whibley contributed some guitar to Tommy Lee's side project Methods of Mayhem's second album A Public Disservice Announcement which was released on September 21, 2010.

He co-wrote the songs "Broken Pieces", "Over and Out" and "Lost in Reality" with 5 Seconds of Summer, which appeared on their She's Kinda Hot EP.

He was featured on "No Defeat for the Brave" by While She Sleeps in 2021.

On February 18, 2022, Whibley released a collaboration track with Simple Plan called "Ruin My Life".[17]

He released his first book, a memoir titled Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell, on October 8, 2024.[18] The book's title is a nod to the Sum 41 song "Walking Disaster", and their eighth and final studio album Heaven :x: Hell (2024).

Instruments

Whibley uses a black customized '72 Fender Telecaster Deluxe live with his well-known red X's for decoration and good luck.[19] He has also put out a signature guitar with Squier, a sub-brand of Fender. The signature Squier comes in black and Olympic white, sports the two red X's and has one humbucking pickup in the bridge position, which is a Seymour Duncan Designed HB-102. It also has his signature "Deryck" written on the headstock.[20] Whibley has used many Gibson guitars such as the Flying V, Les Paul, SG and a Gibson Marauder, which was his first guitar given to him by his mother, and has been used in some of the band's videos such as "Fat Lip" and "In Too Deep". According to the October 2007 issue of Rock Sound magazine, he also uses '59 Les Paul Reissues, '52 Telecaster Reissues, Telefunken and Neumann mics, Plexi 100 watt Marshall Heads and Cabinets and Spectraflex cables.[21] In March 2023, Whibley began selling items from his collection of instruments.[22]

Personal life

Whibley was born in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, raised in Ajax, Ontario, and attended Southwood Park Public School. He grew up in a single parent household. Whibley has an interest in architecture and has said he would like to design houses if he was not a musician.[23] As a teenager, he attended Exeter High School. It was there that he and his bandmates were discovered while playing at their War of the Bands.[24] In high school, Whibley was the captain of his basketball team.[23]

Whibley married fellow singer Avril Lavigne in 2006. The couple occasionally performed together and have spoken about their relationship in interviews. Whibley and Lavigne began dating when she was 19 years old, after being friends since she was 17.[25] The wedding was held on July 15, 2006. About 110 guests attended the wedding, which was held at a private estate in Montecito, California.[26] After a little over three years of marriage Lavigne filed for divorce on October 9, 2009 and the divorce was finalised on November 16, 2010.[27]

On August 30, 2015, Whibley married model Ariana Cooper in Los Angeles.[28] Their first child was born in March 2020.[29] Their second child was born in March 2023.[30]

On October 8, 2024, Whibley released a memoir, Walking Disaster.[31] In the memoir, Whibley alleged that the former manager of Sum 41, Greig Nori, psychologically and sexually abused him for several years, and had "groomed" him.[32] According to Whibley, he met Nori at age 16, when the latter was 34. He alleged that the manager offered him drugs and accused him of homophobia when he attempted to end their relationship. Nori, who has denied the allegations, hired a defamation lawyer in response. He was fired as the band's manager in 2005, at Whibley's request. Nori is the lead vocalist of Treble Charger.[33][34][35]

Health issues

Whibley has chronic back pain due to a series of back injuries, starting with a slipped disc during a 2007 concert.[36] On August 5, 2010, Whibley was hospitalized after he was attacked in a bar in Japan late at night by three unknown individuals.[37] After an MRI scan, it was revealed that Whibley herniated a disc in his back for the 14th time.[38] Although advised against performing, Whibley rejoined the band on August 8 in Osaka for the Summer Sonic Festival.[39] The back injuries, alongside severe anxiety, caused Whibley to self-medicate with alcohol.[36] Whibley again injured his back in April 2013, causing him to miss shows.[40]

On May 17, 2014, Whibley announced that, a month earlier, he had been hospitalized for alcoholism with severe liver and kidney damage.[41]

On September 15, 2023, Whibley's wife Ari announced that he was in the hospital with pneumonia and COVID-19, which led to heart failure. He responded sufficiently to treatment and was released the following day.[42]

On July 31, 2024, Sum 41 cancelled several tour dates after Whibley had again injured his back.[43]

Discography

With Sum 41

Main article: Sum 41 discography

References

  1. ^ a b Gormley, Ian (12 July 2019). "Sum 41 Survive Teen Stardom, Substance Abuse and Changing Tastes to Rise Again on 'Out for Blood'". Exclaim. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  2. ^ "American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers". ASCAP. Archived from the original on June 1, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  3. ^ Gavin Edwards (2001-09-24). "Sum 41: Teenage Rock & Roll Machine – Rolling Stone". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
  4. ^ Steve Jocz (October 11, 2023). Steve Jocz Aka Stevo Of Sum 41 Interview On 99.9 Punk World Radio FM (1st Interview In 10 Years) (Radio interview). 99.9 Punk World Radio FM. Event occurs at 2:07. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  5. ^ "Sum 41-B-sides and rarities list". There's No Solution. Theresnosolution.com. Retrieved October 16, 2008.
  6. ^ "Sum 41 Drummer Steve Jocz Leaves Band". Loudwire. 18 April 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Sum 41 Half Hour of Power". AllMusic. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  8. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "All Killer, No Filler – Sum 41". AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  9. ^ "Artists Chart History". Billboard. Nielsen Company. February 2016. Archived from the original on March 17, 2006. Retrieved August 17, 2008.
  10. ^ Edwards, Gavin (December 17, 2001). "People of the Year 2001: Sum 41". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  11. ^ "Sum 41 Past Tour Dates". Island Records. Archived from the original on February 9, 2007. Retrieved August 17, 2008.
  12. ^ "Best Group: Yearly summary: 2002". JunoAwards.ca. Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  13. ^ "Group of the Year: Yearly summary: 2005". JunoAwards.ca. Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  14. ^ allmusic
  15. ^ Elias, Matt (September 15, 2006). "High-Fashion Victoria Ladd Promises 'Upbeat' New LP, Says Married Life 'Rocks!'". Mtv.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2009. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  16. ^ "Back Injury Sidelines Sum 41 | News". Ultimate-guitar.com. October 29, 2007. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  17. ^ Richardson, Jake (February 18, 2022). "Simple Plan and Sum 41 talk Ruin My Life, and the "exciting and bizarre" renaissance of pop-punk". Kerrang. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  18. ^ "Walking Disaster - Book by Deryck Whibley". Simon & Schuster. March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  19. ^ Squier Guitars by Fender: The Official Website Archived February 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ Squier Guitars by Fender: The Official Website Archived January 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ TheresNoSolution.com – Boards • View topic – Rocksound Archived December 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ Matt Parker (2023-03-22). "Deryck Whibley is selling off a "treasure trove" of gear used across two decades with Sum 41". guitarworld. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  23. ^ a b "7 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Sum 41's Deryck Whibley". 7 May 2020.
  24. ^ "Sum 41". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-05.
  25. ^ Metcalfe, Luisa (October 15, 2009). "Avril Lavigne Files Divorce". OK! Magazine. Archived from the original on February 26, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
  26. ^ Kessler, Vincent (July 17, 2006). "Avril Lavigne Weds". SFgate.com. Archived from the original on June 18, 2009. Retrieved March 28, 2010.
  27. ^ Mazur, Kevin (September 17, 2009). "Avril Lavigne and Deryck Whibley Separate". People. Archived from the original on April 20, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
  28. ^ McBride, Caitlin (September 1, 2015). "Avril Lavigne's ex Deryck Whibley weds Ariana Cooper one year after coma due to organ failure". Irish Independent. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  29. ^ "Deryck Whibley is a dad". 30 April 2020.
  30. ^ Whibley, Deryck (March 7, 2023). "@aribarbara here we are, 12 years into our relationship with 2 beautiful children, an amazing life and so much to be grateful for. You've given me more than everything and I couldn't imagine this life without you. Happy birthday to you and to our beautiful new daughter! ❤️ World, meet Quentin Arlo Whibley". Instagram. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  31. ^ Tagen-Dye, Carly (March 19, 2024). "Sum 41's Deryck Whibley Shares Cover of Memoir, Walking Disaster". People. Archived from the original on March 19, 2024.
  32. ^ Brodsky, Rachel (October 7, 2024). "Sum 41's Deryck Whibley alleges sexual abuse by former manager in new memoir 'Walking Disaster'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 8, 2024.
  33. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (2024-10-09). "Sum 41 singer Deryck Whibley alleges he was groomed by former manager". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  34. ^ Dunworth, Liberty (2024-10-09). "Former Sum 41 manager denies Deryck Whibley's accusations of sexual abuse from new memoir". NME. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  35. ^ Dailey, Hannah (2024-10-08). "Sum 41's Deryck Whibley Accuses Former Manager of Sexual Abuse & Grooming in New Memoir". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  36. ^ a b Friedman, Michael (August 22, 2019). "Stepping on Hot Coals With Deryck Whibley". Psychology Today. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  37. ^ "Deryck Whibley Attacked in Japan – Avril Lavigne, Deryck Whibley". People. August 7, 2010. Archived from the original on December 7, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  38. ^ MacNeil, Jason (August 6, 2010). "Sum 41 rocker hurt in bar attack". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
  39. ^ Bhamra, Satvir (August 9, 2010). "Sum 41 frontman attacked". Amplified.tv. Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  40. ^ MacNeil, Jason (April 12, 2013). "Sum 41's Deryck Whibley Injures Back, Band Forced To Pull Out Of Billy Talent Tour". HuffPost. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  41. ^ Williams, John (May 17, 2014). "Sum 41's Deryck Whibley hospitalized for alcoholism: 'If I have one drink the docs say I will die'". Toronto Sun. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  42. ^ "Sum 41 Lead Singer Deryck Whibley Hospitalized Thursday With Pneumonia, Now Recovering At Home". Deadline Hollywood. September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  43. ^ "Back injury to lead singer forces Sum 41 to cancel 6 Canadian tour dates". CBC News. The Canadian Press. 2024-07-21. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Deryck Whibley.
Vocalist for Sum 41
since 1996
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