“Never a prodigy, always a hard worker”
~ Paul Wandtke
Paul Wandtke currently drums for his very own band BEDLEM
and front’s his very own band Dead Orignal
Paul Wandtke has taken the world stage with the Orlando based heavy metal titans TRIVIUM making his debut via a surprise arrival at Knotfest on Dec 5th, 2015 to a crowd of 40,000 people followed by 3 U.S. runs and two Euro runs which included headlining runs as well as festivals such as Germany’s *Graspop Metal Meeting 2016 (0ver 100,000 people in attendance), *Download France 2016, Chicago Open Air 2016 and many many more fests. Be sure to review the credits of this page to review other festivals that Paul has played with Trivium.
Check out Paul’s Tama drum set configuration click here
MORE BIO INFO on past accomplishments:
Paul Wandtke Trivium drum cam Knotfest debut show Dec 5th Mexico
Paul Wandtke is a Chicago native of which has been to over 45 countries as a drummer. Paul studied at Berklee College of Music, is a columnist for such magazines as Modern Drummer and Sick Drummer Magazine and he has most recently drummed for the hit musical Rock of Ages.
Official statement from Trivium: (taken from Trivium’s website in 2015)
We are writing this to let you all know that Trivium has amicably parted ways with Mat Madiro as our drummer.
Mat stepped up for us at a dire moment where it was either leave a tour, or carry on. With Mat, we will forever be eternally grateful of everything he helped us out with. Mat’s time filling in for us was much appreciated.
Creatively though, we felt at this time we needed to make a change. And every change, every difficult decision and every evolution that Trivium has either decided, or been forced to make has been for the necessary for us to continue on as a functioning band. The things that go on behind the scenes that directly involve the Trivium members aren’t always apparent from an outside fan’s perspective.
With that said our new drummer is Paul Wandtke from Chicago,IL. With Paul, we took our careful time deciding exactly what had to happen and how.
We spent our time checking out, trying out and feeling out many drummers this time around. After much deliberation, Paolo said to Matt one day “you should hit up John Petrucci and see if he has an ideas.” We figured our friend John may have some ideas from the Berklee-world.
John brought Mike Mangini into the conversation and within minutes of describing our conundrum to Mike, he had a name: Paul Wandkte. Paul studied under Mike at Berklee, and obviously made an impression on a man we consider to be one of the greatest drummers on the planet.
Paul made his debut with us in thunderous fashion this past weekend by playing to 40,000 fans at Knotfest Mexico. And he nailed it. We hope to work with Paul for a long time and we hope the Trivium fans around the world welcome him with open arms.
Says Paul, “I was blown away when Trivium had contacted me. I have been looking for a place to call home all my life, a home of brothers with similar tastes in music, musicianship and goals. I’d like to thank Dream Theater’s Mike Mangini for getting us in contact. I couldn’t be happier, this is literally life changing. Never give up, be yourself and rock on.”
Paul Wandtke on Evans Drum Heads
BIO CONTINUED
Paul Wandtke previously drummed for the hit musical ROCK OF AGES.
Paul most recently toured and drummed for Kill Hannah during Kill Hannah’s main support run with The Smashing Pumpkins.
Paul Wandtke is well versed in many music styles from rock, jazz, latin, top 40, world music, jam band and more. Whether a band leader is on stage or not, Paul makes sure to deliver a groove so inviting that the whole ensemble and audience is having a blast.
Paul is slowly becoming the who’s who in the industry having been to over 45 countries as a work for hire drummer and by receiving endorsements by some of the world’s top brands and manufacturing companies. On top of drumming, he’s recently launched an original music project called Dead Original. Check out Dead Original at www.deadoriginalmusic.com
Paul was born and raised in Chicago , IL and began his drumming career at the age of eleven by performing around Chicago with numerous rock, punk and metal groups. Most notable while residing in Chicago is that early in 06′ Paul collaborated/rehearsed with members of the band 
including frontman EDSEL DOPE and lead guitarist Virus in hopes of a new side project but the concept of the new group exhausted. Paul has performed/recorded in all types of musical settings including jazz, latin, blues, progressive rock, electronica, fusion, dance, punk, ska, musical theatre, but is best known as a rock/metal drummer.
Magazine Lessons:
Paul is a freelance lesson contributor for drum magazines such as Sick Drummer Magazine and Modern Drummer Magazine. He just wrapped up a six-lesson series with SD magazine covering topics about the importance of reading drum notation and he just submitted a 1,500 word article to Modern Drummer tentatively titled “Drum soloing in the live rock/metal context” which will be published very shortly. Paul also is an avid drum instructor both when he’s not on the road and via Skype.
Cruise Ships:
In the past, between school and other events Paul would often be found on the waters playing for cruise ships. For instance, Paul was the showband drummer for Carnival Cruise line’s “Carnival Conquest Orchestra”. The Orchestra performed a total of six nights a week in the Toulouse Lautrec theatre. The shows included three Production Shows, two Big Band Sets and one excellent Motown set. The Toulouse Lautrec theatre holds over 1100 people, and the Conquest Orchestra performed two sets every night and that’s a total of 2200 people that would watch the group and Paul perform.
Schools:
Prior to his studies at Berklee, Paul has studied percussion at the Joliet Junior College (an accredited school of NASM)and received his Associate in Arts from JJC. During percussion ensemble performances, Paul would often times be featured as a soloist artist on various percussion instruments including the xylophone, marimba, and timpani. Paul understands that both drum set and percussion can go hand in hand, that’s why he has studied both art forms.
During his tenure at Berklee Paul studied privately with Rod Morgenstein (Dixie Dreggs, Winger). Check out Rod’s personal thoughts of Paul’s playing at www.paulwandtke.com. Other teachers that Paul studied with are Mike Mangini, Skip Hadden, Bob Tamagni, Larry Finn, David Weigert, and Tony Thunder Smith.
For Hire (if time allows):
To find out what Paul can do for your project, then check out www.paulwandtke.com/studio-work. Feel free to contact him via email or myspace to schedule an event or session.
When Paul is not drumming he stays busy as a front man/guitarist both for his original project Dead OriginaL and a Nirvana tribute called Smells Like Nirvana
Credits:
2015-2016
Paul Wandtke completed three U.S. runs and two European runs w/ Trivium in support of Trivium’s 7th studio album ” Silence in the Snow”
FESTIVAL performances with Trivium:
U.S. fests
*Louder than Life 2016 Champions Park, Louisville, KY, USA
*WJJO Sonic Boom 2016 Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport, Janesville, WI
*Rock Allegiance 2016
Talen Energy Stadium, Chester, PA, USA
*Chicago Open Air 2016
Bridgeview, IL, USA
*Rock USA Festival 2016
Ford Festival Park, Oshkosh, WI, USA
*Rock on the Range 2016
Mapfre Stadium, Columbus, OH, USA
*Northern Invasion 2016
Somerset Amphitheater, Somerset, WI, USA
*RockFest 2016
Liberty Memorial Park, Kansas City, MO, USA
*Carolina Rebellion 2016
Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC, USA
*Lunatic Luau 2016
Veterans United Home Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
*Fort Rock 2016
Artist: Trivium, Tour: Silence in the Snow , Venue: JetBlue Park, Fort Myers, FL, USA
*Welcome to Rockville 2016
Metro Park, Jacksonville, FL, USA
*Earthday Birthday 2016
Central Florida Fairgrounds, Orlando, FL, USA
EUROPEAN festivals:
*With Full Force XXIII Flugplatz Roitzschjora, Löbnitz, Germany
*Nummijärvi, Kauhajoki, Finland
* Copenhell 2016
Refshaleøen, Copenhagen, Denmark
*Graspop Metal Meeting 2016
Boeretang, Dessel, Belgium
*Download France 2016
Hippodrome de Longchamp, Paris, France
*Greenfield Festival 2016
Flugplatz, Interlaken, Switzerland
*Nova Rock 2016
Pannonia Fields II, Nickelsdorf, Austria
*Rock im Park 2016
Zeppelinfeld, Nuremberg, Germany
*Rock ‘N Derby 2016
Schaghticoke Fairgrounds, Schaghticoke, NY, USA
2013-2015
Drumming for Rock of Ages the hit musical, performing 6 nights a week
2010
- Paul completed a 3 month tour with MTV2’s The Sammus Theory and is currently on the road with Kill Hannah.
2009
- Paul toured the states for 5 consecutive months with MTV2’s The Sammus Theory.
www.thesammustheory.com
myspace.com/thesammustheory
2008
- April: Paul is inducted onto sickdrummer.com.
- February: Paul becomes an official Vic Firth drumstick artist www.vicfirth.com.
- January: Paul received an endorsement from Evans drum heads www.evansdrumheads.com.
- Jan-March: Paul performed drums six nights a week aboard Carnival Cruises.
2007
- December: Paul received an Associate in Arts degree from the Joliet Junior College which is an accredited school of NASM.
- October: Drum Magazine wrote a review of Paul’s drumming in their New Blood section.
- September: Paul became officially accepted to attend the Berklee College of Music.
- July: Paul became an official Trick Drum Artist.
- Late June: Paul takes first place at the annual Heat Strokes Drum contest.
- June: Paul performed drums on Chicagoland’s group “The BackSeat Pandas” in support of their five-song EP entitled “Black and White.”
- May: Release of the 2007 Paul Wandtke Drum Performance DVD. Jan: Paul received the 2006 JJC Music Talent Scholarship from Joliet Junior College based on jury examination, academic performance, and over all participation in the fine arts department.
2006
- Early in 06′ Paul collaborated/rehearsed with members of including frontman Edsel Dope and lead guitarist Virus in hopes of a new side project but the concept of the new group exhausted.
- October: studio work for “A Texas Funeral” in support of their self-titled five-song EP.
- Auditioned/performed on drum set for the “Bye-Bye Birdie” musical at JJC.
- Auditioned/performed on the marimba for the JJC student Honors recital.
2005
- Competed in Guitar Center’s Drum Off and made it to the district final.
- Auditioned and became enrolled as a percussion major at Joliet Junior College and ever since I have academically remained a GPA of 3.60.
2004
- East-coast tour with the Chicago land group “Numb” in support of their five-song EP entitled “High School Sweetheart”.
2003
- August: Modern Drummer magazine included me in their “On the Move” department.
- Studio work for the Chicago land group “Else” in support of their five-song EP entitled “When Sun Sets Morning Fire”.
2002
- Studio work for the Chicagoland group Tremulous, in support of their album “Unbound Aggression”. They have since landed a record deal with Statue Records and received rave reviews in magazine publications such as “PIT Magazine” a publication which is located in Colorado Springs, CO.