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  • Artist Info: James Owen Sullivan (February 9, 1981 – December 28, 2009), or The Reverend Tholomew Plague, often shortened to The Rev, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold. He was also the lead vocalist in the avant-garde metal band Pinkly Smooth, a side project where he was known by the name Rat Head, with fellow Avenged Sevenfold member, guitarist Synyster Gates. Sullivan grew up and lived in Huntington Beach, California. The Rev was found dead on December 28, 2009, at the age of 28. The Rev obtained his first pair of drum sticks at the age of four and received his own drum set at the age of eleven. In high school, he started playing in bands. Before leaving to join Avenged Sevenfold as one of the band's founding members, Sullivan was the drummer for the third wave ska band Suburban Legends. At the age of eighteen he recorded his first album with Avenged Sevenfold titled "Sounding the Seventh Trumpet". His early influences included Frank Zappa and King Crimson. The Rev admitted in a Modern Drummer Magazine interview that "I was raised on that stuff as much as rock and metal.".<br />
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    Later in life he was influenced by drummers Vinnie Paul, Mike Portnoy, Dave Lombardo, Lars Ulrich, and Terry Bozzio. He even had a "visual influence", Tommy Lee, on which he commented that "I never thought I’d have one of those." Sullivan's signature ability which he called “‘the double-ride thing,’ just for lack of a better definition, because no one does it,” is a technique that can be heard on the track "Almost Easy" in which he doubles up at a fast tempo between the double bass and ride cymbals.<br />
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    The band won the MTV Music Award for Best New Artist in 2006, beating out Rihanna, Panic! at the Disco, Angels & Airwaves, James Blunt and Chris Brown, where The Rev gave his acceptance speech.<br />
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    The Rev was also a vocalist, songwriter, and pianist for Avenged Sevenfold. His piano-playing can be heard on the tracks "Warmness on the Soul" ,"Fiction" and "Save Me". His vocals are featured in Avenged Sevenfold's “A Little Piece of Heaven”, “Brompton Cocktail”, "Critical Acclaim", "Crossroads", “Gunslinger”, “Lost”, "Scream", “Afterlife", and "Fiction". He used his knowledge of the guitar and piano to write the songs "Almost Easy", "A Little Piece of Heaven", "Afterlife" and "Brompton Cocktail", "Welcome To The Family", "Save Me", and "Fiction". He also contributed to the making of "Critical Acclaim" and "Lost".<br />
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    According to M. Shadows,Jimmy wrote the song "Fiction"(originally entitled "Death" wink calling it his masterpiece handed it in to M. Shadows and said that this was to be his final song for the record. He died three days later.<br />
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    Avenged Sevenfold also announced that they will be releasing a demo version of "Nightmare" including Jimmy on an electric drum set.<br />
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    At the second annual Revolver Golden God Awards, The Rev won the award for Best Drummer beating out Chris Adler of Lamb of God, Brann Dailor of Mastodon, Dave Grohl of Them Crooked Vultures and Dave Lombardo of Slayer. The award was presented by Joey Jordison of Slipknot and Vinnie Paul of Pantera, with the latter winning the award the previous year. His family members and Avenged Sevenfold received the honour on his behalf. <br />
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    Drum Magazine “Drummies” Awards Jimmy announced runner-up with Mike Portnoy in the Drummer Of The Year category. Neil Peart took home the award.
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