View source for Brain (musician)

{{Short description|American drummer (born 1963)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| background        = person
| honorific_prefix  = 
| name              = Brain
| honorific_suffix  = 
| image             = Primus copenhagen 1998 (cropped).jpg
| image_upright     = 
| image_size        = 
| landscape         = 
| alt               = 
| caption           = Brain in a 1998 photo with Primus
| native_name       = 
| native_name_lang  = 
| birth_name        = Bryan Kei Mantia
| alias             = 
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1963|2|4}}
| birth_place       = [[Cupertino, California]], U.S.
| origin            = 
| death_date        = 
| death_place       = 
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Alternative metal]]|[[alternative rock]]|[[hard rock]]|[[funk]]|[[punk rock]]|[[industrial rock]]}}
| occupation        = Drummer
| instrument        = Drums
| discography       = 
| years_active      = 1984–present
| label             = 
| current_member_of = 
| past_member_of    = {{hlist|[[Primus (band)|Primus]]|[[Praxis (band)|Praxis]]|[[Godflesh]]|[[Guns N' Roses]]|[[Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains]]}}
| spouse            = 
| partner           = 
| website           = {{URL|brainarcane.com}}
| module            = 
| module2           = 
| module3           = 
}}
'''Bryan Kei Mantia'''{{refn|group=note|name=first|Frequently misspelled as "Brian Mantia"}} (born February 4, 1963), known professionally as '''Brain''', is an American rock drummer. He has played with bands such as [[Primus (band)|Primus]], [[Guns N' Roses]], [[Praxis (band)|Praxis]], and [[Godflesh]], and with other performers such as [[Tom Waits]], [[Serj Tankian]], [[Bill Laswell]], [[Bootsy Collins]], and [[Buckethead]]. He has also done session work for numerous artists and bands.

== Early life and education ==
Mantia was born February 4, 1963, in the South Bay city of [[Cupertino, California]], to an Italian American father and a Japanese American mother.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wickedinfo.com/content/view/321/1/ |title=Interview with Guns N' Roses drummer Bryan "Brain" Mantia – TalkHumor.com |publisher=Wickedinfo.com |date=November 9, 2008 |access-date=October 22, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219194848/http://wickedinfo.com/content/view/321/1 |archive-date=February 19, 2009  }}</ref> As a teenager, Mantia's early influences were [[James Brown (musician)|James Brown]], [[Jimi Hendrix]],  [[Mahavishnu Orchestra]] and [[Miles Davis]].<ref name="AM">{{cite web |title=Brian "Brain" Mantia – Biography & History – AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/brian-brain-mantia-mn0000517342/biography |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140216190141/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/brian-brain-mantia-mn0000517342#biography |archive-date=2014-02-16 |access-date=January 10, 2018 |website=AllMusic}}</ref> When he was 16 years old, he started playing drums. At 15, he attended [[Led Zeppelin]]'s last North American concert ever at the [[Oakland Coliseum]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |last=Greene |first=Andy |date=2022-08-04 |title=Bryan 'Brain' Mantia Was There for Guns N' Roses' Most Unpredictable Era. Here's What It Was Really Like |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/bryan-brain-mantia-guns-n-roses-tom-waits-primus-1388363/ |access-date=2025-03-30 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> Because of his 'obsessive' study of the drum book ''Portraits in Rhythm'' by [[Anthony J. Cirone]], Mantia was given the nickname "Brain" by members of his high school concert band.<ref name="AM" />

== Musical career ==
Mantia attended the [[Musicians Institute|Percussion Institute of Technology]] in Hollywood, California, during the mid-1980s.<ref name="AM" /> During this time, he was a member of local funk-rock band named the Limbomaniacs (which would later become part of [[Ben Wa (band)|Ben Wa]]).<ref name="AM" /> In 1989, Mantia joined [[Primus (band)|Primus]] briefly, before breaking his foot, forcing him to pull out of the band.<ref name="AM" />

In the early 1990s, he joined [[Praxis (band)|Praxis]], a musical project led by [[Bill Laswell]] and initially featuring [[Bernie Worrell]], [[Bootsy Collins]] and [[Buckethead]]. The drummer was a mainstay of Praxis for the 1990s, featuring on most of their albums. Mantia recorded with Buckethead on many of Buckethead's solo albums, including ''[[Monsters and Robots]]'', ''[[Colma (album)|Colma]]'', ''[[The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell]]'', and ''[[Bucketheadland 2]]'', among others.

Sometime in 1995, Mantia was approached by his cousin Kristin Yee, who was managing industrial metal band [[Godflesh]], to join the band as their drummer. He accepted the offer and performed on their 1996 album ''[[Songs of Love and Hate (Godflesh album)|Songs of Love and Hate]]'' as well as ''[[Love and Hate in Dub]]''. However, Mantia was unable to commit his time in Europe and left the band the same year.<ref>{{cite web |last1=NatterNet |title=Brain talks about Buckethead, Axl Rose, Primus |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfq3XiEezqc&t=54m35s |website=YouTube |date=September 4, 2018 |access-date=13 April 2023}}</ref> Some time later{{When|date=March 2025|reason="some time later" is not encyclopedic}}, Mantia rejoined Primus, touring with (and recording for) four years with the group, appearing on ''[[Brown Album]]'', ''[[Rhinoplasty (EP)|Rhinoplasty]]'' and ''[[Antipop]]''.<ref name="AM" />

In March 2000, Mantia joined the revamped lineup of [[Guns N' Roses]] after being recommended to singer [[Axl Rose]] by Buckethead (who himself had joined the band a few months earlier).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/news/shownews.php?newsid=297|title=Guns N' Roses Make Buckethead, Robin Finck, & Bob Ezrin Official|author=Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna|date=October 30, 2000|work=heretodaygonetohell.com; Allstarmag.com|access-date=April 24, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moderndrummer.com/2009/03/bryan-brain-mantia/|title=Guns 'N' Roses' Bryan "Brain" Mantia – Modern Drummer Magazine|date=March 25, 2009|access-date=January 10, 2018}}</ref>

In 2003, Mantia appeared on several songs on [[Brian Transeau|BT]]'s 2003 release ''[[Emotional Technology]]'' as well as BT's score for the 2003 film ''[[Monster (2003 film)|Monster]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/emotional-technology-mw0000042131/credits|title=Emotional Technology – BT – Credits – AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=January 10, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/music-from-and-inspired-by-the-film-monster-mw0000334503/credits|title=Music from and Inspired by the Film Monster – BT – Credits – AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=January 10, 2018}}</ref>

In 2004, Mantia toured with Tom Waits on the [[Real Gone (album)|Real Gone]] tour.<ref name=":0" />

Mantia toured several legs of the [[Chinese Democracy Tour]] with Guns N' Roses from 2000 until 2006, when he left the band to take care of his newborn child.<ref name="Brain interview">{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-drummer-says-axl-rose-wants-to-release-remix-album-of-chinese-democracy-songs/|title=Guns N' Roses drummer says Axl Rose wants to release remix album of 'Chinese Democracy' songs|date=April 12, 2009|work=BLABBERMOUTH.NET|access-date=February 14, 2015}}</ref> [[Frank Ferrer]], originally brought in as just a replacement drummer for the tour, eventually replaced Mantia as full time drummer for the band. ''[[Chinese Democracy]]'' was released in 2008, and featured drums from Mantia on every track except [[Chinese Democracy (song)|the title track]]. Mantia was also credited with writing the songs "[[Shackler's Revenge]]" and "Sorry". Parts of Mantia's drumming on the album were note-for-note re-recordings of [[Josh Freese]]'s parts, who left the band before Mantia joined.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/brain-talks-about-making-guns-n-roses-chinese-democracy-177777|title=Brain talks about making Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy|author=Joe Bosso|work=MusicRadar|date=October 17, 2008 |access-date=February 10, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.twentyfourbit.com/2009/05/brain-mantia-talks-tom-waits-axl-rose/|title=Brain Mantia Talks Tom Waits, Axl Rose|website=www.twentyfourbit.com|date=May 19, 2009 |access-date=January 10, 2018}}</ref> Mantia was also responsible for arrangements on "Shackler's Revenge", "[[Better (Guns N' Roses song)|Better]]", "[[Street of Dreams (Guns N' Roses song)|Street of Dreams]]", "There Was a Time", "Sorry", "[[Madagascar (song)|Madagascar]]", and "[[Prostitute (song)|Prostitute]]", initial production on "Shackler's Revenge" and "Sorry", engineering on "Sorry", drum machine and drum programming on "I.R.S." and [[Logic Pro]] engineering for the entire album.

Since leaving Guns N' Roses in 2006, Mantia has primarily been focused on music behind the scenes as a composer and producer despite receiving offers to tour with [[Nine Inch Nails]], [[Korn]] and [[System of a Down]].<ref name=":0" />

In 2012, Mantia made a guest appearance (alongside fellow former GNR member [[Robin Finck]]) at Guns N' Roses' [[House of Blues]] West Hollywood show. Mantia played congas on "You're Crazy" and "Rocket Queen". He continued to occasionally work for the band on yet to be released remix material.<ref name="Brain interview" />

Mantia had a brief stint drumming with [[The Crystal Method]] in 2013 and 2014 (alongside Guns N' Roses guitarist [[Richard Fortus]]).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-right-method-1391461984|title=The Right Method|first=Jim|last=Fusilli|newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=February 3, 2014|access-date=January 10, 2018|via=www.wsj.com}}</ref> These performances included appearances on ''[[Jimmy Kimmel Live!]]'', and ''[[Last Call with Carson Daly]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thedjlist.com/news/2014/01/crystal_method_celebrate_20_release_self_titled_album/ |title=The Crystal Method Celebrates 20 Years Together, Release 5th Studio Album |publisher=Thedjlist.com |date=January 13, 2014 |access-date=May 28, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://philspicks.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/the-crystal-method-to-appear-on-last-call-with-carson-daly-tonight/ |title=The Crystal Method To Appear On Last Call With Carson Daly Tonight |publisher=Philspicks.wordpress.com |date=February 4, 2014 |access-date=May 28, 2015}}</ref>

In 2017, Mantia toured with Buckethead and [[Dan Monti]] as part of Buckethead's live show.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jambase.com/article/buckethead-announces-2017-fall-tour|title=Buckethead Announces 2017 Fall Tour|date=August 2, 2017|access-date=August 14, 2017}}</ref>

Mantia performed with Primus for the first time in 24 years at the [[Fox Oakland Theatre]] on December 30, 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/watch-primus-plays-first-concert-since-tim-herb-alexanders-latest-departure|title=Watch: PRIMUS Plays First Concert Since TIM 'HERB' ALEXANDER's Latest Departure|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|access-date=December 31, 2024|date=December 31, 2024}}</ref> However, with [[Les Claypool]] and [[Larry LaLonde]] auditioning for "the greatest drummer on Earth" in Primus,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/drummer-tim-herb-alexander-quits-primus-again|title=Drummer TIM 'HERB' ALEXANDER Quits PRIMUS Again|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|access-date=December 31, 2024|date=October 29, 2024}}</ref> Mantia did not officially rejoin the band.

== Composing ==
Mantia has partnered with musician [[Melissa Reese]] on several projects, a composing team dubbed "Brain and Melissa".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://brainandmelissamusic.com/About|title=About – Brain and Melissa|access-date=April 3, 2016}}</ref> In 2010, along with [[Buckethead]], they released the multi-CD sets ''Kind Regards'' and ''Best Regards''. Brain and Melissa composed part of the soundtrack to the video game ''[[Infamous 2]]'', for which they were nominated for "Outstanding Achievement in Original Composition" by the [[Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences]] awards.<ref>{{cite web|title=Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition|url=http://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2012&idGameAwardType=94/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141113175053/http://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2012&idGameAwardType=94/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 13, 2014|publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences|access-date=November 13, 2014}}</ref> Other video games the duo worked on include, ''[[Midnight Club 2]]'' , ''[[PlayStation Home]]'', ''[[ModNation Racers]]'', ''[[Twisted Metal (2012 video game)|Twisted Metal]]'', ''[[Fantasia: Music Evolved]]'' and ''[[Infamous: Second Son]]'' (received the nomination ''Original Dramatic Score, Franchise'' at the 2014 NAVGTR Awards, shared with [[Marc Canham (composer)|Marc Canham]] and Nathan Johnson).<ref>{{cite web|title=NAVGTR Awards (2014)|url=http://navgtr.org/archives/2445|website=National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers|access-date=January 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322064850/http://navgtr.org/archives/2445/|archive-date=March 22, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> They also scored the films ''[[Detention (2011 film)|Detention]]'' and ''[[Power/Rangers]]''. They have worked with music video director [[Joseph Kahn (director)|Joseph Kahn]] on several television commercials, including [[NASCAR]], [[SEAT]], and [[Qoros]]. In addition, they scored a commercial for [[Johnnie Walker|Johnnie Walker Blue]] which featured a computer-generated [[Bruce Lee]].<ref>{{cite web|title=BBH China brings Legend Bruce Lee back to life in game changing campaign for Johnnie Walker|url=http://www.campaignbrief.com/asia/2013/07/bbh-china-brings-legend-bruce.html|publisher=Campaign Brief|access-date=October 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923200322/http://www.campaignbrief.com/asia/2013/07/bbh-china-brings-legend-bruce.html|archive-date=September 23, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> They also worked on several remixes of songs off of ''Chinese Democracy'' for a planned remix album.

The two created a [[production music|stock music]] album called "Eclectic Cinema" alongside former Guns N' Roses guitarist [[Paul Tobias]], and Guns N' Roses and Buckethead collaborator Pete Scaturro.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/eclectic-cinema/id1042506835|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307050307/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/eclectic-cinema/id1042506835|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 7, 2017|title=Eclectic Cinema by Various Artists on Apple Music|website=[[iTunes]] |date=November 19, 2013|access-date=January 10, 2018}}</ref> Mantia has also worked with Tobias on several other stock music tracks.

The duo performed at the halftime show of a [[Houston Rockets]] basketball game on November 10, 2017, performing remixes of "Sorry" and "If the World" from ''Chinese Democracy'', and a cover of [[Kiss (band)|KISS]]'s "Do You Love Me?" from [[Destroyer (Kiss album)|Destroyer]].<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/l05y4piz7Xg Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20180404040221/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l05y4piz7Xg Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l05y4piz7Xg|title=Brain and Melissa live performance – Houston Rockets Half Time Show|last=Anthems|date=November 12, 2017|access-date=January 10, 2018|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
As of 2022, Mantia was living in his hometown Cupertino with a daughter.<ref name=":0" />

== Equipment ==
''Information sourced from "Bryan Mantia's Drum setup".''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ram.org/music/primus/equipment/briansetup.html|title=Brian "Brain" Mantia's drum setup|website=www.ram.org|access-date=January 10, 2018}}</ref>

=== Drums ===

[[Drum Workshop|DW]] Collector's Series Maple drums in [[Tony Williams (drummer)|Tony Williams]] Yellow Lacquer with Custom Yellow Hardware<br />
18x24 Bass Drum<br />
8x12, 9x13 Toms<br />
16x16, 16x18 Floor Toms w/ Legs<br />
6x14 Edge Snare

9000 Single Bass Drum Pedal<br />
9500 Hi-Hat<br />
9300 Snare Stand<br />
9700 Straight/Boom Cymbal Stand (x6)<br />
9900 Double Tom Stand (x2)<br />
9100 Throne

=== Cymbals ===
[[Avedis Zildjian Company|Zildjian]]<br />
14" A Mastersound Hi-Hats<br />
19" A Medium Thin Crash (2)<br />
20" K CrashRide<br />
20" A Deep Ride<br />
20" A Medium Thin Crash<br />
22" Oriental China "Trash"

=== Electronics ===
Akai MPC 60 II, 3000 LE, 4000<br />
Technics SL-1210MKZ Turntables with a M44Gs stylus<br />
Vestax PMCO5PRO DJMixer

== Selected discography and videography ==
* ''Brain's Lessons: Shredding Repis On the Gnar Gnar Rad'' – 2002 instructional video
* ''Brain Has Made the Worst Drum Instructional DVD Ever'' – 2008 instructional video

;Limbomaniacs
* ''Stinky Grooves'' – 1990

;Opafire
*   [[Without A Trace album, on tracks Crazy Wind; & Hot Melts Ice]] - 1991

;Praxis
* ''[[Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis)|Transmutation]]'' – 1992
* ''[[Sacrifist]]'' – 1994
* ''[[Metatron (Praxis album)|Metatron]]'' – 1994
* ''Live in Poland'' – 1997
* ''[[Transmutation Live]]'' – 1997
* ''[[Warszawa (Praxis album)|Warszawa]]'' – 1999
* ''[[Tennessee 2004]]'' – 2007
* ''[[Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)|Profanation]]'' – 2008

;Bullmark
* ''[[Interstate '76#Soundtrack|Interstate '76 soundtrack]]'' – 1996

;Giant Robot
* ''Giant Robot'' – 1996

;Godflesh
* ''[[Songs of Love and Hate (Godflesh)|Songs of Love and Hate]]'' – 1996

;Tom Waits
*''[[Bone Machine]]'' – 1992
*''[[Mule Variations]]'' – 1999
*''[[Real Gone (album)|Real Gone]]'' – 2004
*''[[Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards]]'' – 2006

;Primus
* ''[[Brown Album]]'' – 1997
* ''[[Rhinoplasty (album)|Rhinoplasty]]'' – 1998
* ''[[Antipop]]'' – 1999

;Buckethead;

* ''I Need 5 Minutes Alone'' (as Pieces) – 1997
* ''[[Colma (album)|Colma]]'' – 1998
* ''[[Monsters and Robots]]'' – 1999
* ''[[The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell]]'' – 2004
* ''Kevin's Noodle House'' – 2007
* ''A Real Diamond in the Rough'' (tracks 2, 4, & 7) – 2009
* ''Best Regards'' (with [[Melissa Reese]]) – 2010
* ''Brain as Hamenoodle'' – 2010
* ''Kind Regards'' (with Melissa Reese) – 2010

;El Stew
* ''No Hesitation'' – 1999

;No Forcefield
*''Lee's Oriental Massage 415-626-1837'' – 2000
*''God Is an Excuse'' – 2001

;Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains
* ''[[The Big Eyeball in the Sky]]'' – 2004

;Serj Tankian
* ''[[Elect the Dead]]'' – 2007
* ''[[Imperfect Harmonies]]'' (track 10) – 2010

;Guns N' Roses
* ''[[Chinese Democracy (album)|Chinese Democracy]]'' – 2008
* "[[Absurd (song)|Absurd]]" – 2021
* "[[Hard Skool]]"<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 20, 2023 |title=Melissa Reese Music - About |url=https://www.melissareesemusic.com/about |access-date=August 20, 2023 |website=melissareesemusic.com}}</ref> – 2021
* "[[Perhaps (song)|Perhaps]]" – 2023
* "The General" – 2023

;Science Faxtion
* ''[[Living on Another Frequency]]'' – 2008

;Travis Dickerson

* ''The Dragons of Eden'' (with [[Buckethead]]) – 2008
* ''Iconography'' (with [[Buckethead]]) – 2009

;Video Games
* ''[[Cyberpunk 2077]]'' (with [[Melissa Reese]]) – 2020

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://idhitthatpodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2015-03-03T09_15_15-08_00 Audio Interview with Brain from the podcast "I'd Hit That"]

{{Guns N' Roses}}
{{Primus}}
{{Godflesh}}
{{Buckethead}}
{{Praxis}}
{{Cobra Strike}}
{{Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brain}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American heavy metal drummers]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:American musicians of Japanese descent]]
[[Category:Drummers from California]]
[[Category:People from Cupertino, California]]
[[Category:Godflesh members]]
[[Category:Guns N' Roses members]]
[[Category:Primus (band) members]]
[[Category:San Jose State University alumni]]
[[Category:Musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:Blue Coast Records artists]]
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American drummers]]
[[Category:American male drummers]]
[[Category:21st-century American drummers]]
[[Category:Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains members]]
[[Category:Praxis (band) members]]