(born March 21, 1980) is a Canadian musician, producer and songwriter, best known as the vocalist and guitarist of the band Sum 41.
Derick was in several bands before he met Steve Joz in high school, who at that time, together with Dave Baksh, was a member of a group called “Doors of Draven”. The name of Derick's first band was The Powerful Young Hustlerz. The guys played in style Hip Hop, and also did cover versions of Beastie Boys songs. Derick and Steve became good friends and decided to create a team called Kaspir. The band consisted of Whibley (vocals), Joz (drums), Mark Spicolak (bass), Dave Baksh and Mark Costanzo on guitars. Soon Spikolak left the team and Derik began playing bass guitar. They changed the group's name from Kaspir to Sum 41 for a show where they were looking for new stars. In 1999, after screening many candidates, the band hired Cone McCaslin to play bass. Later, Cone publicly stated more than once that the group’s new name appeared with his arrival. Among the first songs they wrote were "I Like Meat", "Astronaut", and "5-0 Grind". There's a song on the All Killer No Filler album called "Pain For Pleasure" with Steve singing and Derick on drums.
Since signing with Island Records in 1999, the band has released five studio albums, three live albums, two live DVDs and over 15 singles. Total album sales amounted to more than 10 million copies. The band's most successful album to date is All Killer No Filler, which was certified triple platinum in Canada and platinum in the United States. One of the album's singles, "Fat Lip", topped the Billboard Modern Rock chart. On the same chart, the single “In Too Deep” reached number 10.
Sum 41 are known for their extensive tours, often lasting over a year and featuring over 300 shows. The group has been nominated six times for Canada's top Juno Awards and won Group of the Year in 2003 and Rock Album of the Year in 2005 (for Chuck). The song "Blood In My Eyes" from the album Screaming Bloody Murder was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best Performance hard rock/metal compositions.”
Besides Sum 41, Whibley began a professional career in music as a producer and manager. Derick was a producer for Bunk Rock Music. With Bunk Rock, he produced several Treble Charger's albums. He also performed some vocals on their album Detox. In addition, Derick produced No Warning. In 2005, he sold part of the company to Greg Norie.
During a short break from Sum 41 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.
Whibley currently produced the first album by Cone's side band The Operation M.D. and produced the album Underclass Hero Sum 41. In 2007, he took part in the recording of the group's debut album Permanent Me. He was also involved in Avril Lavigne's new album, The Best Damn Thing, where he produced and played guitar and bass.
In addition to his musical career, Derick managed to star in the films Dirty Love and King of the Hill.
In November 2007, while touring with Finger Eleven, Whibley suffered a spinal injury. The tour was cancelled.
In 2008, Derick went with his wife Avril Lavigne on a tour dedicated to her new album The Best Damn Thing, and at concerts they performed the Sum 41 song “In Too Deep” together. On YouTube.com you can find many fan recordings of this song from concerts.
In the spring of 2007, Fender released the Deryck Whibley Telecaster signature guitar. The guitar was released under the budget brand Squier, Artist series.
Derick's signature model is based on the 1972 Telecaster Deluxe model, which differs from the regular Telecaster in the shape of the pickguard, as well as the large headstock in the style of another Fender model, the Stratocaster. The signature guitar, unlike the regular Telecaster Deluxe, is equipped with a single Korean-made “Duncan Designed” bridge humbucker with a single operating mode - Full Humbucker. The bridge is fixed, the strings are passed through the body. The guitar has a three-layer plastic pickguard, an agathis body, a C-Shape maple neck with 21 Medium Jumbo frets.
The model is available in two colors - Olympic White (white) and Black (black). The pickguard will be black in any case. A special feature of this guitar is the red “crosses” on the body.
Overall, the specs of this guitar are very close to another Squier signature model, the Avril Lavigne Telecaster.
In January 2004, Derick began dating Canadian pop-punk singer Avril Lavigne. Shortly before the end of Avril Lavigne's European tour, she and Derick went to Venice, where they got engaged. The wedding took place on July 15, 2006 in the California coastal city of Montecito, about 87 miles (140 km) northwest of Los Angeles. Lavigne wore a Vera Wang dress, and Derick wore a Hugo Boss suit. Steve Joes was his best man. Younger sister Avril, Michelle Lavigne, was one of the bridesmaids. Approximately 110 guests attended the wedding. The couple danced their first dance to the song “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. Derick and Avril lived in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California.
In September 2009, the couple announced their upcoming divorce. In November of the same year, Avril and Derik divorced.
For some time, Derick dated an English model named Hannah Beth. Since 2013, Derick has been dating Ariana Cooper. In August 2015 they secretly got married.
The underbelly of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle isn't as glamorous as it might seem at first glance. Often, dangers await musicians everywhere: on stage, on the road, or at the next crazy party. You never know what show might be the last for these guys.
In our selection today - rock musicians who were on the verge of death, but fortunately everything worked out. Some of them were declared dead, and some even more than once.
Slash
The Guns N' Roses guitarist has always been a cool guy, basically like the rest of the band. The team developed a reputation as unbridled partygoers who were not shy about taking “doping.” One night, Slash got a little carried away, and the overdose led to his heart stopping for 8 minutes. The adrenaline injection did its job and helped the guy return from the dead. But he did not stay in the hospital and hurried to be discharged in order to go to the next Guns N’ Roses show.
Baroness
On August 15, 2012, near the town of Bath (England), the Baroness tour bus fell from a ten-meter height into a ravine. The reason for this was faulty brakes. Everyone who was on the bus received severe injuries: Frontman John Baizley suffered broken arms and legs, drummer Allen Blickle and bass player Matt Maggioni suffered spinal fractures, but the bus driver suffered the most damage.
Travis Barker
On September 19, 2008, Travis Barker was on board a small plane that was scheduled to fly from South Carolina to California. In addition to the musician, there were five other people on the plane, including two pilots. But the plane was never destined to take off - due to malfunctions and pilot error, it crashed. runway and caught fire. The crash resulted in the death of four people. Only Travis and his friend Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein managed to escape. The musician received second and third degree burns and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Duff McKagan
On May 10, 1994, Guns N' Roses bass guitarist Duff McKagan nearly died from acute alcoholic pancreatitis. His pancreas was so inflamed that it could be compared to a rugby ball. The pancreatic tumor was leaking digestive enzymes into her internal organs, creating third-degree burns in her lower body. Clinical death at 30 years old is not the most pleasant prospect, so the musician began to lead healthy image life, and also switched to mountain biking, which helped him a lot after being discharged from the hospital.
Phil Anselmo
Phil Anselmo did not hide his addiction to drugs, in particular heroin. After he injured his back, the musician began abusing alcohol, painkillers and, eventually, heroin to numb the pain. On July 13, 1996, the Pantera frontman suffered cardiac arrest due to an overdose. Paramedics were able to bring Anselmo back, and four days later he issued a press release: “I, Philip H. Anselmo... injected a lethal dose of heroin into my arm and died for four to five minutes.”
Scott Stepp
In 2006, Creed frontman Scott Stepp, while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, had hallucinations and truly believed that he was being followed. In an attempt to escape, the musician jumped from the 16th floor of the hotel, but after flying 12 meters, he landed on the balcony on the floor below. As a result of the fall, Scott suffered numerous fractures, including to his ribs and skull. Rapper T.I., who was in the same hotel, heard someone moaning outside and decided to check what was happening. In fact, the musician's vigilance saved Scott's life.
Taylor Hawkins
During the Foo Fighters' 2000 tour, drummer Taylor Hawkins fell into a two-week coma from a heroin overdose. Dave Grohl was next to his friend and waited for him to wake up. IN documentary film In Foo Fighters: Back and Forth, the incident was mentioned despite Hawkins not being happy with the publicity surrounding the incident.
Ozzy Osbourne
On December 8, 2003, Ozzy was riding an ATV around his estate. Having hit a pothole on the lawn, the ATV turned over and covered the Prince of Darkness. Fortunately, his bodyguard was nearby at that moment and reacted with lightning speed. Osborne showed no signs of life for more than a minute.
After he was able to be revived, the musician had multiple fractures, including the collarbone, cervical vertebrae, eight ribs, pinched blood vessels were discovered, as well as the presence of blood in the lungs.
Metallica
Everyone knows the tragic accident that took the life of Metallica bass guitarist Cliff Burton, but many don't think that the rest of the band could have died that day too. On September 27, 1986, the band's tour bus ran off the road and overturned. During the fall, Cliff fell half out of the window and was crushed by a bus. The rest of the group, fortunately, survived.
Corey Taylor
During the recording of Slipknot's Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses" vocalist Corey Taylor went on a drinking binge. Under the influence of alcohol, the musician almost fell from the balcony of his hotel room, but the musician’s girlfriend arrived in time and grabbed him when he turned over the railing. This became for Taylor the last straw, and he decided to quit alcohol.
Ace Fraley
During a KISS show in Florida on December 12, 1976, guitarist Ace Frehley walked back toward the amps and stepped on an ungrounded wire. He was hit by a 20 volt discharge. According to the musician, when he fell, he stopped feeling right hand and could hardly get up, having trouble understanding what was happening.
He couldn't play, but the audience and band members began to encourage him: “Come on, Ace, you can do it!” Somehow the musician managed to finish the performance. The musician suffered a severe shock and his fingertips were burned. Subsequently, he called this incident one of the worst in his life, but, remarkably, the incident inspired him to write the song “Shock Me,” which became a hit and business card Ace as an artist.
Al Jorgensen
The founder of the Ministry group could probably occupy every line on this list, because the musician was on the verge of death quite often. It is worth highlighting the case when he lost 65 percent of his blood. It happened on March 27, 2010, when an artery in Al's stomach burst. Blood left the body in all imaginable and inconceivable ways. When he was taken to the hospital, it was learned that he had 13 ulcers in his esophagus and stomach.
Nikki Six
On December 23, 1987, Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx was pronounced dead after a heroin overdose. His heart stopped for 2 minutes, and doctors gave two injections of adrenaline into his heart. When Nikki woke up in the hospital, he ripped the IV and tubes out of his nose and ran to the parking lot, where two female fans gave him a ride home.
This incident did not make Nikki think about changing her lifestyle. After returning home, he took heroin again in the bathroom and collapsed until the next morning. In the morning, Nikki discovered that the needle was still stuck in his arm.
Derick Whibley
In May 2014, it was revealed that the Sum 41 frontman had been in hospital for the past few months. Due to drunkenness, which lasted for several years, the musician’s liver and kidneys became critical. Doctors told Derick that every alcoholic drink he drank could (and may) be his last. The news sobered him up, in every sense.
Derick Whibley is a rather extraordinary person; in addition to participating in Sum 41, he is engaged in several other activities. Once he tried his hand at acting, playing Tony in the film Dirty Love. The musician also starred in the film King Of The Hill. In addition, this is the ex-husband of the once popular punk rock singer Avril Lavigne.
Biography
Derick Jason Whibley, also known as BizzyDee, was born on March 21, 1980 in Scarborough (USA, Ontario). The boy was raised without a firm father's hand, and his mother had a very difficult time.
Music attracted Derik since childhood, so he began building his career at the age of 14. Even before meeting Steve Jos in high school, he had participated in several school teams. Derick Whibley's first band was The Powerful Young Hustlerz, and the music was hip-hop.
Sum 41
Meeting Steve very quickly grew into a strong friendship, and a team called Kaspir was born. Derick took on the role of vocalist, but after the bassist left, he also took his place. Soon the guys went on a TV show, which was dedicated to the search young talents, and changed their name to Sum 41. The secret was that the group was created over 41 summer days. The guys managed to show themselves with dignity and quickly rose to the top of the charts in several countries at once.
Derick Whibley writes his own lyrics and music, and his work is influenced by such groups as Nirvana, Elvis Costello and The Beatles. Sometimes when drummer Steve Jose sings, a musician takes his place. And at concerts he performs keyboard parts in some songs.
Other activities
Derick Whibley is the co-producer of Sum 41 and also manages Greig Nori. In 2008, he assisted his (now ex) wife Avril Lavigne on her tour for the occasion album The Best Damn Thing. As part of it, they performed the song Sum 41 - In Too Deep as a duet, so you can find a fan video of those happy moments online.
Endorser of a famous company
The musician has been collaborating with Fender for a long time, so he can be seen with such guitar models as the Standard Telecaster, Fender "72 Telecaster Deluxe and American Telecaster HH. In 2007, the company sold a signature instrument called the Deryck Whibley Telecaster. It was created on the basis Telecaster Deluxe (1972), which has a longer neck and a custom-shaped pickguard.
The signature Fender Telecaster model differs from the original in that it has a Duncan Designed bridge humbucker and has one operating mode - full humbucker. The strings pass through the body and the bridge is securely locked in place. The pickguard body is made of agathis and covered with three layers of plastic. The neck is made of maple wood and is divided into 21 frets.
The company offers two color options - Olympic White and Black, but the main pickguard color is always black. Also, red crosses are painted on the body, which, in fact, is a special feature of the personalized model.
Disease
Derick Whibley does not hide the fact that he suffers from alcohol addiction. He long years drank alcohol in huge doses, mercilessly poisoning his own body, and this led him to the intensive care unit. Derick spent about a month under the close supervision of doctors, as his liver and kidneys refused to work. On the official website you can see him chained to a hospital bed.
At that time the guy was only 34 years old. The musician believes that if he once again allows himself to “pour” at least 100 grams into his collar, he will definitely go to his forefathers. Below is a photo of Derick Whibley, which can only be called “Breath of Death.”
He drank continuously every single day and one night he poured himself another drink while planning to watch an interesting film. Suddenly, Derik felt bad, his consciousness blacked out. The bride immediately took the musician to intensive care, where he was saved by putting in more than one IV. For the first week, Derik lay in a coma, and when he woke up, he could not understand where he was. His mother and stepfather stood over him, which calmed the seriously frightened guy a little.
When Derick Whibley realized what had happened, he realized that he could not drink again under any circumstances. Now he knows that there must be moderation in everything, otherwise the outcome is obvious. Despite the fact that it was very difficult for him, he was able to be inspired by new ideas to create the next album.
First marriage
guitar player popular group Sum 41 Derick Whibley and Avril Lavigne were a wonderful couple for three years, but something got in the way of their happiness and they broke up. The acquaintance between the musicians began when the singer was a charming 17-year-old girl, and when two more years passed, it became obvious that they were together.
In 2006, Whibley made an original marriage proposal to Avril - right in the middle of romantic Venice. The wedding took place on July 15, 2006 in the town of Montecito (California). Avril looked stunning in her Vera Wang dress, and Derick looked very manly in a Hugo Boss suit. The musician's best man was Steve Joseph, and the singer's sister Michelle was the bridesmaid. The celebration was distinguished by its splendor, and about 110 people came to congratulate the couple. By the way, Derick Whibley took the surname of his popular wife during the wedding. They lived in Bel Air (Los Angeles), but the happiness did not last long, and already in 2009 the collapse of this wonderful union was announced.
New life
After breaking up with Avril, the musician was spotted with a model from England named Hana Beth. However, in 2013, the musician met his current wife, and in August 2015, Derick Whibley and Ariana Cooper got married.
The wedding took place a year after the musician ended up in intensive care and almost died. The celebration took place in Los Angeles, at the Bel Air Hotel, where Whibley lived with his previous wife. The party for this occasion was quite classic, but the black and white wedding cake and sneakers on the bride’s feet gave away the informality of the newlyweds. About a hundred guests came to the wedding.
Radio ULTRA talked to the leader of the Canadian pop-punk band SUM 41 - Derick Whibley.
The full text version of the interview is below.
Radio ULTRA: Hello, Derick! A little about us, Radio ULTRA is the first alternative radio station in Russia. Many of our listeners grew up listening to the music of SUM 41, so we are honored to talk to you!
Derick Whibley: Oh cool. Thank you!!
Radio ULTRA:Our first question is what awaits your fans at the Moscow concert on March 19th at the Stadium club?
Derick Whibley: This concert will be the last on our tour, which will last a total of nine weeks. We haven't been to Russia for a long time. Every time we come to you, we have a great time. Being in Russia is an amazing experience. The fans are always so helpful! So, we are looking forward to the concert. And if you consider that this will be the final show of the tour, then an unforgettable evening awaits you!
Radio ULTRA: We have collected questions from SUM 41 fans, let's get to them. First question: “Hi Derick! How are you? How is your health? Thank you for making such great music that makes us happy and supports us!”
Derick Whibley: Thank you! As for health, we have a small epidemic in our group; we all take turns getting the flu. I have already recovered from my illness and am on the mend. Otherwise everything is fine! We got it new album, we tour - in general, we do what we love!
Radio ULTRA: Are there any plans to go on tour in Russia? You have many fans in different cities, in St. Petersburg, for example.
Derick Whibley: We will be touring all this year in support of the new album, then we will take a break. I am absolutely sure that we will return to Russia, although I can’t say exactly when yet.
Radio ULTRA: How do you write songs? What do you come up with first – music or lyrics?
Derick Whibley: I always write music first. Because if you write the words first, there is a risk that they will not fit the melody. I write texts at the most last moment– usually a day or two before recording the song. I'm a big lazy person when it comes to song lyrics.
Radio ULTRA: Don't your bandmates help with songwriting?
Derick Whibley: No! That's why I'm lazy because the lyrics determine what the song should be about. And it’s always difficult for me to think of what I want to talk about!
Radio ULTRA: What is the most complex guitar riff you wrote for SUM 41?
Derick Whibley: I think it's a riff from a song "Blood In My Eyes" from the album "Screaming Bloody Murder" There's this weird part in the middle of the song that sounds cool, but it's hard to play!
Radio ULTRA: Do you like writing guitar solos? Punk rock gravitates towards short forms, but perhaps you want to experiment sometimes?
Derick Whibley: Yes, we have some long songs on last album here is a 12-minute track. But, in general, we don’t bother: whether a song is short or long, it doesn’t matter - the main thing is what emotions it evokes.
Radio ULTRA: Let's talk about specific songs. What was the inspiration for writing the song “Ma Poubelle”? It stands out from the rest of the tracks on the “Underclass Hero” album.
Derick Whibley: It's hard to say, but one day I decided to experiment. I didn’t even think that this song would end up on the album, I was just having fun.
Radio ULTRA: Another question about inspiration from our listeners: what was the inspiration for the album “13 Voices”? And how do you think this record differs from your other albums?
Derick Whibley: When we were working on this album, I had just left the clinic and was not in in better shape. For the first time in for a long time I was sober, and everything seemed new and unusual to me. So I threw myself into writing music just to get through this difficult period. This is how the album turned out "13 Voices"
Radio ULTRA: Let's talk about something fun. There were a lot of funny moments in the “Road To Ruin” videos you posted on YouTube. How did you film this “series”?
Derick Whibley: We actually didn't plan to post the “Road To Ruin” video at all. A cameraman just travels with us all the time, and he filmed us a lot. So it's just ours everyday life, what happens behind the scenes while on tour. And then we thought, since we have these videos, why not make a series out of them?
Radio ULTRA: Can you remember any unusual and unforeseen situations that happened during concerts? And how did you get out of the situation?
Derick Whibley: A tour is in itself one big unforeseen situation! Nothing ever goes according to plan, you have to constantly adapt to what happens.
Radio ULTRA: When can your fans expect the release of new songs?
Derick Whibley: For now, I can not say it. We'll be on tour all this year, so we definitely won't be recording anything new. I myself am constantly composing something, but we can’t expect new releases in the next year or two.
Derick Whibley: I can’t even imagine what it’s like to start musical career Now. When we started, everything was completely different. But one thing I think is constant: the most important thing is the songs. The better your songs, the more successful you will be. And, of course, you need to perform well live. Because the better the show, the more interesting it is for the audience, and the more people will come to your concert. You need to build your reputation.
Radio ULTRA: These were questions from fans of SUM 41. Now let's move on to questions from our radio station. What famous punk bands are you friends with? For example, Blink-182, Simple Plan, Bowling For Soup, or some other bands?
Derick Whibley: We are friends with many people; for example, we went on tours with all these groups. Once we even shared a bus with Bowling For Soup many years ago. Then we became very friendly with them. Guys from The Offspring also our friends. We also have great communication with the guys from NoFX,Pennywise. We have been on stage for a long time, and we know many people. In this sense, Warped Tour, for example, is a very fertile ground for getting acquainted. It was on this tour that we became friends with a lot of bands.
Radio ULTRA: Who personally inspired you as a child? Maybe your friends are from The Offspring or other bands?
Derick Whibley: I was inspired by so many! At school, when I first started playing music, I was very influenced by bands Nirvana And The Doors. Jim Morrison And Kurt Cobain– so different and, at the same time, similar people. And my idols are among punks - Sex Pistols And NoFX.
Interviewed by Ksenia Smirnova
IN Lately Avril's image of a daredevil began to change: instead of sneakers, pants and ties, she increasingly began to wear dresses, and then completely dyed her hair blonde, turning from an aggressive teenager into a real woman. The singer does not hide that she owes this to her love. The fact is that two years ago a romantic relationship began between Avril and Derick Whibley, the leader Canadian group Sum 41. The young people immediately discovered a lot in common: “Firstly, we are both from Ontario. Secondly, we are musicians, so we lead the same lifestyle and understand each other well,” says the singer. Last summer, during a joint tour, Derick proposed to Avril, and in early July of this year, the wedding of the 21-year-old singer and the 26-year-old rocker took place. And now Avril admits that she was, in fact, always a “hopeless romantic.” “Derik’s proposal came as a surprise to me,” says the singer. “We flew to Venice on a private plane. Everything was amazing: first we had a picnic, then we rode a gondola, and in the evening Derik invited me to dinner. And... he offered me his hand and heart". Avril answered in the affirmative, not doubting for a second that their love was predestined from above. At one time, the singer wrote more than one song about the bitterness and disappointments of unhappy love, but now she claims: “Derik is my first true love! And I hope it’s my last.” We started planning the wedding. The most difficult thing, according to Avril, was choosing the location for the ceremony. "At first I wanted us to get married in Los Angeles, but I didn't find anything I liked there." The choice fell on a beautiful Mediterranean-style villa in the small Californian town of Montecito. It was there that on July 15, 2006, 150 guests gathered - relatives and close friends of the bride and groom. “I always dreamed of a traditional wedding,” says the singer, “of a white dress with a long train, of many flowers... I wanted to be a princess from a fairy tale.” The singer's dream came true: she looked gorgeous in an ivory organza Vera Wang dress with lace. The groom, as befits a rocker, took a creative approach to choosing his own outfit: he was dressed in a Hugo Boss suit, black and white boots and striped socks. The ceremony began at 4:30 p.m., when the bride walked down the aisle to the music of Wagner, accompanied by her father John. And after 20 minutes the official part of the ceremony was over. Avril changed into a more comfortable dress made of white lace and, together with her groom, went with the guests to the park on the territory of the villa. The park was decorated in a romantic style, with crystal pendants hanging from tree branches, and tables with snacks and white sofas placed on the grass near the pond. As evening fell, everyone gathered for the wedding dinner in a huge scarlet tent. There was no trace left of white and pastel tones: red tablecloths, cast-iron candelabra and burgundy lilies were, according to Avril and Derik’s plan, to create a Gothic atmosphere. Guests were offered beef steaks, salmon and a variety of vegetarian dishes, as Avril has long followed a vegetarian diet.
And by the end of dinner, a huge four-tier chocolate and vanilla cake appeared. When it was time to dance, the DJ played Avril's favorite song, the ballad Iris. The group Goo Goo Dolls. The newlyweds, now as husband and wife, performed their first waltz to it, and then began to dance with their friends. Avril showed her friends three rings at once ring finger. “When Derick proposed to me,” explains the singer, “he presented me with a 5-carat diamond ring. Another ring is a symbol of my new status married woman, it has several diamonds weighing a total of 3 carats. And for the ceremony we chose simple rings made of white gold - because platinum is easy to scratch." Despite her youth, Avril is a very practical girl who has her own opinion on any issue. The singer was very pleased with the wedding: "She turned out to be exactly like that, oh what I dreamed of. I wanted us to get married in the summer so that the ceremony would be traditional and romantic. When I walked to the altar to the music of the string orchestra, tears welled up in my eyes... I am very happy!”
