Jason Cooper

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Cooper's first professional drumming work was as an early member of My Life Story, and he also performed as a session drummer for acts including Jean-Jacques Burnel and Billy Ray Martin. In 1995, he responded to an ad that said simply 'Drummer wanted for international band'. The Cure placed the ad following the departure of previous drummer Boris Williams. Cooper's first live performance with the band was in Greece in June 1995. Cooper was one of four drummers to play on the band's 1996 album Wild Mood Swings, but he was invited to join the band officially and has been their drummer ever since. Cooper also participated in the COGASM project with bandmate Robert Smith in 1998. He has made guest appearances with David Bowie, Bat for Lashes, Marina and the Diamonds, and Steven Wilson. Cooper also composes music for film, most notably the score for the horror movie From Within, for which he and co-composer Oliver Kraus won the award for best original score at the 2008 Solstice Film Festival. In 2019, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Cure. In 2023, Cooper and Smith collaborated with Noel Gallagher for a one-off single. Cooper is also known as a bicyclist for charity fund-raising events.

In Their Own Story

In 1995, Jason Cooper saw an ad that simply read 'Drummer wanted for international band'. He answered it, not knowing it was The Cure, who had just lost drummer Boris Williams. His first live performance with the band was in Greece in June 1995. He was one of four drummers on Wild Mood Swings (1996), but was then invited to join officially. Since then, he has been the band's drummer through albums like Bloodflowers (2000), The Cure (2004), 4:13 Dream (2008), and Songs of a Lost World (2024). He also played on the COGASM project with Robert Smith in 1998, and in 2023 he and Smith collaborated with Noel Gallagher on a one-off single. In 2019, Cooper was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Cure.

Reader's Guide

Jason Cooper joined The Cure in 1995 after responding to a drummer ad. His first live show with them was in Greece in June 1995. He played on Wild Mood Swings (1996) as one of four drummers, then became the official drummer. His discography with the Cure includes: Wild Mood Swings (1996), Galore (1997), Bloodflowers (2000), Greatest Hits (2001), Trilogy (2003) DVD, The Cure (2004), Festival 2005 (2005) DVD, 4:13 Dream (2008), Bestival Live 2011 (2011), 40 Live Curaetion 25 + Anniversary (2018) DVD/BluRay, and Songs of a Lost World (2024). He also participated in the COGASM project with Robert Smith in 1998. He has made guest appearances with David Bowie, Bat for Lashes, Marina and the Diamonds, and Steven Wilson. He co-composed the score for the horror movie From Within, winning best original score at the 2008 Solstice Film Festival. In 2023, he and Smith collaborated with Noel Gallagher on a one-off single. Cooper is also known as a bicyclist for charity fund-raising events.

Did You Know?

• Jason Cooper's father, an employee of Virgin Records, gave him a copy of The Cure's album Seventeen Seconds, making him a fan before he joined the band.
• Cooper first saw The Cure live in 1990, five years before he became their drummer.
• He studied drums at London's Drumtech institute and later became a patron and visiting artist there.
• Cooper was one of four drummers to play on The Cure's 1996 album Wild Mood Swings before being invited to join officially.
• He co-composed the score for the horror movie From Within and won the award for best original score at the 2008 Solstice Film Festival.