Joe Nanini


Oliver Joseph Nanini was an American rock drummer, most famous for being the percussionist and a founding member of new wave group Wall of Voodoo during their heyday in the 1980s he was known for playing pots, pans and many other objects. This arrangement can be seen in the motion picture 'Urgh! A Music War' in which Wall Of Voodoo performed a live version of the song 'Back In Flesh' from the Dark Continent album, and also later in the video for hit single Mexican Radio. Along with Stan Ridgway and Bill Noland, he left the band after their performance at the US Festival in 1983. Nanini went on to become one of the co-founders of the iconic neo-traditional band The Lonesome Strangers and played on their first record, Lonesome Pine.
He was also the drummer for numerous 1970s punk bands, including Black Randy and the Metrosquad, The Plugz, and Bags.
Before his death, he was a session musician for Dangerhouse Records recording with many bands. He was born in Japan in 1955 to a United States military family. Nanini died at his Atlanta home on December 4, 2000, of a brain hemorrhage, at age 45.