Dave McClain (Wiesbaden, Germany, 1965) plays drums in Machine Head. He joined the band when Chris Kontos left shortly after their first album, 'Burn My Eyes'. Dave was formerly a member of bands such as S.A.Slayer (not to be confused with Slayer), Riot off-shoot Narita, Turbin (feat. original Anthrax vocalist Neil Turbin), Catalepsy, Murdercar (feat. noted producer Ross Robinson), Ministers of Anger, and Sacred Reich. Dave McClain recalls:

"My next door neighbor had a drumset and I would go and play them, I got way better than him so he had to buy a guitar! Peter Criss was my first drum idol. (...) I've been playing drums for over 25 years!! Paradiddles are a great rudiment to mess around with because there are so many variations and ways to incorporate them on the drumset. Lately I've been teaching myself to play double stroke rolls on the kicks."

Sacred Reich was Dave McClain's first experience in a touring band.