Mike Wengren drums in Chicago based Disturbed. Mike may not a be full-blown chop master but he is a very solid, creative and tasteful drummer. Mike is the kind of guy who plays what is best for the song. He has an incredible feel and stage presence that can be seen in the way his audience responds to the music.



Mike Wengren, the straight-ahead heavy hitting drummer/programmer behind the multi-platinum band, may seem like an overnight success but both he and his fellow band mates know that is a far cry from reality.



Mike Wengren has always wanted to be a professional drummer ever since his first glimpse of Tommy Lee of Motley Crue. He states his other drumming influences as being: Vinnie Paul (Pantera), Scott Travis (Racer X, Judas Priest, Fight), Danny Carey (Tool), and Spag (Mudvane). "Currently my favorite drummer is Morgan Rose of Sevendust. Morgan is amazing!" states Mike.



Mike Wengren was born and raised in Chicago. He was always driving his parents crazy at an early age while he was beating on everything and anything (including his brother!) around his house.



Mike has been playing drums since around the age of 10, when he took some lessons for about a month but didn’t begin to take his drumming seriously until the age of 15. Mike recalls:

"My first instrument was a small 5 piece generic, piece of junk drumkit that I bought myself. My family couldn’t afford it, so I got a part time job after school bussing tables at an ice cream parlor and I saved up for over a year to get it."

Playing all the time by himself, Mike got the craving to be in a band when he would go watch his friends band rehearse.

"I was completely in awe watching them feed off each other. That was exactly what I was missing playing drums by myself. I then realized that I needed other musicians to interact with."

Wengren then began playing around Chicago in the typical 80’s metal and cover bands of the time. Struggling away, a very financially poor Wengren was determined to not give up without a fight. "I was very poor. I lived in the bands rehearsal space and could barely afford to feed myself." Mike then began playing with guitarist Dan Donegan and bassist Fuzz. The trio played together for a while and after countless unsuccessful vocalist auditions they discovered David Draiman..."The Sickness" was born!



After playing around Chicago for about 3 years and passing around their demo tape, Disturbed landed a record deal with Giant Records. The band then recorded what is now their hugely successful debut album, "The Sickness" and hit the road as a supporting act for bands such as Danzig. Not knowing what touring would lead up to, the sickness began to spread when Disturbed released their first and biggest hit single, "Stupify". The band then proved that they had one of the best live acts on the road when they landed a 2nd stage slot on the 2000 run of Ozzfest.



This proved itself very rewarding as Mike and the band found themselves going from a struggling supporting act to sold-out headlining act in a short time.



Disturbed had such an overwhelming turn-out and crowd response on that tour, that they were asked back to be included in the main stage lineup in 2001.