Behind the Kit

Gary Don Dacus Jr. is an Independent / Endorsed Drummer.  He has been endorsed by one or more companies over the last 9 years, and has maintained long standing relationships with his past endorsers. 

From his hard hitting drumming and his fast feet work with the double pedal, to his ability to bring his unique energy to every act he works with, he long ago earned the nickname THE BEAST and he has carried that moniker through the years, making it even more apparent in ever act he works with. 

Gary 'The Beast' Dacus has been part of several long running projects as well as a sitting-in for other bands, where needed. His love of metal has been his mainstay, but he truly enjoys 'beating the skins' with a good solid rock band.  Over his many years playing drums -- any chance he could get, even around deployments and through injuries from his 12+ years in the Army Infantry -- he has played across several genres and sub-genres. To include; but never limited; to hard rock, southern, radio, classic and modern rock, as well as heavy metal, bay area thrash, hair metal, doom metal, hardcore and others; both in original acts and a few cover acts.

Gary is a native of Jonesboro, Arkansas, but has traveled and played all over the U.S. as well as in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Gary was stationing Fort Drum, NY, for most of his 13 years in the Army Infantry - where he interned for a year with the 10th MTN. DIV Army Band.

He grew up listening to a variety of genres to include some of the following genres and bands:

• Old School Metal: Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Metallica, Iron Maiden;

• Christian Rock: Deliverance, Bride, White Cross;

• 80's Hair bands: Motley Crue, Skid Row, Tesla, Van Halen;

• Southern Rock: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Pride & Glory, Blackfoot, Down;

• Modern Rock and Metal: Daughtry, All that Remains, The Sword, Pearl Jam, Megadeath....and more.

Gary has gained some recognition with local Upstate NY, West Tennessee and North Texas favorites like:

• Santa Mortem ~ bay area thrash style covers/originals (TX - '18-21)

• Lonestar Conspiracy ~ screamo vocal original metal (TX - '21)

• Project Rogue ~ metal originals (TX - '18)

• Harvest Mill ~ hard rock originals (TN - '13-15)

• Twelve Gauge Apocalypse ~ clean vocal metal originals (NY - '09-10 & TN/AR - '10-11)

• Seventh Son ~ radio friendly rock originals/covers (NY - '09)

• [Dox]ology ~ bay area thrash style covers/originals (NY - '08-09)

• SPUN. (now 'Nobody Lives Forever') ~ Killswitch Engage style metal (NY - '05-06 & '13)

Additionally, Gary has played in the south with:

• Collide Over Me ~ modern rock originals (TX - '17-18)

• Other Oddities ~ southern metal originals (TX - '17-18)

• Hazeland ~ modern rock originals (TX - '17)

• Wake The Fear ~ heavy metal originals (TX - '17)

• Arise From Silence ~ modern rock originals (TN - '15-16)

• Massacre Machine ~ metal originals (AR - '05-06, '10-11, '13-16)

• Brutal Honesty ~ 'Korn' style original metal (TN - '13)

• So We Persist ~ radio friendly rock originals/covers (TN - '12-13)

• Brother Chuck ~ southern rock originals (MS - '11-12)

• Home Spun Sons/Death Remains Silent ~ modern/classic metal originals/covers (TN - '11)

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Gary has also sat in for bands like Killjay (MS - '11) & Kreaper (TN - '13); and other bands, over the years playing both originals and covers across several sub-genres of Rock and Metal.