Jeff Waters
The driving force behind Annihilator, he is a virtuoso guitarist and producer who shaped the sound of Canadian thrash metal for decades.
Born 1966 (age 60)·Canadian guitarist·Birthday: February 13·Generation X
Biography
Jeff Waters is the relentless engine of Annihilator, a thrash metal institution he founded in Ottawa in the mid-1980s. As the band's primary songwriter, guitarist, and producer, Waters crafted a technically demanding and melodically sharp sound that earned a dedicated global following, particularly in Europe and Japan. While Annihilator's lineup has frequently changed, Waters has been the unwavering constant, steering the band through shifting musical trends with albums like the influential debut 'Alice in Hell' and the groove-oriented 'Set the World on Fire.' A self-taught musician with a keen ear for production, he built and operated his own Watersound Studios, giving him complete creative control over the band's dense, precise recordings. His playing style—a blend of fierce speed, clear articulation, and inventive riffing—has inspired a generation of metal guitarists. Residing in the UK in later years, Waters continues to tour and record, maintaining Annihilator's status as a pillar of the genre.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jeff was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jeff Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Jeff's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded and has been the sole consistent member of the influential thrash metal band Annihilator since 1984.
- Wrote, performed, and produced the band's landmark debut album, 'Alice in Hell,' released in 1989.
- Has owned and operated Watersound Studios, producing nearly all of Annihilator's extensive discography.
- Maintained a prolific international touring schedule, especially across Europe, for over three decades.
Did You Know?
He is left-handed but plays guitar right-handed.
Before fame, he worked as a cook at a Canadian truck stop.
He is a noted fan of the band Rush and has cited Alex Lifeson as an influence.
He moved from Canada to live in the United Kingdom.
“The riff is the law, and the law is uncompromising.”
