Sebastien Grainger
The powerhouse vocalist and drummer who, with Jesse F. Keeler, forged the blistering dance-punk sound of Death from Above, a duo that refused to be ignored.
Born 1979 (age 47)·Canadian singer and musician·Birthday: April 11·Generation X
Biography
Sebastien Grainger is the human engine behind one of rock's most potent minimalist assaults. As one-half of Death from Above 1979, he didn't just sing—he roared and crooned over his own thunderous drumming, creating a wall of sound that felt impossibly large for just two people. Born in Vancouver and raised in Toronto, Grainger's musical partnership with bassist Jesse F. Keeler was alchemical, merging punk aggression with disco and dance music's rhythmic pulse on their seminal debut, 'You're a Woman, I'm a Machine.' After the duo's initial breakup, he explored a rootsier, more melodic direction with his band The Mountains, showcasing a versatility often overshadowed by DFA's intensity. The reunion of Death from Above in 2011 proved the enduring power of their formula, with Grainger's evolved, more controlled vocal delivery adding new dimensions to their chaotic live shows and later records.
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.
Sebastien was born in 1979, 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 Sebastien Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Sebastien's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
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
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-wrote and performed on Death from Above 1979's influential debut album 'You're a Woman, I'm a Machine,' which became a cult classic.
- The duo's 2014 comeback album 'The Physical World' debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart.
- Has produced and recorded albums for other artists, including the band MSTRKRFT.
Did You Know?
Before Death from Above, he was in a hardcore band called Femme Fatale.
He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, keyboards, and drums on his solo work.
He once described the early Death from Above sound as 'a rock band covering a house song.'
He is based in Los Angeles and runs his own recording studio.
“We were just two kids making a bunch of noise, and somehow it connected.”
