David Draiman

David Michael Draiman (born March 13, 1973) is a songwriter and the lead singer for the metal band Disturbed, from Chicago, Illinois. Draiman is known for his distorted voice and rhythmic singing style. In November 2006, David was voted number 42 on the Hit Parader’s Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time.

Early influences
Draiman is quoted as saying, "the first record I ever bought was Kiss’s Destroyer. And those classic bands like Black Sabbath were my first loves...I focused on the seminal metal bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Pantera and Queensrÿche."

Draiman continues, "But I could also appreciate the hair metal bands – When you hear Whitesnake, you can’t deny their greatness. Then I went in the direction of punk and new wave, groups like the Sex Pistols, The Ramones, The Misfits and later The Smiths and The Cure – that’s was my ’80s."

"And then when the grunge revolution happened, it was like a wakeup call. I’ll never forget getting my first Nirvana, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains records."

Personal life
Draiman is Jewish, though not religious. David Brinn, writing in the Jerusalem Post calls Draiman "defiantly Jewish."

Draiman formed his first band when he was going to Valley Torah high school in Los Angeles.

Draiman was a health care administrator for five years, before joining Disturbed.

He has many relatives who live in Israel, including his brother and his grandmother. Draiman has expressed dissatisfaction with those rock musicians who collect Nazi memorabilia saying, "I don't give a fuck who you are. If you're going to brandish Nazi symbolism, I'm going to have a problem with you because I don't understand how anybody could think it's OK to wear something on their body that symbolizes the annihilation and genocide of my people. I'm not OK with that and there is no excuse and there is no explanation". Draiman wrote the song "Never Again" (on the album Asylum) "about the Holocaust and the people who deny it, like Ahmadinejad. And part of our live show includes a video presentation depicting him as the new Hitler."

When Draiman was sixteen years old, his ex-girlfriend committed suicide. Draiman later wrote a song about the experience, titled "Inside the Fire", which appeared on the 2008 album Indestructible. This suicide also played a relevant part in the making of the album Asylum, released in August 2010.

Draiman has a younger brother named Benjamin "Ben" Draiman, whose musical style is more folk rock and ambient, and is currently living and performing in Jerusalem. Draiman's father, YJ "Jay" Draiman, is an active community leader in Los Angeles, an elected member of Northridge East Neighborhood Council and is currently running for Los Angeles City Council District 12.

Draiman travels with his fiancee Lena Yada.

Disturbed

 * The Sickness (2000)
 * Believe (2002)
 * Ten Thousand Fists (2005)
 * Indestructible (2008)
 * Asylum (2010)