Zach Hill

Zachary Charles Hill (born December 28, 1979) is an American multi-instrumentalist and visual artist. He is best known as the drummer and co-producer of industrial hip-hop band Death Grips, experimental rock band the I.L.Y's, as well as the drummer of math rock band Hella.

Early life Zach Hill was born in Sacramento, California on December 28, 1979. He spent most of his adolescence at his father and uncle's press printing shop, where he was first exposed to classic rock music.

Hill claims that he "started hearing voices in his head telling him to play the drums" when he was about 14 or 15 years old, and bought his first drum set with money he raised with a friend from a garage sale. He dropped out of high school at age 15 and moved to Nevada City, California, where he started the band Legs on Earth with Julian Imsdahl, Spencer Seim, and cousin Josh Hill. Hill later moved to San Francisco, California where he played drums in the band Crime in Choir before starting Hella in 2001.

Art In addition to music, Hill is also a visual artist. He published a fully illustrated book, Destroying Yourself is Too Accessible, which included the Zach Hill and Holy Smokes album Masculine Drugs released in 2004 on TNI Books and Suicide Squeeze Records.

The Sacramento, California, art space Fools Foundation ran an exhibition of Hill's art, titled "Poltergeist", from April 1 to April 29, 2006. Parts of the exhibit are visible in the photos accompanying Hill's article in the August 2006 issue of Modern Drummer and on the Fools Foundation website.

Filmography Hill was said to be working on an original feature film in 2013, which was confirmed to feature late actress Karen Black in a leading role. However, she had died before the film could come into full fruition. A shortened excerpt of the footage was posted on the Death Grips YouTube account in October 2015 in a 15-minute video entitled "Bottomless Pit". It has been rumored that either Death Grips or Hill's side-project, the I.L.Y's, would be involved with the soundtrack of the film as well.

Discography

Solo releases Astrological Straits (2008) Face Tat (2010)

as Xach Hill Lil Scuzzy (2011)

With Hella Albums Hold Your Horse Is (2002) The Devil Isn't Red (2004) Church Gone Wild/Chirpin' Hard (2005) There's No 666 in Outer Space (2007) Tripper (2011)

Extended plays Leather Diamond (2001) Falam Dynasty (2002) Bitches Ain't Shit but Good People (2003) Total Bugs Bunny on Wild Bass (2003) Acoustics (2004) Concentration Face & Homeboy (2005) Acoustics (2006) Santa's Little Hella (2013)

DVDs Portals (2008)

Split albums with Dilute Live (2003) with Four Tet Split Seven Inch Divorce Series 1 (2004)

With Flössin Lead Singer (2004) Live at Overlap 01 (2006) Serpents (2009) White Anaconda and the Rainbow Boa (2011)

With Holy Smokes as Zach Hill & Holy Smokes Masculine Drugs / Destroying Yourself Is Too Accessible (2004)

as Holy Smokes Talk to Your Kids About Gangs (2006)

With Team Sleep Team Sleep (2005)

With Mick Barr Shred Earthship (2006) Volume 2 (2007) Volthree (2020)

With Marnie Stern In Advance of the Broken Arm (2007) This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That (2008) Marnie Stern (2010)

With Bygones By- (2009) Spiritual Bankruptcy (2010)

With Wavves Babes (2023, recorded 2009)

With Omar Rodríguez-López Mantra Hiroshima (2010) Telesterion (2011)

as El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez Cryptomnesia (2009)

With Death Grips

Albums The Money Store (2012) No Love Deep Web (2012) Government Plates (2013) Fashion Week (2015) The Powers That B (2015) Bottomless Pit (2016) Year of the Snitch (2018)

Mixtapes Exmilitary (2011)

Extended plays Death Grips (2011) Interview 2016 (2016) Steroids (Crouching Tiger Hidden Gabber Megamix) (2017) Gmail and the Restraining Orders (2019)

With Spoek Mathambo Put Some Red on It (2011) Father Creeper (2012)

With the I.L.Y's I've Always Been Good at True Love (2015) Scum With Boundaries (2016) Bodyguard (2017)

With Undo K From Hot G.A.S. Get a Star (2021) Dumb Little Fucker (2021) Remnants of Chris (2022)

Other bands and collaborations Release detailsReleaseArtistAdditional informationRef Released: 1999 Label: Para-Sight Formats: CDLasers and SaviorsLegs on Earth Released: January 1, 2001 Label: Perishable Formats: CD, LP10 SongsFriend/Enemy Released: June 25, 2002 Label: Omnibus Formats: CD, LPCrime in ChoirCrime in Choir Released: July 30, 2002 Label: Absolutely Kosher/Nail in the Coffin Formats: CD, 12"Chapel of the ChimesXiu Xiu Released: November 12, 2002 Label: 5 Rue Christine Formats: CDNervous CopNervous Cop Released: November 18, 2003 Label: Jade Tree Formats: CDMaryland MansionsCex Released: 2005 Label: Mash Down Babylon Formats: CDApotheke Apotheke Released: January 17, 2005 Label: Frenetic Formats: 2CDThank Gods It's Friday/Louisiana PurchaseToughguy Fantasy/Arctic Boys Released: May 3, 2005 Label: Temporary Residence Limited Formats: CDHoward Hello Howard Hello Released: February 21, 2006 Label: Temporary Residence Limited Formats: CD, LPThey Mean UsThe Ladies Released: October 24, 2010 Label: Temporary Residence Limited Formats: CD, LPDistressed Damsel Released: 2007 Label: self-released Formats: CD-RFlannel Graduatewith No Age Released: August 14, 2007 Label: self-released Formats: CD-RGreener GrassingThem Hills Released: August 31, 2007 Label: self-released Formats: Digital"Untitled"with Ben Weinman Released: 2008 Label: aRCHIVE Formats: 2DVDMick BarrMick Barr Released: April 14, 2009 Label: Warp Formats: CD/2LPEverything She Touched Turned AmpexianPrefuse 73 Released: May 4, 2009 Label: Warp Formats: CDIce Capped at Both EndsDiamond Watch Wrists Released: October 20, 2009 Label: Porter Formats: CD, LPAggressively HumbleChll Pll Released: October 28, 2009 Label: Important Formats: CD, LPNon Meters Volume OneRisil Released: April 11, 2010 Label: Sundial Formats: Digitaleclecticraft Aaron Molho Released: June 15, 2010 Label: Porter Formats: CD, LPWho Do You Think You Aren't?with Robby Moncrieff Released: October 10, 2010 Label: Life's Blood Formats: 2x7" SplitMason Lindahl/Ellie Fortune/Raleigh Moncrief/Zach Hill Released: October 10, 2010 Label: Lex Label: Joyful Noise Formats: 2LPOh BrotherJoan of Arc Released: July 5, 2011 Label: self-released Formats: Digital Many Moodswith Delicate Steve Released: August 6, 2011 Label: Altered Beats Formats: Digital InitiumSol Invicto Released: August 27, 2013 Label: Jackpot Formats: LPDrumgasmWeiss/Cameron/Hill Released: October 14, 2016 Label: Party Smasher, Cooking Vinyl Formats: CD, LP, DLDissociationThe Dillinger Escape Planadditional drums on "Dissociation" Released: May 5, 2017 Label: Joyful Noise Formats: LP, DigitalNervous Cop (EP)Nervous Cop Released: February 11, 2022 Label: Sargeant House Formats: DLAlto Arc EPAlto Arc (George Clarke, Isamaya Ffrench, Danny L Harle & Trayer Tryon)additional production on "Yeva's Lullaby" Released: April 15, 2022 Label: Melodic Virtue Formats: Digital, 10"Santa DogStar Stunted (Hill, Sam Coomes, Rob Crow, Mike Morasky, Ego Plum, Aaron Tanner) Released: September 1, 2023 Label: self-released Formats: Digital, 7"Never (EP)with Lucas Abelasequencing and envelope generation Released: October 31, 2025 Label: Warp Formats: Digital, 7"Bag of Max Bag of Casswith Lucas Abela Released: July 31, 2026 Label: Apeshit Formats: DigitalWho Asked?Domi and JD BeckSound designer

Other appearances

Various Artists (Hella) – If the Twenty-First Century Didn't Exist It Would Be Necessary to Invent It (2002) Various Artists (Team Sleep) – The Matrix Reloaded (Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture) (2003) Various Artists (Hella) – You've Got Your Orders – Volume One (2003) Various Artists (Les Claypool) – Under the Influence: A Jam Band Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd (2004) Various Artists (Hella) – Slaying Since 1996 (2006) Various Artists (The Ladies) – Thankful CD (2006) Various Artists (Diamond Watch Wrists) – Warp20 (Recreated) (2009) Various Artists – Revival Drum Comp (2010) Various Artists – Zum Audio Vol 4 Digital (2021)