John Emanuele

John Keith Emanuele is a drummer, keyboardist, and producer best known as a founding member of The American Dollar. He also records under the moniker Zero Bedroom Apartment, a project defined by a more minimal, stripped-down sound.

Raised in Fresh Meadows, Queens, Emanuele grew up immersed in music; his father played professionally in several bands. A self-taught drummer from the age of four, he got his first full kit at seven and was performing publicly by third grade. He continued playing through school band in middle and high school, largely outside the context of any formal group.

Emanuele attended Townsend Harris High School, where he met longtime collaborator Rich Cupolo, and went on to study social change and politics at NYU’s Gallatin School for Individualized Study. The two formed The American Dollar in August 2005, five years after first meeting.

After college, Emanuele worked in IT for a Brooklyn-based company before transitioning to music full-time in 2009. Since then, he has split his focus between The American Dollar and his solo work as Zero Bedroom Apartment, releasing numerous EPs under that name.

Equipment

Drum Equipment:

DW 4 Piece Drum Kit
Cravioto Snare
Paiste Innovations 18 inch medium crash
Zildjian K Series 22 inch crash ride
Zildjian A Custom 16 inch crash
Zildjian new beat 13 inch high hat
Evans EC3 heads
Moongels
DW 5000 series hardware
Sensory Percussion Drum Sensors

Keyboard Equipment:

M-Audio & Novation Midi Triggers
Monome & Arc 2
Moog Mother 32 Synthesizer
Moog Minitaur Bass Synth
Make Noise – Maths, Wogglebug, Photogene, MMG, Echophon, Rosie
Roland JU-06
Teenage Engineering OP-1
Yamaha VSS-30 Sampling Keyboard