Stanier grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Florida and is a veteran of the local hardcore music scene.

He studied orchestral percussion at the University of South Florida, but never took formal drum set lessons.

He has also been influenced by drummers such as John Bonham, Billy Cobham, Bill Bruford, Terry Bozzio, Carl Palmer, and Lenny White.

He endorses Tama drums, and is also well known for his Zildjian K crash cymbal perched as high as it can go when playing with Battles.

The length of his drumming inactivity was in part due to a broken wrist, as well as the fact that he simply could not find a band he wanted to play with.