Monday Metal Mayhem PodCast Interview with Marco Pitruzzella… {enclose marco_pitruzzella.mp3}
Keep up with Marco here:
Marco Pitruzzella started playing drums at age ten. He received drum lessons from Brady Fishler.
Pitruzzella joined the band Vornagar in 2004, replacing previous sticksman Carl Pitlick. Marco Pitruzzella names John Longstreth, Nick Barker, Tjodalv, Lance Garvin, John Longstreth, Kevin Talley, Trym, Hellhammer, Tim Waterson, Tim Yeung, Mike Mangini, Derek Roddy, Pete Hammoura and Johnny Rabb as sources of musical inspiration. Marco Pitruzzella has played with Anthem 85, Apocrypha, Dark Heritage, Ritual Hatred, and has as ongoing project named Lord Marco. The drummer has also sessioned toured with Vital Remains. He joined Vile as touring drummer in 2006.
Marco Pitruzzella Interview:
SD.com: How old were you when you started playing?
Marco: Well I got my first pair of drumsticks from my good friend on my 9th Birthday. We were silly lil kids trying to start a garage band at this age.
SD.com: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Marco: I joined concert band in Middle school. I pretty much was in school band and marching band all throughout my school carreer. The high school drumline (La Quinta High) was the best High school drumline in all southern california. We won at championships every year! I played tenors and drumset in the pit
SD.com: Ever take any lessons?
Marco: I started taking drum lessons from Brady Fishler when i was 9 years old. I took drum lessons with him until the age of 14. He taught me how to read music and play everything, besides metal! I had no idea what double bass even was until i was 13 years old!
SD.com: Who are your top 5 influences?
Marco: Well when I first started drumming it was the drummers of all those Pop Rock/Punk bands. No Doubt, Greenday and The Offspring. But soon I released better drumming. So Johnny Rabb, Lance Garvin, John Longstreth, Nick Barker, and Mike Mangini.
SD.com: Assuming that influences doesn’t mean favorites, who are your favorites?
Marco: Some favorites of mine are Alfie (from Orchidectomy), Johnny Rabb, John Longstreth, the drummer of Alienation Mental and basically any amazing solid drummer!
SD.com: Let us know 5 CD’s that are in your current rotation
Marco: I defintly don’t listen to as much music as I use to, since everything is starting to sound the same for me. Alienation Mental-Ball Sprouter, The Amenta, Gorerotted, Origin and I cannot even think of another band I listen to often!
SD.com: Can you remember a night you think was your best playing ever? If yes, when and where?
Marco: It’s tough to remember a night I think was my best. When I was on tour with Vital Remains in Europe I defintly had a lot of GOOD nights. So pretty much any one of those 52 shows we played, I am sure one of them was close to my best playing!
SD.com: Do you have a favorite brand of drums or cymbals?
Marco: I will soon be working more with PRECISION DRUMS. They have a “LORD MARCO” signature snare in the making, which I am excited about. I always have used Zildjian, Sabian and Wuhan cymbals.
SD.com: Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Marco: I always stretch!! Stretching is very important when drumming super fast. I usually try to warmup as much as possible!! that’s about it.
SD.com: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…
Marco: I would tell them to practice as much as possible, it’s the only way you can become better at anything, you won’t just wake up one day playing 350BPM….
SD.com: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?
Marco: Hmmm.. tough to say. Origin puts on good performances, Dimmu Borgir, Gorerotted, this band Infernal Poetry from Italy puts on crazy shows too! A lot of bands usually play well live…unless of course they do too much to thier albums, or edit/quantize, the shit out of them so when you see the band live THEY JUST SUCK!! Never will you hear my drums edited or quantized!
SD.com: If you had to stop drumming, what would you want to do with your life?
Marco: Hmmm…. I’d probably work for my brother’s business and make porn! haha but seriously I would die if I stopped drumming.
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