Max Marzocca

 

Keep up with Max here:

www.natron.it
www.myspace.com/natronband
www.trinityband.it
www.kickagency.com
www.holyrecords.com

 

 

Born November 16th, 1970 in Bisceglie(BA) Italy, Max Marzocca was first introduced to music by his family of classic musicians to piano and cello developing an interest in music from an early age. Left music school to concentrate on his sport career (he played in a pro national handball team) meanwhile Max came to be a huge heavy metal fan for years before actually becoming a drummer. Late in 1991 at the age of 20 Max finally approached the drums and started to practice every day, learning quickly by listening to metal and punk-hardcore records and playing along.
From his day one behind the drumkit Max never stop playing it and after one year spent cutting his teeth with some local heavy metal outfits, in 1992 he founded his own band Natron, the Italian most appreciated technical death metal band, which he’s known to be not only their drummer but also  co-songwriter and lyricist.

After 15 years in the world extreme metal scene Natron is still running with 5 albums and a mini-album, several tours and festivals all over  Europe playing alongside Obituary, Pungent Stench ,God Dethroned ,Suffocation, Necrophagist, Die Apokalyptischen Reiter, Cephalic Carnage, Exhumed and many more. Thanks to his never ending live and recording commitments, in 2002  Max obtained endorsement from UFIP, world famous Italian Cymbals company. Apart from his involvement in other extreme metal bands (such as Italian Undertakers, Mind Snare and Cruentus) he can also count digressions in other styles enjoying performing live and studio frequently with rock, jazz and blues outfits (Trinity, That’s All,Folks! and many others)as he starts to be valued as a metal drummer that can do play “whatever else”.

 

 

 

Natron:“Flesh of a sick virgin” live video France 2001

 

 

Max Marzocca Interview:

 

 

 

SD.com: How old were you when you started playing?

Max: Later than it used to be! I started playing when I was 20  but I learned it quickly! First time I just got behind a friend’s drumkit and started to play a rough pattern along with the bass player. It happened to be a really natural thing to me , probably cos I was into playing instruments since I was a kid. Two months later I was beating the shit out of a cheap drumkit and rehearsing with a real band.

 

 

SD.com: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?

Max: We don’t have school bands here in Italy: during the music lessons at school we were allowed to play only the flute or guitar, mainly it was a matter of theory.

 

 

SD.com: Ever take any lessons?

Max: Not really, I’ m self taught! A friend of mine just shown me some rudiments in the beginning, then the trick was to listen to records and play, watch other drummers and ask suggestions, practice every day! Besides, I’ve been workin’ as a drum backliner and as a demonstrator in a drum store for years.  I’ve been building up, tuning, playing hundreds of drumkits , talking to every drummer in my area, organizing clinics with drums luminaries, practicing and reading books , watching DVD’s and videotapes available in the shop library. This gave me the opportunity to develop my own knowledge about drums.

 

 

SD.com: Who are your top 5 influences?

Max: John “Bonzo” Bonham ,Tommy Lee, Tim Alexander, Dave Lombardo ,Gene Hogland and Mike Smith. Mhmmm, ok they’re six but these drummers really had a great influence on my drumming!

 

 

 

 

SD.com: Assuming that influences doesn’t mean favorites, who are your
favorites?

Max: There are so many, it’s pretty hard to list them all but I’ll name a few:Virgil Donati, Thomas Lang, Billy Cobham Buddy Richie, Gregg Bissonette, Vinnie Colaiuta, Dom Famularo, Stewart Copeland, , Mikky Dee, Thomas Haake, Flo Mounier, Raymond Herrera, Dave Culross, Brann Dailor,…. generally I like drummers with a “big” sound.

 

 

SD.com: Let us know 5 CD’s that are in your current rotation

Max:
-“Monolithic Baby”: Monster Magnet
-“The toxic touch” : God Dethroned
-“Suffocation”: Suffocation
-“High Visibility”: Hellacopters
-“Turn out the bright lights”: Interpol

 

 

SD.com: Do you practice any specific rudiments or combo’s regularly?

Max: At home while watching TV: one hand, single and double rolls, then some endurance exercises for my arms and legs. And some really simple paradiddles like  L R LL R L RR L R LL R L RR both with hands and feet, and some other similar to this. It’s a daily training, simple but enough to keep me  always confident with sticks. The rest is the result of rehearsals with the bands I play for. I regret having not so much time left to practice like in the past!

 

 

SD.com: How do you prepare for a tour?

Max: When tour time approaches I rehearse the whole live set with the band 4  days a week,  a couple of hours per each session.

 

 

SD.com: What is your favorite part of your drum kit?

Max: I would say all my drumkit: a Saturn Pro Mapex with maple and walnut shells,  Eliminator Pearl pedals and a all black Master Custom Pearl snare. And of course my set of UFIP “Bionic”, “Rough” and “Natural” cymbals are the parts I enjoy playin most! I have different sizes of crash ,splash, china, ride, tingle cup and I like to play them all because of their wide range of sounds, even if when I’m playin live I reduce my set up to the essential!

 

 

SD.com: Tell us about your band:

Max: Beside playing in other outfits, I’m mainly the drummer of Natron, which I founded back in 1992. We played every single corner of Europe and released 5 albums and a mini cd so far. We were signed to Holy records for 4 albums and nowadays we’re currently discussing with a new record company for a deal. I’m ready to leave again for a European tour to support the mighty Suffocation. In Natron I also compose music and write all the lyrics.

 

 

 

 

SD.com: Do you have any pre-show rituals?

Max: I stretch out and warm up on my pedals and a practice pad for 20-30 minutes, then I’ m ready to kick off!

 

 

SD.com: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…

Max: Have fun, be patient and try to  practice every day. Be open minded and play different music styles, this would enlarge your view on your instrument . Take lessons with a very good teacher, which it’s something I missed!

 

 

SD.com: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?

Max: Lately I saw Raymond Herrera with Fear Factory at Summer Breeze, Germany in 2006. Bloody powerful and tight!!!!

 

 

SD.com: If you had to stop drumming, what else would you want to do with your life?

Max: I’m currently running a merchandise company so even if I stop playing it would be ok because I feel at ease working in a music environment, no matter what I do! But honestly , I can’t really see myself living without playin’ drums.