Fabrizio Moretti

Fabrizio Moretti (born June 2, 1980) is a Brazilian-American musician and visual artist best known as the drummer for American indie rock band The Strokes. He is also a member of Brazilian/American rock supergroup Little Joy. Moretti has also worked on various art projects since 2012.

This article is about the Brazilian-American musician. For the Italian art dealer, see Fabrizio Moretti (art dealer).

Fabrizio Moretti
Moretti performing with the Strokes in 2019
Background information
Birth nameFabrizio Moretti
Also known as
  • Fab Moretti
  • Fab Man
  • Fab
Born (1980-06-02) June 2, 1980
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
OriginNew York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Instruments
  • Drums
  • Percussion
  • Guitar
  • Piano
Years active1998–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitethestrokes.com

Early life

Moretti was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to an Italian father and a Brazilian mother. He was raised with his older brother, Leo Moretti, and step-sister Mina Boukoftane Moretti.[1] Moretti and his family moved to New York City when he was three years old,[2] and had plans to stay there only for three years, but in the end they stayed for seventeen.

As a teenager, Moretti attended the Anglo American International School,[3] which later merged with the Dwight School, where he met fellow band members Nick Valensi and Julian Casablancas.[4] Moretti started playing drums by soundproofing a closet at home.[5] Upon graduating high school, Moretti studied sculpture at SUNY New Paltz,[6] before dropping out to focus on his music career with The Strokes.

Musical career

The Strokes
Main article: The Strokes

Moretti began playing as a drummer in an informal band with vocalist Casablancas and guitarist Valensi in high school, and continued after the two left Dwight.[7][8] Nikolai Fraiture started playing as the bassist and the band was formed when guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. joined in fall 1998. Their first show as The Strokes was at the Spiral in New York City on September 14, 1999.[9] The band released The Modern Age EP in 2001 under Rough Trade Records[10] and was signed for a five-album record deal by RCA Records.[11] The band released six LPs including Is This It, Room on Fire, First Impressions of Earth, Angles, Comedown Machine and The New Abnormal with tours and festival sets in the North America, Europe, South America, East Asia and Australia. Following the completion of their album contract deal with RCA Records in 2013,[12] the band has continued to release new music through Casablancas' Cult Records.[13]

Little Joy
Main article: Little Joy
Moretti in 2013

In 2007, Moretti joined with Los Hermanos guitarist, singer, songwriter Rodrigo Amarante and Binki Shapiro to form the trio Little Joy, a Brazilian/American rock supergroup.[14] Amarante and Moretti had met in 2006, at a festival in Lisbon where both their bands were performing, and the idea came up to start a new musical project unrelated to their respective bands.[15] Little Joy was signed to Rough Trade Records label. Their debut album, produced by Noah Georgeson, was released in 2008.[16]

Machinegum

Since 2018,[17] Moretti has led the New York synth pop band and artist collective Machinegum (stylized machinegum) which both performs and records music and presents gallery installations.[18] The group is composed of Moretti and Ian Devaney (vocalist of Nation of Language), Delicate Steve, Chris Egan, Martin Bonventre, and Erin Victoria Axtel. The group has also collaborated with architect Joseph Vescio and actor/director Justin Bartha in the past.[19]

Machinegum released their debut album Conduit in December 2019.[19] Released on Frenchkiss Records, the group later signed to the record label in February 2020.[20]

Collaborations

Moretti was also part of a project, Megapuss, with Devendra Banhart, Gregory Rogove and Noah Georgeson in 2008.[21][22] Moretti has played drums for Neon Neon, on their track "Dream Cars", from Stainless Style. He has also co-written "Prisoner", from Har Mar Superstar's album Bye Bye 17 with Devendra Banhart, Rodrigo Amarante. Moretti also played on Kesha's 2012 song "Only Wanna Dance With You", together with bandmate Julian Casablancas.[23][24]

Personal life

Moretti is an enthusiastic visual artist and enjoys drawing.[25] He has created an art installation for Rag + Bone and showcased his drawings in New York.[26][27] He has also worked on artistic project FUZLAB with French cartoonist Luz in 2012.[28][29] In December 2019, Moretti collaborated with Italian art dealer Fabrizio Moretti to present the exhibit Fabrizio Moretti x Fabrizio Moretti In Passing at Sotheby's in New York City. The latter Moretti curated a collection of Old Master paintings and the former conceptualized the interactive exhibit.[30]

Despite living in the country from a young age, Moretti is not currently a U.S. Citizen, and is instead a citizen of his father's country of origin, Italy.[31][2] Moretti is fluent in Portuguese, the language of his family, who live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Relationships

In the 2000s, Moretti was in a highly publicized relationship with actress Drew Barrymore. The two dated on-and-off from 2002 until 2007.[32][33] Moretti has become progressively more private since this time. In 2007, he dated actress Kirsten Dunst.[34] From late 2011 to 2013, actress Kristen Wiig and Moretti dated.[35][36]

Equipment

Drums Moretti uses Ludwig Red Vistalite limited edition drums, Zildjian cymbals and Ahead sticks.[37][38]

22"x14" Kick, 13"x9" Rack tom, 16"x16" Floor tom, 14x5" Ludwig LM400 Supra-Phonic Snare Drum.

14" A New Beat Hi-Hats, 22" A Custom Ride, 20" A Custom Crash.

References
  1. "Irmão de baterista do Strokes trocou o rock por vida 'certinha' no Rio". globo.com (in Portuguese). December 3, 2008.
  2. McLean, Craig (October 9, 2003). "Second coming". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235.
  3. "Anglo-American 1993". Issuu.
  4. Eliscu, Jenny (April 11, 2002). "The Making of the Strokes". Rolling Stone.
  5. DeRogatis, Jim (May 12, 2004). "Fabrizio Moretti of The Strokes | Modern Drummer Magazine". Modern Drummer Magazine. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  6. "The Strokes' Fabrizio Moretti Makes His Move For Interactive Art". Billboard. October 31, 2013.
  7. "Fabrizio Moretti: This Is The Strokes". DRUM! Magazine. February 2001. I was around 14 when we started writing songs together, but it was never a band, we just hung out and wrote songs
  8. Smyth, Cody (October 10, 2017). The Strokes. Lesser Gods. ISBN 9781944713171.
  9. Goodman, Lizzy (August 1, 2017). Meet Me in the Bathroom: Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City 2001–2011. Faber & Faber. ISBN 9780571337996.
  10. Robinson, John (June 28, 2001). "Interview: The Strokes". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077.
  11. "The Strokes Ink Deal With RCA". Billboard. April 13, 2001.
  12. Roffman, Michael. "The Strokes Wipe the Slate Clean on Comedown Machine". Time. ISSN 0040-781X.
  13. "The Strokes Are Back: Hear Their New EP 'Future Present Past'". Billboard.
  14. Halperin, Shirley (August 18, 2008). "Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti talks Little Joy". EW.com.
  15. Dansby, Andrew (November 26, 2008). "Little Joy emerges as musicians' friendship blossoms". Houston Chronicle.
  16. Williams, Kyle (December 12, 2008). "Interview: Little Joy, Part 1 « American Songwriter". American Songwriter.
  17. "Machine Gum @ Baby's All Right in Brooklyn on 08/28/2018". Oh My Rockness. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  18. "Stream The Debut Album From Fab Moretti's New Project Machinegum". Stereogum. December 10, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  19. "Stream The Debut Album From Fab Moretti's New Project Machinegum". Stereogum. December 10, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  20. "MACHINEGUM SIGNS TO FRENCHKISS RECORDS, FAB MORETTI TALKS ABOUT NYC ART EXHIBIT/PERFORMANCE + NEW LP VIA CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND". Frenchkiss Records. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  21. "Devendra Banhart and Strokes man debut side projects in LA - NME". NME. September 26, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  22. "David Cross Talks with Jean Grae and Fabrizio Moretti (The Strokes) for the Talkhouse Podcast". Talkhouse. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  23. "Ke$ha on Playing With Strokes, Loving Cults, and Beard Porn". Spin. November 21, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  24. "Q&A: Ke$ha on Bringing 'Balls and Irreverence' to Pop". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  25. "Dialogue with Fabrizio Moretti". The Norfolk Daily News. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  26. "Fab Moretti of The Strokes has an Art Installation on an NYC Street". Noisey. October 7, 2013.
  27. Meacham, Rose (June 8, 2010). "Opening Tonight: A Ways a Way". GQ. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  28. "Fabrizio Moretti, de The Strokes à Fuzlab / Maelström magazine". Maelström Magazine (in French). January 29, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  29. "Fabrizio of FUZLAB". Posca Life Custom. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  30. Izon, Juliet. "How Two Fabrizio Morettis Created One of New York's Most Unusual Art Auctions". Architectural Digest. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  31. "US Public Copyright Catalogue". US Public Copyright Catalogue. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  32. Phull, Hardeep (May 26, 2017). "The inside story of the band that defined the 2000s". New York Post. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  33. "Drew Barrymore, Fabrizio Moretti Split!". Spin. January 10, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  34. "Sightings: Kirsten Dunst Does Dinner With an Ex". E! Online. December 2008. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  35. Connelly, Chris (July 10, 2012). "Kristen Wiig: Riot Girl". Marie Claire. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  36. "Kristen Wiig's New Romance Is 'Wacky And Incestuous'?". HuffPost. December 18, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  37. "Fabrizio Moretti's Stup-up?". Pearl Drummers Forum
  38. "Full drum setup at zildjian.com". Full drum setup at zildjian.com
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