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Joe Barresi

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Joe Barresi has produced, engineered and mixed some of the most important hard rock, metal and punk bands of the last 15 years including Tool, Queens Of The Stone Age, Bad Religion, The Melvins, Skunk Anansie, Turbonegro and Clutch.

Although widely respected for his abilities as an engineer (one writer wrote "If you don't generally think of sound production as an art form, you don't know Joe Barresi"), Joe is first and foremost a musician. He started playing guitar when he was 7, and played in local bands in New York and in Florida. He studied classical guitar, piano and music theory at the University of South Florida and the University of Miami. Joe also studied engineering, and spent hundreds of hours recording local bands, developing a patience and understanding for what goes on in the studio.

A trip to the West Coast inspired Joe to move to Los Angeles where he began working his way up the ladder by assisting at numerous local studios. In time, he engineered for many well-respected producers including David Kahne, Michael Beinhorn and GGGarth Richardson, and gained a reputation for getting great sounds, particularly with guitars and drums.

Soon Joe was producing and mixing records on his own. He produced, recorded and mixed the debut album for the newly formed Queens Of The Stone Age, which was unsigned at the time. The self-titled album was eventually released by indie label Loose Groove, and garnered lots of attention from press (Rolling Stone named Queens Of The Stone Age one of the ten most important hard & heavy bands of the year) and alternative radio (including KROQ) -- all of which landed the band a deal with Interscope Records.

Over the years, Joe has consistently worked with quality artists and made some of their more seminal records -- Weezer "Pinkerton," Melvins "Stoner Witch" and the Queens Of The Stone Age debut, to name a few. His discography reflects his impeccable ear for great rock music.

In 2008, Joe set up his own studio. Check out pictures here.

P=produced
CP=coproduced
E=engineered
M=mixed

Some highlights from Joe's career include:

› Tool - 10,000 Days (E-M)
       One of the Top 50 Albums of 2006 - Rolling Stone
     #1 debut on Billboard Top 200 in US and Europe
       sold over 564,000 copies in the first week
       over 1 million copies sold in the first 7 weeks
       nominated for 2 Grammys (2006)
       Platinum in US & Canada
     first single "Vicarious" debuted at:
       #4 on R&R Alternative chart
       #2 on Billboard Modern Rock chart
       #3 on Billboard Mainstream Rock chart
     including "The Pot"
       #1 on Billboard Mainstream Rock chart

› Enslaved - Vertebrae (M)
       #1 Album of 2008 - Terrorizer Magazine
       One of the Top 20 Albums of 2008 - Kerrang! Magazine
       #11 on Billboard's Hard Music chart
       Norwegian Grammy Winner - "Best Metal Album"(2008)

› Keren Ann - self-titled (M)
        album debuted at #13 in France
        Billboard deems "Lay Your Head Down" as the best recording she's ever made
        "One of the year's loveliest pop-rock albums" (Artist Direct)

› Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies To Paralyze(CP-E-M)
       #1 Rock Album in the UK
       #1 Rock Single in the UK ("Little Sister")
       #5 debut on the Billboard Top 200
       One of the Top 50 Albums of 2005 - Rolling Stone
       Gold in UK and Canada

› Audrey Horne - No Hay Banda (CP-M)
Norwegian Grammy Winner (2006)

› Rancid - "Fall Back Down" from Indestructible (M)
as well as "Start Now"
#15 on the Billboard 200 (making it their highest ranking album to date)

› Bad Religion - The Empire Strikes First (E-M)
     including the hit single "Los Angeles Is Burning"
      #2 Top Independent Album - Billboard (2004)
     "Los Angeles Is Burning" album & single made Top 40 of Billboard's Top 200 and
       Modern Rock charts, making this their best chart-placing work to date

› Skunk Anansie - Stoosh (M)
      over 2 million copies sold in Europe
      Platinum in the UK and Italy
      Gold in Germany, Sweden, Switzerland

› Turbonegro - Scandinavian Leather (M)
Norwegian Grammy winner "Best Rock Album" (2003)
Alarm Award winner "Best Rock Album" (2004)

› Backyard Babies - Stockholm Syndrome (P-E-M)
Gold in Sweden

› Queens of the Stone Age - their self-titled debut album (CP-E-M)
"One of the 10 most important Hard & Heavy Bands" - Rolling Stone

Selected PRODUCTION / MIX credits

- Isis - Wavering Radiant (Ipecac) (P-E-M)
- Jane's Addiction - "Chip Away" and "Whores" from the NIN/JA EP (AE-M)
- Death Race - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Intrada) (M)
- Disciple - Southern Hospitality (Columbia) (M)
- Satyricon - The Age of Nero (Roadrunner) (E-M)
- Enslaved - Vertebrae (Indie) (M)
- Xavier Rudd - Dark Shades of Blue (Anti-/Epitaph) (M)
    #5 debut in AUS
- Bad Religion - deluxe reissue of New Maps of Hell (Epitaph) (M)
- Braintoy - Vehicles (Universal CAN) (M)
- Pearl - self-titled EP feat. Scott Ian, Jerry Cantrell, Ted Nugent and Mother Superior (P-E-M)
- Alpha Galates (fka The Hollow) - A Stimulus For Reason (EMI) (M)
- Saviours - Into Abaddon (Kemado Records) (P-E-M)
- Puscifer - "Cuntry Boner" and "Queen B" from V is for Vagina (Puscifer Ent) (M)
    and flamenco guitar on "The Undertaker"
    #1 on Top Independent Albums
     #25 on The Billboard 200
- Clutch - "King of Arizona" (Ferret Music) (P-E-M)
     from Bam Margera Presents: Viva La Bands, Vol. 2
- Minus - The Great Northern Whalekill (Smekkleysa) (P-E)
- Bad Religion - New Maps of Hell (Epitaph) (P-E-M)
     album debuted at #9 in the UK
     #3 Top Independent Album
- Keren Ann - self-titled (Metro Blue) (M)
- Queens of the Stone Age - "Make It Wit Chu" from Era Vulgaris (Interscope) (M)
     #1 at Canadian Rock National Radio
     album debuted at: #5 in Canada
                                       #9 at United World Chart
                                     #14 on Billboard's Top 200
- Clutch - From Beale Street to Oblivion (DRT) (P-E-M)
     #4 Top Independent Album
- The Royal Highness - La Mancha (Copenhagen) (M)
- The Zico Chain - self-titled debut album (Hassle) (P-E-M)
- Disciple - Scars Remain (SRE/Columbia) (M)
     #1 debut on Billboard Top Heatseekers
     Dove Award Winner "Rock Album of the Year" (2008)
- Tool - 10,000 Days (Volcano) (E-M) Platinum
- Juliana Theory - Deadbeat Sweetheart (Abacus) (M)
- The Special Goodness - forthcoming album (Epitaph) (M)
- Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies To Paralyze (Interscope) (CP-E-M)
- Raging Speedhorn - How The Great Have Fallen (SPV) (M)
- Audrey Horne - No Hay Banda (Tuba) (CP-M)
- Bad Religion - The Empire Strikes First (Epitaph) (E-M)
- The Exies - several tracks from Head For The Door (Virgin) (M)
- Amen - 3 songs from Death Before Musick (Columbia) (M)
- Millionaire - Paradisiac (PIAS) (M)
- McQueen - Break The Silence (Demolition) (M)
- Rancid - "Fall Back Down," & "Start Now" from Indestructible (Warner Bros.) (M)
- The Matches - E. Von Dahl Killed The Locals (Epitaph) (M)
- The Special Goodness - Land, Air, Sea (Epitaph) (M)
- Matchbook Romance - Stories & Alibis (Epitaph) (P-E-M)
- Turbonegro - Scandinavian Leather (Burning Heart Records) (M)
- Backyard Babies - Stockholm Syndrome (BMG/Sweden) (P-E-M)
- Tomahawk - Mit Gas (Ipecac Records) (P-E-M)
- Powerman 5000 - Transform (Dreamworks) (P-E)
- Raging Speedhorn - We Will Be Dead Tomorrow (ZTT) (P-E-M)
- Queens of the Stone Age - self titled debut (Loose Groove) (CP-E-M)
     named one of the 10 Most Important Hard & Heavy Bands by Rolling Stone
- Pennywise - Land Of The Free? (Epitaph) (P-E-M)
- Loudermilk - The Red Record (Dreamworks) (AP-E)
- L7 - The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum (Reprise) (CP-E)
- L7 - several tracks from Hungry For Stink (Reprise) (E-M)
- Kyuss - Blues for the Red Sun (Chameleon/Elektra) (E-M)
- Kyuss - Welcome to Sky Valley (Elektra) (E-M)
- Halfcocked - "Bad Reputation" from the Shrek soundtrack (Dreamworks) (P-E-M)
- Melissa Auf Der Maur - Auf Der Maur (EMI) (CP-E)
- The High Speed Scene - The High Speed Scene (Startrack Records) (E-M)
- Buckcherry - "Alone" from the Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack (Hollywood) (P-E)
- Fu Manchu - King Of The Road (Mammoth) (P-E-M)
- Fu Manchu - The Action Is Go (Mammoth) (M)
- American Pearl - "Automatic Pearl" from the Scream 3 soundtrack (Wind Up) (CP-E)
- Brougham - 3 tracks including "Murked Out" from Le Cock Sportif (Reprise) (CP-E-M)
- Loudmouth - self-titled debut (Hollywood) (P-E)
- Flourescein - "More On" (Geffen) (P-E-M)
- Monster Magnet - "Gimme Danger" from We Will Fall: The Iggy Pop Tribute (Royally) (M)
- Melvins - Stag (Atlantic) (CP-E-M)
- Melvins - Honky (Amphetamine/Reptile) (CP-E-M)
- Melvins - Stoner Witch (Atlantic) (E-M)
- Catherine Wheel - "Spirit of Radio" (Mercury) (P-E-M)
- My Little Funhouse - Blood (Geffen) (P-E-M)
- Skunk Anansie - Stoosh (Epic) (M)
- Fiction Plane - Everything Will Never Be Okay (MCA) (E-M)
- Young Heart Attack - 2 tracks from Mouthful of Love (XL Recordings) (M)
- Reef - several songs from Together, The Best of The Reef (Sony UK) (E-M)
- Lustra - self titled (XOFF) (M)
- Overseer with Nikki Sixx - "Where is God?" (Sony) (M)
- Betty Blowtorch - Are You Man Enough (Foodchain) (M)
- Backyard Babies - Making Enemies Is Good (RCA/UK) (M)
- Hole - "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" & "Drag" (Geffen) (E-M)
- Veruca Salt - Resolver (Beyond) (M)
- Veruca Salt - "Hellraising" & "Disconnected" from See Jane Run soundtrack (M)
- Bauhaus - several tracks from Gotham (Metropolis) (M)
- Bauhaus - "The Dog's A Vapour" from the Heavy Metal 2000 soundtrack (Restless) (E-M)
- Anthrax - "Ball of Confusion" from the Greatest Hits Album (Beyond) (AE-M)
- Anthrax - "Destroyer" from the Twisted Sister Tribute (Koch) (CP-E-M)
- Sick Of It All - Built To Last (EastWest) (M)
- Hal Lovejoy Circus - 3 tracks from American Made (Beyond) (M)
- Psycore - I'm Not One Of Us (V2) (M)
- Tribe of Gypsies - Tribe of Gypsies (JVC) (M)
- The Jesus Lizard - 6 tracks from Blue (Capitol) (M)
- The Jesus Lizard - Shot (Capitol) (M)
- Downset - Do We Speak A Dead Language? (Mercury) (M)
- Sting - VH1 Storytellers (A&M) (M)
- Homie - American Girls from the Meet the Deedles Soundtrack (Mercury) (E-M)
- Suicide Machines - The Least Worst of the Suicide Machines (Hollywood) (M)
- Suicide Machines - Limited Edition Live CD (Hollywood) (E-M)
- The Obsessed - "On The Hunt" from Incarnate: Bonus Tracks (Mia) (E-M)
- Kerbdog - On The Turn (Mercury) (M)
- Surgery - Shimmer (Atlantic) (E-M)
- Dimestore Hoods - "Smile Now" and "War Machine" (M)
- Puya - "Tirale" from the Heavy Metal 2000 Soundtrack (Restless) (M)

Selected ENGINEERING credits

- Taking Back Sunday - forthcoming album 'New Again' (Warner Bros.) (E)
- Weezer - Pinkerton (Geffen) (E)
- Kyuss - ... And the Circus Leaves Town (Elektra) (E)
- Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution (Epic) (E)
- Lost Prophets - Burn Burn (Visible Noise) (AE)
- Spearhead - Everyone Deserves Music (iMUSIC) (E)
- Sheryl Crow - "Who Will The Next Fool Be?" for Sun Records tribute album (E)
- Alanis Morissette - "Still" from the Dogma soundtrack (Maverick) (AE)
- Fastball - All The Pain Money Can Buy (Hollywood) (E)
- Hole - Celebrity Skin (Geffen) (AE)

PRESS Links

› Rhino
If you don't generally think of sound production as an art form, you don't know Joe Barresi.
Armed with vintage stomp boxes, a poet's ear, ...

›  Guitar Center
     Joe seamlessly blends the finest analog equipment and traditional recording techniques with
     just the right amount of modern technology. The results are always amazing.

›  Electronic Musician
     An avid gear collector who's especially known for getting great guitar sounds,
     Barresi sleeps, eats, and breathes recording.

P=produced / CP=coproduced / E=engineered / AE=additional engineering / M=mixed

For more information on any of these producers or mixers, contact Frank McDonough at frankATmcdman.com