Quick Facts
Biography
Fabrizio Moretti (born June 2, 1980) is an Italian Brazilian musician best known as the drummer for American indie rock band The Strokes. Fabrizio's side project with Rodrigo Amarante of Los Hermanos and Binki Shapiro, entitled Little Joy debuted on Rough Trade Records. He created another short side project, Megapuss, with Devendra Banhart, Gregory Rogove and Noah Georgeson, and has played drums for Neon Neon, on their track "Dream Cars", from Stainless Style, Devendra Banhart, Rodrigo Amarante, and Har Mar Superstar, whose track "Prisoner", from Bye Bye 17, he also co-wrote.
Early life
Moretti was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to an Italian father and a Brazilian mother. He and his family moved to New York City when he was three years old, 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, which later merged with the Dwight School with fellow band members Nick Valensi and Julian Casablancas. He attended university at SUNY New Paltz before dropping out due to focus on his music career with The Strokes.
Little Joy
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. 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. Little Joy was signed to Rough Trade Records label.
Quotes
"It's so easy for people to jump to the wrong conclusions when they've only heard one three song EP. While we are really appreciative of some of the comparisons we have been given, it is not the full picture. Hopefully when the album comes out people will realize it isn't just some New York thing and that it is a lot more universal than that."
"I love music, but it is songs, bands, and albums that excite me rather than a specific drummer's style."
Personal life
In 2006, the drummer earned a full-page love message in an American newspaper made by his ex-girlfriend Drew Barrymore. Fabrizio dated Drew for five years from 2002 to January 2007, the year he went on to date Binki Shapiro, as well as an affair with actress Kirsten Dunst. He also dated actress Kristen Wiig until 2013. Moretti has a brother four years older, Leo Moretti, since 2016 is part of the band Kid le Chat.
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. In an interview, Moretti once stated that he believes, "marriage is not anything that will secure the future of your relationship." He is an enthusiastic visual artist; multiple examples of his artwork at The Strokes' website, including a portrait of bandmate Nick Valensi. Moretti is fluent in Portuguese, the language of his family, who live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where he visits them twice a year.
Equipment
Drums
Fabrizio uses Ludwig Red Vistalite limited edition drums, Zildjian cymbals and Ahead sticks.
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.