Joe Barresi (nicknamed "Evil Joe") is an Americanrecord engineer andproducer who has worked withKyuss,The Melvins,Tool,Chevelle,Apocalyptica,Queens of the Stone Age,[1]Coheed and Cambria,Tomahawk,L7,The Jesus Lizard,Parkway Drive,New Model Army,Bad Religion,Pennywise,Judas Priest,Soundgarden,Stam1na,Weezer,Avenged Sevenfold,Nine Inch Nails, andSlipknot.[2][3]
Joe Barresi started playingguitar when he was seven, and played in local bands in and around his home inNew York City andFlorida. He studiedclassical guitar andmusic theory at theUniversity of South Florida before graduating from theUniversity of Miami, where he also studiedpiano and music engineering.[4] As a student, Barresi began recording and developing local bands inMiami.
After graduating from college, Barresi moved toLos Angeles and began working his way up the ladder by working at numerous local studios—a move that helped him gain an understanding of the different consoles, rooms and clientele at the various studios.[5] His first big break came when he engineered a demo for producerGGGarth Richardson. He went on to work with a number of well-respected producers includingDavid Kahne,Michael Beinhorn,Rob Cavallo andSylvia Massy.
Barresi has mixed tracks forMonster Magnet,Fair to Midland,Hole,Veruca Salt,Weezer,Rancid,Bauhaus,Anthrax,Skunk Anansie, andAlpha Galates.[6]
Eventually Barresi gained enough experience and insight that he began producing records. He has produced or co-produced tracks forClutch,Buckcherry,Fu Manchu,Loudmouth,The Melvins,L7 and others. He also produced the debut album byQueens of the Stone Age which, at the time, did not have a record deal.[7] That album was eventually released by indie labelLoose Groove. The self-titled album garnered attention from press, and the band soon landed a deal withInterscope Records. Barresi then engineered and mixed theTool album10,000 Days,[8] a job he received after a recommendation fromBuzz Osborne ofThe Melvins[9] In 2011, he worked with the bandStam1na in Finland. Barresi engineered and mixed Tool's 2019 albumFear Inoculum[10][11][12][13]
Today Joe Barresi has his own home studio JHOC (Joe's House of Compression) and is famous for developing certain recording techniques.[14]
