Interview with Joe Di Taranto of Warmachine by Daniel Ryan

Interview with Joe Di Taranto of Warmachine by Daniel Ryan

How long have you been making music for?

Well I started Warmachine when I was 12/13 years old. So it's been almost 30 years now.

What is your favorite instrument to play on?

For a time, I was really enjoying playing drums quite a bit. But something happened probably about 9 years ago where I fell in love all over again with my main instrument, guitar! I became completely obsessed with playing, collecting and repairing/modifying guitars. It's been pretty much all I think about to this day.

What acts have you played with before if any?

Only 2 bands so far. My band Warmachine which I mentioned that I started when I was about 12 or 13 years old and it was the only band I was ever in, up until joining Sandman (Metallica Tribute Officially Licensed by Metallica) back in 2015.

If you had to lay out all the bands in order you played in as a timeline what would they be?

That's easy...Warmachine (1993 to Present) & Sandman (2015 to Present).

What is the coolest experience you have had as a musician?

That's a hard question, as there's been so many cool experiences I've had as a musician. Working with Megadeth and being signed by them to their record label back in 2002 and then later working with David Ellefson (original Megadeth Bassist) on Warmachine's debut album "The Beginning of The End". David really took an interest in us and ended up co-producing that album (along with our long-time producer Murray Daigle), and even played bass on the album.

Another great experience that comes to mind was touring the U.S. with W.A.S.P. back in 2010. Those guys really took us under their wing and became family to us to this day.

What inspires you to keep doing what you do?

It was my dream as a kid to be able to play music for a living and it's still my inspiration. A lot of that inspiration comes from gratitude for being able to play guitar, sing and write music and then tour all over the world. The creative process is very fulfilling as is performing live. Those two aspects of this lifestyle really keep me inspired.

If you had to name some influences what would they be?

I definitely have many influences. But my main two would be Queen and Megadeth. After that, I'd have to mention Extreme, Carcass and Ozzy Osbourne/Randy Rhoads. Queen really inspired me to start writing my own songs and Megadeth really influenced the way I write, musically.

What is your favorite moments about recording for your latest album?

Well the album that we are currently working on has been taking quite a long time to write and record. We've really taken our time with it and I think it's turning out to be a very diverse, deep record. We've all matured over the years between our last album "Left For Dead" and now, and have improved quite a lot as musicians. So that's made the songs much more interesting musically and at times, more technical and heavy than some of our previous work. I can't pin down any specific moments about recording as the whole process is always super fun and enjoyable. I just really enjoy the creative process and seeing the songs we write come to fruition.

What’s life like doing gigs and shows for people? Do you enjoy it or do you like being in the studio more?

I love both. Being in the studio is really exciting and creative. It's a really fun and inspiring environment. Seeing our songs come to life and take shape into what I'm hearing in my head is very satisfying. The studio can inspire you to take some really cool twists and turns in the spur of the moment that you may not have expected. But when it all comes together, it’s an incredible and prideful feeling. Playing those songs on stage for people is the reward for all the hard work you just did in the studio writing and recording. Now you get the privilege of seeing people reacting to and hopefully enjoying the music you created, which is another amazing feeling that I'm very grateful to be able to experience.

To sum up this interview which website can we find your latest music and any shout outs to anyone for the readers of Asphyxium zine?

We'd just like to say thank you to all your readers out there and we hope to see you all on the road real soon!

You can find us via our Facebook (http://facebook.com/WarmachineCAN),

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/warmachinecan/)

Twitter/X (https://x.com/WarmachineCAN)

YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@WarmachineCAN)

You can also find us on Spotify & Amazon.

-Daniel Ryan