Welcome to the Official Joel Maitoza Website

 

Since my work with the funk/soul/metal band 24-7 SPYZ ended in the late 1990's, I've been busy doing a lot of recording sessions and produced a few albums for some bands around the Southern California area with some great up and coming talent. From 2001 until 2006, I was managing the groove/thrash metal band BRICK BATH on Pavement Records/Crash Music (distributed by Caroline). They have recorded and released three CDs worldwide on the Crash Music label (I Won't Live the Lie, Rebuilt and American Currency). In 2007 I started working with the national rock/metal act Itis who just released their 11th CD titled Exit 420.

For more info on Joel Maitoza, check out his MySpace pages at:

http://www.myspace.com/joelspy

http://www.myspace.com/joelmaitoza

 

***NEWS UPDATES***

 

July 2nd, 2008

 

Hey everyone,

 

I just did another fairly extensive interview with writer Bruce Moore for a cool drumming website called Sick Drummer.com. You can view it from this link here:

 

http://www.sickdrummer.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=910&Itemid=578

 

Just found out that the 24-7 Spyz track Yeah X3 from Heavy Metal Soul by the Pound is featured in the Activision video game True Crime - New York City for Playstation 2, X-Box and Gamecube.

 

The 24-7 Spyz reunion show in Atlanta that was originally schedualed in June has been pushed back to August with a possibility of more dates being added. The band is currently in talks with promoters in Seattle, WA, Portland, OR and Toronto, Canada as well as a few other territories for possible gigs this summer/fall. As soon as I have the dates confirmed, I’ll post them here.

 

Peace,

JOEL

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May 9th, 2008

 

Hi all,

 

So I had a laid back birthday in April. No wild parties this year. Thanks to everyone who sent me birthday greetings. You rock!

 

It's official, I will be playing a 24-7 SPYZ one-off reunion show in Atlanta on June 27th. Should have venue and ticket info soon. Gonna be a blast so come out if you can. I know of a few people I have talked to on the phone that are flying out from CA just to see this show!

 

I'm also now being represented by Ronald S. Bienstock who has offices in New York and New Jersey. He has worked with many top name artists in the industry and has always been there when I've needed him. Here is a link to the firms artist page: http://www.musicesq.com/mainclients.htm

 

Been busy booking sessions for the summer. Looks like I will be producing a demo for a hot new metal act out of San Diego, CA called WarSaw. I will also be wrapping up vocal tracks for James Lloyd and start mixing his CD at GoldenTrack. I have been asked to do some interviews for a few webzines and magazines this month so as soon as they get published I'll let everyone know.

 

Itis is doing great on their college radio campaign and have been added to over 100 stations nationwide. The band is still on tour in support of their new CD Exit 420.

 

My buddy Nate has been playing drums on the new MTV show Rock the Cradle. Check it out if you get a chance. He's a ripper!

 

I'm off to Cabo Wabo for a little R&R.

See you next month...

 

March 25th, 2008

Been busy in the studio producing vocal tracks for the debut James Lloyd CD.

The new ITIS CD titled Exit 420 is being worked to 350 college radio stations nationwide starting on April 14th by the Planetary Group so call your local station and request them.

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February 3rd, 2008

Hey there everyone…

 

Had a great time at NAMM this year. My buddy Craig from –itis flew in from Colorado so we got to hang out most of the day on Saturday. Met Richard from the TV show Survivor (yeah…the guy with the big beard). Nice dude. Also saw my bro Nate and the Rockstar TV show house band play a couple times. What a monster on drums! Also got a chance to catch up with Dug from King's X, Tony MacAlpine, Wes B. (ex-Limp B.), Paulie from Stringmasters (hope you are feelin' better bro), Greg Rupp, Traa from POD (we gonna do some shit!), Marty F., James from Crown 10/New Day Mile, Dan from Carvin, everyone at Basson and a ton of other friends who I haven't seen is a couple of years. Glad we had a chance to talk and hang out.

 

I'm also in talks with a drum company that was very interested in doing a new endorsement deal with me and made me feel right at home. Hope to meet with them in the weeks to come and make an official announcement soon! Also thanks so much to my Paiste family who have taken such good care of me over the past 20 years as an endorser. Thanks to Vater drumsticks for always being cool to me as well.

Back to the studio on Monday to start working with James Lloyd on his vocal tracks!

 

Peace,

Joel

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January 13th, 2008 

So NAMM show time has come around again and I just received my badge in the mail from Paiste cymbals. I’m happy and bummed at the same time this year.

 

Happy because my good friend Craig Soderberg (former guitarist from my solo project SHOCKHEAD and currently in –ITIS) is flying out from CO and is gonna hang with me along with Nate Morten from the Rockstar Supernova TV series (who also just returned home after playing some dates in Europe with Pink). I’m also planning on seeing a bunch of people that I haven’t seen in a while. NAMM has become more of a social/networking thing. A time to catch up with everyone you haven’t seen all year long and to let each other know what yer up to.

 

I will be hanging out in most of my regular spots…TAMA Drums, Paiste Cymbals and Vater Drumsticks. I have to make a trip by DW to meet a special someone at some point.

 

On the other side of the coin, I’m bummed that Christophe wont be flying in from France this year, but I know he is busy at home doing pre-production work for the CD we will be doing together and that’s more important!

 

I plan on being at NAMM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and then I have a full plate as soon as I get home. I will be back in the studio working on vocal tracks with James from Seattle and then I will be tracking drums for a reggae artist flying in from Hawaii which will keep me in the studio for the rest of the month.

 

I’ve also been very busy promoting the band –itis (www.myspace.com/itisrocks and www.itisrocks.com). The band has hired my to do PR for them and I sent out their new CD titled Exit 420 to about 100 magazines and E-Zines last week. Also working on having them play a few US festivals this year. They are currently on tour in the US and have about 200 dates lined up so they will be working it hardcore.

 

My new solo album is on hold again until I have some free time to get back on track in the studio. Planning a much needed vacation to Mexico for a week in May so I can recharge my batteries.

 

That's it 4 now...

Joel

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December 17th, 2007

 

After being endorsed with Paiste cymbals since 1987, I recently signed a new contract with the company as a catrgory A list artist which I am very excited about. I will also be added as a featured artist on their website soon which will have my cymbal and drum set up for everyone to check out so you will know exactly what styles and models of Paiste cymbals I'm currently using live and in the studio.

 

I just got done cutting drum and guitar tracks for vocalist/solo artist James Lloyd from Seattle, WA. His style reminds me of Foo Fighters a little. I played drums on 9 songs and  Jonathan Moffett (drummer for Madonna, Elton John and Janet Jackson among many others) played on the other three. Tracking vocals now so we hope to be in mix mode by January.

 

I've also been working with producer/engineer guru Steve Wetherbee at GoldenTrack Studios. I'm pround to announce that I will be a part of the staff there at the studio as a full time session musician and producer for new projects. Check out the studios website at www.goldentrackstudio.com

 I’m still writing for my new solo project CD. I have always wanted to record an all-star album with a bunch of special guest musicians, so I have called on a bunch of friends from over the years to come jam on some of the songs. Just trying to figure out who’s gonna play what solos and such since I would love for them to play on the whole damn thing ya know?

I’ve also been in talks with instrumental guitar virtuoso Christophe Godin from France.  We are currently working on his new solo CD together titled Metal Kartoon II and hope to have it out by early 2008.

24-7 SPYZ: Spyz have a brand new DVD out that goes over the whole history of the band and includes all the bands videos as well as interviews and live clips. In late 2006, Strength in Numbers and This is…24-7 Spyz was combined into one CD and re-released on the Wounded Bird label.