You unveiled your solo debut 'Under The Blood' in June 2018. Was that a long time coming getting your solo career going?
JOE : You could say that. I've always been the primary songwriter in the bands that I played in, so when I was started to work on putting together my home studio it was just a natural progression. It really gave me the freedom to do things on my own terms and my own time without waiting around on other people, which is a pain in the ass for someone like me. The production isn't great on 'Under The Blood', but it was a decent first step to learning how things work in a frequency sense, how sounds work together, or don't work. Each recording was really a learning curve. I'm still learning, I feel I've come a long way in my playing as well as producing, but it's a long climb.
The first 6 or so releases were all distinctly different in styles from each other, but then you veered into a more linear path. Was it intentional to get all the different ideas out before focusing on a solid shape of your music? Or did it all happen naturally?
JOE : Everything I do is organic. I've never really wanted to be boxed into one particular sound or style, which is difficult from a marketing standpoint. People tend to like to be able label things, so if one release is rock or pop and your next is industrial or black metal or Prog metal, they aren't sure what to make of it, especially when I release everything under my name and not a different "project" title. So you get people only wanting one style from you that they prefer. Same as being a guitarist or vocalist, if they are a blues rock fan, that's all they want to hear from you and slag you if you play technical shred style, or fusion. I'm looking at it from a purely musical perspective, I want to be the best me that I can be, nothing more. I've never really been a " go with what most people expect from you " kinda guy. If that seems selfish then maybe it is, I just can't be any other way and be happy.
You've had a long career before going alone. Tell me a little about it.
JOE : I started playing when I was 7 years old, but didn't really decide I wanted to stick with it until I was around 12. I was starting high school but playing bars I was legally not old enough to be in on the weekends. And growing up in the rural south I wasn't exactly accepted or supported, and having access to a life that my classmates didn't made me a bit of a target. So after dealing with daily fights and being told to conform from so called teachers, I left school at 15 and immediately started touring with cover bands. I did that until I was 17. Then I joined Atlanta band Nihilist and started writing and playing original music. We were featured on Metal Blade Records Metal Massacre 10.We were immediately opening for majors like Danzig, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Testament, Overkill, Carcass, etc. But other than being a big local act we never broke out elsewhere, so after 10 years I called it a day. After that I just did day jobs for a couple of years, then I decided to get back into playing, so I started a roots rock band called Mezzanine. We put out an album on Buzzville Records based in Belgium. That was the first album I wrote and recorded myself, total old school, straight to tape, no Pro Tools or modern methods. Tried to tour the record, with no tour support or money, so everyone jumped ship pretty quickly. Then after a few failed attempts I put together Volume IV. Which pretty much carbon copied Mezzanine, same circumstances to the letter. That's when I decided I wanted to dedicate myself to focusing on being a better guitarist and musician, I cringe when I listen to early stuff I played. I'm much closer to my goal now, I feel like I wasted time and I'm trying hard to make up for it.
When you first started out, did you have a set plan on what to accomplish? If so, has it turned out as planned or has there been major changes along the way?
JOE: I didn't have a set plan. Young and green. I've seen some amazing things and learned some hard lessons. Nothing goes as planned but that's not always a bad thing. It all depends on what you're in it for. You have to decide what is important to you, what success is to you. I've seen fame do some weird shit to people and I've seen people who do weird shit to be associated with someone once they are on the fame train. I just separated myself from that whole part of it. Being a fan and being a fanboy are totally different. If you gauge someone's worth on how popular they are then that says more about you than them.
When you had Volume IV there were certain parts, semi-acoustic parts, deeply steeped in southern darkness that I absolutely love. Is that a direction you've considered venturing onto?
JOE: Thank you. I love acoustic music. I naturally gravitate to darker themes, I don't know why, I guess I've seen so much of it and I just reflect it back. Some of the worst humans I've known give the world that righteous face, so I'm always wary and skeptical of people who make it a point to show you how charitable and generous they are. It's like " what are they hiding " ?
I would consider an acoustic album if I can do it right. As far as the southern part I don't know. I'm southern by birth not by choice and my experience has been less than stellar. Atlanta is southern only by geography, most people there are from other parts of the States, you're hard pressed to find a person with a drawl even. The rest of the state is where the real south is. I grew up around racism, rednecks, god and guns, confederate flags south, ATL is no different than NYC to them. I do admit I get a chuckle out of watching that mindset die out and as they desperately cling to that repulsive ideology of willful ignorance and hatred.
Do you work only on your on music or do you do session work for others?
JOE : Both. Sometimes it's a credited session, sometimes I get paid to play parts and sign NDA's because it's a band situation and they don't want it known that someone outside the band had to cover the parts.
Are you planning on getting a touring band together to play music from your solo work?
JOE: At the moment no. Firstly, finding players that can handle the material isn't easy, plus it all comes down to money. I'm always the one taking the risk, and usually that outweighs the reward. I actually do better recording and not touring because I don't have to pay anyone and the overhead is low.I love playing live and would like to get out there , even if it's a hired gun position in a band I like. But it's just not practical. Honestly my last 2 bands put me in a major financial strain, everyone else got to walk away ( me being the asshole of course ) and I lost all my investments and was left holding the bag. So I will never put myself in that situation again.
You struck exclusive deals with both Bad Cat Instruments and Black Arts Tonework. How did those deals come about?
JOE: A mutual friend introduced me to Mark at Black Arts Tonework. I went and hung out with him and bought a couple of pedals. After that he started asking me to test products and prototypes, he likes my playing and we are both huge Uli Jon Roth fans so we hit it off pretty well. He's a great guy and a straight shooter and I really appreciate his support.
Bad Cat Instruments was kind of a fluke. I bought a build kit off of Amazon and really liked it. I did some videos and they approached me with an endorsement offer. I'm not sure where they are at the moment, I think they may be changing their brand for the USA market, I can't really speak for them. But the guitars they send me are quality and stand with any Gibson or Fender I own. They sell at a third of the price, so if you can get past that it's about quality and not the name on the headstock you can save yourself a ton of money. I have no problem going with smaller companies, they usually pay more attention to the small details in my opinion.
The drums on all your releases so far are programmed. You are one of very few musicians/artists, regardless the style of music, who seemingly put a lot of time and effort into programming. What I mean is they sound fantastic, like you have a real drummer, whereas most people utilize a very basic approach and subsequently, the drums sound awful.
JOE: Thanks again. I have zero talent when it comes to actually playing drums but I know how to think like a drummer. My first few EPs / albums were a bit sterile in the drum department, but once I got my head around the technology it became more realistic. Like everything else the software has come a long way from the crappy electronic drum machines from back in the day. The sounds are actual drums and can sound very human. The biggest mistake is making loops with the same exact hits and beats and fills. Real drummers don't play like that. So I'm very mindful to place different velocity on the kick and snare and hi hats and change the fills up, even if it's the same type of fill I will change it up like a real drummer would. Plus, I never snap to the grid, if you run a click track to my songs they will go in and out of the click ever so slightly so things speed up and slow down in a very human way. Some people go out of their way to make the drums sound mechanical, that's just not my thing, unless I'm going for an EDM or Industrial sound, then it's kind of a given. I'm trying to use the tools at hand the best way I know how. I'm not a purist or a snob, studio trickery has been employed since it's invention, Elvis, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, etc. It's just less work now. But admittedly it's a double edged sword, it should showcase the talent not be used as a tool for the lack of it.
You do everything yourself on all recordings, any plans on bringing in other people to help out?
JOE: Absolutely! I just did a track on my new album coming out in January 2023. My former Nihilist vocalist and friend Zak Price laid down a vocal track that took me back to our younger days.
You can bet there will be a project coming very soon.
I have added some tracks on his material as well, it's heavy Drum & Bass music. It's phenomenal and a pleasure to reunite with him. He and myself wrote all the Nihilist material so it was like picking up right where we left off.
I'm keeping and open mind and heart.
- Swedebeast