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Interview
with Joey -
12/28/01
Me: OK first off, congratulations on the success of 'Invitation to the
Dance'.
Joe: Thanks. Hopefully things will really start to pick
up next year. Things are kind of slow right now because our record label
closed down.
Me: What did you want to accomplish most with the release of the album?
Joe: Basically to do the heavy melodic thing correct.
So many bands come out and some I feel but some I don't. I just wanted to
put our skin on it. But hey, we just wanted to make music that people would
connect with. When kids come up to us at shows loving the whole 'Falling
Down' thing, that's what it's all about.
Me: Are you happy with the response that it's gotten so far?
Joe: Yes, we are ecstatic from the response.
Me: What is the meaning behind the title 'Invitation to the Dance' and how
did the cover art come about?
Joe: 'Invitation to the Dance' is our way of inviting
everyone to come check out our style. We got it from a movie. Not telling
which one though. Let's just say you can't get it at Blockbuster. As far
as the cover art goes, that was all Carlos' vision. The guy on the cover
was actually in the 3 Doors Down video, 'Kryptonite'.
Me: Yeah, Carlos was telling me about the cover a couple of weeks ago. What
made you decide to remake 'Falling Down', 'Jonesin'', 'Rejection', and
'Sideshow'?
Joe: Well 'Falling Down' is like the epitome of 40 Below
Summer. There was no way that it wasn't going to make the album. 'Jonesin''
is a sick twisted tale that we just wanted to tell. It's a true story. 'Sideshow'
is like the anthem. It always gets the crowd going. 'Rejection'… I don't
know. It's just a pretty heavy song so it made it.
Me: Sounds cool. I hope that you guys decide to do a remake of 'Faces' someday.
Do you plan on re-releasing the entire 'Side Show Freaks' album sometime
in the future, or just some of the songs off of it?
Joe: No, I don't feel that it would be good. I would
much rather write new music. But I can tell you this… there are parts
of 'Side Show Freaks' in some of the new music that we've written. We wrote
a song that is seven and a half minutes long. I think we have five new songs
so far. We also have a song called 'Rain' that no one has heard
before.
Me: I guess you guys will be ready when it's time for the next record. Any
chance of an 'Endorphins' remake?
Joe: Um, it's definitely a possibility. It's got to be
worked on. Everyone who got it off the computer… enjoy it.
Me: You guys have an awesome live show. Do you do anything to prepare before
going on stage?
Joe: Well we do some stretching. Everyone has they're
own thing. Some of us like to be alone and some of us like to be around a
lot of people. We just try to keep each other in a positive mood. We're goof
balls, you know? We'll just be standing around and occasionally we'll flip
out.
Me: Yeah, you guys have been getting crazier on stage. Do you have a favorite
place to perform?
Joe: It was definitely Birch Hill for a long time before
they lost their liquor license. A lot of people stopped coming because people
want to drink. People in Jersey are still giving up the love, but we got
to find a new place. Any house of blues is also a cool place to play. The
house of blues in Chicago is crazy.
Me: If you could do a tour with any band, dead or alive, who would it be?
Joe: That's a good one. There's a whole bunch of bands
that I would like to tour with. Sevendust… Tool… Incubus…
POD. There are a whole bunch of bands that have records that inspire me.
We play with Head Charge constantly so that's a thrill. Smashing Pumpkins,
Alice in Chains, and possibly Van Halen. Led Zeppelin for Carlos and Queensryche
for Max.
Me: I've been to a lot of your shows and I know you guys meet a lot of fans.
What sort of impression do you think you leave on them?
Joe: It depends. A lot of bands love the energy. We get
it from all of the people out there. The fans give off the fucking craziest
energy. 'Falling Down', that song is special to the people out there and
it's special to us. It's definitely a powerful song to us. I feel like the
people we get are really fans. They are not interested in just one song.
They are the best. They give it back to us.
Me: How would you describe 40 Below's music to someone who has never heard
it before?
Joe: Beautiful, melodic, completely brutal
music.
Me: What do you think separates 40 Below Summer from other bands?
Joe: Without sounding conceded, I would say the musicianship
and the song writing, although I'm inspired by most of the new bands out
there. But we just want to keep doing what we're doing, you know? It's just
the 40 Below Summer sound.
Me: What inspired you to become a musician most and who are some of your
musical influences?
Joe: Definitely my father. He gave me the genes, enabled
me to play without instruction, and taught me that it's the only thing I
can do to enjoy. I can't sit behind a desk or work in a store all day. I
need to be playing music. I can't be like a caged animal. As far as musical
influences go, probably old Smashing Pumpkins, Incubus, Tool, Slipknot. Um…
Candiria, Sevendust, the first Korn record. All we were listening to back
then was death metal until that album came out. Also, older death metal bands
like Suffocation.
Me: Top five albums?
Joe: Uh… Smashing Pumpkins 'Siamese Dream', the
first Korn album, Incubus 'Science', anything by Carmine D'amico, 'Aenima'
by Tool and Faith No More 'Angel Dust'. You can put those last two
together.
Me: I'm a big fan of the first Korn album too. The second one was also really
good. You had mentioned earlier that your record label, London-Sire, closed
down. Do you have any feelings on what happened?
Joe: I feel like it's all good. Somebody else will pick
us up eventually. Things are rolling and our attitude is on the ball. Maybe
we will be signed to someone in the New Year. January or February sometime.
It will probably be better for us with the marketing. I mean, London-Sire
was great… they did a great job. It's not their fault. They've had mostly
electronic acts to begin with, but it's cool. I was really feeling the love
for them and it's a shame. But when one door closes, another one opens. If
you get depressed, it's over.
Me: OK, last question. What is the ultimate goal for 40 Below Summer?
Joe: To basically just be able to keep making records
and play live. I want to be able to meet and affect people. I have no immediate
objective. I just want to make music. If I went back to working, I would
seriously lose my mind. It's not all fucking glamorous, it's hard shit…
but it's fun. I love my band like a family. I can't be away from those guys
for more than a couple of days.
Me: OK, thanks a lot for doing the interview. Do you have any final words?
Joe: No problem.
No final words. I don't want to do anything like that. Our fans know how
we feel about them and we know how they feel about
us. |
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