Joe of FUGAZI

Tell me about your background?
I grew up in Rockville, MD (north of Wash. DC) listening to funk and soul
music til I was in Jr. H.S. Then I got into hard rock. In High School I was
introduced to punk and started going to clubs which led to discovering the
local hardcore scene.

When did you start picking the fat strings?
I bought a bass, amp and cab to start a band w/ a friend in 1984(?) I was
about 20.

Was bass your first instrument?
I played trumpet in 2nd grade. So yes, it was.

What phases of music have you went through? Any embarrassing album
purchases? Boy George, Thriller?
I was introduced to punk, new wave and bands as embarrassing as Visage all
at the same time.


What made you get into the style of music that makes?
Playing with these particular people has become what it is through the
influence of the 4 of us. No matter what I bring to the band it sounds
different as soon as we all start playing it.


OK time to get technical, what kind of basses do you play and why?
Mainly a music man sting ray, because it is my size. After all these years
I'm realizing I don't like the way it goes to tape so I am using a fender
jazz to record. There's something sterile about the music man.


What about your amps and gear? Give us a quick rundown.
My live sound is based on my ability to hear myself on stage. It is my
monitor. I don't use any house monitors. For that I use an Ampeg/SVT 8x10
cab because I can hear the small speakers better at close range, and it's
loud. I use a GK 800 RB amp because it's easy to carry and there are no
tubes to get damaged in shipping. It gets loud enough to do the job.

What strings do you put on your bass? Do you still do it yourself?
GHS boomers. Yes, who else is gonna do it?

What's the best bass line ever?
I'm not sure it's been written yet.

If the Mafia ordered one of your fingers to be cut off, which one would you give up?
Right ring finger. I could probably get by without it.

Fred Durst or Scott Stapp?
Sorry, I don't know who they are.

How did you get involved with running Records?
I wanted something to do between tours so I started releasing singles by friends. Then an old friend moved back to town and asked me to release a CD after the single. It's a real label now because I wanted to help put his music out. That's Wino from Spirit Caravan I'm talking about..

I got an email from a guy (Todd in Ohio) wanting to know a few things. Here's what he had to say.

What does the rest of the band do besides ?
Everyone has produced other bands. Ian runs Dischord, Brendan does soundtrack music for the Discovery Channel and other projects, and Guy has Peterbilt Records and probably produces bands more consistently.

What does he think about music today, meaning does he care for rap-metal,
Brittany, etc.?

I tend to look into the past as far as getting into something new. There's so much old music to explore. I like High on Fire and Bjork if that tells you anything.

What's the drive for him as well as the rest of the guys in to continue playing for all these years?
We probably don't care about anything quite as much as music. I could have said that better, but I'm not a writer.

The fact they've been together for over 13 years is incredible to me,
especially with the policy of low cost shows and CDs for their fans.

 Who's the baddest assed bass player in your opinion?
As far as their asses go I haven't really noticed. But Billy Cox is probably my favorite.

What's in your CD players right now?
Faust and Louis Armstrong.

Any closing comments for the Bottom Feeder fans?
No matter what people try to tell you to do, pursue the things that you feel most strongly about.

 

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