What
was the first Concert you ever attended?
I always talk about the first three I
saw, because they were all completely different. The first was in Alaska.
It was Triumph with Saga opening up. Very classic rock/metal, not much to
write home about, but very cool to finally experience it. The second was
Spinal Tap at the Bumbershoot festival in Seattle. I didn't know anything
about them except that Lenny (from Laverne and Shirley) was in the band and
the metal station up there played a song called "Christmas with the
Devil." It was a free concert, so we checked it out. I remember that
when they started playing "Gimme some Money," the crowd started
throwing loose change at the stage. I thought they were going to cancel
the show.
The third was Loudness with Keel
opening up. That was such a cool experience, finally getting to see a
couple bands that I was hip to and my first taste of the LA metal scene.
That was the beginning of it right there...
What was the first Album you ever
bought?
The first rock album I bought was VH
II on cassette. Then the next one was "Back in Black" on 8-Track
so I could listen to it in my dad's truck.
How old were you when you heard your
first Van Halen song? Which song was it, and what was it about the band
and music that you liked?
I was 10, a buddy of mine turned me
on to Ozzy, after that, I started listening to the local metal station.
The first song I remember was "Beautiful Girls" that's why I
bought VH II. I loved the guitar and the words to the song, and the way
Dave was singing it.
What is your favorite Van Halen song and why?
It's really hard to pick. I think
that Mean Street and Unchained capture what the band is all about. Killer
guitar intro, pounding rhythm section, great sassy vocals, those
harmonies, middle section only like VH could do it and a great guitar
solo. Both those songs have all of that, but there are so many great ones. Hard
question.
Is that to listen to or to play or
both?
Both, two of my favorites to listen to and I'm
always happy when I see those two songs on the set list.
We play Unchained pretty much every show, so I'm always pushing
Ralph for Mean Street. When we are in the dressing room writing
the set list, sometimes Ralph will get stuck and say "hey Joe, give
me a song for the set." I always suggest "Mean
Street" first, and by now he almost knows it's coming every
time.
What is your favorite VH album?
Favorite, I love all of them (we are
talking DLR era right??) The Sammy stuff is great, but we only really talk
about the DLR stuff. ha ha. I think the first one is the best and most
complete. Every song is devastating. I can just imagine all of the other
bands during that era shitting their pants the first time they heard it
and going uh oh...
1. VH I
2. tie... Fair Warning, VH II, Women
& Children
3. the rest of them..
How did you start playing? How long
have you been playing?
I started on Trumpet when I was 10,
moved to Baritone horn the next year and started guitar when I was 14.
Played in Concert/Jazz/and Marching band all through high school. When I
was 18 I switched to bass, our band at the time was a 2 guitar band and
our bass player left. Since I was the rhythm guitar player, I switched to
bass. I got really into it, but when I moved to LA in 1989 I started to
explore the guitar again. Then I met Darren Housholder and tried taking
guitar lessons. He thought that since I was good at rhythm guitar, I might
have a better shot at a career playing bass. Boy was he right, I just
thanked him last week again for that. When I finally went back to bass, I
didn't pick up a guitar for almost 8 years. I'm so glad I play bass, it's
such secret weapon in a band. So there you go.
I've been playing music for 24
years, guitar for 8 and full time bass for about 15.
Who are your influences?
Top 5:
Bob Daisley (Ozzy)
Michael Anthony
Paul McCartney
Tiran Porter (Doobie Brothers)
Randy Meisner (Eagles)
What was the first Van Halen song
you learned to play?
It was on the bass, I could never
play that stuff on the guitar. We did Eruption in my High School Sophomore
year talent show, so I learned the intro part to the solo, that was my
first VH song, if that counts. For my Punks audition, it was in 1994, I
honestly don't remember, I think we played Panama. I came across some
video footage of those first rehearsals we did, it's pretty amazing to look
back at.
How did you get started in the Music
business? What Other jobs have you had?
I got started playing in cover
bands, networking and meeting people in other groups that always ended up
helping in some way or another.
I was a janitor in high school,
waiter, construction worker and a Bartender. Once I started Bartending,
that was it. No other jobs. It's the second easiest way to get girls
besides being in a band.
Have you written/recorded original
music? If so, where can we hear it?
I had a band called
"California" and we released a self-titled record back in 2001
on Trauma records. I don't think you can find it in stores anymore. The
band broke up last year in early 2002. Every once in a while I'll see a
copy in a used CD store.
What do you like to do in your spare
time?
Play Ice Hockey, watch sports, work
on the computer
Is music your full-time job? If not,
what do you do as a "day job"?
I thank the universe every day that
music is my only job. It's been my full-time work since 1996, that's all I
could have ever asked for, and I'm very fortunate.
Tell us about your other
Bands/Projects.
There's really no other bands or
projects right now, I really got burnt-out on the original music scene and
the music business after California broke up. But I'm always open to new
ideas.
How did you come to know Ralph/Join
the Punks?
A guitar buddy of mine named Darren
Housholder told me that a friend of his (Bart Walsh) had a VH cover band
that was looking for a bass player. Knowing what a huge Michael Anthony
fan I was, he thought I'd be perfect. So I went to their 3rd show at FM
Station and sat there with my jaw in my lap for and hour and a half and
said to myself that I had to be in that band. After the show, I introduced
myself to the guys, they were all really nice. They had auditions shortly
there after, I don't know how many people, but Bart called me and said
they wanted me to play with them. That was July of '94, by October, I
played my first show in San Diego on a Friday and the next night at FM
Station in N. Hollywood. We made fifty bucks a piece and were on the road
for two days, I was in heaven...woo hoo. The rest is history.
Funny side note to Ralph...when I
had only been in LA about a year, I saw him at the Troubador for the first
time. I went to see some other friends of mine open up for his band
Longgone. So while I was talking to my friends at the bar after their
show, I heard this band playing behind me that sounded pretty good, I
turned around to watch and there was Ralph. I remember thinking to myself,
why isn't this guy a huge rock star right now. He was amazing!! So I
watched the rest of their show, and at the end, I told myself that when I
put together my own band, he was going to be the singer. About 3 years
later, I go to see the Punks and there he is. Well, we ended up in a band
together, kind of weird how things work sometimes.
Have you met any of the members of
Van Halen?
I met DLR at a strip club called
Crazy Girls in Hollywood the night that our band California signed our
first record deal. He was so damn cool. He sat and talked to me and our
drummer Max for about 45 minutes about music, life, and everything else.
You would have never known that there were half-naked chicks everywhere,
he looked at us the whole time and gave us his full attention, and I
thought that was so damn cool.
I met Michael for the first time at
the Viper Room about a week before he came out to the House of Blues show.
I told him it's about time that we finally meet, and what a huge musical
influence he's been, and what an honor it is to play his bass parts all of
the time. He was really cool. Then, at the House of Blues, it was
unbelievable, it was a total party, we took a lot of pictures, listened to
stories about the old VH days, and drank a lot. I would love to go to a
bar with him 1 on 1 and just shoot the shit sometime, or take him to my
secret family fishing spots in Alaska, that would be awesome.
I met Sammy in an airport when I was
14, he was so cool and nice to me that my grandma thought he was someone I
knew from high school.
In Van Halen, Mikey is known for his high pitched yelps... can you do that?
I can do it, just not full voice
like he does, my backgrounds are softer because I sing it all falsetto.
When he played with us, it seemed to me like he was doing all of that
stuff full-voice...unbelievable. He's so underrated. It's definitely the
hardest part of the show, singing those high parts, I'm the harshest critic
of myself, I want to do it perfect every time, but man it's really tough.
You're kind of the "silent
member" of The Punks, like Mikey with Van Halen. Is this your Mikey to
Ralph's Dave, or is that the real Joe?
It's not on purpose, I've never been
the outspoken one, in any situation. In this band, I know my place. I
always kind of sit back and look everything over, watch and listen. There
is a crazy side though, get a few beers in me and I'll talk your head off.
I really appreciate meeting new people, you never know what impact someone
can have on your life.
Ralph dresses up like DLR, Russ
wears a wig to look like Eddie. Would you consider growing a mullet to
resemble Mikey? Any plans to acquire a Jack Daniels and/or Tabasco bass?
I told Mike to hook me up with a
Jack Daniels bass. The look thing is what it is. What is the identifying
outfit for Mike?? I think the flight suit that he wore on the Fair Warning
tour. So that's what I wear, once in a while you'll see me wear a t-shirt
and jeans, maybe let my beard grow a little, but that's about it. Ralph
happens to look similar to Dave, especially with the costume. Russ puts on
the wig and overalls and it's scary. He has the same body as Eddie. That
just happened, it's freaky sometimes. But Scott and I are not going to
change our hair and what not. It doesn't make that much difference. But
the Dave and Eddie have to be right on, and Ralph and Russ trip me out
sometimes, I'll look at Russ from the side or behind, and it looks like
Eddie standing there. Russ wears the wig because he likes having really
short hair. If you remember, Brian only wore the wig till he grew his hair
back out, and it didn't matter when he took the wig off.
Ok, let's do a little "word
association." I'll give you a word/thought, you tell me the first
thing (word/phrase/thought/concept/reaction/etc.) that comes to your mind.
Van Halen -
The
best full throttle hard rock band ever.
Michael Anthony
-
Coolest
bass player in music, unfortunately very underrated. A monster on stage.
Eddie Van Halen -
Nothing
that hasn't been said before. God on the guitar. The ultimate.
Ralph Saenz
-
The
nicest, greatest guy. Absolutely sick, charismatic, and pro singer. Sings
6 nights a week, I've never heard him hit a bad note in 10 years.
Russ Parrish
-
Alien
on guitar, he is the most effortless and amazing guitarist I've ever
played with. He can do anything and play any style on the spot. I seen him
pull stuff out on stage, on the spot that will just make you shake your
head. Also, one of the funniest guys I've ever met. Great Rob Halford
stories.
David Lee Roth -
Greatest
front man in Rock history. Nobody comes close.
Sammy Hagar -
Unbelievable
singer, just as good now as he was back in the day. Met him when I was 14
in the Palm Springs airport and he was so cool.
Gary Cherone
-
I
really like Extreme, the Queen medley they did at the Freddy Mercury
tribute concert was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Also, when
he opened for Metal Shop, they started spoofing on "More Than
Words" and He started walking across the table tops trying to get to
the stage and one of them gave way, he ate it big time, right next to me.
I thought he was going to be hurt bad, but he got up and sang, the crowd
went nuts.
Brian Young -
I've
known Brian almost as long as the rest of the Punks, I consider him a
really special friend, and an all around great guy. Unbelievable guitar
player, and deserves all of the success in the world. Two words...Joey
Delight!!
James Lomenzo
-
Don't
know him, but I respect his playing. The only solid member of White Lion.
Saw him play with Zakk [Wylde] years ago and was blown away.
Scott Patterson -
The best drummer in Rock n' Roll. I've played with a lot of great
drummers, but Scott is insane. He's a rock every show. I
remember the first time that I realized that he is so good that he doesn't
even practice anymore, just sets up and plays. That was back in
1994. He's funny as hell, we have so much fun egging each other on
during shows and he's my roommate on the road.
Billy Sheehan
-
Oh
man, the first DLR solo tour is still the greatest rock concert I've ever
seen. What an amazing player. Cool guy, He's jammed with us a few times.
The Whiskey-A-Go-Go -
Really
cool place to see a show.
What is your favorite memory from a
Live show?
Too many to recount, but last year's
FakeFest in Pittsburgh was pretty awesome, it was Russ's second show, It
was shitty weather and about 6,000 people going crazy. Also, the Colorado
Avalanche game. Stanley Cup playoffs in Colorado at the Pepsi Center, we
were playing in between periods, and we had awesome seats for the game.
X-Fest in Wisconsin, 30,000 or so kids there to see the current, heavy, tattooed
bands, we come out in our shiny/colorful outfits and totally
destroyed that crowd. 14 and 15 year old kids who probably didn't even
know who VH was. The organizers said we were the only band in three years
of that festival to have the crowd chanting for an encore, it was great!!
Lazerfest in Iowa last year, pretty much the same thing. We were in
between some heavy new band and Stone Sour. Totally had the crowd going
nuts. It's great to show these young kids that metal used to be about
jumping around, guitar solos, and being a charismatic band. And to see
that they can still dig it is cool.
Also, Zakk Wylde coming out to the
Whiskey and jamming Crazy Train with us, then sitting backstage drinking
and bullshitting all night. Michael Anthony at the House of
Blues. There's too many, and that's just
with the Punks...
Outside of the Atomic Punks,
California opening 14 shows for Stevie Nicks right after Sept. 11th was by
far the greatest experience of my life. If I never get there again,
at least I can say I did it. It's pretty damn cool to play in front
of thousands of people and do your own music. The final two shows
were at Universal Ampitheater, it doesn't get much better. But some
of those other open Ampitheaters are unbelievable.
What is your happiest memory as a
bass player in general?
Playing live, being a full time
musician, getting signed to my first recording contract, and fulfilling
most of the goals that I set for myself in music. I love meeting musicians
that I looked up to as a kid and hanging out with them at our shows.
What's the weirdest/funniest thing
that has happened during a show?
this would take too long for me to
answer....
Are any other VH Tribute bands out
there that you guys (the Punks) are..... well 'afraid of' is the wrong
word but kinda like 'Oh those fuckers are good we better watch our shit'
type thing.
Nope...you might be able to get 4
musicians together that could do it as good, but not better. I believe
that with any band, not just VH bands. Ralph is the ultimate guy, you
can't replace him. The three of us could be replaced, Ralph can't. Besides
Ralph, the only guy who has played every AP show is Scott.
Are there any drawbacks to playing
in a tribute band?
The only thing that I wish we could
do would be to go to Europe or Japan. VH was big in S. America. I would
like to go on tour with these guys, in a bus for a few months, headline
arenas, but realistically, that's not going to happen.
I'm sure you have met a lot of
"big names" in your musical career. Of all of them, who is the
one that you still go "Wow! I can't believe I actually met
_____!" ?
David Lee Roth
If you couldn't be a musician, what
would you want to be?
Ice Hockey player in the NHL.
Are the you single or married? Kids?
Never married, no kids yet. My
girlfriend Christy and I have been together 4 and a half years.
What would most folks be most
surprised to know about Joe Lester?
That I'm originally from an island
in Alaska called Kodiak.
When most people hear of living in
Alaska, especially when you use names like "Kodiak" they think
Snow, Dog Sleds, Igloos, Eskimos, etc. is that accurate?
Yeah, that's a common thing,
especially when I first moved to Seattle, all of the kids in school wanted
to know what it was like to live in an igloo. Anchorage gets a lot of
snow, but Kodiak is pretty mild, lots of rain. You have to remember that if
you overlaid Alaska on top of a map of the US, north to south would cover
from Texas to Minnesota. Most of the Igloos and what not are in the
northern part of the state.
Do you still have family in Alaska,
or are you strictly "California" now? <grin>
Until recently, all of my family on
my fathers side was still in Alaska, but in the last year it's about 50%
of them are still there now.
What's in your CD Player right now?
Lately I've been rotating
King's X- Black Like Sunday, and
various bootlegs
Train- My Private Nation
Oasis- Heathen Chemistry
John Mayer- Any Given Thursday
(live)
What book(s) are you currently
reading? Who is/are your favorite author(s)?
I have never been a big reader, I
usually read Rolling Stone, and some different recording magazines. That's
about it. My favorite author, have to be Anthony Robbins (self help guru)
Anything else you'd like to add?
Thanks to everyone who comes to our
shows and supports us, we really appreciate it. We are glad that we can
make peoples weekends fun. Thanks for the interview....
Thanks Joe!
Photos Contributed by Joe Lester,
Albert R. and Jeff Findley |
