Interview with Joe Queer of The Queers (2007)

[As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, a few years ago I interviewed a few musicians. The interviews were posted in a now defunct alternative rock music website. I am now posting them in this blog. Hope you enjoy them, but keep in mind that these interviews were done a few years ago so the content might be dated.]

Interview With Joe Queer (2007)

The Queers, one of the most influential bands in punk-pop, have been playing since 1982. From their great debut "Grow Up" to their latest album "Munki Brain", the Queers have mantained their usual style of pop-punk/surf-rock that made them famous around the world. With over 14 albums released, Joe Queer and friends are still hanging out and touring around the world. We had the great chance of interviewing Joe while driving to DC.

Interview Date: February 1st, 2007

The Vinyl Potato [VP]: Hey Joe, How is the tour going?

Joe Queer [JQ]: So far, so good, Indiana was great, first few shows, all the shows in the US have been great. We have a real big tour lately.

[VP]: Cool, are you guys touring outside the US?

[JQ]: We did a few shows that went up to Canada for a week and then we just got back into the US a few days ago and we are going to Washington DC now.

[VP]: Now, a lot of people want to know more about the band. Where and how did the band start?

[JQ]: In New Hampshire, we started a long time ago and then kinda kicked around in 93’ we got in Lookout! Records, Green Day was there, Screeching Weasel, Op[eration] Ivy has just left to for Rancid so it was kind of a good time to be on the label. Once we got on Lookout we were able to start touring and stuff ‘cause when Green Day hit it big, the whole pop punk scene exploded so it was great.

[VP]: Who would you say are your influences? Where do you get inspiration to write your songs?

[JQ]: Beach Boys, Black Flag, Angry Samoans, Dickies, Chuck Berry, stuff like that, yeah.

[VP]: Besides the Ramones, what are your favorite bands?

[JQ]: Screeching Weasel, The Muffs, Jesus and Mary Chain, those are the big ones for me.

[VP]: Last year you retired your catalog from Lookout Records. What happened there?

[JQ]: Ah, to explain it simple, they stopped paying. We took the albums out and we mixed them a lot and re-mastered them and put them out in Asian Man. They are coming out in Asian Man Records. Yeah, Green Day also picked their albums out too so it was time to leave, you know.

[VP]: Your new album is called “Munki Brain” and its going to be released in February, right?

[JQ]: That’s right. Just a few weeks from now, yeah.

[VP]: What can we expect from this album?

[JQ]: Uh, just kind of a lot of poppy stuff, not a lot of harder edge stuff that we throw live, more pop punk, but there’s a lot of good stuff on it. Definitely more to the poppy stuff of the punk scene.

[VP]: Why “Munki Brain”?

[JQ]: That’s kind of taken off a Jesus and Mary Chain album “Munki”. Not too many people in our scene know of Jesus and Mary Chain though, but that’s were it came from.

[VP]: To close up, the last question is: What do you think it’s the most important thing about punk rock music?

[JQ]: You know, what I got for myself is not too take things too seriously. I think that’s really what I got from punk rock really. And it’s been a lot of fun, the friendships and stuff. That’s some of the big things I got from punk rock.

[VP]: I agree, I think it’s also very important to have fun.

[JQ]: Yeah, that’s right. Sure it is.

[VP]: Thanks Joe.

[JQ]: No problem. See you at the show.

Interview with Kepi Ghoulie of the Groovie Ghoulies (2009)

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, a few years ago I interviewed a few musicians. The interviews were posted in a now defunct alternative rock music website. I am now posting them in this blog. Hope you enjoy them, but keep in mind that these interviews were done a few years ago so the content might be dated.


The charismatic former front man of the Groovie Ghoulies took some time to answer a few questions for The Vinyl Potato.

Interview date: July 15th, 2009

The Vinyl Potato [VP]: Hi Kepi. How are you doing?

Kepi Ghoulie [KG]: Hello! I'm doin' fine!

[VP]: You just started a new tour this year with Kevin Seconds. How is the tour going? Are you playing any new songs?

[KG]: Just started my second tour with Kevin Seconds for this year, my third total! It's already been a busy year!

We're at SXSW right now and it's going good!

Not playing any brand new songs, but many that are a year or less old... Plus working on new stuff at home!

[VP]: Good to hear that you enjoyed SXSW. It was great seeing your show last weekend. The show featured some great pop punk bands like the Queers, the Pink Spiders and Teenage Bottlerocket. How was it to share the stage with these bands?

[KG]: I have done show and tours with at least half of the bands, and knew everyone involved who was putting on the showcase, so there was definitely a family vibe going on there...That showcase was actually a clincher for me going to Austin...When you know it's going to be a good show, and that rock family and friends will be there, it's a no-brainer!

[VP]: Many people got to hear your acoustic songs this weekend. What influenced you to change from the fast pop punk sound from the Groovie Ghoulies to an acoustic sound? What motivates you to write the acoustic songs?

[KG]: I like to stay busy and play music, so I started playing acoustic when I was home between Ghoulie tours...I am a fan of Neil Young and Johnny Thunders, both artists whose music would translate either electrically or acoustically...Nothing really changed, it's just nice to have a machine that operates at two speeds!

[VP]: Did you grow up listening to a country music? What introduced you to punk rock music?

[KG]: My parents listened to the local country station, I didn't care for a lot of it, but through that I discovered Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, etc...

I discovered punk on my own, my brother won a Sex pistols record (among others) at a school dance, and I was all "What is this?", then Elvis Costello, Devo, Ramones, and on and on!

[VP]: Your first acoustic record is titled "Yes, Depression". Why did you choose such a sad title for the album?

[KG]: It was just a twist on the "No Depression" music scene and magazine! :)

[VP]: Random question: Who thought you how to whistle like you do?

[KG]: My grandpa taught me how to whistle and tie my shoes! :)

[VP]: Is that Kim Shattuck of The Muffs in "This friend of mine" from American Gothic? How did you meet her?

[KG]: Yes it is! We played random shows with the Queers and such, then toured with the Muffs and Chixdiggit! Kim is awesome, the Muffs are awesome! Lucky Kepi!

[VP]: In recent years, many bands took away the rights of their older albums from Lookout Records, the Groovie Ghoulies being one of them. What was the whole issue with Lookout? Did you take away all your albums from Lookout?

[KG]: We made a deal with Lookout to get our masters back...

I think other band's contracts may have been breached, resulting in them getting their master tapes back...

[VP]: Did you draw the artwork for the "American Gothic" and "Hanging Out" albums? How would you describe your art?

[KG]: The covers for Am Goth and Hanging Out were done by Ben Walker of Sacramento, he is an amazing artist and you should check out his website! My art is more primitive...I call it "Bright and simple art for a dark and complicated world"...

[VP]: Most of the lyrics of your songs with the Ghoulies have horror movies topics. What are some of your favorite horror movies and why did you choose that topic for your music?

[KG]: I like Universal, Hammer, Tim Burton films among others, but that's a good start! Also monsters like King Kong, Godzilla, etc...

[VP]: What's in the future for Kepi? Are you releasing a new album soon?

[KG]: New album, "Life Sentence", coming out in August/September!