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.