Tours can be hectic, with late nights, hundreds if not thousands of miles in a car, van or bus crisscrossing states to get from one city to another; the set up and tare down of your equipment, sound checks, trying to hock merch, and needless to say playing the actual show, so when a band agrees to sit down for a quick interview, it is appreciated more than most would know. That is why I am excited to be able to bring you a quick interview that I was able to conduct with none other than Joe Queer, the front man of the long time punk band The Queers, took time out of their tour to answer a few questions that I was able to throw at him about the band, a little bit of controversy, and the tour itself.
Where did the name of the band “The Queers” come from?
We just wanted a name people would remember and we wanted to piss off the art community in Portsmouth NH. They're all phonies and would go to David Bowie shows and throw bouquets of roses onstage and prance around as if they're better than everyone else. So we hated them. We had plans to spray paint our name all over town like Black Flag did in LA but we never got around to buying the paint so we canned that idea.
The band has stated in the past, to paraphrase, that punk has changed and gotten softer (that the Left has called Joe a Nazi while he has stated that that he has fought Nazis and the issues with the name of the band, while the band has brought into example of X, Circle Jerks, Black Flag etc. of bands that made fun of themselves). What do you mean by this? And how would you imagine the “Perfect” punk world?
Well in the old days the original early punks were goofing on themselves. They looked and sounded like clowns but they were in on the joke. They didn't take themselves too seriously. Nowadays all these supposed punk bands believe their own bullshit. They're conceited blowhards who act like they're doing everyone a favor to play their crappy "songs" onstage. I'm more into the early punk ethos. I can laugh at myself. I try not to discuss politics but I also think bands that spew political tripe to their audiences are terribly conceited and pompous. Punk was about being everyone being equal to everyone else. No one judged you. I'd never try to tell someone how to vote. Of course I have an opinion like everyone else but I wouldn't try to foist my beliefs on anyone else.
For the most recent studio album, Reverberation, who’s idea was it to cover so many classic 1960s surfer rock/oldies anthems like The Beach Boys Be True To Your School and the Monkee’s Valleri, The Clovers (later recorded by The Searcher) Love Potion #9, and others? This is a departure from the band’s earlier material from albums like Beat Off, Punk Rock Confidential, and A Day Late and a Dollar Short, and seems a little more of a mix between Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies and Fountains of Wayne.
Oh Reverberation was our answer to the Ramones' Acid Eaters. They were just songs we had wanted to cover so we figured we'd give it a shot. It was fun but there wasn't a lot of thought behind the reason to do it. We just wanted to have fun doing them. I grew up back then so it was fun to do a lot of those songs I heard on the radio growing up.
What will we be seeing song wise on this upcoming US tour?The newer covers or older classics such as Like a Parasiteand Sheena is a Punk Rocker?
We don't use a setlist so we always kind of "wing it" onstage. Some nights we play poppier stuff and some nights punkier stuff. We sort of feel our way along and see what the crowd wants. Makes it interesting.
The band is playing at the Rino when you stop through Kansas City. This is a very small venue of maybe 150 capacity at the MAX. Does the band prefer to play smaller venues like this or larger festivals? And why?
Oh we like big and small places but the smaller places are more fun in my estimation. The crowd is in your face and you have to bust your ass to get them on your side. It's always a challenge but a lot of fun also.
With band forming in 1981, what does the future look like for the band? Is there anything that you have not done yet that you want to? Any songs that you still want to cover or write? Any festivals or cities that you want to play?
Well the challenge is to write another great album. Our last album Save The World was one of our best and surprised me it came out so good. I love the creativity of the studio so it will be a challenge to come up with a solid album. Most bands kind of mail it in these days. They get great production values but the songs are mediocre and forgettable. Bands oftentimes think big production will make up for a crappy song but they're so wrong. I want to make an album Joey Ramone would like. I don't want to just "mail it in". So that keeps me going. With music there's always something to get out of bed for in the morning. It's a great way of life!
How did the members of the band first find or come into the punk scene? Where or what was your introduction into the subculture?
I grew up on 60's pop music. Then I got into David Bowie Ziggy Stardust. From there I found Lou Reed. Mott the Hoople. T Rex. Iggy and The Stooges. The New York Dolls. The Velvet Underground. I always loved The Who. The Stones. Punk was a natural progression. When I heard the Ramones it all made sense to me. I just loved punk rock from the word go. A lot of the bands sucked and couldn't play their instruments so that kind of ruined some of it but I loved the irreverence and humor.
What advice would you give to a young kid who is just finding the Punk Rock scene for the scene?
Go back to the early days of punk and get familiar with those bands and then find out the influences of those early punk bands and find out who influenced them. When you start a band have fun. If you're not having fun then don't do it. Have fun and learn how to play your instruments. And keep writing songs and see what happens.
And last, your most memorable tour/show/event that you have played?
Oh maybe opening for The Ramones at the Hampton Beach Casino. I went to high school in Hampton NH so getting to play the legendary Casino opening for the legendary Ramones was a night to remember. Joey watched our whole set! We ended with Debra Jean-he loved that song. My parents came and watched us too! The only time they saw us play actually.
The Queers will come to the Kansas City Metro on May 26th, when their tour lands at The Rino. Click HERE for more info.