VERTIGO JOE
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The Mic: What got this band together and started in
this business?
Vertigo Joe:Kelley (drummer / vox) and Mark (bass
/ vox), Have worked on several projects for the last
few years, and with the addition of Brandon (guitar /
vox) solidified the band as Vertigo Joe in 2005.
The Mic:Who writes and produces all the material for
the band?
Vertigo Joe: Mark brings in the crayon refrigerator
art
(words and music) and Brandon and Kelley add the
Picasso polish and depth. Most songs can exist quite
well on acoustic guitar as songs, but the band pulls
very well as a team. Songs like Lasarus, Center,
Abbienormal, and Smile And Make Nice are very
different and came from different approaches, not one
song evolved from the same place. On the next album
(early spring 08) songs like Fine, Life Rules, Fly,
and Crazy Again are all very Vertigo Joe and are like
different snapshots of a trip - you can hear the
difference in sound, approach, attitude, and energy.
The truth: people that hear us live say this stuff and
then we step back and and say, “wow”, that makes
sense. We don’t have a clue as to what we are saying,
but people stand in front of the band and sing it back
to us, and that’s cool.
The Mic:The band played in front of or with any acts
our readers would know from the Mainstream?
Vertigo Joe: Mozilla, Drege, Greenwheel,
Jessie Lang, Pomeroy, Martin Zellar, and Amsterband.
The Mic:Where can people access your music on the web?
Vertigo Joe:
iTunes
www.vertigojoe.com
www.myspace\vertigojoe.com
The Mic:Any embarrassing moments on stage?
Every moment!
Vertigo Joe: No, not yet,...well, there are often
audience people being naughty - and they don’t look as
swell as they may think. And on this point, we’re
rock type fellows that find it hard to overt the eyes.
Kelley often forgets he’s on mic and will be in the
middle of a song and say, “no, oh God, ...put those
away,” and well Mark gets all Rick James on the
scene...OH YEAH! We were playing this club UP NORTH
(necessary Minnesota term), and Some woman got up on
Marks mic stand in a suggestive way, he shooed her
off like a bad bug and she went over to Brandon and
started “dancing” with him...VERY CLOSE, and not
pretty. Her hands were as big as tennis racquets and
she was going for the - OK. we all know where this is
going. No, we don’t: it was the owners wife!
AAAAAAAHHHHH.
The Mic:Any good stories you want to tell us?
Vertigo Joe: Well, there’s the 38 steps at the Reverb.
All of
Lawrence Kansas. War Pigs requests. Drinking too
much water. Mark’s attitude toward “Helpful People”.
Remote gigs with insane all girl parties. Borrowing
Pizza and Beer from the AAA semipro football team in
Cedar Falls. Carnies. Bar staff that should NEVER
vote. Breakfast in Wisconsin. The Toot-Toot Cafe.
Two 14 year old kids standing in front of the band,
with mom, air drumming to Marvin The Martian.
The Mic:Who is the bands musical influence?
Vertigo Joe: Today? Or Tomorrow? Peter Gabriel, FOO
Fighters, Otis
Redding, Shiner, PIL, a stoplight In The Middle Of
Nowhere, Porcupine Tree, Rage, and many more!
The Mic:How did the band get together?
Vertigo Joe: Trial and error. Saying “yes” at the
right time.
The Mic:What is your musical background like?
Vertigo Joe: Kelley has played drums forever - Madison
Scouts -
UofM, Teaches drums at the University of Minnesota.
Mark - Bass Violin, Bass, Piano, and low brass, is a
Music Therapist / composer. Brandon has played both
drums and guitar for a long time, teaches guitar
The Mic:What is the TOP reason why you want to play
music?
Vertigo Joe: We play for ourselves, it feels good.
Creating and crafting and getting that YEAH! from the
crowd.
The Mic:What has been your best show?
Vertigo Joe: The next one: the one you go to, so make
sure to say
hello. The Rock Band In Your Head - Vertigo Joe.
Jump up and down, scream “Yeah”
