Interview with Joe «Queer» King (The Queers)

Ok. Let’s Go! What is with Queers now? Your last album has been released in 2002 (not considering the compilation «Summer Hits, vol.1»). What was the reason for so long interval? I mean not a stupid release of the albums in the certain interval, but in the 90’s you had a new release which pleased the admirers every 2 years…

JOE: We just went thru lineup changes and didn’t have a label so now we are ready to record and shop it around for a label. We have a great lineup now too so I am excited.

On your photos and video recordings I frequently see the second guitarist, and they are always different. Why don’t the Queers find the constant second guitarist if he is really necessary for you? And how do you find them in general?

JOE: I like going back and forth on 2nd guitar players. I just get friends that I know usually. I am thinking of maybe getting a 2nd guitar player again actually so we can start doing more songs that need the 2 guitars.

Since the album Grow Up was released in 1990, in which your punk-rock has been changed in comparison with earlier recordings, music of the Queers hasn’t been changed much (except the album «Beyond The Valley... Of The Assfuckers»). Whether any changes are possible in the future? Or the Queers have found themselves?

JOE: I never think much about that stuff. I just record the songs we have done. We always have fast stuff and melodic stuff - I love it all really and would get bored doing just all fast or all slow melodic stuff. The new album will have the 3 chord Ramones-style songs and also some Beach Boys melodic stuff.

I’ve heard there were cases when you were attacked on the stage… With what it was connected? Whether the same occurs now?

JOE: Not really attacked just kids starting shit cause they are drunk. We see that shit now and then but not much really.

What was the most difficult period of Queers?

JOE: Maybe when we were all fighting with ourselves and with Lookout Records - then Hugh got a brain tumor and Bface quit and then my Dad died right after Hugh died. Tough year.

I know that in the first half of the 80’s you had the label «Doheny Label». When did you stop its activity? What has influenced on it?

JOE: I am starting the label up again.The first new release will be a live album we just did in Columbus, Ohio called "Weekend At Bernie's". I wanna reprint all the old Queers stuff on vinyl and do other bands on Doheny too.

Tell us about the project «Drunken Cholos». Who was there? What it was? How many records were released? What is with this project now?

JOE: That was the original Queers – Me - Tulu and Wimpy. We only did the one EP but we wanna get together this year and record a new one and do that on Doheny. It was fun.

Do you believe in ideological component of the punk-movement? Can you tell us about your political views?

JOE: I think the punk message is gone and forgotten these days. All these bands act like rock stars-exactly what punk started against. Bands like Rancid and Anti-Flag take themselves all serious and think they are a gift to the punk scene. They are all rich rock stars now. Its so pompous to get onstage and tell people who to vote for. The whole punk message to em was to not take yourself too seriously-be able to laugh at yourself-question things you see and hear in life - don't listen to what some stupid punk band tells you...use your own brain. Anti-Flag said for years that they were anti-corporation and then sign to RCA Records-a huge company. All for the money. They will tell you they care about the issues and all that but as soon as some money was offered they forgot what they'd been telling everyone for years and signed to a major label. Fucking whores. All that political shit is just a shtick anyway - if heavy metal music was big they'd be playing heavy metal.

You know, for the common listener your music seems very cheerful and even carefree. What do you think about the idea “Make the PUNK threat again”?

JOE: Eh-I believe in the power of Bubblegum Music to save the world. Joey Ramone believed in it and so do I. All these stupid kids into The Dropkick Murphys are a bunch of assholes that just wanna go to a show and beat up people. There are no lessons to be learned there. Its a bunch of morons and has nothing to do with what The Ramones started.

Are there any problems inside the US punk-scene? If there are, then what are they? And do you see any methods of struggle against these problems? In Russia the problem connected with boneheads is very actual now… Are there similar problems in the USA?

JOE: I guess I just answered this in the last question. It is so phony over here now-if you are on the right label and have the right look then you can get famous. It doesn't matter if you have any good songs.

From your point of view how much does punk-rock in the USA and in the World nowadays differ from punk-rock of the 90’s? How much your sensations have been changed from the moment when you shouted in a microphone in the beginning of the 90’s till nowadays?

JOE: It was way more fun and honest and the kids stuck together before. Now its all about the money and what label you are on and what you look like. I see these bands getting famous and they suck so bad. It used to be that all the bands had an identity. Now they all sound and look the same. Really lame.

In Russia, especially in a province, it is not easy and safe to be a punk-rocker. Joe, what is it to be a punk-rocker in the USA? And in general, what does it mean for you to be a punk-rocker?

JOE: Well it made me who I am. I can laugh at myself-not take my own shit so seriously - be honest with myself.........If you are a punk now here in the US you are ok. It used to mean something to be a punk-now everyone's a punk.

What do you think about copyrights? Do punk-rock need copyrights?

JOE: Well it's nice to get paid I guess if someone uses your stuff. I had kids e-mail me about hearing our stuff on MTV that I never knew about or gave permission for them to use.

Is there any things which you hate?

JOE: Yeah I hate fuckers like Anti-Flag for being whores - I hate Rancid for acting like they are doing us all a favor by playing their shit music - And I hate all the new music I hear.

Is there anything in the Queers history you are proud of?

JOE: Hell yes - I was offered big tours - Social D-NOFX-Bad Religion-Warped
Tour-Rev. Horton Heat-and I turned them all down. I hate that rock star shit. Plus I co wrote a song with Joey Ramone. That’s something I am really proud of!!

Do you have authorities in music and in your life in general? Do you have any occupation except music?

JOE: No - it is all I do for work.

What do you prefer in literature and movies?

JOE: Eh-I read Dumas-PG Wodehouse-Truman Capote and David Sedaris. I like old movies from the 50's.

Do you have any plans about future?

JOE: I am trying to get the label going and also open a recording studio. We'll see.

What do you know about Russia (about our scene, bands, and people)?

JOE: I know nothing at all about the Russian scene - I wanna come play soon!!!

Any last words? Maybe I forget to ask something important? Tell something to our readers. Ok. Thanks!

JOE: I'm a genius!! You can quote me on that!!