Joe B

[BREVARD Adrian R.]

>change topic
>I just picked up a near-mint copy of 'Spectres' vinyl for 2 bucks.
>Not a cut-out, and with orig. chronos sleve and chronos on label.
>Too much.  I've been listening to this the last 2 days, and it makes
>me all the more sad that Joe and Al are gone from BOC.  That album
>has them all over it.  Also, Joe seems to get ignored on BOC-L, and
>it shouldn't be so.  He's a great bass player and vocalist, and
>contributed some excellent songwriting.  I believe it can still be
>BOC with the 3 remaining, but the band is immeasurably better with
>the killer Bs.
>theo

Ah Theo I was just talking off line with some folks when Joe B's name came
up.  A terrific bass player and very good vocalist.  Sadly I must admit that
in the days when he was in the band I tended to overlook his contributions
as well.  I always was fixated by Buck and Al and Eyes, Joe and Alan were
hardly ever noticed in my youth.  In fact it wasn't until AOF and Specters
that I really noticed just how good Alan and Joe are.  Just take a listen to
Searchin for Celine, or Revenge of Vera Gemini, man oh man.  One thing about
Joe though it seemed to me that Joe didn't want to be in the spotlight very
much. For instance it was like Al said "Get over to that microphone and sing
Hot Rails to Hell lil brother (Al is older isn't he?) or I'll kick your
butt."  I doubt anything like that really happened but Joe appeared to me to
be content to do his part without standing out.  When I saw him in 75 he was
a lot like Buck, no posing just playing.  He was a bit more animated than
Buck but he never resorted to Gene Simmons type theatrics in my recollection
of the one time I saw him play.    Which brings me to a question that Al is
most qualified to answer.

You have a band that by most accounts had four guys in it that could do or
be the lead man.  How in the world with that much talent do you guys get
along for so many years sharting these duties?  Was there ever any
discussion as to lets make this guy the one and only front man and stick
with it?  Do you think the band would have taken some different directions
if say you were elected to be the front man for all songs?

Curious.

AB