Page 21 - Black Velvet Magazine Issue 98

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“When you say that I immediately think of band and play in a little van, that might be a little ceived notion that you have.” This makes us
my guitar playing, just because that’s what I do bit tougher now knowing what we’re capable of, wonder, what preconceived notions do people
most,” Joe answers. “When I joined this band I but even then, it’s never been work, never. I have of Halestorm?
didn’t want to play lead guitar, I was always a haven’t worked since the last job I had, which I “Erm, that’s interesting…what do people
writing songs and writing riffs kind of guy, I al- can’t even remember off the top of my head right think of Halestorm? Who knows, it depends on
ways figured there would be somebody around now. We remember the old shows and those old where you look I think,” Joe laughs. “Some peo-
to play lead. Lzzy would say, ‘Oh, you’ve got to days, it’s a trip, but it’s nothing like, ‘I want to go ple get it like we get it - I think a lot of people do.
do a lead here,’ and I was like, ‘Aww man, I don’t back to that’, really. It’s more like, ‘I can’t wait for We’re just a rock band going up there and doing
know how to do that.’ The first solos I ever wrote the future. I can’t wait to see what this record our thing, trying to make the best music and mo-
were on those first Halestorm songs that I was does’. I’ve got plans of my own for making music ments that we can as a four-piece. Other people
a part of back in ’03. Since then it’s always and we’re more capable now, we’re more set up think there’s like some big plan, or that we’re just
been... I’ve always felt like I was the weak guy now to make all the music and we’re getting bet- the shittiest thing that’s ever happened to music,
in the band,” discloses Joe unexpectedly. He is ter at it, it’s just like everything is looking up. So, and that’s OK too. That’s their opinion and I
surprisingly hard on himself and goes on to re- when I’m reminiscing, it’s more, ‘Remember that couldn’t give a shit, because I know that we work
veal that there have been times when he felt as funny time...’ and we tell stories of the past and really hard and we’re doing the best we can. If
though his guitar playing was not good enough laugh at the dumb things we’ve done or sur- it’s not good enough for some people then I
and that he was out on the road because Lzzy vived.” don’t think anything ever will be, and I’m okay
is a great singer. “That’s something that I work with that too. The more polarizing a band is I
on daily still and I’m just trying to get better and peaking of surviving, the opening track think the better off they are; there’s supposed to
better. I’ve gotten to a point now where I can ex- Son the album, ‘Black Vultures’, is a song be a little bit of rub there. But, what sort of pre-
press myself and that was kind of my goal all about survival. We ask Joe what qualities he conceived notions are there? I don’t know...” Joe
along. Now I’m expressing myself, so now I want feels Halestorm have as a band, that have pauses. “It’s hard to look at the forest from the
to keep pushing forward. I take those parts of helped them survive after all these years. trees; I think that’s better for an outside ob-
me that I consider my weaknesses and do bet- “One of the keys to our survival is just the server. From in here we’re just a rock band
ter, be better. At least I’d like to think I try to fact that we like each other, still, the four of us doing the best we can and if that’s what people
make it better! We do that as a band too; we’ll right here at the core. We still enjoy hanging out. see, cool, if it’s not, then we’re whatever they
question, ’Is that song good enough? I don’t We work to- want us to be.
know, let’s make it better’. ‘Do we have a good gether, we play “To me, it is the four of us against the People will have
enough show? There’s these little parts, let’s together and we world. With every record we deal with opinions of us all
make it better.’ You know, we just always want have fun to- day and that’s
to get better and chase better moments…” gether. We try to some sort of battle and different things, good for them.
make life as fun whether it’s with the label, or whoever is You know, I’ve
oe has been playing guitar since he was as possible on trying to tell us that what we’re doing is got my opinions
J12 years old. Even back then, Joe knew the road, I think wrong, or that we should do something of other people
he wanted to play guitar and be involved in that’s important,” too, but it doesn’t
music, “I got the bug and it bit hard, I was Joe answers. this way, or whatever. Sometimes they’re mean I’m going
hooked! I knew, ‘Alright, this is what I’m going to “We’re also hon- right and sometimes they’re not and… it to tell it to them,
do,’ I had tunnel vision,” Joe recalls. “When I met est with each does matter, because at the end of the day but some people
Lzzy she was one of the first people I’ve ever other and, to me, it’s the four of us and we have to live with have to tell them.
met that had that same thing happen to her and it is the four of us the music that comes out with our name I think it speaks a
had that same drive, so it was a joy to start work- against the lot on their char-
ing with her.” world. With every on it. That’s our legacy.” - Joe Hottinger acter and you
Fortunately, Joe’s parents were supportive record we deal learn a lot when
of him and when a young Joe felt as though his with some sort of somebody…You
guitar did not have the sound he wanted in order battle and different things, whether it’s with the can’t get mad at a person for doing stuff like that;
to play rock ‘n’ roll, his parents bought him a new label, or whoever is trying to tell us that what maybe that’s how we brush stuff off, we don’t
guitar. “My parents have always been super we’re doing is wrong, or that we should do take any of that too seriously. We do what we
cool, just like Lzzy’s and Arejay’s parents were. something this way, or whatever. Sometimes love. We still get to come home to our cool
When I had bands in high school they let me they’re right and sometimes they’re not and… it house and listen to records and I get to play my
practice in the basement with them and they’ve does matter, because at the end of the day it’s cool guitars. I think that’s something that we can
always been super supportive. They still come the four of us and we have to live with the music kind of always fall back on, is that, we’re doing
out to shows. Josh’s parents are the same, extra that comes out with our name on it. That’s our what we love, with the people we love and like I
supportive. We’ve been lucky in that we’ve had legacy. We are survivors of all the battles that said earlier, that’s the goal, that’s the dream. You
dream facilitators as parents instead of dream we have gone through. Those are our battles can’t take that away from us. No opinion can
crushers.” and we don’t talk about them because they have steal that away.”
Despite his years of experience, Joe admits nothing to do with the finished product, but you With every date of their up-and-coming UK
that his self-confidence goes up and down and know, nothing is easy. We work with a lot of big tour already sold out, it would be easy to think
it is something that he struggles with. “I think corporations and we, the four of us together, al- that the members of Halestorm should no longer
everyone struggles with that daily; it is easier as ways have a discussion about the direction we need to fight to prove themselves. Joe tells us
you get older though,” he points out. “I say this want to go and if we’re going to do this, or do differently. As a band Halestorm are always
personally, for me; I’ve been able to do what I that. I think that’s what keeps us together, our going to be fighting; this realisation came when
love for a living, I’ve gotten lucky. I do what I honesty, our openness and us fighting the world they were playing at a festival earlier this year.
love, with the people I love and travel the world together. Whatever comes, at least we keep try- “We’ve played this festival five times; we used
with them and I try to have as much fun as I ing and pushing forward and making good deci- to be the openers on the side stage. This time
can.” sions in this business. You know, that’s all you we were billed pretty high up on the main stage.
can hope for is do our best, if it doesn’t work We talked about it, the realisation that every-
here is a song on the album called ‘The then screw it and move on to the next thing, be- body there, most people in the audience had
TSilence’ which reminisces about mo- cause you can’t live in the past. As long as we’re seen us before, they know what Halestorm is all
ments and memories from years gone by. We making the best decisions with the information about. What we’re fighting for now is to prove
wonder whether there is a period of his life which that we have at the time, we’ll be alright I think, why we’re here and that we deserve to be here.”
Joe reminisces about the most, if so what does even if we’re wrong. We always celebrate it with If you get the opportunity to catch the band
he miss about those times? “Hmm…” he pauses a bottle of Champagne…” laughs Joe. “Like, live, take it. If you haven’t already, pick up a copy
for a moment. “I’m trying to think… this crazy ‘Cheers! It was a good run.’ You know, Lzzy and of ‘Vicious’ then you can hear for yourself why
journey that our life has been… I’m still looking I talk about that all the time, if this all goes away, Halestorm are worthy of being where they are
forward to the future but I wouldn’t change our just being in Nashville or wherever we are living, and why they deserve so much more.
past for anything. People are like, ‘How did you we’ll be playing at bars anyway. It’s just what Visit www.halestormrocks.com for more
do that? You know, play all those shows in a we’re going to do the rest of our lives.” info.
van; travel that far in that shitty RV, with no
money.’” Joe laughs. “That wasn’t hard, that n the song ‘Uncomfortable’ Lzzy sings, “I Words By Penny & Sam Gower
wasn’t difficult. If I had to start over in a new Idid it all to break every single precon-
HALESTORM