A Chat with Joe Brown from The Venetia Fair (08.11.13)

In between their crazy schedule of primping stylish moustaches and devouring chocolate cakes, Joe of The Venetia Fair took a moment to share some thoughts with The Other Side Reviews’ Nicole Mendes.  This is what he had to say:

OSR: If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

JB:  I feel like this question would be different for every member of the band, so I’ll do my best to answer for everyone in what I think they would say.

Chris would love to collaborate with Motley Crue because they party so hard and that’s what rock music is about.  The music means nothing if you don’t stick your dick in a burrito every now and then.

Mr. Chark would like to collaborate with Fred Schneider  from the B-52’s.  He really encapsulates everything Mr. Chark values in music.  His lyrics are meaningful and his knowledge of music in general really shines through on tracks like ‘Rock Lobster’.

Mike would love to collaborate with anybody that has done a lo-fi recording in the past 10 years, Radiohead, or Kurt Cobain.  Mostly because people say they are cool, but really because he would love to listen to someone whine about how auto-tune isn’t really cool.

Benny would love to collaborate with himself, in like 5 years.  We can’t imagine how good he will be after some time passes, so he probably thinks it would be really cool to work with himself.  He also doesn’t know anybody else to collaborate with because he hasn’t heard any albums since 2005.

As for myself – Joe – I would love to collaborate with everyone in my band because they are my best friends and I love them all so much.

OSR: How did you decide on your band name and does it have any special meaning?

JB: Our band name came from that whole big thing when Pluto was not going to be a planet, then going to be a planet again, and then not again.  The little girl who named the planet was name Venetia Phair.  We just changed some letters around because we don’t respect her.  She’s dead now.

OSR: If you could change anything about your life, what would it be and why?

JB: If this is a question directed toward me personally, I would say that I would have not learned piano at an early age and picked something cool like a Gibson Flying V.  I would shred all day and make fun of bands like The Venetia Fair for not having any guitar solos.

OSR: Who or what would you say was your greatest inspiration for Every Sick, Disgusting Thought We’ve Got In Our Brain?

JB:  This probably isn’t a good question for me because as far as the meaning behind the songs, I had nothing to do with it.  I don’t know the lyrics to our songs or what the words mean that are in them; like platitudes, I don’t know what that means.  But music I had to do with, and I think the inspiration was to release something I was really proud of.

OSR: What are your thoughts on Boy George’s latest album?  Personally, I like the fact that he has that “pretty” look again but there’s no way he can return to ‘Karma Chameleon’.  What do you think?

JB:  Boy George has always been really hot.  Chris keeps a screenshot of him on his phone and is always going into rest area bathrooms with it.

OSR: Talking about the 1980s and shoulder pads…if you could go back in time to one of those infamous time periods, which would it be?  I mean, are you more an 80s shoulder pads and big hair person or 70s flowing skirts?

JB:  I think the band would agree that we wouldn’t agree on this.  Chris would want the 80’s so he could hang out with hair metal chicks; Ben I think is pretty indifferent; Mr. Chark would want to go where the B-52’s were; Mike would probably want to hang out in the early 90’s and try his best to join Sunny Day Real Estate; and I think I’m pretty content.  I don’t know though so, whatever.

OSR: Where is the strangest place you have ever performed?

JB:  Some of the sweet 16’s we used to play were pretty weird and fun.  We’re kind of not a family friendly band so those parties are always interesting.  We’ve played on the back of a flat-bed in a backyard in Texas.  There was a llama.

OSR: What is the best thing about being in a rock band?

JB:  I really love how everyone at home is really excited for you at first, and then everyone starts getting jobs and when they see you are like “Oh, you’re still doing that?”;  but seriously, traveling around the country and playing music is pretty rad.  We meet a lot of people and visit a lot of places that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to.

TOSR: What is the worst thing about being in a rock band?

JB:  Delaying the inevitable I guess.  Unless somehow we become huge and can live off of our wealth forever, eventually we have to get real jobs and be real schmucks yanno?

 

OSR: Did you want to be a rock star when you were growing up, or was this a failed fireman situation?

JB:  When I was growing up I specifically remember wanting to hang off the side of the garbage truck and throw garbage in.  Also I wanted to drive a train.  So I don’t know if I really shot too high.

OSR: Which is your favourite tune to perform?  Why?

JB:  I always change my answer for this question.  Lately I’ve really enjoyed performing ‘We Used To Worship The Moon’.  Its a pretty heavy song and its fun to rock to it, plus I think the chorus harmonies sound sweet.

OSR: What is your favourite and least favourite aspect  of touring?

JB: Fave:  I drive around with 5 of my best friends with alcohol 24/7 for months at a time.
Least fave:  Not eating the meals I want to eat all the time, and getting heart burn because my body is decaying.

OSR: Finally, are there any plans for albums in the near future or are you going to be focusing on touring for the moment?

JB:  Touring is our main focus at the moment, but we’ve already begun writing new songs a little bit.  We’ll be releasing a cover EP in the upcoming months as well.   Also announcing from new tours.  Lots of stuff.  We’re full throttle for a little.