Indiescoveries Interview with Joe Booe!

Ghost:

Welcome, Joe! So psyched to be interviewing you! You are a Legend! Can you tell us about your journey into music? How did you get started and what inspired you to become an indie artist?

Joe: I became enamored with music and performing at a really early age. When I was young, 5-6 years old, I would often spend weekends with my brothers at my aunt and uncle’s house. My parents were young and occasionally needed a break from 4 crazy sons. My cousin was about 10 years older than I was and he was a drummer in a rock band. They covered material like Grand Funk Railroad, The Guess Who, Three Dog Night, Sabbath, Hendrix, Zep, Deep Purple. I used to get in the way, standing right in the middle of their rehearsals,

I just wanted to be a part of it! So, my cousin gave me my first microphone at age 13, and soon after, I got into bands with guys from my high school. I was hooked, and I’ve been involved in bands ever since. I started writing and recording in my 20’s and fronted bands like Geneva (with Rob Christman of Reign of Fire) and StrictNine (with Pete Bartolomei of Reign of Fire). Around that time, The Micheal Ray Band asked me to work on a studio album they had written, which became my first serious recording work, and lead to many future recording projects, all of which have been indie based.

These have included the StrictNine EP and studio album Theories and Principles, the self-titled studio album with 7 Months, 2 full length albums with Joe Booe and The Dog, and the current release of the VoodooMirage Realign EP. I’ve had a few small indie label deals, none which have been beneficial. The past several years I’ve focused on self-production and promotion, which has proven to be the best approach for each of my bands.

Ghost: That is awesome! The passion that grabbed hold of you so young and never let go, that’s the kind of fire that fuels legends. You’ve walked a path shaped by pure love for music, navigating the highs and lows, the indie grind, the lessons learned in studios and on stage. It’s inspiring to see an artist who has kept their craft authentic, never bowing to trends or compromising vision. What is the story behind your artist's name? Does it hold a special meaning for you?

Joe: Ha! There’s a lot! Since I have several bands, I’ll just cover the current ones. Joe Booe and The Dog is the collaboration of myself and Tim “The Dog” or “CDog”, so the name was natural. Booe/McElman kinda followed the same logic of myself and Tom McElman. Reign of Fire’s name was born out of our first single, Reign of Fire, which had been influenced by the movie Reign of Fire. The song’s musical foundation was inspired by the McConaughey scene with the battle axe jumping toward the dragon. VoodooMirage was a pairing of partial band names that guitarist Randy Nitch and I had come up with and we thought it had a great ring to it. I have another band that has recently formed called OKI, but I’m not sure about the name's origins.

Ghost: The way Reign of Fire came from that intense, cinematic moment just screams epic. VoodooMirage.. That’s got a real mystique to it, like something conjured in a haze of creativity. How would you describe your music style? What genres or artists have influenced your sound?

Joe: I’m primarily a hard rock/metal guy, but not a purist of metal. I’m not a growler or a screamer. I’m more clean grit. I’ve always wanted to ensure vocal clarity. As a lyricist, I’ve always wanted to make sure that the listener can understand what I’m singing. I have been influenced most by the greats of the 80’s, even the 70’s and 90’s, with some of the 2000’s. Bruce Dickinson, Geoff Tate, Joe Lynn Turner, Glenn Hughes, Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford. These guys are vocal gods! Not that I can come close to those guys, but they definitely influenced how I try to sing.

Ghost: Nice! Dickinson, Dio, and Halford, those guys set the bar sky-high and chasing that kind of excellence is what keeps the fire alive. Can you share the creative process behind your latest album/single? How do you usually go

about writing and producing your songs?

Joe: With every song I’ve ever written for, and I say written FOR because I’m a singer only and not a musician, I let the music tell me its story. If the guitarist or musician who started the process had an inspiration, I usually ask them to share it. I always try to stay true to the story in the music. As I listen, that raw piece of music will evoke imagery, a mood, a place and time. I let that unfold in the listening to it, it’s strictly interpretative, and the story comes to me. I love writing lyrics, having been a voracious reader, I have a great love for literature, so the musical imagery is easy for me to translate into lyrics and melodies. It’s also evolutionary. Since all my bands are in other states or countries, I’m not afforded rehearsals to iron out my melodies. So, writing and recording happen at the same time. It’s often a very spontaneous process. But as such, the first iteration isn’t always the final template. I’ll record several drafts until i feel the story has been satisfactorily told, and I can then record a final version.

Ghost: The fact that your process is so spontaneous, evolving right in the moment, makes every song a living thing. What challenges have you faced as an indie artist? How have you overcome them?

Joe: I think there are many obstacles that, we as indie artists, all face. DAWs, software, distribution, promotion, social media, etc. But the biggest obstacle I face is access to a broader audience. As a recording artist only, I have no live audience to reach and retain as a fan base. My only point of contact is social media, and as such, I’ve really become reliant on Facebook. Fortunately, there is a massive indie community here. It took a long time for me to ramp up my connections for each band, and each are in varying stages of access and size of follower base. But this community has been amazing and embraces all my projects, so I’m really grateful for that. I’ve made so many incredible friendships and found more amazing music than I could hope to listen to. I’m a huge fan of so many artists here. I think that mutual support, which took a long time to develop, has been life changing.

Ghost: Definitely the same challenges I face, and many others. This community is truly amazing. I have made so many friends here, including yourself! Very well said, Joe. Can you tell us who inspired your passion for music growing up?

Joe: Growing up I was inspired by bands like Iron Maiden, UFO, Judas Priest, Michael Schenker, Van Halen, The Cars, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Ted Nugent and such. As a young adult though, Queensryche, Rush, and Dream Theater, even Kansas. I became more of a prog guy. All of these bands spoke to my soul and the vocalists still inspire me.

Ghost: Nice. Those are some epic bands! What message do you want to convey through your music? Is there a particular theme or emotion you aim to evoke in your listeners?

Joe: I’m a very positive person, so I hope to always inspire strength, hope, faith, camaraderie, freedom, independence, and the power of the indomitable spirit. I recognize the hardships that we all face in the human experience, we all share in the same hardships, but through strength of spirit, we can overcome. The power of faith, in God, in self, in whatever gives you strength, is unstoppable.

Ghost: Nice! I love positivity, and it sure radiates from you. That’s the kind of mindset that keeps people moving forward, through every challenge, through every doubt. The way you channel that belief into your music and your life is something truly powerful. What are your future plans? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that your fans

should look forward to?

Joe: Yes, I have several projects working and several upcoming releases. The following is on the near horizon: The Steve Klatt Project and I just released a new, awesome single called Fading, and we plan on continuing working together, it’s a fantastic chemistry! VoodooMirage has a killer new EP, made up of our first 4 singles, we just released our 5th monster song, Break These Chains, and we are completing our 6th single now, with 2 more songs soon to follow. Storm-Kingdom and I have completed 3 of 4 new songs that we will release as an EP, all of which are EPIC!! Storm Kingdom and I just released a new single that will be part of a 5 song EP, and Entropy in Motion and I are releasing 2 new songs in the coming weeks, as well. Reign of Fire has an incredible new 8+minute single that’s nearly completed and is the 7th song of a concept album that we are working on. OKI is soon to release our first song and video that will blow people away! I hope to get back to working on music with the incredibly talented Tom McElman in the coming months too. Oh, and Joe Booe and The Dog are working on a view new music videos! And who knows what new collaborations may develop!

Ghost: That is awesome! The future will bring good things! Maybe we can collaborate sometime! Joe, I truly appreciate you taking the time to share your story, insights, and passion for music. Your journey, your creative process, and your dedication to your craft are nothing short of inspiring. It’s always a privilege to hear from artists who live and breathe their work the way you do. Thank you for your time, your energy, and for giving me a glimpse into the heart of what drives you. Keep creating, keep pushing forward, and keep bringing your vision to life. It was an honor to connect with you!