“For The People. By The People.”

I came to the Clash as a fan. I heard the British import of their first self titled album when it first came out … and I was hooked! When I went to the Palladium to see them for the first time in 1980, I went as a fan, who happened to bring his camera. And even as I gained access to get back stage at Bonds (thanks Brenda!) or got guest listed to the three Asbury Park shows in 1982 (thanks Kosmo!) I was still going as a fan … really. A very FORTUNATE fan.

It’s been over thirty years since I took my first live and street photos of The Clash at the Palladium in New York City. And in the following two years I’d have more chances to photograph them live and backstage. Since first publishing my photos on my blog go2jo.com, I have had many people ask me … ‘so Joe … when will you make a book of your photos?’ It’s taken me a while to get here. But here I am. I’m in the process of working on said book.

Here’s the twist. Continue Reading > > >

It seemed like an eternity. A multitude of events started, seemingly, so long ago. An accident. The slow recovery. A ten year relationship gone missing. Never to return. Waiting for a payoff, literally, that never reaching the zenith of its promise. Trips back east, that seemed more a tease, with only short term pleasures. It was the loss that brought things into focus. The loss of self. The loss of youth. The loss of love. The loss of home. These were the things that drove me to this place … and my Soul.

Each one of these things informed the other. In a vortex of circumstances, not unlike Dorothy, and her damn little dog, my psyche, my heart and my home were ripped up by their shallow roots and transported to a former place of glory, creativity, peace and prosperity, so many miles away.

Leaving the Emerald City, after a sixteen year adventure, was difficult. Even at its worst moments, in every dark valley of each of those seven magnificent hills, there was something that made me crawl back up and out. Maybe it was my survival instincts. But in the end, with nothing left to lose, I took a three-thousand mile leap of faith. And I landed back in Asbury Park, NJ.

I lived in Asbury Park in 1986. I lived in a storefront on Bond Street, which, by the way, is only blocks from my new apartment on 6th Ave. There are a lot of good memories here that will help feed the ones yet to be made. Asbury is in another “Phoenix … rising from the ashes” phase, like so many times before. But somehow this one seems different. Much more committed. A place for second chances. I’m up for that! Continue Reading > > >

It’s been a whirlwind few weeks.

I knew I needed to move. I knew I needed a new place to live. A new home to replace the one I owned and had to short sell. Not only was a long term relationship ending, so was the security they both afforded.

After a year on the market, finally, an offer. Months pass. A seeming eternity. We are in the home stretch to closing on November 31st.

I flew back to Asbury Park, New Jersey last Saturday (10/15). I was on a mission. Find a place to call home. I had one week to do it in. Thankfully my friend Geoff Hoover & his wife Tatiana let me stay at Chez Hoover for the week.

Sunday was spent combing Craig’s list, the Jersey Shore edition, and Rent.com again. Looking for new rentals. Made a few calls to try to set up appointments. Was really interested in a high rise apartment building called Munroe Towers. These apartments and the entire building were being renovated. One bedrooms were around $950.00 including all utilities except electric. Not bad! But in the end … no go… a firm No Pets policy. I did get a lead on a local real estate company, John Conover Agency. Continue Reading > > >

When I start a piece of new original music, sometimes the chords and melody come first. Sometimes the hook comes first. With this song, I’m not sure how it developed.This new music is not so new. I wrote it years ago in 2002. I have a feeling the chords and the picking pattern on the high e-string were the start of it all.

Did I write it for my song circle? Duh … I don’t know. What I do know is I love the story. It’s about a strong, constant woman, living in a seaside fishing village, who’s husband goes to sea for months at a time. It might have been an homage to my friend Sue, who had a husband in the Coast Guard. He’d be gone for weeks at a time, stationed on a lighthouse in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay. A strong woman making the best of a bad situation. Trying to make things better for her daughter and namesake Constance. Continue Reading > > >

I’ve lived in the “Emerald City” for over sixteen years now. Even saw the Scooter and the Big Man. Here. Of all places! And maybe Dorothy has always been right … “There’s no place like home.” I’ve clicked my heals together so many times. All I have to show for it? Worn out orthotics and flat-ass feet! But I’m not here to complain. Really! The best thing? I got some new original music out of it all. Woo hoo!

I’ve had occasion to do a lot of soul searching in the past year. Between a relationship of eight years ending, having to sell our current home, my business drying up, little money, more ailments, and toying with the thought of moving back east. An awful lot for one person to deal with.

One of the things that has kept me going? My friends back east. In sixteen years in Seattle I can count my close friends on a few fingers. Sad. Seattle has always been a love-hate relationship … and I want out! This is what’s triggered the search for ‘home” … or what it is. Or what it really means to me.

Part of the rekindling of old friendships has lead me back to my roots in New Jersey. With the advent of Facebook so many relationships have been reborn and with any luck will flourish. And that my friends … is home. I will not mention names … but you know who you are!

It’s these friends, both old and new, and our mutual experiences that inform my future, my past, and always my music.

Continue Reading > > >

It’s been a long time coming. I’ve been preparing for the second coming. Jesus! No … not that one! The second coming of the Hoover Hootenanny. I’ve taken to recording new original music to help me learn lyrics. I figured I could record the songs, then put them on my iPhone & “sing along” in the car, the shower, while making breakfast … you get the idea.

I even bought myself a new/used Alessis MultiMix8 USB 2.0 / 8 channel mixing board. This way I could record up to 8 tacks at once directly into Apple’s Logic Pro. Not that I will be doing that myself, but it was the cheapest way to break the 2 track limit of my current & obsolete FireWire interface. Okay … TMI … I know! End result is I can finally use my AKG Perception 220 microphone I bought last year to mike vocals. Use my Shure to mike my Taylor, and also have  a line in from the Taylor as well. And then it’s one take wonders-ville. After 97 takes. It challenges me too. So it’s all good.

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A self portrait I took while waiting for an elevator in a parking garage at Harborview Sleep Clinic with my iPhone 4.

It was just this great macro image of an eyeball silkscreened onto a huge piece of glass. It sat on top of a pony wall as a divider.

I love how graphic and eye-conic the image is. ; ) Just thought it was a great self portrait opportunity and had to take it.