Jo-ing Up In Public

Chatting to Hot Press in advance of his Dublin visit Joe Bonamassa is in ebullient form. Despite having to attend to promo duties on a rare day off he is polite, upbeat and humble.

“I’m excited to be talking not only about my own album but the Black Country Communion record too,” he enthuses. “If you had told me five years I would be in a heavy rock band I wouldn’t have believed you! And here we are, within a year of having the idea we have a release too!”
The band that includes ex-Deep Purple/Black Sabbath vocalist Glenn Hughes, superstar drummer Jason Bonham and seasoned keyboard player Derek Sherinan have just released debut album Black Country, recorded in less than 6 days.
“That’s the way I like to work,” says Joe. “ I like really quick recording. It takes the whole element of thought out but retains the element of feel and instinct. I think some of the best records were done that way.”
Joe shares vocal duties with the Voice Of Rock on the confection.
“I didn’t want to sing on it at all! I thought when you have Glenn Hughes why even bother?!” he laughs. “Glenn and Kevin (Shirley – producer) were very encouraging of me singing on it. I was the one who was trying to sidestep it. I’m happy with the interplay between Glenn and I on the four tracks I’m on, I think it works.”
Having Jason Bonham on drums must have been quite an experience?
“Jason is, and I’m not taking anything away from Anton Fig and any of the great drummers I play with but, he is the most exciting drummer I will ever share a studio with. He’s just a freight train. When you play with Jason Bonham you just get out of the way and hold on! It’s great!” he smiles.
Producer Shirley (Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin) was also at the helm for Joe’s solo release.
“I have made the majority of my records with Kevin Shirley,” says Joe. “ He’s an amazing producer. He thinks in a 360 degree mindset where he can take an album and envision the final product before we have even laid down the first drums. He has a wonderful ability to see ahead and be innovative. He’d say ‘I think we need to get bouzoukis and clarinos here.’ And I’m like, ‘Ok, I never heard of that going on a blues rock record but ok!’ And it works!”
The latest release also features a guest appearance from Joe’s hero BB King.
“He’s a perfect gentleman,” notes Joe. “Not many people can claim they define a genre of music but BB can. He IS the blues.”
Throughout his career Joe has found himself rubbing shoulders with many of his heroes. This year Ian Anderson joined him on stage at his show in the Hammersmith Apollo.
“That was very cool!” gushes Joe. “Ian was nice enough to let my little three-piece band open up for Jethro Tull in 2000 . I thought it would be perfect, on the tenth anniversary of my first album coming out and the tenth anniversary of me touring with Jethro Tull. It was such fun.”
Another ‘pinch me’ moment came in 2009 when Joe found himself on stage playing ‘Further On Up The Road’ with Eric Clapton.
“That was the first song I learned on the guitar, Clapton’s version. It was a full circle thing for me. Nearly 29 years of guitar playing and here is a fundamental influence and he’s playing with me in the Royal Albert Hall! This can’t get any better!”
“We did hang before the show and he is supercool,” he continues. “His playing is like butter. I don’t know if you guys use that phrase in Ireland but butter is a good thing!”
On Joe’s last Irish visit his opening act was Imelda May. What put the Liberty Belle on Joe’s radar?
“Imelda and I share the same agent,” explains Joe. “She has such charisma and such talent and the band is fantastic. I watched her every night and said to myself she will not be a support act for very long. Someone told me she headlined the O2 in Dublin. I was delighted it couldn’t happen to a nicer, more humble, hardworking person.”
On the subject of hard work, Joe has just finished signing 1,000 certificates of authenticity for his Les Paul custom model.
“I have a hand cramp!” he laughs. “I have two signature models now. I have the expensive, custom model which is slightly pricey and there’s a new Epiphone model which is coming out this Fall. It is geared towards kids and people that don’t have a huge amount of money to spend. I really wanted to do that. I wanted to make a guitar that everyone can enjoy. I think it’s a great line and I stand behind it.”
Joe has admitted to owning over 156 guitars but says the models he used on Black Rock Joe are the ones he uses live. One of his favourites is his ‘Gary Moore’ guitar.
“It’s a guitar that looks like the Peter Green Gary Moore guitar,” he says. “I’m a huge Gary Moore fan. And I’m a huge Rory Gallagher fan! One of the best gigs I’ve ever done was the Cork Opera House last year, to me that’s hallowed ground. I have the DVD of Rory live at that venue and when I got up there an played ‘Cradle Rock’ it was a really special moment!”

Joe Bonamassa plays Vicar Street on October 7. Black Rock is out now.