The Joe Interview
Monday, June 18, 2007
Whether you're planning a romantic evening or relaxing by yourself, I recommend adding Joe's new CD Ain't Nothing Like Me to your playlist.Congratulations on your new CD. I love it.
Thank you very much. I appreciate that.
Why do you think you’ve had longevity in a fickle industry?
For me, it’s about remaining current. I try to do music that’s not only timeless, but music that’s happening at the moment. I also collaborate with artists that are pretty much on top of the charts at the time. I always keep me ear close to the radio so I can keep abreast of what’s going on.
Are your lyrics inspired by your own personal experiences?
A lot of my songs I write are from personal experiences. Some I’ve gone through or someone from my family. Watching how they deal with things. Just looking at the way life is and how the world goes. Finding what my destiny is in this world and I incorporate all of that into my songs.
What advice would you have for someone who is looking to be a songwriter?
Writing songs is a beautiful thing. Write a song that people can relate to.
I know it’s hard to pick a favorite song from your own CD, but identify three songs on your CD that you want people to really pay close attention to.
My Love --I think it’s one of the best ballads lyrically I have on the album. It’s like an old school ballad.
It’s Me - It has a great feel to it. It’s a nice ballad with a tempo.
Feel For You – It’s romantic and a wedding song in a sense. The chorus is the best part of the song. It feels like Prince when he wrote The Most Beautiful Girl. That’s the way I feel
Those songs are the ones that really stand out.
Did you find it hard to narrow it down to those 14 songs?
Yes, we actually recorded 25 songs for this album. The songs that didn’t make it, the vibe or lyrics may not have fit the idea for the album.
After someone listens to Ain’t Nothing Like Me, how do you want them to feel?
I want them to feel like they really got their money’s worth. It’s a lot of material out there these days. You have about 15 to 20 solo artists in each category. When I make a record, I want each song to be just as good as the single that’s on the radio. I want to give fans something to feel proud of and feel they got something good out of it.
You’re a role model for up and coming artists. When you first started, who were some of your role models?
A lot of my inspirations came from some of the old school artists like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, etc. They were really soulful. The music had a totally different feel because they always had bands to accompany the vocals. That’s what stuck with me as an artist
What do you in your down time?
I love sports. I play a lot of ball[basketball]. I go golfing every once in awhile. I like to travel. I love the Caribbean islands, especially Jamaica and the Bahamas. When I’m not traveling, I have a couple of businesses that I started. I’ve been working on a clothing company for the past few months. I have an alcohol business. There’s a tequila called SOKO and also a white wine.
Will your clothing line target the men or women’s market?
Focusing on the men’s line first and will build up to that point.
Do you have a name for your line yet?
I have one but it’s subject to change.
Did you always know you wanted to be in some form of entertainment?
It just happened that way.
How have you been able to keep your name out of a lot of scandals?
A lot of people who do get caught up in scandals look for the media attention and sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. I’m not running around the streets and hanging out at clubs all of the time. Normally I stick with a low key kind of crew. I got my family; my brothers are here. I keep a real small crew and a real low profile.
With a flair for singing beautiful love songs and as a leading R & B crooner, women want to know are you seeing anyone special right now?
No, I’m single at the time. I’m on the market (smile).
7 Random thoughts with Joe:
Besides your own CDs, what music do you play to set a romantic mood when you are seeing someone special? Sade’s Greatest Hit
What's your favorite color to see on a woman? Red
Do you prefer a woman to wear heels or flats? Heels baby
Her hair pinned up or hanging down? Like it hanging.
Dress or jeans? Either
Make-up or no make-up? No make-up. Natural skin is always beautiful.
Do you prefer a long romantic drive or walk? Driving can be complicated but can get you into better situations, but walking can be much more intimate. So walking, but that’s depending on where you are.
Anything else you want to say to your fans?
Thank you so much for the support. I hope you enjoy the album.
Interview by Shelia M Goss, an entertainment writer and author of My Invisible Husband, Roses are thorns, Violets are true and Paige's Web. For more information, visit www.sheliagoss.com.
