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With the
self titled debut album, the Californian Mojo Rib, are
ready to gain fame, money and fast cars! These guys
have a mission: "Take in the 21st century the spirit
of true and raw rock'n'roll, just to shock the new generations"!
Oh hell, who fucks good girls? Who steals effect boards?
Who plays hard and who rides fast? Check it out, Exploders!
Hi guys, welcome on The Rock
Explosion! Why don't you introduce yourselves and tell
us about the story of Mojo Rib? By the way why did you
choose this monicker?
Jay: Hell yeah. I'm Jay,
Vicar of Vocal Vivisection. To my right is the delightful
David Avery on drums, over here we've got guitar gods
Joe Favazza and Drew Simon. The guy drinking the bottle
of Merlot is Michael White, our ass-kicking bassist.
Michael: Except not on
the record. I staggered in a bit late for that one.
D'Avery: Just like every
rehearsal. And show. And work. And home.
Jay: As far as the name
goes, it pretty much sums up what we're about: "Mojo"
is from the magical mojo hand of blues mythology. And
there's nothing better than a huge plate of sticky,
meaty barbequed ribs. So with Mojo Rib, you're getting
the best of both: magic and junk food.
Tell us about the artwork of
your CD. It figures a Californian bikini big tits blonde
girl dressed to skate, with an handle-bar helmet! Hey,
what's the hidden meaning? Maybe, do you wanna ride?
Joe: She's my girlfriend.
What about it?
Drew: Yeah, Joey bought
her the kneepads for an anniversary gift.
D'Avery: We're all big
supporters of the feminist movement, so we feel the
best way to express this is through irony. It's kind
of a "shock and awe" campaign.
Jay: Most women in Los
Angeles dress like this, by the way…
Let's talk about your self titled
album. Your sound makes me remember of Van Halen David
Lee Roth's era, but which have been your main musical
influences you think are more recognizable in your work?
Jay: Well, you got it right
- we're looking to take that high-octane, kickass party
rock into the 21st Century. Basically, anything with
soul, swing and balls is an influence, but the '70s
hard rock seems to be where we all agree; you can't
get much better role models than Rocks-era Aerosmith,
Ted Nugent, AC/DC, Bad Company, etc. Our dream tour
would be a triple-bill with Nashville Pussy and Fireball
Ministry.
Joe: With Ted Nugent opening…
Your songs show a great rock'n'roll
energy, the major part of your lyrics are about fun
and parties, it's the old rock'n'roll style that returns
for the new generations! Do you think that they are
ready to receive a sort of new wave of true rock'n'roll?
Why?
Joe: They better be, cuz
here we come!
Jay: Seriously. Except
for a handful of bands, I was fucking bored through
the '90s. Once Guns 'n Roses collapsed it was all over.
It's time to get back to basics of rock 'n roll: the
raw, grab-you-by-the-nuts vibe of Chuck Berry, The Stones,
and early Van Halen. Our CD is a stadium-sized show
in a convenient, single-serving can.
How do your songs get alive?
There is a more frequent procedure you generally use
to write?
D'Avery: Somebody brings
in a song, then we argue about details for about 6 rehearsals,
somebody threatens to quit, and the person with the
most stamina is the winner.
As I previously said, the lyrics
of most of your songs are funny and ironic. You seem
to have a lot of sense of humor. For example I like
"Tecumseh Firebrand", a track in which you
drag in myths like Jerry Lee Lewis, Steven Tyler and
many others. All have to kneel down in front of this
r'n'r god you invented. Why don't you tell us more about
this song, its source of ispiration, hidden meanings,
etc..
Jay: I'd be lying if I
said there was anything more to it than my being bombed
one night and just banging it out in five minutes, but
yeah, the idea was to come up with a kind of rock 'n
roll Paul Bunyan character. It just seemed like the
most ridiculous thing I could think of: a 50-foot Indian
stepping over mountains with a solid gold Gibson Les
Paul. You can't get any more retarded or - rock 'n roll
- than that.
"Too Much Money" is
one of my fav songs, the lyrics remind me a cover of
an old glam rock 80's album, exactly "Dirty Rotten
Filthy Stinking Rich" by Warrant. Tell us about
the good and the bad consequences to be rich...
Jay: I think Jean Genet
said it best… or maybe it was Don Knotts: "The
rich dream of being artists, and artists dream about
having money." Since I am neither, I dream of a
fully-loaded Chevy Silverado with a flaming skull painted
on the hood.
"Fat Lady With A Gun"
is the strangest song of the album. It's inspired by
true life adventures of Keith Alexander. Please, tell
us about Keith's life …
Jay: Keith was a buddy
and roommate of mine who hitchhiked a lot. Works on
historic sailing ships and such, worked on fishing boats
in Alaska, that whole Jack London trip. One we were
getting high and he just busted this story out and I
started writing it down - he could've been making the
whole thing up, but I didn't care. I took the basics
and blew it up in technicolor and Cinemascope in true
Mojo Rib style. If Ennio Morricone co-wrote an album
with ZZ Top, the songs would all sound like "Fat
Lady"…
Is there any song of yours you
like the most, and if so, could you explain us the reason?
Which of your songs seems to work at best during your
live shows?
Jay: I'm sure it's different
for everyone in the band. "Half-Pipe Raider"
is the song that really captures what Mojo Rib is about
for me - the energy, the fun, the cheeseburgers &
Pepsi cola. "Lowlife" is pretty crazy in the
live situation too; that's the one where even the most
uptight guys and gals end up jumping around.
Michael: And we encourage
as much nudity at our shows as possible, so it works
out good.
Joe: As much as I think
this record kicks ass, our next CD, slated to begin
recording this fall, is gonna blow folks away. We have
been pumpin out tons of new material, as well as trying
em out at shows. The audiences have really been responding
to it. The band is firing on all cylinders now, and
we just wanna keep that momentum going.
Choose the best show you did.
The one you think is really memorable. Please, tell
us about it...
Jay: I love the shows where
everything goes wrong right before (laughs). We did
this club gig last month where my car broke down on
the highway about an hour before. Me and a buddy pushed
the car uphill on the highway to a street and parked
it, and he got me to the club just as we were supposed
to go on. When I get there, the headliner is in the
process of trying to steal our time slot - we actually
went toe-to-toe with these assholes onstage, and the
whole audience saw it go down. Finally, the promoter
threw the other band off the bill, but before we went
on, Joe's entire effects board, about $600 worth of
stuff, went "missing".
Drew: Then we had to convince
Joey to play because he was more intent on finding the
thieves and kicking their ass.
Jay: Between us, our roadies
and the promoter, we were able to scrounge up enough
gear to go on with the show and deliver one of our best
shows ever. Nothing like complete chaos to make you
rise to an occasion.
What's in the future of Mojo
Rib? Have you got projects or anything else, talk about
them...
Jay: Outside projects?
What are you talking about, man! I'm in the greatest
goddamn rock 'n roll band on earth, a side project would
just be wasted energy.
Michael: Our goal is to
spread our infectious energy across the globe and meet
as many new faces as possible.
Jay: Yeah. And eat our
way across Italy.
Joe: We might even try
the food…
Which are the most singular,
craziest things happened during your way to rock? Can
you tell us about these mad experiences or can you tell
us some anectode?
Joe: Back when I first
moved to L.A., I did the pool-cleaning gig for a bit.
It was an easy way to make some cash and work outside
in the Cali sunshine. It didn't require a whole lot
of time, so I could still focus on guitar playing and
making music. Well, one time I was cruising up to a
house in the Hollywood Hills and when I got there, all
kinds of people were mingling around the house (usually
no one is ever around). When I finally got all my gear
up to the house I could make out a few fine ass women
getting pounded. I finally walked right into what everyone
always assumes the pool cleaner gets involved with --
a porno shoot! Much to my surprise, all these fuckers
were we waiting for me to get the pool cleaned before
they finished this last scene. Like anyone watching
porn gives a shit what the pool looks like. Needless
to say, after I cleaned the pool, I fucked 'em all.
Does that count?
What's your attitude towards
the well known "Sex, Drugs and Rock'n'Roll"
rule?
Jay: Hell, if it ain't
broke, don't fix it…
Joe: Pass me that joint…
How important is internet in
your opinion? On the web, there's the endless problem
of mp3 and downloads. Which are the pros and the cons
about this matter? What's your opinion about the Webzines?
Jay: The internet is the
best way to get the word out about your music, no question
about it - whether it's a band site or webzines like
this. A band with a bit of imagination and half-decent
web skills can do more to promote themselves in 2004
than most labels can. That's a pretty liberating feeling
- it also forces you to take responsibility for your
shit. If you can't do something with the free, unrestricted
advertising space of the world wide web, then you're
the laziest fucker on earth (laughs)! This is the reason
we started our own label (Nuthing Sacred). We're not
going to wait on anyone else to drop an opportunity
in our lap, if we can use our ingenuity to get on the
road, tour, and make records ourselves, then we'll do
it! Of course, if Atlantic Records offered to pick us
up tomorrow, I'm ready to sit down and talk (laughs).
Which are the bands that you
like and the bands that you dislike in the present Hollywood
(CA) rock scene? Please, be nasty guys...
Michael: Hollywood has
no scene right now.
Drew: LA is all Pay to
Play (you have to buy pre-sale tickets before the show)
which we will not do. It is mostly comprised of crappy
bands trying to play in front of record labels.
Jay: I wish the earth would
open up and swallow every single "tribute"
band in town whole. If I want to listen to Led Zeppelin,
I'll check out the CDs, not some sad old wrecks trying
to recreate the real thing. Original bands in Los Angeles
that I dig are few and far between, but I'm way into
The Chelsea Smiles and The IV's.
Is there something you've been
forced to give up to realize your dreams as rockers?
Jay: My dream of becoming
proctologist to the Stars…
Add a comment or just an adjective
beside the following:
Doors
D'Avery: Overrated!
Thin Lizzy
D'Avery: Under-appreciated!
Skid Row
Jay: Slave To The Grind
ruled…now Baz does Broadway musicals. It's the
end of the world!
The Crimson Idol
Jay: "The Headless
Children" or nothing! Blackie Lawless is my neighbor,
but I never see him (laughs)!
Big Silicon Tits
Joe: I hate fake fuckin'
tits. Gimme a nice set of big jiggly naturals anytime.
Porno Mags
D'Avery: Invest in a DVD
player - or an internet connection.
Fav Porn Stars, drinks and your
personal top 5 albums of all times…
D'Avery: Any chick who'll
take it up the ass is cool with me. I love the occasional
scotch on the rocks. Personal top five albums - these
change all the time depending on my mood.
Jay: My favorite porn stars
would probably be Tommy & Pam. As far as cocktails
go, I am a Captain Morgan and Coke man. Top Five albums?
Shit…AC/DC's Back In Black, Marianne Faithfull's
Blazing Away, the first Lords of The New Church, Aerosmith's
Night in The Ruts and Defenders of The Faith by Judas
Priest.
Drew: Drink…Whatever
gets the hinges greased. You had to ask the top five
albums question huh? Ok…Rocks (Aerosmith), Highway
to Hell (AC/DC), Apostrophe (Zappa), Live at Leeds (da
'oo) and Physical Graffiti (Led Zeppelin).
Michael: I'm a wine drinker,
leaning toward California Cabernets and Australian Shiraz.
From Italy I love Super Tuscans. Tequila is my favorite
hard alcohol, with Don Julio "1942" being
my favorite. I also love a good, dry martini (gin, of
course). Five albums of all time: Desolation Boulevard
(The Sweet), Rocks (Aerosmith), Alive! (KISS), Animals
(Pink Floyd), Heaven and Hell (Black Sabbath).
Joe: My current fav porn
star is Jessica Darlin. My favorite drink is a big fat
bowl of weed. Albums? Double Live Gonzo (Ted Nugent);
Led Zeppelin II (Led Zeppelin); 1984 (Van Halen); KISS
Alive! (Kiss); Let There Be Rock (AC/DC).
The world and the interview are
ending, "great balls of fire" falls from the
sky: the last thing you think you'd do?
Jay: Listen to "Jerry
Lee Lewis: Live at The Star Club". If you gotta
go, that'd probably be the sweetest way to do it.
Intervista realizzata da Bruno
Rossi e Margherita
Realmonte
Tradotta da Kendy
K. from Snakebite
Supervisione di Margherita
Realmonte
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