Joe Stump – An Xperience Interview

Joe Stump – An Xperience Interview – by Rob Smittix.

RRX: This issue of Xperience was gonna be our big hip-hop issue and they all kind of flaked out. So now I got Pat Travers in this same issue as you. So, now it’s the guitar hero issue.

JS: Pretty cool.

RRX: So, you’ve got a bunch of projects going on as well as Alcatrazz.

JS: Yeah. I got Alcatrazz, my solo thing, I have a Deep Purple tribute that I play with called Stormbringer and then I have a Rainbow Tribute. We play a couple Purple things called Black Knight’s Castle. That’s the one BJ from Dokken plays in with me and then I have a band Tower of Babel, we’ve got a record coming out later this year; that’s very much like a Blackmore-induced Rainbow, Deep Purple thing.

All top-notch musicians. The keyboard player, Mistheria, he’s on tour now with Bruce Dickinson. He plays in that Mandrake Project that Bruce Dickinson is out touring and promoting. And then the drummer, this guy Mark Cross who played with Firewind, he did a stint with Helloween and subbed for Scorpions. He’s a powerhouse drummer. And this guy Jo Amore, the singer, he’s like the French Dio, that’s what they call him. If you’re a fan of the old-school Rainbow and Purple stuff, we’ve taken it into a new era. So it’s a strong record and will be out later this year. So yeah, I’ve got a bunch of things in the pipes.

RRX: What do they call you? A Shred Guitar Master? That’s a big title to have. When do you start playing guitar to be able to become a Shred Guitar Master?

JS: I played a little when I was 10, just out of Mel Bay’s Easy Way. You know? This is a G7. This is a C, started reading music and taking lessons from some old dude. But then I was like, “This sucks.” I stopped and then I picked it back up when I was like 13 or 14 and I’ve been into it ever since. Made my first record. I was in this metal band, Trash Broadway. We were signed to Torrid Records, which (at the time) the biggest thing they did is they put the first Exodus record “Bonded by Blood” out. We were like their more commercial metal project. So that was the first record I made back in ‘89. Then I got my solo deal with Leviathan. I got my first solo record deal; that was 1993. I’ve been releasing solo records steadily since then. The newest one, “Diabolical Ferocity,” just came out – I think in 2000 – a few years ago. And then various different metal bands. I was in this symphonic power metal band, Holy Hell. We used to tour quite a bit with Manowar. We were on the same label and management company. We used to do a lot of big European festivals, sport holes, and all that nonsense. I played with various metal bands and I’ve been doing the Alcatrazz thing since 2019.

RRX: You’ve gotta be on your game to be in that band.

JS: Yeah. Well, originally when Graham Bonnet was singing, they wanted somebody that played like Yngwie and Ritchie Blackmore, obviously. I was a perfect fit for that. And then they also wanted the band to take a more metal direction that way. I’m kind of responsible for where it’s at now and I’ve made three Alcatrazz records so far. The first one, “Born Innocent,” with Graham.

Then I made two with Doogie White. Doogie used to sing with Blackmore, pretty much same pedigree as Graham; sang with Blackmore and Rainbow, sang with Yngwie Malmsteen, sang with Michael Schenker. We did two with Doogie – “V,” and ”Take No Prisoners” is the last one.

RRX: That’s awesome. I was thinking … a guitarist like yourself, I imagine you probably have a huge guitar collection.

JS: Myself, yeah. I have a hook-up with ESP, so they’ve been really good to me. They’ve sent me many guitars over the years. The Strat is my weapon of choice. I have tons and tons of Fenders. I got a bunch of V’s as well. I probably got something like 60 guitars.

RRX: That’s it? (laughs)

JS: Yeah, a little over 60. I got a bunch of old Marshalls. Strats and old Marshalls. Just like my heroes Blackmore, Yngwie, Hendrix. Gary Moore, when he was a hard rock metal player, played a Strat.

RRX: Yeah, I was gonna ask you about that. Like who are your favorites? But it looks like you just answered me.

JS: Blackmore and Yngwie of course. Gary Moore, I love all eras of Gary Moore. Uli Jon Roth. I love Uli’s solo stuff, but of course I love the iconic work he did with the Scorpions on all those early records. I love Hendrix and I love Michael Schenker as well. So it’s cool for me, I played with two dudes that sang with a bunch of my heroes. So I can’t complain.

RRX: So you went to the Berklee College of Music and you teach there too?

JS: Yes, I’m an associate professor there. I’m like the shred guitar metal specialist on the faculty. I’ve been there since ‘93. You know, it’s my 31st year at the college.

There’s not too many jobs where you don’t have to go into work until 12 or 1 in the afternoon. If I have to tour, I can just tell the powers that be that I’m gonna be on the road for a couple weeks. I just make up the work. It’s a good deal for me. I can’t complain.

RRX: Hell yeah. So, I’ve seen your YouTube and “Joe’s Deli.” It’s really funny and I love it.

JS: The “Joe’s Deli” thing kind of took on a life of its own. It started when Graham was in the band. I always eat after the show. It started out … we all went to a grocery store during the day. I’ll get some sandwich meats and I’ll make myself a sandwich and maybe some potato or macaroni salad or something for after the show. Nothing crazy or heavy.

Jimmy Waldo, the keyboard player … I was making him a sandwich and the band’s manager filmed it and then it kind of took on a life of its own. People at the record company Silver Lining, the label that Alcatrazz is assigned to – they were very pro-“Joe’s Deli.” The record company gets more concerned with the amount of Delis I’m shooting than any kind of music produced by the band.

RRX: That’s hilarious. It’s really entertaining though.

JS: Some guys, when they go out on the road, balloon up because they’re constantly eating crap. They go to truck stops, or rest areas, or the gas station. Buying candy and cookies. And I’m the opposite; I eat like a bird on the road.

RRX: Is there anything you wanted to say to the fans to get them to come on out?

JS: Yeah, it’s gonna be a guitar orgy. So if you love guitar, you will not be disappointed. After one of my shows, you never wanna hear guitar again. You know what I mean? I wouldn’t say it’s bludgeoning but it’s excessive.

A NIGHT OF SHRED: July 12, 6 p.m. doors. Empire Underground

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