So,...you want to know a little bit about Joey Judd, huh? Well, that's all there really is to tell...a VERY little bit. I guess i'll just start at the beginning. My folks are your average, modest-living people with a penchant for the occasional experimentation into lunacy. Check out the hair. What were they thinking?! So, any illusions of me growing up in any sort of normalcy were just that,...illusions. Anyway, it was from one of these many experiments that I was spawned. I'm quite confident that one of the two things they were putting together exploded!! The rest is history.
I was a decent kid with a knack for bad judgement (true to this day). Fortunately, as a blueprint, I had the fine antics of my older siblings to help me out. Unfortunately, I didn't pay enough attention. What to do...what not to do...to always remember where I left the car, and such... But, that's another story. A story that came long after I saw my first Beatles film. I believe it was Help!!. I remember that when it ended I cried my eyes out. I like to think that I cried because I didn't want it to end. I was thinking "Hey, that's what I want to do...NOW!! Not when I get older!" More than likely, though, I cried because it was time to go to bed. At any rate, I believe that my message was heard. Because, not long after that incident, I received my first guitar. It was a midget-sized acoustic guitar. I would best describe my playing as "exactly failing to please the ear." But, I didn't care. I was playing guitar!! I guess I should have taken some lessons. Oh well,... Eventually, though, I did teach myself how to play well enough to not be annoying. I figured my parents brought me here into this world. They sure could take me out!
When they thought I had progressed sufficiently enough, my folks bought me an electric guitar. Really cool!...groovy!...bitchin'!...cock!!...(insert favorite 70's slang word)...etc... I'd plug it into my stereo and play for my friends. But, it wasn't until high school that I pursued a more constructive use for my musical energies. Chuck approached me one day and asked if I wanted to join his band. I barely knew Chuck from a hole in the wall...(yeah, both of those pictures are the same person). But...it was a band!! And I was in high school!! Think of all the chicks!...babes!...(again, insert whatever you like)...etc!.... The project turned out to be a Beatles cover band (clothing and all!!). We were called The Silver Beatles and it was the beginnings of the Fishes (yes, that is Dan in both pictures). The SB's (or Fishes Plus 1) played at a local restaurant/arcade (The Magic Castle) with the magnanimous Darin on drums. Quickly, we all became friends, sharing everything from girls to carpaint!!(Again, that's another story.) As time went by, we dumped the "all Beatles all the time" format for a more Top 40/Rock scheme. This new beast was called Mere Image. Mostly, this configuration (no new members or anything) just annoyed my parents by practicing in their basement. However, we actually did record a short EP titled "Electricity...and How It Can Suit Your Needs". Thanks Nigel!! And we also had a brief stint as an Elvis back-up band (Jordanaires and all!!). Many thanks to Doug (Elvis) and Bill Kincaid! However, all GREAT things must come to an end. College arrived and we all split up. Dan and Darin went off to Mizzou. Chuck tried to go to SEMO. I spent/wasted/(insert adjective here) a year at SMSU. Of all of my friends who went there that first semester, I had the highest of all the GPA's .( And that number is none of anybody's business. Let's just say that I would have had a great "earned run average") In the meantime, Mere Image changed shape for a bit; adding Brian Ceriotti on Drums and Matt O'Neal on guitar. We played mostly high school dances and college bars. But, as most bands end up, we disbanded (a nice way of putting it).
After that, I just fiddled around with recording my own stuff by myself. Chuck and I would, on occasion, write songs and record them. Chuck also started a band called "Rescue" which took many different forms. Occasionally, I was a member (no, not that kind). Then, once I finished school, I had to get a real job!! Lucky for me, Chuck came to the rescue (pun intended) once again. He had been playing in many different bands and was starting another one. We decided to keep Rescue as the name. But, this band was a working band. It was my main and only source of income. We traveled the country playing nightclubs and hotels. And I really enjoyed it!! Best job I ever had. The only drawback was 4 smelly guys (including me) stuck in a Ford Explorer for many hours at a time. (I really miss it, though.) After a year or so, things were a little complicated. Two of the members, Paul and Kieth, lived 2 hours away. Logistics were a real problem. Throw in the fact that both Paul and Chuck had children made things hard to manage timewise, etc.. So, we broke up.
Chuck and I decided to try and go on as a duet. I had purchased a "sequencer" and was programming some parts for the band anyway. So, I just programmed the drums and all of the parts around what we played live. Essentially, that go rid of the need for other band members. (Same sounds, more money, half the setup and teardown time, a drummer that never got drunk, Woohoo!!) After great deliberation, we decided to call ourselves Floyd the Barber. The confusion about the name made us think maybe it wasn't such a good choice after all. We'd hear; "Now, tell me, (sound of spitoon ringing) which of ya is Floyd?" Obviously, we didn't learn our lesson. Now, it's; "You boys are Delicious what?!!" But, I digress...
During the Floyd years(playing locally), I landed the easiest job in the universe that actually pays decent money. So, the need to work as a musician was alleviated. Now, music would be more like fun than work. We played around the St. Louis area. (Sweet, easy work!!) Then, Chuck, the bastard, had another beautiful child and moved himself over to Illinois. So, after a couple of years of Floyd, we broke-up. And once again, I became musically dormant.
Then, after about 3 years of not picking up a guitar, a really good thing happened. As a result, Dan talked to Chuck about doing something (anything) musically. Dan (who hasn't played guitar for many years, mind you) goes out
and buys a pulchritudinous (look it up) guitar. And again, in his ultimate wisdom, Chuck books a job knowing that, otherwise,
we would just mill around and nothing would happen. So, we (Dan and I) get an e-mail one day from Chuck.
It read, "Hey, there's this great band playing in a couple of weeks. Let's go see them. Oh, by the way, you're in the band!!"
Not only did he book a job, it was less than a month away! So, to show that I was no pussy!, I rose to the occasion and bought
a gorgeous (pulchri...what?) Taylor guitar. As fate would have it, not knowing what guitar Dan purchased, I bought the exact same one!! We look like bookends with
Chuck in the middle! Anyway, we learned about 40 songs, played the gig, and had a blast!
Obviously, we realized we should continue on. And once again, I was saved from musical obscurity. But this time,
it's perfect. I can't imagine doing anything else. Playing the music that I love and with my best friends is just too KICK-ASS!!
See ya wherever we are! And remember, I LOVE Cuervo shots!!(Just in case you were wondering)
Love ya mom and dad!!