Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joe Astle. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Joe, appreciate you joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My parents both have always been very supportive of my music. They let me and my bro destroy any instruments they had. My Dad showed me how to use a digital 8-track and he gave me some laptops he “borrowed” from the trash pile of macbooks from LA unified School district. He showed me garageband and then said “now you and your brother should go make some crap.
Another thing they did was expose me to really good music. I didn’t realize how lucky I was to have a massive collection of CDs growing up that I could easily listen to and then lose. I had Hairy Nilsson, Randy Screwman, and The Rutles all just waiting for me to listen to, after I was finished listening to all my Rap music.
Growing up I was taught that music is the greatest thing. Music and Heavenly Father.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I started making music in Junior High with my brother Jethro and our friend Eric. I was obsessed with trying to be the next Weezer, then I wanted to be the Kinks, then I wanted to be Charles Manson, and now I wanna be as good as the Beatles.
The latest music project I have been working on since 2008 is my band Boa Constrictors. It is an ever changing Rock band that has many members over the years. Right now it is my brothers and I, or just anytime anyone agrees to play music with me.
I am most proud of when I got my song Haunt me Baby in the movie Halloween Ends. That was epic. I finally got a check from a big Hollywood Corporation, and it felt like I didn’t even have to do anything. All of the money is gone now, so I am really hoping I can get more people to buy songs from me.
I have many other things I am proud of as well. When we were asked to open concerts for the Lemon Twigs, I was the happiest man on earth, and we did the tour and everything went perfect. I love those brothers. We also got asked to open up some shows for my other friends band called SuperOrganism and that was just so much fun.
The thing I am most proud of are my recordings, They don’t sound perfect but I recorded them all myself and I think almost every song is good. I am looking to record in a studio now though. I am too tired to do everything myself and my ears aren’t as crystal diamond clear anymore.
Any time I am getting paid and the concerts are somewhat professional, and I get to see my friends from all over the world that I don’t get to see very much I am happy and proud. Anything to get me away from my pizza delivery job.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My goal is to somehow hit it really big with a song, make a song like Smash Mouth did or the guy that made Mambo Number 5. Make so much money off of a song then I can be free to just do whatever I want and not have to have a piece of crap job. I’m constantly in search of making the perfect song, like Smash Mouth did.
I also just like entertaining people, I hear a lot of crap music playing everywhere and I am at war against the bad music.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
When I was younger I used to make fun and ridicule new bands that were coming out because I would be jealous of their success. I’d hear something sort of similar to what I was recording or just anything good, like MGMT came out when I was in High School trying to learn to record and I would be like “Who are these guys? oh man screw them!” I always felt fierce competition with people way older and smarter and had no idea I even existed. I think this was a major harm to me growing in music. I have been humbled over the years and even some people I would talk crap about ended up being very kind to me, and then I just felt like a real jerk. I will always talk bad about Bono and Areosmith tho. Unless Steven Tyler flat out says I am the best I will nonstop tell everyone how much I do not like “Sweet Emotion”. I hate that crap.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.boasforever.com
- Instagram: @kingironsnake
- Twitter: @boaconstrictors
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDzrdIn8v3k6crDOGxGCoAg