Satchel here-with another one of those spine tingling CB.NET Interviews! We’ve interviewed virtually every musician that has been in CAROLINE BLUE’s ranks at one time or another and here we are again with the 2 “new” guys in CAROLINE BLUE-bassist Andy “Doc” Gore & drummer Joe Boyle. Sometimes the spotlight falls a little too much on Mr. Johnson so we thought we’d give some equal time to Joe & Doc! So grab some cheesy poofs & enjoy!
CB.NET-Give us some background info about yourself-our readers want to get to know ya better!
Doc-Background info? as in… what’s in my sordid past? OK… I’ll tell of one thing, how I came to be known as “DOC” (take notes there will be a test later): When I was 19 I was attending the University of Florida and was in a fraternity where my nickname was “Doctor Demento”. They called me this because I was the only member to ever have his girlfriend living with him IN the frat house… and the walls were quite thin so one can imagine all the noises the other guys were subjected to. I’m not a real doctor but I DO own a doctor’s bag…. oh, and I double as the band’s medic.
Joe-I have been playing drums for 30-odd-years. Only owned a kit for a total of maybe two years of the 30. Spent most of my time learning songs by listening to them in my sleep, and air-jamming to them. When it came time to sit down to a kit I played it as I had the air-kit and low and behold it worked. I love the more clean metal music like; Dream Theater, Fates Warning, Helloween, and Savatage. I am also a published author of two books. “Id Laberynth: Writings Mentality Recovery” (self-help), and “The Secret of New York’s Caves” (Fantasy Fiction) I am single and believe in finding that one special someone; I may be a little to picky for my own good.
CB.NET-How did you happen to join CAROLINE BLUE? Had you heard/seen them before and, if so, what were your impressions?
Doc-At the time I was already in a band but it was in the process of breaking up, Wayne sent me an email about possibly joining or filling in with CB
…a surreptitious coincidence. I’d heard CB a couple of times both at Nikstock and at Station 58. Impressions? at the Nikstock show I remember telling the people in the band I was in at the time “these guys rock, but I think they can improve things if they added a guitarist or a singer so that guy (Wayne) doesn’t have to work so hard.” –it WAS a blistering hot summer day– I had also met Wayne earlier that day and his comment to me was “I’m glad to see we’re not the only ones wearing leather today” …I was wearing my leather pants that day too. The other show I saw them at I remember telling Wayne “I’m glad I’m not the only one wearing leather tonight.”
Joe-Roy Coston; Formerly of LoveBone, Four Large Men, and Ardent in the early 80’s remembered Caroline Blue was looking for a drummer when visiting once, after a call a couple e-mails, and a ton of learning their material, I was accepted as Caroline Blue’s drummer.
CB.NET-How would you rate past CAROLINE BLUE drummers/bassists?
Doc-Both times I saw CB Johnny Sniper was playing the bass, that’s some big shoes to fill let me tell you!
Joe-Don’t really know many of the former player, but have worked briefly with Johnny Sniper who was an outstanding bassist, Mike Merrifield, a past drummer I know by reputation and his work on past CD’s is one of the more talented CNY drummers i have had the honor to learn from from those CD’s
CB.NET-What is the best & worst show you’ve played with CAROLINE BLUE to date?
Doc-The best show was a command performance at Boneshakers July 2009. The worst one, was at Frank’s Country Bunker where they only play both kinds of music… country AND western…. only thing missing was a chicken wire enclosed stage.
Joe-To me our show’s have been quite steady, I really don’t think I can come up with a best or worst show. Our first show with the latest bassist, Andy Gore, at the DogHouse in Utica was rough but not too awful bad. The show I enjoyed the most was going out of state to played Legends in Gales Ferry, CT.
CB.NET-This leads to the next question-what’s your most embarrassing moment onstage with CAROLINE BLUE? How about with other bands you’ve been in?
Doc-My most embarrassing moment with CB was at Franks. With other
bands? When I was in Savage Jack we had just gotten a new drummer and drilled him for 21 days straight to play our next show… in practice he was almost perfect but we didn’t know he suffered from “stage fright” and blew every song — he tanked the gig… we were real embarrassed and real pissed off too, fired him the next day.
Joe-Again I can’t point to a specific embarrassing moment, but have had a few brain-farts; forgetting how a song began, or starting the wrong song. I’m not one to dwell on the negativity of bad moment. I look more to what was done right not wrong.
CB.NET-Before you guys were in the band, CAROLINE BLUE played mostly originals and were never seen live without those leather pants on. Now the band is playing a lot of covers (hard rock / metal / modern rock) and just wearing street clothes onstage (note-the band has recently brought the leather back). How do you feel about this change?
Doc-It’s just how things are done in the band, I don’t question it. I just play what is put in front of me to play and give it 200 percent every time. I know my girlfriend prefers the “leather wearing” shows though.
Joe-At this point in Caroline Blue’s life, I think it was good to step back from the flamboyant stage style, and unfamiliar songs to the audience the whole night, to picking up a more metal style and feel we can portray with songs like “Ace of Spades”, “Seek and Destroy”, “NIB”. Taking this route has helped to take our originals, and take them from sounding like pop metal to sounding like a full metal band. Just listening to the originals now as compared to how they sounded has been a great transformation. I feel we have gone from Poison-like to Metallica-like, and I believe that is a good thing. I have always thought that ability outweighs image by a long shot.
CB.NET-We’ve been trying to find some dirt on WWJ for a long time-any stories you’d like to share?
Doc-Sorry, Wayne has beat you to this one by paying me off rather well for my silence…. but I can tell about the “leg humping” incident at Shamrocks if you can cough up some more money….
Joe-To tell the God’s honest truth, I don’t know of any dirt on Wayne. I have only known him for just short of a year, and haven’t found any dirt on him yet. The closest I can come up with was once he said people thought he was gay because of his passive mannerisms and demeanor, but I’ve seen some of his girlfriends, and he is surely not a homo. lmao!!!!
CB.NET-What would you like to personally accomplish in CAROLINE BLUE?
Doc-I’d like to record and tour with CB.
Joe-I would like to just simply learn to be the best performer I can be. What I have learned in the past year is far more than anything I have done in the past. A little fame wouldn’t hurt; I’ll know that when a stranger on the streets approaches me and says “I’ve seen you before, You play drums for Caroline Blue.” As soon as i hear that I’ll know I have personally made it to the next stage of success.
CB.NET-How far do you believe Caroline Blue can go?
Doc-As with anything in life, you go as far as you dare to and no farther. I don’t know about the other guys, but I’m pretty fucking daring!
Joe-I really believe, with the current lineup we have what it takes to make it to the national stage and beyond. I look forward to my first studio appearance, and hopefully with 3 CD’s out we will be picked up somewhere along the line. From what little i have known of Caroline Blue in the past the changes in the band has the ability to make it up there quite a ways.
CB.NET-Any words you’d like to say to all of CAROLINE BLUE’s Fans, Friends & Freaks who are online reading this?
Doc-Yes, come to more shows! Wayne’s been real busy booking so we’re bound to have one near to you soon enough. And thanks for being there for us,
it really means a lot!
Joe– I have never been much of a social butterfly, but it has been great to perform for you, and get to know you. I pray for your continued support, which without you wouldn’t be possible. You in the audience make me feel that all the work I’ve done to get to where I am has been worthwhile. I have been humbled by these of you who say, “Damn, dude, you can play those drums.” That is what i have worked my whole life for. It is you in the crowd that makes this whole venture worth.
CAROLINE BLUE 