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THE VANDALS
members present
J
oe Escalante
conducted on:
July 2004
by: Nevra Azerkan
extras:
official website
shout-out to PZO




 
 

PZO: As a band, what do you think your best qualities are?
Joe: We try to improve our songs with every album and we try not to take shortcuts with our music. <long pause> We put out lots of records--maybe too many.

PZO: What is the most misunderstood song lyric in one of your songs?
Joe: Oh maybe the song, "Oi to the World." A lot of people don't know what Oi music is. Do you guys know what it is?
PZO and PZO_Camera_Friend: No.
Joe: Oi music is music from England from like the 1970s--it was like skinhead music. It's not racist music, but skinhead type of music where they all go, "Oi, Oi, Oi!" Oi music is a type of music and we have a song called "Oi to the World" and everyone should get into that music even though that's one of our only Oi songs. We have another song called "N.I.M.B.Y." and that's kind of an Oi song. But we sing Oi songs and that's misunderstood. No Doubt recorded it and they had to come to us and ask, "Is this racist?" We said, "No, it isn't." and they said, "Okay." and they recorded it.
PZO: But you lied.
Joe: HAHAHA. I lied. [*Before some of you go emailing The Vandals keep in mind Joe was just joking and playing along.]

PZO: What is one of your favorite lines from one of your songs?
Joe: My favorite line in the song called "Take It Back." The song is about taking your food back-sending your food back at a restaurant. The waitress says, "I'm studying to be an actress." and the customer says "Start acting like a waitress!"
<laughter>

PZO: What was the last good deed you did?
Joe: I rode around on my bicycle in Phoenix during the show. Paul Frank gave us all bicycles.
PZO: Really?
Joe: Yeah, even our manager got a little pink one 'cause she's a girl. So I rode mine around. Just having fun riding my bike put me in a good mood and some guy's car was broken down and I helped him push it back into the parking lot. We tried to fix it. I did the best I could do. Then I gave him a check for $20,000 to go buy a new car.
PZO_Camera_Friend: Wow.
PZO: Yeah, right.
Joe: That last part is not true. Just goes to show you no matter what good deed you do it is never good enough.
<laughter>

PZO: What band or artist would you like to call it quits?
Joe: I don't really have anything that comes to mind. <thinks> Walt Disney. What's wrong with that guy? That talented bastard why doesn't he just give up?
PZO: Dude, he's dead.
Joe: Oh, I'm sorry. <smiles> I'm just kidding. I love Disneyland.

PZO: What is one thing you would not do no matter how much money you were offered?
Joe: I wouldn't break the law. That's a pretty boring answer, huh? That's why I don't do drugs except I take some mushrooms every once and awhile.
<laughter>

PZO: What's your favorite childhood memory?
Joe: The day Magic Mountain opened up. My dad got us tickets to the opening day of Magic Mountain. I wasn't old enough to go to the opening day of Disneyland 'cause that was in the 50s.

PZO: What event on your life had the greatest impact on you?
Joe: These are all serious questions. <smiles> They're good, but very serious. I guess going to law school.
PZO: Which one?
Joe: Loyola Law School.
<Joe gives insight on law schools and types of law>

PZO: If you could pass a law what would it be?
Joe: To legalize bull fighting in California.

PZO: What do you have in your pockets right now?
Joe: That's a great question. I usually have something good. <pulls out stuff> A business card, a receipt, maybe $200 bucks, phone and chapstick. I usually have good stuff.
PZO: Like what?
Joe: <pulls out more> Like earplugs, I have a backstage pass, but I left my wallet in the bus.

PZO: What's the worst advice you've ever been given?
Joe: Yesterday I asked someone where the Smart Punks stage was and they told me it was at one end of the place and it was somewhere else. I missed the three Underminded songs and it was a guy in River City Rebels who gave me the advice. I'm still holding a grudge. Here's what I have to say to people. It's okay to say no. It's okay. I don't know is a valid answer.

<Joe starts to wonder what he looks like on the camera and what famous star he resembles>

PZO: What are your thoughts on the upcoming presidential election?
Joe: I think all of these punk people are sell outs if they don't vote for Ralph Nader. Bush and Kerry they're related and they're in the same fraternity. People think there's a difference between these two guys for my purposes there is a difference and I will probably vote for George W. Bush, but if these people had any soul, integrity, they would be campaigning for Ralph Nader. A person that would really embrace the differences they really have with society, but they don't 'cause they think the enemy is the President of the United States. That's pretty short sided. I'm all for them having their enemy or whatever, but it's kind of amateur hour around here, open mic night in the political world. I usually don't answer political questions, but since you are cool I figured I'd give you one.

PZO: Given the opportunity, who would you kidnap for a day?
Joe: Vitamin C.
PZO: Are you serious?
Joe: Do you know her?
PZO: Yeah.
Joe: She was the host of the WB Superstars. All the people who made that should be led away in handcuffs, but it was so good I watched every episode like three times. I made my own DVD of them and I play it on the bus.
PZO: I don't think you want to say anymore.
Joe: What? It was so good. Vitamin C was very good in it.




 
 
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