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Not Just Your Average Joe
An Interview with Joe Bellia
by Michelle Paponetti

Jukes drummer Joe Bellia credits his successes to hard work and persistence. In a recent sit down with him he stated, “I always walk out of a gig knowing in my heart that I did the best I could.” Such statements are characteristic of Bellia, entirely reflective of his strong will, determination and most of all his integrity. And with connections to Southside Johnny and Bruce Springsteen that go all the way back to 1973, how could one go wrong? But with Joe, commitment and always being prepared has proven to be the key to his success, both as a drummer by night and as a photographer by day.

When was the first time you saw Southside perform?
Back in the early 70’s, 1973 maybe. I used to be in a band Father Fox. We used to play at this bar called the Stony End on 2nd Ave in West End, Long Branch. One of Southside’s early bands, The Blackberry Booze Band used to play there also. I used to go & check them out whenever I could. I never introduced myself, just kinda hung around and watched. I think I was about 10 years old, the waitress used to let me in the back door. Only kidding. I was about 17 or 18. It was a cool place! After a gig with my band, the owner would close the doors & a group of us would hang out all night dancing and stuff. When the sun came up, we would go to the beach & sleep all day. I remember waking up and seeing Springsteen coming down the stairs to the beach. I’d wave and he would wave back and then I’d pass out again. I’d eventually get up, go home, take a shower and go back down to the club & play again. Can’t do that any more!

So you and Bruce crossed paths quite a long time ago.
The first time I saw Bruce, I was about 16 years old. A friend of mine took me to a Steel Mill show in South Amboy (New Jersey). The club was called the Scene. I think they let kids 14 and over in. No alcohol was served. I forget who was in that band. I think it was Vinnie Lopez, Garry Tallent, Steve Van Zandt and Bruce. I was blown away. Bruce played great guitar, with a great sound. I guess that was my first taste of Asbury music! Someone recently sent me a copy of the poster for that show! Years later he would come into the Stony End or the Stone Pony when I was playing there with Father Fox. At the Stone Pony, during the breaks instead of hanging out in the crowd, I would sit in the back room and practice to loosen up for the next set. I remember Bruce came back and said, “How are you guys doin’? Are you getting’ any work?” And I said, “yeah, we’re doin’ OK.” And I asked him, “What are you doin” now?” And I remember him saying, “Well I’m not playin’ as much guitar as I used to, I’m writing a lot now.”

Who would have thought back then, how big he was going to become?
Yeah, yeah. (laughs) He hadn’t really exploded yet. It’s just so weird, you know? I remember one night I was on a break at the Stony End and Vinnie Lopez came up to me & said, “Hey man, you sound good. You know I’m not playing with Bruce anymore, he’s looking for a drummer, you should check it out.” Someone else from Bruce’s organization, I forget his name, a crew guy or something, came up to me the same night and said he would see if he could get me an audition. He came about a week later & said “I told Bruce about you and he said to get in touch and come on down.” I just never followed up on it. I was happy with the band I was with and we were recording for United Artists at the time. Oh well, it wasn’t meant to be. That was when Boom Carter joined the band.

You must remember the period when the Asbury Jukes got their first record deal?
I remember all that. I remember going to the Pony on Thursdays and Sundays when the Jukes used to play, hanging out in the corner and watching their shows. I wasn’t even 20 yet. And then I got a call from Obie, who used to work for the band. She took care of all the business. This was around 1978 when Popeye was leaving. She said they were looking for a new drummer and for me to come down. This time I went. (laughs) I didn’t know what I would be playing, so I just grabbed all the albums. And I learned everything off of all the albums that were out at the time.

Is that what Southside auditioned you on? Or was he into throwing curveballs back then too?
No, no. I think we just played the songs on the records. I remember one of things he wanted me to play was.... (taps on the table) triplets on the right hand and the left hand together. “Havin’ a Party” it was. And Johnny wanted to hear both hands together and I remember Kevin saying, “He can do it.”

Kevin Kavenaugh?
Yeah, Kevin was there, I remember LaBamba was there. Billy Rush. In fact it was at Billy Rush’s house. Or his mother’s house in Deal, NJ. We sat in the living room. I remember playing, and Johnny walking around the drums, he would stand right behind the drums and watch. (laughs).

Nothing like being placed under the microscope!
Yeah! “Some things just don’t change!” We haven’t played that song in a long time! (laughs) Well anyway, Steve Becker got the job. I was disappointed, but it was cool. I was tight with Steve at that time. So I was happy for him.

So the first time you played those songs was back in ’78?
Yeah! If I don’t have them down by now, something’s really wrong!

Do you still see Steve Becker?
No. I haven’t seen him in a long time. I would love to speak with him.

And then you came back in the spring of 1998.
Bobby (Bandiera) called up and said, “Johnny wants you to do these California gigs with us.” There were four California gigs. I had Bobby pulling for me. I was with the band until the summer of 2000. I always kept on good terms with the guys, and was available for any sub work when Louie or Marco could not make it.

So when Louie Appel got sick and was unable to make it to Europe in the fall of 2003, how much notice did you have?
I got called four days before they were leaving.

How did you manage to just drop everything in your life on such short notice?
It was a good opportunity for me. It’s a matter of what’s important to you. When something’s important, you make it happen. It was important to me to play with the Jukes. I love the songs and I get to go to Europe with my friends. Come on, how could I pass it up? And it was only for two weeks.

I’ve heard Southside speak of his admiration for your work ethic.
I always try to do the best I can, whether it’s music or photography. It’s not always perfect. No one is. But I know in my heart I did the best I could. No one’s harder on me than myself. If I have a bad day, I can go for weeks going, “Oh God, what did I do?” And that’s how I improve. Even now, before we hit the stage, I’m in the back for about an hour warming up and I walk out and I hit the ground running. I think that’s part of the reason that I’m back in the band. I take everything I do seriously. That’s why I didn’t feel so badly when they let me go. I was disappointed, naturally, but the main thing was that deep down I knew I did the best I could.

Tell me a little bit about when you first got started. What made you choose the drums?
It was that famous Sunday night in February of 1964. I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. If it wasn’t for them, I might have been a doctor or something. See what too much TV can do to you? I remember seeing Ringo and I was blown away. The drums really stood out to me. I remember the next day, how all the girls there were flipping out over the Beatles. And I was like, “Ah, yeah, they’re just OK,” ‘cause I was kinda jealous. But really I was blown away, you know? I got my first practice pad and sticks for my 10th birthday. My mom and dad sent me for drum lessons, and 6 months later I was in my first band. I was 10 years old. I’d walk around the block, the other guys would carry gloves and balls and I used to have drumsticks in my back pocket.

No kidding?
A kid across the street had a band. He was the lead singer and his brother played drums. So I went across the street to watch them rehearse. And the singer said, “I hear you know how to play drums?” I said, “Yea.” So he told his brother, “Let him sit in and play.” So I played “Wipeout” and he threw his brother out of the band! (laughs) His brother wouldn’t speak to me for a long time. Not long after, we did our first gig at a party on the beach in South Amboy. I got paid 2 dollars.

I know you’ve been in Bobby’s band for years, how did that connection happen?
I used to play at the Stone Pony with Joey and the Works. And Bobby’s band was playing the Pony at the same time. I remember meeting him at a Joey and the Works anniversary party. And Bobby came and sat in. After a while, I started subbing for his drummer. Eventually, he asked me to join the band. I actually did the demos for Bobby’s first album, “Bandiera” on the drum machine.

So what is your connection to Cyndi Lauper?
I had a drum machine/sequencer that I started getting a lot of work with. Cyndi Lauper, Phil Ramone and some soundtrack stuff, like the movie “Rude Awakenings.” Cyndi Lauper was doing a record, “Night To Remember.” I did some demos for that record. We were in the studio and they needed a guitar player so I gave Bobby a call. And he did a great job.

Tell me about other artists you have toured with.
I played with Dave Mason in the late 80s. I got that gig from playing at the Pony too. I was playing the Pony on a Sunday night with Joey & the Works and his road manager came in and said, “Dave Mason’s looking for a drummer, would you be interested?” So I said, “OK, sure!” That lasted for about 3 years. It was a really cool thing. He’s played with Jimi Hendrix and Traffic. Dave is very easy to play with. He has a great groove, a great voice and great songs. All those classics, “Feelin Alright,” “Only You Know and I Know,” “We Just Disagree” to name a few. I traveled all over the world with him…Hawaii, Japan. He had a cool house in St. Thomas that I would stay at. Actually, I was playing in California at a place called The Strand with Dave, and Southside opened for us with his blues band. Cool band.

There was an interesting thing that happened while I was playing with Dave that I will never forget. We were playing in Houston and after the show we went back to the hotel. The next morning all of our equipment was stolen. I had about ten thousand dollars worth of stuff stolen. My drum machine, cymbals, a really old Premiere drum set, just about everything I owned. It was all in the equipment truck outside the hotel. They stole the truck. I was devastated, you know? So we cancelled the tour, I go home and out of nowhere I get a call from Tico Torres. And Tico said, “Look, I heard what happened. Come down to my house and take anything you need!” I drove down to his house, he opened up his garage and I was like a little kid in a candy store. He gives me a brand new drum set right out of the box, cymbals, cases, everything. Then Tico said, “Keep everything until you get back on your feet.” It was amazing! It wasn’t that I was his best friend or anything. I really didn’t know him that well. I will never forget that. He’s a really great guy.

Another artist I’ve toured with is Beth Nielsen Chapman. She is a great singer/songwriter with a beautiful voice and amazing songs. Beth has written country hits for Faith Hill, Willie Nelson and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

I also toured with The Dave Parsons Dance Company. We played a continuous 40-minute piece with tempo changes and lots of odd meters. It was really challenging for a drummer.

What was it like going to Moscow with Bobby Bandiera in 1998?
We went to Moscow for a week and Madrid for two weeks. Then we came home for a few days and I did my first four Jukes shows in California. The people were so unbelievably responsive to what we were doing. They knew all the songs and the words in English. The Doors songs and everything else we were playing.

And they weren’t used to that right?
No. They were so appreciative to have American music there. It’s so different playing for a crowd like that. It was all very new to them. We stayed a block from the Kremlin.

So right now you’re recording a new album with the Jukes. Have you ever recorded with them before?
No. This is the first time. It’s great to have a chance to play on one of Johnny’s records. I can’t wait to hear the finished product.

Does Johnny come in pretty much knowing what he wants from you?
We listen to a demo and we just start playing. It kinda develops from there. Sometimes it’s pretty close to the demo and sometimes its something totally different.

So who puts together the demos?
Usually whoever writes the song. Jeff (Kazee) makes great demos. The Jukes are recording in Bon Jovi’s studio again.

Now I know this isn’t your first encounter with Jon Bon Jovi either right? Didn’t you do a recording with him?
Yes, I was playing with Bobby Bandiera at the Walt Street Pub in Red Bank, (NJ) and Bon Jovi came in and sang with us. The next day, Bobby said Jon called and wanted to do a recording and wanted me to play. So I went to his house and we recorded his version of “America the Beautiful” for 9-11. Tico was in Hawaii, so I played with them. They played it simultaneously for one o’clock football games around the country.

What would you say was the most exciting show you have ever played?
The Hope Benefit for Bobby’s son. That night I played with Southside, Bon Jovi and Bruce. They were all on stage at the same time. I also played separately with each of them. I did “Blaze of Glory” with Bon Jovi. It was so cool to learn and rehearse that song. Bruce did “Seven Nights to Rock” with Bobby, Muddy and I. It was his first time performing it, and now he does it at all of his shows. He arranged it with us.

I would image that after playing for so long at the Pony you must have been joined onstage by Bruce quite a bit over the years.
Actually, I never really played with him until we started doing benefits and private parties a few years ago. We started doing his Christmas parties. Then there was the Hope Benefit and the Bar Band Bash shows for the Rumson Country Day School. The first few were all old R&B and rock and roll covers. He’s so easy to play with. He starts playing and you know exactly where the groove is. He is very easy to follow. I enjoyed the Christmas benefits at Harry’s. We hardly did any covers. It was great to play a lot of Bruce’s songs. And to play those songs and to have him turn around and wink, you know?

So it seems everything has come full circle.
You’re right. Persistence is the key. Never give up. Just keep doing what you love to do.

Joe Bellia Photos | Joe Bellia Discography

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