And now here they are, Nick and Sue on Chatterbox.
When the stars talk, they talk to Nick and Sue.
And welcome back to the Chatterbox Redux Podcast
with me Nick and today my guest is Joe Hermes.
We're Chatterbox giving you all you need to know
about musical entertainment. Oh, yeah! Chatterbox,
the best interviews with Nick and Sue. Chatterbox,
the best news. And now on Chatterbox, we're just
lucky enough to welcome back Joe Hermes. Joe,
welcome. How are you, sir? Great, Nick. How have
you been, my friend? All good. All good. We chatted
not that long before Christmas. So I know that
the regular listeners on all the stations will
know exactly who you are, which is wonderful.
And we had some exciting news, which we're now
right in that period now. And that is, of course,
the Boy's Life Tour. Yeah. it's uh sort of and
there's a lot of dates there so um if you haven't
had the opportunity yourself to uh go around
and see the uk you certainly have now haven't
you no corners unturned it is uh quite the tour
Yeah, it's looking good, it's looking good. Tell
me, what's the most exciting bit about the tour
to you? Is it different parts of the UK or is
it the music side or a whole load of it? All
of it. I think coming back after being here in
November, it feels comfortable, feels familiar.
And then of course, on the music side, Uh, I
was a bit nervous, you know, jumping on a, on
a tour, like with boys life, but the contrast
between the styles, I think works really well.
You know, the audience has been super receptive
of it. And it was a bit of a gamble on my, on
my part, but I thought, you know, um, let's give
this a whirl. Cause I did want to see more of
the UK. And I knew they, they, uh, they had great
crowds and, um, the figures have been just, just
beautiful, amazing. dream come true. I play,
I play dive bars and you know, some couple theaters
back home, but nothing, nothing like you guys
have here. So it's just, it's been amazing. Yeah,
I think I mean obviously everything's on a much
smaller scale here in the UK is much more condensed
we say But of course something you may notice
I don't know you have it in the States because
there's a lot of these sort of Municipal theaters
where you may have a thousand seat theater, which
is run by the local council They have that just
so that the I mean a thousand towns in the country
have this my town has it and it's a theatre that's
basically it's owned or run did or leased out
or rented out by the local council just to provide
like live entertainment for that town there's
not these have been going back over a hundred
years or more and still going and you'll see
a lot of these or you've seen a lot of these
places on the tour it's quite incredible you
think wow the council do that for their people
but yeah you know Blown me away. I'm you answered
it for me because I'm sitting there going like
wow like You just you don't expect it. You don't
we don't have anything like that We've got a
few old theaters and stuff in the in the states,
but they don't support them like they are here
I mean the the like you said the city's involved
and just I mean it's And they're beautiful. They're
well -maintained and the staffs. I mean every
every single staff has just been Everybody's
happy to do what they're doing, and it just makes
it that much more enjoyable. And a lot of them
are decent sizes. A lot of them do have a thousand
seats, two thousand seats, some of them. Some
are bigger, but you know, if you go to proper
theatres, I'm going to talk about these municipal
type theatres that are... run by the councils
which is amazing we we we are lucky to have them
we don't realize at the time it's easy to moan
but you know it's easy to moan about the council
and you start thinking about things like that
they do that just for a live live entertainment
venue which is good because you get some quite
big names come around you know it's not just
it gives the people in those towns that chance
to see somebody but they wouldn't have the opportunity
to see otherwise so a lot of that over here so
yeah yeah but Then again, you've got a lot of
older venues as well. I thought you were going
to Eastbourne. Was it the... Which one? I think
it was when you were going to Eastbourne. Was
it the Congress or was it the Royal Hippodrome?
Either way, they're both theatres, musical theatres
that I'm talking about. Yeah, which is wonderful.
Yeah, so... Something about Boy's Life, I don't
know, because we speak to quite a lot of their
people that support them, and generally, It seems
to be like sure can cheese the and they do it
must do it for a reason it's worked really well
with you and No one's not gone down well with
them. So Obviously, they're good. They're good
at what they do. They've been doing it for a
long time one way or another When when you got
the call you think you sure, you know, okay obviously
they They knew it would work somehow Come to
find out Brian McFadden. I think he's a he's
a he's a big country fan and He's a the boys
have been great. I mean they've been super supportive
and Yeah, I was a little I I had to think about
it as you guys would say over here That It was
a gamble. And I thought, you know what, let's
go for it and see what happens. Cause I didn't
want to see more of the countryside. And I knew
that the theaters were, were pretty awesome.
Just from what I had seen in the, in, you know,
online and I'm like, but it's paying off. I think,
I mean, they've been, like I said, the, the fans
have been great. They've been very accepting.
And you know, they, I come out on stage and they're
like, well, who the heck is this guy? You know,
and by the end of it, uh we're all just having
a hooting good time so they're all there dancing
they're all there doing whatever they do to join
in so yeah yeah live for you as well and obviously
you lift the boys life when they take over the
stage so yeah yeah my job is to get them get
them ready right yeah well there you go and let's
talk about again about um doing some more concerts
of Joe Hermes by himself. How's that looking
for later in the year? Yeah, well, I've got a
couple tours this spring and I know they're working
on stuff for for this fall right now. So we had
some we had some dates in May that we were working
on, but I think those aren't working out right
now just because of the other tour that I'm heading
out on right after this, which goes through Germany
and it has comes back to the UK for a few dates
and then ends in the Netherlands and that's more
of a rock tour. So yeah, we're interested. I'm
very interested to see where it goes after this
show. Sure, I did notice you had some European
dates in. Right, tell us about this new single.
Tell us all about that. I've just been listening
to it, but let's hear it from you. How you're
pushing it and how you'd like, I mean, obviously
they're all going to hear it, but how, before
I play it to them, what would they, what would
you, if you described to somebody you didn't
have the means to play it to them, how would
you describe it? So the song's called That Country
High and It's a little outside the box of what
I normally do. Of course, this tour was the right
tour for this song. It's got some of the pop
elements, it's got some R &B elements in it,
as well as the country thing. And the song generally
is just about going, you know, I grew up in a
small country town in Illinois, and our idea
of a good time was heading out, you know, somebody's
pasture and, you know, I'll buy their barn having
campfires bonfires whatever and you know being
in the city a lot now when I head back to the
country you get this this natural like feeling
of it's just fresh air it's relaxing and kind
of invigorates you in a way that the big city
doesn't I mean they both have their own thing
but that country high is just about that it's
about going out Into the countryside and having
a good time with your friends or your mates as
you guys would say and just just You know having
a fun sing -along. It's it's a light -hearted
song. It's it's definitely On the spectrum on
one side of what I do but this was the right
tour to bring this this song out because It is
fun and it gets the gets people singing and dancing.
It's it's It's been it's been going over. Well
chill. That's brilliant I'm just looking through.
Well, one thing I did notice listening to the
single, the tone of your voice sound deeper than
normal and lower than normal. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So I'm I'm actually a bass. So when I get done,
I'm talking down here. Right. But I'm actually
a bass and most of my stuff has been written
in more of a baritone range. And This was one
of those where we my producer was like all right
go ahead and go ahead and let it let it down
a little bit and That's where you're that's where
you're hearing that come out which I? enjoy especially
doing it towards the end of the set you know
because It's a much more comfortable spot for
for my voice. You know like the rock stuff I'm
usually pushing that upper upper end of my my
range a lot and Yeah, so that's I was pretty
happy when they let when my producer let me sing
this one. This is Nick and Sue with Cheddar Box
giving you all you need to know about musical
entertainment. Cheddar Box Cheddar Box Cheddar
Box Cheddar Box It takes two to tango And Tutu
present a radio show So here's Nick and Sue Your
musical duo Okay, let's have a look. So there's
a venue here jumping out at me on Thursday the
5th of March You'll know when you're there The
Plaza Stockport, it's an old don't you ever played
there before you know anything about it? The
Plaza Stockport is an old 1930s art deco cinema
original never got knocked into multi screens
it's just it got boarded up for decades and then
the locals saved it and you step out on that
stage and you'll be stepping out in this night
and it is the two tiers the balcony the stalls
and because it is just basically it's not really
greater Manchester it's the next county but you
imagine it being part of the outside of Manchester
it's close enough to Manchester for Manchester
to go to put it that way and you're in for a
great night there and it's a great atmosphere
but you'll be stepping out into the 1930s when
you step out on that stage you think wow this
venue it's just something quite it's unique you
won't ever forget this one the Plaza Stockport
yeah so 5th of March One of these has been like
that, and everybody keeps telling me they keep
getting better, and I'm like... The Eastbourne
one you're at is the 12th of March. That's the
Congress Theatre. That's quite a modern one.
It's only about 15 miles up the road from us,
and very modern. That's one of the council theatres,
and it is, yeah. That Eastbourne you'll love,
it's three theatres all side by side and they're
all run by the council, but they all do different
things. One's the Winter Garden, one's the Devonshire
Park Theatre which does, it's more of a Victorian
theatre which does all these old plays and the
Agatha Christie mysteries and things, and then
you've got the Congress which is the one that
does the concerts. So yeah, three literally on
one road next to each other, you think. wow you
could be in the west end but you're in eastbourne
there you go so hopefully you get a chance to
see some of these places because eastbourne's
got a lovely seafront and that so yeah eastbourne
on the 12th of march so the congress theatre
yeah that's a nice that's a nice modern venue
that one just looking at these venues you've
got some great places so and there's a thing
we noted before you are you know when i looked
at all the dates at the beginning you you are
you know literally are in the four corners if
you like of the country did i remember do i remember
you went to ireland or northern ireland was was
that was that on did you have one over there
They have those in April. Those are two shows
at the very end that I can't do, unfortunately.
And I heard that's what I keep hearing. Yeah,
we've got to head back to the States and retool
for the next tour. So I had to pull off those
last two dates, because there's a little gap
there about 10 days. We fought, I fought it a
lot to decide whether or not to do it. And I'm
like, I'm just going to have to come back and
do it again because there won't be the only time.
And you know, the boy's life was really good
about it. They understood. And yeah, being a
country rock guy, you know, be able to lean into
the country stuff and then lean into my rock
stuff and kind of just get out, get out and get
exposed and Yeah, it's working. I'm just trying
to hit on all cylinders right now. No, sure,
sure. And what they said about going back home.
Well, what's next sort of recording? Well, just
say if we were to have this chat, a chat in about
six months time, what is it that you'd like to
tell me that Joe Hermes is actually is up to
or has been up to? What would you like to be
telling me? I'd just like to be telling you that
we've gained a tremendous amount of fans this
spring and not just in one genre or the other,
but across the board and that we can, you know,
that we've actually been making inroads and building
something even more special than it is today.
And that's really, that's all it is to me is
just meeting one fan at a time, one venue. And
I love what's interesting about this tour the
most. And I'm seeing it come is not only you
know the there's a lot of there's a lot of ladies
that go to these shows but it's the guys that
come with the ladies that tend to latch on to
Jerry and I went on our set like so we're getting
yeah it's there you know some of them are like
well you know my wife and my girlfriend wanted
to come and I just you know I bought water tickets
for Valentine's Day but you know and But something
about that country rock thing that we do, you
know, it was just so if that keeps happening,
I think we're going to I think we're going to
be talking about really good things here in the
next six months when we meet up again. Brilliant
well looking forward to that. So let's make that
happen. Shall we Joe? Yeah, let's do it. Yeah
every successful turn over here and of course
in Europe and when you get back home and every
success, of course with the with the new single
and Yeah, let's do some social media. What's
your websites? And how can people find you and
what else have you got social media wise? Yeah.
Yeah. Well Joe Hermes music .com Joe Hermes music
is my handle on all my social medias if you just
type in joe hermes in google i'll come up it's
hermes hermes hermes h -e -r -m -e -s um and
i look forward to meeting you that's that's about
all i can say sure and what's it like uh going
to uh a small country but there's so many accents
i mean you've got lots of accents in the usa
it's a big area i mean So I'm here saying Hermes
south accent you've already given three examples
there so what's it like so you don't know what
your next interview he could have any old accent
they'd be pronouncing it any old way but uh yeah
so is that weird that you could be this next
guy 60 miles up the road that sounds totally
different to me well I think I think the more
important thing than how they pronounce my name
is uh me and me not stepping on a landmine like
I've done, I misunderstood the Welsh accent.
We have trouble with that, don't worry. And I
inadvertently called it an Irish accent. And
I mean, you would have thought I just, oh my
goodness. I'm like, I'm just a big dumb American.
I was like, you know, I was begging for mercy
because you would have thought I just ran over
a dog and you know, I mean, so I have to learn.
You guys have a lot of accents around here and
I have to learn. I got to learn it because I
have a big problem of putting my foot in my mouth
when I talk to people, you know, just trying
to be friendly, making, you know, passing comments.
I've learned. I've learned. All right, so we
don't we don't talk religion. We don't talk politics
and we don't talk football. And now we don't
talk accents either. Yes. I think probably the
at least she didn't accuse it of being a Scottish
accent or something. Actually, I think I did.
Oh, okay. Because I went Irish and then she looked
at me and then I said Scottish and then it was
like death stares. So Scotland and Northern Ireland.
you've got a 50 -50 chance of getting it right
when it comes to religion, all right? But if
you get it wrong, it could be badly right. No
offense meant to any lovely people in both sides,
but yeah, it could go badly wrong, so yeah. But
it's worth avoiding if you're in certain places.
I think I should zip it up when it comes to that.
Don't forget. We've got four countries and something
a little much bigger than New York, so you know.
Because it is four countries at the end of the
day all in the UK, so yeah. And you know what
though, that's what's so fun about it is because
you can drive an hour or two down the road and
it's a different world. And we're really, really
enjoying it over here. That's brilliant as well.
I'm glad. It's great having you over here as
well. And yeah, every success as I say. And yeah,
let's have a catch up in six months and whenever
you're back and you tell us the next stage of
what's going on in life with Joe Hermes. It's
brilliant. So yeah, fantastic keeping up with
you. Anyway, great chatting again and see you
next time. All the best. Thank you, Nick. Cheers
Jack. Take care mate. Bye bye. Bye. Bye. You've
been listening to the Chatterbox Redux podcast
with me, Nick. Thank my special guest who was
Joe Hermes. Email address is nickelbum at myyahoo
.com. Alternatively, our postal address is P
.O. Box 26, the old Observer Building, Telford
Road, St. Leonard's -on -Sea, East Sussex, England,
TM38 9LZ. We'd like to thank you for your company
and look forward to welcoming you again for another
Chatterbox and Redux podcast again soon. Take
care, bye bye. This is Nick and Sue with Chatterbox
giving you all you need to know about musical
entertainment. Oh yeah! Chatterbox!