Joe Berger's performing and engineering has been a part of rock music's most famous figures, including John Entwistle, Billy Cobham, and many others. This Joe Berger interview was conducted for us by Joe Matera from Australia. Joe Matera is a guitarist and songwriter as well as a correspondent to many musical publications, in print and on the Internet. Joe Matera's website is DiBliss Music where he posts guitar and bass lessons, the Official Aria/Aria Pro II Guitar Page, recording credits, and interviews with other artists. the
JOE BERGER interview JOE MATERA: Can you tell us about your background? JOE BERGER: I was influenced by music at an early age, and my family encouraged me to take up violin at age five, then guitar soon after. I took some classical guitar lessons, but when the teacher found out that I was playing by ear and not reading the music, he refused to continue teaching me. I got away with it for about a year by listening to him play the piece, then playing it while staring at the music. After that, I started experimenting with electric guitars, amps, and eventually, sound systems. JM: You have been a sound engineer for many years, can you tell us about it? JOE BERGER: By the time I was in high school, I had some knowledge of sound systems and stage gear, and I was playing drums with the high school band. I was the only student allowed to operate the school sound system, and assisted the band director with the guitar classes. Therefore, most of my free time was spent playing guitar, drums, and mixing sound. After high school, I moved to New Jersey and did house sound at the Show Place in Dover. We did all kinds of original bands and some national acts as well. Then I started working at Max's Kansas City in NYC. Between the two clubs, I was mixing 20-25 bands a week until 1984. (More than 12,000 total by then). By that time, I was working three clubs at once, and trade show demos and consulting for musicians like Vangelis and Allan Holdsworth. JM: You also play guitar? JOE BERGER: Yes, I'm playing about 2-3 hours a day. At one point, back in '76, I was playing 12+ hours a day. Then, in '78 I cut the tip of my ring finger on my left hand on a rack fan at Max's, and I couldn't play for six months. When I finally did play, it was a solo on an original song (Calm B-4 the Storm) and this is still one of my best solos ever. After that, I played less often but with more conviction. Sometimes, you can play too much and the stuff starts sounding like practice and gets boring. Pretty soon, with all the sound work, I was hardly playing at all. I would show up to a NAMM show having not played for months then getting on stage with all famous musicians, not knowing the music or being warmed up or anything! This was the kind of challenge I was looking for, and most of what I have done since is based in these parameters. Only lately have I started to play a lot again. JM: Do you think being a guitarist has an advantage in your sound work? JOE BERGER: Playing guitar (and drums) gives many advantages to mixing, in that it helps to know what players are looking for and how to get a sound out of the instrument itself before recording or mixing it. JM: What is your sound gear set-up? JOE BERGER: I have a Tascam MSR24 analog 1" recorder and a Tascam 3500 mixer with lots of outboard gear (Eventide rack, Lexicon PCM 70s, Korg A1, Aphex Limiters, and lots more. . . .
JOE BERGER: ESP and Gibson guitars, and a Taylor 12-string Leo Kottke. Tech 21, Sansamp and Engl amps, Korg A1 processor, Lexicon Jam Man, Yamaha REX 50s, and some custom made stuff. . . . JM: You have a set of CDs called the "Impromptu" series. Can you tell us about them? JOE BERGER: Based on the challenge of being unprepared, I would invite the best possible players into a studio, and play and mix live to 2-track jams without any preconception for a final product. This created an extreme challenge, both playing and mixing unfamiliar music simultaneously. The 70+ minutes on each of the "Impromptu" releases are compiled from over twenty hours of bulk jams, some of which are amazing but didn't make the albums. . . . JM: Your style of guitar playing is more a legato hammer-on and pull-off style of playing. Who influenced your style? JOE BERGER: Having started classical and being left handed (but playing right handed) caused this style more than any influence. My biggest guitar influences are Mark Hitt (of Rat Race Choir and Impromptu 1 and 2), Steve Bondy (of Pyramid and Impromptu 3 and 4), Allan Holdsworth, Leslie West, Joe Walsh, Brian May, Hendrix, Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Les Paul (a big audio influence as well). I've worked for Leslie West, Allan Holdsworth, Les Paul, Mark Hitt, Steve Bondy and hundreds more. JM: Have you any horror stories to relate about your many years of sound engineering? JOE BERGER: I was working for a progressive rock band (Pyramid) in 1975 with a quad sound system, when some idiot plugged a follow spot (220v) into the same power as my amp racks, frying all the sound equipment and nearly electrocuting himself. The whole mini mall went dead for a couple of hours. Lets see . . . you heard about the finger in the fan thing already. . . . How about mixing the world's loudest band (John Entwistle Band) in an eighty seat restaurant (2 shows) or at Woodstock '99 . . . need I say more??? JM: Any tips on sound engineering you would like to share with the readers? JOE BERGER: Be ready to listen with an open mind, and don't let your musical preferences have too much influence. If you listen to what your client is doing, it will guide what you do for them. Musicians like to be listened to and understood, so the more you know about the style they play, the better off you will be. The music always influences the direction of the sound. JM: What forthcoming projects have you in store for 2001? JOE BERGER: Release of boyband "Dream Street" album (recorded, mixed, mastered and guitar), release of Teruo Nakamura album "Red Shoes" (featuring Stanley Turrentine, Roy Ayres, Bob Mintzer, Barry Finnerty, Hubert Laws, T.N. and yours truly on recording, mix, master and guitar.) Also, the John Entwistle Band tour (Summer 01) Impromptu 5-6, and a remake of "Calm B-4 the Storm" with the original solo (it took awhile to learn that solo!!) Plus, a US tour by Dream Street & T. Nakamura Japanese tour. JM: What has been the highlight of your career? JOE BERGER: Playing at the Musik Messe with John Entwistle and Jack Bruce on the same night, playing with Billy Cobham and Doug Wimbish (Stratus), playing drums with KISS at a party, playing with Vangelis, doing the Impromptu recordings, solo on "Calm B-4 the Storm." JM: Any final words? JOE BERGER: Here are my sites: The CDs are also available from Audiophile Imports.
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JM:
What is your guitar and amp set-up?