An Interview with the

80’s Hair Metal Tribute Act,

'Lazy Bonez'

that took place at The Buddah Bar, Fort Myers, Florida

on Friday, August 9th, 2014.

Interviewed by Glenn Milligan.

Glenn: Let’s get this thing started, Lazy Bonez, name yourselves right now.

Ludwig: Ludwig Austin - Bass player.

Jwani: Jwani Brito – Drums.

Joe: Joe Bravo – Lead Vocal.

Brev: Brev Sullivan – Guitar.

Glenn: So why did you decide to call yourselves ‘Lazy Bonez’?

Ludwig: I actually dreamt the whole band and that’s no friggin’ lie. I dreamt the whole band. I did.

Joe: The name came down on a flaming pie. The flaming pie and he said, ‘Let’s call the band, ‘Lazy Bonez’. Either that or he had a bit of bad cheese before going to bed yeah.

Ludwig: You cooked that!

Joe: Hey this is being recorded!

Brev: There is some formula in that though. I think the research proves that band names with Z in them are very catchy. Bones and that type of thing, you know, skulls and crossbones and stakes. You know knives stabbing the head of a snake. It’s one of those things too. It’s pretty, I wouldn’t say generic but it’s pretty heartfelt like when you’re a 14 year old kid and you go yeah, ‘Lazy Bones’ – I think that’s where it comes from.

Glenn: Of course, a lot of the 80’s bands used that and also in a lot of songs. Then you’ve got Enuff Znuff and all sorts of crazy bands with the hair and everything with a great style.

Joe: It gave us an excuse to have a skeleton.

Ludwig: By the way, very important, Joe, you tell this story, there was a band from Scandinavia that called Joe after the fact, about a year after we had it and actually asked Joe is it was okay if they used the same name in Scandinavia because this is gonna come out.

Joe: I think they’re in Norway….

Ludwig: Norway yes…

Joe: And they are called us and asked is it okay that we use your name – the same name you know, Lazy Bonez in Europe and I said no but they did it anyway. So if you’re reading this, “F*ck you guyz”. We were Lazy Bonez first so…

Glenn: So how did you guys get together in the first place?

Ludwig: Oh man, this goes back to the 80’s. Me and Brev always wanted to form this band and me and Brev actually talked abut this. Brev the guitar player or the mandolin player. We couldn’t find a singer so maybe after a year I call him up and say, “Hey man, I can’t find a singer, can you find one”, he says, “No”. This went on for 20 years.

Joe: You didn’t look very hard. I was at the bar!

Ludwig: So anyway, this guy, to make a long story short. I asked a friend of mine after I had that dream and I said, “Listen, I’m looking for a singer, would you happen to know one. He said, “Actually I played with one guy. This guy’s got a big mouth”, I said, “Really but can he sing?” he goes, “I don’t know, he’s got a big mouth” and I say, “Well he may be the right guy for this type of band”, and that’s when Joe came in.

Glenn: So what about you two. How did you become a part of this band?

Jwani: Well I mean, I’d known Wiggy for several years and we’ve kinda been in different bands together and then Brevvy, we kind of knew each other through a mutual friend of ours – a musician/producer guy. Then Joey I met him through these guys and he’s kinda like the little brother they take care of 24 frikkin’ 7.

Joe: Ludwig approached me and said, “Hey would you like to sing in a Metal band.” I came here to Florida to retire from music and I didn’t wanna do music anymore and Ludwig said, “I want you to sing in this band”. I said, “What do you wanna do??” he said, “Oh we wanna do like Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath and Heavy stuff.” I was like, “How much time could this possibly take outta my day? No one will ever hire us!” you know, doing that kinda music. Sure I’ll join your band”, and now there’s no time. 4 years later all we do is travel and play everywhere and having a good time and playing the music we love to play and we’re introducing this music to a whole new generation. You can see outside – the place is packed. We play to packed houses everywhere. It’s fun.

Glenn: So what would you say are your favourite songs in the set and what made you choose them?

Joe: I love doing the Poison songs. I love doing like ‘Talk Dirty To Me’ and then rippin’ into ‘Run To The Hills’ from Iron Maiden. I love being able to switch up and play and even feel the 80’s. We’re a tribute to a decade – not to just one band.

Ludwig: Me personally, I like playing to the ladies. That’s what I like. I like to see the ladies jumping up and down because that’s what the 80’s to me was all about.

Joe: Too bad about that hepatitis!

Ludwig: Hey listen, if it’s good enough for Tommy Lee, it’s good enough for me.

Glenn: Do I detect a slight Steel Panther parody going on in here?

Ludwig: No (he says gruff and jokily) You know what you gotta joke with this side – you can’t take it too seriously.

Glenn: No you can’t.

Ludwig: You can’t, you just can’t you know?

Brev: Being this way is like being the best method actor you can be. We’re just the waiters bringing you the food and you have to sample it. Anything like a Poison song that brings happiness to somebody and then an Iron Maiden song that brings happiness to another person is all good. Even if you’re looking at us and laughing, you’re happy. That’s great.

Glenn: So what’s the hardest song that you have to perform and why?

Ludwig: The one we have to learn. That’s the hardest one. The new song – it’s always the hardest.

Joe: The new one.

Brev: True – the new one because we’ve been performing the other songs a lot and we’ve made ‘em our own. We’re not plagiarizing but it’s hard to believe ‘Talk Dirty To Me’ was written by another band - we play it so often and I’m sure other bands feel the same way. People live that moment again and again and again in this time. It’s good to be at this time in our bubble because you look out at the real world and I don’t wanna be part of it. There’s nothing I wanna be part of other than friendship and music.

Glenn: It’s 1987 or something like that continuously.

Brev: We believe in a time where there’s good musicians, good music and happiness. Even Judas Priest and Iron Maiden were considered Heavy Metal but they didn’t make you feel homeless and sad. They made you feel reflected and happy and that disappeared until this resurgence of new old school if you will.

Glenn: You’re from Miami. What’s the scene like in Miami right now?

Joe: I’m from New York; I’m from New York City.

Jwani: Well its cover bands and a top 40 thing. We’re kind of a little bit of the outcasts although this demographic loves our music that comes out. Everybody says they are really happy and it brings them back to a time that everything was happy, everything was cool – sex, drugs and rock n roll.

Ludwig: And nobody was doing this. Not when we started. At least not on this side of the United States. I know Steel Panther were out there and those guys are great. I’ve seen those guys all over.

Jwani: They are awesome at what they do – they are hilarious.

Ludwig: Even though they are doing more originals now than they are doing the cover thing. But still those guys are awesome and we definitely wanna give those guys the plus! Well it’s been awesome to talk but they are calling us back.

Jwani: We gotta go back on stage.

Ludwig: Let’s crack it!

Big thank you to Iona Elliott & Sue Kelly for setting up the Interview.

Thanks also go to Rick, Jamie, Jenny, Elizabeth, Tommy & Mila for making the night possible on my part!