Sloppy Joe's Discusses the Past, Present, and Future!

Rock n' roller hard rockers SLOPPY JOE'S began way back in 2011, over time they would release an EP, album, and later another album and even a live EP release. The band discusses their history and time together so far, what has been released and what the future holds for them.

1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.

We started as a three-piece rock band back in 2011. All three members of Sloppy Joe’s played in their own bands of different musical genres before. We have roots in rock’n’roll, soul, heavy metal, progressive rock. It all began when we (Jesse Garon - Vocals/Guitar, Johnny Angel - Bass and Pätzy Dävey - Drums) met and realized that we have a common goal of making music…and that’s delivering a big rock show. So we tried to use the same means like the great rock bands of the past: A ‘war paint’ or stage outfit (we don’t look like normal people when we perform on stage), a heavy rock sound and live interaction during the concerts to let the audience be part of the show. In 2013 we released our first EP and started playing concerts in Germany. Everyone told us that our style is of international format and we should tour foreign countries. With the release of our first album in 2016 we crossed the borders and played concerts in Switzerland. And now with more releases in the back (our album “Devil’s Music” from 2019 and the new Live EP) we are looking forward to tour more countries.

2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?

Well, I (Jesse Garon, Voc./Guitar) was watching a very old classic black/white movie called "Citizen Kane". In one scene a drunk broken guy gets interviewed regarding an old friend of him and he can't remember the name of the friend's home. So he starts naming some titles/names and stops by the name "Sloppy Joe's". It is a very funny impressive scene, so I thought "Why not call my band Sloppy Joe's?".

3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?

We are from Hamburg, Germany. This city is full of vibes and we love it. It’s the place where the Beatles started their career. But nowadays the rock vibes are lower than in the past. Our ministry of culture is more interested in classical music. So a lot of great live venues and rock major events have been closed or cancelled over the last 5-10 years.

4. How would you describe your style?

Our music style a mixture of rock’n’roll, hard rock and heavy metal. Some people think that we belong to the rockabilly genre, but that’s not true. One could guess that when you take a look at some of our older band photos where I have a special haircut (with the devil’s lock), but after listening to our tracks you might realize that we have a hard-hitting rock sound. At the beginning we put a lot of time and energy in rehearsing and creating this sound. We wanted to sound bigger than a three-piece band. Today we still sound the same. When you’re fine with the thing you’ve started there’s no need to change it…it’s just like AC/DC’s secret of success.

5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

Well, we have released two EP’s and two albums so far: 

Sloppy Joe’s - EP, 2013

Eight Reasons To Rock - Album, 2016

Devil’s Music - Album, 2019

Live In Hamburg (Vol.1) - EP, 2022

Our latest release is a live ep, that was recorded in our hometown before the pandemic. Last October we also released a new single called “Get In The Ring”. This is our ultimate martial arts anthem. It's a crossover/rock song that goes straight to the twelve like a lucky punch. It is the official song for a famous kickboxing event of the same name, that took place on October 29th at edel-optics Arena in Hamburg. We performed the song live in the boxing ring at this event. That was a very sporty stage for us.

6. Do you have any new music in the works?

Yes, you can expect “Live in Hamburg (Vol.2)” to be released soon.

7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

The first shows for 2023 are booked and there’s a lot more to come.

8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?

We would love to cross the borders to play more shows in foreign countries. Our music gets streamed very well in South America. Maybe there’s a chance to rock for the people in Brazil or Argentina. 

9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?

For digital download/streaming our tracks are available everywhere. Just search for our bandname “Sloppy Joe’s”. You can also watch some great music videos on YouTube (youtube.com/sloppyjoesrocks). CDs and Vinyl LPs are for sale on our website as well: www.sloppy-joes.de   lnk.sloppyjoes.de/news 

10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?

“Oh, that might sound great at a live concert! I should better check out the tourdates!” 😉