A chat with Paul Bearer of the now defunct Sheer Terror and the current band, Joe Coffee

Dry Ink: First things first, are you really a reverend? How did that come about?

Paul Bearer: Not a “legally ordained” one, whatever the hell that means. I subscribe to no one’s niche, save my own.

DI: How long have you been singing now?

PB: I played my first show with a band in 1982, so professionally, it would be 27 years. And yes, that does make me feel old.

DI: Influences, I can hear many. Tom Waits, Glen Danzig and Nick Cave come to mind. Can you mention a few? Who has influenced your voice itself and you lyrically?

PB I’m definitely a Tom Waits fan. The Misfits were great, but I don’t know if I could say that Glenn was or is an influence. The Birthday Party was alright, but it’s only in the past year that I’ve really listened to any Nick Cave/Bad Seeds stuff. I don’t own any of his records. I listen to mostly 60s and 70s soul and R&B, reggae, bluebeat, dub. I still love old punk and oi! stuff, but only really listen to it when the mood strikes.

DI: I noticed you cover the song “Only You” by Yaz featuring Vince Clark and Alison Moyet. I’ve always loved that song and think you did an amazing cover of it. How did that come about and have you always been a fan of new wave?

PB: I’ve always liked that song… I brought it to my guitarist, Ray, and said “let’s try to fuck with this,” just as I did with “The Killing Moon” by Echo and the Bunnymen. I’m really just a big fan of a good, well-written love song. If it’s got great pop sensibilities, without being overly cheesy, then I’m all over it.

DI: It’s so funny that people would just think you listen to hardcore. I’ve always found that my favorite artists have very diverse influences. What other types of music do you listen to?

PB: I never listen to hardcore, if I hear it, it’s at a show. Today’s “hardcore” does nothing for me, whatsoever. It’s mostly just chug-chug bad metal riffs with some guy screaming about how angry he is at the world. Gimme Emanuel Lasky any day!

DI: I’ve watched your spoken word performance and you seem to be a natural. It is very good storytelling, life experiences and a bit of stand-up comedy. How did you get into that?

PB: I normally talk in between songs when onstage with the band, so it was a natural progression, I think. I don’t do it very often; mostly out of not wanting to tire of it and out of a good deal of laziness. Not being a big fan of people doesn’t help, but that’s my cross to bear… no one forced me into a band.

DI: You mention when speaking to audiences to steal from the best. I love that. If you’re gonna be influenced by an art or artist why not be influenced by the best like Otis Redding or Elvis Costello. Can you elaborate?

PB: I’m by no stretch of the imagination re-inventing the wheel. No one in music is, as far as I can tell. There will always be influences and what those influences are and what you do with them are completely wide open and, as always, open to scrutiny. Probably the worst part of trying to write or create art is having people trying to get you to explain yourself. It would almost – and I can’t stress the almost enough – be selfish not to at least make an effort to communicate what you’re trying to convey… . But I think that anyone trying to create should at the very least, put their heart into it and make an effort.

DI: You reformed your old band Sheer Terror for a couple of reunion shows back in 2004 to properly close the doors of CBGB’s. How was that experience?

PB: I was glad to put an end to something that was – and to an extent, still is – a big part of my life in an appropriate manner. And with all due respects that were never given in the first place.

DI: I really like this band of yours. How long has Joe Coffee been around?

PB: We’re going on eight years. It ain’t been easy, but it is what it is.

DI: Where did the name come from?

PB: My love of coffee. And the marketing possibilities are endless!

DI: What have you put out so far?

PB: We put out an ep, “Bright as the Stars We’re Under” a few years back and the lp “When the Fabric Don’t Fit the Frame” will be re-released in early February on I-Scream Records.

DI: What is next for you, Paul Bearer? And the band Joe Coffee?

PB: Like any other band we want and need to tour. I’ve been in this game for a long time now. I’m far from done saying what it is that I want to say and even if it’s just to the cloth-ears of a drunken mob of thugs – I’m still gonna say it.

DI: Looking forward to seeing your show coming up (Wednesday, Jan. 28th at the East Atlanta Icehouse). Thank you for your time.

PB Thanks a lot mo, see you at the show.