We have been trying to do an interview with Bruce Joyner for some time now. I was starting to think it was never gonna happen. This guy has good style and good songs, too. I am telling you, this is a MUST READ!!! The man has some story to tell. Bruce, thanks for your time. Respect. I love interesting artists, and Bruce Joyner, you are a BAD ASS MAN!!!

Tom Cheshire: Thank you for doing this. I am so sorry for taking so long with these questions. Life kind of gets in the way of things we love sometimes. I love this record “Elements” that you have just put out. Please introduce yourself.

Bruce Joyner: My name is Bruce Joyner… and I’m part of the group “Bruce Joyner and The Reconstruction.”
I grew up in rural South Georgia. At the age of 4 I was accidentally poisoned and had to re-learn how to speak.  At the age of 6 I lost my right eye in a fight and at age 22 I was crippled in a car wreck in which I was a passenger. I have always loved to sing. My mom ran a bar until I was 11 and I get my love of music from her and the jukebox in her bar….I have made a lot of music. My first show was in a strip bar. I made the local papers because a friend of mine was shot outside. I put my first record out in 1977. It was the first garage/punk record south of Atlanta. It was on ABACUS Records. I moved to California in 1979 (San Diego) and was in the first band to be signed by a major label since Iron Butterfly. I am not a shy person. I believe in myself. I never give up . I am the hard machine…On stage, I Rage!…..

TC: Have you been playing music your whole life?

BJ: I have made music all my life…of some kind or the other. Before the car accident I played drums..after the wreck I tried to play again by duct taping my feet to the drum pedals…until my pal playing guitar told me I should try singing more because he was tired of cleaning up the garage floor where I was bleeding a lot. I had always liked to sing so that transition was easy…I became a singer full time from that point on.

TC: Who is in The Reconstruction?

BJ: Tom Byars is on guitar. Will Byars is on bass guitar. Ryan Butler is on drums. Myself, well I sing. Tom Byars our guitar player is a multitalented individual. He is a songwriter, guitar player, musician, film maker, record producer and former TV host…..Will Byars our bass player is a multifaceted man who also plays guitar. He is a songwriter who can write and arrange music and a recording engineer. Ryan Butler our drummer plays drums as a professional. He has played with various groups in South America and contributes a vast knowledge to the group and to whatever he does. Together, we are “Bruce Joyner and The Reconstruction.”

TC: It is a very 80’s almost new wave sound. How did that come about?

BJ: The songwriting on this record is something new… like swampy psychedelic pop with a touch of 60s Freakbeat garage—it is simple, pure and honest rock and roll. The whole group crafted this sound. Together we made this cd Elements happen. To me it sounds dark, edgy and mysterious . I am sure everyone in the group has their own opinion so you would have to ask them too.

TC: I heard you hung around the punk scene in Los Angeles in the early 80’s and spent some time with members of X and The Gun Club. Can you talk at all about that?

BJ: The guys in X are my friends and they still kick ass touring the USA. Jeffrey Lee Pierce was my friend too and I miss him. I knew most of the people from LA at that time. I was part of the music scene in LA for many years. Yes, I knew the people in other bands such as The Gun Club because I played shows with them. I have played with too many bands to name them all but here’s a few and they are not in order.

The Go Gos, The Cramps, Blasters, Plimsouls, Wall of Voodoo, Joe King Carrasco and The Crowns, Del Shannon, Tom Petty , X, The Gun Club, The Germs, The Fleshtones, 45 Grave, Dick Dale, Jerry Lee Lewis and many, many more….

From Europe I played with The Stranglers, The Undertones, Madness, Levi Dexter and The Rockats, The Slits, Ultravox, The Charlatans, Godfathers, Monochrome Set, James…and many more…I toured Europe 2 times.

I never hung out much…but I played a lot of shows and made a lot of friends…on both coasts and in Europe.

As “Bruce Joyner and The Reconstruction” we have played shows with X, Blue Oyster Cult, Ben Taylor, The Gore Gore Girls and Andrew W.K. Now since I’ve dropped enough names. On to the next question.

TC: And what brought you to the South?

BJ: I came here because Georgia is my home sweet home. I didn’t leave the first time because I wanted too and that’s all I will say about that.

TC: Where do you live now?

BJ: I have lived in Smyrna, Ga. since 2004.

TC: How did this album come about? Are they all new songs?

BJ: We didn’t want to do anymore shows until we had something new to offer to people that came to see us play and yes, these are all new songs, for The USA.

TC: How many albums have you put out?

BJ: 10… I believe and 5 singles.

TC: You had a band called The Unknowns. I have seen some You Tube footage of you guys. It is pretty great. Do you ever do any of those songs?

BJ: No, that band and those songs were 30 years ago. Those times were fun but they are dead and gone. Bruce Joyner and The Reconstruction is happening Now!!! Come out and dig our set! You won’t regret it and you sure as hell will not forget it!!!

TC: This album was produced by Sonic Youth producer Don Fleming. How did that come about? Was it a good experience?

BJ: Don Fleming was in my first band, The Stroke Band. Then we lost touch for a long time. Don hired an investigator years later to find me and after finding me we re-connected as friends and musicians. He got us (Bruce Joyner and The Reconstruction) several shows in New York and he played with us. Andrew W.K. and Matt Sweeney were in his band. We all had a blast. Later, Don Fleming and Jimmy Guthrie produced our CD Elements. Jimmy Guthrie is a great friend who helped make this CD possible with his expert handling of our sound and his precise touch during the mastering process. Working with Don Fleming was a pleasure and a privilege…Fo Sho!

TC: Do you have a day job? If so, can I ask what you do?

BJ: Music is my day job… it’s what I do.

TC: What are you listening to these days?

BJ: I am eclectic where my musical tastes are concerned…so here is some of what I listen to….

Son House, Robert Johnson, Howling Wolf, Otis Redding, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, White Stripes,The Horrors, The Coral, Tony Joe White, Joy Division, George Jones, Ultravox, Del Shannon, Bob Marley, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, Bill Haley and The Comets, Gene Vincent, The Stranglers, Circle Jerks, X….. I listened to these groups and people in the last few days….so the list will have changed when you read this…

TC: What is next for you and the band and this album?

BJ: We just signed a 3 year contract to have our music digitally available around the world..we will be on i-tunes and others some time in August of this year. Our announcement will be forth-coming and we will let you know first Tom because we appreciate you doing an interview about our new CD Elements.

We will make our CD available wherever CDs are sold. We will promote our album, play a few shows and get airplay on the internet, on radio stations all over The USA and in Europe. 3 of our songs were played on Radio Altra Musica…Italian radio for the first time in Europe..Our whole CD has been played in The USA for the first time on WVVS Valdosta University Radio. All in the last few weeks.

Bruce Joyner and The Reconstruction……..and like I said “I am not shy.” Thanks for the questions.

TC: Thank you so much for your time. You have really good style. I look forward to meeting with you one day face to face and seeing you play live. We really appreciate your time. Cheers.