What's In Your Fridge: Joe Keithley

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      On the grill

      Joe Keithley

      Who are you

       I went to SFU with the view of becoming a civil rights lawyer but in early '77 I fell into the cultural storm that became punk rock and that set my life path. I founded D.O.A., we have played over 3,000 shows on five continents over the last 35 years and released 15 studio albums (in amongst 50 releases) We have done hundreds of benefit shows and records for good and just causes. My friend Kevin Seconds (7 Seconds lead singer) claims I invented the term "hardcore" back in 1980, and of course D.O.A. released the album Hardcore 81 in 1981. I run a record label called Sudden Death Records, I have written two books (I Shithead was a best seller) I have been an actor, I do spoken word and acoustic shows, and I ran for political office in BC three times (never successfully because people will always vote for Shitheads but not necessarily Joe Shithead!  Hahaha) I am a lifetime Burnaby resident. My wife Laura and have been married for 28 years and we have three great kids, Jake, Georgia, and Clayton.

      First concert

      Probably in 1971, I was 15 and snuck out to see Alice Cooper. My mother had forbade me to go see him on their previous tour because of the album Killer had a gatefold foldout jacket where he was hanging himself. She said, "That man's sick!" So the next time I said was going to a friend's place to work on "homework". We walked down Hastings Street from the Kootenay Loop into a mob of 15,000 rabid fans-it was a touch more eventful than seeing the Crypt Kicker 5 at a sock hop at Kensington Junior High (but they did pull up to the school in a hearse.)

      Life-changing concert

      Hmm, a split decision on this one. I saw Pink Floyd a couple of times back in the early '70sone time they set up "quad sound" in the Coliseum and that blew the minds of all those in attendance! LOL. But the real changer must have been the Ramones at Canada's greatest venue the Commodore Ballroom in early '77. We were already starting to play some punk rock songs in our garage rock band called Stone Crazy, so we had an inkling about the early punk scene. So along came the Ramones, who had sold about two tickets to their first show in Van, so there were radio announcements that the show had become free. So about 100 people showed up, which was all the people in the initial punk-new wave scene. They played the entire first album, which was great. It inspired us to start Vancouver's second punk band called the Skulls. About two year later D.O.A. was opening for the Ramones at The Commodore.

      Top three records

      Rolling Stones "Ruby Tuesday" The first of real influence in my life would be the Rolling Stones album with Ruby Tuesday [Between the Buttons], I can't remember the title, but I'm sure I remember every lyric on that album. I was 11 years old and my mother had wanted me to listen to the Chicago album she had bought me for my birthday, but I kept playing the Stones over and over again.

      Black Sabbath Paranoid Dimwit (RIP) pulled out this record he had gotten from one of those record of the month clubs, where they sent you 10  albums for 10 cents and then tried to bill you later for a bunch of dough, but of course Dimwit never paid that. Anyways I think he said to me and Wimpy (D.O.A., Subhumans) "Listen to this you rubbernecks!" and listen we did. I still get a great thrill every time I hear the opening riffs from each of those songs! 

      Sex Pistol's Never Mind the Bullocks It was fierce, revolutionary, it was bombastic and nobody could stop them, except of course themselves. I still keep hearing rumors that Sid Vicious was going to join D.O.A., but that was really based on an all-night jam we had at a small club in NYC we had with Pistols' guitarist Steve Jones, where we played every song we could think of till six in the morning. Steve would have fit in nicely with the late great Dave Gregg and myself on guitar.

      All-time favourite video

      Wow, not sure I had one. When MTV became big in the '80s every club D.O.A. was playing at had this continuous MTV feed on a big screen in-between bands, so we got sick of it. Especially the likes of Duran Duran who played dribble like "Rio" and "Hungry Like The Pig"! That's the right name isn't it? Hahaha!

      What's in your fridge

      Pasta fixings. My wife Laura is a wonderful cook--she's been a vegetarian for 32 years so there's a lot of healthy variation. A couple of our faves this past summer have been pasta with roasted tomatoes, kalamata olives, garlic and olive oil.  

      Mediterranean diet staples. We always have a ton of fresh fruit on hand, as well as a variety of olives and cheeses for tapas-the Mediterranean style of eating is a good one, so there are lots of nuts like pistachios and walnuts, fresh vegetables and salads in our fridge. We always cook extra in case family drops by. The most essential part are the leftovers, which is necessary for me to survive, as I am the leftover king!  LO

      D.O.A. Hardcore 8.1 beer.  Of course we have a barbeque and I handle those duties. I have had a lot of practice during the fabulous summer we have just had here in Metro Vancouver. I've gotten pretty good with steaks, chops and salmon, any of these will nicely go along with D.O.A. beer and Chilean carmenere.

      Comments

      3 Comments

      Ayinedollah

      Oct 4, 2014 at 12:55am

      You're a good guy Joe. It sounds like you have co-created a beautiful life with your wife and three children -and incredible feat seeing as you had the misfortune of growing up in north Burnaby rather than down on the flatlands of central Burnaby.
      I can remember DOA and 54-40 being on the same bill at the Commodore. It would have appeared, by gazing at the poster for the event, that 54-40 were the headlining act. I asked 54-40's sound man, whose name I forget, ''What's up? I thought 54-40 were headlining?" The reply....''Have you ever tried to go on after DOA?"
      Greetings to you, Joe, from Bolgatanga, Ghana. I hope this finds you well and happy!

      James Blatchford

      Oct 7, 2014 at 10:14am

      ..and I remember that awful gig opening for The Clash. Shameful for Vancouver and no badge of honour for DOA. No humble pie in your fridge, Joe?

      RUK

      Nov 15, 2014 at 7:36am

      DOA has a beer????

      Must. have.