on the record with...
Joe Hursley
The Ringers
October 27, 2007
By Victoria Joyce
(SugarBuzz Hollywood)
SugarBuzz Magazine
Which came first, the music or the method?
Well, I came out here to be an Entertainer not necessarily limiting myself with any titles in a field with so many angles to work. I try to write/produce/direct/edit my own lil' film rendezvous in my downtime as a way to hone my chops.
Constantly learning, trying to improve at every corner. The acting side of my life has been an extraordinary opportunity to jump into other lives. To play out the characters of someone else's writing with a spin from my own brain is an amazing 'meeting of the minds.’
Getting to work with people who are next to you in the trenches, migrating here from no-where-evers-ville, to follow a dream. Its a great energy to be a part of. I have been lucky to have been thrown the bread crumbs that I have, so many people in this saturated market. So many everyday moving here. But the one thing that I have a grasp on, the one thing that makes me different is there is only one Joe Hursley and I am proud that lil' guy.
Moving out here with the same ol' 'Van full of belongings' story and making the most out of every opportunity that I have been given and kicking in the doors of the opportunities that I had to snatch up on my own.
The Ringers, well, its nice to be a part of a magical moment in time, playing music with your closest friends. I am blessed to be a part of the machine. I love the fact that I don't need 20 people in suits telling me that I am good enough to be on that stage. I need 120 volts. Plug in and release the axe. Fun Life this one is...
Is it hard to juggle rock and acting?
First off, what an amazing problem to have; juggling two ventures that are both planted in your 'Field of Dreams'. So far, it has been fairly easy. I have had some close calls on making shows just in the 'nick' of time. Unless I am on location shooting, they aren't too hard to balance due to the nature of Rock n' Roll basking in the electricity of the night.
The Volkswagon spot I flew back from tour to shoot, then hopped on a plane to Vegas, running down the airport hallway with one shoe, (because even putting it on after the security checkpoint would have made me late for the flight.)
Arriving in Vegas to do a show then turn around at 4 am to head back to LA for a show that night then shot again the next day then a show that night at Key Club then left for the remainder of the tour the following day. I kept saying to myself, 'keep pluggin' lil' ninja...keep pluggin.'
History has shown music stars, especially 'teen idols' have crossed over from singing to the screen as early as Rudy Vallee, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and, of course Elvis Presley. Do you take inspiration from this?
One of my biggest inspirations is Elvis Presley. He is the, for lack of a more generic description, KING OF ENTERTAINMENT.
A modern day hero of mine is Henry Rollins. When I read his 'Get in the Van' I remember thinking to myself, "Geez, I don't ever want to hear that 'I am tired' come out of my mouth again." The guy is truly self motivated and pathway paving for any true blue, sweat and blood, guts and glory machine all for the sake of pulling out what is in his soul, and in turn laying it down for the world; one stage at a time not caring about leaving behind a legacy, cause at that level of operation, a body of work for others to respect and be inspired by is inevitable.
Guys like him, and students like me, HAVE to. I have to get out what is in my heart. To spill over without hesitation. The greatest achievement I have done is not one project, but a lifelong commitment to One Goal. Start a Fire with what God has given me and people want to warm up.
Do you think it's easier to break through in music or movies?
To be honest they are both hard roads to venture down. My father gave me an 'Ultimate Mix CD' for my Venture West from Texas and the first track on it was a Tom Petty tune “You need Rhino skin, and Elephant Balls.” I couldn't have said it any better. This is a tough industry.
The nature of the beast is to get up after every beat down. But I don't want to put any other energy into the same ol' cliché answers to this but rather give light onto what is already in the light. You want something, you work hard. The Universe will meet you half way in some respect. Go and Take what you want in this life. I am.
We love your latest VW TV commercial. Tell us about shooting that.
It was an amazing experience. Anytime you get to go play and be creative and get fed. and get paid. I tell myself silently "thank god, I am not my own agent. I'd do this for free."
A REALLY cool magic moment happened that day...Our single “Apocalypto” was played on Mr. Mark Sovel's radio show “Check one...two” while I was driving the red bug that we will call the chick magnet. I slammed on the brakes, jumped out of the car, and within seconds I was surrounded by the entire crew/director/ad agency thinking something was wrong. I jumped out of the car and danced around in celebration.
The crew, probably a lil' irked by the delay of leaving set, couldn't help but join in the lil' magic moment. The director, Paul Hunter getting pressure from the line producer who was pointing at his watch, said with a smile, " Give my man his moment.” I will NEVER forget that gem in my mind.
Is playing in a band like acting with a cast? Compare and contrast?
The band is a collaboration unlike any other. When I write a song, bring it into the fellas, and everyone starts putting their creative spin on my bare bones outline. You get to see the birth of something, evolving into something that eventually you play for people.
In turn, seeing it seep into their hearts, and when you see people sing a lyric or thrash their body to the melody of the music, it's a welcomed feeling. Each time equally amazing. Seeing something grow from a hum, a lyric, a riff, a thought, into a backbone part of a show, pretty cool.
With playing a character, slipping into a role is a process that like music there is a collaboration. It's not the same, but not much different.
You get to bring your take on the characters actions, on his mindset. on his motivations but you have to also be ready to change and bend and mold around the other cast, taking into account their mindset, their motivations, their ultimate choices.
I love improv. It's like dancing on a floor made of mad energy. Connecting the dots with someone who simply floats on the plane with you. Hoping that when you touch down on that runway, there is still some coherency to the original intent of the scene. Its amazing when it goes off easy. It's always amazing when it doesn't. I truly enjoy both processes and continue to learn how to bend in both.
Is Hollywood a tough town?
Welcome to hell in heaven. You got here because you believe you belong. The strong part of the journey is over. You nutted it up and made the jump but now, in the words of Gn'R, "you're in the jungle baby" and I hope your machete is sharp.
I hope you got a never-ending canteen of energy. I hope your heart is strong. I hope you want this for the right reasons because if the root of your desire is NOT "because there is NOTHING else for you in this lifetime."
If its not the only thing that makes you happy, both living and dying in all its (this industry) glory I'd cut a pathway out of the jungle as quick as possible and chalk it up as tourist attraction ride that you were lucky to take for the short time you were able to do so.
Define success?
Finding yourself and acting without fear. Staying a child at heart. Living your dream.
http://www.myspace.com/theringersband