JOSEPH WILLIAMS'S INTERVIEW JUNE 2006

In the name of all your fans and from Vertigo Website, we would like to thank you to give us the great honour interviewing you! More two years and an half since our last interview, we have the feeling that happened a lot of great musical stuff, in particular this year with 2 albums: "Vertigo 2" and "Two Of Us" !

1 In few words, what did you do during this two years (except your participation in the new Toto’s album, "Falling In Between"and your 2 albums) ?
Other than working as a composer for television, I have been doing no other recording as a singer. Joey Carbone has continued to write, produce, and develop new artist and music as usual!

2 Can you tell us your come back in Toto ? How was going meeting again with the other members?
We never fell out of contact really. They just found something they thought would sound good with me singing on it! I have a great friendship with all of the current members and I was happy to be a guest on Falling In Between!

3 How was the Vertigo 2’s recording ?
Over 1 and a half years ago discussions began, A few months later Fabrizio Grossi presented the first batch of tracks. After revisions and some re conceptualizing, Fabrizio presented the final tracks for vocals to begin. Vocals were recorded between November 2005 thru February 2006. It was then mixed and mastered entirely by Fabrizio in late February into March 2006.


4 You wrote “I wanna Live Forever” with your friend Joey Carbone. How was going this work?
Very fast and easy!


5 You mentioned the style of singing on the last Vertigo project as " Screaming " ; Having now on Vertigo 2 additional input from a song writing capacity, did this changed your vocal approach to the project ?
I think it’s some of my loudest and most eighties sounding vocals ever! I am very happy with the vocals on this one. More time was taken, less auto tuning, and more of my own back.


6 At this day, Is Vertigo always a project or a real band? Have we the hope to see it on stage?
Vertigo is a project! Not a band. It was conceived by Joey Carbone and Frontiers Records. These are NOT Joseph Williams SOLO ALBUMS. Vertigo albums are a collection of songs by outside artists, with the music produced entirely by Frontiers Records and me as the guest vocalist!

7 What is the story of this mysterious album ‘’ Two Of Us’’ ? The original name was ‘’Beautiful Music’’, wasn’t it?
That’s a good question! I do not recall the original name but the idea was to do an album of covers that I really love using a part of my voice that I don’t get to use. That is to say singing softer and in a lower range! I love to sing down and relaxed but I am not known for that sound so people are maybe a bit thrown off. Anyway, I wanted to do a project like this and Joey Carbone made it happen.

8 After 20 years, on which albums, Fahrenheit or The 7th one, did you feel more confortable about working with Toto?
I had a great time on both records. Obviously on Fahrenheit it was all new and exciting. It was fun getting to know everyone, write new songs and working in the studio! The seventh one was a bit more serious. Not in a bad way. We all really wanted to make a great Toto record that might bring back some of the excitement of the first 4 albums. So we worked with a bit more of a purpose. But both records were great experiences for me!


9 How was the World Tour with Toto? What are you thinking about Luke, who live only for it?
I miss touring a lot sometimes but the traveling really kicked my butt! I know Luke loves to tour! He is the touring pro for sure. I learned a lot about pacing when I toured with Jay Graydon in the 90’s. The Fahrenheit tour was easier for me. Partly because of the songs in the set and how they were placed. The Seventh One tour was a whole different story. The set was really hard as the lead singer. A longer show. More higher and harder Bobby and Fergie stuff. Plus I had a flu for weeks and wasn’t taking good care of my self! But that’s old news.
As I said, on the Graydon tours (with Bill Champlin) I really learned how to pace myself, speak up for what I need and approach the whole thing more like a day at work instead of a traveling party! Luke and Jeff always had a natural gift for live work. Mike too! I had a great time in 1998 touring with Toto to promote the XX album.
It all went rather well I thought! It was great to share the stage with Bobby!


10 Do you think that you can be an official member of Toto ? Luke was saying that you could be on the 30 years’ tour.
I think Toto is perfect right now! The road band is Fantastic. They certainly do not NEED me as a member again. As a guest? Well that’s another story! I would love to do some shows as a guest! As I said I miss the road! And they know if there is anything they need from me, I would jump into action. It’s the same with Steve Porcaro. Steve P. has more value and more history with the band than I do so he is always be a part of their sound. But to answer your question directly, no! I wouldn’t want to be a permanent member of the group again, and as I said....They don’t need me. The band is perfect for right now! But I love it when they call me to work with them.
I truly hope I can contribute to the 30th anniversary and do some touring as a “former member”!

11 The "Bond Project" (Mark & Joe Williams). Originally recorded in 1990-1991, Mark worked on this for several years from cirka 1998, including remixing it and also re-recording some of the parts. However, at one point he explained that you wasn't happy with the original vocals and that this prevented the project from being released. Will the project ever see the light of day?
Who Knows....I love a lot of those tunes, although I would want to go back and do some re-tooling and re- writing as well as re- singing. The issue is that my Brother lives in Utah and I live in California. Also, he is busy producing artists there and I am INCREDABLY busy here being unemployed! Hahaha! No. I have been very lucky to be working in the music end of American television and making an O.K. Living for the last 13 years. I would love to complete a “BOND” project with my brother someday......Who knows!

12 About the album ‘’3’’, how was the recording ? And when did the members of Toto come on it?
A lot of the songs for 3, or at least the ideas for the songs were started Long before I was a Toto Member.
Also, the songs were written during and after my time with Toto. The sessions for that album were “Piece Meal”! Meaning they occurred over a long period of time. As far as Toto members appearing on it, well, I just remember calling them individually and we would do a session! No big deal. They all said yes! It has always been that way since I was out of the band. They would always come if I called any of them. The song “I Am Alive” I wrote during a few sound checks on the Seventh One Tour, always with Jeff and Mike playing along, So years later when I wanted to cut that song, I felt I needed at least Jeff and Mike to make it right. Without any delay, they both came to Bill Champlin’s studio the three of us recorded the track. Piano, Bass and Drums! That was one of the last times I saw Jeff! Very sad! There still isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss Him!

13 Who was playing on ‘’Goin’ Home’’?
Wow! Good question! It’s been so long since I have listened to my version. I am not sure. A lot was generated with synths and I think my brother Mark played drums but I really can’t remember exactly! I’ll listen and get back to you on that one. Or maybe one one of the fans remembers! Later the song was re recorded by Toto as you know!
Joey Carbone's answer :
joey carbone : hammond b-3 organ,
mark t williams : drums
mike porcaro : bass
james harrah : guitar


14 What was the extent of your  collaboration with David Garfield in the early 1980's? In an interview with the now-disbanded Toto Legend fan club, engineer Tom Fletcher recalled you are doing great gigs with David Garfield and several other musicians around the time your first solo album was released. What songs did they perform? Were these gigs also used to showcase your solo material?
My first real solo “Joseph Williams” band, (where I was the front guy) was called JOAIR! The members were my Brother (Drums), Mike Landau (Guitar), David Garfield (Keyboards) and Mark Brown (Bass) for a time and also Dean Cortez (Bass). These guys were basically the band that played my first solo record. The one with the picture of me with the blue building behind me. You know, The cover where I look like my sister! Hahaha! That record was produced by Jay Gruska and featured Lukather! The songs JOAIR played I can barely remember. Most were my original songs. A lot of the pieces of those tunes became parts of Toto songs when I brought idea’s to David Paich! JOAIR played all the clubs in L.A. around that time. Places like “At My Place”, “The Blah Blah Café” and “Josephina’s”! Those were fun times. My big crowd pleasing tune was called “Chelsea Nights”. A song that kind of died with that band. Today, playing it sounds very unfinished so that’s why it never turned up on any of my records.....I think! As far as other collaborations with David Garfield, there hasn’t been all that much. We are still good friends but I don’t see him very often. We have ended up as guest players on many projects by other artists over the years, But I have rarely worked directly with him since the JOAIR days

15 There are a few Joseph Williams demos floating around on the internet (including songs such as Children of the Future, Hang On, I Close My Eyes, Ring of Love) possibly recorded in the early 90's. Will you consider releasing these officially?
I have no memory of these songs.....How sad is that? Are you sure your not thinking of another artist? Someone send me an mp3 of these tunes and I will answer the question!

16 Do you have some new projects with your friends Bill Champlin and Jason Scheff ?
Nothing right now. Both Jason and Bill are working hard touring and promoting Chicago XXX so I don’t get to see them much. Although Jason and I talk on the phone or via email almost daily.

17 What do you think about working with your father, the famous songwriter John Williams? What does he think about rock music, et does he want writing some stuff with you?
The few times I have worked for Him, it was only if I was right for the Job! If, in the future he finds something that he needs me for on one of his film scores than I am sure we will work together again, however there hasn’t been any project of mine that would be appropriate for me to hire Him! And I am fairly certain that he has no interest in Collaborating (or listening to) Melodic Pop Rock! But who knows!


18 How are you working for cinema or television? Are you working on there studio, or in your home studio?
I have a writing room, but it is not in my home. It is a room set up for composing and recording with samples. Not a studio. When the need arises for live musicians I will take a DP or Logic Project to a studio for recording and mixing. Although I can do mixes in my writing room!


19 A last word for all your fans ?
Thank you all for the support over the years. I know I am not out there playing like I use too and I regret not being able to see with all of you. I hope to figure out a way to get out there and do some live work soon.
I am grateful to one and all of you for the continued interest in my work and I would like to send out love and good vibes to everyone!

Vertigo Website would like to thank you from deep of our heart, et we wish you good luck for the new album Vertigo 2 and for all yours futures projects.
Thank you!

A big thanks to : Al Andrew, Kristian Nordlund, Morten Nordhagen Ottosen, Joey Carbone, Lukather78, Mr Fusion, Candyman and Bruno Fabrigues (www.lemondetoto.fr)

A special thanks to : Musicman_Luke for the translation, Kristina for her support, Jérôme for his technical assistance and Joseph Williams for his availability.



June 2006