WBAB presents Warrant, Lita Ford, and Firehouse at the Catholic Health at Bald Hill Amphitheater on Saturday August 10th, 2024. We recently caught up with Warrant guitarist Joey Allen via Zoom to discuss the show and more. Joey wasted no time in complimenting my name and in pointing out how we both sport shaved heads. He joked that “If you want to talk about hair bands, I’m probably the wrong one to talk to.” After Joey broke the ice like that, we dove right into discussing the show. I asked Joey how he feels doing package shows like this. He told me “We’re all friends, so it’s a big hang, everybody’s super cool.” “It’s literally 3 killer hours of 80′s rock and you hear all the hits. It’s just a good time.”
Warrant formed in 1984. That brought the conversation around to the band celebrating forty years. Joey wondered aloud why Eric turner “Does not Pimp that.” In Warrant’s early days Prince was helping the band. Joey told a great story about how the band’s original Bass player, Jerry Dixon, got an offer to be in a soap opera. He declined but invited the person making the offer to come see the band. One thing led to another and that is what brought Prince into their lives. Trust me, watch Joey tell the story, you’ll appreciate it. Prince did give Warrant money to do their demo. But he ultimately passed on the band.
The demo must have been pretty good though because it included “Down Boys” and Heaven.” Joey did say that their producer, Beau Hill, didn’t want to record “Heaven.” I had been under the impression that as the song began to hit, that they re recorded it. Joey corrected me and explained that they just did multiple mixes of the song. Then I asked for confirmation on a story I’d heard about another of Warrant’s hits, “Cherry Pie.” I asked if it had indeed been written in 15 minutes on the back of a pizza box. Joey immediately told me, “True story.” And then quickly added, “At 4AM in the morning.” “What Jani was doing up at 4AM in the morning is beyond me.” Then Joey shared of story about being at a celebrity golf tournament with Jerry Dixon and the late Leslie Nielson when they got a call from Jani Lane. Jani played them a demo of the song over the phone and told them they needed to get back in the studio and cut the track.
In listing off the band’s hits, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” came up in the conversation. Joey asked me where the title came from. I assumed it was from the classic Harriet Beecher Stowe book. Once again, Joey schooled me. Jani Lane had gotten the title out of the TV Guide. Granted I may have been partially correct, because it may have been a tv listing for the movie based on the book, but I had to give him that one. Joey did however point out; the song has nothing to do with the book. As far as they were concerned it was about somebody’s uncle, named Tom.
We talk some time to discuss the crowds at the show and the age range in the audience. Joey told me how he feels music is non generational. He spoke about liking the music his dad liked, but not liking it when he was a kid. Joey did say that they take a good amount of time to be able to talk to the fans. They’re happy to sign stuff and take pictures with the fans.
We also spoke about gear. He plays through a Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 amp. Out of over 100 presets he did confess that he only uses four. He also uses a Morley optical wah. Nothing shocked me more than Joey telling me he uses one guitar in live shows, a GMP guitar. Joey also was quite proud when he let me know that he changes his strings himself. He has a guitar tech but chooses to change his own strings and he did admit there is a backup guitar as well. “Super, super simple. It fits in a suitcase. I can fly with it. It’s never let me down, love it.”
I enquired if there might be some jamming that takes place among the bands in the show. Joey said Warrant close the show with “Cherry Pie,” “It’s our ‘Freebird’.” He told me they always invite the other bands up to play on that tune. Joey said that other groups accepting that offer to jam often depends on travel plans, which can be quite hectic for rock bands.
In wrapping things up I did ask about any possible new music. Joey said their last album, “Louder, Harder, Faster,” was 7 years ago. He told me time was a factor and also jokingly said “We’re lucky if the band stays together after the process.” He did of course follow that up with the classic comment “Never say never.”
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