You asked, Joe Russo answered! Learn about Joe Russo's influences, how he felt when he first listened to the Hooteroll? album, and even where he goes to get his haircut. Experience some of Russo's most treasured musical gems, along with the cult-classic album of Jerry Garcia and Howard Wales, as it all comes to life at The Cap on Friday, April 7.

Jerry Fecteau: Hi Joe, now that you're digging deep with the Hooteroll? music are there any other albums out there that you would be interested in taking on musically in a live setting?

Not really, I think this album just had a special connection for me. Hooteroll? came on my shuffle while I was driving one day and I had no idea what it was. I had maybe listened to it all the way through one time, years before. As I was listening to it, it reminded me so much of the music I had played growing up with some of the members that will be featured at the show (Erik Deutsch, Jonathan Goldberger, and Kevin Kendrick). It seemed like a no brainer to put on a show that bridges that Grateful Dead/instrumental improvisational gap for me. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlddtzsMKvY[/embed]

Justin Tisi: This may be a hard one, and not to get too technical, but has any one JRAD lineup brought out the best in you?

Well, JRAD by definition is Scott Metzger, Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, Tom Hamilton, and myself. So, I'd have to say, that one :).

John Pullekines: When was the first time you listened to Hooteroll? and how did that experience change your perception of Garcia as a player?

I absolutely loved hearing Garcia on Hooteroll?. It was a great reminder that when you think you know how someone sounds, there's always more there. If someone had put that on for me and asked me who was playing guitar, I don't think I would have ever said Jerry Garcia! It really feels like he was exploring a lot of different tones and feels on that record that would one day become a part of "his" sound.

Marissa Murphy: Has being a father changed your music in any way? Do you feel a deeper emotional connection to any particular songs?

I think more than gaining a different emotional connection with songs, becoming a father has just given me a great new perspective. Stuff that I might have gotten more stressed out about musically or performance wise before, just doesn't mean as much to me now.

Mark Summer: Hi Joe, I heard you were playing songs by artists that inspired you as a kid. If you had to pick two artists that you listened to the most growing up, who would they be?

Well for Hooteroll?, we will be playing songs that really got me started on my musical path in my late teens/early twenties. At that time, I was living in Boulder, CO playing with a band called Fat Mama (great band, terrible name). Those guys really began to shape my future as a drummer and musician. They would hammer me all the time with new, incredible music that I'm not sure I would have ever accessed if not for them. Luckily, three of those guys (Jonathan Goldberger, Erik Deutsch, and Kevin Kendrick) will be joining me for this show! I have no idea where I would have gone musically if not for those years with all of those guys. The listening and playing I did back then was absolutely transformative. That's pretty much the concept for this show. When I heard Hooteroll?, it reminded me so much of the music I played with those guys, in the early days of FM and then made me reflect on everything I've done since that time. It seemed like just the perfect conduit between my Grateful Dead world and the instrumental, improvisational music I had played for so long before that. If we're talking as a "kid" kid, I gotta go Zeppelin for sure! There was a lot of Black Sabbath, KISS, Ozzy, Metallica, Rush, Yes, Motley Crue and stuff like that too :). [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDwotNLyz10[/embed]

Lore Liz: Who is your favorite jazz percussionist?

That's a hard one, but if I had to throw a couple name out there, I would have to say Jack DeJohnette and Tony Williams are my guys. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPYvRFKBX_g[/embed]

Vinnie Mannocchi: Joe, read you're a huge Kiss fan. In your opinion, who is the best Kiss drummer? Eric Carr or Peter Criss?

Wow, great question. I think technically, Eric Carr was a better "drummer" but Peter Criss was all vibe and pretty much the reason I started playing drums. Gotta give that one to Criss. Also, Cat > Fox.

Chelsea Pitt: Who cuts your hair?

When it looks good, it's usually cut by Rebecca at Sara June in Park Slope, Brooklyn. When it looks bad...it wasn't.

Schuyler Schwartz: Could you recommend any tips/good exercises to an aspiring drummer?

My biggest tip would be to play as many different types of music with as many different people you can. It's so important to learn musical vocabulary anywhere possible. I've said in the past, that the Furthur gig for me was a lot like the movie Slumdog Millionaire. the only reason that kid knew all of the answers is because he had been in so many different situations that he was able to call from. For me, playing all sorts of different styles with different bands, allowed me to feel comfortable in that new context, even if at the time, it was material I really didn't know. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CevbYCGEG4[/embed]

Ramie Egan: What is your favorite Fruit Bats song?

Humbug Mountain Song is my jam. Eric D Johnson is dreamy and sings nice. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVG8Batu-Ac[/embed]

Jimmy Chambers: How did Joe Russo's Almost Dead come together and did any of you guys think it would be as successful as it is?

Years ago, another band had cancelled for a gig at Brooklyn Bowl for the "Freaks Ball" and we basically threw this thing together to fill in. None of us had ANY intention of this being more than one show. I was actually in Furthur at the time and I had absolutely no intentions of playing any of this material outside of that band. Needless to say, the success of this project has been shocking and humbling beyond belief!