Interview with Joe Lynn Turner

This is the first part of the interview with Joe Lynn Turner for the bulgarian fans. He is talking about his new album, secrets of success, dreams and many other things.

You can see it here:

 

Hello Mr. Turner welcome to Bulgaria. It’s my pleasure to talk with you.

 

1. For two years this Bulgarian fan site exists and this is your first interview for the fan club.

I would like to ask you many things, but let’s start with your new album. I know for the artist one of the most important things is inspiration.

What was your inspiration and how did you decide to make 3^rdalbum from the project “Sunstorm”?

 

JLT: Well, first of all thank you for the Bulgarian web site and thank you for all the nice things that you do. From my heart I thank you very much.

This album really was given to me by “Frontiers records.” We made two and they said we need at least a trilogy. And honestly it came out great and I am so surprised, because I was doing it in pieces: I was travelling and playing and then recording for one week and then leaving and coming back. And when you do albums like this sometimes you can’t feel the full flow of it. But in the end I have to give Denis Ward – he is American but he is working in Germany - the big kudos….my thanks…because he polished it so well and the players were so great. So really the inspiration came from all of the people involved. It’s one big project and it sounds really great.

 

2. The songs in the album remind very much of your past and years with Rainbow, somehow the songs are carrying this spirit inside? What do you think about it?

JLT: No, I think you are right, most people said the same thing. They said that it’s like from the past. It’s like this type of style and I said: Well it’s all 80’s material, 1980’s material…the songs…and written by different songwriters and especially the ones my friend Michael Bolton wrote and Cher which I sang the backgrounds on these songs and I just think we recreated these songs…You know, you get a demo, but we did something magic to these songs and that made them more special.

 

3. You are a creative person and surprising your fans every year with something new.  What are your future plans?

JLT:Wow, right now we are touring a lot, I mean so far going all over the world…it seems I’ve already been to Russia twice and Scandinavia three times and some gigs in America and then I came over to Turkey ...now Bulgaria. Then I will go from here to USA and then from there I will go to Italy, Milan specifically…then from Milan back to Scandinavia, then back to the States I think…then to Russia, Italy, Serbia for the biggest beer fest of the summer August 14^thin Belgrade …then down to Argentina, then over to Malaysia and I don’t know what else. So it’s a year of touring and it’s a hard work.

 

4. I would like to ask you something not connected with the album now. You’ve been on tours in Bulgaria. How many times you’ve been here, what are your impressions from our country and what did you like the most?

JLT: You know I can’t even tell you how many times that I have been here. I mean more than two hands. Every time is always terrific…my impressions. People are amazing, they love rock’n’roll, they are passionate. They are great people in their soul, they are wonderful…so what can I say, I am so thankful for this kind of people really.

Bg fan site:and we are thankful that there are people like you.

JLT:Thanks. I really appreciate that. Honestly.

 

5. Can we expect next year to see you again in our country?

JLT:Well I hope so…I hope that we can make more festivals. I am talking to people now about some festivals may be in Varna. It’s all about money, it’s all about government. You know, it’s typical stuff, but if everything is right and the world has not explode, yes you will see me.(he is laughing)

Bg fan site:Yeah great.

 

6. Have you ever listened to Bulgarian music and do you like it?

JLT:Yes of course I’ve listened to it. I certainly get it as a musician. I am guitar player first and I read music, I compose music, I play some keyboards and drums…I get it. Turkish music as well, I love it. I tried always to get indigenous …when you say indigenous I mean in the country. I always tried to listen what peoples ear is like. And then if I hear, what they’re hearing, then I can sometimes put it into song. For example “Blood red sky” from my solo album is written in Turkey/ Antalya.

 

7. Can you imagine to make some project with Bulgarian motives inside?

JLT:Why not, of course. You have to have again right situation, politics… money. It is more to rock’n’roll than just loving the music as you know. It is so difficult sometimes to just keep it alive and…to make a festival…and then the sponsors fall through and then…it’s crazy….yes of course I would love to, but it’s not up to me only.

 

8. What was your dream when you were a child? What did you want to be when you grew up?

Joe Lynn Turner: Well my mother told me - bless her soul - She said that at 3 years old I was pointing to the television and saying “I am him” and it was a guitar-singer man, I don’t even know who it was. But I said “I am him, I am him”….like a baby. And then as I grew up, I knew exactly what I want, but I also went to university for a degree in “English literature” and teaching and all this, because my mother was afraid that I would not make it in rock’n’roll. And she wanted me to have an education, which I think is a good thing for everyone. But I knew - I was very lucky - I knew what I wanted to be and I worked very hard for it.

Bulgarian Fan Club: This is very important.

Joe Lynn Turner: Yes very important. I know so many people who are lost and they don’t understand who  they are and what they really want and may be not even in the situation to get it, because the world has changed as we know…with the music, with everything. So… I just hope that everyone of these musicians have a chance like I did. Because it’s though and you have to be very proud of the people who are trying to make this happen. They are very strong people.

 

9. Which is your favorite band where you have been part of and why?

Joe Lynn Turner: Wow …I think I do every project with my heart, like even playing in „Brazen Abbot“ for example. I don’t take projects that I am not proud of. I think integrity, character is the first thing. I never want to stay in a project that I saw:..”Oh I am sorry I did it.” I check it out first, I absolutely investigate, I do information and then I join. So I love them all, I have no regrets for many projects. There have been more successful projects and there have been less successful projects but I love them all and I do them all with everything I have. Absolutely 100 %.

 

10. Would you like to share what is the secret of success?

Joe Lynn Turner: Well I think I used to have a very pat answer …very simple answer to the secret of success. They say: success equals preparation plus opportunity - equal success. However I think may be the equation has changed in 2012, now that we have this year, because I know many prepared people and there is no opportunity and that’s the problem.

When I was younger, there was much opportunity and I am very lucky for that. So, the secret of success then will be what I call the word tenacity, discipline, desire…you must stay at it…you must keep knocking the wall down, keep knocking the doors, keep hitting… because if you give up, it’s over and that’s it. So think it’s just constant…”never stop”.

 

11. This year on festival in Bulgaria you are performing “Tribute to Rainbow” and mostly people connect you with this band. You have incredible solo projects and albums. Can we expect for the future when you come to have performance with your own project, to be something different from “Rainbow”?

Joe Lynn Turner: Yeah, I performed in Turkey for example things from “Malmsteen” solo project, “Blood red sky”, all these things. Constantly I am playing solo songs and more popular solo songs, but this particular festival we felt may be just some “Rainbow”, “Purple”. I had played these songs with “Deep Purple” in the band, I have written some of them…we will do a tribute again… obviously some Dio songs…I love Ronnie, he deserves the tribute always and I think it’s gonna be fun for the people to give them the familiar songs.

 I think, if you go to a place, a country, a city where may be some people are not so familiar with all your solo material - although I signed many solo cd’s here - I think it’s better for them to give everything familiar.

 Because it was difficult to find all these cd’s. Now in Russia I have more and more solo Cd’s, but still you have to do what you are known for. People asked me - may be this is part of your question -…”are you tired always doing these rainbow songs?” Why would I be tired of my soul?  I sing them “I surrender” with as much feeling as when I was 30 years old, when I started... So I am not tired of singing the same songs. This is what we all want to achieve: Songs that the world can sing.

 

12. Do you know some words in Bulgarian?

Joe Lynn Turner: I used to but I have just been speaking Turkish for the last two weeks…so..I am trying to remember Bulgarian now….”Nazdrave” (laughing) When I am in the country for one or two days, then I get it again but right now I am still speaking shakur and all this Turkish. It’s the same thing, if I go to Germany I have to remember all my Deutsch…and” Ich spreche kaum Deutsch”

 

13. Can you describe yourself in one sentence?

Joe Lynn Turner: Sentence?

Bulgarian Fan Club: or word, how do you prefer?

Joe Lynn Turner: To describe yourself is for me impossible, because I don’t know how to define myself. I think I am just a man who is trying to do the best he can. I am serious. I think is for other people to say who you are, what you are. Some people love you, some people hate you, some people say you are a god, some people say you are a legend, some people say you are shit. I am just a musician, I am just trying …I think I am a good person, that’s how I will describe myself. I think after all the bullshit in my life, I finally come to being a very good person on the earth and I am trying to do things for the people. So…I am a good person.

 

14. You have so much power inside of you. How did you keep this spirit during all these years?

Joe Lynn Turner: This is a very good question. In the last time I answered it, there was only one way: “Kundalini”… “Kundalini” is a fire in Hinduism that is in all of us and I think it keeps you young, I think it gives you the most power, I think the spirit is everything.  I don’t feel my age at all and I don’t look my age (laughing) and I don’t act my age. Age to me is something that society will put on you if you believe them. I don’t surrender to that. Even though I sing “I surrender” I don’t surrender to this. I think it’s a discipline. Because I fell…many years ago…I indulged myself in many bad habits. I was 25 pounds heavier, I was doing only the wrong things and then I came back to the center…to the respect of yourself and to the power, that “kundalini” power that you have…the fire….and I think people should search for this inside themselves. It’s very simple…just you all have it. You have to touch it. So that’s what gives me power.

 

Bulgarian Fan Club: Thank you very much for this interview Mr. Turner, it was my pleasure. I wish you good luck and I hope to see you soon.  Keep on rockin’ .

Joe Lynn Turner: Thank you very much, too. Thank you every day for everything you do. Namaste!