The Johns Wanna Dance With You

Javier, The Bad Ass Bass Player:
AB: Where are you from?

Javier: I’m from Woodier, California.

AB: How did you get over here?

Javier: I actually went to UC Berkeley and studied dance and it was always in my mind to come out to New York, but after I graduated I saved up some money and came out here and was like, “I don’t really want to dance anymore.”

AB: What kind of dance did you do?

Javier: I did modern. It was really fun. I loved it and I worked so hard. It was awesome. I was in great shape and had all these powers. I was all flexible and shit.

AB: Not anymore?

Javier: They haven’t left – I haven’t lost all my powers, but I’m not as -

AB: Flexible?

Javier: Yeah – flexible or strong. When I first stopped dancing, my knees started hurting because they didn’t have the muscles. Everything was all held together really well and now when I start doing stuff, my knees – and I’m getting older, but whatever.

AB: How did you get together with the Johns?

Javier: What happened was that I was working at this Belgian bistro and I was doing barista and Johnny P. was working as a waiter. One day I was hanging out behind the counter and I was like, “I’d like to join a band,” so I walk up to Johnny P and I was like, “You’re in a band? You’re looking for a guitar player, right?” And he was like, “Yeah!” And I was like, “Well, I play guitar. Let’s fucking jam!” So I pestered him for like a week to set up an audition and the day of the audition was my boss’ birthday, so I took her out for some beers and I was like, “Listen, I can’t drink too much because I have to go play guitar with these guys and I want to make a good impression”. But I ended up just drinking – she was giving me tequila shots! – and I just got totally drunk. So, anyway, I’m really drunk and I go up and it was just not a good scene. I could barely hold it together. My mind was hanging on by a threat and I go up there and I meet Derek and the old bass player and get the guitar and start tuning it and then I was just like, “Alright you cock suckers, let’s play some music!” And that was it!

AB: So did you always play the guitar or is this a new thing?

Javier: I started playing my junior year of high school and then I’ve just been going on – actually, we played in the Viper Room two years ago and all my high school buddies came. I mean, I had seen them at Christmas, but they hadn’t seen me play and they were all like, “Dude! You got good!” I used to be terrible.

AB: You have a reputation for being a fighter. How many fights do you get into a month?

Javier: Not as many now, but it depends on how many times I go out. Basically there’s probably a situation every time I go out. If I go out with John R, he usually steps in and mediates on my behalf. He’s very good at that. Whenever I’m out with him, it’s okay. And I think I’m getting a little older now, but, you know…