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C'mon, it's easy! |
And I know what it means,
To walk along a lonely
Street of Dreams...
Not only David Coverdale can claim this. Joe Lynn Turner is probably the one (let alone being The One) who could have said the same.
So why don't we turn back the pages of time (be careful, you time benders!) and take a closer look at how this journey began?..
In a small town of Hackensack, that's in New Jersey, in an Italian immigrant family, on August 2nd, 1951 (not 1953 or whatever else you may think) a pretty brown-eyed boy was born. The very first sounds of his childish voice forecasted for sure his subsequent career of a singer, but at the time his parents could not even guess what awaited their baby, whom they gave an unpretentious lovely name of Joseph. (Some sources say it was more than this, namely Joseph Arthur Marc, and I can believe this, because Arthur was Joe's father's name, and for your curiosity his mother is called Nina). So, the kid gets the name of Joseph. Giuseppe, if we want Italian.
Unfortunately, it is not known whether Joseph had been called Pinocchio (oh, isn't it moving?) in his childhood, although the history goes that Italian was constantly spoken at Linquitos' (and this indeed was their family name) home, that's why Joe is pretty fluent in it.
In general, the atmosphere that surrounded Joe while he was growing up was very much Italian culture as, though, it was common in most immigrant families. It is, probably, not even worth mentioning that such dish as 'pasta' is one of his favourites.
As a youngster, Joe was interested in many things. He did well at school (aside from maths that he couldn't even stand), especially in his juniour and senior years. He spent his 9th and 10th in Bergen Catholic, which as any decent Catholic school was of a quite high standard. It made life sufficiently easier for Joe in Hackensack High, where he figured out he had learned most of their subjects before! That was the time when he started to take up music seriously, inspired by his idols: black soul singers like Marvyn Gaye, Otis Redding, white rock'n'rollers like Paul Rodgers of Free, Leslie West of Mountain and the incredible members of Deep Purple, and a genius whose nationality didn't ever matter Jimi Hendrix.
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Talking of Hendrix influence, can't you see it? |
Not everyone knows that Joe started out playing accordeon - and didn't feel great about it, because he found it 'unsexy'.
However, there was more to life than just music. Joe was also engaged in sports activities. He played baseball as a kid, and later was particularly successful in track and field. BTW, it was then when he met his soon-to-be great friend and later even a manager, Mark Wexler. Mark, who used to play percussion at the time (but was kinda lousy in it), had a PA, so he was immediately accepted in Joe's band...
As a matter of fact, there had been several bands in the beginning, all with sophisticated names in the vein of The Other Side and Mad Hatters; then only one was left, albeit its name was perhaps even more sophisticated: Ezra. Quite simple if you happen to know literature well the band was named after Ezra Pound, an outstanding American poet who (as it is believed) revolutionarized poetry and influenced a whole generation of authors like W. Yeats, T. S. Eliot (the one on whose books "The Cats" musical is based) and so on. The poet, though, had to face the music because of his pro-Nazi views, still it seems he hadn't instilled any of these into Joe.
Of course, literature was another art form that Joe's been mad about since an early age. He used to read (and still reads) a lot of books on quite surprising (as it may seem) topics: religion, esotherics and mysterious ways of the occult (to all who start grinning viciously at this point: Joe never practised satanism... dabbled in pagan religion alongside messieur Blackmore during their stint with Rainbow - yes that's right), UFOs... In fact, it just indicates a high level of intelligence that has always been characteristic of Joe Lynn.
Some characteristic traits make it harder for one to survive in society. Clever guys often experience problems with their peers. What's more, Joe has always stood his own ground and exercised his right to express his individuality... While among his classmates there were mostly kids from wealthy families, all dressed up in 'preppy' clothes, Joe was kinda hippy (and morevoer, got good grades!) with all the corresponding trappings (jeans, fringe, and mocassins, along with peace beads what a great symbol of a whole era, I must say). And, like any hippy, Joe was a professor of principles of brotherhood, equality and rejection of violence...
Aha, wasn't he? Though he used to claim he had belonged to some pretty roudy bunches but never ever killed anyone. It is sufficiently easy to explain: a person who feels unaccepted, who feels shy and kinda unwanted in society surrounding him, is much likely to take on a mask of a 'k00l cat' who is like rebellious (the exact form of it may vary). Aggressiveness is a disguise that hides diffidence frightfully well (unless you happen to come across such a meticulous armchair psychologist as myself ;)), and it is always easier to act as a part of a collective. See now?
Well, it is not easy to overcome a habit of allowing a female manipulate oneself. Evidence aplenty, listen to the songs, read the interviews - first a girl in high school that held Joe prisoner of love, then his first wife who was equally selfish during the divorce... (We females are dangerous when we see that a man has this characteristic trait - and it is not hard to see at all :) To put it short, they do whatever they please, and he still has a soft spot for them. Alas.
Anyway, girls can be of immense help unknowingly: they might have been the reason why Joe joined a band - he wanted to be popular. I guess he never even imagined where the road would lead. So meanwhile he enrolled into college to get higher education (isn't he a clever guy?) and to ensure a stable income (but this must have been his secondary objective).
Of a side note, there was another reason for Joe to get some higher education - the Vietnam war was raging at the time. And the reason, as many readers might have guessed now, was to get an opportunity not to be drafted. Very familiar for any Russian guy to this day.
In college Joe studied literature (quite thoroughly so as not to be kicked out): so here it comes again, his second passion! Anyway, Joe was smart enough to have the best of both worlds: for instance, he once wrote a lit piece based on Jimi Hendrix's 'Axis: Bold as Love' song (good choice!)
After graduating Joe worked as a substitute teacher for some time, and was on his way to tenure... But being too impulsive, I guess, was what drove him out of the academic career. Way too boring for such a hot-blooded guy. 'I believe in taking chances', Joseph must have said to himself, and decided to stake on his gift for music. This was the best bet in his life.
Few names around sound half as energetic and ahem, rockstarry, as 'Joe Lynn Turner'.
And then, Joe Lynn Turner forms Fandango - a band that was far too underrated because far too diverse, and whose fate was far too unfair.
Text of this bio, compilation and interpretation of the facts, any opinions and conclusions found herein represent the personal standpoint of Funky Deuce and should be construed as results of her historical research.
In short, it's not an official bio.
Comments and questions: please direct them to Dream Chaser Team.