Check Out Joe Colomb’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Colomb.

Hi Joe, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve been a musician for as long as I can remember. I guess you can say I started with piano lessons as a young lad and that morphed into wanting to be able to play any and every instrument I could put my hands on. (Except for woodwinds… I have a hard time making a good sound on any needed instrument… I also can’t whistle) I focused most of my energy on playing the drums for years because well… they were the most fun to play as an angsty youngster.

As I grew older and learned more about songwriting and orchestration, I decided that it’s way easier to write songs on a guitar or piano and then have the drums written out later as a device to propel the energy with a battery. A big reason I started Alfred and the Teddinators was that I wanted to have my voice heard more rather than just expressing myself on the drums. As the singer/songwriter/guitarist in Alfred, I like to give Dillon free rein to express his vision on the drums with our songs. As a drummer, I’ve always felt that a certain amount of freedom is something that goes missing. I like jazz, what can I say?

Other than writing Alfred and the Teddinators tunes, I play drums in a band called Octopus Tree with my friends Nick And Spencer. I also gig with cover bands and anyone who needs musicians for an agreed-upon price. People always ask me things like, “Which band is more fun?” or “What instrument do you like the most?” or “Why do you play in so many bands?” Honestly, those are impossible questions. I love to do what I love to do, and playing music regardless of what instrument I’m touching is one of the things I love to do. So when people ask me those questions, I usually say that playing the trombone is the most fun.

I just finished my degree in recording arts in December 2022, so now I’m able to put a producer on that same list of lovely things. As for telling my life story, you can check out my website https://jpalmermusic.com/ for more of the minutia behind my musical career. I’ve got a lot of music coming out constantly. Some new releases will be a new Alfred and the Teddinators album (which is chalked full of bangers… like every song is a hit) and a couple of new Octopus Tree singles which I am mixing now (also bangers).

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has never been a smooth road. I can’t think of a time when I thought to myself, “Man, being a musician is a piece of cake.” I don’t even like cake unless it’s chocolate. The main struggle has always been money. I love to play and write. record, mix, and perform music. I always have and probably always will. I don’t like to put a monetary value on my passion and it’s been the biggest struggle.

I’m just not great at asking people to pay for my art even though countless hours get put into every note and word, countless hours of trying to get people interested on social media, countless hours put into booking shows, countless hours of self-doubt and thinking that I should have gone into finance instead of doing what I’m doing. Then again, there are the same amount of hours enjoying every note and word and social media like and show.

I guess the biggest struggle is that I love it way too much and will continue to do it no matter the dollar sign attachment. Even if I have to pay my bills by building houses and remodeling rooms for people, I get to enjoy making music and I won’t stop. I believe there are obstacles in every kind of work and art form. As long as you still enjoy doing it, the positive usually outweighs the negative.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What I do is make music. I play just about every instrument and produce music for my bands as well as other artists. I specialize in drums, guitar, and singing. I write original music. I want to hope that people know me for what I do in my original bands. I play guitar, sing and write lyrics for my band Alfred and the Teddinators.

It’s a two-piece rock band I made with my childhood friend Dillon Crozier (aka LilBig Loofa.) I play the drums and sing with my progressive hard rock band Octopus Tree which I made with my good friends Spencer Church and Nick Valdez. Both groups are a big part of my life and we’ve written hours of great music together. You can find both groups anywhere you’d find music on the internet.

I have solo stuff that I do as well. I like making videos and putting them on my YouTube channel. All of this can be found on my website https://jpalmermusic.com/. I think what sets me apart from other musicians/producers is that I have pretty good jokes when the timing is right. And of course, I should say that my passion for music sets me apart from most.

Do you have any advice for those just starting?
My advice for someone who wants to get into the field of music is to never stop learning. There’s no such thing as the best musician alive. It’s not a competition either. Don’t compare yourself to other people who do the same things as you. It’s not healthy.

We are all on a journey and have to make sure to enjoy the travel as much as we think we will enjoy the result of our labor. Don’t let other people tell you how to play your instrument and don’t tell other people how to play theirs. Also, always tell your friends and family that you love them. They are the glue that will help you keep it all together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jpalmermusic.com/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/alfredandtheteddinators and https://www.octopustreemusic.com/

Image Credits
Matt Corbin and Jason Myers