With Music in the Square all this month, let’s meet Joey Salvia of Moving Colors (performing tomorrow night in Frisco Square), Missing 3, and Brooklyn Dallas.
Joey Salvia started a career in radio as a D.J. and sound engineer for the Long Island, NY radio station WLIR-FM. He also worked as a board engineer for WABC (AM) on shows like Curtis & Kuby, John Gambling, and Sean Hannity. Joey’s real passion comes from his love for music, playing and writing songs.
LF: You have done a lot across the country. How long have you been performing with Moving Colors?
JS: I’ve been with Moving Colors for three years now. When I moved from New York, I started looking for bands to jam out with or play with. I actually was at Guitar Center and heard a guy playing. He was so good that I came up to him and introduced myself. His name was Bill Brooks, and we started to jam out together in the store. After while of talking, we exchanged contact information and I left. A few days later I got a call and it was Bill. He asked me if I played bass and I said, “Of course I do, that’s my thing.” He asked me if I could learn 30 songs in two weeks because they had a show at The Gaylord Texan, and we’ve been going ever since.
LF: You also play in the Missing 3. How does that band differ from Moving Colors?
JS: Bill started doing Missing 3 for smaller venues to open up more doors for us to get out play. Moving Colors is a huge big production with horns, lights, and multiple singers. Missing 3 is Moving Colors stripped down and minus three people. We do a lot of rock… Black Keys, Hendrix, and Beatles. We get a chance to really jam out and double our number of gigs.
LF: Is it true that you got to play at a prison?
JS: There is this great ministry called “Behind The Walls” that takes the church and so much more to prisons and people who are incarcerated. I was asked with Missing 3 to play, and we’ve done about 3 or 4 different prisons. They’ve all been really cool. They actually talked about going to Folsom which would be amazing. It’s long day of security checks and travel. You can’t have anything personal on you. No ID, cell phones, or wallets. They do a very extensive background check and you’re usually there for 10 hours or so. We usually do two sets while we are there. One in the morning for the church service, and than another out in the yard. It’s a pretty surreal moment when they march the guys out and sit them down to watch while we play. The guys are so excited and they’re singing and clapping all while they are chained up and the guards are watching. I mean… these guys aren’t crazy like The Joker or anything. Most of them are just hurting and went down the wrong path. We get to pray with them and talk for a while. It really is a great program.
LF: What and who are some of your musical influences?
JS: For me, when I play solo or write, I would say Johnny Cash, Springsteen, Prince, Green Day. The 90’s rock era for sure. When Brooklyn Dallas plays (myself and Bill) you get the Allman Brothers, Texas Blues, 90’s Rock, and songs from that genre. Now, when we play with Moving Colors, it’s a big dance party. Prince, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Tears For Fears. We have the full horn section, lights, and smoke. It really is a party group.
LF: How do you like working in the large bands as oppose to playing solo?
JS: From the venues to the songs we play, they’re all very different. In Moving Colors, I’m a bass player. That’s my spot. Sometimes, I will get to sing and do a song, but my spot is the bass player which is great. In Missing 3, I get to front with Bill, and we share vocals and have some serious power behind us. Our keyboardist is amazing and second to none. It’s like the duo, but with serious fire power. Performing as a solo guy comes with a lot of freedom. I can pick which songs I do, or if I want to play longer. I like connecting with the people… the guy who just got off work and is having a drink.
LF: Over the years, you have been in other bands across the country doing original music. Do you want to get back to original music in the future?
JS: Yeah, I will get back to that again, but I will never at 50 years old pursue a original/solo path. I have written some jingles and songs that people do know and have some mild success in the New York and Baltimore areas. My bands the Bleaker Street Cowboys and Montgomery Cliffs have always been special and fun. When I moved to Texas, I felt like I wanted to just play and entertain. I have cds and I will give them out for free to anybody. It’s kind of like a business card to me. When Bill and I play, we will do a original song or two a night. One time, I had someone come out to see me play because he knew me from a show I did back home so that was cool. I just feel like when people come out they want to be entertained and they have so many choices when it comes to where they can go or what they can spend their hard earn money on. When they choose a place I play at or to come see me, I need to make that special and make it worth their time and money. I want to be their reference for a good night out. Guys like The Bodarks are nothing but pure entertainment, and they grab you and keep you there. That’s what I want to be for someone.
LF: Playing in New York, Dallas, McKinney and all over, what does Frisco need to do to grow the music scene?
JS: I love Frisco. We became residents a few years ago, and it’s a great place to raise my son. So playing here is the least I can do to give back to my community. I think the media and cameras need to come out to these events and festivals. Frisco is booming with growth everywhere and the publicity needs to do the same. You always know what’s going on in Dallas and even Addison or other suburbs. But, what about Frisco? You have FC Dallas here, the Cowboys are coming and everyday you see something new being built. We have been doing Music in the Square for 3 years now and it’s a great event with a great crowd and different bands, so I think the media really needs to be out for it and not just the Frisco media. The Dallas media needs to support and take notice of the sea of people coming to these events, and think beyond the city limits of Dallas.
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If you want to see Joey live, check out Moving Colors on Friday, June 17th, at Music in the Square. Joey will also be doing a solo gig at Stan’s Main Street on June 25th. Brooklyn Dallas will be doing Wednesday nights at Saint Ann in Dallas, also. For more information, you can go to www.joeysalvia.com for all dates and current information on his performances.
