Episode 32: Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Fates Warning)

Though they’ve been together since 1982, you might be surprised to learn that Armored Saint has only released 8 studio albums to date despite their long history as a band.  When it’s released on May 22nd through Metal Blade Records, Emotion Factory Reset will become the 9th record in their 44-year history.  While most would consider that a low total for a band that’s been at it for as long as they have, most groups don’t exactly have the unique history, or bond, that the boys in Armored Saint do.

Breaking through the emerging L.A. metal scene with 1984’s March of the Saint led to many high profile touring opportunities for the band right out of the gate.  The group’s subsequent releases were hampered by mishandling of promotion by their record label, leading them to sign with Metal Blade ahead of 1991’s Symbol of Salvation, a huge record that helped Armored Saint regain momentum.  That momentum would cease a year later when frontman John Bush left to famously front Anthrax , putting Armored Saint’s future into jeopardy for years to come. 

During this time, bassist Joey Vera would release a solo record and eventually join progressive metal legends Fates Warning, a band he still plays with today.  During that time, he learned new approaches to songwriting that he’s taken and adopted for Armored Saint, while also refining and expanding his repertoire by playing a significantly different style of metal.  When Armored Saint eventually reunited in 1999, they released a new album the next year and have been active on and off based on the commitments Bush and Vera have with their other groups. 

The bond between the members of Armored Saint has always been paramount when compared to their commitments to other bands, and its with good reason.  As Joey describes it, Armored Saint is held as sacred and treated as such, largely in part because the guys in the band have known each other since they were in second grade.  Both Bush and Vera had a chance to join Metallica in the early days, and both declined.  No matter where their careers have led them, they always find their way back home to Armored Saint.  The results of this bond can be seen on Emotion Factory Reset, which sees the group delivering the classic sound they're known for, but evolving in a way that feels appropriate to the modern day.

Ahead of its release, I had a chance to catch up with Joey and talk about the new record, and a number of other things, including:

• the writing process for Emotion Factory Reset, getting together in the same room for the first time in decades, how the band is breaking new ground on the new record, and where we can see the R&B influences in Armored Saint’s music.
• why Joey waits to record his bass parts until the end of the songwriting process, how he learned that technique with Fates Warning, and an overview of their tour plans for the year. 
• an upcoming special show at Rainbow Bar and Grill, the importance of that venue to the group, and a history lesson about the legendary L.A. scene. 
• memories of touring with Saxon in 1985, opening for Judas Priest and learning they wrote Stained Class while still working in the factories, the band’s very first tour outside of California with Whitesnake and Quiet Riot, and a gentlemanly encounter backstage with David Coverdale. 
• reflections on always coming home to Armored Saint and what it’s like to play with the same guys he’s known since he was 7 years old.

Enjoy!