Joseph Simmons

Joseph Lee Simmons (born June 18, 1978) is an American guitarist, bass guitarist, songwriter and brewer. Originally from Houston, Texas, Simmons grew up in Coral Springs, Florida, where he notably played in the hardcore punk bands Dinner Time and Lock Down, the sludge metal band Bird of Ill Omen and the metallic hardcore band Morning Again. He later moved to Gainesville, Florida, where he played in the metallic hardcore bands Culture and Some Sort of Radio, the melodic hardcore band As Friends Rust, and the emotional hardcore / post-hardcore band Salem. The record label released music from such artists as Burning Love, Chris Wollard and the Ship Thieves, Comadre, Coliseum, and Ruiner. In 2019, he and partner Matthew Juaire opened their own brewery, Bay Cannon Beer Company, in Tampa, Florida.

Morning Again (1996, 1997–1998, 1999)

Simmons first played with Morning Again on December 26, 1996 (while still a member of Bird of Ill Omen), when he filled in as bass guitarist for a concert in Atlanta, Georgia, following Peter Bartsocas' departure.

Simmons was formally asked to join Morning Again as its new guitarist in March 1997, replacing Stafford, which lead to his dismissal from Bird of Ill Omen. In promotion of Martyr, Morning Again embarked on a tour of the United States and Canada with Bird of Ill Omen during June 1997, which included performances at Syracuse 3-Day Super Festival in Syracuse, New York and Indianapolis Hardcore Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana. The tour included stops to perform at Malmejock-Skatefestival in Oostmalle, Belgium, The Ultimate Hardcore Festival in Dilsen-Stokkem, Belgium and Hardcore: The Next Generation in Ypres, Belgium. The song was tracked especially for a split 7-inch vinyl and compact disc with 25 ta Life, released by Good Life Recordings in January 1998. Morning Again returned for a second European tour, this time accompanied by Agnostic Front, Vision and Maximum Penalty, spanning November–December 1997.

In February 1998, Morning Again entered Studio 13 in Deerfield Beach, Florida, to record its ten-song debut album, As Tradition Dies Slowly, with producer Jeremy Staska. Only three weeks after the album was recorded, Simmons was fired and replaced by Stephen Looker, who had just quit both Culture and As Friends Rust to join Morning Again. but Morning Again would break up a mere four months later in October 1998. The line-up at those shows also included Wylie, Moyal, Eric Ervin and Jason Dooley. A live concert recorded during the band's first Belgian tour in 1997 (with Simmons on guitar), was included as bonus tracks on the compact disc compilation Hand of the Martyr, co-released by Eulogy Recordings and Alveran Records on April 30, 2002. The original version of "Dictation of Beauty" recorded in Belgium was repackaged again on the 12-inch vinyl compilation II, released by Germany's Demons Run Amok Entertainment on September 25, 2015.

Culture, Some Sort of Radio and As Friends Rust (1998–2002)

In early March 1998, immediately after having been kicked out of Morning Again and replaced by guitarist Stephen Looker, The two bands then shared several members, including vocalist Moyal, guitarist Gordon Tarpley and drummer Timothy Kirkpatrick; Culture additionally included bass guitarist Christopher "Floyd" Beckham, while As Friends Rust included bass guitarist and backing vocalist Kaleb Stewart. "Home Is Where the Heart Aches" was combined with four songs from the band's 1996 demo recording session to make up As Friends Rust's debut extended play, The Fists of Time, released by Good Life Recordings in July 1998. Meanwhile, Culture also wrote a new song, "Pimping the Revolution".

From April–May 1998, Culture was booked for a two-month North American tour with Shutdown, but the band's van broke down on the way to the first show and Culture was unable to continue the tour. The tour included stops to play at such festivals as More Than Music in Columbus, Ohio, Tin Can Full of Dreams in Lawrence, Massachusetts and Wilkes-Barre Festival in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. From the ashes of Culture, Moyal and Simmons re-teamed with bass guitarist Gordon Tarpley to form Some Sort of Radio (named after an unreleased As Friends Rust song), a metal project which was active from late 1998 to early 1999, and also featured guitarist Rob Proctor (from Assück) and drummer Bradley Bulifant (later of Some Day Soon and The Æffect). As Friends Rust returned on the road to tour Europe and the United Kingdom from December 1998 to January 1999, accompanied by Discount and Purusam.

In late 1998, As Friends Rust signed a three-record deal with record label Doghouse Records, and in May 1999 returned to Goldentone Studios to record six songs with McGregor. As Friends Rust was released by Doghouse Records on September 17, 1999; the European version, released earlier in July 1999, was erroneously promoted under the titles God Hour and 6-Song CD by Good Life Recordings. As Friends Rust toured the United States in June–July 1999, accompanied by Keith Welsh. The band quickly followed up with a five-week European and British tour in July–August 1999, playing at such festivals as Good Life Midsummer Hardcore Festival in Kuurne, Belgium, Festival Hardcore in Sant Feliu De Guíxols, Spain and Ieper Hardcore Festival in Ypres, Belgium.

During the first half of 2000, As Friends Rust went on mini-tours with Fast Times and Good Clean Fun, and also played The Copper Sun Indie Records Winter Festival in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Detroit Festival in Detroit, Michigan and Krazy Fest 3 in Louisville, Kentucky. On June 22, 2000, Doghouse Records re-issued The Fists of Time. As Friends Rust immediately embarked on a tour with Strike Anywhere to promote the release, playing shows across the entire United States in June 2000. The tour included several cross-over shows with Glasseater, Mid Carson July and The Agency (the three of which were on a separate tour together), as well as stops to play such festivals as Mixed Messages in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Pheer Festival in College Park, Maryland and Hellfest 2K in Auburn, New York (the last of which As Friends Rust did not play due to a last-minute change in venue).

Simmons and drummer Timothy Kirkpatrick performing with As Friends Rust at The Star and Garter in Manchester, England on August 24, 2000.

In July 2000, Good Life Recordings invited As Friends Rust back to Europe for a week's worth of shows in Belgium and the Netherlands, including a performance at Dour Festival in Dour, Belgium and another at Metropolis Festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands. However, tensions during the tour ultimately caused a much bigger change in membership. With Glayat wearing a splint, the band continued on to half a week's worth of shows in the United Kingdom, Three weeks later, Moyal suffered from laryngitis and lost his voice, leading Stewart to switch from bass guitar to lead vocals, and Bartsocas temporarily filling in as bass guitarist. This line-up wrote and recorded two songs at Goldentone Studios with McGregor in late February 2001, both of which were released as Morningleaver / This Is Me Hating You by Doghouse Records as part of its 7-inch vinyl Fan Series in March 2001. Further line-up changes resulted with Zachary Swain (formerly of Rosalind, Adversary and Carlisle) replacing Vernon on drums in March 2001, and Thomas Rankine (formerly of Crestfallen, Bird of Ill Omen, Dead Men's Theory, Anchorman and Crucible) replacing Amador on bass guitar in April 2001. Within four months, the band had written enough new songs for a full-length album. As Friends Rust recorded ten songs for its debut full-length Won in July 2001, with producer James Paul Wisner at Wisner Productions.

As Friends Rust toured full-time in support of Won, starting with an American summer tour with Vangard, Keepsake and Further Seems Forever in August–September 2001. The last leg of the American tour was cut short due to the September 11 attacks in New York City (As Friends Rust was scheduled to play the city three days later), British record label Golf Records reissued the band's compilation album Eleven Songs on compact disc on October 22, 2001. A highlight performance at London, England's Camden Underworld from November 16, 2001, was filmed and later released on video and DVD by British home video company Punkervision on December 17, 2002.

Simmons performing with As Friends Rust at Krazy Fest 5 in Louisville, Kentucky on June 22, 2002.

In February 2002, As Friends Rust recorded five songs at Wisner Productions with producer James Paul Wisner, as part of a one-off loan-out to Equal Vision Records. A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times was released on compact disc and 12-inch vinyl on May 27, 2002, by Defiance Records in Europe and on May 28, 2002, by Equal Vision Records in the United States. Less than two weeks after the recording session, Moyal quit the band. At the time of Moyal's departure, As Friends Rust already had several upcoming shows scheduled and was in the midst of booking an entire year's worth of tours.

Adam D'Zurilla (formerly of Short Order, Esteem, Die Tomorrow and Kumité) was finally welcomed as Moyal's replacement in late March 2002, allowing Beckham to return to playing guitar, The band began to tour full-time, beginning with a Canadian tour in June 2002, followed by an American tour with Prevent Falls, Garrison and Clark, from June–July 2002. During this tour, As Friends Rust played Krazy Fest 5 in Louisville, Kentucky, and three Van's Warped Tour dates in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California. As Friends Rust travelled as a four-piece, with Simmons as sole guitarist, for another European and British tour from August–September 2002, supported by The Copperpot Journals on its United Kingdom leg. Prior to leaving for Europe, the band had already discussed abandoning the name As Friends Rust in favor of one that better reflected its new musical direction. and that the band would be officially changing its name to Salem upon returning home.

Salem (2002–2004)

Salem in a promotional photo shoot in 2003. From left to right: David Miller, Adam D'Zurilla, Thomas Rankine, Jeremy Robertson and Simmons.

Although As Friends Rust officially played its last show on September 11, 2002, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, As such, Salem continued to play As Friends Rust songs and tour in promotion of Won and A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times for several more months. Back in the United States, Salem recruited guitarist Jeremy Robertson, who had played in Die Tomorrow with D'Zurilla. The band was then supposed to go on tour with Florida emo band The Remedy Session, from September–October 2002, but the tour was cancelled. In January 2003, the band toured with Finch, From Autumn to Ashes, Steel Train and Allister. In February 2003, the band toured with Further Seems Forever, Elliott and The Early November, Salem performed at the Skate and Surf Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey on April 27, 2003, and at the Orlando Magic Festival in Orlando, Florida on June 14, 2003. This was followed by four dates as part of Van's Warped Tour in July 2003 throughout Florida.

During the summer of 2003, Salem recorded its debut extended play, Love It or Leave Me, with producer Beau Burchell, which was released on October 28, 2003, through Fiddler Records and Geffen Records. A music video was produced for the single "Smoke & Mirrors" by director Jason Page. The band then embarked on a tour with The Remedy Session in August 2003, and performed at the Go Time Festival in Merritt Island, Florida on August 16, 2003. In October and November 2003, the band embarked on tours with Poulain, Tora! Tora! Torrance!, The A.K.A.s, Sadaharu and The Big Collapse, CMJ Music Marathon in Tribeca, New York, and Friction Fest in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Simmons (left) performing with Salem in Gainesville, Florida in 2003.

Salem toured with The Bled and The Hope Conspiracy in March 2004, and with Running from Dharma and Believe in Toledo in April 2004, including a performance at Henderfest in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Simmons was, however, unable to tour during this time and was replaced temporarily by David McNally. including a performance at A Day in the Park Festival in Poughkeepsie, New York, and with Autopilot Off, Riddlin' Kids, Jersey, A Second Chance May–June 2004. This was followed by a tour with Further Seems Forever, Brandtson and The Kicks, spanning August–September 2004.

The band was next booked for a tour of the United Kingdom, spanning September–October 2004, with Johnny Truant, in promotion of Love It or Leave Me 's British release, licensed through Sorepoint Records/Eat Sleep Records, due out October 4, 2004. In promotion of the British tour, Undergroove Records released a split 7-inch vinyl featuring one song each from Salem and Johnny Truant. However, Salem was forced to cancel its British tour when Simmons quit the band on the way to the airport. Salem was replaced by Hondo McLean on the tour.

Sound Study Recordings and brewing companies (2007–present) From 2007 to 2013, Simmons was the co-owner of the independent record label Sound Study Recordings, which he co-founded with former Bird of Ill Omen, As Friends Rust and Salem band-mate Thomas Rankine and recording engineer Matthew Finch. After remaining closed for several months due to a rise in crime in the area, the Bay Cannon Beer Company permanently closed on May 3, 2023.

As Friends Rust reunion and Rot in Coffins (2008–present)

Simmons performing with As Friends Rust at the band's first reunion show on August 15, 2008, at The Atlantic in Gainesville, Florida.

Simmons rejoined As Friends Rust in March 2008, when vocalist Damien Moyal announced that the band would reunite for a series of European and British shows scheduled for August 2008. It was further revealed that the band would be performing with its 1998–2000 line-up (referred to as "The Porch Days" line-up), also including Timothy Kirkpatrick, Kaleb Stewart and James Glayat. The Back in Coffee Black Tour '08 kicked off with a single American show at The Atlantic in Gainesville, Florida, though Kirkpatrick was unable to attend and was temporarily replaced by former Culture drummer Joshua Williams. The compilation was re-issued by Indonesian record label D'Kolektif on December 27, 2014, and Dutch record label Shield Recordings on April 29, 2015.

On May 22, 2015, German record label Demons Run Amok Entertainment released The Porch Days: 1998 to 2000 on 12-inch vinyl. The release compiled all of the band's studio recordings from 1998 to 2000, as well as previously unreleased live recordings of two of the three songs composed-but-never-properly-recorded by the band with that line-up. a second at Groezrock festival in Meerhout, Belgium,

In 2017, during As Friends Rust's down-time, Simmons formed the black metal band Rot in Coffins. The band released an eponymous extended play in March 2018.

In 2018, As Friends Rust announced that it was actively writing and demoing new songs for a planned second full-length album. The band revealed that it would be recording and releasing a two-song extended play in mid-2019 (though this was ultimately delayed by a year), as a precursor to the band's sophomore album. Upon returning from Booze Cruise, As Friends Rust parted ways with bass guitarist Stewart, though the band did not immediately look for a replacement bass guitarist.

As Friends Rust recorded two songs for its comeback extended play, Up from the Muck, in early March 2020. The recording sessions were tracked individually at various studios in Florida and New York, then mixed by James Paul Wisner at Wisner Productions in St. Cloud, Florida. In September 2022, the band played at Furnace Fest in Birmingham, Alabama, with former Culture guitarist Richard Thurston filling in on drums and Simmons' Rot in Coffins band-mate Michael Lipscomb filling in on bass guitar.