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SideOneDummy Co-Founder Joe Sib On Doing Stand-Up, Family, ‘Nowhere Near The Top,’ & More

By Darren Paltrowitz
Published on: 01:53 PST, Jun 29, 2017

A true rarity in the entertainment business, Joe Sib has been a notable singer, a stand-up comedian, a radio host, and a record label owner. Arguably, Sib first appeared on people’s radars as the frontman of the band Wax, which had a popular Spike Jonze-directed music video and wound up on a bunch of soundtracks in the mid-1990s. After Wax broke up, Sib formed 22 Jacks, which would feature future and former members of the Foo Fighters, Weezer, Face To Face, and the Breeders at various points. Around the launch of 22 Jacks, Sib co-founded the record label SideOneDummy Records with bandmate Bill Armstrong, helping to launch the careers of Flogging Molly, the Gaslight Anthem, Gogol Bordello, and Bedouin Soundclash. Somehow, Sib also found time to work as a radio host (e.g. The Basement on Dash Radio, Complete Control Radio on Los Angeles’ 98.7 FM) and a touring stand-up comic.

Recently, Sib released his first full-length release as a comedian, Nowhere Near the Top. As Sib alluded to in a Q&A for the Inquisitr, stand-up is his ideal outlet for performing these days. However, SideOneDummy is still a major part of his life, and the label remains active as ever; recent releases include Jeff Rosenstock, the Front Bottoms, Allison Weiss, Microwave, PUP, Aaron West, and Rozwell Kid. More on all things Joe Sib can be found online at www.joesib.com.

You’ve sung in some bands, you own a record label, you’re a comic, you’re a radio host… When someone asks you for a living, what do you usually say you do?

Joe Sib: That’s a good question. For years whenever someone asked me what I did for a living, I usually would answer, “It depends on what time of the day you are asking me.” I have always been involved with a number of things that are work-related, but at the end of the day I would say my true job is the entertainment business. But to be honest, I have loved what I do so much that I never really have felt it’s work. When I was a kid I painted houses for a summer, that was work! What I did over the last 30 years doesn’t feel like work, it feels more like I avoided getting a real job.

Do any of your current jobs make you most proud or bring you the most fulfillment?

Joe Sib: SideOneDummy is the thing I am most proud of. My partner and I started the company 23 years ago with 10 grand, alot of coffee and, as silly as it sounds, a dream. We wanted to work with bands that would change people’s lives — and we did.

Is there a professional accomplishment of yours that you are most proud of?

Joe Sib: I really don’t look at my life or my career as “professional accomplishments.” My life feels more like a dream, one really awesome dream with so many amazing and creative people in it along the way.

Is there anything you miss about fronting a band? Are there any plans for more 22 Jacks activity? Or for Wax to do more?

Joe Sib: No plans for any music as of now. I got into doing stand-up comedy to replace getting on stage with a band. I loved being the singer in both of those bands, it was my life for a long time. I started singing when I was 15 years old, so by the time I stopped singing in a band I was 33 years old. That’s a lot of time to be fronting punk rock bands.

What’s coming up for your label?

Joe Sib: I’m excited about Rozwell Kid, Worriers, new Nahko And Medicine For The People, new PUP…

What about in your comedy career? Is the goal to be on the road more? To have a TV special?

Joe Sib: My album Nowhere Near the Top just came out, so I am doing a lot of touring to support that as of now. But the goal is to just to keep building on what I have been doing. Live shows, writing new material, getting on the road more.

Have you encountered any people from your musical past in the comedy world?

Joe Sib: Hell yeah. A lot of times after a show people will come up and tell me they saw Wax or 22 Jacks back in the day. Which is always super cool. Plus sometime when I am actually on-stage I can see that look on someone’s face of “Where do I know this guy from?”

When not busy with your work, how do you like to spend your free time?

Joe Sib: My free time is spent with my kids, my wife…family. My son is 13 now and into all the stuff I was into as a kid, so we spend alot of time together.

Is there something you wish more people knew about Joe Sib?

Joe Sib: Hmmm…

[Featured Image by Trey Conrad]

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