The Incredibly Talented And Oh So Cool:
Guitarist Extraordinaire Ace Von Johnson Interview
Interview by GINGER COYOTE
Punk Globe: Thanks so much for the interview Ace! Are you mainly playing guitar for L.A.Guns at the moment?
Hi Ginger, thanks for having me! Yes, I’m mostly active with L.A. Guns musically nowadays. I have a few other projects I’m involved with but that’s been my main gig for the last 5 years now.
Punk Globe: On your Twitter you mention other bands in particular with my friend Taime?
Yes, I was in Faster Pussycat with Taime for almost ten years. We actually spoke earlier today. I love that guy.
Punk Globe: Have you played in any bands?
Yes, quite a few. Besides my last 13 years between Faster Pussycat & LA Guns, I played in lot of punk rock bands in my younger days.
Punk Globe: You seem to be into punk. Had you played in any punk band before?
Yes, I have always considered myself a big fan of punk rock. As far as punk bands I have played in, as a teenager, some friends and I started a band called Cheap Sex. We wrote and recorded the debut album before I left to join a band called Madcap at 19. I also played in The Generators, The Duane Peters Gunfight, The U.S. Bombs, Murphy’s Law from NYC, Unwritten Law for a brief period of time and a probably handful of others that I don’t even remember.
Punk Globe: Tell us some of your favorite bands?
Some of my favorite artists of all time are Glenn Danzig; and his musical output from the late 70’s through the mid 90s. Alice Cooper, Johnny Cash, Social Distortion, Bowie, The Damned, Motorhead, Roky Erickson, Bad Religion, and I really love this band out of the PNW called Unto Others.
Punk Globe: How old were you when you decided guitar was your weapon of choice?
Hard to say. But I started my first real functioning band at 17, and never looked back.
Punk Globe: Do you play any other instruments?
I’ve played piano on some recordings but poorly. Haha. Just guitar and bass mostly.
Punk Globe: Who influenced you as a player ?
My favorite players as a young man were (and still are) John Christ, Captain Sensible, Joe Walsh, Scott Gorham, Johnny Thunders, Slash, etc.
Punk Globe: Are you a Johnny Thunders fan?
Absolutely. Huge fan. The LAMF LP shaped my approach to music and guitar playing as a teenager.
Punk Globe: I am so happy to see that you are involved with dog rescue. Is it mainly Pit Bulls that you are involved with?
I do as much advocacy and outreach as possible in my free time. I dedicate more to pitbull type dogs simply because they’re the ones that need the most networking because US shelters are overflowing with them and the vast majority do not make it out, and are euthanized to make room for more. It’s really heartbreaking how poorly some of these dogs are treated. But I consider myself just a rescue advocate in general.
Punk Globe I have checked out your Pit Bulls in the photos you have posted beautiful
Thank you. I currently have 3 dogs, Maila who I’ve had for 9 years, Rufus who’s been with me for 2, and a disabled foster puppy named Willow. She’s very sweet.
Punk Globe: Are your Pit Bull’S rescue dogs?
Yes, they all came from kill shelters or awful backgrounds. Rufus was a bait dog, found in the streets of Tennessee, covered in scars. I will always adopt from a rescue or a shelter, and I hope anyone reading this will consider doing that as well.
Punk Globe: Who do you suggest for others looking for a rescue dog?
Any local rescue organization in your area. There are tons of great rescues out there doing wonderful work, pulling animals from kill shelters and off the streets.
Punk Globe : You love Horror Films. Who are some of your favorite film makers?
Definitely a lifelong horror fan. I love Sam Raimi, William Castle, Kubrick, James Wan, and a ton of others.
Punk Globe: Are you mainly into old school horror films or do you enjoy the new crop of filmmakers?
I mostly enjoy stuff from the 70’s and 80’s. There are some folks out there now making great films but my favorite eras will always be the stuff I grew up watching.
Punk Globe: Tell. Us how you got involved with voice over for horror films?
I’ve been doing voice over work off and on for over ten years. I’ve provided VO for a few things on Netflix including Money Heist, and horror related projects like Marianne & The Woods. I also contributed 6-7 different voices to the Christmas special for Joe Bob Briggs Last Drive In, on Shudder. I’m not really sure how I got into that – I think just nepotism mostly, and utilizing my knack for doing funny voices in combination with my own natural baritone voice.
Punk Globe Is that a very competitive field? My good friend. Pauley Perrette did a lot of voice over work for commercials but she says there is good money to be made and it has gotten very hard to break into.
Yes, it’s a fairly competitive field and a small circle to try to break into.
Punk Globe: My pal Stephanie Courtney who is Flo for Progressive has landed on a great gig spokeswoman for Progressive and being in most of the commercials. Have you ever met her?
I have not.
Punk Globe: Are you a fan of Matthew Bright who wrote and directed ‘Freeway’ with Reese Witherspoon and of course John Waters?
Yes, I love Freeway. Such a wonderfully dark telling of Little Red Riding Hood. And I love John Waters. I met him once, briefly ages ago.
Punk Globe: Are you happy with results from the midterm election?
I’ve never fully been happy with any election results. But some optimistic outcome more recently seems to be somewhat encouraging.
Punk Globe: Do you have any Internet addresses that you would like to share for readers to keep in contact of what you are doing?
@acevonjohnson
Punk Globe: What is on the horizon for you in the future?
My friend Tiffany (“I Think We’re Alone Now”) just released her new album last week that I played on, a new LA Guns album in the Spring, some more voice over work and more animal advocacy – I hope!
Punk Globe: Describe yourself in three words Ace?
Advocate. Dedicated. Rocker.
Punk Globe: Any last words for Punk Globe readers?
Be good to each other. And consider fostering or adopting a shelter animal!
