Joe at Baldo Cappellano’s, 2006 or 2007
Back in 2010 I was just about to deliver my manuscript of Naked Wine. At the time Joe Dressner was a year away from death and was fighting with many, me included. But I wanted something from him, quotes and stories from our past to add to the book.
Nope.
Instead he insisted we do a formal taped interview and I could only use information from that hour. Okay, I said. I’ll buy you lunch.
By the time we sat down for his lunch outside of Café Atlas on Second Ave., Naked Wine had been submitted. I knew however it was an opportunity I couldn’t miss. The material recorded never made it to print.
It took me close to three years to bring myself to listen to the tape. There’s just too much good here—history, opinion, personality—for me to hold back from publishing it. Here it is in three parts, with all of the warts, both Joe’s and my own.
Big shoutout of thanks to Peter Zanger (radio legend, as Leonard Lopate calls him) for carving out something audible from my pathetic iPhone recording, for the skillful mixing and editing out Joe’s chewing (don’t worry, we left enough in for color), and guiding me through the process. So, to all who miss Joe’s voice, I give you, Part 1.
Click the above to listen to the interview. It runs about 14 minutes, and terribly sorry but if you pause, it will cycle back to the beginning.
If you have questions on the content and about some of the facts, please leave a comment below. Not everything Joe said here was factual, was he testing us? See if you can catch them.
And do look for part 2 in March and part 3 in April.