Joey Vera

Joey Vera
Vera performing with Armored Saint in 2022
Vera performing with Armored Saint in 2022
Background information
Born (1963-04-24) April 24, 1963 (age 61)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
OccupationBassist
Years active1982–present
Member of
Formerly of

Joey Vera (born April 24, 1963) is an American bassist who is known as a member of the heavy metal band Armored Saint and progressive metal band Fates Warning. During 2004 and early 2005, he toured with Anthrax as a fill-in for Frank Bello, who had taken a break from the band.[1] He was also a member of Engine, recorded with Tribe After Tribe, and appears on the OSI album Free. His first solo album, A Thousand Faces, was released in 1994. His current solo project, A Chinese Firedrill, released an album titled Circles in 2007.[2] In August 2019, Vera was announced as the touring bassist for a newly reunited Mercyful Fate filling in for Timi Hansen.[3] He remained with the band until 2024.[4]

Originally a guitar player, Vera took interest in playing the instrument after listening to Kiss' Alive!, and by the time Armored Saint formed, he had switched from guitar to bass. Vera has cited Geezer Butler, John Deacon, John Entwistle, Larry Graham, Steve Harris, Louis Johnson, John Paul Jones, Geddy Lee, Paul McCartney, Jaco Pastorius, and Verdine White as influences or inspirations to his bass playing.[5][6] He usually plays bass by using his fingers, though he has used a guitar pick on a few occasions.[7][8]

  1. ^ "Joey Vera". Metal Storm. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  2. ^ Vera, Joey. "A CHINESE FIREDRILL". Joeyvera.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved April 11, 2010.
  3. ^ August 2019, Alice Pattillo02 (August 2, 2019). "Mercyful Fate bring original lineup back to home turf in Copenhell 2020". Metal Hammer Magazine.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "MERCYFUL FATE Parts Ways With Bassist JOEY VERA". Blabbermouth.net. January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  5. ^ "Armored Saint's Joey Vera: "I heard Kiss's Alive! and that was about it for me. I just wanted to play an instrument"". Guitar World. May 20, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  6. ^ "Armored Saint Family Tree — The Metal". givememetal.com. October 25, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  7. ^ "Joey Vera (Armored Saint/Fates Warning) Plays Favorite Bass Riffs". Loudwire. October 6, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  8. ^ "Armored Saint bassist Joey Vera talks long-awaited new album, Punch The Sky". forbassplayersonly.com. June 14, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2022.