Anthony Vega

Covers Project -
A collaboration with Joe Ives
(Full Video is Below)

On November 12, 2020, sitting at home
(common trend at that time) I got a text.
 
Anthony!!!
 
I wrote back …
 
Joe!!!
 
I have known Joe Ives since 2001. We have stayed in touch a bit over the years, but this text was surprising. Joe was making a virtual Instagram band as a Covid project. He needed a drummer. Now I was a gigging drummer from 2004 to 2008, and had not touched a drum set (other then my son’s tiny set) since 2010. I said yes to Joe. 
 
Turns out I was the second and only other member. Joe would record cover tunes of songs he liked, send me the track and I would record drums for the song. We never Zoomed, or chatted on the phone, only fun texts back and forth for months. 
 
We are still doing this.
 
We did chat briefly on Zoom when I asked if he would be OK with me presenting this project as an art piece. 
 
I view this work as a really interesting reflection of this time. Its a record. Its not professional at all (though I think we are getting better). But more importantly it’s a record of so many things. Its about a relationship, physical connection, limitations, the internet, popularity, our age. Its about our lives in all the seriousness of these moments; in a super fun project.
 
I think we should have a band name … we are working on that.