Q&A: The Fray member Joe King discusses current tour, band origins

Guitarist Joe King would love to see stand-up comedian Bob Saget in the audience at the Fray’s show at the Wiltern on Monday. The “Full House” star Saget made an unexpected backstage appearance during the band’s last performance at the Wiltern in 2006, solidifying the venue as one the band would go on to remember, King said.

King, guitarist and vocalist of the Denver-originated rock group the Fray, fondly recalls the band’s performance a decade ago at the Wiltern when it played its debut album “How to Save a Life” at the intimate Los Angeles venue, he said.

On Monday, the Fray will return to the Wiltern to promote its newest release “Through the Years,” a greatest hits compilation featuring three new tracks.

The Daily Bruin’s Jordan Dakin spoke with King regarding the band’s inception, its tour rituals and what King would be doing if he wasn’t a professional musician.

Daily Bruin: What brought you guys together as a band? Can you point to a moment where you first realized this is what you wanted to pursue?

Joe King: All of us independently had dreams of being in a band. … I bumped into Isaac (Slade) at a music shop a couple of years after high school and we were both writing, and from that point on, it changed the course of my life. It was a completely random moment. Beyond the chance part, I think it’s kind of a mix. In any kind of career, it’s half chance and timing, and half busting ass.

DB: What did you tell yourself in moments of doubt early in your career and what advice would you give to other artists?

JK: Honestly, I didn’t want to be living in my parents’ house in my mid-30s still trying to become a rock star. And that scared me because I knew I had only a moment in time to try for it. … I knew I had to give it several years where I went for it. I quit my job, and just did everything for music. I hustled around Denver, tried to play every venue and just tried to write songs all the time.

DB: You guys have been on the scene for a while now, so what qualities do you think musicians need to have to maintain that longevity?

JK: I probably learned how to fight well. (The band members) are my brothers and I’m sure there have been many times where I’m driving them nuts and vice versa. … And I know that there is that time in life, and when it comes, I’ll be grateful for what we‘ve done and proud of what we’ve done and so right now, it’s just all bonus, the fact that we’re still doing it is bonus. Because I was just trying to quit my job and play music.

DB: If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing?

JK: I’ve talked about owning a tackle and bait shop on some random beach in Costa Rica and just kind of working all day, selling worms and shark bait. … I’ve been on the road for a while so I could definitely do it.

DB: What makes this show at the Wiltern different?

JK: This whole run, this whole tour, we are playing some of our favorite theaters in the country – rooms that are designed for performance that sound great. … We’re having a moment on this tour that we haven’t ever done before where we just strip everything away, where’s there no production, no major lighting. It’s just us with one instrument and it’s a good challenge to see if a song can hold its own with just the simplest of delivery.

DB: Do you guys have any rituals on tour?

JK: Yeah, we actually built this road case with a pull-out record player, speakers and drawers for vinyl inside it and we take that everywhere. Depending on the city, if we have time, we’ll go pick up some vinyl and just kind of sit and play vinyl that night in our room. It just sets such a good tone.