On his earlier albums, he worked closely with other artists as co-producers, including former McKenna Mendelson Mainline bandmate Edward "Ted" William Purdy[8] and Colin Linden.
Around this period, a music video for a novelty song he recorded, "Dance with Joe", received extensive airplay on MuchMusic.
First putting brush to canvas in 1975,[10] Joe would also make a name for himself as a contemporary artist, pursuing painting, often portraits of famous Canadians.
[11] In 1985, he had a show of 25 portraits at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa titled "Working Women", curated by Joan Murray.
[12] His most famous painting depicted Prime Minister Brian Mulroney with his face superimposed on a pair of human buttocks.