Metal Inside(r) Home Quarantine is Metal Insider’s new column during this time of isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We asked artists five questions on what’s been keeping them busy ranging from their favorite movies, food they’ve been eating, music they’ve been listening to and more. We caught up with Joel Hoekstra (Echobats, Whitesnake, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Night Ranger) as he’s been spending this time making up for lost time with his family.

What have you been doing to pass time during Quarantine?

Initially I used to make up for lost time with my family as I was on the road 285 days in 2019.  Musically, I’ve been writing, recording and teaching to keep things moving. I’m doing well, all things considered.

Have you been listening to any music or have any playlists worth checking out?

I really only listen to music that I’m working on. That’s enough for me.  

A lot of people have been spending this time cooking including making their own bread, what food have you been prepping during this time?

Hmmm, coffee. Haha! I’ve made it my mission to finish everything in my apartment though. All the way down to absolutely nothing.

In terms of entertainment, what movies, TV shows, books, or games have been keeping you busy?

The Last Dance was great. I’m a big Bulls/Michael Jordan fan. I also found a YouTube playlist of all of the games from the 95-96 Bulls season, so I’ve been making my way through those. Beyond that, I’ve started a tournament in a statistics based game called Strat-O-Matic Baseball.

What advice do you have for your fans in isolation during this time?

Try to be productive everyday. Work hard. Turn off the news.