the no-fi "magazine"
interview with
Interview by Chris Beyond!
Conducted on the phone, July, 1997
I hate phone interviews. I really hate phone interviews. Anyway this is an interview with the Clown-core band BOB. They started off as a Death-Metal band (not the type of music we normally deal with here at NO-FI), but now it's pure clown-rock from now on. We did this on the phone... phone interview... etc...
C = Chris Beyond (Stressed out, but nobody really cares NO-FI person)
JO = Josh (Lead vocals/guitar)
JA = Jason "J-Dog" (Guitar/keyboard/vocals)
R = Little Ray (Groupie/victim)
K = Kathy (Some girl)
(Phone interviews suck)
C: Ok,...BOB interview...take 2.I...guess the first question would be...have any of you been to the Himalayas?
R: Yeah.
JO: No comment.
JA: I don't think I've been to the Himalayas. Where are the Himalayas?
C: I don't know!
JO: I've been to Hindu.
JA: Yeah. I've seen the Alpine Mountain. Whatever those mountains are in Austria; I've seen those...The Alps...that's what they are!
C: Where did BOB begin? Where did it all begin?
R: In Josh's living room...no, let him answer that...
K: (To Ray) Why don't you give the phone to Josh?
JO: No comment.
(I hate phone interviews.)
JA: Josh and Baron (Baron the bass player is not present) started the band.
JO: `91 or something...or, uh...`82.
JA: For real in `91, but he thinks `82.
JO: Tracy was the singer in those days...and we did covers of METALICA. and songs about potatoes.
C: Like the Irish potatoes or...
JA: I don't know. It was a song called "Potato Purgatory."
JO: That song was written by Baron. It was about what happened to potatoes when they die.
C: Yeah. (pause) Like if they become french fries or mashed potatoes. Ok. (pause) Well..so...what caused the change from the early BOB of then to the BOB of today? Like the whole clown influence and what-not.
JO: Well we always had the influence of clowns...the music changed because back then we weren't as good and death metal was easier to play then what we play now. That's about it.
C: That's great. (Oh, yeah phone interviews suck) What's your favorite movie?
JA: Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.
JO & R: (In Unison) The Shining.
JO: That's kind of scary cuz it's like the twins in The Shining... This kind of interview sucks cuz it's over the phone.
(REALLY?)
C: And that's why I tried to get together with you guys. It's hard to pull off a good phone interview. (sarcastically) You just didn't want to come out here, ya' bastard!
JO: We're all bastards.
C: Including me. Is that what drives the band? Bastardism?
JO: (pause) We're just bastards. (laughing ensues) Oh, I liked Shakes The Clown a lot. Everyone in BOB hates mimes.
C: What was the whole deal with the mimes at Jason's birthday party?
JO: Well, see...
JA: I don/t hate them, but... I don't condone Mime bashing, but I dislike them.
JO: What was the question again?
(Phone interviews = sucks)
JO: Jimmy, an ex-band member, was protesting clowns by dressing like mimes with his friends.
C: Was this after he was out?
JO: This was after the kicking out of Jimmy.
C: What was that about so people don't have to spread rumors anymore?
JO: Well, Jimmy was kind of flaking. He never went to practice. He was at ONE practice.
C: You know what it was...it's that whole FELTCH thing. He was probably too busy working on that project. Tell us about your experience at the Kacophony Klownsex Klub.
JA: Hello. Yes. Well I was spurred on by Chris Beyond and a not so anonymous mime to grab Sumo The Clown's boob.
C: I was responsible for her pastie, but I didn't even know you grabbed her whole boob. That was your whole night there?
JA: That was my only experience. I grabbed her boob and it was covered with whipped cream, but she was displeased with it I guess. She looked in my direction with general displeasure. I did like the bouncing thingie and they had good food.
C: That's true...they had the best and worst examples of food and candy there.
JA: Yeah, but they had a cotton candy machine.
C: Did you indulge in the cotton candy?
JA: Ah, yeah...I had like 2 rolls of it.
C: Ahhh...so basically you rolled the cotton candy, ah?
JA: Yes, I rolled it with my stick.
C: Ah, baby.
JO: Ray is pissed.
R: Josh is making up stories.
JO: I was very offended at the Kacophony Klownsex Klub.
C: Why?
JO: Because clowns are meant to kill people...and nothing else.
C: So you're saying that a clown cannot love?
JO: Clowns cannot love.
C: And how do you know this?
JO: Cuz I am one.
C: And at what point in your life did you become a clown? Did you go to clown college?
JO: No, but I'm on my way there.
C: You're basically working on your GED in Clown Highschool then?
JO: El Camino clown highschool.
C: You had a girl in your band for a short time...what happened to her?
JO: We got many many complaints.
(Phone interviews are not "cool" or "fab")
C: What do you guys think of the state of the former soviet union.
R: It sucks. It beats a cold war.
JO: Chernobyl.
R: Froin laven. Zappa for president.
JA: Bring back Stalin.
JO: Yeah.
C: "Yeah" sez Mr. T. Oh, speaking of Mr. T...can people get on a BOB mailing list?
JO: A BOB mailing list? Jason, is there a BOB mailing list? Well there could be for the right price.
C: You have to send donations?!? So there is no way for people to get ahold of you?
JO: 619 Vincent Street, Redondo Beach, CA, 90277...that's it.
C: Yeah, boyeeee. Kickin' it up with the hits. Um, oh, I heard you guys are gonna be recording soon?
JO: We're gonna be recording in the studio soon...in the near future. Rayıs having tantrums.
C: Are you gonna record any new songs?
JO: We got about 3 or 4 new songs we're gonna record.
C: Like what?
JO: One's called "The Frugle Munson"...and the other one's called "9 Liters." It's about collecting sperm and...and...the song is from my attempt. Another song is called "Showcase Showdown."
JA: We don't have the names of the other songs.
JO: But I think there's two more.
(someone calls me on the other line. I put BOB on hold and get back to them in a minute.)
C: Where was I? Alright I guess I'll get on to the next huge exclusive question...are you ready? Have you guys ever held a monkey?
JA: Um,...Ok, I'll hand the phone to Josh now.
(phone interviews rule. Not! [Wow, now that's a DATED joke!.])
JO: No.
C: You've already answered this question, Jason (see the CARNIVAL OF SUFFERING interview in Issue #7), but have you had any monkey experiences since then?
JA: Um, no.
C: That's good. Monkeys are evil. Take Green Monkeys for example. Those monkeys have caused a lot of trouble.
JA: I saw a nice toy monkey recently. One of those drumming monkeys. I wound it up and it started dumming. They had one of those in an antique store. Thatıs pretty cool.
C: You just got back from the Warped tour. Did you like it.
JA: I liked it. There was no space in between bands. When one band stopped on one stage, you turn around and another band starts up on another stage. We saw a guy get beaten up pretty bad. Three guys teamed up on him.
C: (speaking from life experience on the receiving end) that's always cool.
JA: Especially when they repeatably punch him till he really bleeds.
C: Did he do something really bad like look at them?
JA: He probably bumped into them by accident.
C: Well now, I guess your next question should be...when is the big tour?
JA: We're supposed to be headlining the next Weenie Roast,...but not for KROQ. Just the general weenie roast.
C: You mean the one where they roast your weenies?
JA: Yeah. It's kinda' painful after a long pause.
(something is happening to Jason, but since we're on the phone, I don't know what it is as I'm on the other end of the line.)
C: Who are some of BOB's favorite local bands?
JA: Local bands... my favorite local bands are THE EX-IMPOSSIBLES, DEVIATES, and MINDROT...and I'll ask Josh.
JO: I kind of like COGNITIVE BITE and, um, Jason wants to add to his list.
JA: BUBBLESACK.
C: So, Josh, you just like COGNITIVE BITE? (I don't think I've ever seen a band as terrible as this Christian band COGNATIVE BITE!) They seem like they'd be big in Vegas.
JO: They'd play with Tom Jones a lot. I like Tom Jones. Um, let's see... There aren't many local bands that aren't punk rock, so I don't like anybody. I like MINDROT too I guess. Mmmm, MINDROT, mmm, yes. I like THE MOOG COOKBOOK.
C: Speaking of Spaceland, what's up next for your other band MJ-12.
JO: MJ-12...we changed out name because, I guess, there's another MJ-12 that played there. They didn't have the dash, but we're changing the name anyways.
C: I saw a flyer for one of their shows and they were calling themselves THE MAJESTIC 12 (and I just saw their new album in NO LIFE Records.) Unless it's a third band...I wouldn't be surprised.
JO: But we changed our name.
C: So, what is it?
JO: