Push to Fire: Q&A with Jimmy from Mindless Self Indulgence

Push to Fire Q&A: Jimmy from MSI
by Rob Barker
Mindless Self Indulgence by Suzyska Photos 2008

Check out our Q&A with Jimmy from Mindless Self Indulgence...
Hey, how are things in MSI?
PEACHY !! ..HOW ARE THINGS IN THE ALTERNATIVE WEB ZINE BUSINESS?... ARE THERE WEB ZINES THAT AREN'T ALTERNATIVE ?... ARE THERE LIKE WALL STREET BUSINESS MAN ZINES?

Why re-release Tight?
SO MANY REASONS.... IT'S BEEN OVER A DECADE .. IT'S BEEN OUT OF PRINT FOR A DECADE ...IT'S A FAN FAVORITE AND THEY DEMANDED IT ...IT'S A BAND FAVORITE WE STILL PLAY A LARGE AMOUNT OF SONGS OFF THAT ALBUM LIVE ...AND COPIES OF TIGHT WERE GOING ON EBAY FOR HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AND WE WEREN'T SEEING ANY OF THAT MONEY SO WE WANTED TO UNDERCUT THE FUCKERS.
Good plan. The album’s seen by many of your fans as one of MSI’s defining records, along with Frankenstein Girls, while ‘You’ll Rebel to Anything’ and ‘If’ seem less chaotic and more accessible, was that an intentional shift?
WE DON'T LIKE TO REPEAT OURSELVES TO MUCH BUT WE LOVE THE SOUND WE CAME UP WITH SO IT MORPHED SLIGHTLY ...WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE LIKE THE RAMONES WHERE THE SOUND NEVER EVER CHANGED AT ALL
Tight was released over 10 years ago, how have things changed for the band since then?
NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED ... WE WERE ALWAYS 10 YEARS AHEAD OF OUR TIME ....IT JUST TOOK YOU ASSHOLES TIME TO CATCH UP TO US....AND ITS ABOUT TIME YOU MADE IT I WAS GETTING BORED.
And what do you think has kept the band going for so long?
WE DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO ...WE DON'T CARE IF IT ALL GOES AWAY TOMORROW ....AND WE DON'T CARE IF YOU LIKE IT BECAUSE IT ENTERTAINS US.
Was there anything on the original album that, looking back, you would have done differently?
NOPE.
Listening to Tighter it’s clear that hip-hop had an influence on the record, do you still listen to the genre and if so who are your top 5 artists?
YES I LIKE RAP BUT NOT A LOT OF NEW RAP ...I LOVE IT ALL PRE-2001 ..... RAP IS DEAD NOW ...EVERYONE IN RAP IS TALKING ABOUT LOVE FOR THE MOST PART ...IT'S LIKE 50 VERSIONS OF LL COOL J`S I NEED LOVE.... ITS REALLY SAD.
Is there anything else you were listening to during the original writing process that you feel influenced the record?
THE MAIN INFLUENCE WAS HEARING AND SEEING THE SHIT WE HATED AND NOT WANTING TO SOUND LIKE THAT .....WE WANTED TO DO THE TOTAL OPPOSITE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THE TIME.
Your version of Method Man’s Bring The Pain is a fan favourite, and some people don’t even realise it’s a cover, if you could choose any other track to put your stamp on and call your own, what would it be?
COVERS FOR US COME OUT OF DOING A COVER BY ACCIDENT ....THEN TAKING THAT ACCIDENT TO THE EXTREME.
Just to spin it the other way, if you could have any other artist cover one of your songs, who would it be and which track would you have them perform?
JOHN WILLIAMS AND THE BOSTON POPS DOING 'LAST TIME I TRY TO ROCK YOUR WORLD'.
Your last record with MSI was released back in 2008, have you been working on any new material?
EVERYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF MY MOUTH IS NEW MATERIAL ...THEN IT'S FIGURING OUT WHERE DOES THAT SONG IDEA GO ...DOES IT GO ON AN MSI RECORD, A LEFT RIGHTS RECORD OR SOMEONE ELSE'S RECORD?
Your live shows are pretty crazy - why do you often try and drag the photographers on stage? And do you have any funny experiences or stories from this?
I THINK THEY SHOULD SHOOT THE AUDIENCE NOT ME ...I MAY BE GOING NUTS ON STAGE BUT I GUARANTEE YOU THAT THE AUDIENCE IS DOING TEN TIMES MORE THAN ME.
Where's the best place you've toured and why?
THE BEST PLACES FOR LIVE SHOWS ARE ALWAYS PLACES THAT PEOPLE PISS ON.... LIKE PERTH SCOTLAND DETROIT OHIO ...THOSE FUCKERS GET IT. ...LIKE REALLY GET IT GET IT.
How does the MSI song writing process work? - does everyone have an input into the songs, or do you, as the singer, come up with the basis for the songs and the others add to this?
I CHEF IT UP AND THE BAND ADD TO IT AND CORRECT MY TIMING AND NOTES AND RHYTHM MISTAKES ...BUT NOT MY SPELLING.
Unlike us. You've recently been asking people to submit their photos online and then you have been giving the pics makeovers in (what looks like) Paint - what's the story behind this?
I LIKE GRAFFITI AND MAKING PEOPLE LOOK STUPID.
Fair enough. Would you say that as well as the music, MSI is a band that is interested in visual art and performance (is this of equal importance at MSI shows)?
WE ARE INTERESTED IN ENTERTAINMENT ...SAMMY DAVIS JR STYLE ...WE HIT YOU WITH THE TRIPLE THREAT.
We know that Lyn-Z has had her art on display a few times... do any other band members create their own artwork?
WE ARE ALL ARTY FARTY AND HAVE ALL CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO THE ART AND ART DIRECTION OF THE BAND AND ALBUMS ..... BUT LYNZ IS THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTS TO DO IT ON A PRO TIP.
What are your plans for the next year? Any tour plans?
WATER PARKS !!!!

Many thanks to Jimmy for taking the time to answer our questions. Thanks also to Nina and Adam for organising this for us. Photo by Suzyska Photos (taken in Manchester in 2009, the second time Suzy avoided being dragged on the stage by Jimmy). Find more info and music clips on their web site: http://www.mindlessselfindulgence.com/. If you don't have 'Tight' go and buy it.

Push to Fire Q&A: Jimmy from MSI by Rob Barker Check out our Q&A with Jimmy from Mindless Self Indulgence... Hey, how are things in MSI? PEACHY !! ..HOW ARE THINGS IN THE ALTERNATIVE WEB ZINE BUSINESS?... ARE THERE WEB ZINES THAT AREN'T ALTERNATIVE ?... ARE THERE LIKE WALL STREET BUSINESS MAN ZINES? Why re-release Tight? SO MANY REASONS.... IT'S BEEN OVER A DECADE .. IT'S BEEN OUT OF PRINT FOR A DECADE ...IT'S A FAN FAVORITE AND THEY DEMANDED IT ...IT'S A BAND FAVORITE WE STILL PLAY A LARGE AMOUNT OF SONGS OFF THAT ALBUM LIVE ...AND COPIES OF TIGHT WERE GOING ON EBAY FOR HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AND WE WEREN'T SEEING ANY OF THAT MONEY SO WE WANTED TO UNDERCUT THE FUCKERS. Good plan. The album’s seen by many of your fans as one of MSI’s defining records, along with Frankenstein Girls, while ‘You’ll Rebel to Anything’ and ‘If’ seem less chaotic and more accessible, was that an intentional shift? WE DON'T LIKE TO REPEAT OURSELVES TO MUCH BUT WE LOVE THE SOUND WE CAME UP WITH SO IT MORPHED SLIGHTLY ...WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE LIKE THE RAMONES WHERE THE SOUND NEVER EVER CHANGED AT ALL Tight was released over 10 years ago, how have things changed for the band since then? NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED ... WE WERE ALWAYS 10 YEARS AHEAD OF OUR TIME ....IT JUST TOOK YOU ASSHOLES TIME TO CATCH UP TO US....AND ITS ABOUT TIME YOU MADE IT I WAS GETTING BORED. And what do you think has kept the band going for so long? WE DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO ...WE DON'T CARE IF IT ALL GOES AWAY TOMORROW ....AND WE DON'T CARE IF YOU LIKE IT BECAUSE IT ENTERTAINS US. Was there anything on the original album that, looking back, you would have done differently? NOPE. Listening to Tighter it’s clear that hip-hop had an influence on the record, do you still listen to the genre and if so who are your top 5 artists? YES I LIKE RAP BUT NOT A LOT OF NEW RAP ...I LOVE IT ALL PRE-2001 ..... RAP IS DEAD NOW ...EVERYONE IN RAP IS TALKING ABOUT LOVE FOR THE MOST PART ...IT'S LIKE 50 VERSIONS OF LL COOL J`S I NEED LOVE.... ITS REALLY SAD. Is there anything else you were listening to during the original writing process that you feel influenced the record? THE MAIN INFLUENCE WAS HEARING AND SEEING THE SHIT WE HATED AND NOT WANTING TO SOUND LIKE THAT .....WE WANTED TO DO THE TOTAL OPPOSITE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THE TIME. Your version of Method Man’s Bring The Pain is a fan favourite, and some people don’t even realise it’s a cover, if you could choose any other track to put your stamp on and call your own, what would it be? COVERS FOR US COME OUT OF DOING A COVER BY ACCIDENT ....THEN TAKING THAT ACCIDENT TO THE EXTREME. Just to spin it the other way, if you could have any other artist cover one of your songs, who would it be and which track would you have them perform? JOHN WILLIAMS AND THE BOSTON POPS DOING 'LAST TIME I TRY TO ROCK YOUR WORLD'. Your last record with MSI was released back in 2008, have you been working on any new material? EVERYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF MY MOUTH IS NEW MATERIAL ...THEN IT'S FIGURING OUT WHERE DOES THAT SONG IDEA GO ...DOES IT GO ON AN MSI RECORD, A LEFT RIGHTS RECORD OR SOMEONE ELSE'S RECORD? Your live shows are pretty crazy - why do you often try and drag the photographers on stage? And do you have any funny experiences or stories from this? I THINK THEY SHOULD SHOOT THE AUDIENCE NOT ME ...I MAY BE GOING NUTS ON STAGE BUT I GUARANTEE YOU THAT THE AUDIENCE IS DOING TEN TIMES MORE THAN ME. Where's the best place you've toured and why? THE BEST PLACES FOR LIVE SHOWS ARE ALWAYS PLACES THAT PEOPLE PISS ON.... LIKE PERTH SCOTLAND DETROIT OHIO ...THOSE FUCKERS GET IT. ...LIKE REALLY GET IT GET IT. How does the MSI song writing process work? - does everyone have an input into the songs, or do you, as the singer, come up with the basis for the songs and the others add to this? I CHEF IT UP AND THE BAND ADD TO IT AND CORRECT MY TIMING AND NOTES AND RHYTHM MISTAKES ...BUT NOT MY SPELLING. Unlike us. You've recently been asking people to submit their photos online and then you have been giving the pics makeovers in (what looks like) Paint - what's the story behind this? I LIKE GRAFFITI AND MAKING PEOPLE LOOK STUPID. Fair enough. Would you say that as well as the music, MSI is a band that is interested in visual art and performance (is this of equal importance at MSI shows)? WE ARE INTERESTED IN ENTERTAINMENT ...SAMMY DAVIS JR STYLE ...WE HIT YOU WITH THE TRIPLE THREAT. We know that Lyn-Z has had her art on display a few times... do any other band members create their own artwork? WE ARE ALL ARTY FARTY AND HAVE ALL CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO THE ART AND ART DIRECTION OF THE BAND AND ALBUMS ..... BUT LYNZ IS THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTS TO DO IT ON A PRO TIP. What are your plans for the next year? Any tour plans? WATER PARKS !!!!
Many thanks to Jimmy for taking the time to answer our questions. Thanks also to Nina and Adam for organising this for us. Photo by Suzyska Photos (taken in Manchester in 2009, the second time Suzy avoided being dragged on the stage by Jimmy). Find more info and music clips on their web site: http://www.mindlessselfindulgence.com/. If you don't have 'Tight' go and buy it.