The Digression Sessions - Ep. 33 - Blockhead!

Episode Date: April 23, 2012

Hola Digheads! On this week’s show hip hop producer and beat maker extraordinaire Blockhead joins them Dig Sesh boys for an interview! A phone interview! Blockhead is an instrumental artist, but has worked with artists such as Aesop Rock, Murs, Slug, Mike Ladd, Cage, Open Mike Eagle, Maclethal, SA Smash, Isaiah Toothtaker, Illogic and others. Currently, he's working with a myriad of people on different projects , and his fifth solo album on Ninja Tune records “Interludes After Midnight,” will be out on April 30!  GET THAT ISH! Blockhead is also an avid and hilarious blogger. Check out his musings and sweeping generalizations  at phatfriend.com We discuss a number of topics for this episode including, but not limited to: ice tea tie-ins, demystifying the creative process, drunkenly yelling at Moby, Eskimo brothers, proper crystal placement in one’s yoga studio, circumcision precision, how Blockhead creates his musical concoctions, nicknames of soft towns, and much more! *All music in this ep was written and provided by Blockhead. And check out the brand spanking new DigressionSessions.com !! PLEASE rate, subscribe, and provide a nice comment on the iTunes!! It’ll help the podcast climb the charts! Follow us on the Twitters:  @DigSeshPod @JKuderna @MichaelMoran10 @BlockheadNYC

Welcome to the Digression Sessions Podcast. Welcome, welcome, welcome. Welcome to the Digression Sessions Podcast. I'm Josh Koderna. One half of your favorite pair of earbuds sitting to my right. Mike Moran, the other half of your favorite pair of earbuds. Perfect pause. Thank you for working on my pausing.

Nice. That was very good. Oh, wow. Welcome to another episode, Dig Heads. What's going on? This is a special one. A very special episode, Dig Heads. What's going on? This is a special one. A very special episode of Digression Sessions. On a very special episode of Digression Sessions. They make a phone call to a New York hip-hop producer.

Can we add in slow violin music with that? That's not slow. Nor is it violin. You're doing that with your mouth. Don't try to trick me there, Josh. Oh, come on. That was pretty close to a violin. Guys, I'm here in the studio. He did that with his mouth. Come on. Don't break down the... That ain't

Bobby McFerrin we've got over there. It's Josh Goderna. Yeah. Don't look at Bobby McFerrin in the corner. Do not. Nobody puts Bobby McFerrin in a corner. Do not. Nobody puts Bobby McFerrin in a corner. Except for the Blair Witch. That's how that movie ended? That was Bobby McFerrin

in the corner? Yeah, he was all like making noises with his mouth. Bobby, you shut up. You get the corner. The soundtrack was like just him remixed by Nine Inch Nails.

On this show, we do a phone interview with hip-hop producer Blockhead. Yes, yes, yes. Who has graciously agreed to appear. He is an excellent musician. Yes. Josh and I are very much fans and very grateful that he appeared on the digression yeah it was very cool i'm uh i'm quite the fan of blockhead i first heard of him when uh i heard aesop rock's labor days and that was a seminal album for teenage

josh was it would you put it in the top 10 oh yeah definitely yeah i got introduced to a stop rock by a friend and right that and then doing some research you find out about the rest of death jokes and that's what's going on in rhyme sayers yeah definitely the death chuck sound really like introduced me to a brand new style of music that i wasn't really aware of yeah yeah it was exciting and then uh and then from there i got into more instrumental music like once you learn about the people that are making aware yeah it was really interesting you know yeah it was exciting and then uh and then from there i got into more instrumental music like once you learn about the people that are making the beats right blockhead was uh definitely uh an important artist to me and found people like perfuse 73 and uh yeah it was it was a thrill to talk to him so we did a phone interview and this

was the first uh phone interview we've done. So there were a couple glitches. I think your mom called you a couple times. She's worried about me, Mike. No, my landlord called once. And so if you notice a beep, it's not because we're beeping out Blockhead's language. Or just pretend it is and just imagine that he's saying something vulgar. That Blockhead, he's got a mouth on him. He does.

He does. No, we were thrilled to have Blockhead on the podcast. Yeah, he was great. It was surprisingly hilarious, too. The whole interview was just like... He's a very funny dude. He is. He is.

He should really get more into comedy because normally we get a little nervous when we have the non-comedic guests, but he knocked it out of the park. Yeah, dude can definitely hold his own weight. Also, there's a pretty big reveal in this episode. Nobody has ever asked Blockhead when he met Aesop Rock, and we get to the bottom of it, Dickheads, for you. Also, if you're wondering how he got his name, oh, just you wait.

There's a story. There's a story. There is a story. Yep, yep. This is like when they – This is like who shot Mr. Burns. Oh, big time. This is like when they revealed Kramer's first name. Uh-huh, or when they opened up Al Capone's vault.

And the only thing they found inside was Geraldo Rivera. Geraldo's shame. And, yeah, it's a great episode. Rolto's shame and it's a great episode Blockhead has an album coming out April 30th called Interludes After Midnight check that shit out download it, listen to it, love it

yeah thanks for listening Digheads, we appreciate it thanks guys let's get to the interview of course check out digressionsessions.com we have a forum. I wanted to get that forum started. Get on it.

Anything you have to say. I'm talking to you. You with the earbuds in. No, seriously. We're looking at you. Don't look around, pal. We can see you. We can see you.

Clean out your ears. Thanks so much for listening. Yeah, thanks, everyone. Let's get to the interview with Blackhead. Stay tuned. Hello? Yo. Hey.

Hey, guys. You got your both on there? Yeah yeah can you hear us? Yeah yeah yeah Alright how you doing Mr. Blockhead? I'm good man I'm good I'm a little hungover but I'm getting over it Still hungover at 7pm What was the occasion?

What did you say? What was the occasion? Well my friend was in town Her band was performing and I just went out and got drunk. But I have that kind of liver that doesn't heal quickly, so I just kind of deal with it all day. Right, right. You know?

It's a good thing. What band? What band is it? You're kind of fading it out a little bit. Oh, shit. Sorry. Hold on. It's all right. It's all right.

We've got a professional operation here. Yeah, yeah. Of course. Of course. All right. Can you hear us now? Yeah. Yeah, you're good. How about me? It's going to be an hour of this. Does this sound okay? Are we good? Are we good?

Yes. I think when both of you talk, it gets a little muddled. Ah, all right. But, you know, if it's just one at a time, I think I got you. Okay, I'm reading in between the lines. You want Mike to shut the fuck up. I got it. I got it. So what was the name of the band?

The Dirty Ghosts. Oh, I'm hit. It's Aesop's wife. Oh, okay. Oh, okay. Oh, cool. She's in town, so, you know, supporting. They live in San Francisco now, right? Yes, indeed.

Did you guys grow up together? Me and Aesop? Yeah. I met him in college. I met him in, we both went to Boston University together. And I was there for one year, but I met him that year, and then we kept in touch after I left. You both grew up in Manhattan, though, didn't you?

No, I grew up in Long Island. I grew up in Manhattan. Oh, okay. Gotcha. Cool. You're welcome. That's probably the first time you've ever been asked that question. No one's ever asked me that.

If you ask me how I got my name, then you'd see a triumvirate of terrible questions. We'll be done. No, man, we're not going to ask you that. But, I mean, that is a weird name. How'd you get that name? I just said it's my birth name. That's a Christian name? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And we'll be reading from Blockhead 414? It's actually an old Jewish name. Oh. An old Jewish name, like there's new Jewish names? Yeah, yeah. Except for from the old country Jewish. Anything less than 2,000 years is a new Jewish name. From the book of Blockhead, right?

Yeah, exactly. Okay, good. It is a little insane how we've hung on to that circumcision thing after all this time. What did you say? The circumcision thing, you know, like all the other biblical rules that we ignore, but we still hang on to like a 5,000-year-old tradition of cutting our penis. Well, you know, it makes for a neater penis. In both senses of the word, too.

It's clean and it's cool. I think, you know, ass women. They like it. They like it more. And, you know, considering that, you know, there's a lot of shit in the Bible that I think people are kind of still holding on to a little too much. Right. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. a lot of shit in the bible that uh that i think people are kind of still holding on to a little too much right yeah yeah yeah you never see like a senator complaining about like uh farmers putting two of the same crops in a field or wearing like two different types or like murdering people for eating shellfish or something like you know that doesn't happen anymore i know it's a shame it shows you that society's falling apart since then. Exactly, goddammit. Is there a lot of circumcision talk on your new record? It's Segway, Josh. It's based on the memory of my circumcision.

So you got your circumcision... Years of therapy. Put it to music. You got your circumcision after midnight, so that was... Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I was going to call it brisk after midnight, but the label wasn't doing that. Brisk beats. Get that brisk iced tea tie-in, maybe?

Yeah, that was perfect. See, we're helping you make that money. Now I should have you on my team. I wasn't going to say anything, but now you bring it up. I know. It's not the worst idea. I'll be working on these circumcision tie-ins all night.

Blockhead's going to cut a new record soon. We've got to speak to the head of the label later. I give this four skin stars. All right, that one didn't make you stretch. We're stretching now. We're stretching.

Yeah, sorry. We're stretching. That went farther than it needed to go, and it was good. Yeah, yeah. Well, let's not give Mike the shaft. All right, come on. Oh, wow. We're having fun.

Wow. And I'm usually the king of puns around here. I have a lot of respect for punny people, because that is a skill, I think. I think that people can really nail a good pun. Yeah, well, try telling the people that hire for Ruby Tuesdays that. They completely ignore that. But you do have a new album coming out April 30th, Interleaved After Midnight.

Can you tell us about that album? Because I was reading about it. It seems on the Ninja Tune website, it seems like it's a concept album, kind of. Well, you know, I mean, like, in the sense that any instrumental album can be a concept album because like really I could tell you anything and

you'd be like, okay. So you're just doing that to screw with people. What did you say? You're just doing that to screw with people listening.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I mean like it would become a concept album. Like I finish it

and I sing back and I'm like, alright, now what does this like to me? And it kind of reminded me of like, you know, the mid-90s in New York. And, like, the era before, you know, cell phones and the internet.

You know, not in how it sounded, but it kind of gave me that feeling of how it was back then. So I just kind of went with it and started naming songs after old public access shows. Awesome. You know, I went that direction with it. I mean, but, you know, it's still an instrumental album. You guys used to do, like, funny public access shows, didn't you?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. For three years, I had a show with a bunch of friends. I remember Luke telling me about that. And didn't one feature a representation of semen by Toothpaste? that and didn't one feature a uh uh representation of semen by a uh by toothpaste yeah um there was multiple representations of semen that should be the name of your next album

if i remember i mean the public actor shows like we would do like skits and stuff and uh you know it's like us just doing sketch comedy but without any of the writing that's awesome we'd improvise the whole thing but you, you know, kind of with direction. Be like, all right, in this scene, we do this. So would you consider yourself a comedian? What did you say? Do you consider yourself a comedian as well as a musician? Do I consider myself a comedian as well?

No, I mean, I'm not. I don't do that professionally. But I'm much more comfortable being funny than I am being, like, introspective, though. Right, right. You know? So, music by Cave Light, what was that about? It was about caves. I knew it.

That's what I had in my notes, but I just wanted to make sure. Downtown Science. Was that about Uptown? It was about Uptown, you know, math. I knew it. I knew it. I wrote down math question mark. Now I'm putting a check mark on it. Oh, boy. Yeah, so I guess when you were making the album,

was it intentional to kind of go for that mid-90s sound, or did it just kind of develop after you... Oh, that's a common misconception. It's kind of hard for that mid-90s sound, or did it just kind of develop after you... Oh, that's a thing, yeah, that's a common misconception, like, I, it's kind of hard to explain, like, I didn't, the album definitely doesn't sound like an album from 95. Oh, so it's not going to sound like Counting Crows. I wasn't like, oh, slowback, Jurassic 5, you know, I wasn't doing that shit, you know, like, it's more just a feeling, a feeling I get, you know, like I said, it's more just a feeling a feeling I get you know like I said

it's an instrumental album you can really say whatever you want about it and it will work on some level I guess you run into that a lot being an instrumental artist

because people can kind of fill in the gaps since there's no since there's no vocals like oh he must have meant this or that oh totally

totally yeah I mean that's where the song titles come in handy because I get to kind of lead mean, that's where the song titles come in handy because I get to kind of lead them in a direction with the song titles. But, you know, the more I've been doing this, the more, like, kind of abstract and weird

I get with the song titles. And it makes no sense. They're always, like, inside jokes based on something no one else knows about but me. I don't think that's an inside joke. I think that's a... It's inside me Right

That's the most inside A joke can get Exactly That'll be your Your other solo album Like acoustic solo album Inside me Inside me

Yeah That'd be a That'd be a risky title See that's why I'm on your team Yeah man You could add circumcision in there somewhere. I'll work on it. I'll get back to you.

I'll send you an email tonight. Perfect. Perfect. All right. So what music were you into as a kid? As a young man? Well, I mean, like, by kid, do you mean like a child? Like two, three. What were you listening to when you were in preschool?

Ring Around the Rosie? Raffi? No, Barney wasn't around when I was a kid, but Raffi was around. Who the fuck is Raffi? No, the other first song I ever remember hearing is the theme, The Greatest American Hero. Oh, yeah. Believe it or not, I'm walking on air. Really? Wow. Believe it or not, I'm walking on air. Really?

Wow. Believe it or not, I'm walking on air? Yeah, yeah. That and Eye of the Tiger are the two, like, those are my earliest

memories of music as far as, like, something resonated with me. Wow, that's interesting. Yeah, it's pretty deep. It's pretty deep. And I still, like,

Eye of the Tiger is still kind of a dope song. It is a pretty tight song, I have to admit. Yeah, I mean, you know, it's driving. As far as, it's got force. Yeah, I mean, you know, it's driving. As far as... It's got force.

Yeah, as far as first songs to hear, Eye of the Tiger is pretty good. Yeah, I'm not mad. I'm not mad at that. But yeah, after that, once I kind of started getting my bearings and realizing what I liked and stopped listening to Billy Joel that my brother was playing. I kind of, like I moved on to, I started listening to hip hop probably like in 6th grade or something like that. 5th or 6th grade, yeah, something like that. Yeah, so what did you get into? What was that?

Initially, I got into it I think when sampling started. Huh. Because I needed melody. I'm still like that like I don't like things that are just like like I never liked a lot of early

Run DMC stuff cause it gets all stabbed and stuff like it kind of bored me like I needed melody so like when like Run's house came out

I liked that and uh and you know um it takes a nation of millions yeah yeah that was like the first one

that got me out or um yeah I mean in in 87, I'm going to say. Right. When sampling really started to take off and that's when I kind of really got into it. Cool. Cool. So, when did you start producing your own beats? I started initially, I was making beats with a friend of mine, because I didn't have a sampler in like 92, so I was probably like 16, 15, 16. And then in like 95, I got a sampler of my own, and then I started working. But I used to just bring records over to my friend's house, and we'd make beats together, but he'd do all the labor.

That's how this podcast works, actually. If you could see Mike right now, he's on a chase lounge just eating grapes. Staring. Just doing all the technical shit, like adjusting the phone. I'm manning the board right now, holding the phone, checking the levels. Oh, man.

Trying to think of dick jokes. I'm doing it all. Working really fucking hard Over here Blockhead Hey man I understand I understand It's a job You know how the podcast Grind goes

This is the second podcast I've ever done Oh really But the best right The best Yeah oh yeah definitely Haha Take that

What other podcast You were on What other podcast I did Mark Maron I did Mark Maron Earlier Really Just kidding.

Did you guys used to have beef? Did you guys get through that? Did you and Marc Maron used to have beef? Did you guys get through that? Yeah, we had an old problem. He was very insecure about things I said to him back in like 82. Right. You heard Eye of the Tiger. You had a chip on your shoulder. I understand. Yeah, he's a sensitive guy. So what do you use now as far as equipment, samplers? I use the same thing. Well, I use Ableton now, but I also have the same ASR-10 sampler that I've had forever since the one I bought in 94, 95. Really?

Wow. Damn. And it's shut him along somehow. Still there. So no MPC or anything like that? No, no, I never had an MPC. When I went to buy the sampler, the guy who was selling it to me was like, no, no, you've got to get this.

And I did, and I'm glad I did, because it's what the RZA used, it's what Kanye used to use, it's what Kanye used to use, it's pretty, like Alchemist used it, it's a dope machine, I mean it's a little dated, they don't make them anymore, but like, you know, it's a keyboard and it kind of gives you a different angle on the beat making, so I like it, I mean, it's old as shit, and I use these as floppy disks, but... Really?

Wow. Oh yeah, so the vinyl of Music by Cave Light has a bunch of floppy disks, but... Oh, really? Wow. Oh, yeah, so the vinyl of Music by Cave Light has a bunch of floppy disks, I'm pretty sure, on the inside. Are those the actual songs? Are those the actual floppy disks? Yeah. I forget if you can actually read the titles. Well, first of all, you can see my handwriting on there,

which is amazing. Yeah. But the title, like, there's one that's like Moby off the chain. I think it was. And that one became Carnivores Unite. Nice. Because I fucking hated Moby, and I was like, fuck that vegan. And I thought it sounded kind of like a Moby song, so I called it Carnivores Unite.

This is going to be embarrassing, but Moby's standing right behind us. Awkward. I've actually drunkly screamed at Moby at a club once. Well, who hasn't once or twice? What did you say? I think we all have once or twice.

Not to his music. I mean to his face. Or to the side of his head, really. What could possibly be offensive about Moby? How did Eminem have be offensive about Moby? Like, how did, like, how did Eminem have a beef with Moby?

Like, I can see it. He's just a little too... Pretentious? Yeah, just a little... Yeah, no, he's a... I mean, like, there's nothing... I don't know Moby.

I'm sure he's a nice guy. You know, he makes good tea. I like his tea. But, like, yeah, back then, you know, I was young, and I was, like, 22, and I was like,

fuck you, Moby, at a club. Uh-huh. And what was his response? But he didn't hear me. He didn't hear me. I was drunk, you know, I was young, and I was probably 22, and I was like, fuck you, Moby, at a club. Uh-huh. And what was his response? He didn't hear me. I was drunk, you know, whatever. Right, right. Yeah.

I'm sure he went home and, like, fucked, like, eight supermodels. Like, oh, remember that kid? Yeah, he just fell asleep on a pile of money. He's like, why does everybody hate me? I do have a girl in common with Moby, so that's cool. We're asking my brother. Really? Yeah.

Wow. Take that, Moby. Yeah, I hope I got itoby, so that's cool. We're asking my brother. Really? Yeah. Wow. Take that, Moby. Yeah, I hope I got it first, though. Yeah. This tastes like Moby. Why do you taste like vegan cookies? What is going on? That's all right.

I'm sure his tea is not as good as brisk T. No! Bring it back. Bring it back. That's right. I'm like going through the list of foreskin puns in my head. Really not coming up with anything. Fortunately, I keep a list with me all the time.

This is great. If in 2004 somebody said I'd be making foreskin puns with Blockhead on the phone, I'd have said, I could see that. All right. It could happen. It's not impossible. Yeah. All right.

Let's go get a sandwich. Yeah, exactly. I've actually been listening to your music. I guess the first time I heard you was probably on Labor Days. Okay. How much of that album did you produce or provide? I did over half of it. Right on.

And Float, too. I did over half of that one, too. Right, right. Those were the first two that I really got my stuff out there. Labor Days was the one with your instrumentals on it, right? Breakfast with Blockhead. No, that was Float. Oh, with dinner and lunch and breakfast?

That was Float, yeah. My friend wanted me to ask you when Dessert with Blockhead is going to come out. I think it's The Meal's Over. Fourth Meal? The Meal's Over. That meal? The meal's over. That should be your next album title. The meal is over. The meal is over, bro.

I miss brunch. I miss snack time. I miss a fair amount of... Brunch is very popular among people today. You're really going to miss out on it. I got a girlfriend. I know all about brunch. I don't trust people that are really into brunch. It's just lunch with eggs.

Yeah. Same thing. Like, I eat it at one. Well, brunch has to be like breakfast for you anyway. You're still hungover at seven. Yeah, exactly. No, I mean, listen,

I don't do breakfast because I usually, I don't sleep mean, listen, I don't do breakfast because I usually, I don't sleep past it, but I don't really care about breakfast foods. I eat, you know, my lunch is my brunch every day.

Wow. Wow. This is what's wrong with America's youth. They don't care about breakfast anymore. Back in my day, lunch was just lunch.

We treated breakfast with respect and dignity. Two meals a day. You're good Alright, so Drunken Taco Bell Run with Blockhead Is going to be on Aesop's next album Yeah, exactly Okay, good

Right after Drunken Yelling at Moby With Blockhead Drunken Yelling at Moby with Blockhead Would be actually a great song title It should just be a whole album of that You yelling at him at different intervals in time Drunk and Yelling at Moby with Blockhead would be actually a great song title. It should just be a whole album of that. You yelling at him at different intervals in time. Have you tried rapping yourself, Blockhead?

Oh, yeah. I used to rap. Before I made beats, I was rapping. And I rapped probably until the late 90s. Oh, really? But I just wasn't that good. When I met A$AP, it kind of put things in perspective of where I was heading. And, like, I was like, okay, well, I should stop doing this and focus on that. But, you know, I rapped for, yeah, from probably, like, 1990 to, yeah, like, 98 to 99.

I mean, I kicked the verse probably, like, three years ago on a little track that my friends and I made. Like, that's the last thing I did. Uh-huh. Oh, really? But, yeah, no one will ever hear any of that my friend and I made. Like, that's the last thing I did. Uh-huh. Oh, really? But, yeah, no one will ever hear any of that, so it's okay.

All right, that's fair. All right. Are you and Aesop still working together? Well, yeah, I mean,

he did his whole album himself. Right, because he's been in San Francisco and he's very much embracing the production, but yeah, I think we're going to work together in the future.

You know, we're still friends, so I don't think why not. He did the entire production. But, yeah, I think we're going to work together in the future. You know, we're still friends. Yeah. So I don't see why not. He did the entire production for Felt 3, right? Yes. Yeah, yeah. I mean, he's been producing as long as I have,

so it's kind of, you know, I think he's just, he's really kind of embracing that as a thing. And he's always been good at it, so I don't see why not, yeah. Right on, right on. And then, so, yeah, then Death J Jux fell apart a couple years ago, right? Yeah, it did. Yeah, what happened there? I think the music industry caught up with it.

Right, right. I think, you know, I think they made a couple bad decisions, but more so than that, it just, you know, there's not a lot of indie record labels left, and like really, Rhymesfair is probably the only one. And they've done really good business. But it's just kind of, you know,

the well kind of dried up on people buying records, and they just shut it down. Oh, God. I'm starting a comedy record label. Yeah, yeah. Come on. Give them a little bit of, say something, Malik.

Are you ready? Because that's a really, really good idea. I have a feeling this CD industry is really going to blow up in the next few years. All right.

As someone who made a comedy record, I can tell you it's a really good idea. All right. On an unrelated note, I have to go and kill myself.

It's been great talking to you, Blockhead. It's been great talking to you, Blockhead. It's been truly inspiring. I hope your label is called Bandcamp Records. That would be

the only way it's going to work, dude. Speaking of comedy, records, party fun, action committee. SoundCloud Records. I named it

MySpace Records, too. Oh, that was a great idea. It was a really good idea at the time. Is that your final answer, I guess? It's brilliant. It's brilliant. Friendster Records. Well, shit.

So, wait, you made a comedy record? Yeah, Party Fun Action. Yeah, me and my friend Jared made an album called Party Fun Action. A freaking classic album, if I say so myself. Oh, so you know it? Yeah, Jeff Jooks, me and my friend Jared made an album called Party Fun Action. A freaking classic album, if I say so myself. Oh, so you know it? Yeah, Luke introduced me to it the year it came out, and I was really big on it for years. Oh, dude, yeah, that's my favorite thing I've ever done. Really? Yeah, I think it's great.

I was hoping you guys would tour with it. I was hoping to see you live. I was really into it. Yeah, we did like three shows ever, but it really came down to me deciding between pursuing that or pursuing my actual music career. Right. And I was like, well,

and this was before YouTube existed, so there really wasn't like viral videos that we could have made. It was just kind of like, we were just kind of hoping that a comedy record would work, so I was like, let me just stick with the thing

that I'm doing well with. I remember for some reason when I applied for a job at Hot Topic at the mall they were asking me

what albums I was listening to and I listed that one and they're like what? yeah and now Mike he owns the Hot Topic

you've done well you've done well Mike yeah but I'll kind of going back to your your death jokes question that can relate to the whole Party for Next community thing is that I have a theory that You've done well, Mike. Yeah. But kind of going back to your Death Chicks question that can relate to the whole Party Fun Actions Committee thing,

is that I have a theory that the Party Fun Actions Committee album was the first brick that fell out of a Death Chicks wall. Really? In a sense that we were the first kind of bad choice. I love that Al put it out like it's the best thing ever. The fact that I can hold a CD up of that is amazing. But really, no one who was listening to Death Chicks at that time I love that Elle put it out like it's the best thing ever the fact that I can hold a CD up of that is amazing but like really like no one

no one who was listening to Death Trip at that time wanted to hear that shit and it was so badly received like it probably sold like a thousand copies

maybe and yeah it was just it was a humongous failure on every level but you know so I shouldn't have told him that

at Hot Topic no wonder I didn't get the him that at Hot Topic. No. No wonder I didn't get the job. But you could be one of those people who are, like, really underground. Somebody could have told me this in 2003. Yeah. Man.

So the whole time when you're dealing with LP, he's like, yeah, we'll put it out. Were you like, oh, you don't have to. I know. I played him some songs, and he was like, it's really dope. He's like, I put this out. for you know you don't have to use i'd like it and really and uh...

you uh... it uh... and but they definitely um you know they come through together and we finished the album and they put it out and i was just like wow i can't believe this got put out and we i knew i wasn't gonna make money on it you know i think we're all aware we didn't get an advance or anything it was just kind of like the deal was that they were they would pay to put it out right yeah that it would just and it would get made and we got it made and that was just like the greatest thing ever

at the time that That's awesome. So, and who is, who is the other guy you did it with? Jer. Jer, Jeremy Gibson. He's actually

older friends of Luke than I am. He's known Luke for a long time. He has like a metal band or something now, doesn't he? He's got,

he's actually got, he's, well his band just broke up but he's focusing on this, his character Sir Gerald Berg who is, I would just broke up, but he's focusing on his character, Serge Arlsberg, who is, I would just say, YouTube it

to really fully grasp it. But if you like, you as a comedy music guy, this should be so up your alley. It's like he's a rapping knight. But it's deeper than that. Serge Arlsberg, like the Arlesburg cheese but with a strong J okay

look it up because it's really it's so crazy and it's it's kind of brilliant like it's really Jerry was always like the weirder

one of us too as far as his comedy went like anything that was kind of odd in PFAC was more his his leanings while I was always

kind of the more like like cynical dirty mouth guy wait a minute so we we played off each other in PFAC was more his leanings while I was always kind of the more like cynical, dirty, mouthed guy. Wait a minute. So we played off each other well, but this is some really, some shit you've never seen before. It's amazing.

I should have known. I've always wanted to see that song live. I should have known. Freaking brilliant. Classic, classic, classic hit. And that's where we'll drop it into the podcast and post please do, I dare you it's Friday night

I wanna get my swerve on The club is hoppin', let's see what's poppin' And the ladies are jockin', the fellas are clockin' The Chris is pourin', tonight it's a sure thing You see I got my American flag do-rag on So you know that I'm lookin' top notch I'm just lookin' for a girl to bag y'all So I can take her home and play hopscotch on the pussy

Now I see this fly honey all alone at the bar I give her a glance in my b-boy stance I roll up to her and I ask her her name She squeezes my thigh and she whispers, So I looked in her eyes and I knew it was on. Then she grabbed my hand and let me tug her thong. And the next thing I knew, we were in my whip. Driving to my crib while she's sucking my dick.

So we got into the house and the temperature rose We made out for a while and I sucked on her toes I kissed her on her neck and I hated downtown to lick that coochie But her hairy dick flopped out I should've known she was six feet tall I should've known I mean the broad was broad I should've known by the size of her hands That she was a man

Her voice was kinda low By the Adam's apple in her throat That she had a plan That the bitch was a man. And my computer's gone out of business. Yeah, so what is on the horizon for Senior Blockhead? Well, I'm working on a bunch of projects right now with rappers and one with a singer. And I'm working with this guy, Open Mike Eagle.

I'm working with this guy, Logic. I'm working with this guy, Billy Wood. They're all kind of underground rappers that I genuinely like. Right. And like, sought out to work with. And I'm either doing albums or EPs with all these guys. This guy, Mark Speck as well, and I'm in a group with a female vocalist and a couple musicians,

including J.R. from Party for the Next Committee, called The Mighty Jones, and we're working on a 10-song album. I don't know where any of these are going to come out, or when, but we're in the process of making them. Right, right. So, yeah, that's what's going on.

And I'll be touring for my new record and everything and all that kind of crap. Are you coming to B-more? I hope so, man. That's one of those places that gets skipped over a lot when I tour. I seem to hit the same five cities all the time and I just don't... I don't go to D.C. and Baltimore.

I just don't ever go there like my girl's from Bethesda you know really like I I can't even you know get near her hometown

Bethesda's not that great anyway yeah oh yeah no fuck yeah fuck our Bethesda listeners yeah I keep telling her to call it

to give it some like street cred and call it Bethesda or cause I'm like you know you need like need like, maybe you don't know this, but in Boston they name all their little towns like hard names. Oh really?

Like Rihanna Pan is Murder Pan. And shit like that. And I think that the suburbs of DC, which are the softest places on earth, should embrace that as well. So when you tour, what do you do when you perform? I use a laptop and I just kind of trigger stuff. It's basically like me sequencing live, but I don't play whole songs. I get little parts of all my songs and kind of blend them together with other parts of other songs. Right.

Like famous songs. It's like an hour-long, ever-evolving song that you'll hear at least a recent called Jam Loop. Right, right, right. As much as you'll hear a sample from the Olympics. Have you run into any legal issues with using samples? Not so bad. I got caught out there for something like Downtown Science, and they just settled

and were like, we'll take the publishing on that song. I'm yet to be really fucked over by that. Right. But other than that, I mean, I had a song in a commercial, in a Microsoft commercial last year that they had to have,

we had to replay it. Really? But that's, you know, that's not a big deal. They had someone like a studio musician come and replay it. Cool. Nice. Is that how you get around it? You just have somebody just re-record it?

Yeah, pretty much. I mean, it's kind of, it's tricky, because, you know, they can get you for sampling the song, the written part of the song, but it's the recording part that they can really get you on. So if you actually can hear the crackle of the vinyl and the song that they originally made, the song you made, then they can be like, well, you did that for me. So to get someone to replay it, it makes it a lot easier. that they originally made on a song you made, then they can be like, well, that's, you took that from me. Right. So, you know, to get someone to replay it,

it makes it a lot easier. And the stuff I use, it's not like people are really out there gunning to find who sampled them. It's usually like a weird, obscure,

psych-rock album, you know? Where do you get records? I don't really buy records anymore. I go on blogs and find obscure stuff because I can't afford records to sample because it's, I don't really buy records anymore. I go on blogs and find obscure stuff because I can't afford records to sample. I don't buy the records to enjoy them or to listen to them, so I'm not really trying to pay $50 for a rare record. The record has to be rare. a folder on my computer of blogs that put up super rare records that would probably cost me hundreds of dollars each.

And I just download rips of them. And, you know, it's not like the artists who made them are getting paid for them anyway, so it doesn't really matter. So, yeah, I find myself that way. It lasts like two or three years, that's what I've been doing. Wow. It's so crazy how all that stuff can work. Like, instead of just getting records, you can just go online.

Oh, yeah. I don't miss buying records. I mean, I tell you, my house is full of records, and I'm just trying to dump so many of them because they're like dollar-bitten records. That's funny because it's like the opposite of the romantic version you normally hear about beat producers. You know, like, yeah, I love creating and finding that rare gem.

You're like, fuck it up, just Google a blog. Exactly, exactly, yeah, it's really fucked up. I think the reality of what music is now would really depress

a lot of fans. As far as, I mean, the creative process of like, you know, the romantic side view of digging

and like, you know, producers and their records and like, you know, me like dusting off the cover and putting the

record on the record player, like where i'm really just sitting in bed scrolling through my itunes being like oh there's a horn you know like it's more that's more the reality of it yeah i uh i just watched um there's a documentary series called a day in the life on hulu and they did one on das racist and oh really yeah and. They interviewed those dudes and they're asking about how their creative process and they're like, well, it usually takes us like a half hour, maybe 40 minutes to write a song. I'm like, what?

That's it? And then they show them in the studio they picked out like a Frank Zappa loop from the beginning. The exact progression of the loop, just slowed it down, added drums to it, and then they rapped over some stuff they had in their phones from a couple months ago. And they're like, yeah, that's tight.

Like, that's it? That's all you did to make a song? Oh, man, yeah. I'm trying to make strong strides in demystifying the creative process. Because I think artists really take some liberties in trying to make themselves seem like artists when they're not.

When you're just kind of doing what you do because that's what you do. How do you feel about your place in kind of hip-hop history? Because what you guys did with Death Junk, to me as the casual fan, it seemed like a brand new style of hip hop that I'd never really heard before. Or was it something that I just wasn't aware of? Was it already kind of a

phenomenon that I just wasn't really aware of? Right. I mean, it's weird. I view it differently because I was in it and I know what got us to there. There was stuff before that influenced us, that influenced those people, that influenced those people, and it all kind of goes back to the same place. Everyone on Death's Jets will tell you that Rakim is one of the best rappers ever. When it comes down to it.

That Public Enemy was one of the greatest groups of all time. We weren't really reinventing the wheel. And I don't really even, LP's really the guy that took shit out there. You know, like, I consider my style pretty straightforward and my influence has always been from the early 90s hip-hop production. You know, like,

the melodic stuff that kind of catches your ear where LP kind of took it in a different direction and got aggressive with it. Yeah. And that's really, that was where this shit changed. But, you know, he's a, he's a EPMD fan. Right. That guy, like a bomb squad EPMD guy. Like, that's where his,

run DMC, you know, like that. Right. That's his shit, you know? Yeah, that's why his music sounds like post-apocalyptic New York kind of stuff. Well, it's his take on it. Yeah. You know, expanding on it.

And that's kind of what Death Jokes did, you know, it's kind of expanding on rap. Right, right, right. Which is, you know, what everyone did back then before people started, like, purposely trying to not expand on rap. Yeah, yeah. It's weird, the rubber band effect, I guess, of, like, expanding too far. And then maybe it also goes with that demystified creative process. Oh yeah.

The other end of it is I doubt you talk to Waka Waka Flame he's not going to be like I really was in the studio working. He knows what he does. It's the artisty one that pisses me off. I hear producers talk and I'm like

dude you just sat I know you just sat, I know you just sat in the studio and, like, scrolled through snare sounds. Like, I know that's what you did. But I do that. Because that's how you make beats. While you were watching television

and eating at the same time. Yeah, like, you're texting someone, it's not, there's no candles lit, there's no, you know. No red wine, scribbling poetry on the wall to the marker. You're not sitting fucking cross-legged, you know, running laps around the English Channel. Yeah, Sylvia Plath books open on the wooden floor. Yeah, it's, I mean, some people do that shit, and their music usually sucks.

That's actually how Josh writes all of his music this is awkward I actually get prepared for podcasts this way too I was doing a little bit of yoga

it almost looks like the opening to a hallraiser I was positioning crystals you know channel podcast

I've gotten handed so many crystals at shows. I'm just like, what do you want me to do? Really? They just assume you're like new agey. Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, people, you know. I kind of have a little fan base with the Burner crowd, which I don't really know how I got it, but it happened.

And those guys will bring the loops and crystals to my shows and like. Wow. And like, you know, they're all really nice people. Right. But it's just so weird for me as a guy who's not involved with that at all. And in New York, it doesn't really exist, you know? It's a sub-genre, a subculture I don't see. But, you know, people handing me crystals and I'm like,

this is a rock. Don't give me your trash, man. Yeah. I'm mistakenly taken for someone who's way more spiritual than I am because I'm not at all spiritual

do you think that's because you're an instrumental artist like we were talking about earlier people just yes 100%

I think it's because people hear my music and assume because I make that kind of music that I'm like this emotional kind of like

tornado right well I can tell by the sound of your voice that your aura is a little bit off today. Yeah, my chakra's all fucked up today. Yeah, I can't see you, but it seems like your chest chakra is closed?

Yeah, it might be, it might be. My yin is really farther than my yang right now. Yeah, okay. You gotta balance those two out. Well maybe we'll try to take care of it in post and try to even it out. Thanks, I appreciate it. Hey, no we'll try to take care of it in post and try to even it out. Thanks. I appreciate it. Hey, no problem.

No problem. Magnus. Exactly. So, yeah, okay. So, what is, what's like a typical day in the life for you? It depends.

I mean, it's, you know, I don't, I'm not usually, I don't have like a set schedule. Like, what I do, say it's like a Monday and like, I don't have any tours to do. I don't have anything set schedule. What I do, say it's a Monday, and I don't have any tours to do, I don't have anything to do,

there's nothing on my plate, I'll get up around 9.30, 10, only because my room is bright. Only because you've been forced to. Yeah, because I've been forced by nature to get up and uh then i'll you know i'll pee brush my teeth and then i'll go back to bed and write uh for my blog i have a blog that i kind of update every every weekday so i do that the first thing i do in the morning is write and then uh i write that i post it and i you know i'm kind of on the internet for a couple hours

just kind of uh doing doing the rounds okay so. Okay, so when do you organize your crystals and burn sage? You haven't got to that yet. No, that's later. That's way later. Oh, okay. I'm sorry. Sorry. Okay, so then I eat, and then after I eat, it's pretty much really up in the air.

I could make beats, or I could not make beats. I could go to the gym, or I could not go to the gym. I could go play basketball. I could hang out with a friend. It to the gym or I could not go to the gym. I could go play basketball. Like, I could hang out with a friend. Like, it's all, it depends, you know. Right.

How can I have your life? Yeah, that sounds pretty fucking great. Dude, I mean, you know, listen, it's good now. Really? No, I'm saying, like, it is good,

but, you know, the same way, you know, with music and everything, I'm going to be, you know, I'm 35 now in five years. Am I really going to be making beats and touring? And I don't now in five years am I really going to be making beats and

touring and I might be but I don't know like I really don't know like so and will music still be a thing that people know and listen to

I don't think you have to worry about that it's lasted it's lasted a pretty good stretch I don't think music is going to go out of style completely

it's just going to be all holograms and fucking and like whizzing computer sound. Google goggles and whatever those things are. Yeah, exactly. But yeah, it's good.

I mean, my girl gets up, she goes to work, comes home angry that she works, and then I'm sitting on the couch checking my fantasy basketball team. There you go. At least you got a meal ticket. Yeah, yeah. Her job,

she makes way more money than I do, so it's good. So I'm sure she loves that. You said you went to Boston College though, right? Boston University. I went to BU for one year and I dropped out quickly.

What did you major in? I didn't major in anything. I was in general studies and I just got out as quick as I possibly could because I just knew I was a bad student at the beginning of school. what is your which major in uh... uh... brad beginning uh... so

uh... so it's selfless act again yeah uh... I get it. Yeah, yeah. I did them the... They understood that angle. But I can't drop it out. So I'm not working at a bakery for four years? That'd be on mine. I'm doing the noble thing. Stop crying.

Stop crying. It's for you. I did it for them. So what... If you did retire from music or scale it back, what would you want to do otherwise?

That's the thing. I don't really know. Like, I... My interests are very limited. Like, I like... I like writing and I like making music. Right thing. I don't really know. Like, I, my interests are very limited. Like, I like, I like writing and I like making music. Right.

And I like, you know, something, it would have to be something kind of creative because I don't really do anything else. You know,

like, I'm not, I'm not trained in anything else. Like, I went to bartending school for like two weeks and when I was 21, you know,

like, that's the last time I learned anything. Yeah. Would you, would you ever think about doing stand-up no I don't think I'm that type of personality I think like I'm better suited for like writing things out and and and maybe like I I don't I'm not a stage person I'm not a memory person like I don't remember remembering things and I don't know if I could write stand-up I love stand-up like I'm like I'm not a stage person. I'm not a memory person. I'm not good at remembering things. And I don't know if I could write stand-up. I love stand-up. I'm a student of stand-up without doing it.

Right, right. But yeah, I don't think I would do it. I got friends that do stand-up, and just seeing them live, it really kind of puts it in perspective. And you're just like, well, this is some other shit. It's more than just being funny. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I mean, you got to perform, be in the moment, know what you're doing. And memorizing stuff is a bitch. It's more than just being funny Oh yeah yeah yeah You gotta perform, be in the moment Know what you're doing And memorizing stuff is a bitch That's my least favorite part of stand up honestly Is having to memorize everything Do you do stand up? I do Oh man so you know it can be treacherous Yeah yeah

But it's also probably one of the best feelings ever When it goes off Oh yeah it's great kind of probably one of the best feelings ever when it goes off, you know? Oh, yeah, it's great. Yeah. High risk, high reward. Right. Yeah, exactly. See, I'm a very level guy.

I don't do high risk stuff. Right. You know? You'll never see me on my fucking line. Which is why you dropped out of college to become a music producer. I will not skydive. All right. Well, there goes my next question Alright well I guess that skydiving trip

We were hoping to plan with you Nope nope Off the agenda I'll log on to Expedia and cancel our trip Fine whatever I don't care I didn't want to go anywhere I bought us matching helmets What am I going to do with three fucking skydiving helmets

I made yours extra blocky helmets. What am I going to do with three fucking skydiving helmets? I made yours extra blocky. You know how expensive that was? Alright. Well, thanks so much for taking the time out to talk to us, man. My pleasure. This was actually legitimately fun. Yeah, definitely. I don't get to shoot from the hip very often.

It's nice. Maybe you could do improv. Josh really wants you to get into comedy. I mean, on our public action show. Yeah, you are a funny guy. Well, thank you. Oh, real quick before we go. Who are some of your comedian friends up there in the big album?

I know my friend David Foster. No one's super famous. uh... yeah we just care about fame here you want famous yeah they don't they don't they don't not yet maybe later

what about Dave Coulier you hang with him oh yeah all the time fucking cut it out Nickelodeon days I'm still going from this

you guys should make an album together called Cut It Out that was my shit what was that show called? Full House. No, no, the one before Full House. He was on...

America's Funniest People? No, he was on a Nickelodeon show. Oh, yeah. What was that? Before that. Really? Oh, man. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Maybe I'm dating myself right here, because I used to come home and watch Nickelodeon during the day when I was like six or seven, and that shit was on. Dave Coulier. I think that might have been a little bit before my time.

Yeah. But just a little bit. That's a good thing. Also, you kind of dated yourself when you said you were 35 earlier. Yeah.

And when you talked about the old Jewish names. Yeah. I'm so Bronze Age. Go to the game of phone names. That's what I'm going for. Well, cool, man. Thanks so much for joining us.

Yeah, thank you so much, man. This was great. Are you on the Twitters? Yeah, yeah. I am BlackEdNYC. Okay, cool. My Twitter. And it's all jokes.

It's jokes and me promoting myself, but more jokes. And I lose followers constantly because of it. But it's worth it because fuck those people. Yeah, they just lost more followers. They don't like the real blockhead. They can hit the bricks. What do they expect from you? Spiritual wisdom?

Well, you know, if you follow the wrong rappers, you'll get some terrible wisdom. Not Ghostface Killa. He dropped some good knowledge. Oh, he's awesome. He's awesome. But I've unfollowed most rappers on there because they're like, I eat some spinach. I'm like, oh, shut the fuck up. Check out this twit pic.

Y'all got to eat your spinach. Shout out to Vitamin A. Add Vitamin A. Well, cool, man. We'll send you the link when this episode's posted and everything. I think it should probably

be out maybe this Monday, next Monday, the 23rd. Okay, cool. Yeah, I'm going to send it over. I'll put it up on my blog and on Twitter and all my social networks. Cool.

Awesome. Thanks so much, man. Yeah, thanks, man. It was a pleasure. It was a pleasure. You're the bomb.com, sir. Yes, you are. Thanks, dude.

I'll talk to you guys. Thanks, man. Bye. Bye. Later.