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Exclusive LAUNCH Artist Chat
03/29/2001 9:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Lyndsey Parker
On March 29, Mighty Mighty Bosstones bassist Joe Gittleman made his second visit to the LAUNCH chat room, and this time he was joined by MMB saxophonist Tim Burton to double the fun. The two 'Tones took time out from their busy schedule of playing this year's Warped Inside tour (a club-sized, indoor offshoot of the Warped tour, running through June) and getting ready for the tour's three-day L.A. stop at the Whisky A Go-Go with the Voodoo Glow Skulls, Flogging Molly, Madcap, and the Sentimentals, so that they could chat with fans about possible April Fools Day pranks to expect onstage this weekend; their fondness for deli trays, English bulldogs, bikini thongs, and Kurt Loder (not necessarily in that order); the CD-versus-vinyl and Britney-versus-Christina debates; and future plans for the band and Warped. Scroll down to get the details...
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Welcome, I'm Joe.
tonesarmy: Do you plan on releasing a collection of the cover songs from the old days?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Yes, we do--it's going to be released through our website only, probably within the next couple months. It will be limited-edition and contain over 20 unreleased tracks.
callieballz: what were some of your influences growing up
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I'd say my biggest influences musically would be the Clash, the Specials, and Stiff Little Fingers as well as early hardcore like Minor Threat.
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Hey, hello everybody, this is Tim--thanks for logging in on the World Wide NET.
aquabat820: what do you guys do on your free time when you're not touring or making a record?
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Let's see, for leisure-type activities, we spend a lot of time writing songs and running the band; it's a full-time job. If you don't make sure everything goes right, then it all goes wrong. I know a lot of the guys like to get outdoors...and travel. We just can't stay off the road.
theman5552001: what is some of your favorite songs from each album?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: OK, from the album Devil's Night Out, I really liked the song "Patricia." Although it's difficult to single out songs out from the album Let's Face It, I think my favorite song to play would be the song "1-2-8" But that's just this week!
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Well, I really like playing live some of the songs off our new album, because they're very fresh, like "Allow Them" "She Just Happened" and "I Know."
simartist: So who came up with your name and did he have a stutter?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Originally we were called the Bosstones, and we were anything but mighty back in those days. We had a friend who worked at a bar who put "Mighty, Mighty Bosstones" on the calendar at the club as a joke, and it just kinda stuck!
bosstones1982: i've seen you guys 11 times and you've never played Don't know how to party, why is that
launch_mmbosstones_tim: 'Cuz we don't know how to play it!
launch_mmbosstones_joe: There are like, seven full-length Bosstones records--or six, I don't know--as well as several EPs, and there's never been a time when were able to play all those songs at the drop of a hat, although there have been times we've played "Don't Know How To Party." It probably just wasn't in our repertoire those 11 times you saw us. Where are you from? Maybe next time we'll play it!
atomicyouth82: Are u guys fans o any new punk at all? Sure, the oldschool reigns supreme, but do you guys like, say, Rancid?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Rancid's been around along time, and I like Rancid a lot. My favorite new punk band would be the Explosion from Boston.
launch_mmbosstones_tim: We played with a new punk band last night called Madcap that I thought were really good.
fatmikemmb: Joe G, will you come speak to my economics class. We have career days and I'd liek you to come in. The teacher always has a big dip in. Its great. email me plaid233@hotmail.com
launch_mmbosstones_joe: A big "dip in" tobacco? Who are you, where is this? Alaska? I would go!
slapstick_four: Where wouls you guys like to see yourselves in say...5 or 10 years?
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Joe says he wants to be scratching his nuts on the sofa!
timdh85: what is the best part about being on tour
launch_mmbosstones_tim: To meet new people and the energy rush we get playing concerts.
launch_mmbosstones_joe: The deli trays!
MMBossToneR: Is there any way I can propose to my girlfriend on the Bosstone stage?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Are you serious? If so, send us your info and where you live especially--we have done that in the past. It wouldn't be the first time! We're willing to humiliate people on our stage at any time...
musicurl: Do you have an official website?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: www.bosstones.com. Check it out, there's a lot of new stuff up from the tour we're on right now.
becksnow: Does anyone in the band snowboard?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: On and off. It's been a couple years, but I do. Our drummer, Joe Sirois, is really good.
derekpatterson44: DUDES!!! I just jammed with you guys last month at Toads Place...you guys sound great. Whats the story with Dennis and Nate leaving the band?
launch_mmbosstones_tim: The show at Toads Place was great. We had an excellent time. It was great to get back to CN. Dennis and Nate reached the point in their lives where touring with the Bosstones was no longer enjoyable. Nate also wanted to finish college. So we thought it would be best for the band to get members who were excited about playing places like Toads.
launch_mmbosstones_joe: FatMikemmb--the economics of me getting there are too much...
milla05: Do you guys get recognized often just for being in CLUELESS?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I don't.
launch_mmbosstones_tim: I don't.
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I don't get recognized much at all...
launch_mmbosstones_tim: I think sometimes people recognize us 'cuz we play so many shows, but they don't really care...
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I think it's a little bit different for Dicky.
kelcy6: What do you think is the most important thing/ person to you right now?? Why??
launch_mmbosstones_tim: I guess if I had to say I had a hero, I would say it'd be Nelson Mandela; I really admire him.
launch_mmbosstones_joe: My English bulldog, Francine, and my wife, Angie. And the rest of the Bosstones.
sheezalazygirl: What is one of the most unusual thing that has happened to you guys on stage?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Answering this is never as interesting as people want it to be...
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Dicky got arrested onstage once in Lowell, Massachusetts, for trying to protect kids from brutal bouncers and police; charges were brought but thrown out of court.
davidwixson: here's the standard question: do you have any advice for a new band just starting out?
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Pay close attention to your songwriting, play lots of concerts. and don't worry too much about getting a record deal. That will come if your band gets good--you'll be fighting off the A&R guys.
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I'd add: Make sure you like the guys in your band...and be willing to sacrifice ability for enthusiasm when it comes to putting together a band. That's what we did ...ha ha.
becksnow: How do you guys feel about stagediving at your shows?
launch_mmbosstones_tim: They aren't really done in a cool manner anymore, they're usually pretty boring...
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I'll say that people have come to think of stage-diving as some sort of a right they have at concerts. When stage-diving first started, it was much more dangerous, and you ran a much greater risk of being thrown out of the show for it. It was more about being punk and less about waving to your friends and being seen onstage. With that said, who am I to tell people what they should and shouldn't do at a show? It's their show, it's your show...
bounceonline: Finish this statement: Most people don't know this about me but ...
launch_mmbosstones_tim: ...I guess we're just not very interesting...
slapstick_four: What is the best way to go about getting signed to even a small lable? i know a lot of lables don't like submissions, and if they've never heard of you, how is is gunna happen?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I think that you just have to keep playing and building up a fanbase, and get it to a point where your band's popularity cannot be denied. That is what the Bosstones did.
xbosstonesx: Why is the May 26th show in IL not on your tour dates anymore?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Because it's not open to the public. It's a college show, and should've never been up there to begin with.
aquabat820: do you guys prefer old skool vinyl records or cds?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: CDs.
launch_mmbosstones_tim: I prefer downloading my music off the Internet--NOT REALLY!
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I prefer CDs over vinyl, they're way more convenient and I think the business about vinyl sounding better is a crock of sh-t! People with average stereo systems--the stuff we grew up with was recorded so poorly--I don't buy into that at all!
kristalena82: How did you guys like playing with Codename: Rocky last night?
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Those guys were GREAT! Rich, their trumpet player, got up and played "Someday, I Suppose" with us.
quantog: Who chooses the support bands for your tours?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: We do, with the help of our management.
bosstones1982: tim,can you play don't know how to party at one of the bowery ballroom shows, i'll be at all of them
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Yes, I will play it out on the sidewalk 45 minutes before doors...
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Wait, I'll say that we'll try to learn that song--we'll try...
derekpatterson44: Did you guys up date "ask the tones?"
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Not lately. I should dive in there, it's on my "to do" list...we answer them as often as we can.
clm5487: What are you listening to right now? What's in your Cd player
launch_mmbosstones_tim: I don't have a CD player.
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I like um NoFx's Pump Up The Valium as well as the Explosions' Flash Flash Flash. Also, I got to hear the new H2O record which will be released soon--I liked a lot of that stuff.
brandonleeisaliveinme: What is the downside to being in the entertainment buiz.?
launch_mmbosstones_tim: (FYI: Tim went to college with Brandon Lee--Emerson) The downside is having an accidentally loaded pistol discharge into your chest while you're filming a scene--*snicker*
bkforreal: are you guys big fans of FISHBONE, i know youve played with them alot
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Huge Fishbone fan. I love Truth And Soul, it's one of my favorite records.
launch_mmbosstones_tim: I think the record Fishbone released last year, called Nutworks or something, was overlooked.
launch_mmbosstones_joe: We toured with Fishbone quite a bit back in the day.
dudeodudes: Which is you Favorite Logo???? Otis Or The Devil
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Otis. I've got it tattooed on my arm.
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Otis is mine too.
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I think it's great! The trumpet player for Codename: Rocky has a couple of Bosstones tattoos, and I've seen hundreds of them over the years.
kdavidmichael: why does the one dude just dance? what's up with that?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: He was our friend and wasn't old enough to get into some of our early shows. You had to either be 21 or in the band, so we just said he was in the band--and we encouraged him to get up and do something so he wouldn't be thrown out of the show, and it just kind of stuck.
tight_wet_girl: Tim & Joe....which is it?....~~Boxers or Briefs?~~
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Bikini thongs for me.
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Freeballin' it for me!
tonesarmy: I love the suits, but do you ever yearn for the plaid?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Sometimes, I have fond memories of the plaid days, and I think it's great when fans still show up wearing plaid, but I think it started getting a little to gimmicky for us to keep doing all these years.
slapstick_four: What were the times where (as a band) you felt most content, alive, and happy?
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Wow. When I was wading through a pool of urine backstage at a club in Germany, making my way to the stage...
aquariak: please, I really want to know, will there or won't there be an ohio stop on yourtown throwdown
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Not this year...but maybe next year!
davidwixson: where do you think ska is going? we had the first wave, 2-tone, now the ska-punk thing. what's next?
launch_mmbosstones_tim: The underground ska scene is always going strong, new bands are always coming along and trying new things, and the old-school bands keep it real.
MMBossToneR: Is there a release date on the Pay Attention video?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: No.
hula_chic77: will you guy's ver use hip-hop beats??
launch_mmbosstones_joe: We used a hip-hop beat once. I would consider the opening of "Kinder Words" from the album Question The Answers to be a hip-hop beat.
derekpatterson44: DID DICKY TIE THE KNOT TO A GAL NAMED ROSEMARY?????
launch_mmbosstones_joe: YES.
yellowsubarine: is ben the toughest b'tone of em all
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Ben is the sweetest Bosstone of them all.
kelcy6: Is there any CD that you never get sick of listening??
launch_mmbosstones_tim: I listened to the Who album Live At Leeds all the time--until I lent it to Joe, and I've never seen it since!
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Oh, you did? Listen, you can just come right out and say it...
launch_mmbosstones_tim: It was actually digitally remastered, for the CD.
sdbridges3: If you could cover any band, who would you guys cover?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: We can cover any band and we've covered many bands: Metallica, Minor Threat, Angry Samoans, the Clash, Van Halen, Bob Marley...
theman5552001: When did you first learn how to play your insturments and how long did it take you
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I just learned last week, and it took me about 12 years.
launch_mmbosstones_tim: I've been playing saxophone for close to 25 years, which is the only reason I have any idea what I'm doing...
xbosstonesx: Where are you guys right now?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: We're in L.A. We're doing three shows at the Whisky A Go-Go--Friday, Saturday, Sunday--with the Voodoo Glow Skulls, Flogging Molly, Madcap, and the Sentimentals.
tonesarmy: Hey guys, I have seen you play in several different cities, and it appears that you are more hyped to play in some towns. Can you give us a few of your favorites?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I think that we can have what feels like the greatest show pretty much anywhere, and there are many cities outside of Boston that feel a lot like home when we're on the road.
rpk477: Is "the day he didnt die" dedicated to anybody?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: It's dedicated, or I should say, it's about Dicky's uncle, who passed away a few years ago, the day after Christmas.
launch_mmbosstones_tim: I thought he said last night on the radio it was the day before...
launch_mmbosstones_joe: He was a big inspiration for Dicky and he was just a hard-working guy who lived a great life. He was a role model for Dicky and his cousins.
pressure_cooker2001: What's "Patricia" about?
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Patricia is Dicky's mom--that's her name.
timdh85: how long have u guys been together
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Since 19...well, let's see, we were together briefly in '85-'86, but we took a hiatus. We recorded our first full-length album in '89 and really started touring in 1990. As a full-time band, we've been together about 11 years.
singer4glu: whos your management?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Side One Dummy.
su_me_sa: when are you planning to come back to canada
launch_mmbosstones_joe: The border--the hassle--it's difficult, but we always have a great time up there.
shania_63084: Joe What is your favorite candybar?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: I like the Zagnut bar, 'cuz it's the funniest one floating in the hotel pool...
kdavidmichael: you've done mtv interviews in the past. do you think kurt loder's a little too smug?
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Ah, no I think Kurt Loder's a professional; the guy's been and rock 'n' roll writer for years. He's all right by me. He's old school.
launch_mmbosstones_joe: At least he doesn't pretend to like most of the crap like the rest of them do!
clm5487: Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: RICKY MARTIN. Ha ha ha.
punk_luvn_girl: what's the craziest thing a fan has ever done to you guys? (I wanna top them)
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Occasionally fans bake us cookies.
modman88_69: do you hate skinheads?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: No. I do not hate skinheads. However, I do hate racists. There's a big difference. I also don't appreciate violence at our shows, and have been known to whack a skinhead or two in his skin head, with my guitar!
becksnow: You guys are Great!! I plan on going to the Whiskey show comming up, is anything planned for April fools day?
launch_mmbosstones_joe: Mmm, no.
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Now that you mention it, we should come up with something...we have done crazy stuff in the past, like when a gymnast cartwheeled across the stage dressed like Ben and then Ben came onstage. People still think it was Ben who got shot out of the cannon at the Boston Warped show...so you never know...
sdbridges3: Do you guys ever get sick of touring and want it all to stop?
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Yes...NO!!! Don't put that...
launch_mmbosstones_joe: The notion that touring is somehow difficult or tiresome is a MYTH perpetuated by drug-addicted, self-righteous musicians trying to justify high ticket prices! Touring is fun, and anyone who tells you otherwise has forgotten how difficult it is to have a "real" job!
launch_mmbosstones_tim: Thanks to LAUNCH for your support with the Warped tour and our Hometown Throw Down tour, and thanks to everyone logging in today to check us out!
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