Mindless Self Indulgence (left to right): Lyn Z, Steve Righ?, Jimmy Urine and Kitty
(Credit: Jorden Haley)
The band’s latest record, “If,” already features a No. 1 dance single—called, ironically, “Never Wanted to Dance”—and the group has landed prominent spots at festivals like Bamboozle alongside more mainstream acts like Paramore and Gym Class Heroes. And last year, they suddenly became a hot topic on the emo blogs when the band’s bassist, Lyn Z, married My Chemical Romance’s lead singer, Gerard Way. (Urine also recently entered into a rock-star marriage with Chantal Claret, lead singer of New York dance-punks Morningwood.)
Will married life and pop stardom affect a group known for its confrontational attitude? We called up Urine to find out.
Your new record features a song about impotence, called “Get It Up.” Is this a personal song for you?
I like it because it’s a lovely duet with my life. Ironically, our sex life is fantastic. Also, I like it because it’s sort of the opposite of what you’d expect from a duet; this isn’t “I’ve Had the Time of My Life.”
Has marital bliss, which has infected both you and bassist Lyn Z, caused you guys to mellow out?
Well, it makes everybody happy. We’re a happy band. We’re fun people, and we just try to enjoy ourselves.
There are some pointed barbs in your lyrics, though.
I mean, there’s a message in what we do, but it’s not hating anyone or trying to poetic. We’re not super serious and unhappy—there’s nothing to draw from there. I think the best way to think of us is a combination of Public Enemy’s “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” and Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” We can mean fuckin’ business, but we can also be the joker.
It’s hard to classify your sound.
We’re not a one-dimensional band. We don’t want to be like some guy who worships Jimmy Page and ends up copying him completely. That’s called Wolfmother. Me, I’d rather be Sammy Davis, Jr. I’m a song and dance man!
“Mark David Chapman,” the album’s last track on your new album, is described as a collaboration between you and all your fans. Explain.
I was inspired to write with, well, everyone. Basically, I’d go on MySpace and, at every stage of the song, give our fans a vote. “Should I write this song on a synthesizer, sampler or guitar?” would be the first question. And every question, I’d adhere to what they had to say. If they voted to have me use a random sample that was lame, I’d have to make it work. They even voted to have my mom on it. She’s the one speaking Spanish.
It sounds surprisingly coherent.
I’m surprised, too! The votes always forced me to rethink at each stage. I’d do it again, but the only problem was that it took a week to write one part of each song.
Why call your record “If”?
That was the headspace I was in. Stylistically, I liked that it was short. We’ve done long titles, and now everybody is doing it. “I’m a Bullet From My Valentine From my…” You know what? Fuck off. Anyway, it was sort of emotionally where I was at. It’s kind of nice saying you’re the person driving the boat and you don’t know where you’re going. It beats trying to cram a message down your audience’s throat. It’s like taking somebody into an art gallery and telling them what the art means. Shit or masterpiece, let the kids decide.
Your single “Never Wanted to Dance” is currently a No. 1 dance single. Ironic?
You can dance to our stuff. It may be metalheads in a pit, super goth types, day-glo ravers, kids pogo-ing, dudes in Renaissance wear…but everybody seems to dance, in some ways, at our shows.
You pretty much run your own show; you license out your records, eschew MTV and radio, and you’ll often partner up with stores like Hot Topic for record releases. Did you always know you’d be doing things a little differently?
It’s a business; shit changes. When we started, we were caught in a huge bidding war…then, suddenly, after our record comes out we’re at war with our label and we decided to leave. Retail goes down. So you adapt. We’re not formulaic musically, so why be that way in business?
Wikipedia has this for your bio: “He claims to have been arrested on charges of indecent exposure while on tour with Insane Clown Posse. He has ingested his own urine during performances. He is married to the lead singer of Morningwood.” Is that going on your tombstone?
That’s really funny! My poor wife. Well, it’s funny, because it all sort of represents my past, present and future. It’s not a bad thing to have on my tombstone.
