Part 2 is up just in time for Danny's birthday :-)
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== Introduction ==
== Introduction ==
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To celebrate the launch of the Kickstarter campaign for his new kids' album, ''[[No School Today]]'', [[Danny Weinkauf]] has granted an interview to TMBW! Many of the questions have been submitted by wiki users. The interview will be presented in three parts over the next few weeks. Check back next week for Part
Two
, and don't forget to back Danny on Kickstarter to get a copy of the album before it is released to the public, and other fun backer rewards!
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To celebrate the launch of the Kickstarter campaign for his new kids' album, ''[[No School Today]]'', [[Danny Weinkauf]] has granted an interview to TMBW! Many of the questions have been submitted by wiki users. The interview will be presented in three parts over the next few weeks. Check back next week for Part
Three
, and don't forget to back Danny on Kickstarter to get a copy of the album before it is released to the public, and other fun backer rewards!
== Part One ==
== Part One ==
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===== Do you feel like your years working with TMBG has influenced your own songwriting style? =====
===== Do you feel like your years working with TMBG has influenced your own songwriting style? =====
Absolutely, how could it not? 15 plus years working with guys as amazingly talented and prolific as John and John? I hope something good has rubbed off on me!
Absolutely, how could it not? 15 plus years working with guys as amazingly talented and prolific as John and John? I hope something good has rubbed off on me!
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== Part Two ==
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===== From other interviews, we've heard the official story on how Marty and Dan came to join TMBG. What's yours? =====
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Well, I was fortunate in that I played in two bands that were the opening act for TMBG. First was the Candy Butchers with Mike Viola and Todd Foulsham and then again with the band Lincoln with Dan Miller. So, the Johns were familiar with me and my style of playing. Then at some point Graham Maby left the touring band to work with Natalie Merchant. Flansy's friend Hal Cragin then became the bassist (Hal had worked with Mono Puff, etc). Hal was also the bassist for Iggy Pop at the time and after a while he started to have conflicts - so I was asked by Hal to sub for him. I subbed on a couple of shows and one day on stage at sound check at the Hatch Shell in Boston, Jamie Kitman (manager for TMBG and Lincoln) asked me if I'd like to be the full time bassist with TMBG. I told him I'd think about it and immediately went and found Flansy backstage and asked him if this was all OK. I didn't want to take anyone else's gig - Hal had always been a real gent with me. Flansy told me it would all be great and he was right.
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===== How did you first meet Dan Miller? =====
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Not that long ago, in NYC, the Village Voice was a free newspaper that you could pick up on almost any street corner. Every week in the classified section you could find want ads for bands looking for musicians or musicians seeking bands - any type of music - any level of experience - I don't think there's anything like it today (although I'm sure someone will design an app for it!). I answered an ad in the VV for a bassist - I think the ad referenced Crowded House, Billy Bragg, and the Smithereens. Anyway, I went to meet the band at an apartment that was a bi-level. The guys looking for a bassist were Scott Klass (the Davenports) and Rob Sharenow (now the head of Lifetime TV). They answered the door but evidently we were in the lower level of the apartment that was occupied by their roommate, Dan Miller. I entered and as I recall Dan was standing there eating peanut butter off his finger - he said hello and offered me some peanut butter (which I politely declined haha). We went upstairs and I not only had a good audition but made two very good friends. While we were playing, Dan was down in his part of the apartment noodling away on his guitar - doing all this 2 hand tapping crap but also playing some very nice guitar. I asked Scott and Rob why they didn't add Dan to the band - and they said that he was too busy or something. Later on we wound up doing a couple of shows together and Dan did play with us so when Lincoln came along - Dan was on my short list of people to call.
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===== I don't have a specific question, but I'd love to know more about Lincoln (we know very little!); how did it form, what was the band (specifically Chris Temple) like, and how did you and Dan both make your way to TMBG? (And what were your initial impressions of TMBG?) =====
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(Question submitted by {{User:Antgeth/sig}})
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Lincoln was another Village Voice story. Chris Temple had put an ad in the VV looking for a bass player and drummer. I went to Chris' apartment down on 2nd St.in NYC. We spoke and he handed me a demo tape that he had just made using the great musicians Andy Newmark (Sly Stone, Clapton, Lennon, Harrison, etc) and Nils Lofgren (Springsteen, Neil Young, etc). So, as I was driving away I popped the cassette (old school!) into my car stereo - it sounded great and Chris' voice was so unusual that I actually turned around and drove back to his apartment and asked him to sing for me. He laughed and sang a little of one of the songs and I stopped him before he was even done and we made plans to play together soon. The audition went very well and about a week later I asked Chris if we could try playing with a drummer friend of mine named Gonzalo Martinez who I'd worked with in a band called Nate Ouderkirk. Gonzo, Chris, and I immediately had a great playing chemistry and we played a few shows together then decided to audition guitarists. I remembered Dan Miller, and he was the clear choice for our 4th member - he wound up playing both guitar and keyboards in the band. We four did a few more showcases and played all the downtown clubs at the time - CBGB's gallery, Brownies, Sine, etc - it was an exciting time. There was a buzz around town about bands like us and Candy Butchers. Record labels (back when there were record labels, he said with a shrug), A+R folks would be at all the shows. Lincoln got signed to a big fat record deal with London Records (Polygram) and made a very expensive album simply titled "Lincoln". That band had a lot of musical potential but was not destined for success. Touring in a van opening for other acts and following them across the country in their busses (where you can sleep while you travel) is a very hard way to live. It can bring out the worst in people and it certainly did with us. The band started breaking apart after about 1.5 tough years. I then joined TMBG as I explained above and Dan Miller was only about a month or 2 behind me in joining up with TMBG (I guess you know his story).
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My initial impressions of TMBG were from hearing them on the radio and seeing their videos. I loved "Don't Let's Start" and later "Ana Ng" - these guys were different. The songs were melodic and singable - slightly odd and interesting and not like anything I'd ever heard before. Then, as I mentioned before, I later toured quite a bit in their opening bands so I got to see them night after night. I was always blown away by the quality of the song writing and the level of play in the live show. I have great respect for John and John and also for guys like Graham Maby, Hal Cragin, Dan Hickey (who was still the drummer when I joined TMBG) and Dan Levine, Stan Harrison, Curt Ramm, etc. TMBG always played with such talented musicians - the resume of these guys includes Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Joe Jackson, Joe Cocker, B52s, Springsteen, Chic, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Radiohead, etc, etc - they are some of the best players in the world. So, when TMBG asked me to play with them I really felt honored at the opportunity. As Flans said to me at the time (in an old world show biz voice) "this ain't like touring with no little opening act like Lincoln or Candy Butchers - this is the Big Time".
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===== -How did the vibe change from touring as part of Lincoln to touring as part of They Might Be Giants? Have there been any stops on tour that were particularly memorable, for good or bad reasons, you'd like to relate? =====
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(Question submitted by [[User:Mongoose|Mongoose]])
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The vibe from one to the other could almost not be more different. We went from five men crammed into a van, driving all day, every day and then having to rush and play a 30 minute set to sleeping on a very nicely set up bus with a fully stocked kitchen, DVD players in all the bunks, and two lounges with TVs. Our days are free for the most part and then we get to play for almost 2 hours with an amazing band and a repertoire that is very deep. There are many spots that are memorable for sure: Lincoln Center for the view, 9:30 club for the fans, Fillmore West for it's history and the city of San Francisco, Stubbs in Austin for the food and the city. One time on tour with Lincoln, I met a local musician on a night off in Columbus, Ohio - he invited me and Gonzalo over to his studio where he had a whole band of guys waiting to play and we recorded one of my songs that night. A very spontaneous and fun experience. I remember Gonzalo joking with Chris the next day saying if he didn't watch out we'd start a new band without him.
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===== Do you recall any particular moment when you first felt like you had "made it" as a professional musician? =====
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(Question submitted by [[User:BlueCanary|BlueCanary]])
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Have I made it? I don't know that there was a moment like that. I do know there have been times when the reality of the situation was memorable. One example was a time when Dan Miller first joined TMBG. I had already played a bunch of shows with them and we were on stage playing at some festival in a large hockey arena. The crowd was massive and he was just looking at me. I motioned for him to look out at the crowd and we both looked back with big smiles. Maybe that was the day we had "made it".
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===== Did you get your own Grammy statue or do you have to share one with the rest of the band? And if you did, where do you keep it? =====
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(Question submitted by [[User:BlueCanary|BlueCanary]])
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Yes, I did get my own Grammy statue. It was originally on a random shelf somewhere until my parents came to visit and insisted that I should put it in a more trafficked place in my living room with a Grammy photo next to it. After that it has slowly been demoted and has moved to a lower shelf with the photo in another room. It was kind of a surprising thrill to be involved with the Grammys (my wife and I went twice). I know that it's really not any measure of quality, but is sure is a fun party and some people think it's a big deal - which is nice too.
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===== In your Kickstarter, you describe yourself as bassist "for TMBG" rather than "in TMBG". With the whole history of John L and John F _being_ TMBG before there ever was a full band, there's an interesting and unique structure to the musical org chart. Do you consider yourself to be _in_ They Might Be Giants? =====
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(Question submitted by [[User:johnreale|johnreale]]
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They Might Be Giants is John and John - it was set up that way from the start and it was in their best interest to have it that way. When we all get on stage, it certainly feels like I am in the band but it is John and John who the fans pay to see and it's their amazing life's work that we draw from each night.
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===== At what point in the TMBG songwriting process are you and the rest of the backing band brought in? Does it vary from song to song or is the general structure usually already in place before you hear an idea? =====
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That can vary a great deal. There are times when a song demo has been made that has very specific parts that are integral to the way the song works and we may just go in and replace the parts with real instruments, adding or subtracting what sounds best. Other times, we may just start with an idea for a song and a couple of chords are discussed and we all go in and create a track - most often it's somewhere in between those two scenarios.
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===== Are there any TMBG songs that you are particularly proud of your contribution to? =====
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Here's the cliche - but that's like choosing a favorite child! I am super proud any time I feel like I provided a bass part that serves the song well - and, if I'm lucky, adds groove or interest. Sometimes a song doesn't need a lot of notes - just the right ones at the right time - and sometimes a lot of notes can be exciting - figuring that out is the challenge and the fun part.
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===== Do you have a favorite TMBG track? Are they any that are just particularly fun to play? And are there any that were a real challenge to learn? =====
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(Question submitted by [[User:BlueCanary|BlueCanary]] and [[User:Doctor particle man|Doctor particle man]])
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Again - favorite child - or maybe my favorite child of two guys named John. In general it is a blast to play with this band - any song any day - I'm there! Sometimes a crowd reaction can make a song extra fun - so, if the crowd goes nuts for a new or old song - we get that energy on stage - I think you can probably see that from the audience. It's always fun for me to play Cloisonné because I get to switch to keyboards. The most fun would have to be when I get to sing the songs I wrote - that's an amazing feeling - the TMBG fans are such a great audience!
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===== What's your favorite TMBG bass line? Favorite Beatles bass line? Where ''do'' they make balloons? =====
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(Question submitted by [[User:Wireless mike|Wireless mike]])
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I'm not sure I could pick a "favorite" TMBG bass line. A couple that I think are really great that come to mind are "Rest Awhile" by Graham Maby and "S-E-X-X-Y" by Hal Craigin. My favorite Beatles bass line might be one that can only be found on the Anthology - the alternate version of "And Your Bird Can Sing".
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===== Would you say the sound of the band has changed in your opinion since you started playing with them? Also, what's the relationship between everyone during downtime been like over the years? =====
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(Question submitted by [[User:PuppetToupee|PuppetToupee]])
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I think the "sound of the band" is always changing since before I was in the band and into the future. John and John are always looking for new ways to write, new topics, new sounds, etc. It's an ever changing sound. The guys in the band are all gents - you can probably tell that from the audience - we all get along very well and enjoy each other's company even away from the music.
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=====What have you learned from the other members of the band that has influenced you as a musician and a songwriter? =====
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I could write a book about what I've learned from the guys in the band. First of all, John and John are very different individuals but both have unusually unique and prolific writing abilities. They also share a sensibility for exploration when it comes to new sounds and styles of music, etc. - nothing is off limits and the entire world of sounds is their palette. Then there's Dan Miller and Marty Beller - most people might not know it, but aside from being great musicians in a band setting they are fantastic composers. Each of them has scored films and TV and they do so often and at a very high level. When Hootie and the Blowfish took TMBG on tour with them years ago they talked about challenging other bands in games of basketball - music is not a competition, but I bet the combined amount of musical talent in TMBG would out shine almost any other band.
[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Interviews]]