All posts tagged as: STEREOtype
STEREOtype - Yoni Wolf (Why?)
With all the holidays, I’ve had little to no time to go chasing after musical Jews, but the wait is over: here’s a new STEREOtype Q&A with Why? vocalist and brain-genius Yoni Wolf. Yoni’s band, part of California’s Anticon Collective, spins lovely and forlorn indie folk that occasionally skirts the line between rock and hip hop. Why?’s new record Eskimo Snow dropped last week, and you can grab that masterpiece here. Wikipedia is telling me Yoni was born to a pair of ‘Messianic Jews’ (whatever that means) in Cincinnati, and that he discovered his first 4-track in his father’s synagogue. Let’s see how far that discovery has taken Yoni across the Jew-spectrum. Onwards:
How many times a week do you speak to your Mother?
I have been living with her for the past two weeks…so, I would say everyday.
Your nose. Friend or foe?
Non-partisan.
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STEREOtype - Boaz Yakin
Finally, another installment of STEREOtype! This week I got to chat with filmmaker Boaz Yakin. You may know him as the guy who directed Remember the Titans and A Price Above Rubies, but he’s back with something a bit different: the controversial Death in Love. It is Boaz’s newest film, starring Josh Lucas, and focuses on the relationship between an unnamed mother and her sons. The mother is a holocaust survivor, and scenes of her love affair with a Nazi doctor are intercut with scenes from her present-day life. In the face of such a serious subject, I’m pretty sure Boaz was happy to answer questions of a lighter and sillier sort. I mean, the man also wrote the upcoming Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and directed the Brittany Murphy vehicle Uptown Girls. I am pretty sure he has a great sense of humor. Onwards:
How many times a week do you speak to your mother?
Depends on the week.
Your nose. Friend or foe?
If by friend you mean relatively small, straight, and non-semitic in bone structure, the nose I possess, its shape probably determined by a genetic imprinting introduced into the family bloodstream by some Goyish rapist, either welcome or unwelcome, is, I suppose, my friend. If does however serve as a conduit to particles which activate allergies which I associate with the Ashkenazic side of my heritage with a kind of deep seated Jewish self-hatred that goes far deeper than any that could be caused by an extra millimeter or so of length added to my nose bone, and as such is, I feel, my enemy.
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STEREOtype - Ben Wigler (Arizona)
Finally, a new STEREOtype! This time around I got to chat with Arizona’s Ben Wigler. On the Echo Mountain imprint, Arizona plays an odd, creative and complex brand of psychrock-meets-folkpop. Ben handles lead vocals and guitar in Arizona, and his smooth and whispery voice is almost as satisfying as his amazing Jewfro or his off kilter sense of humor. For example:
How many times a week do you speak to your mother?
Probably about once a week, although we gChat more often than that. My sweetheart of a mother likes to pretend that I’m actually a famous, sought-after musician. This helps her justify how little I call, even though she knows that when I’m not on tour or recording in Asheville, I’m usually just sitting around watching all the seasons of 24 continuously (without breaks) in order to fully immerse myself in the action. I have an artist endorsement with both Oh Boy! Oberto!-brand dried meat and adult diaper brand Depends.
I’ll call her up and she’ll go “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!” at the top of her lungs for 30 seconds the way I would if Lars Ulrich decided to call me out of the blue. She is hilarious!
Actually, we talk a lot more when I’m on the road for some reason. I’ll call her about every other day, and send her pictures of Owl-related memorabilia that I collect for her (she loves Owls). One time I drunk dialed my mother when I was tripping on mushrooms in Barcelona.
STEREOtype - David Wain
In honor of The State’s triumphant return to the world stage (DVD out 7/14!) I decided to go with Showalter-buddy and Wainy Days creator David Wain for this week’s STEREOtype. As funny as he is Jewy, how much introduction does David really need?
How many times a week do you speak to your Mother?
Between one and five
Your nose. Friend or foe?
It was a huge issue most of my life. Had a deviated septum that prevented me from breathing through it till I was 14, when I had corrective surgery and they un-jewified it a bit while they were in there. Still couldn’t breathe till I was 24 and had to have another surgery to fix. Now it’s been fine for 15 years and I don’t think about it anymore!
Are you good with money?
No.
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STEREOtype - Mookie Singerman (Genghis Tron)
This week I got to nag metal and noise visionary Mookie Singerman, half-jew and front man for the cybergrind trio Genghis Tron. I’ve been a big fan of their innovative style and twisted genre-play for a while, and touring with my buddies in Black Cobra doesn’t hurt either. Mookie just came back from SXSW (we were on the same flight!) to play a huge show with Converge in NYC, but he somehow managed to find time to let me in on some of his Jewy habits. Though Mookie’s band skips the drum and bass in their lineup, he certainly doesn’t spare me any Woody Allen-type charm. What a mensch.
How many times a week do you speak to your Mother?
It depends. Sometimes I’ll go two weeks without talking to her. Is that awful? My mom’s a strong lady with a more active social life than me, so I let her spread her wings and fly.
Your nose. Friend or foe?
BFF! My nose is so big it’s practically my conjoined twin. We’ve had our spats over the years, but I’ve come to embrace its general huge-osity.
Are you good with money?
Um, not really. I’m very un-Jewish in that respect. I love to gamble, I don’t really know how to save, and I buy my friends way too many drinks.
STEREOtype - Peter Silberman (The Antlers)
Freshly back from Texas, I can’t disappoint my readers by not offering a new STEREOtype this week. I just returned from SXSW, and as you would imagine, I saw a lot of buzzy bands, but the best (by far!) was The Antlers. Their new record Hospice is already saving indie music in ‘09, and the music world is in love. I’m equally as captivated by their whispery vocals and elegant melancholy, so when I realized mastermind Peter Silberman was a Jew, it was clear I just HAD to see how he did with my little Q&A. Check out what this Brooklyn kid has to say.
How many times a week do you speak to your Mother?
Oh, I’d say a couple times a week. Lately my family’s been emailing a lot, which is great because we all hate talking on the phone (with the exception of my sister).
Your nose. Friend or foe?
I’ve made my peace with my hook. In fact, I’m a fan of big noses. I think they give people character. But I’m congested pretty much all of the time, so I suppose I can blame it for that.
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STEREOtype - Rob Hitt
This week I had the chance to question Rob Hitt, fearless leader of I Surrender Records and former drummer for the now-defunct pop punk band Midtown. Rob also DJ’s the popular (and fairly raucous, I know) Trainwreck party on Tuesday nights at NYC’s Angels & Kings. Sure he founded MyOpenBar, so we know he can party, but how does he measure up as a Yid? Let’s find out.
How many times a week do you speak to your Mother?
2.5 maybe? I call her when I’m walking to or from the subway
Your nose. Friend or foe?
I knows all. Aren’t jews supposed to make bad puns?
STEREOtype - Ben Weinman
We’ve come to that lovely time of the week when I bring you a few commonly held STEREOtypes and the Jews that love em’—or hate them! This time around I had the chance to chat with New Jersey native and guitarist Ben Weinman from The Dillinger Escape Plan. Rolling Stone recently described DEP as “metal chaoticians”, and I can’t think of a better description. This guitar-giant just returned from the The Soundwave Festival in Australia where he had the pleasure of joining Nine Inch Nails on stage for a rousing version of “Wish.” He makes his own music too, and it’s lovely and can be heard here. Ben certainly is a main player when it comes to metal, but what about Mitzvoth?
How many times a week do you speak to your Mother?
Everyday. Well, when I’m on tour, less–but when I’m home literally every day. In fact, I just bought a house like down the street from my parents, so it’s kind of like Everybody loves Raymond but no one loves me except her.
Your nose. Friend or foe?
Not too bad. It keeps me a little stealth.
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STEREOtype: Joanna Angel
It’s that time again, lovely readers! This week I question Joanna Angel, Jewy alternative-porn queen, multiple AVN Award winner and the creator of BurningAngel (NSFW!). Joanna has been writing, directing, producing and starring in her own movies for years now, and has undoubtedly come up against some very strange things, but probably nothing like this:
How many times a week do you speak to your Mother?
Ugh! Well, she calls me like every day and I call her back about once a month and we spend most of the time talking about why I haven’t called. My mother really needs to learn how to text message and it would make our relationship a lot better.
Your nose. Friend or foe?
I like my nose! It’s part of who I am. When I was younger I used to really want a nose job, but now I don’t care anymore. I think I grew into it a little more, so I will go with “friend.”
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STEREOtype - Mirah
Since this is the JDub blog, why not start a tradition? Welcome to the very first installment of STEREOtype – a weekly feature in which I will ask someone awesome—musician, artist, media personality—about my favorite Jewish stereotypes, and how they relate to those.
This week, I got the chance to question K Records artist Mirah about her innate Jewyness (her real name is Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn) before her forthcoming record (a)spera drops in March
How many times a week do you speak to your Mother?
I’m not sure if I could count. Sometimes I get three messages in a row, always when I’m running out the door, sometimes in the middle of the night. Her messages are extremely long, often about complicated thoughts and ideas. Sometimes we’re both whirling around in identical ways and don’t get a chance to talk for a week at a time. Last night I called her because the Novocain from my earlier dentist appointment had just worn off and I was sad and in pain and wanted to talk to my mom. I talk to my dad several times a week. He’s easier to get ahold of.
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