Ummm... how to introduce... mmmm... uh... i'm drawing a blank here, help me out headless sno-cone girl... [much headscratching]... okay, once upon a time in a land far, far away (some people call it Cleveland), there was this band, see, and they were called Pere Ubu for reasons much too ridiculous to get into here. Thanks to peculiar artpunk tunes like "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" and "Final Solution," propped up a good four or five years before punk had a name, not to mention the bizarre spectacle of David Thomas (aka "Crocus Behemoth") and the sounds of musicians with decidedly eccentric ideas, Pere Ubu became obscure legends in their own time (not that this ever helped their record sales). As it happens, a surly band by the name of the Electric Eels was running around in the same circles as Pere Ubu, with musicians from both bands sitting in with the others from time to time. One of the Ubus played with the Eels on occasion and as it happens, one of the Eels was a jolly (???) chap by the name of Brian McMahon. The Eels are dust now (or maybe not -- see below), Ubu are still whirling like a centrifuge in their own obscure universe far removed from mainstream society and/or actual record sales, but McMahon, in the past few years, has begun carving out an interesting solo career. The most recent culimination of said career is the four-song EP YEAH, just out on Crab Pot, and the impetus for all this babbling in the first place.

So anyway, i sent some questions to Brian and then Mary Burzynski, Head Mogul at Crab Pot, sort of seized the reins to conduct the interview herself (probably a wise idea, since i tend to give dry interview). Her comments appear in brackets. The interview itself was conducted in Chicago on the third day of the dawning new millenium (and yes, i know the millenium technically doesn't start until 2001, don't start with me, dammit).

Now we push PLAY and see what transpires:

WHITE BISHOP TO CRAB POT 103, TRANSMISSION COMMENCES: DEAD ANGEL INTERVIEWS BRIAN MCMAHON

[Delighted with the incongruity of my conducting an interview, I selected an appropriately inappropriate place to hold court and presumptuously act in the stead of RKF. We began in the Signature Room at the top of the Hancock Building overlooking Chicago on the day after Christmas seated among flotsam and jetsam of Middle America. As Brian pushed a giant slab of “too rare” beef around on his plate, which perhaps is the unfortunate direct result of being located in the former meat packing capital of the US, I seized the moment to solicit the first
answer.....]

DA: I guess a little history would help to start off with...especially since i am still fuzzy on the connection between Electric Eels and Pere Ubu....

BM: There was very little connection beyond living in the same city at the same time.

Peter Laughner was about the only real interest we held in common, though the thoughtful and friendly Jim Jones sat in on bass at practices on a rare occasion.

Anyway it’s quite possible we’d never have found a space large enough to accommodate the egos of John (Morton, Eels) and Crocus (Behemoth aka David Thomas, Ubu) had we even approached a band to band civility. The Eels practiced the rule ‘If you can’t say something nice, attack cleverly." When the subject of Pere Ubu came up we got in some practice.

To clear the record both John and David had talent to match their egos.

DA: Do you still stay in contact with the Ubu cast of characters? (Is that even possible?)

BM: The only contact of which I’m aware escalated into a conflict over the ludicrous sum Ubu and Geffen (Records) offered to pay for including one of my songs, performed by the Electric Eels, on their 5-CD box set. But that’s not my fight.

I am glad that David Thomas considers "Jaguar Ride" to be one of the best songs ever written.

DA: So what compelled you to go solo after being in Electric Eels?

BM: It’s more like who interested me in going solo; and that was Tom Smith, by way of Flying Luttenbacher, Weasel Walters. He hooked us up in 1996 ostensibly for the interview that ended up as my first CD, 17 VOLTS.

I’ll resist the urge to describe that project here only because where Tom’s concerned a brief description sounds scary and also I hate to condense the best times of my life.

[As Brian drifted off and we both took time to silently reminisce, then adjourned to the mega bookstore across Michigan Avenue. It has free seating with a view of the real Water Tower, which could be called Chicago’s Town Square, but is really seen by shopper’s as the obstruction blocking their way between Saks and Bloomie’s.]

DA: And now you have this swell new EP, YEAH. So are you happy with the new thing (which sounds great, btw)?

BM: Thanks, glad you like it. So do I.

DA: All your albums have sounded fairly different so far. Is that a byproduct of the recording processes for each, or completely intentional?

BM: It’s both a by-product and completely intentional. I leave a lot of room on the canvas for the producer.

I expected casual lo-fi from Tom (Smith) on 17 VOLTS and accessible formal pop constructions from Numb (Struggles) on YEAH. AN INCH EQUALS A THOUSAND MILES was conceived to exist exclusively as vinyl.
Steve (Silverstein) and Mike (Whitney) referenced great vinyl albums for their production techniques on each song. A true eclectic mix but amazingly cohesive.

I ask producers to select songs from a master list compiled for their project. I want them to really love each of the songs they’re working on. Numb surprised me by crafting the four songs he chose into a virtual preview of the album he and I anxious to do. In fact we have all the songs and are looking for a label. Anyone interested?”

[Labels can write brian@prop-art.com for a copy of the ep YEAH.]

DA: How are you holding up under the struggle of putting out your own material on your own label?

BM: I do as little as possible because I haven’t the interest or aptitude for self-promotion. CrabPot Records exists merely as a vehicle to get my songs out. And it is doing that.

DA: Do you even have a desire to move to "bigger" labels/deals, or do you prefer the Crab Pot approach?

BM: Being self-released does give one total creative and scheduling control. And I don’t have to tour which suits the hermit in me. Still, a bargain with the “bigger” devil I’m prepared to make because I’d love to devote all my time and energy to writing.

[We nibbled our way through questions, answers and a city on holiday, ending up in Brian’s apartment having a slab of his freshly ground/brewed coffee.]

DA: How difficult do you find it having to do everything yourself? Or do you look at that as more of an opportunity than an obstacle?

BM: Lets skip this one. We covered that in the previous question didn’t we? Yeah.

But no wait, let’s tell where we got the name CrabPot. So Mary said the local music scene remined her of a crabpot; you don’t need a lid because the crabs keep pulling eachother back in! [tmu: i like this.] OK, next question.

DA: From one minilabel mogul to another, what do you think the impact has been from the collapse of Cargo and the implosion of independent distribution in general?

BM: From one who’s fast becoming an infinitesimogul I would say... no comment. From a business standpoint Mary, who handles more of the day to day, would have a lot to say but this isn’t her interview . Next question please.

DA: A lot of people have been blabbing that the rise of the MP3 format and the internet is going to make things better for independent artists, but I'm not convinced. What do you think?

BM: Hmmm..... I plead ignorance, I don’t know what’s being said. Happily we (CrabPot and Dead Angel) have met , so we’ve already benefited from the internet.

MP3 is a means of communication. I see the personal applications for this technology as separate from the business of music. The music industry will continue to find ways to dominate and make huge profits.
Meanwhile as a listening format I continue to miss the ritual of the vinyl album. The sequencing. Side A and Side B. The end song. The graphics....

Now we’re in an age of disposable music that doesn’t merit a lyric sheet. Consumed by an indiscriminate audience; mobile, fickle and driven by trends. Needing a celebrity imprimatur to form an opinion. There are
pockets of independence but conformity is so richly rewarded it’s hard for them to survive much less flourish. But I couldn’t keep doing what I am doing if I weren’t ultimately optimistic... and probably quite insane.

DA: It seems to me that avenues for "small" artists to make audiences aware of their existence are shrinking -- there are less music magazines by the day and they grow more conservative in what they cover, etc. Do
you get that feeling too?

BM: And ironically, there are more possibilities for access now than ever before. But the corporate monolith is eating up the scenery in every aspect of life and not surprisingly the arts.

DA: On the same subject, it seems like the gap between known and unknown is getting ridiculously large -- you're either huger than huge and your face is on the cover of twenty magazines, or you're pretty much unknown.
Are you as worried as i am about what this say about the state of the music biz?

BM: Yeah. It’s another example of the vanishing middle class in its non-perjorative sense. I’m also thinking now that the shallow characaters of 60’s Fellini films, when placed alongside those in the entertainment industry of today, seem almost substantial and much, much cooler. Ahh, do I hear Nino Rota? Must be close to the end titles. [No, we have three more questions to go.]

DA: I find it fascinating that you do this totally different other thing with Prop Art. What's up with that and how did it come about?

BM: It’s the family business. The props we make for films and tv commercials finance my music, Mary’s creative pursuits and biscuits for the dogs. Props so far have been bery bery good to us but it seems we’re always one prop away from flipping burgers. Art and music are expensive joneses. [tmu: From the perspective of someone who just spent $400 on a microphone i'm not even sure how to use, i'd have to agree. And we're not even getting into the issue of the cost of the approximately 3,500 CDs sitting in the closet at Castle Monotremata.]

DA: I hear rumors about the Electric Eels output being released all together in the near future. What's the story on that? Are you involved with it?

BM: They never tell me anything. Teeny power struggle? Some things never change. [tmu: We'll take that to mean "maybe."]

DA: What big plans lie over the horizon for you?

BM: Not that I ever plan too far in advance.... CrabPot is developing a site to promote and market my songs. We really want them to get covered and are looking to find bands and performers who need a song.

I’ve got a catalog of over 300 songs and I’m not suited to all the material. This is where I see a use for MP3. In a few months you’ll be able to drop in and pick up a ready to wear tune at my Haberdashery!

Meanwhile, we’ll keep stirring the CrabPot in 2000.

Good questions, thanks.