Q. Are those stupid Short Run Compact Discs still available? I need a couple...
A. No. All gone. Sorry about that. Good luck with eBay.
Q. Are you accepting demo tapes?
A. If you're in a poppy punk band, what the hell? I'm probably not picking up any more projects for 2008, but you never know how things turn out down the road. If nothing else, your demo will help educate me about who's who and doing what.
Q. Will you buy some of my new 7" (or CD) for distribution?
A. Maybe. If it's good poppy punk rock, I might. But your chances are better if you can TRADE for Mutant Pop label items. You sell my stuff, I sell your stuff, everyone's happy... Otherwise, send me a promo with a note indicating your best price and we'll see how it goes.
Q. Why don't you pay more attention to MySpace? I see you have a page there, but you don't put any effort into it and have no friends...
A. Because I don't like MySpace much... I can see its benefits though and will be looking for someone to help me out with the layout of a decent MySpace site. This is something that will happen later this year.
Q. Are you going to restart the Incredible Mutant Pop Catalog?
A. I will if I can rebuild the mailing list to the point where it attains critical mass to support a regular catalog. That's a long and expensive process. Here's how you can help: BUY SOME FUCKING RECORDS. Seriously, that's what it takes is 500 or so record buyers on a mailing list... If you want the printed catalog back, vote with your checkbook.
In the near term, it looks like a downloadable digital catalog is the way that things are going to go. Basically people wanting this will let me know by checking a box on their order form and I will try to get a pdf emailed out every month to the list reviewing records and making new releases known, hopefully with some zine content emerging. It's harder to read on the toilet (unless you print out a copy first!) but a goal that can be accomplished in the fairly near term. Stay tuned for more info.
Q. Do you take credit cards or PayPal?
A. Not really. Use the mail for mailorder. There are exceptions for special cases, such as international orders to people I know, but generally, cash or check or money order in the mail is the way I want to do things. I will try to make sure that my ENTIRE back catalog is set up with somebody who does take PayPal though, so people will be able to use that form of payment if they absolutely have to. But I want to get back to the ROMANCE of mailorder -- but modernized and improved. There is something really sterile and unseemly about pointing and clicking and electronically transferring funds. It is somehow dehumanizing. I don't see PayPal as contributing in any way to the experience I want people to have although I KNOW I could EASILY sell more records by upgrading my site and taking PayPal. I may have to bit the bullet eventually -- but like I say, that's not how I WANT to go and I'm going to fight like hell for my vision, even if you don't share it.
Q. Why are you such an asshole?
A. I'm not. I just act like one so that people pay attention, in much the same was as it's hard to ignore a naked 300 pounder with a face painted like a clown who is banging a pickle bucket and playing a kazoo...
Q. How is Snorkel Bob doing?
A. Snorkel Bob died of cancer in 2004, at the age of 12. He was a good old boy... My new Golden Retriever buddy (above) is named Bingo Bill ("Bing"), age 4. He's a couch potato who is twice as smart and half as loyal as Bob was...
Q. Do you still sell records out of the shoe store basement?
A. Sure, I do. Stop by if you're in the neighborhood! Come on down, Portlanders!!! (email me first!)
Q. Do you still hate Ben Weasel/Lookout Records/<fill in the blank>?
A. Who, me? No. Ben's okay... Lookout's okay... I've learned to chill a little...
Q. Do you have any other new releases planned?
A. Yes. Watch this site.
