Send your query to asktheband@tmrmusic.com!

When did you guys meet?
 

DANNY:  Check out our bios for more details on this, but I met Justus in
elementary school, and I met Eric when I was in eighth grade.  So I've
known Justus for about ten years now (wow) and Eric for about six.

ERIC:  Yeah, everything's on the webpage, but I met Danny in Stockholm
in the late 70's, and Justus in Hamburg around '83.

JUSTUS:  They found me in a dumpster one dark and stormy night.

When did you start the band?
 

DANNY:  It all came together in May of '99.  Our first gig was the next
month; we played at a surprise birthday party for a member of the school
board.  Then in August we won the Battle of the Bands at North Olmsted
Park--and that was only our third time playing out!

ERIC:  Danny and I had gotten together in '98, but hadn't created a
repertoire, yet.

JUSTUS:  Yes.

Why is grass green?
 

DANNY:  Photosynthesis.  But not all grass is green.  Some grass is
blue, and dead grass is yellow.

ERIC:  I'm going to have to go with Danny on that one.

JUSTUS:  Chlorophyll, which is inside of a chloroplast.  A chloroplast is
a vacuole similar to food or water vacuoles also found at the cellular
level.  Photosynthesis is the process of turning solar energy and carbon
dioxide into food, with the waste product being oxygen.  Photosynthesis is
actually not limited to plants.  Of the five types of cellular life (Plant,
Animal, Bacterial, Viral, and Algae) Plant and surprisingly Algae cells
experience photosynthesis.  The reason Algae is not lumped in with Plant is
that Algae are, in a way, the ultimate omnivores.  Many of them can both
produce their own food through photosynthesis and consume other living
organisms.  This is not dissimilar to a Venus flytrap, but the difference
is that Algae are unicellular, whereas a Venus flytrap is obviously not. 
Photosynthesis is not the only means by which cells can gather food without
consuming other living organisms.  In sulfur rich environments (such as the
rim of a volcano or the edge of a tectonic plate) organisms use sulfur and
heat in the same way plants, and some algae, use carbon dioxide and
sunlight.  These organisms that use sulfur were not discovered until
recently because of the lack of submarines able to stand pressure as great
as it is at the bottom of the ocean (where the tectonic plates end). 
Interestingly the pigment in these sulfur consuming organisms is red, as
opposed to the familiar green pigment found in the chlorophyll inside of a
chloroplast in plant cells.  And the green grass grows all around and
around.  And the green grass grows all around.

Why is the sky blue?
 

DANNY:  Photosynthesis.

ERIC:  You're obviously not from Cleveland.

JUSTUS:  I'll make this one quick.  All other wavelengths of visible
light are diffracted by the atmosphere.

What is the difference between a wiener, hot dog, and a frankfurter?
 

ERIC:  Danny is a hot dog, I am a frankfurter, and Justus is a wiener.

Why can't anything go faster than the speed of light?
 

DANNY:  My roommate thinks that things actually can go faster than the
speed of light but the government is covering it up.

ERIC:  My imagination can.

JUSTUS:  If something did, time would have to go backwards, which would
be bad.

Do you know what fum is?
 

ERIC:  A finger on the human hand that is different from others in that
it has only two phalanges.

JUSTUS:  Something to be fiddled?

How often does Justus poop his pants?
 

ERIC:  We get this one a lot, but those are sealed medical records, buddy.

JUSTUS:  No.

How many licks does it really take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? I keep asking this damn owl and he keeps biting all of them...stupid owl.

DANNY:  I don't know, but here's a way to get back at the owl: keep giving him candy.  As you may remember from fourth grade, we can learn what owls eat by dissecting the pellets of indigestible material they expel.  When you pull those things apart, you find that owls eat mostly small mammals such as mice, shrews, and voles.  I don't remember ever finding any Tootsie Pops in there, so it's safe to assume that they aren't a normal part of an owl's diet.  So keep feeding him sugar, and it shouldn't be long before you've got him in a diabetic coma.  Stupid owl.

ERIC:  A group of engineering students from Purdue University recorded that their licking machine, modeled after the human tongue, took an average of 364 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. They tried the same licking test on 20 volunteers and found that the average licks to the center were 252 licks.

JUSTUS:  Owls can only count to 3.  He did that to keep you from knowing his deep dark secret.  He was supposed to be the all knowing owl, but he was never good enough.

Why do Satan's Cheerleaders like to promote Audis? (I really don't know why I'm asking this one.)
 

DANNY:  I don't know why you're asking that, either.  But maybe it has to do with the fact that Audis are German.

ERIC:  Satan has cheerleaders?  Hmm...

JUSTUS:  Gimme an S...
Gimme an A...
Gimme an N...
Gimme an T...
Gimme an A...
What does that spell?
SATAN!!!

For Eric: Does putting on a Batman hat really make me look like Batman?

ERIC:  "Absolutamente'!  Si!  My name is Otto, it means 'eight'."

Don't you agree that it would have been so much cooler if Joe Millionaire had received a lifetime supply of Jell-O Pudding instead of that lame million dollars?

DANNY:  Yes.  Wouldn't that have been a shock, after he thought he was the one putting everybody on?

ERIC:  I'm sorry, I don't watch crap.  But I sure do enjoy the Jell-O pudd'n.

JUSTUS:  If it were tapioca that would be like a lifetime of punishment.  Like owning a White Castle, but not making enough money to eat anywhere else.
 

Danny and/or Eric but mostly Danny - How many more instruments do you plan on learning to play and are there any new ones that you are thinking about buying/learning in the near future?

DANNY:  I can't give you an actual number, because usually the urge to learn a new instrument strikes me in music stores when I'm not expecting it.  For example, last fall I went into the String Shoppe to look at guitar pedals, and came out with a violin.  That's kind of an extreme case, but even I never know what I'll want to try next.  One instrument that I do kind of have my eye on, though:  I would love to be able to play the bagpipes.  Probably won't happen anytime soon, though.

ERIC:  Other than my sort-of new acoustic guitar, I had been entertaining the idea of purchasing a bass guitar in the near future.  Basically just for any solo work I may have the urge to tackle.  I may get involved with some MIDI/synth devices as well.  Running a small studio, I'm always looking for new and different sounds, and how to coax the best tone out of them.  I come from a more percussion-oriented angle, so I will continue to concentrate mainly on the skins.

When is Justus gonna learn something new?  His list of equipment is so very sad compared to the others.

DANNY:  He plays a mean electric fan.  That's probably not on his list.

ERIC:  His superior intellect, and the ability to taint a man's mind, is the most powerful piece of equipment he has.

JUSTUS:  I know how to play many instruments, but my list of equipment is slim because I spend my money on fireworks and video games.
 

DANNY: We’ve thought of doing that, and we certainly haven’t ruled it out. Perhaps something to be available online.

ERIC: I am totally down with doing a Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa CD.

JUSTUS: They don't tell me anything, I know nothing!

DANNY: That would seem tremendously unfair to the child.

ERIC: Does he know how to operate a friggin' lawn mower?

JUSTUS: Eric will cut your kid's hair...

DANNY: The photos were taken by Gabe McElwain at the BW Dance Marathon. Then I made them into a collage and applied the “fresco” effect in Photoshop.

ERIC: We stuffed Danny into a padded room (for his safety) and refused to let him out until he was visually creative. Poor guy.

JUSTUS: I wound up my Danny toy. It's so cool, he sings and dances, and exacts evil deeds for me.

DANNY: We got him a book of Foo Fighters songs, some tension rods for his snare drum, and a guitar cord. Went over to the Casa de Wahl to give him his presents, eat cake, and invent a new way to play Frisbee.

ERIC: "Happy birthday to me, happy birthday... to... me... *sigh* I'm old."

JUSTUS: No comment.

DANNY: We think it was either “Surveillance” or “Sandbox.”

ERIC: The first song recorded was "Sandbox". That was even before Justus joined us. I still have the tape. And yes, it still sucks.

JUSTUS: Si!

DANNY: I would say my favorite song of ours is still “Doghouse,” but it’s rivaled by some of the new stuff. I really like this new tune we’re working on called “Working Title Your Country Song.”

ERIC: I like any song that can evolve successfully from its studio version in one way or another. I will always be a big fan of "Surveillance" because of the different shape the tune can take depending upon what we're feeling at the time. Although, to date, my new favorite studio song would have to be the upcoming, "Eyeballs".

JUSTUS: My favorite one to listen to is "Scrambled Eggs." That one reminds me of Satan's secret message embedded in most TMR songs...

DANNY: Extremely important. I don’t think one can overstress the crucial role of nachos in the songwriting/rehearsing/recording process.

ERIC: Oh no you dit'n!

JUSTUS: How important is gas to your car?

DANNY: That depends on your behavioral inhibitions and also your going rate.

ERIC: Are you some sort of masochist?

JUSTUS: Only if you explode...

DANNY: No. Has anyone?

ERIC: French people piss me off!

JUSTUS: My toast could kick your toast around the breakfast table I'll tell ya what...

DANNY: Only if you played upon a ladle, a ladle, a ladle, you played upon a ladle.

ERIC: What did I tell you before? What did I tell you?! You're supposed to assemble your model airplanes in a well-ventilated area!

JUSTUS: Possession is nine-tenths of the law... Remember that when the cops pull you over, and you still have on you all the drugs you apparently take...

DANNY: I usually write most of the lyrics, except for when I don’t. Musically, each song is a collaborative effort—we each add our own ideas to the music and the arrangements.

ERIC: We import our songs from China most of the time. Well, okay... Danny is right.

JUSTUS: See earlier comment about wind up Danny toy.

DANNY: In the summer, I have none because I work at the paper. During the school year, though, I like to read, surf the internet, sleep, watch TV and play the occasional video game (Newsflash: Danny is boring). As a band, we’ve recently developed a collective obsession with Soul Calibur II.

ERIC: Year-round I record local bands in my project studio as well as engineer and co-produce any TMR recordings. During school, I don't do much of anything besides record. Unless, that is, I am sub-contracted to engineer live sound at a specific event. While Danny and Justus are at school, I spend a lot of time mixing and mastering our pre-recorded live audio for placement on our webpage or future releases.  Definitely Soul Calibur II.

JUSTUS: Answer "ask the band" questions.

DANNY: We’ve covered this in the “Primary Influences” sections on our individual pages, but I’ll list a few here that I didn’t mention there already. I love bluegrass music, particularly John Hartford, Béla Fleck, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Blue Highway and (of course) Flatt & Scruggs. I also dig Irish stuff (I bet you never would have guessed that) like the Chieftains, Gaelic Storm, Seven Nations and Great Big Sea.

ERIC: I am a HUGE Dave Matthews Band fan. I am also very partial to Barenaked Ladies (both the band and otherwise), Bowling for Soup, Vertical Horizon, Sister Hazel, and of course, Avril Lavigne. I've also been checking out a new performer by the name of Rachel Farris. Be on the lookout for her.

JUSTUS: NONE! There is no need for music outside of our band.  I suggest you all adopt this philosophy.

Who designs TMR fashions, trends, and school supplies, such as the lunchbox, frisbee, and thong?

DANNY: Those are designed by the legendary one-armed graphic designer Stubby McShuckington. He used to do illustrations and layout work for agricultural textbooks in the seventies, and he just recently came out of retirement to work in our plant.

ERIC: God save Stubs! He's saved us more times than I can count. If you see him, shake his hand. Well... the good one, anyway.

JUSTUS: Gott Strafe?

DANNY: Have you listened to the songs???

ERIC: Would I be sitting here typing this?

JUSTUS: Maybe... I love you Sarah (answer amended at Eric and Danny's request)

DANNY: THE Ohio State University.

ERIC: Cuyahoga Community College - Metro Campus

JUSTUS: Case Western Reserve University (Prozac, No Doze, or Coors. Pick one)

DANNY: Oh, we do pursue a contract. But we pursue it at a pace that, yes, does include finishing school first. You see, only by first obtaining a nigh-worthless humanities degree can I truly reach my rock star potential.

ERIC: Finishing school is a good idea. I don't think any of us advocate dropping out of school. Plus, I would rather gain the skills necessary to rival big commercial studios and record TMR's music, myself, than to pay upwards of $45/hr. to record with those bigger studios. We're pursuing the contract. It just takes time and money... and nachos.

JUSTUS: Stalling until Britney Spears' inevitable demise... (she drives me crazy!) (but it feels alright) (Britney thinkin' of you keeps me up all night) (I love you Sarah) (Sarah is a Viking) (I love you Sarah)

Will there be more zany hats?

DANNY:  Oh, so now my cowboy hat is "zany"?  Well, we're not the Village People here, but I'd venture to say that I'll put anything on my head if it adds to the show.  I'm going to regret saying that, aren't I?

ERIC:  I promise you.

JUSTUS:  No, I'm clostrophobic

 

Where does the inspiration for songs come from? Do the songs fall from the sky, spontaneously generate like suburban developments, or do you have a secret muse?

DANNY:  I like my songs to tell stories, or at least parts of stories.  My earliest TMR songs had whole plots (i.e. "Sandbox," "Surveillance," etc.) or at least bizarre character sketches ("Don't Touch," "Spiral Notebook").  For whatever reason, somewhere around "Doghouse" my writing took a more personal (and also more oblique) turn.  I'm still telling stories, but these days they're more likely to be snapshots from life that I've fictionalized for universal appeal.  And I would note that only very rarely is a song about just one subject.  We put people, events and ideas from all over the place into the TMR Blender* and, after a little processing, we serve up the delicious musical smoothies you've come to expect.  There are a lot of ingredients in there that should taste familiar to anyone.  Yikes, this was a really self-indulgent answer.  But hey, you asked.

ERIC:  They can come from just about anywhere.  Whether it be from a little boy selling lemonade in Ohio City or the Heavenly muse we have locked in Justus' closet.

JUSTUS:  I write one to release my frustration now and then.
 

Will you ever have a page on your site that gives a little background on the songs?

ERIC:  I certainly hope not.  We want people to come back.

DANNY:  Yeah, you really don't want to get in my head like that.  Just enjoy the smoothie.

JUSTUS:  No, that would romanticize our songs; they mean to you what they mean to you.

 

Eric does a great job with harmony, but will he ever sing lead vocals on a song or songs?

ERIC:  Thank you.  And the time is coming.  I just need to get more comfortable with the guitar.  It has been a month or two since I have played.  When I restring that bad boy, watch out!

DANNY:  I certainly hope not.  We want people to come back.  Har har!  Just kidding again.

JUSTUS:  Octopus' Garden here we come...

 

Does the one who writes the lyrics of a particular song keep the muse a
secret, or does everyone in the band know what all your songs are about?

ERIC:  I think it's generally up to the person who writes those lyrics to decide whether or not to reveal their source or emotion at the time.  That's the beauty of a song: even if every member doesn't know the true meaning behind the song, they can add their own thoughts and playing style to reflect how they interpret it.  In that way, the song can evolve to something even greater than the original demo.

DANNY:  What he said.

JUSTUS:  Just look at Ziggy Stardust...

 

Why does it take you guys so long to answer "Ask The Band" questions?

DANNY:  Hey, this ice cream's free, you wretched ingrate!  Just kidding.  Usually we wait until we have several new questions, and then answer a whole batch at once.  So, if you'd like to see your question answered in a more timely fashion, the best way to facilitate this would be to urge all your friends to check out our website and send their own questions to "Ask The Band."  If we get them in faster, we'll crank them back out faster.

ERIC:  Justus has to physically take the specs from the customer and hand-deliver them to the technicians.  Because we all know that technicians aren't good at dealing with the customers.  We'll try to post them at a faster pace.  Please don't beat us!

JUSTUS:  The monkeys are loose in the house!