Judgement Day Swer Was No, There Weren’T Any Corpora Tions Who Would Put Their Product Any Parents
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When the long-awaited Beavis and blication, when some other hack cut me Butthead Do America hits theaters this off and asked Judge about the film’s ca winter, the dimwitted duo will achieve meo appearances. I was enragedl what they’ve been working toward for a For tiie next 10 minutes, I tried desp long time — no, not “scoring,” but creat- erately to get a word in edgewise, but ev in g a national epidemic of ery time, some other reporter would cut underachievement. me off, and Judge would answer them in- I personally enjoy, nay, relish Beavis steadl Was there some sort of indicator at and Butthead. and the characters’ addle- Paramount that let him know this is a col pated adventures, and there is no denying lege paper? Was Judge discriminating that the impact they’ve had on America’s against the Daily Nexus because a uni youth since “Frog Baseball” first hit versity paper is too damn intellectual for MTV’s screens is gargantuan. Before B &c his movie? Just who did he think he B, there was plenty of stupid entertain was? ment available to the masses, and most of But after a few moments of mental tor it was pretty funny, but none of the char ment, I remembered that the phone I had acters was ever considered “cool.” switched to was broken, and though I Though Beavis and Butthead probably could hear everything they were saying, lead the most miserable and unenviable they couldn’t hear me. “Damn it,” I lives on television (at least the Bundys thought, “Here is this great chance to ask have sex occasionally), they have each a major entertainment figure this great other, and in their own world, they exper question, and it’s lost. Maybe if I send out ience life to the fullest. Seeing the feather telepathic vibes really hard, some other brained friends always have something to reporter will catch them and ask for me!” laugh about—be it the destruction of Mr. Well, needless to say, the last question Anderson’s lawn or a Winger video — came and went. (“Mike, with movie com gives hope to the millions of aimless mercialization so big now, can we expect American youths who are told that they to see Beavis eat at Taco Bell?” The an will never be more successful than their Judgement Day swer was no, there weren’t any corpora tions who would put their product any parents. Artsweek's Nick Robertson tries to do Beavis and Bullhead creator Mike Judge. Hence, Beavis and Butthead have be where near this movie.) I stayed on the come antihero idols in our society, and while nobody acts, talks and even thinks? line as everybody hung up and all was silent. would want to trade places with them, their speech and The morning of the interview, I overslept, of course. But not getting to ask the question suddenly took the thinking patterns have become a regular part of Ameri Rushing down to the Nexus offices, I arrived just in time back burner to a shocking realization — everything the can dialogue. With the success of their first feature- to get the call that would soon hook me up with Judge. other reporters asked about just fed into the mentality of length film, which w ill be a success, their mannerisms Clutching my notebook, I waited patiently as I prepared growing B & B idolatry! They all asked Judge stuff like, and distinct laughs are bound to become irreversibly en to ask Judge the same question I would ask Socrates, Da- “Will you letyour kids see this movie?” —“No.” Or, “I’m trenched in our generation’s psyche. What a difference Vinci or even Bob Barker. It was an exciting moment. a lazy reporter, can you give me some quotes?” —“It’s two dorks made. When the telecommunications magic was complete, I Thelma and Louise without the chicks.” So when I was offered the opportunity for a was on the line with Judge, some Paramount representa Oh well. From what Mike said, though much of it was conference-call interview with Mike Judge, the creator tive whose job was to say “Next question?” incessantly fluff, it sounds like it will be a fun movie to watch and de and lead voices of Beavis and Butthead, I reeled with and about six other journalists. I held back at first, saving finitely a good way to turn your mind off for a couple of excitement. This was a chance to talk with the man him my all-encompassing query for later, as others asked ab hours. Though we’ll never know how it really feels to self, the actual brains behind the two boys without any, out the film’s soundtrack and how disgusting the duo watch a nation embody and mimic your brainchildren, at and I had a great question to ask him: How does it feel to could be with the film’s PG-13 rating. least we’ll know what it feels like to go on a cross watch your own work, your life’s work, have such a Finally I was ready. After hearing the high-pitched country road trip with Beavis and Butthead, and that’s sweeping and massive impact on the way a generation “Next question,” I started to identify myself and my pu just as good, right? Artsweek's Jolie vs. Henchmyn Henchmyn is a ska group hailing Adam: Besides the band. from the university’s backyard (I.V.). Do you get groupies? You can go see them Saturday at 8 p.m. Todd: Yeah, sometimes. at Emerald City, opening for Let’s Go Adam: Groupies — I don’t know. I Bowling. Maybe seeing them will help wouldn’t call them groupies. I would you come to terms with your pop star just say like... dreams. Or not. Brayton (tenor saxophone): No, no, Artszoeek sat down and conversed no. We’re all just stoked ’cause nobody with the entire band, and what follows is really ever pays attention to us. what we could transcribe from the re Vinnie: We have no place to go but sulting tape. It’s, like, for your enjoy up. ment, or something. So, where are you right now in terms of your career? So I guess we should start. Is this Todd: Well, I think that for most peo your first interview? ple in the band, this is the first serious at Adam (guitar): Yeah. tempt at music as a career. Michael Abramson Speaks to Less Than Jake Vinnie (vocals): Well, there were Hector (trumpet): We have a lot of those people from BA M but we just said accomplished people. Today, the Miami-based pop-ska- we’re also on Dill and Far Out and Rhe fuck them. Brayton: It’s starting to pick up a little punk band Less Than Jake, for the first toric. We don’t think of it as being on So, do you have a following? bit. Like, we’re starting to get some time in the history of this planet, arrives just one label. We’re on like 15 right Todd (drums): We just have, like, shows and have people come, where in Santa Barbara — to play a free show now, at last count. Capitol’s just doing friends who... we’re not just, like, playing for free. But in Storke Plaza at noon, to boot the CD and cassette for Losing Streak. Adam: I think the seventh floor of you know, we just do it for fun. More Celebrating their first major-label re No Idea is gonna do the vinyl version. In FT.... than 90 percent of the shows we do are lease (on Capitol), ¿ess Than Jake is no way has it hindered our creativity at Nichols (keyboards): We have a just us dragging our asses over. We’re touring the United States sharing their all. It’s just another means of getting it following. just having fun. music for the masses. Baritone saxo out there. Todd: It depends on how much alco How serious do you take this? phonist Darren reflected on life as he Are there plans for releasing a single hol is consumed that night. Adam: It’s not as serious where, like, knows it with Artsweek. from the new album? Adam: We see some of the same peo we’re gonna be rock stars. It’s supposed to be put out on the first ple sometimes, like all the time. There’s Brayton: Everybody’s into school, Do you guys have a favorite band to of the year. That’s, when the label’s probably a core of probably 10 people and I mean, school comes first. tour with? gonna kick in with it. It’s gonna be that come see us every time. Hector: We just play music because We like to play with local bands, "Automatic,” the first song on the Oh really? it’s fun and, you know, it’s a cool thing. we’re much more into that. It’s way record. cool, because then we get to hear diffe Are there plans for a video? rent bands every night. That hasn’t come up yet. We’ve got a Since you are based in Gainesville, bunch of meetings at Capitol this week, Fla., do you find you have a fan base and we’re pretty much expecting that nationally? they’re gonna throw it at us. At this Yeah. We’re all pretty much surprised point, it hasn’t come up yet.