………and should be out November 9.

This interview appeared recently in melbourne streetpress.

Can you please give us your name, name of your band, and instrument you play? Bär McKinnon. My band’s name is Umläut. I play saxophone, flute and keyboards.

What do you think is your band’s greatest strength? The way my hair competes too much with my face.

What was your worst gig ever and why? Florence, Italy. Mr Bungle’s Disco Volante tour. Mid-way through Desert Search for Techno Allah the power cut out and we all ran off stage, while Danny, (Bungle’s drummer) kept on playing. It was pretty painful. We went to the bar and ended up handing out our entire rider to the people in the front…overall it was a cool gig just a bit…uncomfortable.

If you could time travel back to any gig in history which would it be and why? Van Halen at the US festival ’83.

What movie do you think your music would best accompany and why? Something by Woody Allen….? An Elvis film set in Hawaii? Why, you ask? Why not.

What are your plans for the immediate future? And the rest of the year? Cleaning out the roof gutters. And putting out an album in September.

What is your favourite song lyric and why? I love Faxed Head’s Bring the Dead Boy Peace- “I didn’t know the dead boy But I placed a bouquet of spirulina on his grave”.

LCD Sound System have a great track called North American Scum, “I hate the feeling when you’re looking at me that way, cuz we’re North Americans, but if we act all shy, it’ll make it ok.” Being an ex-pat, I feel pretty self conscious living here sometimes, I can relate.

Flight of the Conchords- “You’re so beautiful, like a tree.”

Favourite “pick me up for a big night” drink? High grade Peruvian cocaine.

Favourite hangover cure? High grade Peruvian cocaine.

More on Bar and Umlaut: www.myspace.com/umlautbarmckinnon

“Umläut will hit the stage with jazz punks, Sex on Toast and New York composer David Shea for a night of pop experimentation that for the first time sees Bär McKinnon and David Shea on the same bill since they appeared on Mr Bungle’s seminal debut album. Not to be missed. Friday 13th June and The Evelyn, Brunswick St, Fitzroy.”

Come and see Umläut this Wednesday 9th April at Bar Open from 8pm, playing with Combover and Mousetrapreplica.

Doors open at 8pm.

Umläut on stage around 9:15.

Cost: FREE!

www.myspace.com/umlautbarmckinnon

From comments:

“It is I!!! The Phantom of the Umlaut!!!! Seriously though folks… I play guitar in the band, and I must say- our progress has been great. Tightening up the tunes for the upcoming gig at Ding Dong lounge on the 27th of March (Next Thursday,) has been a blast, as I’m hearing these tunes really fleshed out to their full potential. The re-introduction of vibraphone and loads of exotic percussion is really adding to the already organic and filmic vibe of a lot of these compositions- which are really coming alive before my very eyes!!!! As a longtime fan of Bär’s- it gives me great pleasure to work with the guy!!! I mean this fella wrote a bunch of my favorite compositions… go figure…
In any case, whoever is interested come down to the Ding Dong… we’re guaranteed not to disappoint!

Oh and by the by, I’ve heard the Patton track, and it’s sounding great!!! Some kinda interesting new sounds from him as well as a bitchen ass catchy melody!!!
No shit!!!”

Umläut play this Thursday 27th March at the Ding Dong in Melbourne with special guests Lan Party, Sex on Toast and Vicious Cyclists. Doors open at 8pm.

Melb-erican multi-instrumentalist and ex-Bungle saxophonist Bär McKinnon is currently putting together his band Umläut’s debut release with a special guest vocalist to appear on one track. Mike Patton is currently laying down vocals on the track Atlas Face (also known as “Australia Day”). There is still no known release date for the album as yet but it looks like it will appear sometime in the second half of 2008.

Rumour has it that there may be the possibility of an Oz East Coast mini tour later in the year, which would be great considering Bär has rarely ventured far from his home base of Melbourne since his tour of oz a few years back (not counting the SC3 tour

For more info on Umläut and Bär check out their myspace.