stubbadub

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