Before we start here's 2 things you should know:
1. The Rudy Schwartz Project has the sound of demonic figures singing Disney songs.
2. The Rudy Schwartz Project is mostly the creative output of one man. His name is Joe Newman, and he can usually be found with his puppet reindeer friend, Waldo.
Today we're talking to Joe about anything from: His movie reviewing, to underwear, to ink blots...
Doesn't this sound like fun?
1. The Rudy Schwartz Project has the sound of demonic figures singing Disney songs.
2. The Rudy Schwartz Project is mostly the creative output of one man. His name is Joe Newman, and he can usually be found with his puppet reindeer friend, Waldo.
Today we're talking to Joe about anything from: His movie reviewing, to underwear, to ink blots...
Doesn't this sound like fun?
Joe Newman, and 'Waldo' Picture courtesy of DC Jam Records
Tx Punk: How do you write your songs/What inspires you to write your songs?
Joe: Sometimes my lyrics or music come from dreams. Sometimes from
a newspaper. Sometimes from just sitting around piddling with a
guitar or a keyboard. Sometimes from watching a movie or taking
a piss. There's no formula.
Tx Punk: The Rudy Schwartz Project playing live is a rare occurrence. Are
there any possible performances in the future?
Joe: No. I did it once, and I don't want to do it again. It's like trying to
corral Jell-O with chicken wire. I can fuck up things perfectly well
on my own without having some asshole behind a mixer making it
easier.
Tx Punk: What are your biggest influences for music?
Joe: Right now I spend most of my time listening to old French and Quebecois popular music on an Internet radio station out of Paris. I also like Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, Hank Williams, The Three Suns, Annette Hanshaw, Lars Hollmer, Captain Beefheart, The Willem Breuker Kollektief,
Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and many more than I could mention
or anyone would care to hear about. I like accordions. I don't trust
people who don't like accordions or dogs.
Joe: Sometimes my lyrics or music come from dreams. Sometimes from
a newspaper. Sometimes from just sitting around piddling with a
guitar or a keyboard. Sometimes from watching a movie or taking
a piss. There's no formula.
Tx Punk: The Rudy Schwartz Project playing live is a rare occurrence. Are
there any possible performances in the future?
Joe: No. I did it once, and I don't want to do it again. It's like trying to
corral Jell-O with chicken wire. I can fuck up things perfectly well
on my own without having some asshole behind a mixer making it
easier.
Tx Punk: What are your biggest influences for music?
Joe: Right now I spend most of my time listening to old French and Quebecois popular music on an Internet radio station out of Paris. I also like Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, Hank Williams, The Three Suns, Annette Hanshaw, Lars Hollmer, Captain Beefheart, The Willem Breuker Kollektief,
Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and many more than I could mention
or anyone would care to hear about. I like accordions. I don't trust
people who don't like accordions or dogs.
Picture courtesy of Rudy Schwartz Project official website
Tx Punk: So, you're still writing reviews for HorrorDrive-in.com. Have any of the movies you've reviewed ever inspired a song?
Joe: Yes, I've frequently derived ideas from low budget movies. A recent
example would be "I Fear the Night, With Apemen in Canoes," which
was inspired by "Incubus," a William Shatner movie from the 60s
performed entirely in Esperanto.
Tx Punk: You did one album, Villagers, with Zoogz Rift. Is there anyone else
you want(or plan) to collaborate with?
Joe: I don't have any plans to collaborate with anyone, but I would very
much like to form a mime troupe with Bono, Whoopi Goldberg, and
Senator Orrin Hatch. Everyone's on board, but they're all terribly
busy these days.
Tx Punk: What do you think of the Vatican's top 10 rock albums?
Joe: I've only heard about half of them, and I can't say that I like any of
them. I suppose "And Your Bird Can Sing" isn't a bad tune, particularly
if you're busy moving priests around to different parishes after they've
been caught raping children. I'd like to see the Vatican put together
a list of their ten favorite snuff films.
Joe: Yes, I've frequently derived ideas from low budget movies. A recent
example would be "I Fear the Night, With Apemen in Canoes," which
was inspired by "Incubus," a William Shatner movie from the 60s
performed entirely in Esperanto.
Tx Punk: You did one album, Villagers, with Zoogz Rift. Is there anyone else
you want(or plan) to collaborate with?
Joe: I don't have any plans to collaborate with anyone, but I would very
much like to form a mime troupe with Bono, Whoopi Goldberg, and
Senator Orrin Hatch. Everyone's on board, but they're all terribly
busy these days.
Tx Punk: What do you think of the Vatican's top 10 rock albums?
Joe: I've only heard about half of them, and I can't say that I like any of
them. I suppose "And Your Bird Can Sing" isn't a bad tune, particularly
if you're busy moving priests around to different parishes after they've
been caught raping children. I'd like to see the Vatican put together
a list of their ten favorite snuff films.
Ink blot... Or is it more than that?
Tx Punk: Boxers Or Briefs?
Joe: I don't want to be pinned down on that.
Tx Punk: What do you see in this ink blot?
Joe: Two bloody fetuses whose arms have been clipped off during a partial
birth abortion procedure sit atop the severed heads of Ronald Reagan
and Rich Little. The fetuses quarrel and slap at each other senselessly,
as if prevailing will allow them to return to the comfort of the womb.
The fetus on the left has had its lower lip torn away, probably due to a
well placed swipe of jagged bone from the fetus on the right. Hungry
birds feast on their kidneys and other internal organs. More of Rich Little's spinal cord is visible, probably due the dulling of the pinking shears used
during the process, or the increased calcification of Reagan's cartilege.
Tx Punk: Anything you want to say to anyone reading this?
Joe: Yes. I really like those pants you're wearing.
Joe: I don't want to be pinned down on that.
Tx Punk: What do you see in this ink blot?
Joe: Two bloody fetuses whose arms have been clipped off during a partial
birth abortion procedure sit atop the severed heads of Ronald Reagan
and Rich Little. The fetuses quarrel and slap at each other senselessly,
as if prevailing will allow them to return to the comfort of the womb.
The fetus on the left has had its lower lip torn away, probably due to a
well placed swipe of jagged bone from the fetus on the right. Hungry
birds feast on their kidneys and other internal organs. More of Rich Little's spinal cord is visible, probably due the dulling of the pinking shears used
during the process, or the increased calcification of Reagan's cartilege.
Tx Punk: Anything you want to say to anyone reading this?
Joe: Yes. I really like those pants you're wearing.
Rudy Schwartz Project has a new Best Of album called, "Remembering A Summer Rash" coming out in June on DC-Jam Records
