SemiGloss Magazine - Some Time In 1996

James Euringer AKA "Mindless Self Indulgence" is a tall lanky man who's favorite pastimes/obcessions are devouring twisted comic books, chasing 10 year old girls, and writing music about them. From his first E.P. on Chip Records, produced by Benjamin Costman (Deep Forest), most would file MSI under the industrial family tree and easily associate him with none other than the "Man In Pain" Mr. Trent Reznor. But as we all know change is inevitable. by hearing some rough samples of his new work it was nice hear Euringer was "coming into his own" as some say, through experimentation and use of collage. Luckily before the release of his debut album I was able to catch up with him and shoot the shit.

Like all New Yorkers struggling to do something with their art, Euringer has done his share of odd jobs and begins to tell me about his latest experience within the world of Fashion and Film. As an extra, of course.

JE: For me it's just like an easy hundred dollars to stand around and hang out.

SG: Free buffet?

JE: Yeah, fuck it! My actual physical work was like 5 minutes. I walked through a scene the shot and it was over. But afterwards I was on this big bus for the actors and extras, fucking thing was like an airplane, had video's and lights and all this other shit, it was really bugged. It's fun, but the thing I like about it is that I feel like I do have something over everyone else because everyone is so damn stereotypical, like all the models are totally vapid, they have the worst damn taste, they're all like absolute morons. And all the people that are running the place are so obviously like, "Hey babe, blah blah blah," it was like a goddamn movie, it was so stereotypical I was embarrassed.

SG: Fabulous, darling, fabulous!

JE: This one black guy who's like the head agent dude, got me the first job. It was cool, but then he hooks me up with this other photographer guy who wanted me to work for free. I would have done it if his work was good but it totally sucked. So even if I got a tear sheet I wouldn't want it in my book. So that weekend I split for Long Island and he leaves me a message on my on Saturday night saying "Oh the shoots at 10 a.m. Sunday morning," so I get home at 3 in the morning Sunday night. And I'm like oh well, so I call him on Monday to tell him I missed the shoot and he was like all quiet and shit, like a seventeen year old bullshit just because I fucked up a job.

SG: So that's what you've been doing?

JE: Yeah, besides that, Benjamin is paying me to mail out my own shit. Yeah, the old EP should be available in record stores any day now.

SG: Are you looking for a distribution deal?

JE: I don't know what Benjamin is looking for. His thing is called Squeaky Clean Sound Works. He and his partner, Christian, have a management company called Passion that manages Deep Forest and markets Underworld and Goldfinger. That's where he gets most of his money and is basically his main job.

SG: So he started his label as a side project?

JE: He started a label called Knockout which was a dance label and that's when I met him. And then we decided since I was doing a lot of stuff that was harder, Knockout sounds much more rap, like a dance thing, like yo, yo, yo, Knockout, word. So we made up a little label called Chip Records. Like a computer chip, get it? So anything I'm on says Chip, so it doesn't look totally retarded like I'm on Doodyhead Records.

SG: Doodyhead Records? Hahaha. "Yo, my nigga's on Doodyhead Records and shit, yo."

JE: Which actually would be a good record label.

SG: So what's the album like?

JE: It's gonna be a short album. It's only 12 songs and they're all kind of short. The longest on is 4 minutes, the shortest is about 2. It makes just about half an hour. But the new shit I'm doing is like the future. And it's completely different. It's crazy shit. It's like trying to fit as many stylesas you possibly can into a 2 minute punk song. It goes from West Coast Rap, to Jungle, to Trip Hop, back to Industrial, a little Punk thing, Trip Hop, back to the West Coast Rap, out, next song.

SG: That sounds cool. Ah, I guess. If I'm schizophrenic maybe.

JE: Yeah, I like to fuck around with things. Especially kids toys that make sounds. I like running them through effects and tweaking them for about four or five hours til I get a really sick sound and then lay it down on tape. But as far as shipping a tape around to labels it's no problem. They can just hear what it's like, either they dig it, or they don't. But as far as the live thing goes, a lot of it is a pain in the ass because I like to do unorthodox set ups and labels want drummers. They want a certain about of people/instruments on stage.

SG: Yeah, but what about Beck, Beastie Boys, and other cats that are like mainly studio musicians?

JE: It's okay to do it in certain venues. You can do it in rap, in dance music, but you can't do it in rock. Yeah, I gotta get the drummer situation squarred away. But what I want is not necessarily a conventional drummer. I've got a couple leads but nothing is for sure yet. I've got an ad in the paper for a female drummer but haven't found anyone yet. We've got the drummer Lenny Kravitz' band, Cindi Blackman and the guy from Helmut in mind for hire.

SG: Well why don't you just tell everyone that's reading the zine right now exactly what you're looking for.

SG: Well, I'm looking for a girl drummer who doesn't mind a bunch of pedophiles, looks cool, doesn't mind playing an unconventional set and not playing all the time but rather doing fills and accents, but add to the live proformance as well.

March 2000 Glasseye Magazine by Edward Shimborski III

ES3: Has the band seen any confrontations from the new label, Elektra, or have they been supportive thus far?

Urine: They have given me free wonder bras, if that's what you mean.

ES3: Is it truly awe-inspiring to be label-mates with Metallica?

Urine: Who?

ES3: How about some background on the journey from Uppity Cracker to Elektra. I know Dave Stokamer, but have never really talked to him about you guys, or where you came from or how you came together.

Urine: Well, I met Steve at a hole in the fence...and having a girl in the band makes me seem less faggy, so I got two. What, A white boy can't walk down the street and start his own record label? Soon, Elektra will realize the mistake they made, and I can finally be the stock boy I've always wanted to be. I give us another 3 months, tops!

ES3: Based on their length and odd transitions from segment to segment in your songs, it would appear to me that your succession of time, as if you just get certain melodies or lyrical pieces in you head and record them piece by piece, arranging them later - how in song writing consummated in the band, either musically and lyrically?

Urine: What? Muthafuka, I just work here!

ES3: As I just mentioned, certain songs seem disjointed, at least lyrically, where a hodge-podge or different ideas are thrown together, as evidenced by "I Hate Jimmy Page", "Kill The Rock", and "Holy Shit" - why do you take such a spasmodic approach to lyric writing?

Urine: This band is here to entertain me! If the band likes it, cool. If da kids like it, cool. If the labels and the media like it and people want to give me sex and money and free shit to entertain myself, I am so there. With some songs, the whole point is right up front. With other songs, I make up the words every time I play them. If it sounds good and makes sense to me, then fuck you.

ES3: "Boomin'" and "Played" are pretty good references to Danny Elfman/early Oingo Boingo, though sometimes your sound cites bands like The Pleasure Elite, Foreskin 500, and The Warlock Pinchers - are you familiar with the bulk or any of these bands' material?

Urine: All I gots to say is, Forbidden Zone, yea yo..and who?

ES3: Based on your overall sounds, which I happen to find truly unique, I'm guessing on a time-line of influences that include new-wave, early rap, heavy metal, and industrial, all of which you quickly grew bored with. If that's a fair estimation, or in fact true, how were you exposed to such a diverse cross-section of music?

Urine: Let me tell you something - my clone, who traveled back in time, killed my grandfather and assimilated his body, used to telepathically torture me! Every band is disappointing in some way, as you will be real soon with us, but they all leave something good behind...even if they suck shit like you. That, and records are only a dollar at the Salvation Army.

ES3: Your 1st song on the new album, "Backmask", serves as a somewhat humorous social commentary on artist responsibility - with tragedies like the Columbine shooting or teen-suicides occuring more and more often, do you feel that musicians have any responsibility toward the general public, or that music can ever be a real point of contention regarding blame? Are you opposed to a "rating system" that would estrange younger listeners who might not be ready for a song like "Faggot", "I'm Your Problem Now", and "Royally Fucked"?

Urine: Well, part of this is a blame issue - bad parents fuckin up their kids and blaming people other then themselves. And part of it is an art vs. commerce issue. If I say something freaky, it makes people nervous, and they say, "We rate you bad for kids." Kids are the fans, so labels, being bureaucracies, don't want trouble or art, they want money! So, more bands take less chances and nothing is dangerous...or interesting. I don't believe kids today are stupider then we were. People just try to shelter them from reality more. Innocence is ignorance. Informed decisions come from smart little people. If mama don't like some CD, she can throw it out, but if little Tommy knows what the band is saying, he won't worship anyone blindly. Ahh, it doesn't matter what I say, I'm gonna get shit for it in the end!

ES3: Song's like "Dicks Are For My Friends", "Faggot", "Masterbates", and "Kill The Rock" suggest a certain sexual ambiguity though many of you other songs take on extremely sex-oriented themes as well - what's the band take on the world of sex - anything goes?

Urine: Anything goes as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, this includes staying home and watching TV. If you like boys, girls, chickens, table legs, or all of the above, put in you order and see what happens! That's my take on it anyway.

ES3: In addition to sex and social commentary, I noticed you take a swing at some generational themes - "Keepin' Up With The Kids", "I Hate Jimmy Page", and "I'm Your Problem Now", all seem to oppose older ideas and ways of doing things as opposed to the last few generations' diffused convictions. Is this a highly conscious effort?

Urine: We had alot of fun in the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's, but let's get over it and move the fuck on, you Lenny Kravitz fuckin bitter sweet symphony fuckcherry ol' school D generation, straight ahead - respect your elders - if it wasn't for them..keep on boring the fuck outta me in the free world. Yo, I ain't the next big thing, I ain't the revolution cuz I suck. But now that I got people's attention, I is da prophet, and I'm here to y'all something - gonna come to fuck shit up - something new, and it ain't fucking swing, bitch!

ES3: Is the live show an extension of the band's sound or vice-versa?

Urine: The live show is an extension of us pissing people off.

ES3: Since I've never seen the band live, how much of a compromise does MSI have to make to perform the songs in a live setting? Do you have to rely on DAT, drum-triggers and additional personal?

Urine: No compromise - fuck keyboards. Fuck syncing shit up with faggot DJ muthafukas. Boom box it, yo - push in the cassette and push 'Eat Me' while I fuck shit up!

ES3: You've done some gigs with Detroit's ICP - how did you orginally hook up with the band, and how many dates did you play?

Urine: We call them, they say, "Play." We jump around like fools. They say, "You're on tour now." We have no change of underwear for 20 dates.

ES3: What else have you been able to accomplish through playing out live?

Urine: We have accomplished pissing off thousands of people.

ES3: The immediate future of the band?

Urine: I'm gonna go jack off, then I'm gonna go to sleep and when I wake up, hopefully someone will expose us for the frauds that we are!

Pimp Rock Palace Interview

PRP: Alright, how'd you guys get together?

Little Jimmy Urine: I was sellin Pokemon on da Home Shoppin Network...Steve, Vanessa, & Kitty all called to buy Charmander at the same time & I had just sold the last one...so we decided to come together under one flag & start a dental referl service...the bands jus a hobby.

PRP: Just what is an "Uppity Cracker"?

Little Jimmy Urine: Some dumb honkey who don't know when to keep his fuckin mouth shut.

PRP: Is Little Jimmy's Jimmy really little?

Little Jimmy Urine: It's 7-8 in. hard but not thick. It's bascially a quill. You can sign da Decleration of Indapenpants with it. Talk to Steve. He's my pee pee agent.

PRP: How did you get the nickname "Little Jimmy Urine"?

Little Jimmy Urine: It was the one stupid thing no one ever called me before.

PRP: Rumor has it you lit your penis on fire on stage once, how was that?

Little Jimmy Urine: Warm.

PRP: Whose Idea was it to make "Backmask" have subliminal messages?

Little Jimmy Urine: My mom's.

PRP: Ever afraid that Led Zepplin fans will kick your ass after hearing "I Hate Jimmy Page"?

Little Jimmy Urine: 1st - Any one could kick my ass. 2nd - If some 45 year old hippie wants my ass, more power to him. 3rd - If you're 17 & in great shape & you like Led Zepplin enuff to hurt me, you gotta stop hangin out with your old man & stop lettin your mom dress you in Pink Floyd shirts.

PRP: Does Steve really play a 4 string guitar?

Little Jimmy Urine: Unless he breaks a string. Then he plays a 3 string.

PRP: Is pubic hair trimming a necessity?

Little Jimmy Urine: No, it's a pleasure. It's ass hair that's the necessity.

PRP: Just which of your friends are dicks for?

Little Jimmy Urine: The ones who let me watch them pee in their pants.

PRP: If you had to pick one kung fu styling to be what would it be?

Little Jimmy Urine: Kitty - Wingchung Vanessa - Guns Guns Guns Steve - Ball Smell Urine - Pay Atenchung Tome

PRP: Is it hard to transfer all the programming to the live show or do you leave some out when on stage?

Little Jimmy Urine: Fuck it. Punk rock. Press play, smash it up.

PRP: Are the Insane Clown Posse as hard as they act?

Little Jimmy Urine: Maybee it was our purrrfume...and I don't wanna get no one in trouble but...dey were sweet as hell to us.

PRP: You guys covered Method Man's "Bring The Pain", do you got heavy hip hop roots or do you just think you can really bring the pain?

Little Jimmy Urine: A good song is a good song, no matter if it's Rap, Cuntree, Opera, purrty, hard, stupid, serious, or cheesy. I hate everything and love lil bits of everything. Wow. A serious answer. Shit. Now I'm gonna have to tell you all about chinchillas to make up for not being an ass. At the age of 8 months chinchillas are put into "families". One male has four females which are placed separately and the male can visit them through a special "male corridor". The mother animals wear a "collar" around their neck wich does not allow them to fit in the male corridor. This is the poligam way keeping chinchillas. Pregnancy lasts for 111 days and mother whelp their 1-4 offsprings without any help. The animals are born with their eyes open and their few days age start to eat spagettios.

PRP: Has Meth ever heard the cover or commented on it to you guys?

Little Jimmy Urine: He had to hear it to aprove it & he had to at least be able to stang it to let me put it out.

PRP: Are Kitty and Vanessa the toughest in the band?

Little Jimmy Urine: Dat was a no brainer.

PRP: Just what do you think Clarissa isn't smart enough to explain?

Little Jimmy Urine: Why her snaggle teeth turn me on.

PRP: You say nigga alot, do you realize that you're white?

Little Jimmy Urine: I'm acutally a Spic/Kraut, but for all extenssive purpose's, I'm white cuz I like Spaghettio's with franks.

PRP: Do you ever fear black people kicking your ass?

Little Jimmy Urine: No, I fear white people, cuz they is scary as shit.

PRP: How is the lawsuit going with the people that ran www.mindlessselfindulgence.net?

Little Jimmy Urine: Makin me poor & stupid.

PRP: Did you ever wear your clothes backwards back when Kriss Kross was popular?

Little Jimmy Urine: Who didn't?

PRP: Why will "Frankenstein Girls Seem Strangely Sexy"?

Little Jimmy Urine: Cuz it sounds cool. If I ever answer a question with "I had an intense dream...," you have the right to slap me & start again.

PRP: On your promo tape for "Bitches" you're pushing away the old ladies who want autographs, why are you doing this, do you not respect the elderly?

Little Jimmy Urine: Are you kiddin? When we finished the shoot, I hit dat shit.

PRP: Why do you have to rock the booty before you rock the body?

Little Jimmy Urine: Cuz da crunch always gives you away.

PRP: What's your favorite movie?

Little Jimmy Urine: Lawerence of Arabia, Ladies & Gentelmen the Fabulos Stains, & any thing else beginin wit da letter L.

PRP: If you could be any gang from the movie "The Warriors" which would it be?

Little Jimmy Urine: Shit, bitch...the orphans, cuz then youu get to fuck muh sister.

PRP: Big Bird Vs. the Teletubbies in a no holds barred street fight, who would win?

Little Jimmy Urine: Who cares? Seseme Street is all about Rosita da underground muppet. She ain't no sell out, she's punk rock. She ain't on no lunch box & she's bi-lingual.

PRP: What's the worst album you have?

Little Jimmy Urine: Where do i start? Well, besides mine, the worst I own is probably INXS - Kick. The worst I actually still listen to & like is Nu Shooze - I Can't Wait 12 in. & Noel - Silent Morning.

PRP: Who would you love to collaborate with?

Little Jimmy Urine: I never heard it called dat before.

PRP: How many pink suits do you own?

Little Jimmy Urine: One & I never washed it all summer...on two tours...& I spit up on it, pissed on it, lit it on fire, bled all over it, ripped it to bits, & gave it away at the Orgy show.

PRP: Many people are dying to know, do you do crack on a regular basis?

Little Jimmy Urine: No, I eat 4 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, shake up a bottle of Cherry Coke & down it in one shot. It gets the same effect.

PRP: What are you guys trying to achieve with your new album?

Little Jimmy Urine: Piss people off, get paid for pissing people off...people now more pissed off & we have their money.

PRP: Is it hard to get on a national tour with such an eclectic sound?

Little Jimmy Urine: I'm here talking to you instead of gettin muh ass beat, righ?

PRP: Ever had sex with a teddy bear?

Little Jimmy Urine: No, but I used to be able to suck muh own dick.

PRP: Are you really this insane or is it an act?

Little Jimmy Urine: Maybee I'm act & your insane. Huh? Did you ever think of dat smart guy? Huh? Maybee I'm act & you're all insane.

PRP: You seem to cut your knees up alot, why is that?

Little Jimmy Urine: Cuz I land on them when I jump.

PRP: Is there any explanation to why your last album "Tight" is being discontinued?

Little Jimmy Urine: It's funny.

PRP: Do you honestly feel your music is best described as "Industrial Jungle Pussy Punk"?

Little Jimmy Urine: Just da pussy part.

PRP: Did you get beat up alot as a kid?

Little Jimmy Urine: No, I got ignored alot.

PRP: Any plans to tour in support of the album?

Little Jimmy Urine: Hell fuck yes.

PRP: I have run out of questions, are you glad the interviews over?

Little Jimmy Urine: It's over?

PRP: I lied, any shoutouts or shameless self promotion you want to spit out?

Little Jimmy Urine: I'm down to muh last can of soup. Go buy my record & I promise not to make another one.

Alternative Press

AP :I hear superstars all over the world love your band.

RIGH? : All these big names like us as their pets,they throw us in these slots, and when it comes time to wipe our asses, they can't be found with the toilet paper. Every once in a while, we get a leaf or something. Hey, what's this story for

AP : Our feature on "The 100 bands you need to know if you call yourself a music fan."

RIGH? : So what are we tryin' to do here?

AP : I don't know, regale me with witty repartee.

LJU : Okay. The main reason we do this stuff is that we're bored.

AP : Mindless do provoke extreme reactions...

LJU : I don't care if audiences throw stuff at us, or if they like us; it doesn't matter. But you better do something or I'm gonna come out in the crowd, smack you around and MAKE you do something.

AP : Your fans are quite rabid. Either that, or they eat dishwashing degtergent.

RIGH? : We have a little network going on the internet. Pretty soon I'm going to ask them to kill in my name

LJU : Dude, Harriet Tubman ain't got nothin' on our underground.

AP : What about people who think you're just a joke band?

RIGH? : The people who get us don't see us as a joke. Sometimes...nah, I'm not going to get into it.

AP : C'mon...

RIGH? : 'Cause then you'll think I'm smart and you'll ruin everything.

AP : At least you're not faking anger.

RIGH? : We're angry, but instead of bitching...

LJU : We got over ourselves. You're gonna die tomorrow, so get stupid. I can go to Tower Records and get specific: "I come from a divorced family but I was never sexually abused." Then the clerk will say, "Okay, you want THIS new-metal band..."

AP : So are Mindless the Next Big Thing?

RIGH? : No. We are the tunnel. You gotta get through us before you get to something REALLY good.

Alternative Press January 2002

AP : So is this the difficult third album?

Righ? : Aren't they all? It's never "the difficult debut."

LJU : "The difficult sophomore slump."

Righ? : The third "they suck so they'll never make another" disc

LJU : The next one will be the "I can't believe we get to make a fourth."

AP : All of this happens while your manager steals your cash.

Righ? : He's got the cash, the credit cards, the stereo. We haven't seen him for a few weeks.

Kitty : he's got the yacht...

LJU : The hair plugs...

Kitty : Just one...

LJU : On his face.

AP : For some reason, Mindless got the most fan mail after being featured in our "100 Bands You Need To Know" issue.

Righ? : We stylin'! All we ever wanted was a zingy photo in a magazine...

LJU : As part of a story called "Bands To Look For In A Magazine."

Righ? : Dude, I got so much cock from that picture.

LJU : Mostly Mine.

March 2000 Glasseye Magazine Review by Edward Shimborski III

Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy - 4 Eyes

I guess this is what you get from a generation raised on everything from Casio drumpads, synth-rock, the Atari 2600, skate-rock, circus-music, and Run DMC. Dubbed "Industrial Jungle Pussy Punk", I've truly gotta admit, I've never really heard anything like this. Their sounds might be kin to a polished up Warlock Pinchers crossed with heavy amounts of Devo and Oingo Boingo, a sprinkle of ICP, a dash of Marilyn Manson spookiness, and a phat can of Atari Teenage Riot or Ultraviolence...very weird!!! In essence, they're a better version of The Pleasure Elite, complete with sexy women!

The album beings with "Backmask", a rap-metal goofball track about backward-masking, that conjures up images of Powerman 5000 and Whorgasm, only marinated with more sick-brow humor. The moving "Boomin'" is a slammin eulogy or praise regarding little girls, while "Faggot" throws some strange stuff together, producing one of the most demented ditties I've ever heard! Likewise, there's boomin' killer cuts like "Harry Truman" and "Played" included. And "Kill The Rock" and "Bitches" are 2 of this year's best singles you'll never hear. Vocalist Little Jimmy Urine cracks the falsetto crest, mutating into the sex-starved love child of Sweet's Brain Connolly and Evilotto's Schmid on "Bitches", ulimately creatinga straight-up, sweetly sparse anthem.

Some of the 30 cuts inculded don't really hit the mark but suprisingly, especially with the bulk of material, most do. And other like the NIN-influenced "Royally Fucked", "I Hate Jimmy Page", "Cocaine & Toupees", "Last Time I Tried To Rock Your World", and "Clarissa" are just damn good. This is probably the most enjoyable record I've listened to so far this year. Finally, someone has created a record specifically tailor-made with my tastes in mind!

Reviews By Slasher

Artist: Mindless Self Indulgence

Title: Tight

Label: Uppity Cracker/DAMN/Which Records

Genre: "Industrial Jungle Pussy Punk"

Rating: 9

Comments: BOOM! Mindless Self Indulgence is one of the weirdest most vicious projects I have ever had the pleasure of hearing! This album certainly would have been rated a 9.5 if it wasn't for the length of the album. It's way too short! We need more! ARRGGHH!! ... er... sorry. It's just that good. It's like some amazing psycho took Atari Teenage Riot, Weird Al Yankovich, 16volt, The Wu-Tang clan, and an overloaded 240 BPM sequencer and threw them into a swimming pool full of razor blades, and coming from me that's a compliment! The best song in my opinion is actually a Method Man cover, called "Bring the Pain." MSI takes the phat beats and groovy ryhmes, turns them around, speeds them up, and slaughters the eardrums! An awesome mind blowing experience, not because of the kickass music entirely, but also because of the dark humor rampant throughout the album! Highly reccomended, except for length.