I noticed that too, but it does seem to be newly published (from the October/November 2010 edition). I assume they did the interview a long time ago, and just got around to posting it. It does seem like it could be a year old. So I guess referring to it as a "recent interview" was a poor word choice on my part
I just got an email from a guy at TIME Magazine. They did a JoCo interview/feature video (in which they discuss my vids and the phenomenon of fan creations in general) and he asked me to spread it around the Netterwebs so people will see it. Go see it, people!
I guess this is the most appropriate place to post this: I was watching the series finale of Legend of Neil and Jonathan Coulton does a remixed version of the intro theme. http://www.atom.com/funny_videos/legend_of_neil_307/ (warning: NSFW). Both Molly and Paul & Storm did the intro to some of the previous episodes, too.
Thanks Encubed! In the nerdist podcast, Chris Hardwick mentioned that he and Mike Phirman (Hard & Phirm) were doing a theme cover and that they heard JoCo's and thought it was awesome. I've been waiting for it to show up since then. Should have guessed it was in the finale.
Seems JoCo was recently back on A Bit Of A Chat With Ken Plume. This one's quite interesting--he spends about half an hour talking about the songwriting process for the new album.
JoCo, Hodgman, Paul and Storm will be on the TWIT holiday show with Leo Laporte. They are recording this Tuesday so you can watch it live on TWIT at 3:30 Pacific or download the podcast later.
not specifically JoCo but related. John Hodgman was recently on Wits radio show (along with Neal Gaiman and John Roderick) he reads from his books including the bits that mention JoCo. The whole show is good but the part about JoCo begins at 33:50
Found this video on youtube that shows some JoCo Easter Eggs in the (preview of the?) video game Left 4 Dead 2. There's a juke box that plays Re:Your Brains and Still alive.
A fellow named Dave Ganssle did a short video interview with JoCo at PAX East, in which they discuss working on the new album and who thought going on a cruise would be a great idea.
Dave also interviewed Paul and Storm, which is possibly also of interest to this audience.
Nice interview with JoCo up at Guffaw Minnesota. They talk about whether Jonathan is a musician or a comedian, the new Portal song, Neil Gaiman, and Jonathan tells a joke.
Nice plug at the end for the cruise and new album. Overall, it was an interesting interview, but nothing I didn't know already. Definitely a good intro for new fans and those on the fence. JoCo was looking a bit hermit-like in the video. The beard seemed almost sentient... and hungry!
Just watched/listened to that interview. When Jonathan and David start talking about "playing a custom guitar with your foot up on the amplifier and rock out", I start picturing this Jonathan Coulton/Billy F. Gibbons hybrid. Snakeskin boot perched on a beat-up Tweed Deluxe... fur covered Z-shaped guitar running through a half-dozen distortion pedals... chest length beard and jet black shades... rockin' out on "Good Morning Tucson"...
My favorite joke Oh, jeez. Man, youre putting me on the spot. Maybe I dont walk such a fine line between comedian and musician. Maybe we just answered the question. Jokes, jokes jokes you know what Ive always loved is I love the joke about the piece of string who walks into a bar. The bartender says We dont serve strings here. So the string is very sad and he goes outside, and he stops a man passing him on the street and asks him to tie him into a little knot and then to pull his ends apart so hes a little fuzzy and he goes back in and the bartender says, Didnt I tell you we dont serve strings? And the string says, No, Im afraid not.
What I think is funny is that I've heard (and told) that joke about a million times and have NEVER thought about the string being sad. That's JoCo for you.
I heard the following songs from that brief snippet (there are 2 or 3 that I could not identify from the clips played):
Sticking it to myself Artificial Heart Nemesis ? Good Morning Tucson ? Down Today Unnamed Song About marriage? ? Now I Am an Arsonist Sucker Punch Today with Your Wife (I think, mostly sounds right)
I'm pretty sure Jonathan also said that if you purchase the new album you get a free autograph, and a kiss from Paul or a hug from Storm. That's a verbal contract, right?
I couldn't identify the other snippets either, but I did not think it was possible for me to be more eager to hear the studio album.
I hope someone lets Paul and Storm know about the services they offer. Although, according to the podcast they like being touched without warning by strangers. I'm sure it will be fine. (;
I almost forgot that I intended to express jealousy and curiosity about @chicazul's free hugs from Storm. Are they better than you'd imagine a kiss from Paul would be?
I think, for the sake of fairness, that Paul and Storm should promise something from Jonathan for people who buy their albums.
@Bry Wow, young Jon is YOUNG! Must be the lack of the full beard in that picture on the download page. Man, Jon was meant to make it big. He was great way back when.
As alluded to on that page, there's another song hidden on the site, called Undone, with lyrics by @awryone. I'm sure you can find it (though I'm not sure you can all download it as easily as I did, since I have a license for QuickTime.)
ETA: What's more, I just realised that even though I've known of the existence of that Midnight Train to Georgia recording for ages, and knew where to get it (unless the link was always broken on the page I knew about?) it wasn't in my music library and it doesn't sound familiar. Listening now.
Found a new little interview with Jonathan by Metromix in advance of his Saturday show with They Might Be Giants. Not a lot of new ground, but he does say this about the new album:
I'll do a CD release later in the year, I think, and I'm also planning on doing a pre-sale package where people can spend a little more money and get a bunch of commemorative stuff, a poster and a signed copy and maybe a vinyl version. I'm still working all that out, but I think that's a really neat thing, to get a nice bundle of goodies, so I'll probably do that as well.
Not too much new, but still not a bad call-out in The Onion AV Club's interview with Flans today:
AVC [AV Club]: [...] In the theme of changing up and not repeating yourself, are there other artists you want to work with?
JF [John Flansburgh]: Yeah. I just produced an album for Jonathan Coulton, and that was a very, very exciting process for me. And if there are any people out there as talented as Jonathan Coulton, I want to work with them. I enjoy the production process, though I think working with Jonathan spoiled me forever, because he was so receptive to the challenges I would put out in front of him. I would very sheepishly say something that I felt was kind of crossing some boundary. It’s a part of collaboration, but as somebody who’s worked with producers, I know how destructive certain things can be, and you really don’t want to simply be challenging somebody in a non-constructive way. And he was always game. He worked so hard, and with such focus, it was very interesting. It made it all seem much easier than it really is. I think most of the time you’re dealing with people with acute cases of divaticulitus.
AVC: Of what?
JF: Divaticulitus. You know, divas. People who are deeply in love with themselves. I thought everyone had gotten their divaticulitus shots.
@kate pointed out this great interview with JoCo and John Flansburgh, done before a recent show. Topics covered include writing funny songs, being classified as geeks, Artificial Heart, and why Jonathan is not the same name as John.
Speaking of Artificial Heart, there is a fancy new press kit up. New bio, new hi-res press photos, downloadable mp3 of Nemeses!
My mother taught me early on that I should get very angry at anyone who calls me “Jon.” Because my father’s name is John, and my grandfather’s name is John. And mine is Jonathan.
@angelastic re: your question. I usually refer to him as Jon since this comment by @awryone in which he seemed to indicate it was ok. On the other hand, @awryone is one of his oldest friends and I guess growing up with someone gives you leave to call them something that they, as an adult would not normally prefer. I still call my brother Joey even though everyone else calls him Joel.
Comments
In the nerdist podcast, Chris Hardwick mentioned that he and Mike Phirman (Hard & Phirm) were doing a theme cover and that they heard JoCo's and thought it was awesome. I've been waiting for it to show up since then. Should have guessed it was in the finale.
http://vodpod.com/watch/3882682-john-hodgman-on-minnesota-public-radio-is-the-opposite-of-woebegone
Dave also interviewed Paul and Storm, which is possibly also of interest to this audience.
Edited for inadequate use of parentheses & ellipsis.
I think I just broke my brain.
ETA: Also, includes an extremely brief teaser preview of the new album, at the very end!
This is about the order I heard them in.Sticking it to myself
Artificial Heart
Nemesis
?
Good Morning Tucson
?
Down Today
Unnamed Song About marriage?
?
Now I Am an Arsonist
Sucker Punch
Today with Your Wife (I think, mostly sounds right)
I couldn't identify the other snippets either, but I did not think it was possible for me to be more eager to hear the studio album.
Clearly, IRL "Better" is now a very near future.
The plot thickens. Perhaps it's okay to shorten his name as long as there's no h and no semicolon?
Edit: I forgot to say to @skyen that somebody should give that guy a copy of the album.