The Untitled Interview #193: Starring Ttotals

Not only are my next two guests some of the best psych musicians you're likely to come across, they also happen to be two of my favorite people in the entire world. Brian Miles and Marty Linville pooled their collective talents and perform together under the name Ttotals. What these two gents can do with a guitar, some effects pedals, some drums, and a dash of knob-twiddling can be flat-out jaw-dropping.

If you've yet to experience the out of body, outer blues onslaught that is a Ttotals live show, you'll get your chance this Friday, when the Nashville boys come to town to play with local favorites More Humans and Dangerosa. Until then, get inside the minds of Mssrs Miles and Linville, which I promise is a pretty fun thing to do.

Fuzzy Logic: How the hell are you?
Brian Miles: Doing very well. Yourself?
Marty Linville: Either I can't be killed, or hell's full.

FL: What was the last song you listened to?
BM: Hookworms’ “Away/Towards” off of Pearl Mystic
ML: "Oh sheit, it's x" by Thundercat. It's on the gta V soundtrack.

FL: Playing music is:
BM: A spiritual uplift and a rocketship to space in the mind!
ML: ...like being an accountant: you have to go to school for it, there's a certification and licensing process, you go to a cubicle, there are calculators involved, there's a guy in the office who's always drinking the last cup of coffee without making a new pot, and everyone wears slacks.
BM: You always gotta say the opposite. Don’t you.

FL: What album most made you realize you wanted to make music?
BM: Glen Campbell’s Rhinestone Cowboy.
ML: When I was a little kid, my mom had to explain to me why the new Hendrix album wasn't ever gonna come out, no matter how many times I asked the guy at the record store. I got really sad.

FL: Beatles or Stones?
BM: Stones. Even though I’m reading a book about the making of the Beatles’ album Revolver.
ML: Either one, as long as it's not the Doors.

FL: Top 5 albums (of now, of this month, or of ever):
BM: 5 records that are currently sitting on top of my stereo;

Hookworms – Pearl Mystic

Spiritualized – Lazer Guided Melodies

The Byrds – Sweetheart of the Rodeo

Spectrum – Indian Summer 7”

Cosmonauts – Lazerbeam 7"

ML: How about 5 songs I like, in no particular order?

Butthole Surfers: "P.S.Y."

Spectrum: "When Tomorrow Hits"

Teddy Pendergrass: "Love T.K.O."

Melvins: "Night Goat"

Al Green: "For the Good Times"

FL: Favorite music-related movie?
BM: I just recently watched Pink Floyd’s making of Darkside of the Moon. They talk about Meddle at the beginning and that’s my favorite Pink Floyd record. Then I guess you could say Live at Pompeii is my favorite music related movie.
ML: Purple Rain.

FL: Half-full or half-empty?
BM: If it is half-full or empty only as determined in your mind at that moment. And if you are a real person it drifts back and forth between the two. Your emotions are different on the time and the events of the day. So, for me it is mostly half-full, but it does get half-empty on occasion.
ML: ...more like half-awake or half-asleep.

FL: Which of your peers do you think is making the best music these days?
ML: This question is a trap designed to make me hurt my friends' feelings, isn't it? Nice try, friend-feeling-hurter.
BM: Wow. Who to start with? I am really excited about the new Diamond Center record. Oh, and our friend Shana's new record. Can not wait to hear both of them. Lorelle Meets the Obsolete are really awesome. Jamie Hepler’s new band Nest Egg is sounding pretty damn cool. I can not wait to see Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor at Cincy Psychfest. They are gonna be killer.

FL: What’s the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning?
BM: I need coffee!
ML: One day a year, the answer is, "It's my birthday!" Every other day of the year the answer is "It's not my birthday," and I'm sad.

FL: Little-known Ttotals fact?
BM: We are really into Spacemen 3!
ML: Brian's cat peed on a tremolo pedal we use.
BM: Why did you tell that one? You think you can shame him into apologizing?

FL: The greatest record store in the world is:
BM: Amoeba Records Berkeley, CA.
ML: Steady Sounds in Richmond.
BM: Damn! That’s a real good one too.

FL: Shaken or stirred?
ML: Spilled?
BM: Neither, My liquor has to be brown and on the rocks.

FL: Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
BM: “Make good decisions and don’t tailgate” – My father
ML: Run!

FL: If you weren’t in a band you’d be:
BM: a milkshake.
ML: ...at home more often?

FL: If you were so inclined, whom would you form a tribute band in honor of?
BM: The Fugs.
ML: A combo of Skip James and Thin Lizzy. I would call it Skin Jizzy.

FL: Best song ever written?
BM: Hmmm… The Godz “Permanent Green Light”
ML: I don't know, but Silent Hill 2 is my favorite video game, and I wish we'd done the soundtrack.



[photo by Sarah MacDonald]