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Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2008 > August > 23 > Entry
Why My Morning Jacket loves Austin
Austin has always had a love affair with My Morning Jacket. Whether playing South by Southwest (National Public Radio streamed its March showcase live), the Austin City Limits Music Festival or gigs like tonight’s long sold-out show at Stubb’s, the band knows how to bond with its audience.
MMJ’s Austin stop is part of its jam-packed tour behind its latest (and somewhat controversial among die-hard fans) album, “Evil Urges.” We caught up with bassist Tom Blankenship (aka Two-Tone Tommy) on the road via e-mail with questions from the staff and readers of the Austin Music Source blog.
Austin American-Statesman: How’s the tour going so far? Tom Blankenship:We started the run with two hometown shows, in Nashville (Tenn.) and Louisville (Ky.), which both turned out pretty epic — a coincidental fireworks display mid-set from a neighboring football game, meeting Louisville’s “mayor for life” Jerry Abramson, partying at a friend’s funeral home post-show — it’s been a bit of amazing so far.
How do you guys pick the songs you’ll cover during a show? Sometimes it’s a song that we all collectively love and have dreamed about covering. Most of the time though it’s one of us joking, “Wouldn’t it be funny if we played (blank)?” Come to think of it, that’s where most of our best ideas come from — ya know, “Wouldn’t it be funny if … “
Modern Southern bands often have a literary bent. Any favorite authors? Kurt Vonnegut, Michael Chabon, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Neil Gaiman, Orson Scott Card.
What are you reading/watching/listening to on tour? I’m slowly making my way through Chris Claremont’s 16-year-run on “Uncanny X-Men,” something I’ve been hoping to do since I was 14. I heart Kitty Pryde. What’s your favorite thing/place in Austin? Curra’s veggie chorizo breakfast tacos, Austin Books & Comics, Mother’s Cafe & Garden, Taj Palace, Toy Joy, Thundercloud’s Nada Chicken, Bass Emporium, Hyde Park, Waterloo Records, Satay, Genuine Joe coffee and Amy’s ice cream. There’s a great deal to like about Austin. Anything you want to say to your fans in Austin? Several years ago when we took a week off of work to go on our first tour in an old Dodge van, Austin was the first city to really go out of its way to make us feel welcome. Within hours of arriving in town we had floors to crash on and good folks to show us around. That kind of hospitality and friendliness you don’t find in just any city, and it’s why, along with the insanely energetic crowds, it’s still one of our favorite places to play.
What was the process like in creating the song ‘Highly Suspicious’? It seems to have divided some of the band’s longtime fans, to the point that some are saying they like everything else on ‘Evil Urges.’ Was there any debate about including it? To me it’s just a fun, grooving, goofy song, so it’s difficult to understand how fiercely opinionated folks have been about it. It was a blast to rehearse and record that guy, and it never really changed much from Jim’s (Jim James) demo. That boy can write a song that’s equal parts awesome and hilarious.
We hear you guys are pro-Muppet (so are we!). Who’s your favorite or who do you most closely relate to? I think most people would say Janice, the guitar player for Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, but growing up it was always Fozzie (for his ‘51 Studebaker in “The Muppet Movie” and all-around lovableness) and Rowlf (for being the coolest, most laid-back of the bunch).
When do you go back in the studio — or do you even want to think about that right now? We’ve got tour dates booked through February but no plans beyond that right now.
Everyone gets burned out from time to time — how do you recharge? Hanging out at home with my awesome wife and our two furry kiddos, sleep, laser tag, nights with old friends, sleep, a couple days ignoring e-mails, a big plate of avocado rolls and more sleep.
My Morning Jacket Where: Stubb’s Bar-B-Que, 801 Red River St. When: Doors open at 7 p.m. Sunday, August 24. Tickets: Technically sold out Food drive: The band has teamed with the Austin Center for Peace and Justice and the Capital Area Food Bank to collect nonperishable food items from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. outside the club (so if you don’t have a ticket, you can still drive by and donate). The food bank needs healthy, nonperishable food, especially canned meats and vegetables, pasta, beans, rice, healthy cereal, peanut butter and baby food and formula.
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