Keyboardist Money Mark (Mark Ramos Nishita) has been called the "fourth Beastie Boy" for his work on their Check Your Head and Ill Communication albums. This month, he celebrates his third solo album, Change Is Coming, with performances in Ottawa (Sept 12), Montreal (Sept. 13) and Toronto (Sept. 14).
Current fixations:
I have been cooking lately. Spaghetti.
Mind-altering work of art:
Apocalypse Now, the movie.
Most memorable or inspirational gig and why?
While performing with the Beastie Boys in Pontiac Michigan. I irresponsibly climbed a tall poll in the venue, the crowd cheered me on to my death, the security was pissed off and the band and crew were worried. Thank god mom wasn't there!
What has been your career high and low?
See number 3.
What should everyone shut up about?
Everyone should shut up about Survivor, especially the one where they had to eat the rat.
I would drop everything to play a benefit for:
To make bowling an Olympic sport.
What trait do you like and dislike most about yourself?
That I have to eat and sleep.
What would make you kick someone out of your band and/or bed, and have you?
Silly question no attention to silly questions.
When I think of Canada I think:
How dry it is there.
What is your vital daily ritual?
Moving my bowels is my vital daily ritual, stressing vital here.
How do you spoil yourself?
See number 10.
What was your most memorable day job?
I worked at a graveyard hospital.
If I wasn't playing music I would be:
See number 12.
What is your greatest fear?
That I will have to answer these 20 questions again.
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
My superpower would be to have the ability to change traffic lights from red to green at will.
What makes you want to take it off and get it on?
Is this a sexual question or not? Interviews like this.
Music and sex: Is there a difference? Why?
No, because the crankshaft is connected to the differential. You figure it out.
Strangest brush with celebrity:
I was a passer-by one day in Hollywood while Steven Spielberg was imprinting his hands and feet into the wet cement outside the Mann's Chinese Theatre in L.A. While standing across the street, I noticed that Marsha Brady was standing next to me. She was actually there to see him perform the ritual.
Also, last night while at an Afro Cuban concert at the Wilshire Theatre in Los Angeles, I took a piss next to Karim Abdul Jabaar, the ex-Laker centre.
Who would be your ideal dinner guest, living or dead, and what would you serve them?
Albert Einstein and Carmen Miranda. Feed them both spaghetti.
What does your mom wish you were doing instead?
De-mildewing the laundry room.
Current fixations:
I have been cooking lately. Spaghetti.
Mind-altering work of art:
Apocalypse Now, the movie.
Most memorable or inspirational gig and why?
While performing with the Beastie Boys in Pontiac Michigan. I irresponsibly climbed a tall poll in the venue, the crowd cheered me on to my death, the security was pissed off and the band and crew were worried. Thank god mom wasn't there!
What has been your career high and low?
See number 3.
What should everyone shut up about?
Everyone should shut up about Survivor, especially the one where they had to eat the rat.
I would drop everything to play a benefit for:
To make bowling an Olympic sport.
What trait do you like and dislike most about yourself?
That I have to eat and sleep.
What would make you kick someone out of your band and/or bed, and have you?
Silly question no attention to silly questions.
When I think of Canada I think:
How dry it is there.
What is your vital daily ritual?
Moving my bowels is my vital daily ritual, stressing vital here.
How do you spoil yourself?
See number 10.
What was your most memorable day job?
I worked at a graveyard hospital.
If I wasn't playing music I would be:
See number 12.
What is your greatest fear?
That I will have to answer these 20 questions again.
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
My superpower would be to have the ability to change traffic lights from red to green at will.
What makes you want to take it off and get it on?
Is this a sexual question or not? Interviews like this.
Music and sex: Is there a difference? Why?
No, because the crankshaft is connected to the differential. You figure it out.
Strangest brush with celebrity:
I was a passer-by one day in Hollywood while Steven Spielberg was imprinting his hands and feet into the wet cement outside the Mann's Chinese Theatre in L.A. While standing across the street, I noticed that Marsha Brady was standing next to me. She was actually there to see him perform the ritual.
Also, last night while at an Afro Cuban concert at the Wilshire Theatre in Los Angeles, I took a piss next to Karim Abdul Jabaar, the ex-Laker centre.
Who would be your ideal dinner guest, living or dead, and what would you serve them?
Albert Einstein and Carmen Miranda. Feed them both spaghetti.
What does your mom wish you were doing instead?
De-mildewing the laundry room.
