Listen to Math the Band’s New Album or They Will Puke in Your Hair

Photo by Adam Waz

Math the Band are not so much a band as they are a walking case of Red Bull. The engaged Rhode Island duo will play until they are drenched in sweat and desperately reaching for inhalers on stage, literally sucking down inhaler sprays between songs. You’d think they would conserve their energy before they play, but you can almost always find them full-on dancing to the opening bands.

Their sound can best be described as a sugar-fueled Nintendo-induced seizure—a large reason is that they use actual Nintendo systems to get their electronic sound. But on their new album, Stupid and Weird, which is out this week, Math the Band are taking a new direction, creating their sound mostly from vintage analog synths they have modified. Stream Stupid and Weird below and check out our interview where we talked about Nintendos, competing furniture stores, and our favorite gross story ever.

Noisey: I don’t know how else to ask this, so please: Tell me the puke story.
Kevin: So, we were on tour, opening for an artist who—not gonna name any names—but this artist did not have sometimes the nicest fans. One of the shows, we were up there doing our thing and there was somebody in the front row who’s not into it, which is not a big deal, that happens. Some people have terrible taste in music and don’t like our band.
Justine: [Laughs]
Kevin: But this person was being so aggressive, just shouting the ugliest words, throwing bottles and cups and things at us. And at one point, I got down on one knee, away from the microphone, and was just like, “Hey, you gotta cut that shit out. I don’t care if you don’t like us, but just step outside. You don’t have to have to be doing this, that’s not OK." They kept doing it after that. So I just threw up in my hand and I ran my hand through their hair and immediately they were gone for the rest of the night.

So gross.
Kevin: Yeah, I’m a lover, not a fighter. I gave them a warning.
Justine: He’s a lover, a fighter, and a puker.

A puker on command, which is impressive.
Kevin: It’s better now but at the time, I had some pretty terrible stomach problems and I’d just be throwing up all of the time. I’d usually have little garbage cans on the side of the stage, I wouldn’t wanna make a spectacle out of it. I would throw up probably five or six times a day. So this wasn’t me having to summon vomit. It was me trying to keep it down and this person gave me a window of opportunity. And ever since then, I’ve fantasized about getting mugged and just projectile vomiting at the person.

You’re like a squid who can shoot out ink as a defense mechanism.
Kevin: Yeah but instead of ink, it’s half of a roast beef sandwich.

I asked that question not only because that story is wonderful and gross but also to bring up the fact that you guys have a rough time finding artists to tour with who are good fits. Why do you think that is?
Kevin: I don’t know, I feel like our band is kind of polarizing in that we can be viewed as different bands by different people. Whoever we go on tour with, in one way we fit, but in the way that we don’t fit…
Justine: We really don’t fit.
Kevin: Yeah.
Justine: I think we’re in this weird space in between where we’re not nerdy enough and we’re not cool enough.
Kevin: Yeah, we’re the lamest hipster band you’ve ever heard of.
Justine: Or the coolest nerd band.

When I think of all the different people I’ve seen you play with, you’ve played with nerdcore rappers, punk bands, a sixteen-piece marching band, and Andrew W.K. What are your favorite kinds of tours to do?
Justine: The best shows are eclectic shows. I loved touring with Andrew W.K. because we’re so different. And I really also love touring with a punk rock marching band because that’s insane. I think our best shows are ones where people have the same mentality as us.

Aren’t you playing a furniture store soon?
Justine: What?
Kevin: Oh, no, I wish. We gotta get that gig at Splash.
Justine: [Laughs] Let me tell you about Splash for a minute. Splash is Jordan’s Furniture’s premier lazer and water light show. With the rock and roll stylings of every artist you’ve ever heard. And it takes place in a furniture store. And every time we have a guest from out of town, we enjoy a 14-minute showing at the local Jordan’s.
Kevin: There’s this war of who can be the most fun furniture store in New England. So at the very least, if you go to any furniture store, the least you’re gonna get is free fresh baked cookies and ice cream. And the most you’re gonna get is a lazer light show rock experience or an IMAX movie.

Moving on from furniture stores, Stupid and Weird. This album is way different than your other stuff. Was that a firm decision that you wanted to go in a different direction or did that just come out of you?
Justine: Little bit of both.
Kevin: I don’t ever sit down and consciously try to make one kind of song or another. If there’s one big difference, it’s that I didn’t say to myself, “Don’t put this song out because people might not like it.” I fully intended a lot of people to hate like, half of it. I wanted to take a risk.
Justine: But it feels really good because a lot of people who have donated to the Kickstarter have gotten it and liked it.

On the Kickstarter, one of the higher pledges got a modified Nintendo?
Kevin: Yeah. We stopped using them on this album but on our last album, most of the synthesizers were 8-bit Nintendo systems that I modified with computers. So I’ve got like, eight of those.

What goes into the modification process?
Kevin: Nintendos have five audio channels on them—they have two pulse waves, a sample channel, a noise generator, and a triangle wave. I seperate them so that they each come out of their own output instead of having it be one RCA output. And then make it so that the Nintendo can communicate with the computer and receive MIDI signals.

If Math the Band was a Nintendo game, what game would you be?
Justine: Ballz! 3D.
Kevin: That’s Super Nintendo.
Justine: Oh sorry. Ballz! 3D though… I don’t care, that’s a hilarious name.
Kevin: I know the answer for my favorite game on NES, but which one would we be? That’s an entirely different question.
Justine: Ballz! 3D!
Kevin: Yeah, if it was Super Nintendo, yeah, Ballz! 3D. I’m gonna go with Bad Dudes.
Justine: Bad Dudes.

Oh, Bad Dudes is a great game.
Kevin: Because that’s what we are. We’re a couple of bad dudes.
Justine: We’re bad. Bad. Dudes.
Kevin: If we weren’t bad dudes, would we make our album title two almost-swear words?

Dan Ozzi would be honored to be puked on by Math the Band. Follow him on Twitter - @danozzi

Previously: Math the Band's New Video is a Real-Life Episode of 'Adventure Time'