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 Handsome
Boy Modeling School Interview
interview 0290 added
23.03.05 words: Mike technical:
QED
After visiting their evening seminar at the Jazz Café on the 24th Feb (see
Live article), I decided I might like to join the Handsome
Boy Modeling School. But as I wasn’t sure about the cost of $60, I thought a
more thorough investigation into the ideals and philosophy behind the concept
would not go amiss. So, to this end, I gave Chest Rockwell (aka Prince Paul) and
Nathaniel Merriweather (aka Dan The Automator) a phone call the following day to
see if they could persuade me to part with my hard earned cash. Here’s what they
had to say about their course and a few other choice subjects, maybe they’ll be
able to convince you to join up too.
First up, can you introduce yourselves and maybe tell us an interesting fact
about yourselves that you’ve never told any other interviewer please?
 NM: Well, I’m Nathaniel Merriweather and basically, my life is an open book.
CR: I did the Macarena.
NM: He’s also very good at it by the way. I actually had a little bit to do with
the Lambada, the forbidden dance.
In the spirit of Hunter S. Thompson, who sadly passed away recently, what are
your views on a) drugs, b) alcohol, c) violence, and d) insanity?
NM: Well, there are a couple of things we could say about that. But first of
all, we should say that Hunter S. Thompson is, or was, the next door neighbour
of John Oates, who is a very handsome man.
CR: But what are our views on those things? It’s all good when you combine them
together.
NM: Although, personally I like a little less dose of insanity if possible.
Onto your album, how do you pick your collaborators?
NM: Well, we actually pick people from the pool of Handsome Boy graduates,
although they really pick us.
"...I
actually had a little bit to do with the Lambada, the forbidden dance..."
Well, you obviously have eclectic tastes in music, but how did you come
across Franz Ferdinand and Cat Power?
NM: Well, with Franz Ferdinand, I was friends with this guy, Chris Chet who runs
Domino Records in America, and before the record was out, he was calling me up
going “I have this Scottish band, they’re really, really nice people, and they
really like you, and maybe you should check them out.” So we checked them out,
and thought they almost had what it takes to make it, but we gave them a course
at Handsome Boy Modeling School so we could make sure they have it. So we took
them under our wing, they paid the $60. Essentially, that started the whole ball
rolling, and next thing you know Franz Ferdinand’s top of the charts.
This one’s for Nathaniel, are the rumours about you producing Franz
Ferdinand’s next album true?
NM: Well, I don’t know if that’s true, but I have been in the studio with them
and we’ve done some stuff together, but as we all know, until something actually
comes out, we don’t know what’s going to happen.
"...I
look at it as all love and all a learning experience. And lots of wine and women..."
OK, for both of you again, when you were making the album, did you give the
collaborators concepts to get on with or is the album just a collection of songs
with some linking skits in between?
NM: No, the songs are very specific, I think. If you listen to what’s going on,
you realise most of them are born from daily topics of conversation we have at
the many dinner parties we have before we record.
CR: So politics, sex, love…
NM: Finances.
In my opinion, concept albums don’t normally have a follow up, so what made
you think you could be different?
 CR: I don’t think we’re trying to be different, I think that it’s part of the
handsome lifestyle. You know, you follow up wine with a good cheese.
NM: And then a good woman.
CR: Yeah, and then a good woman. So you know, everything works in order. So it’s
not trying to be different, it’s just going the way life takes you.
NM: And quite frankly, we’re only one third done with it, actually not even
that, maybe one eighth.
This is for Chest. Nathaniel’s famous for using melodies instead of samples,
did that affect the way you look at production?
CR: You know how I looked at it? Like this. Do you see where I’m coming from?
Not particularly!
CR: Well, you know, I look at it as all love and all a learning experience. And
lots of wine and women.
NM: Actually, mostly wine and women!
CR: And gin and juice if you’re with Snoop Dogg.
NM: He wasn’t on the record, but we thought of the gin and juice.
"...For
some reason, all these years everyone wanted to be a New York emcee although
they were from wherever. And now, finally guys like Mike Skinner, Dizzee Rascal
or Roots Manuva, they’re all doing their own style..."
This is for both of you again, which of your projects would you most like to
be remembered for?
CR: I think inventing the lime cordial would be one of them, and possibly the
blackcurrant cordial.
Well, what about your musical projects, such as Deltron 3030, The Gorillaz,
De La Soul, Gravediggaz etc?
NM: I’m not trying to put words in Chest’s mouth, but you know, it’s really hard
to hate on any one of your children. And what I mean by that is, every one has
their unique qualities and there are things that are special about all of them,
and to single out one of them would be unfair to the rest of them.
So have either of you heard any UK hip hop, and if so, how do you compare it
to the current US scene?
NM: Well, I personally think it’s finally starting to come into its own, not
just in the UK, but worldwide. For some reason, all these years everyone wanted
to be a New York emcee although they were from wherever. And now, finally guys
like Mike Skinner, Dizzee Rascal or Roots Manuva, they’re all doing their own
style, it’s a vast improvement over what was happening ten years ago.
In lieu of Paris Hilton’s phone being hacked, who are the most famous people
in your phone book?
CR: What happened?
NM: Paris Hilton’s phone got hacked, and it was pasted all over the internet,
happened a couple of days ago.
CR: Oh really? But most famous people in our phone books? Mine would be
Nathaniel Merriweather.
NM: Chest Rockwell would be mine.
"...There’s
people dying and starving and getting killed, and they’re worried about the name
of a fry!..."
And this is for Chest again. Your Politics Of The Business album was a tirade
against major label’s shenanigans, but what was the worst shenanigan you faced
in putting this album out?
CR: The worst shenanigan? I’d say only having two women instead of three.
NM: It brings down the average.
Sticking with politics, do either of you have a view on Bush and his recent
attempts to ingratiate himself with Europe?
CR: Don’t fall for it.
And can you tell me if you’re still serving Freedom Fries in the US, or are
you back to plain old French fries now?
 CR: What kind of crap is that?
NM: Freedom Fries was when they were hating on the French.
CR: That’s stupidity! Haven’t they got anything better to do than rename a
French fry? That’s how weak politics people are, and how petty they are. There’s
people dying and starving and getting killed, and they’re worried about the name
of a fry! That’s how stupid it is.
NM: It does tell you a little bit about the mentality of middle America.
OK, what were your favourite albums from last year?
NM: For me, Franz Ferdinand was one of them. Obviously that was a big step
forward for Handsome Boy.
CR: I particularly like Nelly’s Sweat/Suit album.
NM: Mostly the Suit side.
CR: Actually, scratch that, I’m thinking of something else!
NM: Can I mention the really incredible Jem record as well?
"...It’s
hard to explain but there’s a certain synergy that’s happening when you’re
working with an artist over a period of time..."
So what can we expect from both of you in the future, either separately or as
Handsome Boy Modeling School?
CR: I guess a new school. We’re planning to open one here in London.
NM: We also have a new video series coming out, the first one should be out in
the spring, and will probably help lots of young people, and older people,
around the world with their handsomeness.
CR: And can I plug something? A new group called The Dix, and their EP called
The Art of Picking Up Women, which includes a DVD and a CD which will be very
interesting, that’s coming out in the next month or so.
"...We
gave [Franz Ferdinand] a course at Handsome Boy Modeling School so we could make
sure they have it. So we took them under our wing, they paid the $60.
Essentially, that started the whole ball rolling, and next thing you know Franz
Ferdinand’s top of the charts..."
So that will help with improving handsomeness as well, will it?
CR: Any time you have a group called the Dix! It’s tongue friendly, even if
you’re a woman or not. It all works out.
What input, if any, did you have to licence one of your tracks to Virgin
Mobile for one of their adverts?
 CR: We did?
NM: We didn’t know about that!
CR: Maybe we should look into it! But if you hear anything else about one of our
tracks, give us a call!
This one’s for Nathaniel. For me, the Dr. Octagon album is one of my
favourites, but can you tell me what you first though when Kool Keith explained
the concept of the “halfsharkalligatorhalfman” tune?
NM: Well, I think at that point, that was the last, maybe the second last song
we did for the album. It’s hard to explain but there’s a certain synergy that’s
happening when you’re working with an artist over a period of time, so when he
talked about, all I did was go and try to find every available
halfsharkalligatorhalfman sample and titbit, and the amazing thing is I found
three!
And this one for Chet, you’ve been widely credited with creating the skit,
how do you feel about that?
CR: I think it’s been damaged by hip hop, and unfortunately my name will go down
with that. But hey, it is what it is. And I’d rather been known for that then
Sweat/Suit.
"...It’s
tongue friendly, even if you’re a woman or not..."
Who would win in an arm wrestle between yourselves?
NM: I don’t really think that there’s any need for competition, we ended that a
long time ago. But when we first met, it was like “Look at how he has more
women!”
CR: Now we have a charm wrestle.
So who wins that then?
CR: Everyone’s a winner!
"...I
don’t think we’re trying to be different, I think that it’s part of the handsome
lifestyle..."
So any last messages or shout outs you want to make?
CR: I’d like to give a shout out all of the UK, and all of the people who need
to take our $60 course.
NM: And all the babies mamas.
CR: And all the babies mamas mamas.
NM: And all the babies mamas mamas mamas.
CR: And that would be it.
So many thanks to Messrs Rockwell and Merriweather for that fascinating
insight into their lifestyleand sales pitch of their school. If you’re
interested in enrolling for their course, but are not entirely convinced that it
will make you handsome, why not check out the latest instalment of their course
taster CD, White People?
-
Mike
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