The Trunk Space Blog

For the uninitiated, Joe Jack Talcum is a name rooted in mythology. Initially, Jack Talcum was a janitor for a recording studio, who manage to weasel his way into recording with a band called The Dead Milkmen. A conceited hard-ass, and by no means an artist, he gradually took over the band and appended the name Joe to become Joe Jack Talcum. He later married a Japanese artist, Kit McCat, and was eventually though to have been shot, around the same time that John Lennon was: It was later revealed that it was actually a look-a-like. When this happened, they thought it may be the end of the Dead Milkmen, but they’re back and are actively working on new songs now.

For the non-fictitious take, The Dead Milkmen originated as stories that were written for a newsletter and when it was decided that The Dead Milkmen needed to be turned into an ‘actual’ band, they took names from the stories that had been written and adopted their personalities. In part, Joseph Genaro was hoping that the pseudonym would help separate his personal life from his musical. In 1984, he released his first solo album under the name of Joe Jack Talcum and managed to continue releasing one solo album once every two years, which he managed to do up until 1997. (Of which, a collection is available through Valiant Death Records.) On top of all of this, including The Dead Milkmen albums, Joe has managed to put out over 60 albums in the past 27 years. Take a second to figure out how many albums, on average, he has put out every year since 1983.

So outside of a being able to travel around the country with various bands, what else is going on in the life of Mr. Genaro. As of the beginning of the year, he’s preparing to move out of his present apartment and into a new one, and then embark onto the Huge Bicycle Tour with Lord Grunge, The Bassturd and DJ Jester the Filipino Fist. But upon prodding and asking, “What’s the one thing you should be asking yourself, after all of these years.” A delipidated voice ushers through the phone, “Aren’t you sick of this?” It gains some momentum. “Aren’t you sick of playing music and going on tour.” Almost angrily, “Are you crazy?” He stops and then explains himself. “Sometimes I think I should be sick, but I’m not. I haven’t had my fill.” He’s right, as much as it is quite an ideal to live through, what of permanence or consistency. “How long until it’s illegal to not have health insurance? How much longer can I go around the country just scraping by?” He says there’s some potential with The Dead Milkmen reforming to play shows, including some new material, but they’re rather reluctant on the possibility of touring.

Still, thoughts as such aren’t slowing him down. After this tour, he’s going to do another with his solo material with a backing band and with No! Go! Tell! He’s excited to be on tour with The Bassturd, who he had previously traveled with back in September of 2009 and would watch him ask audience members for topics for songs, and create songs on the spot, which he found very impressive. He likes the fact that he’s playing with a pretty eclectic group of people this time around and well, this is obviously not the last time we’re going to see him traveling around.

The Bicycle Tour will be occurring on the 2nd, with locals Andrew Jackson Jihad and Haunted Cologne.