For Chainlinks 069, we have Clinton Jacob and Danny Sein, who together form the great mr.phylzzz (pronounced "Mr. Flies"!) Signed to the legendary Amphetamine Reptile Records, vocalist/guitarist Jacob and drummer Sein deliver an irreverent take on noise rock, lacing their songs with epic hooks and dark humor. Playful and theatrical in a way that most bands would not dare, this pair thrives on the subversion of all expectations. Their newest single, “Rodeo Clown,” opens with Jacob’s pensive vocal and acoustic guitar strums and waits almost two minutes before erupting into its larger-than-life arena rock finale. Stream the superb music video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWm5EMZUZMk
mr.phylzzz is right at home on AmRep, the label that has come to define an entire sub-genre of iconoclastic music. Furthermore, it was revealed this month that Jacob is 1/4 of Gatta Morta, the new AmRep supergroup featuring Buzz Osborne (The Melvins), Coady Willis (The Melvins, Big Business) and JD Pinkus (Butthole Surfers). With mr.phylzzz's new album Fear the Lord coming out next Friday, September 4th, the duo will hit the road for an extensive US tour.
Clinton Jacob of mr.phylzzz
1) Favorite Hotel Ever
If there is one thing that puts a smile on my bitter, gay face, it's a nice, lush hotel. I think there's something timeless about them. We have come a long way since the days of the "Two-Penny Lean"—a 19th-century bench with a rope strung across that you could lean over to sleep. Charming, right? No, thanks! Give me something swank and wild (and with a bed!).
My all-time favorite hotel would have to be The Lafayette Hotel in San Diego, California. It is a true gem in this country, bursting with old-Hollywood charm. We're talking, over-the-top, gaudy mid-century modern mixed with 1940s Colonial Revival design, a 24-hour train car diner inside the hotel, and an old-school bowling alley with Great Gatsby-era gold decor. And don't forget the Olympic-sized pool smacked dead in the middle of the property, complete with stunning views and poolside service.
With leopard-print seating, floral wallpaper, and velvet dripping from every corner, this place is a gay man's absolute dream. I highly recommend it!
2) Favorite Guitar Pedal
It goes without saying: I love fuzz pedals. I want that sound of a swarm of bees screaming through a blown-out speaker. After years of trial and error with junk amps and terrible gear, I’ve finally landed on the ultimate fuzz: the Death By Audio Fuzz War.
The name alone tells you everything you need to know. "Death By Audio" already lets you know they aren't messing around, and a pedal called Fuzz War? Sign me up for the battlefield.
My biggest issue with most pedals is build quality. I’m a stomper. In the heat of the moment, I’ll stomp a pedal six feet into the ground, but this box withstands the abuse every single time.
It’s also blissfully simple. I hate pedals that require a degree in electrical engineering just to dial in a decent tone. With a straightforward layout—Volume, Fuzz, and Tone—you’re ready to rip right out of the box.
This pedal has a dark, massive low-end hum I’ve never heard anywhere else. I used to try getting close by chaining three Big Muffs together, but the Fuzz War is way easier and infinitely more effective. It’s the only fuzz I’ve played that feels truly full and can stand completely on its own. Turn it on, and it rips speakers apart with sustain for days. It sounds like a literal war between your guitar and your amp.
I love Death By Audio. Go get one!
3) Weird Al Is The Goat
I think back on why I got into music, and I can pin it down to one man and one accordion: "Weird Al" Yankovic. I remember being a kid in school with one friend who happened to get a portable CD player. He had only one CD—Weird Al’s Bad Hair Day. We snapped the band on the over-ear headphones so we could each hold a cup to an ear and listen together on the school bus. It may have only been the right speaker, but it was enough to change me forever. I had never heard anyone do something like that—taking these popular songs my mom would blare in the car to drown out our cries for McDonald's and turning them into funny, clever new tracks. "Amish Paradise" is permanently burned into my head. To this day, I couldn't even tell you the original lyrics to the real song. As far as I'm concerned, Weird Al's versions are the originals.
I've seen him live over 12 times now, and he never misses. His shows are always fun, always perfect, and he tours more than most artists out there.
Beyond the music, a key thing I’ve taken away from Weird Al as a musician myself is kindness. Al is always gracious and respectful. He treats the artists he parodies with complete integrity, always asking for their sign-off first, even though, by law, he doesn't have to. He is a true gentleman and an absolute weirdo at the same time, and I strive to replicate that same ethos in my own career.
Sure, me learning the accordion didn't work out for anyone involved, but the life lessons I've learned from him will keep me weird and kind forever.
Danny Sein of mr.phylzzz
1) Fugazi - "Glueman" Live (from the Instrument DVD)
If there is one thing that puts a smile on my bitter, gay face, it's a nice, lush hotel. I think there's something timeless about them. We have come a long way since the days of the "Two-Penny Lean"—a 19th-century bench with a rope strung across that you could lean over to sleep. Charming, right? No, thanks! Give me something swank and wild (and with a bed!).
My all-time favorite hotel would have to be The Lafayette Hotel in San Diego, California. It is a true gem in this country, bursting with old-Hollywood charm. We're talking, over-the-top, gaudy mid-century modern mixed with 1940s Colonial Revival design, a 24-hour train car diner inside the hotel, and an old-school bowling alley with Great Gatsby-era gold decor. And don't forget the Olympic-sized pool smacked dead in the middle of the property, complete with stunning views and poolside service.
With leopard-print seating, floral wallpaper, and velvet dripping from every corner, this place is a gay man's absolute dream. I highly recommend it!
2) Favorite Guitar Pedal
It goes without saying: I love fuzz pedals. I want that sound of a swarm of bees screaming through a blown-out speaker. After years of trial and error with junk amps and terrible gear, I’ve finally landed on the ultimate fuzz: the Death By Audio Fuzz War.
The name alone tells you everything you need to know. "Death By Audio" already lets you know they aren't messing around, and a pedal called Fuzz War? Sign me up for the battlefield.
My biggest issue with most pedals is build quality. I’m a stomper. In the heat of the moment, I’ll stomp a pedal six feet into the ground, but this box withstands the abuse every single time.
It’s also blissfully simple. I hate pedals that require a degree in electrical engineering just to dial in a decent tone. With a straightforward layout—Volume, Fuzz, and Tone—you’re ready to rip right out of the box.
This pedal has a dark, massive low-end hum I’ve never heard anywhere else. I used to try getting close by chaining three Big Muffs together, but the Fuzz War is way easier and infinitely more effective. It’s the only fuzz I’ve played that feels truly full and can stand completely on its own. Turn it on, and it rips speakers apart with sustain for days. It sounds like a literal war between your guitar and your amp.
I love Death By Audio. Go get one!
3) Weird Al Is The Goat
I think back on why I got into music, and I can pin it down to one man and one accordion: "Weird Al" Yankovic. I remember being a kid in school with one friend who happened to get a portable CD player. He had only one CD—Weird Al’s Bad Hair Day. We snapped the band on the over-ear headphones so we could each hold a cup to an ear and listen together on the school bus. It may have only been the right speaker, but it was enough to change me forever. I had never heard anyone do something like that—taking these popular songs my mom would blare in the car to drown out our cries for McDonald's and turning them into funny, clever new tracks. "Amish Paradise" is permanently burned into my head. To this day, I couldn't even tell you the original lyrics to the real song. As far as I'm concerned, Weird Al's versions are the originals.
I've seen him live over 12 times now, and he never misses. His shows are always fun, always perfect, and he tours more than most artists out there.
Beyond the music, a key thing I’ve taken away from Weird Al as a musician myself is kindness. Al is always gracious and respectful. He treats the artists he parodies with complete integrity, always asking for their sign-off first, even though, by law, he doesn't have to. He is a true gentleman and an absolute weirdo at the same time, and I strive to replicate that same ethos in my own career.
Sure, me learning the accordion didn't work out for anyone involved, but the life lessons I've learned from him will keep me weird and kind forever.
Danny Sein of mr.phylzzz
1) Fugazi - "Glueman" Live (from the Instrument DVD)
This gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. Sometimes it even makes me tear up because of the emotional and spiritual power of the performance and the tightness of the band. (I also get this feeling from The Jesus Lizard's performance from 1991 at DC Space). This particular performance encapsulates what Fugazi is known best for; the band is tight and the performance is unpredictable, unscripted and transcendent. Guy’s performance is out-of-body, like the music is an electric current and he stuck his entire being in the socket. The power of the performance also generates itself without the shock value stunts and adrenaline of a more violent band. It doesn’t feel contrived in any way, which is a real feat for something so theatrical. There’s also another performance of this song where Ian’s guitar cuts out for more than half the song and the band immediately reacts by dipping the dynamics on the fly and building it back up without Ian’s wall of distorted guitar. They were not only firing on all cylinders as a band but they were spiritually tapped in. I frequently reference this as a main source of inspiration.
2) Roald Dahl
2) Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl, the beloved children’s book author (whom I grew up adoring) also writes grotesque, acerbic, and darkly witty short stories for adult readers. I found this “Best of Roald Dahl” book of short stories, just browsing at one of my favorite new bookstores, Perpetual Books, here in Chicago. It’s a real page turner and there’s always a twist you’d never expect. I devoured it in about a week which is the fastest I’ve made time to read something in a minute. I even lifted the title of one of the stories for a song on our upcoming album, entitled “Switch Bitch.”
3) Coffee
When I wake up, one of my first thoughts is “Where can I get coffee or caffeine in some form?” I love it black, with cream, with sugar, brewed, espresso, americano, cold brew, whatever. Gas station coffee even has its place. I love the ritual, the smell and the feeling. Such a simple, nice thing. If I don’t have coffee my day is definitely worse and I almost definitely have a headache. It also builds itself nicely into a tour routine where you can get a small feel of the town by the coffee shop near the venue after soundcheck. This goes hand in hand with record stores or music stores for me as well. Often times that could be my only glimpse of the city we are playing in, outside of maybe a nearby restaurant. The Melvins guys tour with an aeropress which is very convenient if you’re in a pinch for time. When we toured with them in 2023, Coady and I would switch off getting coffee for one another. Last tour, our merch guy Enrique got obsessed with ‘Dunkalattes’ and we made a special stop to Dunkin’ for him every day. Clinton and Enrique made a song and dance for it too. But then, since I’m a coffee priss sometimes we’d go to Starbucks after so I could get a cold brew. Hey, I know it sounds like a lot but most bands have members who are alcoholics and/or drug users and some have sober caffeine addicts!
