Jim Baron From Crazy Penis, Innuendo Free Zone.

Don't be fooled by what some would say is a novelty name, like Machine Gun Fellatio, now there's a collaboration we would like to see. Jim Baron and Chris Todd who are the founding members of Crazy Penis, are tertiary qualified musicians. Chris graduated with a sound engineering and contemporary music degree, while Jim completed a Law / music degree so I'll keep any liable slander to a minimum.

Their music has been described by one music journo as Dazz or Disco Jazz. I asked Jim if sometimes music classification goes too far-
"Our music is difficult to categorize, I understand that it has to be labeled in order to make it available to the consumer, but there is a line"

For Jim sometimes labeling music can be like a self-fulfilling prophecy, once you start calling it something, the music starts to become it's label. So naturally I ask how he would describe his music;
"12 step Wendy House tech jazz, plum grunt with a touch of urban mythology". But if you listen a little harder you will probably hear something "soulful, funky, across varying tempos, and if it pleases us emotionally then, we're willing to go with it."

The step from the studio to the stage can be a risky venture. Jim and Chris understood the pitfalls and initially had a hard time deciding on how to take it out.
"We did try the 'two geezers behind samplers' route, but that wasn't satisfying, particularly considering the type of music it is which is kind of jazzy and live. So to begin with we made it technically as easy as possible. Put a backing tape of beats on the background and played live over the top of it".

When your band has a name like 'Crazy Penis' you have a ready made publicity tool. One that can either help or hinder your bands notoriety. Sufficed to say, a Google search will come up with some interesting hits. According to Jim, the positives have out weighed the negatives so far although as they start to get more and more air play there have been problems with some major stations.
"We are looking at ways of tackling it", says Jim, "But Crazy Penis will always remain, even if it is just a production name".

If you do a little skimming of Paper Recording's website you will find that in their stable other than 'Crazy Penis' they have a DJ Dick Johnson and Daniel Wang who did the "Keep on" remix on their latest album "The Wicked is Music". I probed Jim on the question is there a hidden subtext to their productions. To which Jim replied, "Yes".

When you start making a name for yourself you find your music making its way in to some influential record boxes. Bruno from Naked Music is in constant contact as is Miguel Migs. Ashley Beedle from Homespun is a fan and Roger Sanchez has requested a copy of their album all the way from Ibiza.

The opening track of "The Wicked is Music" has the very eerie voice over of Willy Wonka telling us that there is a better place. Which just begs the question, which "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" character do you most closely resemble-
"Charlie, or perhaps we could all be Oompa Loompas, that way we could see the workings of the chocolate factory".

Jim Baron is presently touring:
Friday 18th October: Mink Bar, Adelaide
Saturday 19th October: Seven Nightclub, Melbourne
Friday 25th October: The Family, Brisbane
Saturday 26th October: Globe Hotel, Sydney
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