Maxwell Helper/Your Idiot Brother just released his self-titled debut album last week (January 27^th 2019). A song from that album, ‘Hoochie Coochie’ was featured on our #39 podcast on February 5 of the same year, which is certainly evidence of kismet and destiny.

My favorite thing to wear onstage:

Polkadots. Who doesn’t like polkadots?

[polkadots not pictured.]

The last musical instrument or musical-performance-related item that I bought and loved was:

Korg MS-2000 synthesizer. It’s super accessible with most of the controls laid out right in front of you, and it’s a great synth to learn on.  Time seems to slip away every time I turn that thing on…

The musical instrument or musical-performance-related item that I really really really want is:

An 8-track reel-to-reel recorder. I’ve always wanted to play with tape more, and haven’t really gotten the chance yet…

The artist who has influenced me most is:

David Bowie. He never stuck to any script, and didn’t care what people wanted him to be or thought he should be.  He was a shapeshifter in search of truth, perhaps a microcosm for what we all are as a species.

I live in Los Angeles.

I was born and raised here, and Los Angeles has always seemed to call me back (literally).  Even when I tried to leave to the pacific northwest, it wasn’t two years before I had one of my best friends, Sean Bloom, convincing me to move back to Los Angeles to start a band (a band that is no longer).  Nevertheless, I bring up his name because he was very instrumental (pun intended) in Your Idiot Brother’s self-titled debut album.

The general vibe of Los Angeles is:

Superficial. Genuine conversation and human connection is hard to come by here. There’s definitely some very real and interesting people here, but so many are seemingly disillusioned by social status or insecurity.  

Genuine conversation and human connection is hard to come by here.

I collect:

Vinyl. It’s not very extensive, but I try to pick up cool records when I can.  I was stoked to come across an original copy of the Fantasia soundtrack not too long ago. It has a really colorful booklet that goes into the history of all of the tracks too.

my favorite thing to watch on tv is:

Rick and Morty. A drunk genius that goes on adventures through absurd parallel dimensions with his idiot grandson? I love it.  It’s as funny as it is intellectual too.

In my fridge you’ll always find:

Cheese

why

more chz plz..

A winter indulgence that I would never forgo is:

There’s no winter in Los Angeles

If you’re going to buy me a gift, say in the under-$50 range, I would like:

Anything that makes sound, even a terrible one. Except a baby.  Please don’t give me a baby… at least not now.

Anything that makes sound, even a terrible one. Except a baby.  Please don’t give me a baby… at least not now.

In my heart I wish I was:

Bruce Willis in ‘Unbreakable’. There’s actually no evidence that I’m NOT Bruce Willis’s character in ‘Unbreakable.’ I’ve never broken a bone (knock on wood).

 

Exhibit A. Exhibit B. No evidence exists that these are not the same person.

The best place to eat breakfast in my city is:

Off of my stovetop. Only I know how I like my eggs and hash browns.  Breakfast can get risky out there…

When people come to visit me, particularly if those people are cooler than I am, I take them to:

Karaoke. I don’t like people that are cooler than me… We’ll see how cool they are once I sign them up for ‘Total Eclipse’ after 5 or 6 drinks.

favorite seasonal beverage:

Beer

why

you can drink it any season

What’s next for you musically?

The recently-released self-titled debut album last week (January 27th) was very much a DIY album. Although written and produced by Maxwell Helper, quite a few of his friends from UFO Therapy Records, a collective started by Sean Bloom (man Be Solo), are to thank in the recording and production of the album as well (album credits are on bandcamp).  Your Idiot Brother is always writing and creating and you can definitely look for a second album to come perhaps as soon as next year. In case you’re interested, here’s a link to the collective: https://www.ufotherapyrecords.com/