DUMB QUESTIONS/SMART ANSWERS: THE TONTONS

HEY DO HO! You know, the other day our psychic friend Kulsoom reminded us of the Joy of Harry Belafonte. This isn't an instructional tome, like the Joy of Cooking or Sex or Reverse Polish Calculators; the Joy of Belafonte is just that: old school men in hats and sportcoats singing tropical bliss. You should check out his Live at Carnagie Hall. Recommended. We just wanted to share. SPEAKING OF SHARING, as our regular readers know, this and every week we make an attempt to fire off some pretty boring questions to one of Houston's finest and post their responses. In our banana cart this week? None other than Justin and Tom of The Tontons. Party Call Us.

What are some of your favorite records lately?
Justin: Body Language by Monotonix ( I actually don't own a copy of this record, but have listened to some of the songs on it and really regret not buying it, especially since I had two chances to do so!)
Tom: The Make Up Destination: Live at Cold Rice, The Who Live at Leeds, Lightspeed Champion Falling Of The Lavender Bridge


Are there any Houston bands who you've been digging lately?
J: I've Really been into The Sideshow Tramps. (I myself still call them The Medicine Show)
T: Can't Get enough of Golden Axe ,Trainwreck Albania, The Holly Halls, and the now defunct Blades.


What's your secret Houston place?
J: I would have to say Notsuoh or Deans on Main street, I usually like to go to the jam nights on Tuesdays at Deans, but lately they have been really strict about letting young ones like myself in. I just tell them I'm in a band and that changes everything.
T: A little Vietnamese Sandwich Shop off of Park Place and 45 South.


What is the first sentence of the page you are on in a book you are reading right now?
J: Dear Diary... I'm just kidding, I have never owned nor plan on owning a diary of any type.
T: "3 May. Bistritz - Left Munich at 8.35p.m. on 1st of May, arriving at Vienna early next morning; should have arrived at 6.46, but train was an hour Late."


What's the best thing you have spent money on in the last year?
J: New drumheads from Percussion Center!
T: Get Rich Schemes.


What is the best thing you got for free in the last year?
J: All of the free stuff from SXSW I managed to get, but especially that Myspace phone sock I got in one of the bags that the bands get from the Austin Convention Center
T: 1970' s Gibson Flying V (it's too much torque for me right now )


What question should we ask the band next time?
J: If toast always lands butterside down, and cats always land on their feet, what would happen if you strapped toast to a cats back and dropped it?
T: What song would steal if you could travel back in time or forward into the future?


The Welfare Mothers (last week's band) want to ask you "Why are you killing the scene?"
"If it bleeds, we can kill it!"


Astros or Rockets?
Rockets FO' life!


What do the Tontons have going on right now?
We are currently working on a full length album that should be release by the end of this year. We are also working on Texas tour for the summer and just hoping people dig what we are doing. We have been getting positive responses so far, so we must be doing something right.

People are digging it. The Tontons don't really have any shows scheduled for the immediate future, but their EP is available at SoudExchange, Soundwaves, Sigs and iTunes. DAAAAY O!