MSCL.com

Bill Janowitz is the singer/songwriter from the great band Buffalo Tom, who we all know of course from the wonderful episode Self-Esteem and the poignancy of "Late at Night". He's still involved in music, and is very fan-friendly. Feel free to check out his music and site at http://www.billjanovitz.com/


Anyway, I wrote him to ask about his experiences on MSCL, given the 10 year anniversary. Below is my question to him, his belittling me (lol), and his comments.


Bill,



Thanks for the wonderful website (and better music). All those references to lawyers and being 40 made me feel like, umm, a 40 year old lawyer. Which I am. And a hack guitar player in a local indie band, but that’s another story.



Its the 10 year anniversary of My So Called Life. Hopefully you are not too sick of hearing about the show, but for my money its the best "musical guest tie-in" TV has ever offered.



Any thoughts, musings, complaints, what have you about your appearance on the show? Any insights you feel like sharing with a big My So Called Life fan and a bigger Buffalo Tom Fan?



Thanks for your time,



Joe



PS, there is a great My So Called Life web site at http://www.mscl.com. You guys are liberally mentioned.



PSS tour Florida again someday, in some capacity!





Hi Joe – Believe me, if I could tap into the 40 year-old lawyer set on a large scale, that would certainly be more lucrative than the tween, TRL MTV crowd. I mean, who does Infiniti and Lexus market to? See if you can spread around the good word amongst your back room, cigar-chomping cronies while you guys share your Chivas Regal.



Forgive me if I have a hard time squaring the image of a 40 year-old lawyer cruising the My So Called Life chat rooms, but, uh, yeah, I have a hard time. But such was the cult-like and enduring popularity of the show. I had an inkling of the power of the show when we were going to appear, as my 30-ish wife was already a big fan. We got to meet the kids and I was floored with then-15 Claire Danes’ worldliness. All the kids came and hung around with us at the trailer, especially Jared Leto (spelling)? Who was, along with his brother, an aspiring rocker.



We noticed a huge difference in our audience from the episode onwards and many of the then-teen girls are now adult women fans. It was a little breath in our career that opened up a new audience and we still get letters and message posts from new teens from around the world, just discovering us for the first time, as the show is in worldwide syndication. It was a great experience, as all the show’s producers were great as well. A very homey, sincere, well-crafted project for Hollywood. Which is, of course, the very reason that it did not last, as with “Freaks and Geeks,” and the “Mike O’Malley Show,” had it been given any semblance of a chance. Did you know that the latter featured/co-starred Will Arnett, now an almost household name from his role on “Arrested Development”? Will is also married to Amy Poehler from SNL. David Cross is also a hugely talented guy who is on “Arrested Development.”



I am rambling now, still somewhat numb from the Vicadan I had to take after the Sox dropped two to Team Satan.

Thanks for the email and the link JPP13. I downloaded the songs from his site and he's still go it. I'm going to put Big Red Letter Day in my truck stereo on the way home now. His voice just seems to project "angst".

For the record, I've never been in the chat room here.

Thanks JPP13! That was a great letter. Always cool to get something back from a (semi-)celeb!

Did you know that the latter featured/co-starred Will Arnett, now an almost household name from his role on “Arrested Development”? Will is also married to Amy Poehler from SNL. David Cross is also a hugely talented guy who is on “Arrested Development.”

So not only is he a great songwriter, but the man knows his TV. Now watch that show before I have to force you.