Ice Cream Man

Im sitting with Charles Goodan and Nick Weber of the band Girl Problems at the Los Feliz Cafe. We just ordered turkey sandwiches and iced teas. Nick has decided not to put mayonnaise on his sandwich because he thinks mustard is healthier.

JI: Hi, guys.

NW: Hi, Julie.

JI: Lets try to keep this light. Tell me about your favorite shoes. Charles?

CG: White fluevogs. Theyre fantastic. Now everybodys gonna start wearing them.

NW: I love these red crocs that Charles has. I feel comfortable in them. I feel myself in them, but unfortunately everyone seems to think that theyre the most horrendous things ever. I dont know what to do with that. I guess I could wear them less.

JI: This just got heavy. Musical influences?

NW: The Stones. I love their cover of Just My Imagination as well as Memory Motel.

CG: Buffalo Springfield

NW: Really? Why?

CG: I love the way the music is woven. They recorded on a 3-track and they hard panned a lot of it, Beatles-style.

JI: Whats your favorite song at the moment?

CG: Michael Jacksons Dont Stop Til You Get Enough

JI: Nick?

NW: Its a G-Love songdont know what its called, but Charles doesnt like G-Love, so dont tell him.

JI: Okay. How about something non-musical that inspires you?

NW: Nature. I go on a lot of walks. Its my form of meditation. I love the outdoors, weather patterns.

CG: The ocean.

JI: Thats deep. Lets talk Girl Problems. How did you guys meet?

CG: In college. Nick ran a business out of his dorm kitchen called Nicks Diner where he sold cheeseburgers. He actually kind of made a name for himself around campus. Despite having hired a delivery boy, Nick ended up doing a lot of delivering himself. One night he delivered to my dorm room, and thats how we met. I was like Youre Nick from Nicks Diner!

NW: Yeah, the school ended up shutting us down. Condoleezza Rice was the provost at the time, and I got called into her office.

JI: Was she hot?

NW: She was attractive.

CG: I got called into her office too. For some shenanigans I did when I was the tree (mascot).

NW: They called them Treenanigans.

JI: This is getting really dorky. So how did the Girl Problems band get started?

NW: Charles and I were on a walk in Runyon Canyon about three years ago and we started talking about ideas for songs, etc. I told him that I had written a bunch of lyrics over the years and he told me I should send them to him.

JI: So did you?

NW: Yeah. But I never heard from him.

CG: I was just doing other stuff. A year later we were playing in a bi-coastal band called Syd Finch together.

NW: At some point Charles suggested that we get together and blow an afternoon just playing around with some ideas. So I shared with him this story about this one morning when my friends phone alarm went off and started playing the Verizon wireless ring tone. I kept hitting snooze all morning so every 5 minutes Id hear, dir dir dir dir dir… The concept of modern day people canceling on each other was something I wanted to write about so the cell phone ring fit well with that. I kept singing the line Why you always cancel?, but Charles said that I couldnt have every line have the word cancel in it. He added, ran out of Paxil, and then I wrote the line I know Im not so tall and he added, I dont even like the mall. And thats sort of how the peanut butter met the chocolate.

JI: Obviously you guys are great complements. Why do you think you both work so well together?

NW: The way I approach lyrics is the same way Charles approaches writing music. We both strive for playfulness and a sense of humor. We both like to tell stories too.

JI: I like that you guys write pop songs that tell stories. You dont hear that very much anymore. Its clear that your experiences with women shape the songwriting. What was your relationship with women like when you were growing up?

NW: I had two younger sisters, and about 8 other girls who lived in my neighborhood. My mom would have milfs over and there would be a lot of female-driven discussions.

JI: Did you like a certain type of girl?

NW: I didnt like prissy girls. I liked tomboys, like Pippy Longstocking.

CG: How about Punky Brewster?

NK: No, I didnt like her.

CG: I had a crush on a girl in 5th grade. She had straight blonde hair and was cute and freckly. She was also a twin.

NK: A twin?!

CG: I liked her, but not her sister. I never really approached a girl until I was probably a junior in high school. I moved a bunch and was always the new kid, so it took a while for me to get the confidence to ask a girl out.

CG: Hey Nick I have a question for you. With music, I can keep copies and listen to songs if I want to. But with a painting its different. How does it feel once you sell a painting, knowing you may ever see it again?

NW: Its a great thing. Giving your paintings away makes you move on. And then fresh energy comes in. Really, its a great feeling.

JI: Lets go back to your experiences with girls. What kind of girl stuff happened to you in college? Any peak experiences?

CG: I saw a girl at a party, and I found at what dorm she was in. I went over there and asked her out to the opera. I just loved that girl. We ended up dating for two years, but that night stands out the most. Maybe it was a coming of age thing. I felt like a man; it was a classy move. I dont think Ive been that classy since.

NW: I had some special moments with my long-term ex-girlfriend, Id have to say we were happiest when we were traveling. Time was suspended and we could be content just being with each other.

JI: (yawn) I know you guys talk to your parents about Girl Problems music. How do they play a role in it?

CG: My mom has perfect pitch and is really musical. I run a lot of stuff by her and really appreciate her input.

NW: I run things by my dad. He also directed our last video (Girl Problems). My dad and Charles mom are our consultants.

JI: What did you want to be when you grew up?

NW: Before I went into painting I wanted to be a major league baseball player or a rock star. Mick Jagger or Jim Morrison

CG: Ive always wanted to be a musician.

JI: So at this point in your life, if you could concoct a dreamlike date, what would it be?

CG: I would go to a crazy cabana on stilts in Bali.

NW: I would go on a nice walk, have a fantastic dinner, then maybe an after dinner walk. And then do some good old-fashioned dry humping.

CG: Dry humping?

NW: I love dry humping.

CG: Wait, we might have to move. Nick doesnt like pigeons and there are a bunch of pigeons over there.

NW: Where?!

CG: Right there.

NW: Seriously, Julie, we might have to move. I hate pigeons.

CG: I told you guys my pigeon story, right? I was sitting in Washington Square, and a homeless person came up to me and asked if I wanted to see something. Then he opened up his coat and dropped a headless pigeon in my lap. I was so freaked out I threw my cell phone.

NW: Seriously, I love other birds, like that humming bird, or you could even put a sea gull on my head

CG: You would put Greg Siegel on your head?

NW: I would put a sea gull on my head, but I friggin hate pigeons.

(Pigeons subsequently fly away)

JI: Do you guys have any favorite keepsakes?

CG: Whats a keepsake?

JI: A memento; or some kind of object that you wouldnt want to lose.

CG: My grandfathers red socks hold a special place in my heart. I wont elaborate.

NW: I have a poetry journal that I kept in college. I really like it. It was a time in my life when I wrote very authentically, albeit illegibly. I guess I was around 20 or 21 when I wrote most of it.

JI: Do you want to play a word association game?

NW: Sure.

JI: Hot dog

NW: Stand

CG: Season

JI: Seashell

NW: Clam

CG: Bearded

JI: Apple

NW: Tangello

CG: Bushel

JI: Burger

NW: Tooth

JI: Charles?

CG: Sorry Im still laughing at tooth.