Today we have an awesome Q&A with Mike Malinin. Mike is the drummer of not one, but two bands: Goo Goo Dolls and Forty Marshas. The Goo Goo Dolls exploded in the 90's with hits like "Name" and "Iris." Click HERE to see the lyric video of their latest song from the Transformers 3 soundtrack.
Thanks to Suzanne Casamento, Mike kindly agreed to fill us in on what he's reading and more.
QUICK Q&A with MIKE MALININ
1. How many books do you read on an average tour?
I'm not sure how many books I read on a average tour. It depends on the content and the length. I mean, I read "War and Peace" while on tour. I also read shorter novels. And a lot of history books. So I guess the best answer is, I read a lot.
2. Do you read paper books or use an e-reader? (If an e-reader, which kind?)
Both. I have a Kindle, and it's loaded. But I still love buying books. I'm the guy who kept buying records long after CDs became the standard. So I'm slow to accept change. The Kindle is awfully convenient for traveling, but I like having the hard copies if it's something I want to keep.
3. Do you read rock biographies? Have the Goo Goo Dolls ever considered penning one?
I recently read Keith Richards' book. And I've read a few other rock bios in the past, but I don't really read that many of them. I haven't heard of anybody who plans on writing a Goo Goo Dolls bio. I doubt one of us ever would.
4. What is your all time favorite book and/or what are you currently reading?
I'm currently reading a couple of books. "America Aflame" by David Goldfield and "Gilgamesh" by Joan London. The Goldfield book is a history book about the Civil War that really gives amazing insight into some of the causes and mindsets of Americans before, during, and immediately after the war. So far it's amazing. It touches on many of the questions I always had about the war. So if that's your thing, I highly recommend it.
The other book is a novel by an Australian writer about an Australian woman who travels to Armenia on the eve of the Second World War. There are obviously many references to "The Epic of Gilgamesh", hence the title of the book. It was published about ten years ago. I think I just bought it on a whim. She's a great writer. Very vivid.
I like reading at least a couple books at once. One novel and one history book usually works well for me.
Favorite books? Hmmm. "Galapagos" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr is pretty important to me. More recently, I was blown away by "2666" by Roberto Bolano. Another classic favorite that I share with a lot of people is "100 Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
5. What is your favorite song to perform live?
It depends. Usually ones that we don't play too often. I really liked playing "Falling Down" on the most recent tour. And I always like playing "Iris."
Thank you so much, Mike, for stopping by and promoting great literature! I love that you read "War and Peace" once while touring. I imagine not many musicians can claim that! I'm looking forward to seeing Goo Goo Dolls live next month!
You can find out more about Mike and his bands at their websites.
http://www.googoodolls.com/
http://www.fortymarshas.com/
You can follow Mike here, too!
www.facebook.com/mikemalinin
www.twitter.com/mikemalinin
