iQ: Yellow Claw

We capture a mental fingerprint of some of our musical and cultural heroes and preserve it in cyber-amber for the wonderment of future generations. This is the Insomniac Questionnaire.

What was your favorite toy as a child, and when and why did you stop playing with it?
Jim: LEGO. I didn’t—I’m still playing with it, but the blocks are music and visuals.
Nils: LEGO. Traded them for turntables when I turned 16.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Did you take it?
Jim: My dad told me to question everybody and everything in this life.
Nils: Enjoy your time in school for as long it lasts; working sucks. And no, like everybody, I didn’t believe my parents. Hahaha.

What part of your day do you look forward to most?
Jim: I like the mornings. I’m home when I’m with my kids. They get up so early that everybody is still sleeping, and there is no distortion in the air.
Nils: EATING.

What’s the best time you’ve ever had without spending money?
Jim: Nusa Lembongan Bali, hanging around at the beach, eating local food. Two to three bucks will get you one of the best meals you’ve ever had in your life.
Nils: Spending Jim’s money.

What is your most treasured possession?
Jim: I don’t treasure possessions. If I lose my laptop, that would set me back on a creative level; all other things are replaceable.
Nils: Friends, family, and everybody’s health.

What is your favorite word?
Jim: HOME.
Nils: Sweet.

Do you owe an apology to anyone?
Jim: No.
Nils: Yeah.

When is the last time you were really scared?
Jim: Holiday, cockroach the size of a rat on my bathroom floor. I just hate all insects, really.
Nils: Can’t remember.

What is the last thing you googled?
Jim: “Chasing flies tinie tempah.” I wanted to check out the beat TroyBoi did on Tinie’s album.
Nils: “What’s the best spot for a cut and shave in Bali.”

What’s the last sound you would want to hear before you die?
Jim: I’d like to hear some Satie before I die. In that case, I’d probably die in some sort of peace.
Nils: What a depressing question. I have no clue.

Do you have any recurring dreams or nightmares? If not, what’s the last dream you remember having?
Jim: Not really.
Nils: I always run and don’t move. Frustrating.

How do you measure success?
Jim: The number of unknown relatives who claim to be relatives.
Nils: SIZE OF DA RIMS.

If you could have one magical/superpower, what would you want, and why?
Jim: Control time. There is simply not enough time, love to give, places to go.
Nils: Being Spiderman for a day would be super awesome.

Have you ever had a brush with the paranormal or supernatural?
Jim: No.
Nils: No.

What do you remember about your first kiss?
Jim: The entire time I was thinking, “OMG, THIS IS TOTALLY HAPPINNING.” That’s why I probably forgot to actually kiss her, and she never kissed me again.
Nils: It was wet; I didn’t like it.

What four words best describe you?
Jim: DAD. HUSBAND. FILMMAKER. DJ.
Nils: WISE. GENEROUS. ALL KNOWING… OBNOXIOUS. Haha.

What’s the last impulsive thing you did?
Nils: Internet shopping. Every other day. Ha.

Do you have a pet? Tell us a story about it/him/her. If not, what is your ideal pet, and what would you want it to do in an ideal world?
Jim: No.
Nils: Nah, not right now. The poor animal would be too lonely. But if I would have one, a dog. They are so loyal and sweet. Every dog. Not like cats—they can be jerks.

What is your strongest or best personality trait?
Jim: I never give up. It’s also one of my flaws, I guess.
Nils: I like to share.

Do you believe in any conspiracy theories or urban legends?
Jim: All of ‘em.
Nils: Sometimes, yeah.

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