Photo by Tom Spray
*Guest List features artists filling us in on their favorite things, along with other random bits. This time, we spoke with *up-and-coming singer/songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr., whose debut albumGoonis out March 17 via True Panther.
The Dumbest Thing I Bought Recently
I recently went to England to do some press and then I had to fly back to L.A. because I was a groomsman at an ex-girlfriend's wedding. And I needed a suit. And it’s almost impossible to find a suit that's not fitted when you're 6'7", like me. So I bought one that went just past my elbows for $300. People were like, "Where's the flood?" It was this ultra-skinny suit, too, so it was kinda like wearing a pair of tights. I'm not comfortable in really tight pants.
And at the wedding, the bride made me play a couple of covers, so I pulled "This Year’s Love" by David Gray out of my hat. I played another one with her husband, and then a house band played "Dancing in the Moonlight" and I took a verse: [sings] "We get it almost every night..." Everyone was probably just thinking, "Who does this guy in the tiny suit think he is?"
Dream Collaboration
[instantly] Adele. Come on now. I haven’t met her but she tweeted the video for "How Could You, Babe". When I saw she did that, my hands got a little shaky and then I ran around my house like a 14-year-old girl. The video shot up at least 30,000 hits; I was used to getting 200 a year ago. If we ever did a duet of one of her songs, I’d take the verse, because there's no way I'd sing one of those choruses. It would just be disrespectful to anyone listening.
Favorite Cartoon Character
Porky Pig, for sure. I used to wear a t-shirt in the shower, which is kind of his look, too.
Favorite Podcast
I was into "Serial" until it didn't get solved. I wanted it to be better than real life. And yeah, he fucking did it.
Favorite Comedian
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Dream Merch Table Item__
I'd go with mint toothpicks, because I've been on those things for a while. It has nothing to do with being cool. They just taste good. You get used to having them. I'm addicted. I think the toothpick thing is maybe a little bit owned by Ryan Gosling, but he's probably chewing that flavorless recycled wood bullshit. I got the mint bamboo.
Dream Tattoo
My dream tattoo is no tattoo. But I've given tattoos before. Actually, the first time I did a stick-and-poke, I did 13 in one night, and six of them were on the same guy. I started with a goat, because he already had a box on his leg and he was like, "What would stand on the box? What about a goat? They like to stand on things." I said, "OK, well let me draw it first with a pen." But he was like, "Don't draw it, just wing it." And man, this goat was jumping off his leg. It looked great. Then I progressed to a palm tree, some UFOs, a cutlery set. There was definitely alcohol involved.
My Karaoke Jam
Right now my jam is Sia’s "Chandelier", and if they had it at karaoke I'd go for it. It’s a hard one, but you’re not trying to sound the best you can with karaoke—you’re shooting for the moon. Those are the real memorable ones. The guys who go there every week and sing the same songs—that's the sad part of karaoke.
Worst Nightmare
I had a dream I was serving coffee to a bunch of zoo animals and I was running out of coffee and they were all gonna kill me.
Easiest Money I've Ever Made
I was biking down the street and this woman cut me off real bad—it wasn't really an accident, but she rolled down her window a few inches and handed me $40 and said, "I'm sorry, I'm late for work!" and drove off.
Favorite Music Video
D'Angelo's "How Does It Feel"—but not in a sexual way. It was just one of those "oh my god" moments in culture. When I saw it I was like, "That's the real thing."
Hidden Talent
Bowling. I remember I went bowling one time when I was 18, and there was a sign that said, "Anyone who gets over 200 gets a free 24-pack of Coca-Cola." So I was like, "What, really?" And I swear to God I bowled a 212. I was on fire. So then I went up and told the people at the desk, and they were like, "That's not possible." And I was like, "No, look!" So they came and checked it out and they were like, "We’ve never seen someone bowl over 200 with a house ball and shoes." It was my night. And I'm still talking about it.
Favorite Board Game
I was with the girls from Haim the other day, and they were telling me about a board game called Don't Wake Daddy. And based off the name alone, it sounds kinda wild. Apparently you roll a dice and then push a little button and Daddy might wake up at any point in time. And if he does, you're sent back to square one. Daddy don't like being woken up.
My Morning Routine
I usually get woken up by my managers, who I live with, around 8 a.m. I've always been a pretty early riser, but I really wanna be one of those people who wakes up at 4 a.m. and watches the sun rise—that would be the most productive way to work. History tells you all the greats, like Mozart and Beethoven, did that, but I can’t wake up that early, so I’m not a great.
What I'm Reading Right Now
My friend gave me a collection of Richard Brautigan’s novels, and I think he took some acid while writing some of them, because he sounds like a crazy fucking guy. But it's cool. I was sold by the back of the book, where one critic says, "Perhaps, when we're very old, people will write Brautigans, just as we now write novels." I was like, "Oh, OK."
Favorite Actor
Ewan McGregor. He’s got this reality show called "Long Way Round" with him and his buddies motorcycling around. I'm not interested in motorcycling or traveling, really, but I am interested in Ewan McGregor. He seems like a really cool dude.
Era of History I Would Want to Live In
I don't think I'd survive in any of them. And I'd get bored. And I couldn't deal with pre-antibiotic times.
Favorite Cocktail
It's gonna get me in trouble, but I've been on a Moscow Mule thing. I always wake up with the worst hangover, and I think I’m allergic to ginger beer because my cheeks and lips light up like a fucking Christmas tree. When I drink Moscow Mules I look like a drag queen, but it's delicious as hell!
Most Useful YouTube Tutorial
I learned how to peel a mango without getting my hands sticky. It requires one glass and a mango and a knife, and I swear to God, my hands were dry.
