Q: A few weeks ago, the blogosphere was abuzz with parodies of your video “Miracles,” which ponders things like magnets and giraffes. Did you intend for the video to be taken seriously?
A: That’s for sure, but at times, we forget who we are and how original and bizarre a band we really are. So we forget when we put out a song like “Miracles” that we’re in clown paint and everything else, or that we throw soda all over the stage. Know what I’m saying? We’ve been doing it so long that it’s normal to us and we’re like, “We can never be taken seriously because we’re just that outrageous.”
Q: Who were you expecting to take it seriously?
A: There are fans that have been with us forever, who know we’ve always done songs like that — deep songs, serious songs. We’ve never tried to do that for the masses. Do I wish it had not happened? Hell no, man. That’s our whole life — making USA Today’s “Worst Album of the Year.” It ain’t like all of a sudden people are going to give it up hatin’ on us.
Q: Literally minutes before this interview, your show was moved from Red Rocks to the Fillmore, which is about a third the size of Red Rocks. You guys typically do pretty well here in terms of ticket sales. Do you know what happened?
A: It’s tough because tickets are expensive for this tour, and that’s the only way it could happen, with the number of artists and the live wrestling and everything. But in case anyone thinks ICP is out there getting paid on tour, let me tell you something: Our goal is to break even, you know what I mean? The stuff we bring on tour, the Faygo, the crew, the amount of people and all that stuff and the lighting. . . . If we can come off tour and didn’t end up spending a penny, that’s celebration to us.
Q: You’ve always put a lot of effort into your live shows, though.
A: We were just looking for more of a festival feel of a tour this summer. And we were like, “What can the Juggalos do when they’re getting in line and hanging out all early? Let’s give ’em wrestling.” You know what I’m saying? Give everybody something to do before the concert starts.
Q: How do you think your message has evolved over the years?
A: You know, we’re on the same page on a lot of the stuff, but we’ve become more positive, and I can’t deny that. But that’s because life got better, and our lives also got surrounded by all this wonderful Juggalo love. It was harder to be mad all the time, and that definitely showed in our music. But at the same time, Juggalos also found each other. It is fun to belong to something, so we all started making more funner jams and started having an audience to talk to. We have this fan base now that understands us, and our dumbness is OK by them. Whatever that is, a mispronunciation of words and other (stuff) people pick on us for. They can relate to it. For Juggalos, we’re like Bob Dylan.
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com
“INSANE CLOWN POSSE.”
Horrorcore. Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St. With Kottonmouth Kings, Coolio, Kittie, Necro, Juggalo Championship Wrestling. Monday. 4:30 p.m. All ages. $37.50-$40. 800-745-3000 or
