DJ: Yeah, definetely. Because when I first started buying comic books, that's how I discovered Jack Kirby. He was working on Captain America and the first one I bought had the origin of Captain America and I saw that name and I just loved it, I was this young kid, and this was the first time I'd really bought comic books. I'd bought a few before that but it was Jack Kirby reprints, like "Where Monsters Grow, Where Creatures Roam" . . . and I kept buying them and they were these big monsters, and my mom would say, "What're you buying these horrible monster comic books for?" And then I found Captain America, and he was there, and I was just like "It's God . . ." And I started buying Jack Kirby comic books and I never came back. Never came home after that. It was just Kirby, Jack Kirby. [Another one of the members of David Dondero Band comes in with a reverent look on his face.]

Band Member: I just wanted to say it's been an honor to play with you, I've been a fan for years and years . . .

DJ: OK, cool, yeah, how ya doin, allright, allright.

BM: Can I ask you a question about a rumor I heard? I heard that you can only sleep when you’re driving in a vehicle from show to show, and that you have to schedule your shows hours apart so you can sleep.

DJ: Well, uh . . . [pause] who said that? Well, uh, when I traveled with the carnival, when I was real young, they told me I had to ride with the truck drivers to keep them awake. But I'd always fall asleep, and I would get in trouble, I was supposed to keep them awake listening to the radio. You know, it was hard to stay awake. I'd always end up sleeping in the back.

BM: Oh, OK. Well, it was good to meet you.

DJ: Yeah, good luck.

JL: What do you think about the way mental health is handled in this country?

DJ: Well, I tell ya, it's really not fair. I've spent--I guess I can say--I've spent a total of about two and a half years in [mental health hospitals]. And as far as my career goes, there was nothing I could do. I didn't think about writing or drawing, they had me so drugged up. I really lost my life being in mental institutions. And finally they got my medication right, and I'm feeling just fine now. I'm still on medications, because I am a manic depressive, and I'm glad that I finally conquered the depression with the drugs that they give me. I'm glad, but it took 'em too long to figure it out. I guess it's the doctor that you get that really makes a difference. Other doctors didn't even talk to me. They just kept giving us drugs! [laughs] Give this one this, give that one that! Man, I was in there a long time. And my career, I just hardly didn't do nothin'. I only recorded two records in the Nineties. I could've done a lot better than that if I hadn't been locked up.

JL: You have a CD coming out that you're working on with Mark Linkous from Sparklehorse.

DJ: Oh, yeah, they're doing the final touch-ups to that.

JL: What do you think of Mark?

DJ: Well, [long pause] he was a good friend. He didn't give me a hard time or anything, everything was alright, we just did it, and then it was done, and then they did the overdubs. It was really cool.

DJ: Just gotta keep on recording, keep up a lot of projects. I keep pretty busy.

The views expressed above represent the writer and not necessarily those of The Disinformation Company Ltd.