In honor of Marc Brownstein’s 40th birthday, we revisit this conversation with the Disco Biscuits bassist from our February 2001 issue. The interview was conducted by then Relix staffer and current SiriusXM DJ Jonathan Schwartz.

How did you start playing music?

I took piano lessons from a young age. I remember telling my teacher, “I don’t want to play classical, I want to play rock like Ricky [Tepperberg, family friend and currently keyboardist of the High Times Cannabis Cup Band].” They let me play some Beatles songs like “Eleanor Rigby” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” but made me work my scales until I just wanted out. When I was in seventh grade, my friend and I formed a Doors cover band. We had three keyboardists and a drummer. I wanted to get a guitar like my older brother had, but he convinced me to be an individual and get a bass. I got one and then I found out that the Doors didn’t have a bass player so we started playing other bands’ songs. My first band was Fearful Symmetry.

What musician has been your greatest influence?

I’d have to say that the answer to that is a tie. Jon Gutwillig and Sam Altman share the honors. It wasn’t until I met them in college that I really started to be serious about music. Hearing them play together (Sam played bass then) inspired me to take a leave from UPenn to make a go at music school. I returned a year later, Sam moved over to the drums, and we formed my third band, Party Tent.

What other music do you listen to?

I used to listen to a lot of jazz, and a lot of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. These days I listen to sports radio and let my songs float around in my mind, unaffected by anything other than a good explanation of how no one out there besides the Yankees has any chance whatsoever of bringing home a title.

What is Bisco?

That has been a debate for many years now amongst the fans of the band. I don’t have a concrete answer except to say that it definitely exists. I guess it’s the energy that exists in the room at the show, the energy that moves back and forth between the guys on stage and the kids in the crowd. But many kids have called it many different things…The name bisco came from the fans and has been adopted by the band for our festival, Camp Bisco, and our live promo CD, Bisco Lives, but I have heard people use it as an alternate name for the band, which incidentally, I feel weird about.

What is your favorite venue to play?

I love playing at the Fox Theater in Boulder. The room has great sound, is covered in carpet and foam, and is shaped in a way that allows the whole crowd to see the stage. It’s a great venue for many reasons, but I think the best reason to play the Fox is the free sushi. They have a sushi joint in the lobby. I can’t imagine a better hook.

Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?

I used to. His name was Fumble. I haven’t seen him in 20 years. I wonder where he is now.

What is your favorite deli sandwich?

Extra lean pastrami and roast turkey on club bread with Russian and slaw…it’s bomb.

What is Electron and how did it come to fruition?

Electron was one of my projects during my six-month hiatus from the Biscuits. It was a chance for me to experiment with other players in the scene and try out new songs for my concept album, The Chemical Warfare Brigade. I had been meaning to collaborate with Joe Russo for a while, and when the opportunity presented itself, I jumped on it. The band has a different sound than the Biscuits – a DJ and bongos…Stitch and Pauly Pockets really add a different timbre to the whole sound.

What is your biggest fear?

Death. It scares the hell out of me. Any song I’ve written not about love is about death. But that about covers life, love and death. Many of my lyrics have a run-for-your-life, are-you-ready-to-die theme. I guess it’s a product of growing up in the heart of Brooklyn.

What’s the most used phrase in your vocabulary?

“Shall we?”

Do you sing in the shower?

Just because I make everyone else listen to me sing doesn’t mean I want to listen to it myself. No, no singing in the shower.

What was your worst road trip experience?

When the guys flipped our trailer on the way to Camp Bisco. When I caught up to them, we assessed the damage to the equipment, which was strewn across the road. Everything miraculously was unharmed. And then I opened up my bass cases. Both necks cracked. One bass was brand new. I guess I’m a bad person.

What’s your recipe for a happy life?

We try to balance the fanaticism that we have for improving the band with taking time to spend with our family and loved ones. For me, the best recipe for a happy life is playing music for work, and laying low for play.