The Trachtenburgs are a vaudeville family entertainment unit comprising of Jason, Tina and their nine year old daughter Rachel.

From His new base in NYC John interviewed chief Trachtenburg, Jason.

Flashing HoBo: Has the band always been the slideshow thing or were you just a regular band to begin with?

Jason Trachtenburg: I was in regular bands for about 15 years, none of which got anywhere. I started off in NYC then went to Austin Texas, Seattle, and now back to NYC. It was in Seattle that I came up with the slideshow idea.

F.H.: How did you think up the concept?

J.T.: I just picked up some random slides and a projector from and estate sale. I just put a song to one of them and it went from there.

F.H.: Were you nervous about how it would go down?

J.T.: No, I’d already tried everything, various stunts and nothing was working, so I had no expectations for the slide show. Luckily it worked, it went over like gangbusters.

F.H.: How does a nine year-old deal with the environment of a late night rock club?

J.T.: She’s very used to it. I always took her with me to open mike shows and stuff. And it’s even better for her now they’ve banned smoking in NYC bars and clubs. I prefer it too. Sometimes I found it hard to breathe.

F.H.: And you don’t have to clean your stage costumes after every show!

J.T.: Right. So she deals with it fine, in fact she wants to go out all the time, more than we do.

F.H.: Well I guess she’s got the energy.

J.T.: Lots of it!

F.H.: Its refreshing to see a band getting attention that isn't four hip young men or women. Do you think the TTFSP will set a precedent for other less…

J.T.: ..Good Looking bands?

F.H.: Ha ha, I was going to say hip.

J.T.: The fact that I can get up there and do it means anyone can. I perform to the best of my abilities, I’m not the best singer in the world or the best musician, but I think I’m a pretty good songwriter. The group ‘They Might Be Giants ‘ gave me hope. In the 80’s MTV wasteland years, they carved out a career on their own terms.

F.H.: Do you play in places other than rock clubs?

J.T.: We have played in comedy clubs too, but I sort of shy away from that; you start to feel pressure, like every song has to be funny. I mean every song is funny but we’re not funny like professional comedians.

F.H.: I understand there is a documentary being made about you guys. Is that true, and if so how’s it going and when and where can we see it?

J.T.: We actually have five documentaries being made about us.

F.H.: Wow, I didn’t expect that answer!

J.T.: Right, well two of them are big things and the others are more like art school projects. The first big project started in Seattle. We were very big there, but the industry just wasn’t there to support our act. We were doing a radio show there one time and we performed the first slide show on radio. A guy that was working there who was an aspiring filmmaker liked what he saw and decided to make a documentary about us. He followed us to NYC. From small potatoes in Seattle to the Conan O’ Brien show.

F.H.: Where can we see it?

J.T.: It’s starting off at film festivals and then showing in movie theaters. The other one is by Gillian Grisman, David Grisman’s daughter, for the Sundance Channel.

F.H.: Well I can’t wait to see them. Have you ever played in the UK?

J.T.: No, I’ve never left the U.S. But there are a couple of labels there showing interest. It’d be great to play in Europe.

F.H.: You’d go down well.

F.H.: Do you worry about child star syndrome with Rachel?

J.T.: We’re only concerned about how she’s presented. We don’t want to see her image sexuallized in the media. We want to be careful, we turned down a GAP ad offer!

F.H.: It’s usually acting kids who screw up anyway.

J.T.: Right, because their image gets manipulated or whatever. Rachel doesn’t think about being a star, she just likes playing, and practicing, getting really tight on the drums.

F.H.: How can we get hold of your album?

F.H.: Any words of wisdom to readers of The Flashing HoBo?

J.T.: Just find your individual calling and answer it!

HoBo Says "That’s one young drummer!"