Skeletons wants you to think for yourself, and maybe buy their latest album, “Money,” released on Tomlab in November 2008.  Most importantly, though, they want you to remain aware during this Information Age of digital media, internet television, and of course, MySpace.

Combining elements of straightforward indie rock like quirky vocals and trebly guitar lines with loose, free-jazzy noise freakouts and a sensory-overloaded visual approach, the Brooklyn outfit has synthesized a unique brand through sound and image.  Though they have a presence on the aforementioned ubiquitous social networking site, their own page at skeletons.tv is where they’d rather you end up.  Maintained by creative center Matt Mehlan, the compellingly interactive site features ominous declarations of an impending “Revolution,” a treasure trove of hidden videos and subtle commentary on the media state.  They have released material under the monikers Skeletons and the Girl-Faced Boys and Skeletons and the Kings of All Cities.

Why the band name changes?
I think in most cases the seriousness with which we all approach band names can get out of control.  It can be a placeholder or a flag to wave or a statement of purpose, but usually it's just a BRAND name.  So, creativity with it can be problematic—especially on the internet where BOTS organize and file ideas into databases.  BOTS don't have any context.

Your Wikipedia entry categorizes Skeletons as "an entertainment unit."  How do you respond to this classification (or even your presence on Wikipedia in general)?
I like that.  A "band" is a pretty one-sided word and there's too many bands in the world, and too many other things to do.  But then, "entertainment" is problematic too because so much "entertainment" has been improperly associated with selling things.  Or improperly attached to the word "mindless.”
 
Who are the bands and artists that most influenced the work of Skeletons throughout your existence?
We had a really amazing set of FIRST SHOWS outside of Oberlin, OH where we opened for Animal Collective, Joan of Arc, TV on the Radio and the Unicorns, all on the same trip. The minute you get on the road you have a very new understanding of what it means to make and perform music in front of people.  Bands like Joan of Arc (along with Tortoise and Gastr Del Sol dudes and so on) were some of the first that seemed really special and different to me as a teen outside of Chicago looking for NEW music outside of my Nirvana/Sonic Youth/Wu-Tang brain.

skeletons.tv is a relatively elaborate band site.  How many people are involved in its maintenance?  How did the concept come about?
It's primarily my and Amanda McCreary's photos. Tony [Lowe] took the original TVstore shot. I do the site myself and we make all our own videos.Really it just came about from not wanting to have our work be infected by the penis pill/find your schoolmates/are you lonely/win a ringtone ads everywhere else on the internet but rather an interesting experience that's all content its own thing. People use so many "services" that in turn use us to sell things and that's really a shame.
 
Are references to "The Revolution" meant to be ironic, or is there an underlying philosophy/aesthetic to the website and visual work related to Skeletons that is consciously addressed?
I think it's both serious and funny... but not ironic. We're legally a corporation, but I still think seeing "Skeletons, INC" is hilarious and amazing. Anyway if real change is going to happen it likely WILL be "televised" on the internet by a million people simultaneously. We'll be here to contribute in any way an entertainment unit can.