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Started by two West Haven High sophomores back in '94, Stickless Joy recorded a few demos, then went their separate ways.
Eleven years later, you'll recognize the two faces behind the Joy (once the masks are off, that is)-- Nolan Voss (of Pthalo ; known as the "Prince of Space" in this combo) and old West Haven High pal Craig Ventura , better known as DJ Craven (formerly on UltraRadio; soon to host a new podcast: cravenspodcast.com), who goes by the name "Green Jamoke" in this duo.
The Green Jamoke found his identity "when we purchased the alter ego masks at Hot Topic back in the day, when it was still a cool place to shop," explains Craven via email. "We hide our day faces so as not to be utterly humiliated. The masked ones rock out as our alter egos."
It was while wearing the Prince of Space mask that Nolan Voss won the American Ideat karaoke contest during the Ideat Village fest last June (beating out runners-up Green Party mayoral candidate Leslie Blatteau of Hygiene Wilder, and Craven himself).
"That mask has mysterious powers," Nolan notes, "and only allows me to wear it when I feel like making an ass out of myself. If I were to wear it for Pthalo, the mask would sense the seriousness of that band and drain me of all my life energy, leaving me lifeless onstage. I have to be careful how to approach it.When I wear the mask I feel like I can do anything. When I feel like the world is going to explode, or I have a bad day at work, or I break my leg, or forget to put on my pants before I go to work, or if I need to say Fuck off' to everybody just for a little while, I'll throw the mask on, and life becomes beautiful."
"The only mask Nolan wears in Pthalo is the occasional stubble and long, moppy hair," Craven responds, adding that the names are only used when the two "goof around" as Stickless Joy, where Nolan--oops, the Prince of Space--goofs around on a Casio SK-300 keyboard and guitar, while the Green Jamoke jams on an "electric box"--an instrument he rigged up on his own, which he calls an "electro-pop nightmare, with influences ranging from the Pet Shop Boys, Slayer and Peaches to Peter Paul and Mary."
by Kathleen Cei - October 20, 2005
