This Sunday night, a band from donewaiting’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio, takes the stage in Houston. Tom Foolery and The Mistakes, whose 2003 album Take One For The Team featured such nuggets as “Urkel’s Lament,” “Hollis Queens,” and “Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon.”

But don’t let the name fool you–Tom Foolery and The Mistakes and are not some Weird Al-style joke band. The band plays guitar-based, full-on poppy rock songs guaranteed to get your attention.

The guys are coming to Houston this week to begin recording their new songs. After a show in Austin, Tom Foolery and The Mistakes will play in Houston this Sunday night at Fat Cat’s (Mary Jane’s) with The Needies and Cockerspaniels.

I recently asked Kyle Sowash, guitarist and vocalist of the band, a few questions for Houston Calling to find out a bit more about the band. Enjoy.

Ten Questions for Tom Foolery and The Mistakes

HC: How did Tom Foolery and The Mistakes get started?

Kyle: Tom Foolery and The Mistakes began as just a four-track outlet for my songs. In the early years, The Mistakes consisted of whoever wanted to come over to my mom’s house and record songs on the four track with me. As far as live performances went, I would just show up with an acoustic guitar and play the songs myself…until one day, I thought it would be funny to show up to a show with an actual band–so i did. And it was funny! So we kept doing it.

HC: What do consider to be your musical influences?

Kyle: I would guess Archers of Loaf, Granddaddy and the Mr. T experience, to name a few.

HC: Why did you pick Houston as the place to record the new music?

Kyle: Our friend Shaun Jones lives there, and he knows how to record bands. Plus, it’s an excuse to go to Texas and eat some good barbecue!

HC: Your music is great, poppy fun. The songs are pretty darn catchy as well. How do you guys go about the songwriting process?

Kyle: Thanks! Usually, one of us will just come up with a riff, and if it’s catchy enough we’ll write some words to it. As far as lyrical content, we’ve had a knack for writing about funny stuff in the world today…ya know, like Maury Povich episodes, and sickly strangers who like to listen to rap music really loud on the bus–stuff like that.

HC: What’s your take on the state of the music industry? Are you for or against the MP3 “revolution”? How are you using the internet as a tool to market yourself?

Kyle: None of us are computer-savvy. We should work on that or hire somebody to do it for us. We have a website. Basically, our old bass player Jake set it up for us back in 2000. He left the band shortly afterward, but agreed to update it for us. It took its toll upon him about two years ago, so he let me have the password, and now I’M in charge of updating it–I’ve been cutting and pasting TFATM news and information for live performances for the past two years. Expect MP3’s real soon. We are for the MP3 revolution. We used to have them, but MP3.com folded. We really need to get a webmaster.

HC: If you could have any band cover one of your songs, what song would it be and what band?

Kyle: I would really like to hear John Denver do “Everything’s Under Control.”

HC: Why the cover of C + C Music Factory’s “Things That Make You Go Hmmm”?

Kyle: Because C + C Music Factory was one of the most underappreciated bands of 1991.

HC: I’ve heard comparisons of your band to Archers of Loaf and Superchunk, among others. What is the one description that you hate to hear about your music?

Kyle: When they refer to Tom Foolery and the Mistakes as a “shit sandwhich.” I hate that.

HC: What’s next for Tom Foolery & The Mistakes?

Kyle: We’re in the midst of recording an EP and a full-length of new material. All recording will be done by (end of) August. The EP comes out in October, and the full-length comes out in March. We’ll do some more touring after the album comes out.

HC: What is in your CD player right now?

Kyle: This week, I’ve been listening to: Dismemberment Plan, Swearing at Motorists, Vince Guaraldi, and the Late Nite Drivers.

HC: One to grow on: Any particular Columbus bands I should check out?

Kyle: 84 Nash, Times New Viking, The Blue Revision, Miranda Sound, Orchestraville, Earwig, Times New Viking. Plus many many more…

Thanks to Kyle Sowash for taking the time to answer these questions. Be sure to check out Tom Foolery and The Mistakes this Sunday night at Fat Cat’s on Washington Ave. with The Needies and Cockerspaniels.

Now Playing in My iPod: Sparta — Porcelain