The indie duo enjoyed modest success, touring with Jon Spencer's Blues Explosion and catching the ear of Fat Possum Records, which signed Log to a solo deal in 1998 after Malling called it quits in the middle of a tour with Ween. As a solo artist, Log has continued to win fans with his manic, fuzzed-out slide guitar and wacky stage persona, which is best described as Robert Johnson meets aliens on uppers jamming on deconstructionist space blues. I can sync up two drum machines and actually play three drumbeats at the same time while I'm playing guitar and singing. . . . I do this because I love music, but half of it is also a sport. I use every limb in my body.
Audience participation is a key component of the show.
It's like throwing 80 pounds on each leg and jogging a mile. I don't know how to explain it, but when a guitar is in my hands, I can do things I wouldn't normally be able to do. In Germany, I had a 250-pound guy on my knee while playing. I'll be honest. My leg was not moving very much, and the next day I could hardly walk.