Umbrellas Amuse Me: Observations from One Day in Munich

The book featured in this video is ISHMAEL AND THE RETURN OF THE DUGONGS by Michael Gerard Bauer. Buy the (HILARIOUS!) first book in the series, DON'T CALL ME ISHMAEL: amzn.to/dtsNl8 The band playing the song is Gone Fishin', and most of them are seriously German doctors.
In which John describes what he did on July 24, 2010, the day of KZbin's Life In a Day project. He spent most of the day walking around Munich, Germany trying to find a watch for his wife and a present for his son, but there were side trips to bookstores, churches, and a women's soccer game. The day ended with an extraordinarily awesome concert.
HERE ARE A LOT OF LINKS TO NERDFIGHTASTIC THINGS:
Shirts and Stuff: dftba.com/artis...
Hank's Music: dftba.com/artis...
John's Books: amzn.to/j3LYqo
======================
Hank's Twitter: / hankgreen
Hank's Facebook: / hankimon
Hank's tumblr: / edwardspoonhands
John's Twitter: / realjohngreen
John's Facebook: / johngreenfans
John's tumblr: / fishingboatproceeds
======================
Other Channels
Crash Course: / crashcourse
SciShow: / scishow
Gaming: / hankgames
VidCon: / vidcon
Hank's Channel: / hankschannel
Truth or Fail: / truthorfail
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Nerdfighteria
effyeahnerdfigh...
effyeahnerdfigh...
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nerdfighteria.i...
A Bunny
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[@vlogbrothers]

First thoughts from places. Would later make another one of these an 8+ hour drive northwest of here. -John

[@AliJDB]

Do you remember all these videos off the top of your head or is there a long research phase?

[@catdogawsome]

I'm stuck here i went to all the vlogbrothers videos I could find about the place I think you are referring to but no comments on them 🤔

[@christine1902]

@@catdogawsome chicago or milwaukee are my guesses...

[@livlivhamilton227]

testing my knowledge of European geography!!

[@christine1902]

@@livlivhamilton227 european ohhh amsterdam! I was thinking of 'here' being Indianapolis lol

[@alenalestrange4887]

OKAY WAIT A SECOND. I WAS BORN IN MUNICH AND LIVED THERE FOR 8 YEARS. That castle he meant was the Blutenburg. And the lake is the Blutenburger Weiher. I used to go ice skating there and then get some cake. Also I climbed the trees and other stuff. I am big big book enthusiat BUT HOW THE FUCK DO I NOT KNOW THAT THE CASTLE IS A LIBRARY; LIKE ARE YOU KIDDING ME THIS IS PERFECT HOW COMES I DONT KNOW

[@theello1377]

Alena Lestrange I DIDNT KNOW IT TOO AND BOTH MY PARENTS ARE (LIKE ME AND MY BROTHER) BORN IN MUNICH AND BOTH THEIR PARENTS LIVE IN MUNICH AS WELL?? So how can I, with a family that has been from munich for centuries NOT KNOW THAT?

[@TerenceClark]

I love moments of surreality (spell check, I don't care if you think it isn't a word. It is now because I speak English and I said so). I live for those moments where all the pieces make sense on their own, but together it's like you've wandered into a fantastically improbable fiction novel. Your Australian author with the German doctor back up band must have been amazing.

[@theEumenides]

This makes me miss Munich SO much. I always like it when I watch a video and I can say, "Oh! I've been there!" I spent many hours in that Hugendubel on Marienplatz, and that Church was called the Frauenkirche.

[@HannaChicka24]

You have no idea how excited it made me to see that you own peeps. I love that book way to much.

[@Mad.E]

a wonderful video :) not only because I'm german and it's kinda fun to see a awsome person walking around in my home country, but because you, John, said some wonderful philosophic things :)

[@Huntershemlock]

What an exciting day! Munich looked cool even in that dreary weather!

[@silvershots3]

ah, Munich...a wonderful city...i know it well! this vid made me feel homesick.

[@TheNeeecole66]

Michaels books are so good!

[@eleanorerigby]

John your videos make me happy. :)

[@kalaway]

thank you. I loved this.

[@FearlesslyLovedOne]

Aahhh, Munich looks like so much fun! Glad you're having a good time! By the way, I lent Will Grayson Will Grayson to my friend Barrett, who typically hates reading. It usually takes him several months to finish any book. But he finished WGWG in four days, and absolutely adored it. So, I really hope you and Mr. Levithan are proud of that book. It is incredible. =D

[@AliT1995]

@MrHenryCat Yes. And they are very awesome!

[@starshine343]

I LOVE Germany and I LOVE being a nerdfighter. I know this really awesome nerdfighter who would love it if you checked out his vlog. He's completely hilarious and reminds me of Hank. I can't link it, but his channel is called zwoodsie :)

[@TheEpica959]

I'll be going to Germany! Any suggestions of places to go/things to see?

[@SpiffyMcSnazzy]

Hehehe. In Oregon we don't really use umbrellas.

[@RetroYoungen]

The more I hear about cool occupations I strive to be even remotely sufficient at, the more I hear about how everyone in those occupations really dreams of being a rock star. Specifically, writers/novelists and stand-up comics. Is there an occupation with people that DON'T want to be rock stars? Are... are those the people that ARE rock stars!?

[@Cass7191]

I like that PEEPS book on the background at the end of he video. [:

[@TheBrooklyngurl13]

you have a book about peeps?!!

[@cj-jz9fg]

I found the title highly disturbing, as I misread "amuse" and wanted to know in what way umbrellas may "abuse" people.

[@KatherineAlexanderNL]

Thumbs up for the peeps book in the background.

[@truboo4268]

"It's like I HAVE A ROOF! I CARRY IT WITH ME!" -John Green

[@meganhuston8951]

Never have I wanted so badly to be some random dude from a book store.

[@evanscott146]

+

[@Wolfenkuni]

Think of the guy who meet the author of the book he is reading. But not in the authors hometown but in his own hometown ....

[@TJAnderson]

"we are all stuck inside our minds, feverishly trying to get out."

[@hanabarrett6046]

TJ Anderson If "we" are stuck inside "our" minds, than what are we?

[@Bornmirri]

"for a friend who is sick" Yup, that brought a tear to my eyes.

[@absurdantiquity5240]

+Emil Pierre what friend was he talking about?

[@LittleAnnoyngThing]

+Marian Moss Esther, one of the inspirations for hazel

[@absurdantiquity5240]

LittleAnnoyngThing oh, ok

[@joshuasims5421]

Just this week on Dear Hank and John, John declared his disdain for Umbrellas, citing their portable roof nature as absurd, and their likelihood to summon lightning strikes. What horrible thing happened since 2010 to turn John against the quaint umbrella??

[@HoRiGa94]

Band mostly of Doctors...must be the Ärzte

[@melanielau3304]

Anyone notice the guy at 1:54 hold up a peace sign at the camera. And AWESOME VIDEO as usual. I love big crowds of people and umbrellas, but I especially love them together because I guess it gives me a feeling of synchronocity. Like I have a portable roof, you have a portable roof. We have portable roofs (or rooves) together. Also, it intrigues me that, possibly, people in the future will prize our present like we prize the past. Like how throwaway things of certain times and places way back then are housed in museums right now. It'd just be really cool to see people of the future react to how society is now.

[@harlequinhoatzin3606]

I love crowds with umbrellas because it feels like one roof that is always moving but at the same time always constant.

[@fossilfighters101]

Anyone else notice how at the end there's a book called "PEEPS" in the background?

[@BeccaMoses]

The book is about vampires, stds, and free will

[@mayafarley7835]

fossilfighters101 yeah

[@peekabooicancu]

Wow. Watching this 5 years later is very interesting. I have to say that I love Don't Call me Ishmael!!! This was such a surprise. Being Australian, we had a ton of these books in the library and I'm so glad I picked it up because it's one of the most genuinely funniest books I've ever read. The sequel is just as good. I never got around to reading the third but I am so determined to now!

[@giannahayes6721]

John, your little speech at the end of the video nearly made me cry. I love how beautifully you can describe the wonders of books and ideas and thoughts bringing everyone together as one. At times I feel like so many people don't even talk about that kind of thing anymore, they don't talk about coming together for a specific beautiful purpose. One of my favorite songs is come together by the Beatles. I'm so glad that your influential voice spreads so many places because your words truly speak within at least my heart.

[@LittleOxfordSt]

Michael Gerard Bower came to my school to talk once, very funny guy, great entertainer and brilliant writer. The book he's reading from , if anyone is interested, is called 'Don't call me Ishmael' and is the first in a trilogy that I highly recommend.

[@Alima900]

There was a book with the word "PEEPS" in the title at the end of the video!!! I SAW IT!!!

[@BeccaMoses]

Sometimes you are SUCH an author, john

[@AlexDahlberry]

Goddamnit, John, why do your videos always have to make me tear up? They start off all "yadayada, this was my day, funny funny, yay" and then you'll just hit me with some really meaningful, well-worded speech and then there are tears in my eyes. Freaking authors.

[@vampirebeit8933]

Omnipresent... Which I guess is the point

[@raveenaj9255]

Not sure why, but this is one of my favorite thoughts from places...

[@mvwinf]

Wait is this the first TFP???

[@rachelbumbumbum]

I can't fully describe how much happiness the Vlog Brothers bring me. It's like I live vicariously through them and everything they say I know and understand...Craaaaap, they're both so great!

[@arunkhanna7210]

Pervy...Definitely pervy.....

[@absurdantiquity5240]

+Arun Khanna answering the real questions.

[@graceoartyo]

wait.. wait... You really like umbrellas because it's a roof you carry around? Nope. You don't like umbrellas because it makes a bit of inside outside.

[@SouthWallCornerclub]

That's awesome! I remember we had Michael Bauer stay with us for this week-long writing workshop thing, he is a really great guy

[@CordeliaChaseluvsu]

"Also I really love umbrellas. It's like 'I have a roof. I carry it with me.'" John, you're so great. :]

[@lessthanbutterflies]

You've never simply written "little stories" John..Just letting you know.

[@sivartis]

Holy balls, John, you made a little movie!! Really great, and far more interesting than my Saturday :-) ~Trav

[@FigmentsMade]

I find it awesome that the ad preceding this video was for Judy Blume's Master Class and it is currently a few hours after John retweeted her announcement about it. And, yes, I'm watching all vlogbrother videos from the very beginning.

[@BENJINOVA]

yayy! Now, when you whenever you watch a video from your sub box, it'll actually dissapear now! :D

[@miabrittain164]

I love Don't Call Me Ishmael!! :-)

[@francisleech]

"people with legs of different lenghts should stick together" LOOOOOOOOL you're really funny!!!!

[@benaddictforlife]

OMG The actor he filmed reading is like ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS children's radioplay actors in Germany he has a series called "The three detective with is like INSANELY POPULAR.....can't get over the fact that John just talked about my childhood hero for like two secs :D !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@MagicTurtle643]

This is a greeeeat video. Awesome. That stuff just happened? Amazing.

[@Cinnamon_bytch]

I DO have legs of different lengths. The real queation is, is that a problem you can write a bestselling book about?

[@MishMashxoxo]

yeah australia!

[@clarasophie298]

It's hilarious to watch my favourite author walking around in my hometown! :)

[@honeycoffeeandmilk996]

What are the chances of a person going to a book store in Germany to buy a book by an American author and this person arriving there in time to meet said author and recognize him? (I do not think that I would recognize him because i am not paying attention to other people when i am in a book store...)

[@mineola_]

I really like this video. I can't really explain why, it just has a good vibe.

[@TheReisetante]

Hi from Munich!Just stumbled over your name and channel by twitter Casey Neistad.

[@JoeFelice]

Wow, this video is so well put together. Faved.

[@demonkitti27]

GAHHHH SUCH FAST TALKING I HAD TO PAUSE FREQUENTLY TO PROCESS @_@

[@onytay75]

Awh man this is like your sitting next to a character you created thing but for some other guy on the other side of the world.

[@karflooie]

ARGH. For the love of god! Autoplay OFF! Autoplay OFF! It's at this point, at the end of the video, that I scan the comments and get the general mood of the response to the thing that I have just seen. You can't whisk me away to the next video in my subscription box without rhyme or reason. I wasn't going to watch that one anyway. Never again, KZbin! Are you listening? Autoplay NEVER. Oh, hi John.

[@silntdoogood]

I don't remember what I was going to comment because youtube's new under-bar-subscription-bar-thingy autoplayed the next video in my subscriptions...even though I turned off autoplay 3 times, and have seen the video twice. This changed the page I was on and deleted the text. So I favorited the video...then left this comment explaining my lack of comment you otherwise would not have known about, and filling the comment void.

[@cellmate89]

@vlogbrothers you're welcome, and having 2 replies from you totally made my day (end fanboy mode) Btw just started reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson. i really like is the contrast of David's and Your writing styles (and use of Cuss words), it really sets each chapter apart.

[@RohanSalmond]

I spy 'Peeps' by Scott Westerfeld. It's the only vamp novel I've truly enjoyed. I'm going to look for 'Return of the Dugongs' when I go to work today. Thanks for letting us know about it! It's likely we won't have any copies because the bookstore I work for is lame, but I'll see if we can order it in.

[@heddie152]

"sonder- the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own-populated w/ their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries & inherited craziness-an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, w/ elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives you’ll never know, in which you might appear only once, as an extra sipping coffee in the background, a blur of traffic passing on the highway, a lighted window at dusk"

[@CthulhuCalling13]

I have never listened to the end close enough until now to realize John said Skype as a part of things that make us closer. It kind of makes me happy because one of my closest friends lives in the Netherlands and he's this close to me because of Skype...and Nerdfighters and the Green brothers for that matter. :D This community is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Thank you to all who have made the Nerdfighteria what it is today. :D DFTBA

[@IloveGermany00]

John i love you for loving germany! You are so awsome! I used to live in germany for four years with my dad and then i moved to america to live with my mom and i go to germany every summer break and i allways stay for two months! I realizes tht you went to germany in july and that means i was in germany the same time and day! I was only an hpur away from munich! What a koinkidink! Hahahahahahah man i love youw

[@blueyes3117]

@FarSightOfTheMoon I'm sorry-- I know my comment was probabily totally out in left field. But, I've been to Anderson's book store. My husband's cousin lives in one city over. We use to visit there all the time. Naperville is a beautiful city! As it was only a couple hours from where we use to live. And John was in Munich which is almost the same distance from where I live now... I was just having a strange-- that's so cool moment...

[@Daroen]

I was recently in Munchen. The clock at 0:25 runs backwards. It is because so often the rest of Germany looks at Bavaria as being 'backwards'. Bavaria is catholic, everywhere else is Protestant, Munchen is the wealthiest city (because of salt mining), and parts of the country are still recovering from hyper inflation after WW1, and the devastation of WW2 and communism, and the list goes on.

[@guinivereXbloodgood]

lol umbrellas. In Japan EVERYONE has these cheap-looking clear plastic umbrellas. Except awesome people like me. The two weeks I was there, I carried around this outrageously expensive (okay, about 3700 yen or $40 U.S.) pink/black polka dot frilly umbrella (I didn't realize that Japan is actually a temperate rain forest when I left the States). As if my then-ginger hair (it's purple now), blue eyes, and near-albino complexion didn't stand out enough.

[@ilovehotchocolat]

By the way, I'm from Slovenia (you know where that is right? at least now, when we were in the same group with you at the world cup??) and we don't have any of your books here!! And that's really annoying. I'm not asking for translation, because I enjoy books in english more, because I think lots of great stuff gets lost in translation, but I would really like that I could go into a local bookstore to buy your books.

[@Choshi]

Oh John! I just finished Will Grayson, Will Grayson and desperately hope you publish another book ASAP! I finished it in record time...like....a day. I would have finished it in far less time had I not decided that at 3AM I should possibly get some sleep seeing as I was expecting a phone call in the morning and had early lunch plans. But yes...I loved it and LITERALLY loled every chapter (or at least every one of YOUR chapters!) I

[@ap4777]

Although I enjoyed the fact that John was able to find his book in Munich, as well as the fact that australian songs are performed overseas, it makes me wonder if a german (or any other writer who writes in a language other than english) would be able to find his/her book in a major US bookstore. It seems to me that all this connectivity that John refers to, is (unfortunately) only an one-way affair. In any case, thanks for the thought-provoking videos.

[@JustMyLife7_24]

i started watching you're vlog because i checked out a bunch of the vid con videos and i just had a wtf moment ( i guess that's the best way to describe it). my senior year english teacher had us read paper towns. i absolutely loved it. i don't think there was a single kid in the class that didn't read it. some of those kids had never finished a book in their life much less actually wanted to read. And i just now made the connection that that John Green is the you John Green.

[@morganlefay08]

John, have you seen/read the movie/book "A Single Man?" I watched it tonight and thought of your books because it's all about the idea of being stuck in our own bodies with a skewed perspective, looking for a way to connect. Then, I got home from watching that movie, watched your video and said to myself "Self, John would like that movie." So... have you? Seen it? Read it? You should. That is all.

[@citysnidget]

@dreapster (ctd from above) Because the segment reminds me of Wandering Rocks, of everything taking place on the same streets in different minds, all connected with the divine Elijah that never comes, I must say it also reminds me of Joyce, because Bloom only occupies one segment and one interruption in that chapter. Wandering Rocks is about the character of the city of Dublin, and about the character of cities in general, which is what John was talking about.

[@citysnidget]

@dreapster (ctd from above) whereas Bloom would look at the multitudes and see the majesty of humanity and of a truly quotidien world. But it's also necessary to say Joyce because Bloom is not aware of everything, being a character, and also because the urban multitudes can occasionally cause despair on his part (as in Lestrygonians). Joyce, on the other hand, is the writer of it all, is the characters of Joyce and Stephen and of Dublin (ctd)

[@citysnidget]

@dreapster To relate the two and because the word "Joyce" covers the umbrella from the characters of Dubliners to Portrait to Ulysses to Finnegan's Wake. Because Joyce could also imply Stephen Dedalus (although I would argue that the adult Joyce's life approach is closer to Bloom's, despite Dedalus being A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man) and because Stephen would look at the urban multitudes and see an anti-Catholic and yet still somehow Catholic God (ctd)

[@Zexabelith]

I thought my computer was acting up when you paused it so I watched that part around five times going 'WHY ISN'T IT MOVING!!!!! STUPID COMPUTER!!" Side note: what I find pretty cool is that "they" say that due to internet and social networking people are now putting more emphasis on relationships and not so much on material things since we tend to live in more of a "virtual world". Thats why "they" are predicting house sizes and such to decrease over the next couple of decades.

[@26syntax]

John, I loved this video. I am in school studying creative writing and plan to be an author. Even though this has been my dream for a while now, it seems so far away. I'm always afraid that I'll never really love to do anything and spend my life searching for fulfillment. Your video reminded me how much I want to become a part of this connected world through writing. Thanks for helping me a little higher up the cliff of life that stands between me and my dream.

[@citysnidget]

This comment comes in three parts: Part One: 0:36 - 0:47 is just oh so Bloomian/Joycian and it makes me happy. Like, straight out of Wandering Rocks. Okay, done being pretentious. Part Two: The blonde guitarist in the German band looks kinda like Ze Frank. Part Three: If it weren't totally creepy and weird, and if i didn't live in New York, I would totally catalogue your books for you because it is SO MUCH FUN. But didn't you catalogue your books already during B2.0?

[@SumWunGye]

Rollercoaster Tycoon is such a good game. I used to play the original PC game back in elementary school, and the shot of all the umbrellas in this video reminds me of my past love for the umbrella vendors and the ability to choose the color of umbrella to sell. When it rained, it was really cool to see the beautiful mess of walking colors in the game. Of course, the contrast to the drab black umbrellas here is less fun. But oh man, nostalgia is truly amazing.

[@NatalieCeleste15]

If only John could have gone to central Europe with me. I'm sure he would have loved our East Berliner tour guide's friends german rap group which she played while we encouraged our courageous czech bus driver as he drove our bus up an Austrian mountain putting all of our lives in danger. But he's afraid of heights isn't he?

[@Minathene]

Hugendubel (the bookstore) is pretty old, but the biggest bookseller is in fact Thalia in germany today. I personally prefer hugendubel or tiny bookstores. My mother is a librarian, too. She works in the Senkenberg Bibliothek in Frankfurt and this year we started to catalog all of our books with buzz phrases and what not. :D

[@NatalieCeleste15]

OMG i was just in Munich earlier this month when i saw the toy tower i almost screamed. Marine Platz is phenomenal i figured out where i want to study abroad!! and i cant believe i was unaware that i had set foot in a place john had been! btw one of my friends fainted in the middle of marine platz. Very scary moment.

[@esotericagenda]

I love that sign! My dad actually has legs of different lengths. When he was in highschool, he had a disease which temporarily paralized one of his legs, and that leg hasn't grown ever since he recovered...So now his left leg is an inch and a half shorter than his right. He walks with a permanent limp, and has to order special shoes with extra rubber on the left one!

[@ilovehotchocolat]

I can't do that now, because there is not a single copy of your book in any of the bookstores in my country.Of course I have the first 3 at home anyway....but I can't just go to London anytime you publish a book and buy it.....so, I don't know.....do something about it? I'm not really sure that you can, but they're your books, so I'll just asume you can. Please?

[@ilovehotchocolat]

I just wanted to tell you that the bells that bothered you are actually a sight; every full hour they ring and on the church there are some figurines that move...a lot of people go there and watch them, it's really crowded....when I was in Munich I didn't find them very special, but some people do so....I just thought you should know if you don't......

[@SarahE452]

Doubtless you know this already, but there is a rock band made entirely of famous authors including Stephen King, Amy Tan, and Dave Barry called "The Rock Bottom Remainders." They give concerts for charities and just rock in general. I believe their website is their name.com. You should think about joining up-your novels certaintly qualify you.

[@Volvican]

@BinghamVlogs You have to wonder if they even bothered testing the thing. It pops up when you don't want it to, i.e., every time you scroll down or try to read some comments, the forward and backward buttons don't work, there are no controls and the autoplay function seems to turn on intermittently. Utter FAIL.

[@angeloverlooked]

It's voice over videos like this that make me wish you did your own audio books. I don't know if it's because I watched videos of you reading first chapters of your books before I actually read your books, or if it's because I'm so used to you telling stories in video form, but I just think your voice would do better! Looks like you had fun. DFTBA :)

[@busybeingbla]

I feel so good knowing that you were in Germany filming your so awesome day while I am here too! Well, I live in Germany :) But knowing you were here feels better being here if that makes any sense haha I'm reading Paper Towns right now, too ^_^ it seems like a fun day you had! :) :) :) damn taxi o.O

[@sarahlizzieful]

I had super amounts of trouble knowing left from right (not with my hands, mostly with giving directions and stuff) until a few months ago (at 19) my girlfriend teased me about it. Cue embarrassed me getting really good at knowing left from right really quickly.

[@sophiewhitecross8033]

Cool! Michael Gerard Bauer came to my school last year to talk to all the students about the original Ishmael book, because it was a set book for year 8. We had to write an essay about it, and it was great fun. We also learnt that he threw a knitting needle at his brother and cut his leg once...

[@Razzorzful]

I read the prequel to the book that was being read about a year ago, I noticed the author was Australian and that it had something to do with the name Ishmael and I thought 'could it be?' I then checked the dooblydoo and to my astonishment it was. You should all the the first book it's awesome.

[@RioAnn3]

I went to Munich for a week in June as part of an exchange program. Our youth hostel was a straight line, a few blocks away from Marienplatz. There were still sales with price reductions of undefined percentages. Also, it's so cool to watch this video and recognize places in the background.

[@esotericagenda]

@flarbnigle I know, it's so bad...I was just finishing up the last sentence of my comment, then John said "Hank, I gotta catalog these books. I'll see ya on friday."...I said "NOOOOOOO" and tried to press pause before the video ended and it switched to the next one, but I was too late... :(

[@curiouscurl]

“Anybody who writes a book is an optimist. First of all, they think they’re going to finish it. Second, they think somebody’s going to publish it. Third, they think somebody’s going to read it. Fourth, they think somebody’s going to like it. How optimistic is that?” - Margaret Atwood

[@SarahE452]

I should clarify that their website is not literally "their name.com" but the name of the band.com. I would have posted it but the comments feature wouldn't let me because I believe it considered it a link. I mean God forbid we promote an all-novelist rock band on KZbin, right?