Gass: Just trying to figure out how to remove the originality and make them all commercial so they can be hits on the radio.

Black: Yeah. How do you harness the power of the D and put it on a piece of tape? The explosive nature ... I don't know.

MTV: You recruited Dave Grohl to help out ...

Black: We did. We recruited Dr. G as I like to call him. We recruited people that already wanted to be in the D Army. Then we demoted him. Then promoted him. Gave him a raise, and told him to get back in line. You know who's boss, The D. Next.

MTV:And the Dust Brothers produced the album?

Black: They're in the masterpiece business. [Voice rising] When they set out on a project it's because it's going to be a masterpiece. OK! [RealVideo]

MTV: I see that you recorded some of the songs at a studio owned by Neil Diamond.

Black: True. The initial drum tracks were done at Neil Diamond's pad. [The] '70s rule!

MTV: Jack, you also worked with him on "Saving Silverman." Will some people detect a Neil Diamond influence on this album?

Black: They may catch a whiff.

Gass: What did Neil say to you?

Black: He was very sweet. I'm not going to make fun of it, but he did give me a guitar. He wrote a note on it that said, "You're gonna need a good guitar. See you at the top of the charts."

Gass: And now that guitar is at the Smithsonian, rock division.

MTV: Has that guitar earned its place of honor?

Black: Yeah. I play it all the time. I played it on the tour. I put my weed in it.

Gass: Whoa! We can't mention that.

Black: I didn't say what kind of weed. It can be any kind of weed, people. Calm down, now. Calm down.

MTV: Speaking of touring, will there be a headlining tour for you guys in support of this album?

Black: There'll be a semi, full-blown tiggity-toggety tour. Tell them about it, Rich.

Gass: We were going to go out on a two-year world tour, but ...

Black: We're only going to China. But the thing is, there's a lot of places in China.

Gass: We said, "Well where are the most people concentrated? Bangladesh? India? China?" We'll be there. Does it translate, you ask? No, not at all.