TheGothamist – Vinnie’s Pizza in Williamsburg (a hipster neighborhood in Brooklyn, NYC, NY) recently posted a very specific Help Wanted sign in their window.
The Gothamist got on the phone with Henrik Toncic, a co-owner at Vinnie’s to ask for some details. Here is his story:
We hired a guy who is in a local band that’s gotten pretty big [Ed.: REDACTED because the band is now well-known and we want to give this person a chance to respond]. This was about a year or so ago, when they were still up-and-coming, and one scenario that has remained true in Williamsburg is you’ve got these people coming from smaller towns and they immediately fall into the party lifestyle. Well, this guy got arrested while he was working here, during his shift. The cops took him out of Vinnie’s in handcuffs! He was arrested for domestic assault, but I don’t know what came of that.
Then he needed time off to go to rehab. Then he needed time off for the band. We had loaned him money and he had even stayed at one of the owner’s houses. Listen, the owners and managers at Vinnie’s are also artists and musicians, we have lived that lifestyle, so we get it and we try to be flexible. But this guy would take naps in the basement on a pizza box and a bag of macaroni. Then he’d be doing cocaine while it’s still light out. Finally we caught him stealing money out of the register, about $800 over several weeks. He did pledge to pay us back. But you know, he was also a great guy; when he was here and committed he was great.
Justin Tranter from Semi Precious Weapons. Not my Genre so I’m not supprised if I’m wrong.
i took the time to go wikipedia justin tranter, as sad as that is. he spent massive chunks of his life in chicago and boston. unless the shop owners really didnt know him, i dont think its him.
He’s had a pretty successful jewelry line out for the past few years so I really doubt he’d need to be working in a Pizza shop, plus he has his own place Greenpoint so he wouldn’t need to stay with the owners either. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was someone else in the band though.
*in Greenpoint
I have partied it up with Justin Tranter one night in the past… And lets just say I wouldn’t be surprised if this was him.
I am going with Vampire Weekend or MGMT.
benjamin goldwasser lived in bushwick, brooklyn when mgmt blew up and wikipedia tells me it neighbours williamsburg. i’m from the uk so i’m not sure if that right? but he’s my guess for now!
Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys
The Arctic Monkeys are British.
I’m going with Blondes.
Most of these guesses are way off. How about someone from A Place to Bury Strangers? Or what about Das Racist? I don’t know what part of Brooklyn they live in.
I think the key to solving this one is thinking of a band that hasn’t been successful until about a year ago. Bands like MGMT and Vampire Weekend have been successful for several years.
Matt Berninger from The National is my best guess. They weren’t widely known until last year & they are based in Brooklyn – originally from Cincinnati.
I don’t see this being Matt. He is a husband and father and his wife is pretty successful.
Hmm, how about Dave Longstreth from Dirty Projectors? Bitte Orca was pretty successful, but they’ve been around for quite a while. Or Chris Keating of Yeasayer? Everyone else out of Brooklyn is too obscure for BG to report on, I’d think.
They have been around for awhile but I kind of like the Dave Longstreth guess.
What? you can’t do coke while it’s light out! is it “vampire” blow. . ..
so it’s okay to do cocaine when it’s dark outside?
This is Williamsburg – not Podunk, Iowa. Doing blow socially, at night, at events and clubs and parties, is as acceptable and normal as having a beer.
During the day it is considered a little inappropriate and excessive – kind of like drinking during the day is probably taboo amongst the moms in your carpool group. Unless you can do it and be productive and no one is none the wiser!
TV on the Radio has been a big deal for several years. I doubt anyone would be moonlighting at a pizza joint after getting album of the year.
Regis