Puny Human's musical influences are found everywhere, said lead singer Jim Starace.
"I have punk rock roots," Starace said during a phone call from his home in New York City. "Our drummer has rap roots and our guitarist and bassist have metal roots. So when we got everyone together, it was an interesting combination."
Puny Human — which includes Starace, drummer Iann Robinson and twins Josh and Jason Diamond, on guitar and bass, respectively — have been playing together for five years . . . as a hobby.
Why as a hobby? Because they have regular jobs.
Starace is a clay-animation artist, the Diamonds are owners of a New York video- and audio-production company, and Robinson is not only the host of MTV2's "Hard Rock Live" but also an MTV News correspondent.
"So you see, we don't have a lot of time we can devote to the band," Starace said. "But when those windows of opportunity arrive, we take advantage of them to the fullest extent."
Starace met the twins after seeing them at nearly every concert in New York. "They were everywhere. I would see them all the time. It was funny."
Later he learned they were engineers and producers who had done work for nearly every up-and-coming New York band on the circuit. "They had the connections," Starace said. "I hooked up with them because I was involved in a project that included animation and other visuals. There was a track that I had to sing on and when they heard my voice, they asked if I'd be interested in singing with their band."
Robinson found his way into the Diamond's band because, like them, he was at every show in New York. "That's how they came together," Starace said. "So when I joined, the band was basically set."
With the Diamonds' connections, the band was able to get good gigs and great exposure. "You'd think we would have an automatic 'in' with Iann's job, but we don't because of ethical integrity. But the twins were able to get us some nice shows."
When it came time to make a demo, they didn't have to look too far for recording equipment. "We just went to the twins' studio and laid down the tracks," Starace said. "It came pretty quickly, thanks to their technical knowledge."
Puny Human's 2001 full-length CD debut, "Revenge Is Easy," was welcomed with critical acclaim. And that only encouraged the band to do another album.
The result was this year's "It's Not the Heat, It's the Humanity," produced by former White Zombie guitarist J. Yuenger. "It was great having J. working with us," Starace said. "We had known him from even before he joined White Zombie — the New York connection thing. And he pulled out things from inside us we never knew we had. But he never tried to make us do something we couldn't do. It was great."
The tour has taken the band to San Francisco; Tacoma, Wash.; and Missoula, Mont. After the Salt Lake stop, Puny Human heads to Denver and Phoenix and will eventually wind up back home in New York.
"Iann, like most of the people who work for a corporation, has only a couple of weeks out of the year where he can take his vacation," Starace said. "When those times come, we all get together and tour.
"I mean the twins can take off anytime they want, being owners of their own company. And I freelance my art, so I can take time off almost as easily. But Iann, he works for the Man and can only get away for a few days. And that's when we tour."
If you go
What: Fireball Ministry, Puny Human
Where: Club Halo, 60 E. 800 South
When: Sunday, 7 p.m.
How much: $10
Phone: 363-4522
E-MAIL: scott@desnews.com