If you’re into Metal and are not afraid to admit that you occasionally watch the dreaded enemies television channel then you probably know who Ian Robinson is. For those of you living in a box, he’s that bald cat that lets you know exactly how he feels about certain bands (or as much as MTV allows him to). He also provides a special service by giving you, the kids, insight on what’s going on in the world of “real” Metal. But what you might not know is that his background in heavy music far exceeds what you see on TV. C…RAP presents The Man You Love To Hate (well, you guys can hate, I think he’s type swell) Ian Robinson.

Dominicanedge: I know you have a background in hosting from your "Monkey Buttsex" days (Public access show that Ian hosted with his two friends). You were known to be pretty brutal on that show, but did you ever envision yourself bringing that flavor to MTV? And, does it piss you off that kids don't know that you've been down for quite some time?

Ian: Nah, it doesn't piss me off, why would it? Monkey Butt Sex was simply a show for Manhattan public access TV, the fact that it grew bigger was amazing to me. I heard that people were getting their own shows in LA, Boston, Philly and other places just to play taped versions of our little show in NYC, that's amazing. Anybody who didn't see it didn't miss anything life changing, but it was a great show and a great time for me. As for MTV, I never even watched MTV at that point in my life, so the idea of being on it was the farthest thing from my mind. I mean, I love it and it's fun and everything but my scope on music is much more from an honest and artistic standpoint than theirs, so we clash, but I also get to promote bands I love and rip on bands I hate-what could be better? Hopefully some kids out there will listen and discover the entire universe of music that exists just outside the realm of spoon-fed MTV music.

Dominicanedge: Why aren't you hosting Headbanger's Ball already?

Ian: I never wanted to be a VJ and if that had been MTV's idea I would have said no. I wanted to join MTV News because they're more directly involved in stories and new music than the regular shows. I mean christ, if I had to host TRL I'd have taken hostages all already. When Headbangers Ball was slated to return the folks who were doing it really wanted me to host but I'm in the news so it doesn't work. Sure I'd love to host it but I'll be involved in the news angle so that's better for what I want to do anyway.

Dominicanedge: You have directed/edited some popular videos in the past. From Unsane to Sick of it All to H2O. Are you still involved in video editing? If so, what do you have going on?

Ian: You know the old saying "When one door opens, another one closes"? Unfortunately when I took the MTV job I had to separate myself from MBS Productions entirely for the good of that company. It's a little sad because I started MBS Productions and I loved working on videos, but now I can try and get low cost videos some national exposure so it's a give and take.

Dominicanedge: How exactly did you get to be a host on MTV2?

Ian: I know everybody in this game says they "Fell into it" but I really did. This dude Ocean Macadams who works at MTV used to watch Monkey Butt Sex in college and thought I was funny. When he started at MTV he tried to get them to get me on air but they had no use for me. Then this new show started that needed a metal correspondant to give these five minute stories about what was going on in the metal world. Ocean called and asked me to try out so I did and they liked me. It took about 2 years to get it all straight but suddenly I found myself covering Metallica and Ozzfest and it was all gravy. Then, of course, the other shoe dropped and suddenly they weren't gonna keep me because they wanted to hire a girl. Well, as always, I owe everything to the kids because my audition tape was given to abunch of focus groups and they scored me really high so MTV hired me.

Dominicanedge: What's going on with this feud with Riki Rachtman? Do you wanna get up there in a Metal-thon and drop some knowledge on that poseur?

Ian: I might want to do that if I gave a shit, but I don't. I never had any bad feelings about Riki other than he seemed to love everybody that came within an inch of him on the Ball but I don't knock anybodys hustle. Suddenly he's talking all this shit about how I'm pathetic for saying this and that about him and I just couldn't believe the self importance. I can think of better things to do with my time than fuck with some old school VJ but he needs this. Riki's been clinging to his MTV hey day since he left and if he needs to rile up shit to feel important than so be it, it's his life. I told all my friends that after my time at MTV is done, if I start clinging to it, and trying to hold on to it, then fucking kill me cause my life is over anyway.

Dominicanedge: What Metal band first did it for you and why?

Ian: I got into the metal game late because I was raised on hip hop due to me neighborhood and my friends at the time. Around '87 a friend started getting me into punk rock and hardcore, and I freaked out over "Age Of Quarrel" from the Cro-Mags which is a metal record. . In '89 I met Josh and Jason and they introduced me to Metallica's "Ride The Lightening" and that was it, I was hooked. After that I just discovered more and more shit that I loved, then started learning the history, the smaller bands that influenced everybody and I was consumed. Don't get me wrong, I love all kinds of music but metal always stays pure and honest, which is not something a lot of genres of music can claim.

Dominicanedge: You also play drums in a band called Puny Human. What's going on with the band? Tour, Records?

Ian: We just put out our second record called "It's Not The Heat, It's The Humanity" and we're so fucking proud of it. Our first record "Revenge Is Easy" was a good record but it was rushed, this time we really thought out the songs, we called in J. Yuenger (former White Zombie guitarist and producer of Fu Manchu's "The Action Is Go") and he really made it happen for us. He was amazing to work with and just nails the shit like nobody else, any band out there who's going into the studio should call J out, he is the fucking man. The record is on Small Stone records and it should hit stores on April 22nd. We just finished up a two week tour of the south, playing two dates at SXSW, that ruled. Right now we're planning a small jaunt into Canada and then a longer tour of the West Coast in the Fall. Go to www.punyhuman.com and check it out if you want. We're really stoked on it.

Dominicanedge: What's the deal with this Star Wars obsession? Didn't you go see the Two Towers for like 2 weeks straight or something, as well as having several Star Wars themed tattoos?

Ian: My Star Wars obsession is just like my obsession for music or film, you can't explain it. The Star Wars films (yes, even the two new ones) touched me and made me feel connected to a world I just fell in love with. Most people piss and moan about the first two movies but they can really fuck off, their just looking for something to bitch about and realistically they make me laugh. Imagine being so serious and full of shit you can't enjoy a fantasy like those two films-it's silly. As for The Lord Of The Rings films, that's a different story all together. Those films are beyond fantasy, those are seriously wonderful human dramas set in a fantasy world. Peter Jackson nailed those books and everybody cast in that movie is amazing. I would count those films as among my favorite movies, not just my favorite fantasy films. As for the Tattoos, it's an homage to the jedi's and what they stand for both good and bad. I don't have every character, just the Jedis because they're the link of the films.

Dominicanedge: You're known to be a bit of a toy buff. What's your favorite old school toy and why?

Ian: Hmmm, old school toys, let me think. I love the old Voltron I have, that's one of my favorite, that and my 2XL. The old star wars figures were great but the new ones are a bitch because they're too many of them. I love my old school Six Million Dollar man figure, but the best is probably the Alien figure they released in the 70's after the first movie came out and then pulled off the shelves because it was deemed too scary.

Dominicanedge: You manage to take a few jabs at people in the business while hosting on MTV2. How much does MTV really censor you?

Ian: Well I can't come out swinging like I did in Monkey Butt Sex but I do get to say what I want pretty much. It's a struggle with MTV because they have an agenda and relationships with labels and musicians that mean nothing to me but I have to respectful of. I think we've done enough good work together, I certainly have made enough of the right enemies.

Dominicanedge: What bands should we be looking out for in the horizon?

Ian: Here's the list, check them all out: Danko Jones, Fireball Ministry, Mastodon, High On Fire, Tremelo Beer Gut, Waltham, Iron And Wine, Alabama Thunderpussy, Four Way Anal Touchfight, Lamont, Cobra Man, The Haunted, The Mooney Suzuki, Scissorfight, Throttlerod, Burnt By The Sun, Lamb Of God, Pig Destroyer, In Flames, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, December, Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, The Postal Service, Tummler, Dixie Witch, 5 Horse Johnson, Nile, Hate Eternal,--that's all I can think of.