Mark Mallman once played for 26 hours straight, calling his 300-page opus that featured 28 musicians and resulted in a three-month case of laryngitis Marathon. Though not quite the Fox News Channel buzz band the stunt potentially afforded the singer, this glam-obsessed Minnesota cat today has traded novelty for efficiency in a lean album bent on recapturing a time when disco + whiskey = “give me the bloody mic stand, it’s my turn.”

The Badger Herald: During the three months you were hung up after the recording of “Marathon,” did you ever think to yourself, “Why the hell did I do it?”

Mark Mallman: When I was performing it, at about hour 18 my throat was ripped, and I was beat; then I thought, “When will it end?” and “Will I die here?” But I’m the kind of person that prefers to ask “Why not?” instead of “Why?”

BH: I’ve never seen you live, but I can imagine that you pump your chest with a clenched fist once in a while. Is this so?

MM: Why, yes. Usually it’s for one of these three reasons: 1) Because Celine Dion does it, and I’m making fun, 2) Because Bowie did it and I’m saluting, 3) Because for some insane reason, it actually seems like the right thing to do. But usually it’s reason number one.

BH: Did you write the songs for The Red Bedroom with a theme in mind, or did they naturally flow together?

MM: I’ve been writing for a fair amount of time now, about 15 years, so I kind of have my own subjects that come up. But I wanted to make The Red Bedroom fairly epic in scope, yet have a certain intimacy in its delivery. And of course there are the obvious themes of isolation, nihilism, prostitution and “the road.”

BH: What albums do you need in your van when touring?

MM: It’s funny, one time we were driving through Ohio at about four in the morning. I was the only person awake, so I put on Buffet’s greatest hits. In the rearview. I could see one of my guitarists’ eyes open, like neighbors were partying beneath him. They stayed open through the whole album as he tossed around.

As soon as it was done, he fell right back asleep. Now I call this “Buffetomnia.” My bassist gives me sh*t if I bring too many of the same bands, so tomorrow we’re in Chicago to play with The Creation, so I’m only bringing one Stones album (Gimmee Shelter), one Bowie album (Lodger) and then a bunch of different new stuff like Interpol and Kylie.

BH: I read that you take two shots of maple syrup every morning before hitting the town. Now, is that a sensible breakfast?

MM: I used to be a sugar fiend. Sugar, sugar, sugar. Now it’s been nudity and bottled water. That came out wrong, but take it however you want!

Mallman plays Minneapolis’ Dinky Towner Oct. 6.