NemesisJacob and Joshua Miller are the identical twins that form the singing duo Nemesis. You may recognize them from their show on Logo, the gay and lesbian network from MTV, where they have broken new ground in the music world as openly gay pop/rock artists. They reside in Los Angeles, but their life and career are still very much influenced by their small town roots. I asked Jacob and Joshua to get personal about money, fame and success in the music business. Enjoy!

1. People often assume that “rich and famous’ go hand in hand. Nemesis Rising brought you notoriety but has your music made you rich?
Jacob: No, not yet. lol
Joshua: All in good time, I hope.

2. What is your most significant memory about money?
Jacob: My mother crying while she sat at the dining room table because we didn’t have enough money to pay the bills.
Joshua: Praying in my bedroom that we could have more so my Mom would stop crying.

3. What is your worst habit around finances?
Jacob: I can be a bit too spendy. I like spending money which is always a problem when you don’t have any.
Joshua: I feel like I don’t know enough about money and how it works…so I read a lot about it. I figure when it comes, I’ll know what to do.

4. I read that Jacob used to work for Delta Airlines. What other jobs did you have during your starving artist period?
Jacob Jacob: I’ve been a server, worked at several different banks, worked at a medical office and worked at Variety Magazine for a while.
Joshua: I worked for Southwest Airlines at the same time Jacob was at Delta, then bartended. Bartending was the best job while we waited for music success.

5. What did being Jehovah’s Witnesses teach you about money?
Jacob: That it’s okay to be poor and that it’s more important to store treasures in heaven with God than it is to amass physical wealth on earth, which I disagree with, btw.
Joshua: Not having money and struggling is okay because it’s part of this old system of things. God will provide. Money corrupts… etc, etc, etc.

6. The cost of living in Hollywood is outrageously expensive compared to Montana. Which is more important: how much money you make, how you spend it or where you live?
Jacob: It’s crazy expensive out here. It’s really important to budget carefully because so much of a person’s money is immediately gone to pay the rent in L.A.
Joshua: All of the above. The important thing to remember is that many millions of people live in the Hollywood area. If they can do it, so can you.

7. I read that one of you is sort of a party guy and the other a nester. How do these differences play a role when it comes to managing the finances of a business?
Jacob: I think our roles have kind of reversed lately. Josh is the nester now and I’m out and about a lot more but Josh has always managed his finances well. I do okay but Joshua is somewhat better at managing his finances.
Joshua: LOL Nester is a totally awesome word, but doesn’t really apply to either of us. Jacob has gotten pretty wild and crazy these days. I’m slower to react, easier tempered, and definitely more thoughtful about finances.

8. Has being openly gay helped or hurt your career?
Joshua Jacob: I think it has helped our career. It sure feels good to just be myself and not worry about what everyone else thinks of me. It’s very liberating both musically and personally.
Joshua: I think openly gay was the right thing to do. I also believe that things will work out just fine in terms of business. The gay family/community has embraced us and been awesome. Their support is important.

9. What financial risks did you take to break into the music business?
Jacob: We moved away from Montana with $250 in our pocket and whatever we could fit in the back of our car and started from absolute scratch when we arrived there. It takes years and years to build a life under normal circumstances but I think it’s true that making it in the music industry often times feels like an uphill battle.
Joshua: I had no money, no car, no job, and didn’t know anyone but Jacob and our best friend Tyler. I had a twin size bed and some blankets… that’s it! It was scary and daring and inevitable.

10. Does money buy happiness? If not, what can it buy?
Jacob: Nothing can buy happiness. Happiness comes from within. It comes from having great friends who love you and care about you and it comes from having meaningful relationships that matter. Money may make life easier but it definitely won’t bring a person happiness.
Joshua: There’s no such thing as buying happiness. Otherwise there wouldn’t be people who have money but no happiness. But… I’d rather have it than not. Money allows you to relax and do all kinds of things you desire to do. Money is a good thing and there’s no reason you shouldn’t have lot’s of it, if you can. I’m certainly going to!

More about Jacob and Joshua Miller
Jacob Miller: Attractive, physically fit, talented and focused would best describe Jacob Miller. Born and raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses, he and his identical twin brother Joshua left their small town in Montana just after high school to Nashville with hopes and dreams of fulfilling their musical ambitions. Although neither of their parents have a musical background, the boys quickly fell in love with music as they would listen to their parent’s records for endless hours growing up, dissecting the harmonies.

Some of Jacob’s best memories as a child where when his father would have family and friends gather at the picnic table as he proudly placed his two twin boys on top of it to perform for his guests. On another occasion, while the boys were walking down a two lane country road to the candy store, their uncle drove by in his pickup truck, picked up the boys and drove off to his warehouse so that they could sing for his co-workers. Some may say that Jacob is the driving force behind the pop/rock music group Nemesis; however, it is the incredible dynamic of the two that creates a unique and unforgettable sound.

Joshua Miller: Though Joshua and Jacob Miller are identical twins, they could not be more different. Joshua, the older of the two, is a free spirit who lives life to its fullest, while Jacob is known to proceed with caution, often taking the lead to ensure the two stay focused on their careers. Joshua is an extremely talented musician who has been writing music since high school, though he admits if it was not for Jacob coming out of the closet and deciding to leave their sleepy town in Montana for Nashville, he would still be home milking cows.

Joshua loves his music, his adventurous nights out on the town, and although it would seem that he bickers with Jacob non-stop, at the end of the day they are always there for one another as they carve a niche in the cut-throat entertainment industry.

You can learn more about their music at NemesisRising.com and on their MySpace page. Details about the series can be found online at Logo.

Read other Queercents interviews in the Ten Money Questions archive. Do you like what you’ve read here? Then subscribe to our RSS Feed.