Jessica interviews Emily Saliers from The Indigo Girls!!!

I had the honor of sending new blogger Jessica to check out The Indigo Girls, with the Oregon Symphony at the Schnitz.  She also got to talk to one half of the Girls, Emily Saliers.  It's a great interview, that goes in some really unexpected directions, so thanks Jessica and Emily!

Jessica: What musicians influenced you when you were growing up?

Emily: Well as a young songwriter- the first music I was really into was the Jackson 5. They were the first posters on my wall, the first album I ever bought. When I was young- I was born in New Haven, Connecticut- it was a really urban neighborhood, so there was James Brown and Al Green and black urban music that I was introduced to in my very formative years. I first got into urban music, R&B. Then as I became a young songwriter, my first really powerful influence was Joni Mitchell.

Joni? Awesome!

Then there were tons of people who inspired me who perhaps didn't directly influence me: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Jackson Browne. Heart- I really love the band Heart. I also grew up with a lot of classical music- my parents always had classical and jazz going. We grew up singing in church choirs, then school choirs, children's choirs, so there was really music everywhere. Amy's and my arrangements, even early on, were very influenced by a lot of the sacred music arrangements we've picked up along the way. It was really a smattering- first R&B, then Joni Mitchell, and then sacred music. So now, I'm ALWAYS inspired by music.

What are some of your favorites now?

There's stuff I really like now, likeKendrick Lamar, I just bought his new record. I love rap music. I have a really hard time with the way women are portrayed and treated in it, so that's been an interesting struggle to love stylistically, and in terms of its poetry, but also to sort through my disgust with the misogyny. That's been quite a trick. But we were just in Iowa City, where The Weepies live, and they came and played a song during our set. I love their music. I've really loved The Belle Brigade record last year, Cat Power's newest is fantastic. I still love a lot of straight up R&B, like Beyonce and Mary J. Blige. Those singers, I just love the sound of their voices.

Yeah, Beyonce's voice is pretty amazing.

Incredible.

When are you going to do a duet with her?

(laughs) She hasn't listened to my demo yet!

When you're writing your songs, what do you tend to write first? The chorus, or just start streaming a thought?

It depends. It can go both ways. Sometimes if I have something stuck in my mind that's really stuck in there, I want to sit down and write about. Other times, writing's become more of a discipline- not a JOB job, but as far as sitting down, setting time aside, making it time to write. Letting ideas come. That happens more often than songs enter a chord progression. Sometimes when I pick up a ukelele or a banjo, or a different instrument, that's going to take me down a different path. Playing around with that. The music is easier for me... starting, come up with a chord progression that feels good, and just shove some lyrics in there, then edit those down to formulate the imagery, or the poignant view of the song. So it does all come together for me, but the music comes more easily.

Are there any instruments still that you have to tap into and take on playing, that you've always wished you could master?

I wish I'd taken piano as a kid. I can play a little bit, but my left hand is very, very clumsy. It's so different from guitar. I love piano, the scope of it. I'd like to be able to play more of that, and that's just a matter of sitting down and practicing. I don't think I'll ever be an excellent piano player, but I know I can grow enough to write more on it. I'd also like to learn more control on electric guitar. I love playing electric guitar, but I'm not really good at getting sounds out of an amp, or controlling it. It's a whole other thing than playing acoustic. I'd like to be more proficient at identifying a sound, and being able to achieve that by spinning the knobs, hitting the pedals.

Have you every played slide guitar, or anything like that?

Slide, I love. Love it. Usually it's easier for me to play slide on my third finger, but with our music I end up needing to play chords as well, so I end up physically having to put it on my fourth finger, and I have a little less control. It would be fun just to focus on some slide pieces, keep it on my third finger, write the song and play the song that way, and just hunker down and focus on that. I do have kind of a knack for slide guitar- and I really enjoy it.

Excellent. We were talking about artists earlier- is there anyone out there that you'd like to collaborate with, or that you've wanted to work with that you've always wanted to?

There are some pipe dream people like Stevie Wonder or Mary J. Blige, but I sort of revere them to such an extent- I don't know what on earth I could contribute to a collaboration. When I think about things like that, it's that kind of feeling. We've gotten to work with some amazing people over the years- Patti Smith, Sheryl Crow, Chrissie Hynde- just LEGENDS. But in my dream of dreams, it would be some of those R&B artists.

Definitely.

Or Yo-Yo Ma. Yo-Yo Ma!

For some of these other questions, I started doing a little research. It sounds like you're a big football fan. Is that true?

HUGE.

Are you more of an NFL or college fan?

Totally NFL, not college at all really.

Do you have a favorite team or do you just go by the players?

Well, both actually. I'm totally in love with Aaron Rogers, QB for the Green Bay Packers. I love him. I also love Tom Brady. I'm a huge Patriots fan, they are like... the team of my heart. I'm really proud of the Falcons. I've always been a Falcons fan. Historically it's been hard to be a Falcons fan- Atlanta is kind of a fickle sports city- and they've struggled historically, where they'll get some excitement going, and... yeah. But this is shaping up to be a good year for them

Yeah, you guys have a great start!

I love football, and know all the teams and players. Football just makes me happy. And now that it's on three days a week instead of two... let's just say it's hard to tour during football season.

I can relate. Do you do any kind of fantasy football?

No, that takes too much energy! I don't even go to the live games. I really have a deep joy in just watching it. I'm in a small pool with my friends, we give each other all kinds of crap. Mostly I just like to watch. I grew up watching with my dad when I was a little girl, and I never stopped loving it.

It's a great game. I feel you on that.

It's neat to be able to just love to do something that much. It's the one for me.

I love the fact that it can go any way at any time- like that the whole game can change in the last few minutes. It's exciting.  I was doing a little reading on your restaurant, The Watershed, and I hear that it has the best fried chicken ever.

That's what we've been told... I hope so. It's really good. It's a three day process!

So would that be part of your “last meal”?

Not so much my last meal, but with me asking for my favorite food is kind of like asking for a favorite song, or favorite. Food is something that I'm so passionate about and so involved with. That chicken would definitely be in my top 10.

So when you come to Portland, do you have any favorite restaurants you check out? We're becoming a real foodie capital.

There's a seafood restaurant I go when I'm there- you have to have a day off when you're touring, otherwise things like that don't happen. Jake's? Jakes Seafood. I like any place where you can get some nice oysters and really fresh seafood, and have that Northwestern seafood experience.

That's a great restaurant. It seems that you are a wine collector as well.

I used to be, not anymore. I really got into it when I started in the business, but it's quite expensive, and it takes a lot of time and attention, so I had to kind of lose interest in it. Our restaurant does a great job, though. My best friend who owns a wine distributorship, and helps at The Watershed, has fantastic wines that are boutique but affordable, and I've gotten out of that “the best wines are always the first growth,” because really they out-market people's enjoyment of wine, and it's more important that people can taste and experience fabulous wine that's not astronomically priced, and we try to do that at the restaurant.

I know we just have a few minutes left, so just a couple more questions. Are there any places that you'd like to visit, but haven't yet?

Many places. India, that's the first place I want to go. Japan and China. And I want to go to Northern Africa. That's the top of the list. I'd like to go to Iceland. I've been a lot of places, but not those yet.

Excellent.

I love travel. Even when I come off the road, I still like to.

I suppose you don't get a chance to see as much when you're on tour.

A little bit, when we get a day off. But because we get to come back to some of the same cities again and again over the years, we do develop a certain familiarity with certain cities and neighborhoods. I really like the kind of vacation when you can go and get a sense of another culture that's not your own.

Final question- how many and what kind of pets do you have?

I have two dogs. I love them. I just bought a sweater for my dog online. It's so FUCKING cute.

(laughs)

They're mutts. One is really old- 16, kind of on her legs, black terrier-cocker mix. The other is a beagle mix, also a rescue dog. They're the love of my life. I wish I could have ten.

Do the dogs get to go on tour?

No, they don't. The older one never traveled well, and the other one is blind now.

Oh no!

I know, they're so sweet. I have a dog whisperer to take care of them, she's like their surrogate parent, so I know they're in the best hands. I miss them though.

Well, I'm really excited to see you guys on Friday in Portland!

Yeah, it's going to be great. It's going to be with the Symphony- a totally different thing, and we loooove Portland.

Read More >>

Britt and Nikki interview The Black Box Revelation!

The Black Box Revelation was back to the Doug Fir on Saturday night, opening for
The Sheepdogs, dishing out their brand of Belgian blues. Guitarist and vocalist Jan
Paternoster and drummer Dries Van Dijck have been touring America and Europe
virtually nonstop for the last several years, taking only enough time off to record their
newest album My Perception with producer Alain Johannes.

They have toured with The Meat Puppets and Jane’s Addiction as well as appearing on
The David Letterman show, and playing to crowds from 50 to 4,000. Their popularity on
Facebook has gone from 3,000 to 41,000 in less than a year. Winding down the last two
weeks of their US tour, the guys took the time to sit down and chat with us.

Their style is a healthy blend of pounding beats and fuzz-laden 60’s blues rock.
They opened their set with two phaser-heavy tunes off their new album, "My Girl" and
"Shadowman". The reaction from the crowd made it apparent that their reputations
preceded them. A man in the crown yelled out “High on a Wire!” Jan replied, “Oh you
know High on a Wire? Yeah, we can do that for you!” And off they went hard into the
Catfish blues-esque opening riff. They are a spontaneous pair, playing without a setlist,
relying for an “in the moment” type approach. They then went into a half tempo intro to
crowd favorite “I Think I Like You” and worked the crowd forward into that full speed,
full volume chorus.

Jan works his effects pedals, layering them, relying on feedback and other sonic textures
to introduce the duo’s “Sealed With Thorns” which is an eight minute slow jam session
which crescendos into a blend of noise, effects and expert control far beyond their ages
and beyond their numbers, something possibly akin to the Café Wha? in 1968.

These guys learned blues from the right places, and they are taking blues to the right
places, although next time we might need a bigger venue.

Britt: So you guys were just here opening for Jane’s Addiction, how was that?

Jan: It was great, I mean the whole tour was awesome. The great thing was that we had
big crowds every night and the people who have been listening to Jane’s Addiction for so
many years, they are from a generation who still really appreciates music and gives it a
lot of value.

B: Did you guys notice that maybe word of mouth kind of happened as you went along
on that tour, like maybe more people were responding to your music?

Dries: Yeah, like yesterday we played in Seattle [Tractor Tavern] and that was a pretty
good show, cause we played there with Jane’s Addiction and on the BDI tour, and we
saw that a few people came back to see us and they’re really fans of us now, and they
follow us on Facebook and buy our CDs and everything, and that’s cool

B: I’ve seen you guys here twice, once opening for the Meat Puppets and then again with
Girl in a Coma. That first time I was here to see Meat Puppets and I thought “well, who
are these guys? No one has heard of them.” And since then, it’s been about a year or so,
you guys have really taken off.

D: We’re just like non-stop touring.

J: Yeah, we just looked at the schedule, and we played this year, just since February, we
played, spent maybe 200 days on the road.

Nikki: How do you keep your energy up?

D: Not.

N: So exhausting.

D: Just not. We’re still young I guess. So we can do it. It is exhausting, just try to get
some sleep when you can.

J: It’s weird you know, I think you just get in a certain flow you know, and you stay
energized. But then, when the last show is finished, you just (crashing sound).

B: You guys have been playing together for like ten year or so right?

J & D: Uh, seven.

B: Do you think that that helps when you’re on the road a lot, that you guys really know
each other?

J: Oh definitely.

N: It’s becomes more just getting a job done than dealing with logistics or drama.

J: Yeah, we know when to like, leave some space. Go to our corner.

B: Your corner of the van?

J: Yeah, even there, there’s no space.

B: So when you guys come back to a smaller venue like this, after playing bigger shows,
do you change your setup at all? Or do you always come out with the same attitude, the
same –

D: We always come out the same thing. Whether it’s a small venue or a big festival, we
always do the same setup and just like, maybe there is a difference like for the bigger
festivals we do got a set list, and everything, cause then we got a crew with us. But like
tonight, when we just have our tour manager with us – he’s tuning the guitars and stuff
for us as well – we can do whatever we want and that’s a cool thing. We don’t make a set
list, and what we want to play we decide it in the moment itself. So that’s the cool thing
about playing small venues.

B: Does that come mostly from what you guys are feeling, or from what you’re getting
back from the crowd?

D: Both, like if the crowd isn’t really that well, we just play a softer song.

J: Yeah.

N: You guys play a softer song?

J: (laughs) well, not in the first part. Then you’re still trying to convince them. If you see
that it’s not happening, or like they aren’t feeling it, you can think that maybe they want
something that’s more like - softer.

N: You guys sound accommodating, like you just want everyone to have a good time,
like if that’s not their bag…That’s really good, that’s awesome.

J: Yeah.

B: So you guys made some big leaps with your new album My Perception.

J: Well we just played so many shows, we did some bigger tours – with Jane’s and
BDI, but it was mainly smaller bars and venues which was cool for us. You know it’s
exhausting, the distance between the cities is the same, and if it’s a small show with not
many people there, it’s kind of tough to stay excited. I think that’s also one of the reasons
we don’t want to make the set list. Just to keep it excited and to have something –

N: Something to do –

J: Yeah in the moment. And you know just to make every show a little different.

D: Otherwise you’re just on autopilot. Like you’re playing your show, but you’re just
playing it. It’s totally like you’re not –

N: In “The Zone”?

D: Totally.

B: Plus you start getting people following you from like Seattle to Portland to wherever
you go next and they are gonna be like “Hey, wait, they played the same set last night!”

N: Yeah, yeah, do you guys have groupies? You got people who follow you from city to
city?

J: Sometimes. Some people follow us.

D: Well we have Russian groupies. It is funny.

N: You do? Wow.

D: Yeah we played on our last European show we played Russia for the first time, and
we played Moscow, and then St. Petersburg. But that’s like an eight hour drive. It’s pretty
far, but they were there at St. Petersburg as well and then only a couple of weeks ago they
were on a festival at Belgium too.

N: That’s cool.

D: Crazy. But other than that, what are groupies?

N: People who let you crash at their place whenever you’re in town?

J: Oh yeah, cause we always stay at people’s places to keep it cheaper.

N: It’s hard to tour.

J: Well, you get to see, like a more personal view of the city where you’re staying at.
Tonight we’re actually staying at Courtney Taylor’s house – From Dandy Warhols. So
it’s great to have people all over the country where we can stay at, and we know that
when we come back we don’t have to like search for anywhere to crash at.

D: The first tour was hard. Cause we didn’t know anyone, and you crash at really shitty
floors and all that. Now we know the good places.

N: And people are really warm here too.

D: Yeah, all really nice.

N: I know if I was touring, I’d look forward to going to certain cities just to hang out with
the people.

J: It’s crazy how the hospitality is here, how the people are like, they welcome you into
their house and like go out and have dinner and everything. It’s just great.

B: You guys did David Letterman not too long ago too? How was that?

J: Great, exciting.

N: Was it fun?

J: Well we were the first Belgian band ever to play on the show, so it was like a national
big deal in Belgium.

B: Your moms all in front of the TV.

D: Yeah like all super proud.

J: They showed it on the National news.

N: Really?

J: Yeah, so we were proud and excited.

B: You played a black Telecaster?

J: Yeah well it is just a rust one, all metal. It is one of a friend of mine – James Trussard.
He is ah, he lives in LA, and he builds all these crazy guitars. And since Letterman is a
big show, we thought that it would be great to have one of his guitars on the show. So
it wasn’t mine, I just borrowed one. I didn’t have one with me at that moment, but I got
plenty of them in Europe!

N: Has to be hard travelling with all that gear.

J: Yeah and sometimes it’s tricky because we don’t want to put all the most expensive
gear in the van, like in New York last time, they broke into the van. They stole all our
bags. No instruments, well, some instruments, but mainly personal stuff. And you’re like
ah that’s stupid! And then you start thinking you don’t want to take the most expensive
gear on the road, cause it could happen like every night.

N: Oh yeah.
B: So you guys seem to have taken the foundation you’ve made on previous albums and
kind of upped it – dynamically on the new album, using more effects and stuff. Is that
something that grew in the studio, did you go into the studio with these songs worked out
already? How did that work out?

D: No actually with this album we just went into the studio with Alain Johannes and it
went all really good. We weren’t really that well prepared; because the previous two
albums we got like ready before we got into the studio, we did a lot of preproduction
before. But now we just had a couple of ideas and we flew over there, we went into his
house and it was just – we got so mush inspiration, all those instruments were there and
first two weeks we were just jamming and preproduction, then we started recording. All
in the same room just live recording like we always do. It just turned out really well, all
really quick and it was really cool to work with him.

J: We didn’t take any of our own gear to the studio, like for our last album.

N: So it was like playland?

J: Yeah, so for us it was more like, it seems like we used more effects on the second
record, compared to the first one, but then like with this one, was more like we focused
more on the way of playing together and the dynamics of just in the playing itself than
of using effects and all that. Cause like none of the stuff was ours, we know how to play
together, and that’s the most important thing, and we just tried to get that sound out of the
playing instead of just out of the gear and equipment. And I think we are really proud of
the record and we think it worked out really well. We love all the dynamics of the songs
and think it’s breathing enough, cause it’s important to have a song that goes up and
down.

B: You guys playing as a two-piece band, you obviously get the comparisons, to Black
Keys, White Stripes and those –

J: And it’s funny because the Black Keys is a four-piece now!

N: Yeah that is funny, and the stuff they record usually they have a bass player too.

B: Do you guys track bass on your albums?

J: Uh no, actually the studio setup is the exact same as live. It’s just for me, the three
amps and the drum kit, and that’s it. And some guitar pedals.

B: It seems that in a lot of these other bands that the drummer, the percussion, is just
there strictly to support the guitar. But in your guys’ dynamic it seems like you guys are
on like an equal level.

D: Yeah that is what we are trying to do. Being only two of us, is gives us a lot of
freedom. On the other hand it’s nice to have the freedom to fill up all that space which
that is left. For example when I play I always try to mix it up better on all the toms to
replace the bass player.

J: Since it’s a two piece, we just have more space for both of us, like we can do more
extreme stuff. By not being in the way of another musician, cause if you’re with more
members and he needs – the bass player needs or the second guitar player needs the space
for his instrument and for his lines and all that. So maybe it’s a little egotistic? or uh like
selfish? (laughs) To not have that –

N: To have that consideration?

J: Yeah.

B: And not be limited.

Sheepdog approaches: Hey guys?

J: Hey good! We got an interview going on –

Sheepdog: These guys suck!

J&D: (Laughing)

N: Oh yeah totally! Right?

B: So who are your big influences as far as drummers go?

D: Uh like the most famous ones? Like Dave Grohl, John Bonham, Keith Moon, and the
guy I always forget his name – drummer from Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs! I like him a lot. He’s
been a big inspiration for me. So like all kinds of drummers, I’m just not really that good
at names. Lots of old jazz drummers too. Which are really crazy, lots of different styles.

B: It’s strange, well maybe not strange, but maybe odd, I know you guys are influenced
by Johnny Winter, and all these guys that you wouldn’t think of guys your age listening
to in Belgium. How did you come across these kinds of records and stuff?

J: We found them in the record collections of our parents.

N: Oh yeah, that’s great!

J: I mean like Johnny Winter was in there, and that’s how I got to know him and that
starts us into more stuff, but still the first record I found of him is my favorite. It was like
so overwhelming.

B: Opened your eyes?

J: Yeah it’s like the way –

D: I say it’s cool cause we were the fans from like Nirvana, and Zepplin and the Stones
and also like White Stripes – what they did with it, they are amazing – And you start
like going to search where they got it from, their inspiration and then you find all the old
bluesy stuff. Which is really nice, it’s cool to go back in time.

B: I read an interview with Buddy Guy, he was talking about how he was afraid for the
future of the blues, and I’m like it’s just the next evolution, like a lot of the guys like Jack
White and other people and brought an avenue forward for developing it into something a
little different, like it did in the 60’s, when it came forward with the British invasion.

J: It is never gonna be exact the same, it’s been done before. Just gotta try to get a new
spirit in there.

N: So you like Young Marble Giants and Vaselines? When you were talking about
looking up Kurt Kobain’s like influences, did you com across them at all?

D: Yeah but also like he was influenced by the Beatles –

N: Yeah you wouldn't just associate that.

D: It seems like everyone got the same basics. And they got their own ways.

B: I read an interesting thing about when they were in the studio recording that album
[Nevermind] that the producer – can’t remember his name [Butch Vig – Duh] - that
he wanted to double track Kurt’s vocals, and Kurt said no, he didn’t want to double
track anything, it seems fake. And he [Vig] said “Well John Lennon did it.” And he was
like “Well, okay.”

N: There you go.

B: You guys are playing like twelve dates this tour?

D: Another to weeks and a half.

B: Going kind of all the way across the country.

D: Yeah we started off in New York, and then all around.

B: Where are you headed after that? Are you headed back home?

D: Yeah we got some time off after this tour, because we actually need it because we’ve
been touring so long. And then next year we are going to start writing some new songs.
Probably.

J: First, relax a bit, then start with a fresh mind.

B: What do you guys do other than music?

J: (laughs) Well, there’s no other option right now.

B: I mean like for when you relax, you probably get enough travel.

J: Still like listen to music. We love listening to music.

N: You like movies? Watching movies?

D: Yeah.

J: Actually I don’t watch a lot of movies, but if I watch them, then I like it. Or love it
depending on what movie it is. Or go see some art, some good paintings, that’s inspiring
as well, we draw a little bit ourselves.

N: You do some drawing?

J: Yeah make some pictures.

B: Well we will wrap it up, I know you guys gotta go to sound check. Last thing, both
times I’ve seen you here, I’ve noticed that you guys come out and you start playing and
you grab people from the get-go. But it seems like there is this turning point in your set,
both times I’ve seen it it’s in like right in the middle of "Sealed With Thorns". And there’s
this kind of point where everybody just stands and turns and forgets whatever they were
doing and they really take notice of you guys.

D: It’s good.

B: Do you guys notice when something like that happens? Where you guys actually kind
of hook the crowd and take them from being just entertained from you and making them
fans of you?

J: It’s cool to see how they first are still chatting or whatever.

D: And their reactions.

J: You can’t expect that they just get into it from the first note. Then it’s nice to see, even
if it’s only half an hour, that’s really short, but even in half an hour you can turn them
around. But now these shows are always 45 minutes, which is just enough to get a little
break in there as well, and hit them with that "Sealed With Thorns" tune. And afterwards
they are just like (wide eyed).

B: Do you guys have a favorite song of yours to play?
J: That’s probably one of them. Cause it starts out sweet and you can just go crazy in
there.

D: I love to play "2 Young Boys".

B: Is there any one song on the new album in particular that you think is gonna grab
people and make them into fans? I they aren’t already?

D: No, I think it’s just the whole set. It’s not one particular song I think.

J: "High on a Wire" has a really pounding beat. Which is attractive I guess. And that’s been
a single, so that’s more a song that is pretty well, a good show-off what the band stands
for and what we’re doing, and it’s really bluesy in the song as well. If you have to choose
one song to get everything in there, I’d say that one.

B: Alright, we really appreciate you guys taking the time to talk with us.

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Thanks to Britt and Nikki Guerlain for covering this show, and thanks to the guys in BBR!

Read More >>

Interview: Mayonnaise Jenkins and the Former Kings of the Delta Blues

So, there's this band called "Mayonnaise Jenkins and the Former Kings of the Delta Blues," and
they're really talented and make really cool music and all that kind of stuff. They don't live
in the Mississippi River Delta and they don't really play the blues. It's just, like, a cool
name.

They really live in Massachusetts and are Wick Hill, Garrett Cook and Morgana Allen. While not
making music Garrett Cook is a writer of Bizarro fiction and editor for hire. Wick Hill
currently supports himself by farming.

I like their music because it's odd and off kilter. I asked Garrett and Wick a bunch of
pretentious questions about their new release A Monday and they were nice enough to answer
them as if they made sense. If you want to listen to the music while you read the interview,
follow this link:

Mayonnaise Jenkins and the Former Kings of the Delta Blues

(Interviewer: Lee Widener)

ME:
A Monday is actually your second release. Describe the journey from the first album to the

second.

WICK:

Even though A Monday is our second release, it's really just an updated version of our first

release, Prelude to a Nervous Breakdown. Garrett and I met partway through our freshman year in

college and the chemistry was instant. I happened to have my guitar when we met for the first

time, and it only took about 2 minutes before we decided that we'd like to try writing a song

together. Over the next10-15 minutes we spit one out and the rest is history. That song was

"Learn to Walk", which is track 4 on A Monday.

We finally got around to recording our first album during our Junior year. I'd been working as

a 1-hour photo tech at Walmart and I'd saved up enough money to buy some software and a

microphone or two. It was all recorded in my college dorm room, and I built a proper studio in

there with baffles and partitions. My roommate at the time hated us for it! But we didn't

care. Garrett and I would knock out takes of our songs, maybe do a little writing or

improvising or whatever, and that was it.

GARRETT:

Prelude to a Nervous Breakdown was an act of defiance, hastily recorded, hastily written,

hastily...well, it was hasty. But the songs were good. We had some great takes and people

liked us. I hope people will like this too. For years, we wanted to clean this up and for

years, there were a couple of songs on the album that were not quite done. "You Don't Need to

Think" and "Hey Little Girl" for example.

WICK:

That was 2004. Since then I always knew we'd get around to re-recording the record, I just

didn't know when it would happen.

GARRETT:

Wick would email me every six months or so and we'd talk about it, but I would honestly kind

of swat it aside. I feel like an asshole for being that way now, but I wasn't quite in the

right space. Last Summer, after attending my mother's funeral service in PA, I asked Wick if

maybe he'd like to meet me in MA and we could hang out and catch up on some stuff. Wick took

the initiative there. He'd been wanting to get the band back together and if I'd be in town,

it would be a great start. So I sang again, I recorded again, I wrote a bit. And it was like I

had just walked to our college dininghall to refill my water bottle or something. The years

didn't exist exactly.

WICK:

I'd get responses like, "Eh, I hate that song now," or, "Oh, I never wrote those lyrics down."

And they were great songs! I never know whether to laugh or cry when he says things like that,

but that's part of the fun because I love Garrett's writing and I have so much respect for him

and his craft. Plus, after he's torn something up he'll say, "I can do better anyway," and he

hasn't been wrong yet.

GARRETT:

 And a few months later, when my relationship fell apart and I had to find a new place to

live, Wick was there again. He told me to come out to MA and we'd get serious about this shit.

And we did. We did a couple sessions with Morgana and she was a great fit for the material.

Very professional, very willing to experiment and get it out there. We were both a little

guarded and xenophobic, but Morgana's sessions were great. The differences between Prelude and

A Monday are time, philosophy, energy, equipment, a handful of tracks and a woman's voice.

Those differences are pretty epic, all things considered, so the journey was a long, a rough

and a beautiful one.

WICK:

It was crazy. We recorded in a warehouse, in a storage room, a barn, basements, bedrooms -

anywhere people would let us. We hustled. We didn't have the money to record this in a proper

studio so we had to do everything ourselves. The whole process of tracking and editing, etc,

probably took, from beginning to end, a year and a half. And by that time we were ready to be

done.

ME:

The way Wick describes the process it sounds similar to Paul Simon's description of Simon &

Garfunkel as "a poet and a one man band." What would you say the effect the different talents

you each have has on the content and style of your output?

GARRETT:

Dead on with the Paul Simon quote. Every time I hear the song I think of the two of us. I'm

lucky in that Wick is very attuned to my sense of rhythm. I have no knowledge of conventional

solfege. I can't read music to save my life. But he listens to the tapping and he understands

how everything scans. I start with the skeleton of a melody and Wick gives it flesh and

organs, puts blood in its veins. And then I open my mouth and spoil it by improvising and he

finds a way to work around it and make it a new creature. Sometimes we get a melody Wick has

started with and I try to fit words into it and the words want a different song or the song

wants different words. But, I like to think that because of my background as a poet and

novelist, I'm not completely lost when it comes to rhythm and Wick has something to work with

there.

WICK:

Our differences give us the freedom to focus on what we do best. While we're writing we'll ask

each other a lot of, "What if..."questions, but that's basically it. You're curious about what

the other person's doing - and how they're doing it - but you don't step on their turf. I know

that Garrett is taking care ofall things lyrical so I don't really need to worry about why or

how it happens. On top of that, while we're composing I find it really inspiring to hear

Garrett's lyrical ideas as they'redeveloping in front of me because it's so similar to how my

musical ideas evolve during a session. It's like one of those old two-man crosscut saws -

we're on opposite ends of the saw, but we're cutting down the same damn tree. And you better

believe that tree is protected by Federal Law.

ME:

In a number of songs, starting with the cover of Bertolt Brecht's "Mack the Knife," on to

numbers like "Asshole With a Guitar", "At Home in Graveyards" and "Freak", there seems to be a theme

of the underbelly of society, characters living on the edge, with more than a little violence

just under the surface. Did you set out to have this theme of alienation, or is it just who

you are, and it came out organically in the music?

GARRETT:
I've always felt like I wasn't welcome on the Earth, like Kafka's Hunter Gracchus or Gardner's

Grendel or the protagonist of a Dylan or Nick Cave song. And that puts some darkness in you.

That makes kind of a Luciferian streak. And when you got that, you can hate yourself or you

can try to be honest with the world and make them honest. I'm not saying I don't hate myself.

We all hates ourselves a bit. We're feeble, hairless monkeys that are a coin flip away from

eating each other. And that aspect of us? It's not a great thing to be. So you can either

become the guy in Billy Joel's "Captain Jack" or you can sing it out of you. It's your trip.

WICK:

Even the music on this record is alienated. There's a ska song and there's a techno song, but

there's only one of each and it's a little glaring how much they stand apart from everything

else. Same goes for the lone surf song. They're fun songs, but it also means that there isn't a

traditional sense of musical continuity or cohesion. It's strange to say that our fractured

record was a result of an organic process, but that would be correct. We didn't wrestle with

any of the music on A Monday.

ME:

So, where do you go from here? Obvioiusly you want to get the music into people's brains.

How's that going to happen? Any plans to do any live performances? Music videos? Any long

range plans?

WICK:
As for where we go next - we're just going to keep writing and recording.  It's funny, it was

a great feeling when we got our masters back and we knew that, finally, we really were done

with the album. But it couldn't have been more than a few minutes before I began to think to

myself, "Well, I guess it's time to start on the next one." We waited a few days, but we

immediately started writing again and that's what we've been up to since.  Writing,

rehearsing...  It never ends, and I find a lot of comfort in that.

GARRETT:

Wick hit the nail on the head. We keep moving ahead, artistically swimming and eating, like a

musical Sharktopus. Jenkins forever.

WICK:

We have a few gigs lined up, but we're still looking for a permanent rhythm section.  We'll
figure it out, but until then we'll just keep writing and recording.

ME:

Thanks guys for taking the time to endure this virtual grilling!

Once again, you can get an earful of this musical walk on the wild side here:

Mayonnaise Jenkins and the Former Kings of the Delta Blues

To keep up to date on their antics, go here:

Mayonnaise Jenkins on Facebook

Read More >>

JESS GULBRANSON INTERVIEWS TONY LEVIN

Hello again everybody, I have a very special treat.  Coming up this Friday at the Aladdin Theater is a concert that you don't want to miss: the Adrian Belew Power Trio with Tony Levin's Stickmen.  Between the two, they've worked with a who's who of awesome rockers: King Crimson, Peter Gabrial, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Paul Simon, John Lennon, Talking Heads... so if you are a fan of these two rock legends, or of prog rock in general, I hope you're going to be there.

When I was 8 years old, Peter Gabriel's So had just come out and was the soundtrack to my summer vacation on Chincoteague Island.  The bass sounds were so otherworldly and I kind of obsessed over it.  Cut to about 4 years later, I start playing bass, still can't figure it out.  In a shopping mall at Christmas, there is a guy with a crazy instrument playing "I Saw Three Ships".  I ask him what it is, he tells me it's a Stick, and I ask him to show me what it can really do.  HE GOES CRAZY AND SHREDS THESE 64th NOTE PERCUSSIVE STOP START THINGS, and my light bulb goes off.  That's the crazy awesome bass noise I remember from childhood! So Tony Levin occupies a very special space in my heart, and it was with great pleasure that I got a chance to talk to him.  Without further ado, here is

MY INTERVIEW WITH TONY LEVIN

Mr. Levin- I jumped at the chance to talk to you, and then realized I didn't really know that much about you.  My readers also seemed to view you mythically as judged by some of their mostly tongue in cheek questions like "When you ascended to godhood, did it hurt?" and "When there is a Mt. Rushmore of bassists, will you be Washington or Jefferson?"  So, to help us out, give me your briefest nutshell answer on who Tony Levin is.

Not my area of expertise. [Editor's note: Tony Levin can now substitute for Chuck Norris where necessary.  Example: Tony Levin can slam a revolving door.]

Your work as a session musician is very far-ranging- I can think of both Paul Simon and Alice Cooper off the top of my head.  Do you think there is something in a person's temperament that let's them do work like that?  Obviously not everybody can.

Studio work, as such, is more a craft than an art. Back (way back) when I moved to NYCity, there was a lot of this type of work to be had - quite different than nowadays. Most of it, of course, not for artists like Paul Simon and Alice Cooper, but it was possible in the 70's and 80's to play sessions all day, for different records. So, in that time I got fairly good at sussing out what was wanted from not only the musical track, but from the artist and producer, and engineer too. That's part of the equation in making studio recordings.

In later years, I veered toward playing much more live, less in studio - which is a good thing for me, because I prefer it. 

In these past few years, things have changed again... less touring with King Crimson and Peter Gabriel, so I organize tours myself, for the band Stick Men, that I work a lot with. And recordings are still going on, but mostly file sharing, from my home studio.

There was a very interesting documentary on "The South Bank Show" that you were featured in.  I was surprised at your almost Zen calm.  Is that something you cultivate, or are you just like that?

Again, describing myself is not something I'm good at.  [Editor's note: Tony Levin does not sleep- he waits.]

There were some great insights into the recording of Peter Gabriel's 4th album in that documentary.  Any fun anecdotes from that time you'd care to share.

 It's always great with Peter, whether in studio or touring - a combination of great music, a lot of fun, great people. I believe that kind of atmosphere stems from the person at the top, so it's a credit to Peter as a person that his whole organization and band are very cool, nice people.

I remember Jerry Marrotta getting a bit passionate about how humans will never be replaced (musically, at least) by machines.  What's your take on the increasing mechinization of music?

Drum machines are an old story by now -- they've been incorporated a bit into live drumming, but still sometimes are there on their own. Likewise sequencer bass parts. I don't have any particular insight -- just the obvious, that there is always some room for a musician who can create great parts on his instrument, and that people love live music made by musicians. The economics might change, but those things remain.

From what I understand, you're quite the early adopter.  You've been blogging for as long as I've been on the internet- 1995, right?

Yes, I think it was '94 or '95 that I started the website - at first to offer my new cd, but soon after it morphed into mostly a road diary. Eventually I separated the Papa Bear Records 'store' onto a connected but separate site, with just a few buttons to remind people of it. Must be hundreds of web diary pages up by now, and thousands of photos, from back when they had to be just 200 pixels wide!

Obviously so many things have changed online since then.  How do you keep up with changing times?

I don't keep up as much as I'd like to. But I feel that if I skip a technology jump (say, MySpace) then I'd better jump on the next one, like it or not, so I can be a bit comfortable as interfaces change. Facebook was a challenge for me (the old 'help from my daughter' thing) because I was used to writing code for the page -- the unintuitive, ever changing, rules of getting what you want up on the page has become the new standard. I may not like it, but best that I'm dealing with it, or I might not be able to work my next cell phone!

One of your current projects is The Stickmen. What was the genesis of that?

It began before it's beginning (!) When I made the solo CD "Stick Man" ... the music on that was fun to record, and I was wanting to play it live -- but it had multiple Sticks on much of it, and my band at that time had two keyboards, guitar bass and drums... not right for that harder edged music. Michael Bernier is an excellent Stick player who lives near me, and we had been trading ideas. It seemed right to team up for the band, and the obvious choice for drums was Pat Mastelotto, my King Crimson bandmate, who'd also played on the album, and with his electronic drums, he can cover some samples and stuff we can't manage with two Chapman Sticks.

Then after a few years of touring, Michael felt he couldn't go out on the road much, due to family obligations - we had, and still have, pretty hefty touring schedule - so we made the difficult decision to let Michael move on, and we added Markus Reuter, who plays a touch guitar he designed himself, lives in Innsbruck, and was already in a duet band with Pat.  Since then we've toured and recorded over the last year, and look forward to more.

I've always liked the fact that in a live setting you take the time to explain the basics of the Stick.  I read somewhere that 5-string basses were made as a response to the low notes possible for synthesizers.  Do you think the Stick arose from a similar need?

I don't really know Emmet Chapman's motivation for creating the Stick - but I think it took years and probably began before synths were being played much.  [Editor's note: Tony Levin can cut through a hot knife, with butter.]

You're touring right now with Adrian Belew, which has been described as "as close to King Crimson as you're going to get".  In your own words, what is the heart of this tour?  What's it about?

Adrian has a 'Power Trio" which tours a lot -- then Pat and I are in a different trio which also tours a lot - Adrian thought, if we team up for a show, we could do an encore set of King Crimson music - first the 3 band members (teamed up as trio for the first time ever) then have the other three musicians come on to join us for more Crimson, including being able to cover the 'double trio' period of six players.

The tour has been very successful with lots of sold out venues, and audiences really liking the music.

King Crimson has existed in so many permutations, the methodology behind it may not be so visible.  What is it about that that makes it such an enduring concept, despite changing so much?

I can't speak for the whole life of the band - what I really appreciated in my time in the band was how the ethic was to push yourself as a player, and to push ourselves as a band, to come up with really new approaches, and not fall back on what we'd done before.

That brings me to some of our reader questions.  From Langdon Hickman, "What's your favorite King Crimson song from a lineup you didn't play with?"

I don't have favorites of just about anything, but I think I could choose "Red" because I play it every night, and still find John Wetton's part exciting to play even after decades.

From Alice Green: "What's the status of Peter Gabriel's I/O album that you worked on?"

I'm not sure what that album is -- as you may know, he's been busy recording and touring with orchestra. My hope is, of course, that he'll come back to the band one of these days. It's my very favorite musical thing to be part of.

And a nice open-ended question from Reese Hopkins: "What do you think about newer prog groups like Moon Safari or Phideaux, newer stuff that has only gotten big in the past few years?"

Do not even know of them... okay, have now added to my 'must hear' list!  Sorry.

Well, it's a pleasure getting to talk to you.  I wanted to round things off with a non-musical question.  What does bass hero Tony Levin do for fun?  I hear rumblings about a quilt...

Quilting on the road for sure ... doesn't everybody? But much going on when I'm not touring, including a pretty decent and involved home family life after all these years travelling so much. 

Thanks again for taking time out for this interview!

----
Once again, thanks to the amazing Tony Levin.  Make sure to read his tour diaries at www.papabear.com,  and be sure to make it to the show on Friday!  And just for fun, watch this video of Patrick Stewart playing a Chapman Stick.

Read More >>

JESS INTERVIEWS CHRIS MARTIN... FOR REALS Y'ALL

Sometimes it's hard out there to be a blogger.  The other night I had the displeasure to be... let's say, "Schrodinger's Journalist", simultaneously on-and-not-on the guest list at a show, until I collapsed the waveform by getting the hell out of there.  It was all due to an unfortunately Byzantine chain of communication, and while it may have driven lesser mortals to distraction, I am taking a page out of my interviewee's book and chalking it up to "road life."

        

So, what now?  I interviewed Chris Martin.  I like saying it because it's true.  And no, it's not that one.

Just... settle the hell down, Mr. Martin. 

Dear Crappy Indie Music reader, I have a great opinion of you.  I know that because you are a citizen of  the world and connoisseur of fine things, that you will not mind my playful bait-and-switch, and will be glad that I did not interview... that Chris Martin.  Instead, allow me to present:

     

MY INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS MARTIN

JESS: Hello Chris, good to talk to you. So for those who don't know, you're the guitarist and vocalist for IAMDYNAMITE.  Would you consider yourself a "frontman"?  

CHRIS: I would, I guess.  I think of it more like Chris and I are BOTH frontmen (is there a plural for frontman?)  Since there's only two of us, there's plenty of space for us to be both out front

Do you think that's even possible, for a band with only two people?  I doubt the other Chris would be keen on being the "backman".

Yeah, he probably wouldn't like being called that.

Speaking of "other Chris", do you get any grief from sharing a name with the singer from a certain band I won't name, but rhymes with "Goldplay"?

I'm not sure who you're referring to??  Goldclay?  I'm not familiar with them... but I will say that there's plenty of room for Chris Martins in the world.  We're a gentle breed who don't fight much.  You can tell just by the name.  Chris Martin.  It just doesn't sound like an angry person’s name.

I recently talked to David J, who was unaware that there was another David J out there in the world of freestyle poetry... so maybe you won't get crushed under Mr. Paltrow's bootheel.

;) Hopefully!

Let's talk about the band.  I understand that you were originally called "Mahoney".  What's the story behind the name change?  Is there a Police Academy reference hidden there?  

Yes to the Police Academy reference.  We just thought it was stupid and funny to call ourselves "mahoney" and put up flyers everywhere with pictures of Steve Gutenberg dressed in a police uniform.  We were just bored with being in bands and we didn't care and we thought it was funny.  Eventually we changed it into something that was more meaningful to us.    

How did you guys get hooked up with Matt Noveskey?  Your bio says you caught his eye, but our readers demand real, hard facts!  Or at least highly entertaining fables.  

We were always a big fan of Matt's macaroni artwork.  He takes elbow macaroni and makes shapes on construction paper, it's really quite breathtaking.  Stars, ducks, unicorns... really just beautiful.  So when we ran into him at a crafts expo in Reno, we struck up a conversation and he immediately said, "I've gotta produce these guys!"  None of this is true by the way :)

Now, about your music.  You have two members, yourself on vocals and guitar, and Chris Phillips on drums.  That's not a very common configuration- but often very intense when it shows up.  Do you think there's anything particular about it, or just happenstance? Anything particular about it that makes is more intense?

"ROAD LIFE"

Perhaps.  I mean, you definitely get starker contrasts i think.  There's no layering of multiple instruments, so what you play doesn't get hidden behind all of that.  Everyone hears what you do, kind of unfiltered and maybe more raw because of it.

The first thing I thought of when hearing you kids was energy. Do you think that that high energy emerges from your state as a duo?

Not directly, but we do try to bring high energy.  We just want to move everyone in the room, you know?  

Similarly, how is your songwriting structure affected by that?  I've been in a two-person project, so I know how weird it can get...  

It's different than normal, I guess.  But having limited options makes you more creative, I think.  It helps us avoid adding many unnecessary parts to the songs

Do you feel like a yin-yang or a pie chart?

Yin-yang.

Tell me about your approach to making your videos.  Was that a natural step for you guys, or did you have to make it happen?

It was a natural step.  We never sought out anyone to make a video for us, we just fortunate to be approached by some cool talented people.  In particular Marty "Lazer" Stano, who's directed a few videos for us.

You're on tour right now with Noveskey's band Blue October.  What is the touring experience like?

It's pretty much play, sleep, drive.  Occasionally you end up at a party or in some crazy or weird situation and chalk it up to the "road life."  But for the most part it's just hanging out with the other guys in the crew and trying to have a great show

What's next for you cats?  What will be hearing about IAMDYNAMITE in the next year or so?  

Touring as much as possible.  Also working on as much new material as possible for the next album, whenever that happens.

Sweet.  It was great to throw some questions at you!  Best of luck!  

Thanks!

       

Read More >>

JESS GULBRANSON INTERVIEWS DAVID J

Well, after seeing some fresh new faces and wise mentors from different fields, it's time to jump right back on the indie music horse, so to speak. And what a horse! I mean, um... dammit. Let's start over.

Above, you can see a polaroid of yours truly, circa 1994, about to deliver a red bottom to a dear friend of mine. Note the firm jaw, the severe ponytail, and... yes, the Bauhaus shirt. I was turned on to this band in high school, as well as their spinoff Love+Rockets. One of my greatest rock n' roll moments was a mere year or two after that polaroid, when I was in the noisy art-rock band Joys of Oil, rocking a Halloween party in a mansion in NW Portland. All five of us were dressed in Masonic robes. There were spider webs, and fuming beakers of colored liquids... while we set up our amps, and got everything connected, a couple of DJs were spinning some good old-fashioned vinyl, and what should I hear, but "Bela Lugosi's Dead"? So, like the annoying bass player I was, already plugged in and ready while my bandmates were still toking up, I started noodling along with the classic David J composition.

Now, despite what some readers may say, I'm a humble man. It was in a brief moment like this, in some weird primal bass communion, that I was closest to the illustrious David J, he of the raw dub-influenced basslines and intimidating Ray-Bans. That is... until now.

Loyal readers may recall that earlier in the week I did a quick writeup on David J's newest project. As luck would have it, I was able to follow that up with a quick Q&A with him, where he shares some wonderful insights into the creative process, and even answers some reader questions! I wish I could have had more time with him. Now, without any further ado, here's a man who really does not need any introduction, here it is, my

INTERVIEW WITH DAVID J

JESS GULBRANSON: Well, some colleagues of mine from our writing group got a chance to see your soundcheck at the Lovecraft Bar here in Portland. I unfortunately missed that. What was the focus of this tour?

DAVID J: It wasn't really a tour, just a couple of gigs with Adrian H and the Wounds. The Lovecraft was a very stripped down version of the full show. Very Weimar cabaret in feel, that one. I feel that this band are to me what the Blockheads were to Ian Dury. I'm having a blast playing with this great band.

Do you have a preference for the small venues like that?

I do enjoy that intimacy, yes.

Tell me about "Chanteuse and The Devil's Muse". You've been working on this project for a while, yes?

Well, I wrote the original song cycle with Ego Plum a few years back. It was for an independent movie called 'The Devil's Muse'. With the play, we are revisiting these songs and performing them in the context of a theatrical production. In this theatrical staging, the music works as a framework around which another related story is interwoven, that of torch singer, Madi Comfort. The part of Madi Comfort will be played by Daniele Watts and the part of Lieutenant Frank Jemison by Douglas Dickerman. The play will also feature the internationally acclaimed Butoh performer, Vangeline.

Is your writing always informed by music- and vice versa?

Music is not always a part of the process when it comes to writing. I have written a few screenplays with Don C. Tyler where music was not a part of the picture.

On that note, I caught part of your interview with Juliet Landau. Great idea. It's always interesting hearing about the creative process. The editing was interesting... there were a lot of slightly awkward reaction shots.

You mentioned in that interview that "I'd like to be done writing songs." What is it about the intensity of the creative process that makes it feel like it might be a burden?

It's just the thing of being a slave to the Muse. She can show up at the most inconvenient of times! Still, I love that intense moment of creativity as well and if the Muse should ever depart, I know that I would miss her desperately!

You know, it gets mentioned a lot about certain locales inspiring music scenes... Detroit, Manchester, etc. Do you think there was anything in your upbringing that was an influence to your later artistic career?

Sure. Northampton was an eternal grey, bleak place. We had create our own alternate reality and we did but a lot of that melancholy seeped in.

Similarly, "Chanteuse" is based on a rather morbid bit of history. Do you draw inspiration from macabre historical happenings as a conscious part of writing?

I don't go looking for subjects, morbid or otherwise. The subject finds me. These things just bubble up. It is true though that I have always had a fascination with the macabre. I was reading and loving Edgar Allan Poe when I was twelve.

One thing I am struck with is the breadth of your work- especially in collaborations. Is blending genres something you strive for?

I love the collaborative process. It conjures chimerae. Also, there is a lot to what William Burroughs referred to as 'the third mind'. When two collaborators put their heads together and produce a work that has a distinct personality that is atypical of either artist.

And with the collaborations, are they easy because it's a function of your personality? Or your musical tastes? Or both?

They are only easy if they are working and for that to happen, each collaborator needs to let go of control to a great degree which is a very healthy exercise. Especially for a control freak like me!

You're known for bass as your 'A' instrument. Do you start writing music from there?

Never. I nearly always start with the words then I select an instrument for the music, usually the guitar and on very rare occasions, the piano. (Rare, due to inability.)

Now, a couple of questions from the readers of the blog. First up is Gustavo, a local DJ and music producer. "Is a Love + Rockets reunion in the cards at all?"

The closest you're going to get to that is to see me perform with the 'Luv n' Rockets' tribute band! We are currently playing a few live shows which may well be the last as well.

Next, from Shreya Bollock, singer for the band Coeur Machant. "I loved No New Tale to Tell. What was your inspiration for writing that?"

Insights gleaned from LSD trips.

From journalist Emily Popek: "What is he saying there?" (she's referring to the lyrics of Rainbird, 'When you had to work so hard, working for a pittance in a ____ yard')

'In a boot and shoe yard'. Which is a reference to the main industry in Northampton, ( my home town ) which is shoe making.

I'm glad to finally settle that one! Next, Michael A. Rose, author and electronic musician, would like to know "If there are going to be any more orchestrated or electronic music from you as a solo artist?"

Nothing planned in that line but you never know.

Another from Gustavo Lanzas: "Talk about The Bubblemen!" Yes, please do.

The Bubblemen are sacred clowns!

That's it from the readers. I wanted to say how awesome it is to get a chance to talk to you. Thanks for your time. Oh one more thing- I noticed there's a spoken word artist called David J. He's pretty good... any relation?

'Don't know him. This could mean pistols at dawn!

---

Well, that's another great interview! Thanks again to David J for taking the time to answer my questions, and Robert at Gorgeous PR for hooking us up. Check out all the various wonderments at

http://www.davidjonline.com/enter.html

Read More >>