- How did you get into 29? Big Black
Read about them in Michael Azzerad’s book, naturally. I think of the 13 bands profiled in the book, Big Black was one of the last bands I listened to and got into. I think only Beat Happening and Butthole Surfers came later. Anyhow I got Songs About Fucking first, because it was recommended by Pitchfork, and of course I was blown away. I was aware at the time of Albini’s producing (sorry, engineering) work for plenty of bands I admired.
2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22? Wire
It would have to be “Reuters” because the first time I ever listened to Wire I listened to Pink Flag all the way through.
3. What’s your favorite lyric by 33? Kyuss
“My hair is real long/No brains, all groin/no shoes, just thongs/I hate slow songs” is a good one.
4. What is your favorite album by 49? Jeff Beck
My iTunes counts Truth as a Jeff Beck album as opposed to a Jeff Beck Group album, so I will say Truth.
5. How many albums by 13 do you own? Game Theory.
Just one, actually. I should get more, but Lolita Nation has a lot of tracks and all of them are excellent, even the 14-second ones.
6. What is your favorite song by 50? Crime
“Instrumental Instrumental” always gets me going.
7. Is there a song by 39 that makes you sad? Johnny Thunders
Oh, yes. His entire repertoire is pretty heartbreaking in light of what happened to him. Obviously, “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory” comes to mind, but I would probably choose “So Alone,” cause Thunders’ guitar can always make me a bit weepy.
8. What is your favorite album by 15? Guitar Wolf
J-J-J-Jet Generation!
9. What is your favorite song by 5? The Clash.
This has to be the hardest question yet. I’ll say “Charlie Don’t Surf,” but as I say it, all these songs from London Calling come welling back—shit, let’s say “Charlie Don’t Surf.”
10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy? Minutemen
There’s several, but one that comes to mind is “History Lesson-Part II,” a heartwarming story of friendship and band harmony that is unprecedented in its autobiographical candor as well as its kind disposition.
11. What is your favorite album by 40? Jay Reatard.
Blood Visions is the only one I got.
12. What is your favorite song by 10? Frank Zappa
Jesus, another hard one. “Trouble Every Day” is so magnificent, even if it is on his first album. It also has probably his best, least random lyrics.
13. What is a good memory you have involving 30? Butthole Surfers
I actually have a wonderful memory of being at Chameleon’s in
14. What is your favorite song by 38? The La’s
“I Can’t Sleep” is the jumpiest and happiest of many jumpy and happy cuts.
15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy? Elvis Costello
Elvis isn’t the kind of lyricist who writes “happy” lyrics—nevertheless, the music for “The Impostor” is pretty cheerful for what it is (ska).
16. How many times have you seen 25 live?
Never, but I would love to.
17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23? Meat Puppets.
Obviously it must have been “
18. What is your favorite album by 11? Dinosaur Jr.
Has to be You’re Living All Over Me. Stiff competition from Bug and that’s about it, although all Dinosaur Jr. albums have good tracks.
19. Who is a favorite member of 1? Bad Brains.
Dr. Know is the MVP of all Bad Brains albums, at least until that Soul Brains nonsense when H.R. took over. As much as I love every member of the band, consummate musicians all, if forced to take one on a desert island I would choose Dr. Know, for his consummately brilliant soloing abilities as well as his ability to play really, really fast. Like Johnny Ramone and Van Halen rolled into one.
20. Have you ever seen 14 live? Frank Black.
No, but I will in a few weeks in
21. What is a good memory involving 27? Fugazi
Any memory involving Fugazi is a good one. Walking around campus while listening to “Public Witness Program” on repeat seems like a good one, it was like my way of calming down after my music theory classes.
22. What is your favorite song by 16? Radiohead
Currently, I’m partial to “All I Need,” because I have a lot of very good memories associated with it. Apart from that, “Paranoid Android” will always have a good place in my heart, despite its ubiquity.
23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47? The Rolling Stones
Who knows? The earliest I remember is dancing to “Jumping Jack Flash” as a youngster.
24. What is your favorite album by 18? The Replacements
I’ll say Pleased To Meet Me, an album that continually surprises and moves me—not only does it have the awesome opener “I.O.U.”—a piss-take on all the Replacements fans bitching about their moving to a major label—but it also has the perfect ending in “Can’t Hardly Wait.” In between, it has “The Ledge,” “Skyway” and of course the mighty “Alex Chilton.” I even listen to “Nightclub Jitters” when I’m in the mood.
25. What is your favorite song by 21? R.E.M.
Anything from their first five albums is tops, but I’ll choose “Harborcoat” because it embodies the two aspects of R.E.M. I always liked the most—the jittery, off-kilter dance rhythms and the anthemic (if obscure) chorus.
26. What is the first song you ever heard by 26? 999
“Homicide,” via its placement on No Thanks: The 70s Punk Rebellion, which was my bible for a while back in high school. Of all the songs that I played and replayed, “Homicide” is definitely one I listened to often.
27. What is your favorite album by 3? Steely Dan
The Royal Scam. Maybe a month ago I would have said Aja, but I can’t get over those first two songs, especially the end of “The Caves of Altamira” when the horns start going crazy. Plus, all of them have amazing lyrics, including “Haitian Divorce.”
28. What is your favorite song by 2? The Stranglers
This might be the hardest one to do yet. As much as I deeply love pretty much every part of the Stranglers’ discography, particularly the first three albums, I will go out on a limb and say I am particularly enamored with “Down In The Sewer.” If you haven’t heard it before, you should, it’s like the best sort of punk “rock opera” or whatever they call it, and it has this really righteous and exciting ending. It keeps building and topping itself, which is the sort of thing I like (that’s why I like the Wipers so much).
29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32? Magazine
“Shot on Both Sides,” also via No Thanks. I should add, though, that the stupid Rolling Stone record guide said that Magazine never made anything nearly as good as “Shot on Both Sides,” a simply stupid assumption. If you haven’t heard Magazine, you must. Great, probably the best, post-punk.
30. What is your favorite song by 8? The Germs
I know their discography by heart, and I can tell you pretty easily what my least favorite song is (that would be “Shut Down (Annihilation Man)”. As for my favorite, “Let’s Pretend” comes to mind. Some of Pat Smear’s best work there.
31. How many times have you seen 17 live? Warren Zevon
0, and it looks like I never will.
32. Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy? Led Zeppelin
Anything off Led Zeppelin III. Particularly, “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp.”
33. What is your favorite album by 12? Pixies
Impossible question. Can’t answer it.
34. What is the worst song by 45? Stiff Little Fingers
“Here We Are Nowhere,” if only because it’s too short.
35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34? Sonic Youth
I remember hearing about Goodbye, Old Century on NPR but the first Sonic Youth song proper I heard was probably “Tom Violence” off EVOL. I remember being not that impressed, shows how stupid I was in middle school.
36. What is your favorite album by 48? Neil Young
On The Beach is the one I listen to the most, so I’ll say that.
37. How many times have you seen 42 live? Tom Waits
Never, but boy would I love to.
38. What is your favorite song by 36? The Jam
The one I listen to the most is probably their cover of “Heat Wave,” but considering that’s not a Jam original I’ll say “Set The House Ablaze,” which by the way Bloc Party completely ripped off verbatim.
39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28? Wu-Tang Clan
“Gravel Pit,” I think. I think I saw the video. Very weird video, if you haven’t seen it.
40. What is your favorite album by 7? Husker Du.
Once again, an absolutely impossible question to answer. What the hell, Zen Arcade.
41. Is there a song by 31 that makes you happy? David Bowie
42. What is your favorite album by 41? Battles
Easiest question yet. Mirrored by default. I suppose I could choose one of the EPs but I’m not going to.
43. What is your favorite song by 24? Stevie Wonder
“As,” though I’ve completely overplayed that song over the course of the last year. Gets me going, I guess.
44. What is a good memory you have involving 46? Of
The first time I heard “Disconnect the Dots” and proceeded to spend the next few weeks listening to only that song.
45. What is your favorite song by 35? Big Star
“Feel,” I guess. Never topped that.
46. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy? At The Drive-In
Oh, hell yeah. “Rolodex Propaganda” has great, loopy backing vocals by Iggy Pop and is of course righteous like everything else they do.
47. What is your favorite album by 4? Wipers.
Shit, yet another impossible question to answer. If pressed, I choose Youth of America. Chances are if you don’t like it I don’t like you.
48. Who is a favorite member of 37? The Who
Keith Moon is undoubtedly the greatest instrumental powerhouse of the Who, and of course that is saying a lot. I am feeling dubious about this Keith Moon biopic with Mike Myers (who will play Townshend? Adrien Brody? Who has the nose?).
49. What is the first song you ever heard by 43? Pink Floyd
Again, it’s difficult to remember. It might be “Learning To Fly” because of my dad. Ick.
50. How many albums do you own by 20? Portishead
All three of the studio albums proper. There's a band that should record more often.
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