The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love

This = outstanding

That is all.

Fiction Plane Interview

Here it is. My backstage interview with all three members of Fiction Plane. Getting back there in the first place proved to be a hassle as well. I was given a confirmation for the interview via email and was told to contact Pete Wilhoit (drummer) only in case of emergency. So my buddy Andrew and I get to Summerfest and start asking around at all the different box offices about the backstage passes. No one has them. I even left the grounds to go to a tiny off-to-the-side Summerfest box office and had no luck there either. Getting back in after that was a little risky too, what with me carrying recording equipment. This was quickly turning into an "emergency." So we called up Wilhoit. No answer. I left him a message explaining our situation.

Fifteen minutes pass. We're panicking. Our once in a lifetime chance was ruined! Then we receive a text message from Wilhoit saying to meet them at the front of the stage in a few minutes. Sweet!

We proceeded to meet up with them and had this discussion:

Top Monkees Tracks

Sorry it's been a while since I've posted. My computer's hard drive crashed so I haven't been able to post anything for the past couple weeks. So, in today's post, I offer you the top tracks from a hugely underrated pop band from the 60s.

When you hear "The Monkees," the first thing that comes to mind is probably a large creature that's closely related to us who flings its own feces. But I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about Micky Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones, America's answer to the fab four. Sure, they had their own tv show and could easily be considered sell-outs. In fact, they were. Most dismissed their music entirely, often making fun of them for being a Beatles knockoff.

But I grew up with them and still love them. I recently took a look back at their work and came up with songs that I still believe are amazing pieces of work. After all, they were the first to use the Moog Synthesizer and Mike Nesmith virtually invented the idea of introducing rock elements into country. That's gotta count for something, right? I'd like to leave out the hits that everyone knew and go with some of their more obscure songs that you may not have heard of but should definitely check out. Here they are, in no particular order:

1) Your Auntie Grizelda
2) All of Your Toys
3) Shades of Gray
4) No Time
5) Randy Scouse Git
6) Goin' Down
7) Salesman
8) The Door into Summer
9) Tapioca Tundra
10) PO Box 9847
11) Zor and Zam
12) D.W. Washburn
13) Porpoise Song
14) Tear Drop City
15) Mommy and Daddy