Music Interviews: The Playlist

 

Over the past few years, I’ve interviewed some terrifically funny, wildly eccentric, and flat out rad musicians. They range from one of the best guitarists in the world to one of the most veiled and esoteric personalities in modern pop-culture. I was raked through the coals on the Coachella message boards over an interview I conducted with Karin Dreijer Andersson of Fever Ray – she didn’t like me, asserted internet dudes in pastel-colored shirts from H&M.

Mathew Friedberger of The Fiery Furnaces spoke to me while purchasing a disposable Kodak camera – damn, that really dates both of us. He also called me “wrong” a number of times, which I found comically hilarious. There were fun topics, too: Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast talked about Jeff Goldbum; Katie Howard of Big Bloom touched on the hilarity of Spotify’s one-time streaming updates; and Tarra Thiessen of Sharkmuffin shared a petrifying Tinder tale.

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The only Tweet framed in the Louvre

A few San Diego bands – The Fresh Brunettes, Soft Lions, and Big Bloom – announced their undying love for El Zarape (they aren’t wrong, my dudes). Meanwhile, TV Girl’s Brad Petering came to the rescue of Pokez. John Paul Pitts, the frontman of Surfer Blood, lauded Tacos Villa Corona in Los Angeles. All of my friends swear by Emma’s in Santee, but what do they know?

Some important topics had been broached, outside of food, that included takes on Pitchfork, vinyl, and Spotify. Julia Shapiro of Chastity Belt touched on the ridiculousness of some tired, gender-specific interview questions (“what’s it like being a girl in a band?”) while Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade fame spoke about the intense vulnerability of leaving a place you love dearly.

Only in March, we have been interviewing more musicians than ever, and we look forward to covering many more over the remaining months. Because these bands rock, son, I put together a Spotify playlist comprised of songs from every band I have interviewed for the site. And for those artists not yet on the app, I give you embedded videos. Check it out. Have fun. Discover something new. And then go to shows. You might find your dude drinking eight Green Flash beers while wearing some eggshell colored Vans.

 

 

Author: Rob Patrick

The program director of the Olympia Film Society, Rob is also a former San Diego Film Critics Society member. He has written for The East County Californian, The Alpine Sun, The East County Herald, The San Diego Entertainer, and the San Diego Reader. When he isn't curating a film festival, he is drinking rosé out of a plastic cup in Seattle or getting tattoos from Jenn Champion.

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