Sunshine Blogger Award

Thank you goes to 11.

Thanks to Kristin DeMarr of All The Things She Said for nominating me! It’s an honor to be chosen along with so many great music writers.

I tried to go with my first responses here, so forgive the brevity in some of the answers.

1. What led you to Substack?

   I had grown a little tired of Medium and all the changes they kept going through, and figured Substack might be a better platform. It’s proven to be a wildly different platform, and one that I genuinely enjoy engaging on.

2. What prompted you to start writing about music? (Or whatever your focus is if you don’t write about music)

   I’m not really sure what got me writing about music. I suspect it’s because it is one of the few things that I have very strong thoughts about. Like, why aren’t The Replacements everyone’s favorite band?

3. What is your favorite genre of music?

   Straight up rock and roll - guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. I’m kind of a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy with both my culinary and music likes.

4. What are the top 5 concerts you’ve been to and why?

   The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me Tour. No funny intoxicating story here, they were great… and so loud. To date, the loudest show I have seen.

   Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - The River tour at Madison Square Garden. There is something magical about seeing him play there.

   Pearl Jam - Madison Square Garden 2008. Same reason as seeing Springsteen, and I recall feeling the whole arena shake. You might think that would be unnerving, but it’s really not.

   Soul Aylum - my midwestern roots are showing. Every time I have seen them, they have never disappointed me. The band doesn’t get enough attention.

   One EskimO - some downtown club. Everyone was packed in, just enjoying the show's vibe.

5. What would be your 5 “bucket list” concerts? (This could be from the past or present).

   Led Zeppelin, The Clash, U2 circa 1984/85 (the Bono mullet years), Benny Goodman, and Broken Homes (probably would’ve been the only one there).

6. Where do you listen to music most often, and what is your preferred listening format/method?

   I’d have to say the living room, and it’s a toss-up between vinyl and CD. If I am actively listening, it’s vinyl, and if I am doing something else, it is probably gonna be a CD.

7. What would be your 3 desert island albums?

   Broken Homes - self-titled debut (I never miss an opportunity to champion them).

   Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul - Men Without Women

   R.E.M. - Life’s Rich Pageant

8. What was the first album of your own that you owned?

   I seem to recall purchasing Fleetwood Mac Rumors and the Steve Miller Band Book of Dreams at Target when I was a kid.

9. What was the last album you purchased?

   The Cars - self-titled debut on vinyl. I finished reading the biography and was embarrassed to find out I must’ve sold the album years ago when I replaced all my vinyl with CDs.

10. Do you have a physical music collection? Vinyl, CD, Cassette?

    I have both a vinyl and CD collection.

11. Do you have a favorite Christmas song?

    I do. It’s “Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues.

11 Writers (participation is entirely voluntary) - I’m certain some, if not all, have already been nominated, so my apologies for any redundancy.

Terry Barr

Kevin Alexander

S.W. Lauden

Rob Janicke

If Ever You’re Listening

Mark Nash

Tony Fletcher

Brad Kyle

Chris Dalla Riva

Mitchell Stirling

CJ Kaplan

11 questions

1. How long have you been writing on Substack? And what led you here?

2. What non-music book most shaped the way you listen to albums?

3. What album first made you realize music writing could be an art form in itself?

4. Which current artist (or genre) do you believe is most misunderstood by critics - and why?

5. How has streaming changed the way you evaluate an album’s “impact”?

6. What was the first album you can recall purchasing with your own money?

7. What’s one album you never grow tired of revisiting, and what keeps pulling you back?

8. What is one album you feel has been “abandoned” - in other words, a record that maybe hasn’t gotten the attention that you think it deserves?

9. What’s the most overrated album of the past 20 years?

10. What’s the most memorable live performance you’ve been to, and what made it stand out?

11. Which artist’s catalog rewards deep, long-term listening more than most?