What was the first concert you ever saw?
When I was 13, the music teacher at Catalina gave the class free tickets to Yvonne Elliman ("If I Can't Have You") and Santa Esmeralda ("Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"). My sister drove me and flirted with the scary popular boys.
What CDs are in your changer right now?
Tee-hee, a CD "changer." You guys are cute. But here are some recent choices: Belle and Sebastian, If You're Feeling Sinister; Al Perry, Losin' Hand; Martin Denny, The Exotic Sounds of Martin Denny.
How many total albums do you own (CDs, vinyl, cassettes, 8-tracks)?
200 LPs, 250 CDs, 100 cassette tapes and 25 gigabytes of MP3s.
Do you download music, and if so, legally or illegally?
No, but my sweetheart does, and I enjoy the fruits of his labor.
What was the first album you owned?
The first album I owned that I still have is Laurie Anderson's Big Science.
What song would you like to have played at your funeral?
By then, I'll be the last person to care! But ... maybe ... "Trouble" by Cat Stevens. And some Joy Division, then Alison Krauss' "Down to the River to Pray," and finally "Amazing Grace."
Musically speaking, what do you love that your friends don't know about? What's your favorite guilty pleasure?
I relish emotionally charged pop songs like "Indiana Wants Me" and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." These are best in the car, for maximum privacy while I have a good cry.
What band or artist changed your life, and how?
David Bowie helped me survive adolescence. I love the line in "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" when he shouts: "Oh no, love, you're not alone!" ... It was a godsend to discover the local music scene, too, especially those Phantom Limbs shows.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
The Clash, Sandinista!
