Nine Questions

Mitch Preston

Mitch Preston has been living in Tucson for seven years. The general manager of Auld Dubliner, Preston has traveled the country following acts such as Morrissey (43 shows), Oasis (11), Electric Six (8), Mötley Crüe (7), Bruce Springsteen (6), Social Distortion (6), Blur (5) and Iron Maiden (5). He also played third base on a championship Little League team.

What was the first concert you ever saw?

B.J. Thomas, in Phoenix, when I was about 9.

What are you listening to these days?

Electric Six, Belle Ghoul, Morrissey and the Smiths, obviously, and recently, I've started listening to a lot of W.A.S.P. again.

What was the first album you owned?

Either Whitesnake's self-titled album, or Stryper's To Hell With the Devil, because my parents tried to steer me toward Christian metal, which obviously didn't work.

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone seem to love, but you just don't get?

Dubstep. I wouldn't classify it as music. I'd rather stand behind an F-16 while it was firing up its engines for an hour, with no earplugs, than listen to 47 seconds of dubstep.

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?

The Smiths ... if they reformed. I think Morrissey's voice has matured with age, and Johnny Marr's guitar-play has gotten better with age.

Musically speaking, what is your favorite guilty pleasure?

Katy Perry and Justin Bieber. Katy Perry makes me happy and puts me in a good mood when I've had a horrible day, and Justin Bieber is a Canadian angel child.

What song would you like to have played at your funeral?

R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming" or Morrissey's cover of "Moon River."

What band or artist changed your life, and how?

Morrissey. I had a difficult time in high school. ... Lyrically, it was comforting to know there was somebody out there who felt like I felt and had the same misery and emotions I had.

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

I should say the Smiths' The Queen Is Dead, but honestly, it's Morrissey's Viva Hate.