Nine Questions

Kris Kerry takes care of booking the national bands at Plush, which has just undergone all kinds of renovations--there's a patio, a bigger stage, and the overflow parking lot is paved. Although Kerry is definitely against illegal file sharing of music, he'll tell you everything you need to know about a band he's excited about. And no, he is not related to John Kerry.

What was the first concert you ever saw?

Tesla, Mechanical Resonance Tour, 1986, Fayetteville, Ark.. I grew up in the Ozarks ... not many shows came our way. ...

What CDs are in your changer right now?

The Afghan Whigs, Gentlemen; The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Bravery, Repetition and Noise; Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, No More Shall We Part; Sonic Youth, Dirty; The Standard, Wire Post to Wire; Jesse Sykes, Oh, My Girl; The Kinks, Something Else by the Kinks; Sparklehorse, Good Morning Spider; Tom Waits, Blue Valentine; Snow Patrol, Final Straw.

How many total albums do you own (CDs, vinyl, cassettes, 8-tracks)?

Between 1,700 and 1,800 CDs (and) a few dozen vinyl albums; I don't own any cassettes or 8-tracks.

Do you download music, and if so, legally?

I only download music provided via labels' and artists' sites.

What was the first album you owned?

Foreigner's 1977 debut album, I guess. ... when I was 7 years old.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

"House Where Nobody Lives," Tom Waits. Maybe "Life on Mars" by David Bowie.

Musically speaking, what do you love that your friends don't know about? What are your guilty pleasures?

Sade. She has such an amazing voice. I also like Fleetwood Mac a lot ... well, only the songs sung by Stevie Nicks.

What band or artist changed your life, and how?

Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Pixies, Uncle Tupelo, David Bowie and Tom Waits have all affected me deeply.

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

David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. A close second may be Uncle Tupelo's March 16-20, 1992.