What was the first concert you ever saw?
Cat Stevens in the TCC Arena in 1972 or '73. There was so much pot smoke in the air that I felt stoned the next day in school.
What CDs are in your changer right now?
CD changer? What's that? My computer has been playing a lot of 1966 Beatles, White Stripes, Sunn 0))) and B-52's.
How many total albums do you own (CDs, vinyl, cassettes, 8-tracks)?
I have about 400 LPs, 3,000 45s, 600 78s, 250 CDs, 100 cassette tapes and 25 gigabytes of MP3s. You can hear 100 of the 45s in the Tap Room.
Do you download music, and if so, legally or illegally?
Yes, the Russian site allofmp3.com is a godsend for MP3s without hassle. Ethernet is useful for sharing with friends.
What was the first album you owned?
Joe's Garage by Frank Zappa. I was 19 before I bought any records. My dad had reel-to-reel tapes of '60s acid rock and classical music.
What song would you like to have played at your funeral?
Stereolab's "Jenny Ondioline," extra loud.
Musically speaking, what do you love that your friends don't know about? What's your favorite guilty pleasure?
That stuff they play on the classic rock station.
What band or artist changed your life, and how?
Hearing "Sister Ray" by the Velvet Underground in 1984. I stopped going to the mall and joined the thrift-store culture.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
The Velvet Underground and Nico.
