Michael Kaufman is an Arizona native who moved to Tucson almost 15 years ago for his UA undergraduate degree, and later earned a master's in social work from ASU. He is a painter, marble sculptor, live-music enthusiast and currently a child and family therapist.
What was the first concert you attended?
Janet Jackson on the Janet World Tour. I went with my cousin after she got tickets for her bat mitzvah. I was super pessimistic, but LOVED it!
What are you listening to these days?
NPR. But musically, I'm listening to the Roots, the xx, always Radiohead, Erykah Badu, Delicate Steve, the Electric Blankets, Camera Obscura, Feist, Andrew Bird, and cannot avoid hearing my girlfriend play Florence and the Machine.
What was the first album you owned?
Hysteria by Def Leppard was my first tape. Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em by MC Hammer was my first CD.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone seem to love, but you just don't get?
All the classics that make up karaoke favorites: Journey, Boston, AC/DC, Grease, all that crap. I would rather listen to nails on a chalkboard.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
Jimi Hendrix or the Doors.
Musically speaking, what is your favorite guilty pleasure?
Hall and Oates—and proud of it!
What song would you like to have played at your funeral?
"In My Life" by the Beatles, or maybe have Will Ferrell sing "Dust in the Wind" (assuming I go before him).
What band or artist changed your life, and how?
Bob Marley. He made me realize that lyrics mean something and not to settle for what usually passes on the radio. Bob always had a positive message that either addressed political strife or had a simple but true mantra or rational replacement thought that could be used to bring peace to one's life. And I am not referring to "No Woman, No Cry."
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Abbey Road.
