Tag Archives: Five Questions

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Five Questions … with Joshua Epstein of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

September 22nd, 2011


Joshua Epstein and Daniel Zott were each playing in different Detroit bands when they met. Soon after, they began recording together in Zott’s suburban basement. It’s a Corporate World, their first LP, which deftly combines harmonies and electronics, came out this past spring, but even prior to that the duo, performing as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., became known for their high-octane performances. And on the heels of playing Austin City Limits last weekend, the band (above, doing “Vocal Chords” live in studio for KEXP FM) comes to The Bowery Ballroom on Saturday. But before that, Epstein exchanged e-mails with The House List in order to answer Five Questions.

You do a killer cover of “God Only Knows.” Are there any other classic-rock covers in your arsenal? And if not yet, do you have anything in mind for the future?
We do an incredible version of “It Wasn’t Me” by Shaggy at Karaoke. Does that count? We may have some surprises in store for the Bowery show.

What’s the last band you paid to see live?
I paid to see Dr. John last year in Detroit. Damn was it ever worth it. And I paid to see Leonard Cohen at the Beacon Theatre in NYC. Also worth it.

Where do you like to hang out in New York City? And do you ever feel like you could live here?
A few of my friends tend bar there, so usually I’ll go wherever they are working. I have lived in New York for brief spurts and loved it. If the rent were at all comparable with Detroit I’d be there now.

What’s the best part—or what excites you the most—about playing NYC?
It’s the most incredible city in the world. Every inch of it feels electric, so it’s always a new and exciting experience.

Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better when it really happened to you?
I think that there is no substitute for personal experience, however, songwriting is about channeling experiences so that they become transformative and accessible to a wide variety of people. —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions … with Jesse Elliott of These United States

September 7th, 2011


Although These United States formed just five years ago, they’ve already put out four full-length albums. Armed with an increasingly deep catalog, the prolific quintet has toured extensively throughout the US, England and other parts of Europe, gaining a reputation for lively shows that aren’t to be missed. And to make sure you don’t, head to Mercury Lounge tomorrow night to see These United States (above, playing “Pleasure and Pain and Pride and Me” and “Honor Amongst Thieves” in Washington Square Park for Baeble Music) live. In advance of the show frontman Jesse Elliott e-mailed The House List from Fedora to answer Five Questions.

You’ve been putting out an album a year since 2008. Are you guys working on anything new for later this year or in 2012?
Yeah, we’ve been heading back to Lexington[, Ky.,] every few weeks all year long, experimenting more than working this time around, taking our time, maybe realizing finally that most of the best things come fast but a few do come slow. Should have a new litter of beautiful, feral pups to sick on the world by next year. I mean, if not by 2012, then when, post-apocalypse?

What’s the toughest part about playing New York City?
Having to leave the next morning.

What music or song always makes you dance?
LCD Soundsystem. Genius.

Do you have any crutches when writing a song—are there certain words or styles you feel you lean on too much?
If you’ve leaned on a certain set of crutches for a very long time, you can start to develop your very own rhythm on them, you know. You start to hear more subtleties in each click. It starts to be more about the surface you’re traveling on rather than the crutches themselves. You start to travel down different types of surfaces just so you can hear the same set of crutches on them. Your ears get more sensitive to that kind of change. Maybe you get better at what you make or maybe you’re just more sensitive and that’s all.

Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better when it really happened to you?
I have to be really depressed to write any kind of song—sad one, happy one, bittersweet, melancholy, exuberant. I don’t get depressed very often, because the world is a beautiful place even when bad things are happening to you. So when I do find myself in that blessed depressed place, I gotta move very, very quick. I gotta go down to the corner cafe with Miguel, fast as we possibly can, throwing shoes and shirts on fast, order two jalapeños from Annie—again, fast— move through it all like a fast angry bulldozer, merciless, pointed right straight at that song, no regard for life or limb, fantasy or feeling, whether anything at all ever really happens to you alone or whether it happens to everyone all at once. Hopefully the latter. Let’s pray the latter. —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions … with Syd Butler of Les Savy Fav

September 2nd, 2011


Syd Butler is a man of many hats. He’s a devoted father, the bassist for Les Savy Fav, the founder of Frenchkiss Records and last, but definitely not least, a fervent Washington Capitals fan. The band (above, doing “Let’s Get Out of Here” for KEXP FM) played one of the very first shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and Les Savy Fav returns, with Oberhofer and Chron Turbine, for the venue’s fourth-anniversary show on 9/6. (It’s worth mentioning drinks will be just $4 each.) Butler, taking time out of his busy schedule, rang up The House List from the back of a cab to answer Five Questions.

I know you came out with Root for Ruin last year, and I was wondering if you’re working on anything new—a full album, an EP, new songs or anything like that?
We actually just dedicated this year to touring as much as possible. And this will be the final cycle of that. We went to Europe twice, maybe three times. We went to Australia and New Zealand. So we’ve been pretty active. Actually, not so much in the US, weirdly enough. But pretty active outside of the US since the record came out. But, no, members of the band have kids and newborn babies, and Harrison, the drummer, wants to finish his grad program. He took a year off for this tour. But that’s what our plans are at the moment.

Which do you think is more difficult, to make it as a band or as a record label in New York City? Or in your case, does one go hand-in-hand with the other?
For us, for a long time, it definitely went hand in hand because Les Savy Fav was out there on tour. So we could say, “Frenchkiss, Frenchkiss, Frenchkiss.” But with the success of Local Natives and the success of the Antlers and the Dodos, I think Frenchkiss has hopefully carved out its own little nook in this business. But the two are very, very different. I always thought they were a lot closer, but they’re actually a completely different left-brain, right-brain kind of thing.

Which band have you seen play the most, not counting any you’ve toured with?
I’ve seen Modest Mouse probably a bajillion times. Oh, you know what it is? I have an answer for you: It’s probably a tie between Built to Spill—they’re sort of like my Grateful Dead band—and Arcade Fire as well.

Which NYC musician, past or present, would you most want to play with?
I would love to play with David Bowie, but that doesn’t really count. A born-and-bred musician?
Well, he’s been here for decades.
I would love to play with David Bowie or to introduce myself. I met David Byrne a couple times, which has been awesome, and I’m sure I’d love to play with David Byrne if he hopped up onstage at a Les Savy Fav show.

Do you have any crutches when writing a song? Are there certain words or styles you feel you lean on too much?
I definitely hang on to certain patterns on my bass way too often. It drives me crazy when that happens, because every song I write or am a part of writing, I try to branch out and change my style a little bit. But when I’m feeling insecure I come back to a comfort zone. —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions with … John McCauley

March 2nd, 2011


A fantastic musical revue is coming our way this weekend. Middle Brother, comprised of the frontmen of three talented bands—John McCauley (Deer Tick), Matt Vasquez (Delta Spirit) and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes)—plays Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday and The Bowery Ballroom on Sunday. Each night will packed with great music, featuring sets by Middle Brother (above, doing “Me Me Me”), Deer Tick and Dawes. It’s sure to be a blast, but be aware that Saturday’s show is already sold out and Sunday’s show could, too. So act fast! In the meantime, McCauley was kind enough to answer Five Questions for The House List.

What’s the last band you paid to see live?
Oh man, I haven’t paid for a show in a long time…. Maybe Joe Fletcher and the Wrong Reasons; one of my favorite bands. They’re out of Providence.

What’s the toughest part of playing New York City?
Not being able to smoke indoors.

Where do you like to hang out in NYC? And do you ever feel like you could live here?
I love Red Hook. I did live in New York for a bit, but it wasn’t for me.

What music or song always makes you dance?
“Jump Jive an’ Wail” by the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

Your after-party is at a bar with a great jukebox, and The House List gives you a buck. Which three songs are you playing?
AC/DC’s “T.N.T.,” the Beatles’ “Dig a Pony” and the Replacements’ “I Won’t.” —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions with…Yellow Ostrich

January 10th, 2011
(From left, Andrew Schaaf and Michael Tapper)

(From left: Andrew Schaaf and Michael Tapper)

Yellow Ostrich is the brainchild of New York City-by-way-of-Wisconsin-resident Alex Schaaf. In 2010, with little more than a floor tom, his voice and a guitar, Schaaf created The Mistress, a sneakily impressive album currently only available here. The band played Mercury Lounge last week, and in the deep recesses of the venue, Schaaf and drummer Michael Tapper were nice enough to answer Five Questions for The House List.

Michael, you’ve been playing in bands now for a while, right? I know Bishop Allen from [frontman Justin Rice's performance in] mumblecore movies. Is that an aspiration?
I don’t think anyone aspires to be in anything called mumblecore. One of the definitions tends to be a lack of aspiration. It would be weird. I’ve only seen a couple, but I think the genre tends to be: I went to college, now what? I guess I’m, like, in a band or maybe I’ll bake cookies?

Your sound seems to invite more musicians. Do you plan to add any more instrumentalists?
AS: It’s something to take into consideration. On The Mistress, I kind of tried to do it with only, like, a few tools—floor tom, guitar and voice basically—just to see, because I think that is more interesting sometimes than having, like, 20 instruments. You can get a bigger sound but it’s not as interesting because you’re not doing creative things with it. So, yeah, we have two people but we have to do way more crazy, creative stuff compared to what I’ve done with a full band in the past. Live, I think we sound like at least four people or three people. We want to keep it small, relatively, because it’s an interesting aesthetic. Forces you to do things you wouldn’t do.
MT: Putting constraints on yourself forces you to be more creative: In the film The Five Obstructions, Lars von Trier asks his mentor, Jørgen Leth, to remake his film The Perfect Human. But he tells him here are your constraints and you have to do it five times. Like, OK, you only made movies in Sweden, well you have to make it in a place you’ve never been. Each time you think, with the constraints, this is impossible. But he overcomes it with creativity. It’s awesome.

Do you go to a lot of shows in New York City?
AS: When I first got here, I went to a show a week—not like Wisconsin. There are shows around the block now. I’m going to Sharon Van Etten at The Bowery Ballroom this weekend (note: Yellow Ostrich’s cover of Sharon Van Etten’s “Love More” is available for download). I go to a show a month because we usually have one every couple of weeks. I try to go as much as I can.

What bands or musicians do you see as being your contemporaries?
AS: I don’t know. I mean it’s hard to think of contemporaries. I think of bands I’d want to be or totally respect where they are, like Dirty Projectors or Grizzly Bear, bands that sound-wise, we’ve been compared to.

What bands did you listen to growing up?
AS: For me, growing up it was a lot of melodic pop. Ben Folds Five and an embarrassingly long phase of Dave Matthews…. But now, in the last few years, it’s been less mainstream stuff—’70s Bowie and Talking Heads. Now I listen to way more older music. How about you [To Michael]?
MT: I wasn’t allowed to listen to music.
AS: That sounds like a more interesting story. [Laughs] —Jared Levy

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Five Questions with…Aziz Ansari

September 14th, 2010

Aziz Ansari came to New York City for college. While attending NYU, he got into stand-up comedy, which eventually led to Human Giant, a sketch-comedy show on MTV, and other acting roles. He’s perhaps best known for playing the lewd Raaaaaaaandy in Funny People (“It was an amalgam of stuff I’d see kill at comedy clubs that I thought was terrible”) and the lovelorn Tom Haverford on Parks and Recreation. To work on the show, Ansari had to move out to L.A., and once there, he “had to get used to a much higher intake of delicious tacos.” With such success at a young age, it would be easy to rest on his laurels, but that’s clearly not the case: The South Carolina native released his debut CD/DVD, Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening, in January; he hosted the 2010 MTV Movie Awards in June; and he comes to The Wellmont Theatre tomorrow. But first, Aziz Ansari answered Five Questions for The House List.

What band/music is your guilty pleasure to listen to?
Weirdly enough, just since this past weekend I’ve been heavily rocking “All That She Wants” by Ace of Base. Then yesterday, I saw they are doing a comeback and they replaced the two ladies with younger girls! That is brutal. Could you imagine being the girls in Ace of Base? Girls: “Yeah! A reunion is a great idea!” Dudes: “Hahahaha! Are you fucking kidding me?! You’re way too old to be in Ace of Base!”

Were you much of a sitcom fan before joining Parks and Rec? And if so, what are some of your favorites?
Definitely. I love(d) Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office (U.K. and U.S.), Extras, Eastbound and Down and Delocated. When I first sat down with Mike Schur and Greg Daniels, the executive producers on Parks, I thought the U.S. Office was the best network sitcom on TV (which they also produced), so signing up to work with them was an easy decision.

Does Nick Offerman ever offer you any facial-hair grooming tips?
Nick Offerman is the nicest, sweetest dude ever. We’re off for the summer and I really miss that dude and his mustache. When we wrapped I wanted him to shave his mustache and sell it for charity, but something happened and he had to shave it off real quick for an acting role and we couldn’t do it. Wait, that makes no sense, I don’t know what role would be like, “Nick, shave that thing NOW!” Anyway, something happened and he couldn’t preserve it.

When you do stand-up, you’re responsible for everything. And on Human Giant, it seems like the four of you did a lot of work. How is it being a supporting player on a TV show considering you don’t have as many responsibilities?
It is a fucking breeze! I come in, pretend to be a parks-department employee for a bit, and the rest of the time I’m watching Dexter in my trailer. I’m only slightly joking. The truth is I’m so lucky to be on a show like Parks where there are so many talented writers, producers and actors that I can just play a small part of a bigger entity. With something like Human Giant, my stand-up or hosting the MTV Movie Awards, a lot of more of it is on my shoulders. With Parks, I really trust our producers to make the show really funny. It’s great having one project where I have less responsibility but can still count on it to be something I’m proud of.

Where do you like to hang out in NYC? And do you ever think about living here again?
I’ve been filming a movie in Michigan this summer and escaping to New York when I can. I really miss living there. Some places I love are Momofuku Ssäm Bar, PDT, Bowery Ballroom (probably my favorite venue in NYC), Luke’s Lobster Roll, Shake Shack, Turntable Lab, Strand Bookstore, Bowery Hotel, Ace Hotel, Union Hall, Other Music, Cones, and Kim’s Music and Video (R.I.P. St. Mark’s location). I know I listed a lot of restaurants, but you have to understand a lot of my New York-trip itineraries are food-centric. I ABSOLUTELY think about moving back. L.A. is great and unfairly demonized, but New York on a nice day beats EVERYWHERE. I’ve thought about coming back and just working on stand-up and movie scripts for a few months, but things always pop up to derail plans of that nature. —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions with…Chris “Critter” Eldridge

June 22nd, 2010
(Photo: C. Taylor Crothers)

Punch Brothers Photo by C. Taylor Crothers

After the breakup of Nickel Creek, mandolin badass Chris Thile gathered some seriously talented musicians, Chris “Critter” Eldridge (guitar), Paul Kowert (bass), Noam Pikelny (banjo) and Gabe Witcher (violin), and formed the progressive-bluegrass outfit Punch Brothers. Their first album, Punch, came out two years ago while their second disc, Antifogmatic, is just a week old, and its accompanying tour brings Punch Brothers—below, playing “This Is the Song (Good Luck),”—to Music Hall of Williamsburg tomorrow night. Expect original material with some cool covers (think: Radiohead and the Strokes) in the mix. Ahead of this show, Brooklyn resident Critter (pictured, above far right) e-mailed The House List to answer Five Questions.

Which band have you seen play live the most often (excluding bands you’ve toured with)?
It’s hard to say, but when I lived in Nashville I used to always go to the Station Inn to see the Time Jumpers, an old-school Western swing/classic country group. I am convinced that they are one of the greatest bands in the world.

Which bands that you listened to growing up do you still listen to?
Since both of my parents are banjo players, bluegrass is the music that I was surrounded by during my childhood. Probably because of that, I wanted nothing to do with it for years. However, lately I feel that I can learn a lot by hearing how direct really good bluegrass, like Bill Monroe or the Stanley Brothers, can be.

What’s the toughest part of playing New York City?
This city has been one of the world’s epicenters of great art and music for a long time, which can be intimidating. But ultimately it is actually a good thing because it absolutely demands that you dig deep and pull the very best out of yourself. A disproportionate number of best shows that I’ve been a part of have taken place here.

Do you have any crutches when writing a song—are there certain words or styles you feel you lean on too much?
I do have a crutch in that I have four great musical minds that I get to develop musical ideas with. If ever I have an idea that seems worthwhile but I can’t figure out how to proceed, they always have a good solution.

Your after-party is at Hi-Fi, the Avenue A bar known for its endless jukebox, and The House List gives you a buck. Which three songs are you playing?
“Move It on Over” by Hank Williams Sr., “The Curse” by Josh Ritter and, finally, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” by the Band. —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions with…Alley Deheza of School of Seven Bells

June 9th, 2010

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Brooklyn’s School of Seven Bells (twins Alley and Claudia Deheza and Ben Curtis) are gearing up for a European tour in support of their second disc, Disconnect from Desire, which comes out next month. But the trio isn’t just sitting around until then because they’re playing tonight and tomorrow at Mercury Lounge, and the giggly Alley Deheza was nice enough to answer Five Questions for The House List.

Who are your inspirations outside of the music world?
Definitely David Lynch. First and foremost is gonna be Twin Peaks, definitely. And then, I don’t know, I like all of them. The last one was great, Inland Empire. It was fantastic. And I’m reading this book, called Ka, right now. It’s about mythology and it’s this really colorful book.

What’s the best part of playing New York City?
I know a lot of people don’t like the crowds—they think they’re kind of reserved. But I personally love the crowds in New York. Because the people who go to—at least our shows—are really dedicated people. And it’s cool because they come up to you and talk to you and they’re really, really interested in the music.

Do you have any crutches when writing a song—are there certain words or styles you feel you lean on too much?
No, because if I notice I’m doing something again, I kind of get turned off by it. I know that sounds weird, but it’s got to be different or I just get really bored.

Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better when it really happened to you?
If I’m writing a sad song, let’s say, I’m not very good at expressing myself clearly if I am sad when I’m writing it. And the same with happy. I think it’s more that I feel like I need to stand outside of the situation to really see it very clearly. It might be cliché but it’s true.

Your after-party is at Hi-Fi, the Avenue A bar known for its endless jukebox, and The House List gives you a buck. Which three songs are you playing?
I would say “Poison” by Bell Biv DeVoe, “Motownphilly” by Boyz II Men and “Nasty Girl” by Vanity 6. —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions with…Tim Fite

June 2nd, 2010

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Tim Fite’s latest album, Under the Table Tennis, which you can download for free here, came out last month. The new disc and ensuing tour bring him back to NYC to play Mercury Lounge on Friday. Expect “a bunch of new songs, a bunch of the old ones—people like to hear something familiar as well—so it’s a mixed bag.” Fite (below, doing “The Big Mistake”) wanted to check in before he returns home so he got on the phone with The House List to answer Five Questions.

Which bands that you listened to growing up do you still listen to? I listened to Uncle Tupelo yesterday. I listened to that growing up. We listened to some of No Depression and a little bit of a playlist of the other stuff. And I’m still listening to Public Enemy. I still listen to Kool G Rap. Still listen to Bad Brains, Minor Threat.

Who are your inspirations outside of the music world? Today I looked at paintings by Philip Guston. He’s always made me excited about living. One I like especially is “Bad Times.” It has a couple guys in a car with some guns shooting at somebody. It looked like bad times, for sure.

Which New York City musician—past or present—would you most like to play with? I would love to do a concert with Big Daddy Kane. He’s like the greatest showman on the face of the planet. He’s unrivaled.

What music or song always makes you dance? This is coming out of left field because I don’t know if anybody remembers this lady, and I don’t have any idea where I got her CD or why I love it, but it does make me dance. Her name is Debelah Morgan. I think she was an R&B singer in the ’90s who didn’t totally take off, but for some reason, if I put on her album, like especially when I’m cleaning the house, I just dance right through it all. I also like it because I read something about her: I think she was really, really fat for a long time. When she recorded the record, she was like a superfat lady, and then before she got her record deal she lost all this weight, and you could sort of hear this kind of exuberance in her ability to move in the songs, and that’s exciting.

Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better when it really happened to you? I think no to all three. I think that human beings are emotional vessels, and if you’re capable of containing emotions, you can access them regardless of where, when, how, who, what and why. —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions With…Ricky M’Coy

March 18th, 2010
Ricky M’coy

Ricky M’Coy

On Friday night at Music Hall of Williamsburg, Unchained: The Mighty Van Halen Tribute Band, Judas Priestess: America’s All Girl Tribute to the Metal Gods and Appetite for Destruction: The Ultimate Tribute to Guns N’ Roses will do battle as part of the Tribute Wars. In advance of the show, Ricky M’Coy, lead singer of Unchained, e-mailed The House List to answer five questions.

Which New York City musician— past or present—would you most like to play with?
Well, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, of course. If they see this, they gotta get in touch with me. I’d be a great addition to their touring band as a male backing vocalist (along with two other female singers). I can harmonize to Donald Fagen’s voice so good. I do it every day!

What’s the best part of playing New York City?
The fans. They love their music and are very knowledgeable. And, of course, THE WOMEN!!

Do you have any crutches when writing a song—are there certain words or styles you feel you lean on too much?
Put it this way: I have to stop writing songs most times because I get too emotional and I get lost mentally. Like, I’ll forget what I was supposed to do later that night or who I was supposed to meet. My songs are great, but I’m not signed to a label, so maybe it’s best they stay locked away in my world. My songs are like taking LSD. You’re never the same after you hear them.

What’s your biggest nonmusical talent?
Definitely, without a doubt, cunnilingus. (Spell it right for me!) [Ed. Note: done.]

Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better when it really happened to you?
Well, I’m bipolar—diagnosed very early in life. So I know all too much about depression and far too little about love. I mean, I love people, but I don’t know how to really love a person. Love to me is all the same level. I can’t figure out the mystery of love, and that makes me more depressed. As for songs and writing them, my answer is no because my moods are hit and miss. But I can write great love songs and true-life sad songs that will make a person leave the room, usually crying. —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions with…Tiombe Lockhart

January 29th, 2010

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The self-proclaimed “East Village spaced-out R&B acid-house revivalist outfit Cubic Zirconia” is known for what singer Tiombe Lockhart affectionately calls “soul white-boy nerdy disco dance house fun party-time music.” Nick Hook, who starts their music with a beat, says, “I like to write things that invite maximum participation.” Guitarist Todd Weinstock writes the chord progressions, and Tiombe comes up with lyrics and melodies. Although each person focuses on one aspect of songwriting, they all end up tinkering with each aspect. The next few days are big for Cubic Zirconia because their new single, “Josephine,” comes out on Tuesday on Don’t Cry Records—with remixes by Waajeed, Greenmoney, Egyptrixx and DJ Sega—and they play Music Hall of Williamsburg tomorrow night. In advance of that show, Tiombe took the time to answer five questions for The House List.

Which bands that you listened to growing up do you still listen to?
Sarah Vaughan, Fela Kuti and Earth, Wind & Fire.

What’s the toughest part of playing New York City?
The guest list.

What music or song always makes you dance?
Anything with some heart.

Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better when it really happened to you?
You don’t need to be depressed or in love to write about those subjects. It does help to have experienced these things, whether in a mild or extreme capacity.

It’s 4 a.m. and last call has come and gone. What’s your next move?
Not going home probably. —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions with…Matisyahu

December 9th, 2009
(Photo: Sean O’Kane)

(Photo: Sean O’Kane)

Matisyahu is known for combining his religious devotion with a unique blend of reggae, rock and hip-hop. His third studio album, Light, came out in August. And beginning tomorrow, he’s back in NYC for eight shows as part of his fourth annual Festival of Light: four shows at Webster Hall—with the Glitch Mob on 12/10, with John Brown’s Body and Dynasty on 12/12, with Dub Trio on 12/13 and with Brothers Past on 12/14—and four shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg—with Rana on 12/16, with Kid Koala on 12/17, with Travis McCoy on 12/19 and with Kevin Devine on 12/20. In advance of this epic run, Matis took the time to answer five questions for The House List.

Which band (or bands) that you listened to growing up do you still listen to?
Grateful Dead.

What’s the toughest part of playing New York City?
My cousins giving me shit after the show for not calling them up on stage.

What’s your biggest nonmusical talent?
Rollerblading. When I was about 13, I’d ride backward down the steps in Central Park and hold on to taxis and buses and stuff.

Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better when it really happened to you?
Yes, there is no substitute for authenticity.

It’s 4 a.m. and last call has come and gone. What’s your next move?
Go to Rabbi Korn’s house, crack open a bottle of Russian vodka and talk about how God could let the Holocaust happen. Then walk to the mikvah on the Lower East Side and wait for the old Russian guy to let me in. Then I’d sit in the mikvah ’til shacrit (morning prayers), then pray at the closest shul. Then barf. —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions with…Amy Millan

November 4th, 2009
Amy Millan

(Photo: Courtesy Arts & Crafts/Finn O’Hara)

Amy Millan is a singer and guitarist best known for her work with the bands Broken Social Scene and Stars. But she’s also plenty accomplished on her own. Her first album, the roots-rock-filled Honey from the Tombs, came out in 2006. And she released her second solo effort, the spare Masters of the Burial, in September. As is usually the case, an accompanying tour has followed, which brings her to Mercury Lounge tomorrow night. But we wanted to hear what she had to say before then, and Millan—who claims her biggest nonmusical talent is “making soup”—was nice enough to answer Five Questions for The House List.

What’s the best part of playing New York City?
The first time I came to New York many years ago, I knew its reputation as being rude. I found it to be the opposite. It’s extremely friendly compared to say, Toronto. People don’t live in fear, so it’s easy to have random chats about random topics with strangers, if you aren’t an asshole.

What’s your favorite place in New York City to hang out? And do you ever feel like you could live here?
Angel’s Share, Central Park, Babbo to name a few. If I ever become a millionaire, I will definitely get a flat and spend more time there.

Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better when it really happened to you?
There is a current of all emotion that you can dip your fingers into at any time if you wish to. There is a world sadness that is ever-present. So no, I don’t find I need to feel depressed to write a sad song. As with the last question, love is everywhere. Even in the gutter. It’s all happening to me. Even if it’s my reaction to someone else’s story, it’s still being interpreted by my feelings.

Your after-party is at Hi-Fi, the Avenue A bar known for its endless jukebox, and The House List gives you a buck. Which three songs are you playing?
“Lovely Day” by Bill Withers, “Only You Babe” by Curtis Mayfield and “The Whole World” by OutKast.

It’s 4 a.m. and last call has come and gone. What’s your next move?
Well if for some insane, drug-related reason I was not already in bed, then out the guitars would come and we would sing until the sun came up. —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions with…Casey Crescenzo

October 27th, 2009
(Photo: Dan Gillan)

(Photo: Dan Gillan)

What began as a side project for singer-keyboardist Casey Crescenzo to use as an outlet for music that didn’t quite fit in with his then band, the Receiving End of Sirens, turned into a full-time gig with the more experimental and progressive group the Dear Hunter. Their second full-length studio album, Act III: Life and Death, came out in June, and they’ve been touring ever since. The Dear Hunter plays The Bowery Ballroom tomorrow night, and last week The House List got Crescenzo on the phone so he could answer five questions.

Who are your inspirations outside of the music world?
Terry Gilliam, who’s a director. I grew up on Monty Python. One of my, like, favorite childhood stories is that my dad got to play chess with John Cleese. And he has an awesome joke that I forgot. But, yeah, I mean Monty Python, I loved. I love Terry Gilliam, from movies like Brazil. Brazil’s my favorite movie. Film directors like David Fincher. Who else? Chuck Palahniuk.

What’s the best part of playing New York City?
I don’t know if it’s because getting in and out is such a bitch, but when you actually get there, the audience is very happy, very responsive. The audience is the best part. But also, I think for us, all of our, like, business end of things—our booking agent, our manager, our label—are all in New York. So we get to see them and hang out with them, and that’s a rarity. And that’s also a lot of fun. So the audience, but also seeing all our friends.

What’s your favorite place in New York City to hang out? And do you ever feel like you could live here?
I don’t think I could ever live there. I have such anxiety getting in there. It’s not until we’re parked and inside a venue that I feel even close to stress free. And I walk around and I feel very much like an outsider, like everybody knows that I’m not from there, so I’m not part of the club…. But I really like the area around The Bowery Ballroom.

Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better when it really happened to you?
I don’t think you have to be depressed when you’re writing it, but if you haven’t felt depression and you’re writing a sad song, or you’ve never been in love and you’re writing a love song, you’re just estimating. And unless you’re writing about a search for love, it definitely is better when you’ve lived it because otherwise you’re sort of just a stenographer. And I think it’s pretty transparent…. When any emotion is genuine and it’s coming through in music, it’s infinitely more powerful than something contrived.

It’s 4 a.m. and last call has come and gone. What’s your next move?
Last-call drink, I guess it depends: If it’s at that point where you need something to sort of seal the deal, then you have to order some sort of bomb. But if you’re just enjoying the night and you wanna have your one last drink, for me it’s definitely gin and tonic with Bombay or Hendrick’s. But the next move for me, if I’m not already asleep, it’s probably just sleepin’. I’m a really boring guy. —R. Zizmor

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Five Questions with…Taylor Kirk

October 7th, 2009

Taylor Kirk

Taylor Kirk is a talented singer, songwriter and guitarist, and his blues-folk band, Timber Timbre, sounds dark and ragged. He put out Timber Timbre’s first two albums on his own, and the third one, Timber Timbre—released in January by the indie record label Out of This Spark—has earned him much acclaim. In advance of Timber Timbre’s first ever show in NYC, at Mercury Lounge on Saturday, Kirk checked in with The House List to answer five questions.

Which band have you seen play live the most often (excluding bands you’ve toured with)?
I think it must be the Sadies, from Toronto. Although it’s been a long time since I saw them last, but for a few years I would see them every time I had a chance. They’re the only band I ever danced to.

Do you have any crutches when writing a song—are there certain words or styles you feel you lean on too much?
I think I rely too heavily on minor chords in my songwriting. Especially E minor.

What’s your favorite place in New York City to hang out? And do you ever feel like you could live here?
I don’t know the city well enough. I’ve only visited a few times. I don’t think I have the energy required to live in NYC—I couldn’t take the pace. But I like visiting.

Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better when it really happened to you?
I don’t think that songwriting needs to be so literal or earnest in order to be honest and or successful.

Your after-party is at Hi-Fi, the Avenue A bar known for its endless jukebox, and The House List gives you a buck. Which three songs are you playing?
“Real Talk” by R. Kelly, “I Put a Spell on You” by Creedence Clearwater Revival and “American Girl” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. —R. Zizmor

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