Features / One Question Interviews

John (Dead Bars)

SPB: What does your name mean?

John: It comes from a long history of drinking by myself at bars with no one in them.

Dan Webb (Dan Webb and the Spiders-vocals/guitar)

SPB: How likely are you to pick up a record based off its cover with no knowledge of the band or music?

Webb: I am not likely to buy a record on the strength of its cover art alone. Record space is in short supply at the Webb house which means it's got …

DJ Trackstar

SPB: Do you feel the value of a DJ has diminished in present day hip-hop? If so, do you see a resurgence on the horizon? 

DJ Trackstar: Compared to a couple decades ago, I'd say it definitely has. Recorded hip-hop definitely features far fewer scratches than they used to--in the 80s and 90s, a lot of albums would …

Reece Prain (Diploid-bass/vocals)

SPB: How much space in your home is dedicated to music storage (records or instruments)?

Prain: I have a bandroom/equipment storage room. It’s pretty full, so lots of junk is just sort of hung around the room as well. But really, music equipment is scattered throughout the house. As for record/cds/tapes and such, I have two book …

Dr. Strange (Dr. Strange Records)

SPB: How has Record Store Day changed your business?

Dr. Strange: The truth is I didn’t even participate until the third one. I thought to myself “now this sounds like a gimmick” and I wanted nothing to do with it. But so many of my customers asked me to do it I decided to try. …

Patrick Kindon (Drug Church)

SPB: What is the best pop song of the past 10 years?

Kindon: I typed up a whole thing about “Crazy In Love” by Beyoncé (feat. Jay-Z), then realized that song came out in 2003, more than 10 years ago. Which brought on a certain clarity about the fact I’m A) old as shit and B) …

Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head Brewing, founder and president)

SPB: What is the connection between brewing and music?

Calagione: There are two art forms that have been created and enjoyed since the dawn of civilization, and enjoying them simultaneously amplifies the experience of each.  

Our brewery has been obsessed with music since long before we opened. Back in the mid-‘90s …

Dex Romweber (Dex Romweber Duo)

SPB: Who is the first musician whose technique or technicality really stood out to you?

Romweber: Benny Joy of Tampa, FL and his guitarist Big John Taylor. Find “I'm Doubtful of your Love”and “Hey High School Baby.”

Austin (Delay, bass/vocals)

SPB: What is your most common tour food? 

Austin: I am answering on everyone's behalf in the band. I would say our most common tour food is burritos, especially if we are going to the West Coast where, in our humble opinions, the burritos are great, plentiful, cheap, and filling. Plus, burritos can be modified easily for …

Brendon Small (Metalocalypse/Dethklok)

SPB: Who has the best “metal voice” of all time?

Small (Nathan Explosion): He's not a metal singer but he happens to have a very brutal voice: Harvey Fierestein. It's between him and Louis Armstrong. Easy. 

Dying Sea

SPB: How did your adviser enjoy the 7” you created for your internship?

Dying Sea: Haha, hilarious. She was horrified, yet gave me an A. Possibly out of intimidation.

J. Wang (Dan Padilla, Shallow Cuts)

SPB: Have you ever forgotten lyrics mid-song? If so, how did you recover?

Wang: Of course I’ve forgotten lyrics. Haven’t you seen how drunk we are when we play? I've not only forgotten lyrics, but forgotten entire songs while the rest of the band just stares at me like I’m an idiot. Not much …

John Bradley (Dads)

SPB: What do you tend to listen to in the van the most?

Bradley: Honestly in the van, at least while I'm driving, we talk more than listen to music. We'll hear music every night and don't get as much time to talk and relax so we use the van to do that!

Johnny Bonnel (Druglords of the Avenues, Swingin’ Utters, Filthy Thieving Bastards)

SPB: Where does your band name for Druglords of the Avenues come from?

Bonnel: I was watching a documentary on a Jewish community in Alphabet City, New York and the narrator mentioned "Druglords of the Avenues" more than a couple times. I thought it sounded like a cool band …

Dovetail

SPB: Who is your favorite 1960s band or artist?

Philip: The Beatles reign supreme in my ‘60s catalog. For records like Rubber Soul, The Beatles, and for obvious reasons. I feel they were the best band, though I'd probably say Gram Parsons is equally my favorite artist from the ‘60s.

Andrew: The Beatles. Their belief and conviction …

Nick Woods (Direct Hit!, Galactic Cannibal)

SPB: What is the best Milwaukee-made beer?

Woods: My favorite Milwaukee-made beer is Fuel Coffee Stout, more for the memory of getting hammered on it at a bar that I won't name on Center Street that used to let underagers play tunes in exchange for liquor. It's this super-bitter, almost chocolatey-tasting stuff that's about …

Brian Case (Disappears)

SPB: How was your experience recording at Electrical Audio?

Case: Electrical Audio is such a great studio: both comfortable and top of the line. Everything works, the staff is hospitable and knowledgeable and it has a vibe and atmosphere that allow for creativity and experimentation. Every band I've been in has recorded there and I plan on …

David Bailey (CAGES/Gas Chamber) 

SPB: Who is your favorite band or artist from the 1980s?

Bailey: G.I.S.M. from Japan. They released two furious documents in the eighties, Detestation and Military Affairs Neurotic, both of which are heaving with violence. As a teenager I had picked up a bootleg cd of them based on the terrifying cover artwork, and after hearing …

Douglas McCombs (Tortoise, Brokeback, Eleventh Dream Day)

SPB: What, for you, defines a successful tour?

McCombs: A successful tour for me means that there is good playing being played and everyone is enjoying being on the tour. It sucks touring with a sourpuss who doesn't want to be there.

I play in a few different bands, some of which make …

Anthony Fusco (Divider)

SPB: How has the increasing digitalization of the music industry changed how you listen to music?

Fusco: For me, it's one or the other. If I am doing something that requires some kind of audible stimulus in the background, it is almost always Spotify or Pandora. The continuous flow of digital music is awesome when you are …