It’s time for another edition of Stomping Grounds, where we talk to artists about their hometown and why they’re proud to be there. Or not so proud. Who knows.

This edition of Stomping Grounds features Roman Kuebler, singer and guitarist for indie rockers The Oranges Band and former bass player for Spoon, telling us what’s so great for stuffing in your mouth and in your ears in the city of Baltimore, Maryland.

What’s your town’s nickname?
Charm City

What’s your nickname for your town?
Mobtown

What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?
Cross Street Market

What is your favorite local event/festival?
New Year’s Eve at 34th Street in Hampden

What is the best time of year to be there?
Spring

Who is your favorite local celebrity/personality?
There are no celebrities in Baltimore. Just famous friends.

Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?
Club Charles. They have a trapeze bar! Circus shows on Saturday nights.

Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?
203 Davis St. Chambers/Ottobar/Talking Head

What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?
Too many to list but one recent favorite was… Obits. An older favorite was Wrong Button.

What is your favorite local band?
The Jennifers

What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?
Mr. Sausage/Steve’s Lunch in Cross St. Market. Keilbasa with everything plus french fries

What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?
Soundgarden Spoon “A Series of Sneaks” (cut-out of course ahaha)

What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?
Mobtown Shank!

Gregg Golding is Odynophagia, an experimental hip-hop artist with a west coast vibe and wicked flow that should be expected from someone from the beautiful city of San Francisco, California. He’s also runs his own label, Millipede Handjob, and is about to finish his first feature film. The Bay area in which he lives is renowned for countless influential emcees and DJs that have had an immeasurable effect on the hip-hop community. We recently checked in with Golding to find out where he eats, where he buys his records and his fascination with a local semi-shrouded homeless man that hits on hipster chicks.

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Updated with every new issue, Ghettoblaster is proud to present a series of free mixtapes offering the best in new music. All you need is a CD-R and a case.

Check out issue 23’s mixtape over on the mixtape page for free music from Lou Barlow, Helado Negro, The Black Heart Procession, Brother Ali and many more!

My goodness, he's blasted off!

If Robert Pollard can do it, so can you! Issue 23 features all the stuff you see on this image of the cover, along with stuff you can’t read ’cause the resolution’s too low!

Now reaching 20% more of y’all – additional magazines headed out to Borders, Barnes and Noble, a number of other chains, as well as both of America’s remaining independent record stores (go out and support them).

You can read more about it on the In Print page.

One of us.

“Just pretending to be in the Ramones I felt cooler than I ever have in Black Flag, Descendents, or All.”

-Bill Stevenson (Descendents/ALL) on playing a Halloween show as the Ramones

I’m sitting behind my drumset on Halloween night on a stage that also doubles as a skate ramp. I can hear the crowd cheering, but I can’t really see them. There are spotlights glaring in my face, and I’m pretty sure the same is true for the rest of my band. We’re going to start our set any second now and I can hear Andrew, who’s on guitar, affirm that everything’s OK on his end. We’re greenlit and ready to go and all I can think of are Bill Stevenson’s words.

“This is going to be fun,” I keep repeating to myself like some Orwellian doctrinal entity. I’m hoping it’ll work. I’m hoping I’ll be convinced.

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Louisville has a storied musical tradition featuring rough-edged rock and dark bluegrassy folk. Piano ballads might not be first on anyone’s expectation for a Louisville group on the cusp of being a household name (assuming that household has a sizable Aimee Mann collection). Natalie Felker, the voice and keys behind The Fervor took the time to tell Ghettoblaster all about the cheaper side of Louisville dining and drinking as well as the best place to find home-cooked art works.

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Kasim Sulton has a storied career that most musicians would kill for — after playing bass in Todd Rundgren’s Utopia in the 70s and 80s, Kasim went on to be Rundgren’s go to guy, playing bass for Meatloaf’s Bat Out Of Hell and being part of Rundgren fronted The New Cars. Kasim also has a handful of solo albums, the most recent being All Sides released in 2007. He’s currently also has a DVD of a live Atlanta show from 2008 and a download of a live show in Akron from earlier this year. He recently took the time to tell Ghettoblaster about Staten Island, and why Halloween is best at the Cargo Cafe.

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It might be hard to be the transgendered reincarnation of Andy Warhol’s favorite muse, but that’s okay because Edie is currently tearing up the US of A from Washington D.C. with a multimedia assault in the form of tributes to the dear celebrities we hold close to our hearts. Whether you want to hear Edie’s take on the secrets of the Beltway, find out about how to write yourself a discount a music gear store (even if you don’t want it), or just want to learn an Indian hand-jive, this guide to the White Chocolate City has the Ghettoblaster stamp of approval.

What’s your town’s nickname?

Some call Washington, D.C. “Washington.” Others call it “D.C.,” or just “DC” (but, when spoken, you can’t hear the missing periods). Still others call it “The District of Columbia.” Still others call it “Chocolate City,” as many black folk live here (though, these days, it’s kind of a white chocolate city due to Caucasian yuppie invasion). Still others call it “Dodge City,” taken from the Go-Go Posse’s “D.C. Don’t Mean Dodge City,” a response to the metropolis’ high murder rate in the early 1990s (the murder rate has since declined). George Washington called it “The Federal City.” Sarah Palin calls it “Inside the Beltway.” I’m not friends with Sarah Palin, so I don’t call it that.

Why do you live there?

I am a “brain punk,” not a “pop punk,” or a “gutter punk,” etc. Brain punks like D.C. because you can go to law school or work on Capitol Hill, but you can also see Dischord bands and volunteer at Food Not Bombs. I never volunteered at Food Not Bombs, though.

What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?

There’s a statue of Albert Einstein on Constitution Avenue near the Mall that’s friendly and makes me feel warm inside. Since most people think of a huge phallus (the Washington Monument) or staid marble memorials (Lincoln, Jefferson) when they think of D.C., this friendly rococo statue is a pleasant departure from our downtown’s severe classicism.

What is the best time of year to be there?

Summertime is boiling and muggy and sweaty. Most people hate it and blast their air conditioning, but I just lie around in my hot house and try not to move and am glad it’s not icy and freezing and January.

Who is your favorite local celebrity/personality?

Blelvis (a.k.a. “Black Elvis”) is a colorful local semi-homeless alcoholic who knows the words to every Elvis song and will sing to you for money. Also, if you don’t see him for awhile and ask where he’s been, he says, “Don’t you know? I’ve been in Blemphis, studying at Blemphis University.”

Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?

I don’t drink, but I like the Abita root beer at the Black Cat, a local indie rock venue of some repute.

What is your favorite local band?

Protect-U. They are an instrumental electronic duo that pioneers an aesthetic called “swimming pool” or “spiritual techno.” I recorded their 12-inch in my studio. Also, I am currently sleeping on their couch.

What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?

There’s this insane Indian buffet in College Park, MD right outside of town called “Woodlands.” It’s vegan friendly, and they have these awesome enormous portraits of Indian ladies doing this funky hand jive that’s like some kind of yogic hand jive or something. Also, they have Indian Chinese food.

What is your favorite local shop?

Atomic Music is this paradise of well-priced vintage gear. I wrote about them once for Washington City Paper, and now they give me deals. I didn’t write about them to get a discount, though. In fact, every time they give me one, I want to explain that it’s unethical for me to accept it, but there wasn’t an explicit quid pro quo, so maybe the discount is okay. I also don’t have the heart to turn them down because I know they’re just being nice to me. Also, once, they gave me an oversized T-shirt. Also, the deals aren’t that great, I think just like $20 off. I’ve probably spent like $10000 there since 1996. Maybe more.

What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine,
website or blog)?

I’ve written for the Washington Post, the Washington City Paper, and this hipster doofus website Brightest Young Things, but I’m not sure if any of them are my favorite publication. I really like this weird zine called Many Hills Mostly that’s done by my bandmate up in New York, so I guess that’s not really local, but he distributes it locally, so maybe it does count.

Though the Mittens on Strings crew now resides in, plays in, and parties hard in Chicago, everyone has their roots. And for this group of rag-tag, humor-embracing, shambling indie-rockers, Mittens on Strings are ready to move on into the new decade of the new millenium. As the band is busy promoting Let’s Go To Baba’s in Chi-town, it’s time look back and to read up about nooks and crannies of Derby City.

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Talk Normal may be made up of two ladies, but that doesn’t stop them from taking jarring melodies and dissonant guitars and cranking them over some furious art rock beats.  Channeling the best of early 90s noise rock and pop, the ladies of Talk Normal released Sugarland this fall through Rare Book Room and are set out to tour the country to support it.  Both members took the time to answer Ghettoblaster’s questions about their homebase, and possible reasons why Andrya likes to call NYC “The City of Dirt & Dreams.”

What’s your town’s nickname?

Big Apple

What’s your nickname for your town?

NYC. Bklyn. W-burg. GPT. Nothing too creative, basically text-style abbreviations to sort out where we’re going to meet around town. Andrya likes to call it “The City of Dirt & Dreams.”

Why do you live there?

Right now we both still live here to play music with the other. Also because even after 12/13 years it’s hard to find anywhere else with so much to offer.

What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?

The small park at the end of Grand Street in Williamsburg has an aura of calm reflection. The growing number of taco trucks also is a warming attraction… Endless Summer @ Bedford and N6th, El Diablo Tacos @ Union Pool. Anywhere where you accidentally look up and see the most gorgeous east coast sunset over the city —- nature’s gift.

What is your favorite local event/festival?

Fond of the NYC International Pickle Day Festival. Also every single venue that has outside shows in the summer, from Central park to parking lots under train tracks in Bushwick = awesome.

What is the best time of year to be there?

Easily Spring & Fall. Best weather of anywhere. Summer has a certain survivor’s gritty pride, and winter is a brutal bleak spell. Though there are ALWAYS amazing shows, exhibits, things to see hear do — so no complaints.

Who is your favorite local celebrity/personality?

The steady stream of wackos that travel in & out of West Nile… where one of us spends a lot of time.

Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?

Daddy’s, when DANA BELL is working the bar. Check out her art here.

Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?

Daddy’s also has a nice jukebox, lots of old country & curious rock + classic rocksteady musical biscuits. Even more reason to go hang with Dana Bell. Although she’ll probably be happy to take requests & DJ off her iPod, if you’re polite.

What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?

The show makes the place, and there’s always so many unofficial (& official) venues operating at any time that the charm of the shows being hosted usually takes it to the next level more so than the actual place. But always of interest are Monster Island/Secret Project Robot, Death By Audio, Cakeshop, Silent Barn, West Nile… The epic 4/20/09 Knyfe Hyts record release show @ Secret Project Robot was one for the record books.

What is your favorite local band?

Who could have just one? Sightings, Kynfe Hyts, Pterodactyl, Marnie Stern, High Places (recently moved to west coast), Magik Markers (half the band at least), These Are Powers, Antimagic, Red Dawn II, Awesome Color, Air Waves etc.

What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?

Supercore’s lunch specials…. right price, + yum. Also their Green Tea Au Lait — soymilk optional.

What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?

Permanent Records rules, check out their website by JMBOTRN. Andrya’s roommate Ted just came home from there with the Eno Mobius Rodelius (Cluster meets Eno) album After The Heat. Last three songs on Side B are a collector’s gems. Good find Ted. Thanks Permanent.

What is your favorite local shop?

Food & food-related: Marlow & Sons! The deli on Bedford and Grand where you can get Kombucha for $3.50 instead of the $5 elsewhere. VINNIE’S PIZZA on bedford —- the vegan options are amazing. The Garden in Greenpoint – if you catch the sales you can get awesome organic/whole food for cheap. Bulk counter is top shelf stuff for nothing.

What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?

Showpaper, bare bones listing of shows, featuring great new artwork with every issue. Major kudos to Showpaper.