Conduits

Shoegazey Omaha-based quintet Conduits emerged with their debut in March 2012 and immediately hit the road with hometown heroes Cursive.  Drawing comparisons to Portishead, Slowdive and Spiritualized, the band deliver soundscapes that embrace everything droney, psychedelic and rhythmic.  Fronted by vocalist Jenna Morrison, known for her work with indie rockers Son, Ambulance, the band is quickly becoming a mainstay of the Midwest indie rock scene.  Ghettoblaster caught up with Morrison to ask her a few questions about her drama-some current home.

1. What’s your town’s nickname?
Omaha.

2. What’s your nickname for your town?
Years ago, I am pretty sure that I coined the phrase, Dramaha. However, like anywhere, it is only dramatic if you allow it to be. I like to call it “The O.M.A.” – But I really only call it that to myself.

3. Why do you live there?
I live here because I’m connected to and surrounded by a really wonderful network of businesses, artists and musicians. I’m not sure that this is true, but I feel it would be incredibly hard to replace what I have here. This city is getting better and better, and on top of it, I can actually almost afford to be an artist and live here!

4. Did you grow up there? If not, what brought you there?
I grew up not far away (in Iowa) and would always come over for shows. Singing has always been my greatest passion. I got tired of driving over, so I moved here, despite keeping a job in Iowa. 

5. What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?
I had a re-occuring angry homeless man who seemed to find me everywhere. I even woke up one morning to a knock at my door, looked out, and there he was, grunting angrily. He yelled at me for giving him $5, once. Our short relationship went quickly south, after that.

6. What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?
My favorite monuments are just over the river in Council Bluffs, because you can actually look out over Omaha, the airport, etc from them. Louis and Clark Monument, and the Lincoln Monument. The Black Angel in Council Bluffs gets an honorable mention.

7. What is your favorite local event or festival?
Maha Music Festival is my favorite, thus far.

8. What is the best time of year to be there?
Spring and Fall, of course. If I can eventually start going south for the winter, I will. In a heartbeat.

9. Who is your favorite local celebrity?
Trey and Lallaya Lalley. They are one.

10. Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?
Brothers Lounge. It’s a punk rock/rock bar with an old school jukebox (most 21 year olds can’t seem to figure it out). And everything is cheap. That is the special. But there is a cocktail menu, and drinks made from home made simple syrup with different herbs, depending on the time of year. The vibe and the genuine owners really top it all off.

11. Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?
Ha. Again. Brothers Lounge. There’s Nick Cave, Brian Eno, Cursive, Ladyfinger, Capgun Coup, CSS, My Bloody Valentine, Souxsie and the Banshees, and Man Man. Lots of local/regional faves. Obviously, more than I can list.

12. Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?
It really is a tossup. I enjoy The Slowdown and The Waiting Room. If we are in the mood for a more intimate show, usually Brothers or O’leavers.

13. Does where you live influence your music?
Definitely. And more than anything, I think that the music scene here influences us to strive to be better. There are a lot of heavy hitters in a relatively small city. I wouldn’t say we are competitive, or at least I am not, but we see people who live here doing great things, and we strive to do great things, too. 

14. What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?
Bright Eyes actually played my favorite show in Omaha at Memorial Park a few years back. The band was definitely going all out on stage, and behind the stage the sun was setting. The sky opened up and exploaded with rain on all of us. It was suddenly freezing, and my paper thin summer dress was sticking to my body. I felt naked, and my phone got destroyed. Bright Eyes music tied the whole scene together. It took me over and I stood by myself, shivering in the crowd until the whole thing was over. It was just the kind of beautiful disaster that you never forget. After that, I would say Godspeed! You Black Emperor at the Music Box (a venue that doesn’t exist anymore) was a particularly important show for me. I feel seeing that show really shaped me as a music patron, and as an artist.

15. What is your favorite local band?
Do I have to only have one? I just can’t do it. Cursive, Gus & Call, Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship, Icky Blossoms, InDreama, Honeybee & Hers, Millions of Boys, Little Brazil, The So So Sailors, Dim Light, Neva Dinova, UUVVWWZ….. Can’t I just love everybody? Because I could keep going.

16. What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?
Vietnamese Asian Restaurant on 72nd street is definitely my favorite and most frequented eatery. We actually have our band meetings there, now. If you aren’t vegan, I would recommend Pho with chicken or tofu. If you are, the vermicelli with tofu. I actually spent our entire month long tour with Cursive trying to find pho that was just as good, and it never happened. I had pho five times on tour.

17. What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?
The Antiquarium is my favorite record store. I haven’t bought records there in some time. I lost my record player in a breakup, and haven’t picked one back up. My last purchases there were CD’s. I do remember getting my Electrelane CD, there, upon a friends request. That was a pleasant surprise.

18. What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?
Lazy-I.com would be my top. Tim McMahan has been leading that shit for years. I am really happy about the startups that have popped up over the last couple years – Omahype and Hearnebraska. These are all music based websites/blogs.

19. What is your favorite local shop?
I’m really a thrift store girl (I bet you knew that I was going to say that), but as far as local goes, I’m a big fan of Second Chance in the Old Market. Also, there are a few Antique Stores on Leavenworth St. that I am kind of fascinated by. 

20. If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?
I’ve always wanted to live in either San Fran or NYC, but was never sure I would be able to get on my feet there. However, in the last couple of years, I have visited friends in Austin a lot and I really dig the general vibe there. It seems like it might be more my speed, with just enough culture to hold me over.

Kaitlyn Maria Filippini

While in line for food at an over-the-top reception hosted by a defense contractor during a week-long science conference isn’t the place I’d have expected to meet a musician. But Omaha’s Kaitlyn Maria Filippini, a trained violinist who studied at Berklee School of Music before completing a degree in neuroscience at the University of Nebraska Omaha, isn’t your typical science nerd either. When she isn’t rubbing elbows in the science and technology world, she is building a mind-boggling performance resume that includes everyone from Gladys Knight to Michael Buble, Conor Oberst, Tim Kasher, Mannheim Steamroller, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Mary J. Blige, Josh Groban, The Big Deep, and Skypiper. She is completing singles for release later this year.

Ghettoblaster caught up with Filippini to discuss the highlights of her homebase, Omaha, Nebraska. Here’s what she had to say…

1. What’s your town’s nickname?
Home-aha

2. What’s your nickname for your town? Home ? Why do you live there?
Omaha has a low cost of living, nice people, American Gramaphone Records, talent, and my family.  ?

3. Did you grow up there? If not, what brought you there?
I didn’t grow up here, but it is the only place that has ever registered as “home” for me. The reason we moved here was because  of my sickness as a child. Omaha had the best medical center out of all the cities that my father was offered a job through First Data.  Who knew?

4. What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?
Let’s just say that there is a lot of fun to be had in Omaha, and what happens in Omaha…will likely end up on Facebook. One of the weirdest things that has every happened to me was that I managed to crash the huge New Years Eve GOO dance party at the Slowdown last year (2011). Through just a few contacts, I ended up getting past the bouncers with my violin case, meeting the DJs for the first time, plugging into their mixer, and jamming out all night. It is probably my most favorite memory of playing with DJs, since their DJ collective was the original reason why I wanted to get into the scene.

5. What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?
I love the Old Market. It’s a section of downtown Omaha that has brick streets, horse drawn carriages, great food, and great music. There are usually musicians playing on the sidewalk, and around Thanksgiving time there are Christmas lights everywhere. I’m a sucker for Christmas lights. ?

6. What is your favorite local event or festival?
Absolutely the Winter lights festival. There are white Christmas lights everywhere downtown and all over the Gene Leahy mall. I know it’s probably a wasteful use of electricity, but it’s my most favorite thing in town.

7. What is the best time of year to be there?
Either the time period between Thanksgiving – New Years for the Winter Lights Festival, or during the College World Series games (baseball).  We just got a new stadium for the College World Series downtown, so that should be especially great this year.

8. Who is your favorite local celebrity? Warren Buffett. I’ve played a few gigs with/for him, and he can play a mean Ukelele.

9. Where is the best place to drink and what is their specialty or happy Hour?
I am allergic to alcohol, but I always hear that Krug Park is where it is at. It’s a new bar that was just owned by the owners of The Waiting Room. They specialize in craft beers and specialty drinks.  Fun fact: I’ve performed with Conor Oberst there. ?

10. Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?
The Sidney has a jukebox! It’s electronic, so everything and anything. Usually that means that you’re going to hear new club hits as well as hits from the 90s.

11. Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?
Honestly, I’ll play music anywhere. My favorite venues are The Slowdown, The Waiting Room, The CenturyLink Center, and House of Loom. I also frequently play at places that don’t normally have live music such as Sushi Blue, Rehab, and Capitol.

12. Does where you live influence your music?
Of course! There are so many talented people here that I feel that my music has become a sort of melting pot. I grew up listening to Mannheim Steamroller and movie scores, but in my twenties I have gotten more into progressive rock and the DJ scene. My music is a mesh of all these things. I blame my synesthesia.

13. What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?
My favorite place to see live music is The Slowdown. Hands down, my favorite show there is when a local DJ collective (GOO) throws it down on their annual New Years party.  It was one of their New Years shows that inspired me to want to perform with DJs, and completely changed my life (musically, and personally).

14. What is your favorite local band?
I really have a hard time with this question because there are so many talented people. I’ve been fortunate to have been able to perform with every single one of them:

Singer/song writers: Conor Oberst and All Young Girls Are Machine Guns

Bands: Skypiper, The Big Deep,  Filter Kings.

15. What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?
O Dining. I frequent their curry and dumplings , but they have so many amazing dishes that it is hard to pick just one. I also enjoy this restaurant because you can get both great drinks and great espresso. I can’t drink alcohol, so this is one of the few legitimate bars that I can sit down and have a drink with friends. Their staff is like a family, and I enjoy performing there frequently.

16. What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?
Drastic Plastic is the local record store in town that most everyone frequents. My best find there was not music, but I’ve found several friends there. That’s kind of normal for Omaha.

17. What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?
The Reader. They cover all the creative news going around Omaha. They are a huge supporter of the music scene, and I enjoy their reviews. 

18. What is your favorite local shop?
Caffeine Dreams! It seems to be the hub for the creative scene in Omaha. Every day you will find musicians, artists, web developers, designers, and whatnot just hanging out. Also, it is a “go to” spot for first dates. There is art from local artists all over the walls, so I suppose you have something to talk about no matter what.

19. If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?
I’d have a house in L.A and an apartment in NYC that I would use for business trips, but I think I’d always want to have our home base in Omaha. It’s a great place to raise a family, and I plan on doing so some day. You can’t beat it.

 (For all the latest on Filippini, visit her website here: www.KaitlynMariaFilippini.com.)

Ed Schrader's Music Beat

In March, Load Records released Ed Schrader’s Music Beat’s Jazz Mind, a wild and chaotic post-punk offering that recalls Swans and Joy Division, showing former Wham City member Ed Schrader’s fruitful collaboration with bassist Devlin Rice.  Though the Baltimore-based duo is packing for an East Coast trek with Future Islands later this month, Ed Schrader took some time to answer our questions about his stomping grounds.  Here’s what he had to say about Baltimore:

1. What’s your town’s nickname?
Charm City

2. What’s your nickname for your town?
Baltimore, I honestly just call it that.

3. Why do you live there?
I visited in 2006 and fell in love. There were 10 people at a dance party way dorkier than me and they were unabashedly cutting loose and just being themselves without the cold restraint that I found in the hard core and indie rock scene, this was Wham City!

4. Did you grow up there? If not, what brought you there?
No, essentially the cheap rent and wonderful music scene filled with folks who actually wanted to see you get ahead were what brought me. Wham City was the key stone in that though, I wanted so bad to be in Wham City, I thought these guys have really tapped into something, and their energy and enthusiasm was infectious, it is a family that I am honored to be part of, they saved my life!

5. What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?
A man once yelled “hey!!” I responded “What?” and he said “You want your dick sucked.” I said “no thanks” then he said exasperated “for free!!?” I repeated “no thanks, I’m flattered but no thanks” to which he replied angrily “FUCK YOU!!!” I ran home, it was raining.

6. What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?
I really love Camden Yards, it is truly one of the most beautiful baseball fields in America, and for $8 you can pretend to go to the picnic area and then actually sneak into the $150 box seats, and security doesn’t care. Seriously do it!

7. What is your favorite local event or festival?
Whartscape baby!

8. What is the best time of year to be there?
I’ll tell ya The Spring is fricken gorgeous here, lots of those pink flower trees, and Mount Vernon with her miniature parks and beautiful cobble stone roads along the Washington Statue is about as good as it gets!

9. Who is your favorite local celebrity?
The folks at Boone Street Farms, Brian Eliza, and my girlfriend Cheryl.  With little to no budget they set up a flourishing community garden working hands on with the kids and folks in the area to put together something really special that has had a very positive impact in an area void of healthy food options (i.e. food desert).  It is really amazing to watch people do something that monumental in a completely anonymous way/opposite of me (a big show boat ha ha). That to me is a real local celebrity.

10. Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?
Java Moon Cafe, in Penn Station, between 5 and 8 there are $1.50 Millers, and $1 mini Pizzas.

11. Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?
I’d say The Club Charles by far, between The Clash, Wire, Future Islands, Dan Deacon, Patsy Cline, and The Santa Dads, you can hear it all!

12. Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?
No, hands down Floristree!

13. Does where you live influence your music?
My room influences me to drink my town influences me to rage against the dying of the light!

14. What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?
Floristree, when I saw Doomsday Student , it was EPIC.

15. What is your favorite local band?
The Ram Ones

16. What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?
Mount Vernon Stable: The Twiced Baked Potato!

17. What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?
The True Vine : REM’s first EP Chronic Town.

18. What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?
The City Paper, well since I stopped writing for them it’s gotten so much better, all joke on the side after touring the country and reading many alt weeklies, I honestly have to say we got a real gem here. Bret McCabe is one of my favorite writers, and I had the pleasure of working with him when I did book and music reviews (don’t laugh), though he does not work there any more he really established  a level of integrity and quality that is unsurpassed by any other alt weekly in America .  The political reporting is also in depth and pretty damn edgy for a little scrappy weekly , seriously give it a gander.

19. What is your favorite local shop?|
Calvin’s baby!   It’s across the street from my house! Bacon, beer and batteries.

20. If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?
The apartment building in Brooklyn New York that has (no joke) DJ Dog Dick for a super! How rad is that?  He’s also an electrician! And rumor has it he sports an orange jump suit when he collects the rent! Pumped to hear his new album!

Toys That Kill

Mike Watt painted the name of his hometown on his bass and everybody started calling him “Pedro.”  It is apparent when talking to Toys That Kill singer/guitarist and Recess Records founder Todd Congelliere that he carries the same sense of pride in his San Pedro, California roots.  The California punk heroes will depart from Pedro later this month when they begin a series of live dates in support of their forthcoming record, Fambly 42, which drops via Recess Records on May 15.  Check out what Congelliere had to say about the town before perusing upcoming live dates below:

1. What’s your town’s nickname?
Speedro

2.What’s your nickname for your town?
Pedro (pronounced Peeeeee-Dro).
 
3. Why do you live there?
Because it’s the ghetto by the sea

4. Did you grow up there? If not, what brought you there?
I grew up in Torrance. Chachi was born and raised here. Me and Sean have been here for almost 20 years. I opened a record store here and ended up having to move into it, sleeping in the back room. Pedro mornings were soooo nice I had to stay for good.

5. What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?
Something weird happens to me every day here.

6. What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?
Sunken City. It’s where a portion of the city fell into the Pacific Ocean. We take out of towners there. Broken up sidewalks right on the beach.

7. What is your favorite local event or festival?
Wailing of a Town-Craig Ibarra’s fest.

8. What is the best time of year to be there?
It’s Southern California. Always. I like winters though. Cos I like jackets a lot. I have five of them. Ok maybe 15.

9. Who is your favorite local celebrity?
Mike Watt.

10. Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?
My living room. $1.78 Guinness.

11. Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?
For me to say there is a “best” jukebox in Pedro, or even a decent one for that matter, would be criminal. I “almost” convinced Reagan over at Godmother’s Bar to let me redecorate their jukebox, but they we’re too attached to that one Indigo Girls song.

12. Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?
Yes. Cali Mucho.

13. Does where you live influence your music?
Totally! Pedro inspires creativity. We have a close knit of friends always creating stuff. Whether it’s art, music, crafts, skateboards there’s always inspiration from friends.

14. What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?
Babe’s Warehouse. Just on the outskirts and closed but by far the best place to play and see bands.

15. What is your favorite local band?
Cabrillo Beach Boys

16. What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?
Rex’s Cafe. Eggs Cabrillo (English muffin, Eggs, Avocado and special sauce-named after Cabrillo Beach)

17. What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?
Williams Book store. SSDecontrol Get It Away.

18. What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?
Rise and Fall (of the Harbor Area)

19. What is your favorite local shop?
Sunken City Skates, Union War Surplus, Mcthrift but they all closed!! Hey consumers!! Get with it!!

20. If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?
Pt. Fermin (South Pedro)

(Catch Toys That Kill live at one of these upcoming shows:
May 25th Oakland,CA at the New Parish (1234go Records Fest)
May 26th Sacramento,CA at Luigi’s Fun Garden +
May 28th Las Vegas,NV at Punk Rock Bowling
May 29th Albuquerque,NM at the Gasworks
May 30th Denton,TX at Rubber Gloves
May 31st Austin,TX Chaos in Tejas at the Parish $
June 1st Austin,TX day off at Chaos in Tejas
June 2nd Las Cruces,NM at the Trainyard
June 3rd Phoenix,AZ at the Meat Market
July 15th Los Angeles, CA at The Fonda *
July 26th-29th Hawaii (TBA)
October 26th – 28th Gainesville, FL at The Fest

+ = w/ the Bananas, Ennui Trust and RAD
$ = w/ Pierced Arrows,Tenement,Gun Outfit,Teenage Cool Kids and more!
* = w/ Screeching Weasel and The Queers)

Ohio lost a huge asset to the heavy music scene here when Jeff Lohrber, formerly of Harlots, Trap Them, Shai Hulud and a buttload of other bands, packed his bags and relocated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Thankfully, the band’s upcoming tour, during which they’ll preview material from forthcoming album All Hail The Void (for Southern Lord), brings them back to the heart-shaped state for a handful of dates. 

Ghettoblaster caught up with the guitarist of the punk/grind/hardcore quartet recently to ask him a handful of questions about Brew City.  Here’s what he said.

1. What’s your nickname for your town?

I don’t really have one, but Brew City is the popular one. Milwaukee love’s beer.

2. Why do you live there?

I came up here to play drums in a band about five years ago, said band broke up, and I moved back to Ohio. I came up to play a last show with them a few months later and decided to not go back to Ohio.

3. Did you grow up there? If not, what brought you there?

I grew up in Greenville Ohio. The main thing that made me stay in Milwaukee is my current girlfriend and also bassist of Enabler Amanda Daniels. She’s rad.

4. What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?

Watching my friend sleepwalk into his living room and piss all over his TV and movies on the 4th of July.

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

I do love living next to Lake Michigan, and Reservoir Park is pretty cool, it’s the highest point in Milwaukee and has an awesome view of the skyline.

6. What is your favorite local event or festival?

Robot Mosh Fest was sick, unfortunately it hasn’t gone on for 4 years and I dearly miss it.

7. What is the best time of year to be there?

Summer and Fall are awesome. The lake is beautiful around those times of the year. Spring however is usually miserable here.

8. Who is your favorite local celebrity?

Andy Hurley, haha.

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

My house. My specialty is a bottle of cheap wine and I get to pick what I listen to and what volume it should be played at. I hate going to bars…

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

Last jukebox I looked at was at Riverhorse and I remember there being Dead Kennedys and Black Flag records in there.

11. Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?

The place we play most frequently is The Borg Ward, which is a pretty cool D.I.Y. spot. I really loved playing shows at The Eagle’s Nest while it lasted, and for bigger shows I love playing at Miramar Theatre. Another honorable mention is Cactus Club, perfect sound every time we play.

12. Does where you live influence your music? 

Most definitely. While living in Ohio, the Mouth of the Architect guys and pretty much every band they were in previously (Twelve Tribes, Rune, Dead Blue Sky) made a huge impact on me growing up. In Milwaukee, it’s a little different. Punk and DIY elitism have been at an all time high, and a lot of what I have to say is a definite fuck you to their mentality. Music is for everyone, not just a select few.

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

My favorite show I’ve seen in Milwaukee was Slang (from Japan) at The Outhouse. I had never heard the band before, and they looked like they would be a Japanese street punk band, but when they started it was some of the best hardcore I had heard in years. Close runners up are Today is the Day / Keelhaul / Sweet Cobra show at Cactus Club, The Killer at The Eagle’s Nest, Torche at The Borg Ward, and Wormrot at Mad Planet. They were all so fucking good!

14. What is your favorite local band?

Northless and Protestant. I love both bands equally. Get Rad is a close runner up.

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

Riverwest Co-Op. BBQ Tofu or Seitan Philly is the jam, with the Chikn fried Tofu as a close runner up, just depends on what I’m in the mood for.

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

Halo of Flies Records distro. It’s obviously not a record store and he only puts up shop at select shows. It’s a toss up on best find. Martyrdod “Sekt” LP (awesome Swedish crust), Integrity “To Die For” 10?, Propagandhi / Sacrifice split 7?.

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

Shepherd Express is the only one I really see on a regular basis. Didn’t That Hurt was an awesome site for years, but things have kind of died down with it in the past few years. Zines pop up here and there, but nothing consistent.

18. What is your favorite local shop?

Again, Riverwest Co-Op. They meet all my needs as a vegan.

(Here is the full-list of Enabler’s upcoming tour dates:

5/6 St. Louis, MO @ The Foxhole w/ Neon Warship

5/7 Denver, CO @ Blast-o-mat

5/8 Albuquerque, NM @ Gasworks

5/9 Phoenix, AZ @ Wallstreet

5/10 San Deigo, CA @ Bar 11 w/ Griever

5/11 Los Angeles, CA @ The Joint w/ Wizard Rifle

5/12 San Jose, CA @ House of the Dead Rat w/ At Our Heels

5/13 San Francisco, CA @ The Hemlock Tavern w/ At Our Heels

5/14 Portland, OR @ The Know

5/15 Seattle, WA @ Highline

5/16 Boise, ID @ The Shredder

5/19 Minneapolis, MN @ Medusa w/ Northless)

Self-described Pop/Punk/Religious band Iceage has been busy touring Europe, trekking through Sweden and England.  Now, the foursome is visiting the States and promoting its new album, New Brigade.  Soon, they will return to Copenhagen, the place they call home.  Read on as the band talks about the bodegas, record stores and Mayhem of K-Town.

1. What’s your town’s nickname?

Some people call it K Town.

 2. What’s your nickname for your town?

 We just call it Copenhagen.

 3. Why do you live there?

 We were all born there.

 4. What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?

 I don’t think I can answer that.

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

 The big glass house in the botanical gardens and glyptoteket.

 6. What is the best time of year to be there?

 All year, both sides of the year have their advantages.

 7. Who is your favorite local celebrity?

 Morten Bræum.

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

 It’s best to go to smaller bodegas cause if you go to bigger bars it’s very, very expensive.

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

 The bodegas have stuff like Bruce Springsteen and old Danish singers.

 10. Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?

 We can recommend a place called Mayhem and yes we have played in Copenhagen.

 11. Does where you live influence your music?

 Yeah, a lot.

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

Mayhem. We have played some really good shows there but I can’t pick all the shows I’ve seen there, there’s too many good ones.

13. What is your favorite local band?

 Sexdrome.

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

There’s a place called Istedgrill at Istedgade serving really nice pork sandwiches.

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

 Insulamusic and Repo Man Records. I don’t know about my best find but I have found out about a lot of music through these stores.

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

 That might be something we’re missing here.

 17. What is your favorite local shop?

 The record stores I mentioned before.

18. If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?

 Cambodia.

We all love a good jangly, noisy indie pop song, and Hospital Ships is here, fresh from Lawrence, Kansas, to offer up a few of theirs. Actually, if you want to hear their music, go to their website. Right here is where we talk about their hometown. We were lucky in that the whole band decided to contribute, so this is some quality advice on where to have a nice casual encounter with a kind acid victim and who’s got the best truffle fries.

What’s your town’s nickname?
Larryville.

What’s your nickname for your town?
Jordan: Starston, USA.

Why do you live there?
Mitch: The thriving casual encounters section on our Craigslist.
Jordan: The cheap beer.

Did you grow up there? If not, what brought you there?
No. Music and/or college brought us all here.

What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?
Mitch: This random crazy guy walked up to a girl I was with, put headphones on her ears and said, “Have you heard this before?” and played Dave Matthews for her.
Jordan: The occasional accidental/awkward visit to an orgy/sex house.

What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc.)?
The river trail, the overlook, downtown, the pumpkin patch, all the Civil War sites.

What is your favorite local event or festival?
Spring Into Summer! (A local music festival put on by the Replay Lounge and Jackpot Music Hall.)

What is the best time of year to be there?
The fall!

Who is your favorite local celebrity?
Dennis, a man who dresses in childrens clothes and pushes dolls around in his stroller, Peace Rob, acid casualty who gives everyone the peace sign, Stan Herd and Michael Kruege, two local artists who are not crazy, just really awesome.

Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?
The Replay Lounge anytime, or Harbour Lites for Thursday: Giant Beer Night.

Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?
Harbour Lites: local bands and sweet mix tapes made by the employees.

Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?
No, the Replay Lounge is our favorite place to play. And house shows!

Does where you live influence your music?
Absolutely. If where you live doesn’t influence your art, you should probably move.

What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?
The Bottleneck: King Khan and the Shrines, Sunny Day Real Estate, The Flaming Lips Boombox Experiment, The Jesus Lizard, The Appleseed Cast.

What is your favorite local band?
Drakkar Sauna and Cowboy Indian Bear.

What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?
Esquina/Burger Stand: Everything. Mainly truffle fries and tacos.

What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?
Love Garden Sounds. Every record I’ve bought for the last 7 years, basically!

What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?
I Heart Local Music!

What is your favorite local shop?
Richard’s Music, best small music store in the country as far as I’m concerned!

If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?
North Lawrence.

Dead Rider founder and frontman Todd Rittman is tough.  He actually likes Chicago winters, and recommends that you visit sometime, December through March.  While you probably won’t take his advice, living in what he calls “the Big Onion” helps him produce the unique rock and funk sound that the band is known for.  Read on to find out what else he likes about his hometown (as long as you promise not to steal his secret hangout).

What’s your town’s nickname?

Chicago has so many great nicknames: “the Windy City,” “City of Broad Shoulders,” “Hog Butcher to the World,” “Chi-town,” and “the Second City” to name a few.

What’s your nickname for your town?

My favorite is “the Big Onion,” which comes from the Native American name for the area, which meant “onion”.

Why do you live there?

I live here because I can get shit done.  The wonderfully brutal winters are beautiful and keep the riff-raff in their holes. The snow also covers up the filth.  It is centrally located in the continent, so touring the country doesn’t have to be all in one shot.  There is no better city in the world for music.  Great venues, studios and talent here. Really though, I love the bad winters; makes me feel alive. My friends all hate me when I say that, but there has to be someone else out there who loves a four-month long disaster every single year. Anybody…?

Did you grow up there? If not, what brought you there?

I grew up in the suburbs and have lived in the city for the last 23 years. Shit I’m old.

What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?

This winter was the worst in ages. There was one blizzard that shut down the city for days.  The storm was so bad there was thunder and lightning all night. Really rare for a snowstorm.

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

The lake is the best attraction. It really makes all the man-made stuff seem truly small.

What is your favorite local event or festival?

I really can’t believe how many festivals there are here.  Seems like more every year.  I stay away, though; I’m not good in crowds.

What is the best time of year to be there?

December through March are the sweetest months of the year here if you can survive it.  Wear more clothes and stop complaining is my advice.

Who is your favorite local celebrity?

Emo Philips.

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

There’s a Polish bar called Zakopane on Division with pool tables that are always open and cheap, strong Polish beer. Their specialty is grumpy Polish dudes who won’t like you.  This has always been my secret hangout to avoid the crowds on the weekend, so don’t go there.

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

John’s Pizzeria on Western (great thin crust) has the world’s most dilapidated jukebox that randomly plays b sides from one-hit wonders from the ’60s and ’70s.  Ever wonder if Sugarloaf has a song as good as “Green-Eyed Lady?” They don’t, but the two blown speakers make every dreary jam sound like it’s the hardest soft-rock ever. Hilarious every time.

Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?

I play in a rock and roll band called Dead Rider. The best place to play is The Hideout.  Great little room, great sound, plenty of parking, and they don’t rip off the bands.

Does where you live influence your music?

I like to think I’d make the same music anywhere I was. I’m sure I’d make less of it, though, if I lived in a warm climate.

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

Again, The Hideout is a great place to see a show. They have a free jazz showcase every Wednesday. 

What is your favorite local band?

Cheer-Accident is the best band in Chicago period.

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

Murphy’s Red Hots on Belmont specializes in Chicago’s contribution to American cuisine.  Forget the hype and the lines. This is the best hot dog and fries you are gonna get anywhere on planet Earth.  

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

Logan Hardware is a record store and vintage arcade on Western and Fullerton. My best find there was free pinball.

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

The Chicago Reader.

What is your favorite local shop?

Andy’s Music has musical instruments from all over the world.  Even though I’m not really into the whole world music trip, this place is cool to poke around in, even if you’re not a musician.

If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?

I hear they have some pretty interesting winters in Canada.

Actually, we hate to break this to you, but Fucked Up couldn’t make it to this interview. There are plenty of amazing things going on in Toronto, but the band has been really busy promoting their new album, David Comes to Life, and couldn’t take the time to talk about their hometown.

Lucky for us, however, David, the subject of the album, did have a spare moment between shifts at his factory job to tell us about his hometown of Thatcherite, England. Read on and find some new hot spots and bands from the other side of the pond!

What’s your town’s nickname?
“Brunt”.

What’s your nickname for your town?
“Old Well”.

Why do you live there?
Born and raised and just can’t find the effort to leave. It’s kind of somewhere between the comforts of home and the comforts of madness you know.

Did you grow up there? If not, what brought you there?
Well I started here but my folks came here when the Well was still happening. Was supposed to be like another Bath or Leamington, somethin’ like that, and, you know, it all kind of went tits up dinnit? Was lovely for spell, though, I reck’n.

What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?
As a lad, every time I switch the shower on the stove lights up, every time I light the stove the porch light turns on, when I turn the porch light on the toilet flushes, and when the toilet flushes the shower starts, but it runs brown and black for a few minutes before you can get under and get a wash.

What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?
Byrdesdale Common. It’s the only green left ’round and something in the air feels a bit nicer there.

What is your favorite local event or festival?
Sunday Up Market at the Common, yeah. Just a good gathering. Music playing, wares exchanged, rain or shine, that sort of thing. Mostly rain anyway. Hard to find a unifying moment sometimes so that sort of sums it up for a few hours a week, donnit?

What is the best time of year to be there?
Any time when you’re about to leave for a spell haha.

Who is your favorite local celebrity?
Animal Man, without a doubt. Just a nutter. Iron Mouth, iron brawlies, crackin’ tunes, voice like an angel… a real pillar in the community anyway.

Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?
Strut and Banner, the best boozer in Byrdesdale. Their drink is the Sting Ray. Get it? It’s Bitter with a torpedo of lemon liqueur. When you first drop it in there’s something about the chemistry of it all that creates a bright ray of liquor’s light in the middle of your glass. If you finish before it fades you’re supposed to live forever.

Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?
As above as it is below, fella. Mostly bits and bobs from the past… the best thing in there is an acetate, though. It’s a “field recording” of the entire boozer singing the BFC song in the pub the night they played their first game. Chilling, that.

Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?
Can do, yeah, but mostly it happens in hallways and homes. Best place to play is the old rendering plant. There’s a slant in the ceiling that goes lower to higher from the stage out so it’s got an inverse amplified effect. If you’re at the front you’re perfect cause everyone on stage has to play a low volume. If you’re at the back, it’s screamin’ at just the right temperature. You’ll be clacking your feet to “Wonderer” at full volume, smiles and all. Nice, that.

Does where you live influence your music?
Surely it does. Not much else to do here, save working and sleeping. The man who learned to count to four in time is a saint in my books.

What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?
Strut and Banner, Grain, yer alright.

What is your favorite local band?
Animal Man.

What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?
Debby’s Dish and the best thing on the menu is “Debby’s Dish.” Stew with cockles in a Yorkshire Pud.

What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?
The Record Exchange. You don’t find much. Mostly local stuff, but occasionally there will be something. Found a Dr. Feelgood record there, and that lovely “England’s Glory” 45.
What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?
Company News is the only source of info really for local affairs. You can get it ’round but it ain’t much but news about what’s happening down in Bulb land. I did read about them boys in France over at Rhodia. Feels like ancient history now though.

What is your favorite local shop?
Woolworths.

If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?
Maybe Wigan or Blackpool. Seems like they might have life in ‘em yet. Just like us ha.

David Bazan, former frontman of Pedro the Lion, came back in the fall of 2009 with a debut solo LP, Curse Your Branches, that blew away fans and new listeners alike. That album was step one in the reintroduction of Bazan as one of the savior songwriters of indie rock. Now he’s back, releasing his second full length, Strange Negotiations, a journey through his thoughts on politics, American culture and life as a touring musician. We had Bazan, a proud Seattleite, answer a few questions about where to find the best beer, his favorite pork sandwich and things not to do on a date with your future spouse.

Pick up Strange Negotiations in your favorite local record shop tomorrow, May 24.

What’s your town’s nickname?

Jet City, Emerald City, Rat City.

What’s your nickname for your town? 

Seattle.

Why do you live there?

I moved to Seattle with my folks in ’91, and fell in love with a local girl. I also kind of fell in love with Seattle, too. I really, really like it.

What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there? 

I shit my pants in the Marie Callender’s parking lot on I5 on a date with my now-wife. That was pretty weird.

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

I like how visible the water and the mountains are at all times. It’s such a gorgeous town, it’s crazy.

What is the best time of year to be there?

Spring and Fall.

Who is your favorite local celebrity?

John Roderick.

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

The Leary Traveler, in Frelard. They have four rotating taps. They just have the best beer all the time.

Where is your favorite place to play?

Showbox at the Market is one of my favorite clubs in the United States.

Does where you live influence your music?

It must. I think that there is a culture of innovative dedication to rock & roll in Seattle that is contagious.

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

Again, Showbox Market is just amazing. There are many, many shows, but there is a Built to Spill show from 2004, or somewhere around there, that was, and is still, memorable. Second answer is the Tractor Tavern—Low on the first tour in support of Secret Name.

What is your favorite local band? 

The now-defunct Crystal Skulls.

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

That’s tough. Paseo. Oh my God. That place is crazy. It’s just world-class sandwiches. I’ve been through everything, but I end up at the pork slab. I’m torn between that and the pork shoulder. I think I like the pork slab the best.

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

I love Sonic Boom, and I love Easy Street too. They’re both such phenomenal records stores. I can’t pick.

What is your favorite local shop?

Emerald City Guitars is a guitar geek’s dream come true.

If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?

Portland?