The Weight plays country fried rock ‘n roll music with a splash of honky-tonk thrown in for good measure.  John Carpenter plays pedal steel for The Weight, and in celebration of the band’s sophomore album Are Men being released on CD through fledgling label The Colonel Records on March 10th, he took the time to discuss the band’s new hip hometown of Brooklyn, New York City.

1. What’s your town’s nickname?
Williamsburg.
2. What’s your nickname for your town?
People call it all sorts of things. We call it Brooklyn.
3. Why do you live there?
Mainly because the bars are open until 4am, but also because we had become tired or bored with wherever we had lived previously and NYC seemed like a welcome change.
4. What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?
McCarran Park is a sweet spot in the summer time. The babe to dude ratio is something to be seen. Everyone pretty much grabs a frozen margarita from an adjacent bar, and chills out and drinks all summer. There also used to be McCarran Pool, which was a public pool in the 30’s turned killer show spot. A lot of good/big bands would come though, and a lot of the shows were free. Sadly, it’s no more. Soon to be merely a pool again.
5. What is the best time of year to be there?
Spring/early summer. For all the reasons previously mentioned. People are so over winter by that point that all they wanna do is get wild. There are usually a good 5 BBQs a day one can hit if you are resourceful.
6. Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?
On a couch during football season is number one. Or any sports bar, they usually have some good wing/pitcher deal.

7. Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?
I have no idea about jukeboxes. People use iPods these days. Or have live DJs. There are plenty of spots with good iPods/DJs.
8. What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?
I could say Union Pool or Glasslands or Don Pedros or something. Those are easily the best places to play around town, and I’ve seen good shows at all of them, but I’m gonna go with a heavy hitter. Madison Square Garden. That place is just cool. I saw Petty there last year, and that shit was just epic.

9. What is your favorite local band?
There is a bunch, but standouts are Alana Amram and The Rough Gems, and The Stalkers.
10. What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?
Food around here is too expensive. I prefer my meals homecooked.
11. What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?
The best one around here is probably Academy. I have too many finds to remember the best one, but I will say that as of yesterday our record was in the $5 bargain bin, so go grab it.
12. What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?
I used to read the Daily News regularly, but after awhile it gets annoying because their sports section only talks about New York teams, and not being a native New Yorker, I could give a shit. So I read The Onion now. They always have a stack at Clem’s, and that’s the kind of news I can get behind.