DANNY BARNES
What will you remember most about 2010?
This was a pretty wacky year for me. I think that bringing the barnjo, which is my electric guitar/banjo hybrid, and getting that up and running, has been the highlight of my year. By virtue of that instrument, I can play my entire repertoire at once. So that has me pretty excited. I think Pizza Box is the best record I ever did, that feels pretty cool to be able to say that {it came out this year}. I’ve been out here since the late 80’s driving in vans and playing clubs. It feels good to be getting better. I just keep practicing and working and developing ideas. One of the main lessons I learned this year, is I’ll get to working on something, and in the midst of working, I sometimes realize the goalposts will get moved on me, but then something else really cool will happen that I didn’t plan on, that’s actually hipper then what was initially conceived. And learning to just trust that process. It never fails, I just worry that it will. As long as I don’t wig out at the wrong moment, something badass will happen.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
Well I’ve been going to through a hardcore trip this year. Lots of hardcore. I like the early Black Flag and the Bad Brains. This EP by a Knoxville band called Koro is really hip. That’s older stuff. Clockcleaner, Homostupids, there’s a bunch of newer hardcore that’s awesome. That video on YouTube of the Dillinger Escape Plan at the Virgin mega-store where the singer runs across the crowd is perhaps the best 8 seconds of music ever made. That music, and like, Ornette and stuff, sounds like my life. Like when you walk down a city street or you’re out dicing with the 18wheelers on the interstate. My life does not sound like bluegrass, or contemporary country. My life sounds more like the Yellow Swans.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
Well I really enjoyed playing with honky at Emo’s in Austin earlier this year, that was badass. Bobby Rock is really one of the greatest metal guitarists in the world, ever. I really dug this last tour I just did with my friend Branden Harper, we’ve been playing drum kit, samplers, and barnjo turned all the way up. And that’s been such a far out trip, I intend to stick with that oeuvre through the coming year for a record and tours galore. There’s about a one minute video this guy sent me of us playing, and it sounds like Metallica Ornette blues. So. How can you lose?
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2011?
I’m really interested in this guy Stripmall Ballads. I guess he’s not really emerging, but if you haven’t heard it, it’s new.
Who would you want to collaborate with next year?
Mitchell Froom, Eyvind Kang, Josh Homme, I like DJ Shadow’s drum sounds. A split 7” with Zeke. I don’t know, lots of stuff. I’d like to come out with my own skateboard.
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ROB MARSCHER (Matisyahu, Addison Groove Project)
What will you remember most about 2010?
My second daughter, Roxanne, being born. Not being on tour.
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
So many great albums this year so my list is extra long, starting with Yeasayer’s Odd Blood, Four Tet’s There Is Love In You, and Broken Bells. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti was another new find for me. Lots of cool stuff coming from Australia lately with Tame Impala being my current favorite. I’m just going to shout out a few more albums in no particular: This Is Happening (LCD Sound System), Gayngs, and No Mas (Javelin). And a couple from 2009 that I didn’t discover until 2010: Dark Night of the Soul (Danger Mouse/Sparklehorse + tons of guests) and Best Rest Forth Mouth (Bear In Heaven).
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
I think I have to give this to Phish in Camden for playing “Letter to Jimmy Page.”
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2011?
I think readers should checkout Tame Impala, a psychedelic indie band that actually jams a bit and blends songs into each other.
What artist or artists would you most like to collaborate with next year?
Well… I’ll already have a new collaboration planned in January called Cloud Runner with Matisyahu, Mark Guiliana, Jason Fraticelli, and Aaron Dugan. Most of us toured with Matisyahu in 2008… but this is not going to be playing Matisyahu’s but a new 5-way collaboration with an emphasis on improvisation.
Other than that… we’ll see what happens, but I think 2011 is going to be a big music making year for myself.
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ALEX NAIDUS (Pains of Being Pure at Heart)
What will you remember most about 2010?
My friends getting married (four this year!) and just the general sense of whirlwind that accompanied my first year as a “professional musician.” Busy, fun and dream-like.
*What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes? *
Knight School, Revenger. Magic Kids, Memphis. Fabolous, There Is No Competition 2. Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday. Titus Andronicus, The Monitor.
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
We played two nights in a row at an old, old theatre in Madrid called Teatro Lara. They just started having events there again — it was utterly gorgeous and inspiring. Two wonderful shows. I imagine we’ll never forget those.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2010?
The Babies. It’s principally a collaboration between Cassie from Vivian Girls and Kevin from Woods. They’ve put out a couple of great singles so far and played a lot around New York, but their first full length comes out early next year. Really looking forward to it.
What artist or artists would you most like to collaborate with next year?
I think it would be pretty amazing to have an Andrew Weatherall remix of a Pains song. Fingers crossed.
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ICE CREAM MAN
What will you remember most about 2010?
Most likely it’d be singing Happy Birthday to Stephen Malkmus by myself on stage at Sasquatch Music Festival. Don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous
What was your favorite show or tour in 2010?
I guess I’m getting a bit old cuz my favorite shows of the years are all bands I used to rock back in the day, Guided by Voices, Gories and Pavement. I was also really impressed with The Strokes this year, I never was a fan but really dug them the two times I saw/heard them.
What emerging band should readers watch out for in 2011?
I’ve been digging Pepper Rabbit the last few weeks. They were on the road with Passion Pit and Mister Heavenly (another band I’m really excited about for next year, Nick from Islands and Honus from Man Man are in it!). I’m also a big fan of Rich Aucoin, from Canada. He’s a wacky dude that travels around on his bike a bunch and throws shows that are a mix of Flaming Lips, Daft Punk and Brian Wilson…. assuming one of them were riding a surf board through the crowd (which would mot likely be Wayne Coyne)
Who would you want to collaborate with next year?
I’d love to have so many bands play songs for our video series, Road Trippin with Ice Cream Man. Let’s see…. who’s at the top? Radiohead? Realistically speaking I’d just love to do some really cool funky stuff next year instead of just filming a lot backstage at music festivals. We threw an Ice Cream Social with Still Flyin’ at Dolores Park in San Francisco this year and that was a blast. The bigger, crazier and more random the better for us. I’d love to work with Miracle Fortress, Helio Sequence, Arcade Fire, Dr. Dog, Love Language, MGMT (again… they’ve already played one song for us), Panda Bear, White Denim, Most Serene Republic, Sufjan Stevens and Hayden (cuz I haven’t seen that dude in forevvver)
What album or albums appeared most often in your iTunes?
That’s how I judge my ‘best of’, the albums I’ve listened to most. Here’s a long list starting with most listened to: Beach House (by far the album I listened to the most), Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record , Fang Island (that’s a surprise) , Yeasayer – odd blood , Crystal Antlers – Little Sister/Dead Horses Single, Rich Aucoin – Public Publication EP, Like Pioneers – Piecemeal – lotta folks that used to be in Bound Stems- love both bands , White Denim – Last Days of Summer – free album from their site, Girls – Album and new EP, Plants and Animals – La La Land – tis one of those weird albums where I keep listening to it wondering how much I like it, def dig a handful of tunes on it, Envy – Recitation, Papercuts – You Can Have What You Want (prolly from last year but I got into them mostly this year), Menomena – Mines, Futurebirds – _Hampton’s Lullaby _, Pepper Rabbit – Beauregard – tis new and really been diggin’ Gayngs – bummed I missed them at ACL
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