interview: ben hackett of new madrid

I interviewed Ben Hackett of Athens, GA, mood-rockers New Madrid back in March at Kings. New Madrid plays Local 506 tonight with locals the Affectionates. Doors 8pm, show 9pm, tix day of $9. BNKO: Start with who you are, and what you play. Ben Hackett: I play bass and sing backup vocals. BNKO: Tell me…

brothers in arms: sammy & tyler duis (MELODIME)

I recorded today’s two interviews with 75% of Northern Virginia rockers MELODIME back in March, at the Pisgah Brewing Company in Black Mountain, NC; one with brothers Sammy and Tyler Duis as part of my Brothers In Arms series, below, and solo interview with lead singer Brad Rhodes about their latest record. Read ’em both….

interview: brad rhodes of MELODIME

I recorded today’s two interviews with 75% of Northern Virginia rockers MELODIME back in March, at the Pisgah Brewing Company in Black Mountain, NC; one with brothers Sammy and Tyler Duis as part of my Brothers In Arms series, and solo interview with lead singer Brad Rhodes below about their latest record. Read ’em both….

brothers in arms: erin and willie breeding (the breedings)

W: But what if I lose my inspiration because I don’t see the lights? A: I don’t know what to do then. I’ll give you an inspirational quote. (This interview was taped last August, which makes me both a bad music writer and a bad friend for taking so long to transcribe it. But it’s…

interview: drew beskin of the district attorneys & party dolls

Drew Beskin, who fronts Athens/ATL bands the District Attorneys and Party Dolls, was kind enough to answer a few questions for me in the wake of the release of Party Dolls’ debut LP, Love Wars Baby. I’ll have a review up later this afternoon, but for now, enjoy Drew’s thoughtful responses to my dumb questions….

ep review / interview: animal parts – six arms to hold you

Toronto musician Joshua Cockerill — who performs solo and with a band as Animal Parts — came onto my radar about this time last year, when he played a couple of North Carolina shows with Scots Admiral Fallow and recently-visited Erin Rae and John Isaac Davey; he writes deeply intense and personal songs, often just accompanied…

interview: brian roberts of ha ha tonka

Tomorrow Ha Ha Tonka drops Lessons, their spectacular 4th LP follow-up to three previous spectacular LPs (there’ll be a review tomorrow morning!), and I’ve got some answers from Brian Roberts, guitarist and lead singer, on a variety of subjects — Maurice Sendak, making art, Brett’s mandolin, and the Pirates’ resurgence. Read more below, and thanks…

five minute portraits: basia bulat

After the show last night, the lovely and talented Basia Bulat was gracious enough to let me snap a few five-minute portraits of her outside the 506. I love the light there at night, and the texture of the bricks and the stickers, and most of all her face. Truly a gorgeous woman inside and…