Charlie Wagner (Slow Code-vocals/guitar)
1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2015? (In order 1-5)
- Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly
- Cherubs - 2 Ynfynyty
- Wildhoney - Sleep Through It
- Downtown Boys - Full Communism
- Earl Sweatshirt - I Don't Like Shit I Don't Go Outside
2. What band did you discover in 2015 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?
2015 was the year of reconnecting with a local scene. To narrow down the ridiculously diverse and great Seattle, WA scene to one band would be incredibly difficult, so here's a few bands that only have a demo or one record out from here that are absolutely killing it this year: Medicine Bows, Xurs, Sashay, Mommy Long Legs, Infinite Flux, Blood Drugs.
3. How will you remember 2015? (In terms of music)
Within a twelve-month span I got married, I lost the second of my two parents to cancer, I turned 31, and my band signed to Glory Kid Ltd. Safe to say 2015 is definitely the most "transitional" year of my life so far, in music and otherwise.
4. What can we look forward to from you in 2016?
An LP (hopefully), some touring (hopefully) with Where My Bones Rest Easy (hopefully).
5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2016?
Dark Black, Medicine Bows, whatever next year's obtuse trend in summertime pop music is, the one or two thoughtful LPs that come out of the glut of semi-political records that seem to pop up every election year.
6. How relevant is the physical format record/cd/tape in 2015 and going into 2016? What do you see changing in terms of physical vs. digital discussions?
Not very, to be honest. Entitlement-based capitalism doesn't really interest me. I don't feel like I'm owed money for having an idiosyncratic hobby, and at this point I'm honestly puzzled by people that do. It's always seemed a little silly to me that people associate artistic integrity with commodity fetishism, like colored vinyl increases the quality of the music or something. I'd like to see less fighting against the system collapse and more acceptance of its decline; if streaming or online or whatever doesn't make money, then move on to something else instead of writing another op-ed about how Spotify is doing the devil's work. Passionate intelligent people are always going to be working and progressing while the majority complains, just make sure you're in the former camp and you'll probably be fine.
