Features / One Question Interviews

David Bailey (CAGES/Gas Chamber) 

SPB: Who is your favorite band or artist from the 1980s?

Bailey: G.I.S.M. from Japan. They released two furious documents in the eighties, Detestation and Military Affairs Neurotic, both of which are heaving with violence. As a teenager I had picked up a bootleg cd of them based on the terrifying cover artwork, and …

Douglas McCombs (Tortoise, Brokeback, Eleventh Dream Day)

SPB: What, for you, defines a successful tour?

McCombs: A successful tour for me means that there is good playing being played and everyone is enjoying being on the tour. It sucks touring with a sourpuss who doesn't want to be there.

I play in a few different bands, some …

Anthony Fusco (Divider)

SPB: How has the increasing digitalization of the music industry changed how you listen to music?

Fusco: For me, it's one or the other. If I am doing something that requires some kind of audible stimulus in the background, it is almost always Spotify or Pandora. The continuous flow of digital music is awesome when …

Joe Steinhardt (Don Giovanni Records)

SPB: How big is your record collection?

Steinhardt: Steph and I own about 3,000 records, 3,000 CDs, and 200 tapes.

Nate Allen (Destroy Nate Allen)

SPB: What’s the story behind your band name?

Allen: I had played music as "Nate Allen" for a few years in San Francisco. Nobody really cared. I had done a few northwest shows but for the most part the music was just mediocre Johnny Cash and Social Distortion worship and nothing special. After …

David Daniell

SPB: Who is your favorite band to see live?

Daniell: I don't have one, I have two: The Necks, and Swans. In the last few years I've seen Swans three times and The Necks at least 8 or 9 times. Swans = sheer physical intensity. The Necks = deep psychedelic headspace stuff. I guess a body/mind …

Jon Mueller (Death Blues, Volcano Choir)

SPB: How do you choose your album art?

Mueller: Each record is unique, but the aim is always to have the art say something about the work that the music cannot, to have it be another voice in communicating the idea. Sometimes this involves collaborating with others on imagery based on a …

Jon Lewis (Dopamines)

SPB: Do you take any precautions to stay healthy while on the road?

Lewis: Typically I'll stock up on multi vitamins or those "EmergenC" powder packets. Jon W and Michael rely on a force field of porn and chicken wings to prevent illness. Mikey Erg wears a full body latex suit between shows to block …

Julian (Drunken Sailor Records)

SPB: What do you think of bands playing albums in their entirety as a tour concept?

Julian: I'm not really into it, it seems it's the thing to do when everybody is sick of seeing you and you need gigs. When I watch a band I don't even want to know the set list, …

Daniel Menche

SPB: Who is your favorite 1980s artist?

Menche: Well, in the entire ‘80s I was age 10-20. So, of course, that was a big chunk of time for a youngster like me. There were so many amazing artists to look up to. Too many to count or recall fully. How about I start with the earliest …

Dick Lucas [Citizen Fish/Subhumans (UK), singer]

SPB: What is the fewest people you've ever played to? Have you returned to that city or venue?

Lucas: Two!

Citizen Fish headed to Duisberg, in Germany, on a soaking wet day in September 93, on a tour with The Gr'ups from Oakland/SF, and arrived at 'Efendi', a Turkish bar with …

Blag Dahlia (Dwarves)
SPB: How do you choose your album art?

Dahlia: Well, SPB, I could say that we didn’t choose the art, it choose us. Then again, that would be bullshit.

Our most famous cover is still the Blood, Guts & Pussy LP. The idea was mine, a direct parody of the Samhain ‘Initium’ cover. The iconic …