What am I listening to?
The Asteroids Galaxy
Tour, Fruit. Not gonna
lie … I’m intrigued
by Euro pop when there’s guitar and a
decent groove.
What instrument have I always wanted
to play and why?
The Hammond organ. Where would rock,
blues, and jazz be without the B- 3 and
those lesser-known models that were on just
as many records? There are so many tasty
ways to serve a song if you have the right
touch, not to mention the notes.
Rebecca Dirks
Web Content Editor
What am I listening to?
ESPN radio. Since the
NFL lockout lifted, I’ve
been glued to sports
radio to keep up with the free agent sign-ings, trades, and training camp reports. In
between updates, Bon Iver’s Bon Iver.
What instrument have I always wanted
to play and why?
I wanted to play drums as a kid so bad.
The cool kids played drums, plus you got
to make a real racket and burn off some
steam. Alas, I was relegated to piano and
haven’t picked up drumsticks since.
Andy Ellis
Senior Editor
What am I listening to?
Los Straitjackets, Play
Favorites. With their
twangy, slightly manic
approach to surf music, film themes, and
standards, guitarists Eddie Angel and Danny
Amis put an irreverent spin on everything
from “Telstar” to “Moon River.”
What instrument have I always wanted
to play and why?
The Wurlitzer—I love how the overtones
from the Wurli’s vibrating metal reeds swirl
and grind like a cosmic kalimba.
Shawn Hammond
Editor in Chief
What am I listening to?
Kyng, Trampled Sun.
Blazing hard rock with
tones and arrangements
reminiscent of Mastodon, Tool, and old
Soundgarden.
What instrument have I always wanted
to play and why?
Drums—they’re cathartic and improve your
sense of rhythm. Also clarinet (love it in
classical, Dixieland, and swing music), cello
(perhaps the most vocal-like instrument
there is), and upright bass (too few slap-bass players out there!).
Chris Kies
Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
William Elliott
Whitmore, Field Songs.
The bluesy-folk on this
Iowa singer/songwriter’s fifth and best album
highlights his Howlin' Wolf-meets-Johnny
Cash voice, his acoustic guitar and banjo
playing, and the occasional kick drum.
What instrument have I always wanted
to play and why?
Steel guitar—it’s such an emotional sound
and it's the base of some of country’s biggest hits and most important songs.
Audley Freed
(Dixie Chicks,
Jakob Dylan,
Black Crowes)
Guest Picker
What am I listening to?
Los Lobos, Tin Can Trust. As always, they
are soulful, direct, and honest.
What instrument have I always wanted
to play and why?
Drums, but only as an adult. I wanted to
play guitar as a kid! It’s an indescribable
feeling playing with the right drummer,
so it must be pretty fun to be able to play
them yourself—especially if you could play
as good as the guys you love.
What am I listening to?
The War on Drugs,
Slave Ambient.
Alternately downhome
and astral, Adam Granduciel’s arrangements
on this slice of dreamy rock are locomotive, tinged with wistfulness, and unfold
and sprawl like a field gone green in spring.
Granduciel’s Nils Lofgren-esque vocals are
a lovely, grounding counterpoint to the collision of new-wave keyboard textures and
rootsy, low-key guitar moves.
What instrument have I always wanted
to play and why?
Pipe organ—it’s huge!
What am I listening to?
“Romance,” the first
single by punk super-group Wild Flag. Their
self-titled debut is out in September, and it
will quickly be put into my heavy rotation.
What instrument have I always wanted
to play and why?
There are actually a few, but I’d say flute
is number one. From the jazz of Rahsaan
Roland Kirk to classic rock from Ian
Anderson and Tull, it’s a versatile instrument capable of really unique stylings.
Jason Shadrick
Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Umphrey’s McGee,
Death by Stereo. The six-headed prog machine
cranks out another album full of deep
grooves and blistering guitar.
What instrument have I always wanted
to play and why?
Becoming functional on mandolin has
always been a goal of mine. When I see
players like Chris Thile, Sam Bush, and
Ricky Skaggs it makes me want to dig out
the mando again and get my chop on.
