Blip Nation

Blip Nation Interview: Meet thesearejams

2011-05-18T13:00:00.000-07:00

Blipper since: September 3, 2009

Pete Dulin: Where in the world do you live?

thesearejams: San Francisco, CA

Dulin: How did you discover Blip.fm?

thesearejams: My workwife, @TenaciousF, bullied me into joining. She probably got tired of me playing backseat driver on her account.

Dulin: Pick someone from your past that you never get to see. What song would you dedicate to him or her?

thesearejams: My best friend in kindergarten and I discovered Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back" through the music video. It was a pretty important moment in our lives. I'd dedicate that song to him.

Dulin: Dream concert lineup?

thesearejams: YACHT, tUnE-yArDs, and Tanlines play Great American Music Hall. They could probably fill a bigger venue, but Great American's just so good looking. I don't know how much overlap there is among their fanbases, but I'm sure everyone would walk away from that line-up feeling really positive about life.

Dulin: Name a band or artist that "sold out" but you still respect and explain why.

thesearejams: Los Campesinos! had the intro of their song "You! Me! Dancing!" used in a Budweiser commercial. I mean, it's pretty hard to be mad about anything a band with that many members does for money as long as they're not endorsing something totally evil. They have eight mouths to feed, of course they're going to let folks like Microsoft and Budweiser use their music. The swell of that intro works perfectly with the commercial in a way that few songs would, so the decision makes aesthetic sense. And the band has a really good sense about it, even commemorating the commercial with a "Los Campesinos!: King of Bands" shirt.

Dulin: You've traveled back in time. What music knowledge of the present would you like to pass on to your friends from high school?

thesearejams:

1) Stop listening to all that happy hardcore, you guys. That way lies madness.

2) Pay more attention to local music. We've got a bunch of it and, sure, it doesn't have the polish the stuff on your computer does but you'll like it live too. No, really.

3) Get into this "Canadian indie rock" thing. They're making good music up there, I promise. There's a band called "The Arcade Fire" that's going to play a small venue in 2004. Don't miss that show, no matter what.

4) And cut it out with the J-Pop, too. That music's going to get you the opposite of laid in college.

Dulin: What artist would you most like to meet? What would you ask?

thesearejams: Kim Ann Foxman. I must know the secrets of her gravity-defying hair.

Dulin: What kind of music did you dislike when you were in high school?

thesearejams: I had some pretty unreasonable boundaries on what I'd listen to in high school. I refused to listen to rap or any music too many other people liked. I got over my dislike of rap in college, but I'm still working on that other one. I wasn't a fan of all the Godspeed You! Black Emperor my stoner friends listened to either, but I totally stand behind that opinion.

Dulin: What Blip DJs do you follow for their music taste, commentary, humor, attractive but misleading avatar image, or other reason?

thesearejams: I follow @CreepyGirl exclusively for the avatars. Everyone else is music. @Modster, @cuezaireekaa, and @noiseAnnoys83 are three DJs who really impress me with their taste. But @orangekittypie is probably the DJ who gets the most props from me.

Dulin: You're on a Blip.fm world tour? What three countries would you travel to and what DJs would you visit?

thesearejams: Definitely the UK to visit @CreepyGirl, @TomServo and @Arth, then @Alvaroxx in Chile and finally Canada to hang out with @Fated and @muffinlab.

Dulin: What prompts you to pick the songs you blip?

thesearejams: I'll blip whatever I think will get me through the workday. Mostly it'll be stuff that I've listened to recently or something by an artist I want to hear more from. Occasionally, though, I'll get songs I only sort of know stuck in my head that I have to hear. You know that is: you know the name of the song and maybe half of the chorus but none of the verses. Or half of the name, one verse and none of the chorus. Whatever it is, it's not enough to jog your memory, but not so little you can forget it. You have to hear the whole thing.

And that's how I wound up blipping "Bette Davis Eyes."

Dulin: Do you listen to local/regional music in your much? Favorite artists?

thesearejams: I've been trying to get out to more local shows now that I live in the city, but it seems like I mostly catch local artists when then open for touring bands. I caught some good ones recently, though. I'd recommend Nobunny, The Okmoniks, Moon Duo, and A B & the Sea.

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

thesearejams: Here We Go Magic - Collector. The upbeat, poppy sound of the tune is pretty representative of me and ever since I got those new shelves a few months ago, I've been treating them like a challenge. Moving out of this house it going to be a nightmare.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

thesearejams: Elvis Costello and the Attractions - "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" because seriously, you guys. C'mon.

Dulin: What is the earliest age that you can remember listening to music? What artists/bands did you like in your youth?

thesearejams: My parents have great taste in music. They raised me on Talking Heads, Was (Not Was), Elvis Costello, and Frank Zappa, just to name a few. They have some story about me dancing in the womb at a UB40 concert, but the first concert I remember going to was King Sunny Adé at the age of five. My favorite cassettes as a kid were the Breakin' soundtrack and a Bernie Krause single called "Jungle Shoes."

Dulin: What's your dream job?

thesearejams: If I could be a rich eccentric, I totally would. I think I'd be great and spending money in hilarious ways and generally making a spectacle of myself. Barring that, I'd be the owner of a divey music venue with an air hockey table in the back room.

Dulin: You're a talent scout about to break the next music sensation to the world. What do they sound like and look like? Where are they from? Title of their first hit song?
thesearejams: What the America needs is another boy band. We haven't had one of those in a while. Based out of LA, they'll rock that Vampire Weekend nice young man look but with edgier hair and accessories. I'll let Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco handle the music side of things. I'll concern myself with making sure their internet personas stay hilarious and relevant.

Dulin: How do you feel about current pop music (any genre) appearing in a commercial?

thesearejams: As long as the musician has a say in who uses it, I have no problem with it. Musicians gotta get paid, too.

Dulin: You've been chosen to design an album cover for a band or artist's latest work. The image will have no connection to the music and you have free reign. Who's the band or artist? What's the album cover concept?

thesearejams: I'd love to handle the art on the next Fang Island album. I'd commission the artist of True American Dog News to put together a collage of the whole band high-fiving a bunch of dogs with a backdrop of fighter jets and eagles.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

We need a blip.fm mixtape exchange. That'd be the coolest.

Pete Dulin writes about food and music for print and online publications. www.petedulin.com
http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion
Twitter.com/petedulin
www.facebook.com/pete.dulin

Blip Nation Interview: Meet Revbeatman

2011-05-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

http://blip.fm/Revbeatman

Blipper since: April 9, 2009

Pete Dulin: Where in the world do you live?

Revbeatman: Just south of DC, in the commonwealth of Virginia.

Dulin: What do you find appealing about Blip.fm?

Revbeatman: I like the people. I find them fun and entertaining and generally non-judgmental of my taste. The music is pretty nice, too.

Dulin: Is there any story behind your Blip DJ name?

Revbeatman: Reverend Beat-Man is this quirky guy who runs a primitive rock n roll label in Switzerland. When I started listening to his stuff a few years ago, I latched onto the name and began using it as my alias on multiple websites. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I'd be curious to know his feelings about this as I use his name while I blip things like ICP.

Dulin: Do you have a son? (Guessing from Facebook photos) What song would you dedicate to him?

Revbeatman: I do have a son! His name is Lysander, and he's a badass. The other day while critiquing my music selection in the car, he announced, "The only song I like is 'Doctor Worm' by There Might Be Giants."

Dulin: What music knowledge would you like to pass on to him?

Revbeatman: I'd like to teach him to read music and play guitar when he's a little older. I would love for him to enjoy the same music I listen to. That’s probably asking for a lot considering the generational differences, though. I grew up discovering new music via television and radio, whereas my son isn’t going to remember a time when people didn’t have the Internet in their pocket at all times. I just hope he knows that what’s good isn’t always popular, and what’s popular isn’t always good.

Dulin: Favorite song on your favorite mix CD?

Revbeatman: My friend Kloppy and I used to be inseparable. We, and his sister E-dub, were always driving around late at night getting Taco Bell or going to goth night at various clubs. Kloppy totally made the best mixed CDs. One particular CD, that I’ve managed to hold on to for years, he named “Dawning Era.” I think my favorite track is probably “The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove” by Dead Can Dance. We referred to it as “the snake song” because we had this dance we would do while listening to it.

Dulin: What kind of music did you dislike when you were in high school?

Revbeatman: I was too cool for pretty much everything except alternative. I had disdain for rap, country, pop, and anything old people listened to. Man, I was probably annoying as hell to be around. Not looking forward to the time when my son gets to be that age and thinks he knows everything.

Dulin: What Blip DJs do you follow for their music taste, commentary, humor, attractive but misleading avatar image, or other reason?

Revbeatman: I think I’m following almost 400 djs, and I've been somewhat absent lately, so I'm not entirely sure who a lot of those people are. I do know I like the sounds coming from:

@greentrees @nastysurprise @angel_boy @amberbrown @squidbrain (whom I never seem to run into anymore) @Shukitty @MissDiggity @anonymoose @muffinlab @pennydreadfulsnightmarejuice @MyCosmicRebellion @mammara

I enjoy reading the musings of/conversing with:

@DependableSkeleton @LikeAnAngel @Locostavos @NotAsPunkAsYou @CreepyGirl @Halland_Oates @rojdoj

Would some take that as an insult, I wonder?   "She only likes me for my wit, and not for my impeccable taste in music!"

Also, I'm totally guilty of adding people just because they have sexy avatars.   So if I'm following you and I didn't name-check you in one of the above listed categories... this likely applies.

Dulin: You're on a Blip.fm world tour? What three countries would you travel to and what DJs would you visit?

Revbeatman: @Dolittle in Ireland.   @Eliott_is_dead in Brazil. Is Ohio a foreign country? Because I think I might like to go there.

Dulin: Do you listen to local/regional music in your much? Favorite artists?

Revbeatman: Not as much as I used to. I do have a relative in a killer MD based band called Treading Lemmings. They do lots of great 80's covers.

DC does have its own music called Go-go. This stuff literally doesn’t exist outside of this area. It’s not something I listen to often (I can’t name any artists save Chuck Brown and EU off the top of my head), but on the rare occasion that I’m in the city, I get excited when I hear it being played live at a bar.

Dulin: The setting is Rock and Roll High School. It's prom. The original Ramones line-up is playing. Who's your date? What's the first Ramones' song you'll dance to?

Revbeatman: I haven’t seen this movie!   I was going to cheat and watch it on Netflix, but I just haven’t had the chance yet.

#embarrassingconfessions #worstpunkrockerever

I will take some original Ramones line-up, though, and I’ll dance to some Cretin Hop.

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

Revbeatman: "Gotta Lotta Walls" by Atmosphere. I think if I explained, it'd probably negate this song choice.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

Revbeatman: I was so hoping you would ask me this, because I've been giving it a lot of thought. "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John. We could all sing it together like in Almost Famous. I'm thinking about setting up a Facebook event that could be forwarded to people everywhere, so I could organize a moment where we're all listening to this song at the exact same time.

Dulin: What is the earliest age that you can remember listening to music? What artists/bands did you like in your youth?

Revbeatman: NKOTB!   I had Step by Step; I probably listened to that tape every day when I was 5.   I would put on my New Kids sweatsuit, and my friends and I would make up dances.

I also liked Amy Grant, Mariah Carey, and Paula Abdul.   And when I was in 3rd grade, I was really into Queen.

Dulin: What is the last live show/concert you attended?

Revbeatman: I saw Guided by Voices on their reunion tour last October. The band was really drunk; it was awesome.

Dulin: What's your dream job?

Revbeatman: Is there a way for me to get paid to blip all day? Like if I got a sponsor or something? Because I think that would be a good job for me.

Besides that, I’m not sure. Superhero, maybe?

Dulin: You're a talent scout about to break the next music sensation to the world. What do they sound like and look like? Where are they from? Title of their first hit song?

Revbeatman:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Internet users everywhere herald Gross Pretense as “Most Attractive Band of All Time”

Ontario, Canada – May 5, 2011 –The debut song of Gross Pretense, “Plenty More S*** Fish in the S*** Sea,” is quickly becoming the most downloaded song on iTunes and Amazon this week. With its Trailer Park Boys-inspired title, this song is post-alternative-avant-noise-rock at its most obtuse.

Shameless self-promotion on every available website/forum/street corner brought this band into the spotlight long before their album was recorded or, likely, even written.

“Well, the name came first,” explains singer and rhythm guitarist Nicky. “We didn’t even come up with it, really. Just typed some s*** into a band name generator we found, and this is what came out.”

“We were really high,” muses lead guitarist Andrew.

Thus Nicky and Andrew, along with bass player Jake and drummer T-Bone (whose name is likely inspired by a Seinfeld episode, though the band will not comment), became Gross Pretense. The album, Waking up with Derby Girls, is what Queens of the Stone Age would sound like if they drank several cases of alcoholic energy drinks and made a concept record encompassing Mike Patton’s entire career. Described as “pure mother f***ing magic” by multiple critics, this raucous collection of upbeat and arresting cuts is an instant classic.

Results of recent studies have not yet been conclusive, but several prominent scientists have suggested that listening to the music of Gross Pretense may be as effective as diet and exercise in combating the obesity epidemic, making this record a must-have for any human being.

For booking, contact:
www.blip.fm/revbeatman

Dulin: If you could name a music genre, what would you call it and what would it sound like?

Revbeatman: Oh, I’m terrible with genres. It’s all rock n’ roll to me, baby.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

Revbeatman: Yes, thanks for putting these together, Pete. And, moreover, thanks for giving me the opportunity to talk about my favorite subject: myself. Wait, I mean music.

Pete Dulin writes about food and music for print and online publications. www.petedulin.com
http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion
Twitter.com/petedulin
www.facebook.com/pete.dulin

Blip Nation Interview: Meet midnightwalker

2011-04-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

http://blip.fm/midnightwalker

Blipper since: March 27, 2009

Pete Dulin: Where in the world do you live?

midnightwalker: Turku, Finland.

Dulin: Imagine you're 14-years-old browsing through a music store. What band/artist do you wish you had discovered that was so great you want to tell all of your friends about them. What would you say?

midnightwalker: So back to the change of millenium, I guess I have to go with Alice in Chains. Strangely enough I was at that time a fan of Godsmack (which has even taken its name from AIC song and the singer has taken a lot of influence from Layne’s style of singing) but hadn’t really got into AIC. And I would say that it’s a grunge band that will blow your mind.

Dulin: What song(s) give you comfort in times of stress?

midnightwalker: Well if I want to relax my number one choice would be maybe Anna Ternheim’s brilliant Fleetwood Mac cover, "Little Lies." I can just listen to it a hundred times in a row but it wouldn’t start to bore me. Another alternatives I can think of: Ryan Adams – Wonderwall, Glass Vaults – Set Sail, Groove Armada - At the River, Mew – Comforting Sounds, The Chemical Brothers – Surface to Air, Dirty Gold – California Sunrise…but if I would have to motivate myself to do something I would put maybe something totally different, The Kandidate for instance or The Tipping Point by The Roots.

Dulin: What subjects are you studying? What type of work do you plan to do? And what is your dream job?

midnightwalker: I’m studying at the University of Turku. Nordic languages (mainly Swedish) as my major and English philology, German philology and pedagogy as my minors. So logically I plan to become a language teacher. My dream job would have something to do with music, DJ maybe ;).

Dulin: Better dancer - Thom Yorke or Shakira?

midnightwalker: Haha. I had to do some background research on this one. Based on my observations, Thom did a better job on dancing to Shakira than Shakira did to Radiohead so my vote goes to Thom. But objectively to decide the winner I should see Thom and Shakira really dancing to Shakira or Radiohead.

Dulin: Do you play guitar? What song would you like to play with what band?

midnightwalker: I’m trying to learn to (started totally from the scratch just recently). So don’t expect to see me touring in the immediate future ;) Right now I would like to play just about any song but if I end up playing the guitar for real I guess it might be something folky and simple in the vein of Blind Pilot so I say "One Red" Thread by them.

Dulin: Do you have any favorite song lyrics? What are they? Tell us about the appeal of those lyrics.

midnightwalker: Usually I don’t pay that much attention to the lyrics in a song separately. The feeling I mostly can connect to in lyrics for some reason are bittersweet and the most important aspect of good lyrics for me is that they feel personal. My favorite lyrics include at least Sentenced – No One There, Alphaville – Forever Young, Mirel Wagner -No Death. Then there are several separate lines that sometimes leave me thinking about their meaning or brilliance. Examples for such lines “Why does life make sense only in the past tense? (Viola-Halo Goodbye) and “I’ve been feeling kind of low but I know at least I have a heart.” (Lonely Galaxy-Have a Heart)

Dulin: Where do you find out about new music and artists?

midnightwalker: Pretty much from everywhere: from friends, from music blogs, from media, Bandcamp, Spotify and last.fm (similar artists feature is the one I use a lot) are great for that purpose. I also try to see as many live gigs I can afford and have time for. And of course from Blip.fm. ;)

Dulin: What are some of your favorite local/regional/national artists that you want the rest of the world to know about?

midnightwalker: My favorite local band is a garage rock band called Sweatmaster (sadly they quitting after the summer). Another local favorite of mine is indie pop Magenta Skycode. Other Finnish bands that would deserve much more attention: Disco Ensemble (alt rock), Omnium Gatherum (melodic death metal), Lemonator (pop), Viola (eletropop), Mirel Wagner (folk), Sansa (folk), Pintandwefall (indie rock) and Rubik (indie pop) just to name a few.

Dulin: If you could name a music genre, what would you call it and what would it sound like?

midnightwalker: Well I guess I would call it postwave. It would take the best out of modern indie and add some older influences to it. So it would sound like indie pop/rock but with some really clear influence for example from 70’s folk music.

Dulin: You currently have 5,346 listeners. If you could convince all of them to do something with you, what would it be?

midnightwalker: Well as a music lover I would convince them to go to a gig or buy a record. It’s sad to see record stores going down all the time.

Dulin: Favorite female and male vocalist? What about her and his voice appeal to you?

midnightwalker: My favorite female vocalist is Ane Brun. I love the vibrato of her voice and having seen her live was one of the best gigs I’ve been to if not the best. My favorite male vocalist is Layne Staley. Love the uniqueness and the diversity of his voice. And what I love about both of these vocalists is that they sing straight from their hearts.

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

midnightwalker: Well I would start with the USA and would like to meet at least @indieearcandyforeveryone @AprilJ @orangekittypie @by_starla @Indie_Tunes @SlipperyDistortion @okmusic @katost @Modster@lilyetc @SoMuch @nastysurprise @mirrormirror and @SabriESC (jumping across the border). And I would hire @Kris_NA to play at the meeting. Then I would return to Europe to UK to meet: @snapbadger & @Dolittle (another border crossing) Then I would maybe fly to Australia and meet @Davrocks @paraboschi and @winggirl. I guess I have left out many DJs I would like to meet and the restriction of three is too restrictive for a world tour.

Dulin: What influences your blip picks? Mood, nostalgia, new artist/song, social interaction, or other factors?

midnightwalker: All of those. Mainly I use blip as a way to discover and blip music new to me. But also I like the social interaction a lot. One can’t ever be entirely aware even of the music scene of one’s own nation/neighboring nations (can’t however avoid feeling of slight embarrassment if someone from other side of the Atlantic introduces me to a Finnish artist) and blip creates a great playground for music enthusiasts all around the world. Themeblipping is fun occasionally too. The most important aspect of the music I blip is that I like it at least on some level.

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

midnightwalker: Guess I’ll go with Neljä Ruusua: Juppihippipunkkari. It’s direct translation of it is Yuppiehippiepunker and it’s about a person with personality hard to categorize or put a label on. It encapsules the kind anarchy against categorizations which I wanna stay out of too and it has a weird sense of humor in it which fits my personality too. But do not use Google Translate to translate the lyrics. It can’t cope with Finnish of the song at all.

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Pete Dulin writes about food and music for print and online publications. www.petedulin.com
http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion
Twitter.com/petedulin
www.facebook.com/pete.dulin

Blip Nation Interview: Meet JeanD99

2011-04-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

http://blip.fm/JeanD99

Blipper since: August 11, 2009

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

JeanD99: The Netherlands

Dulin: What artist or band would you most like to have dinner with? What's the first thing you'd ask?

JeanD99; Kate Bush. I would love to have dinner with Kate Bush. Look at her the way she drinks, talks and laughs. Look in her eyes. My first serious question would be "Is Your CD 'Aerial' an Invitation to be Nondualistic? Are You a Mystic?" More: http://jeand99.blogspot.com/2009/07/kate-bush-mystic-on-aerial-inventation.html

Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?

JeanD99: Record by Creedence Clearwater Revival/ Creedence Gold. I guess because I heard them on the radio back then.

Dulin: What music knowledge would you like to pass on to your children?

JeanD99: Just follow your heart. Open your ears. Keep your wonderment. Try every now and then to listen to music you're not attracted to directly. In others words: stay away from the button [Next] or [ New].

Dulin: What song reminds you of being in love? Of being heartbroken?

JeanD99:

The Style Council/ You're The Best Thing

Kate Bush/ Feel It

Maria Mena/ Just Hold Me

Ana Carolina/ Mais Que Isso

Cristina Branco/ A Uma Princesa Distante

Adele/ Chasing Pavements

Dulin: Tell us about something you lost that was important to you. What would you give to have it back?

JeanD99: What I lost is something that can't be given back to me. For a long time music was just music for me. Nothing to do with politics and history. At the end of the '80 I realized in Jeruzalem that music is always connected to history. Music is never 'Just music'. More: http://jeand99.blogspot.com/2010/07/music-and-burden-of-history.html

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

JeanD99: Ana Carolina/ Confesso. This song is so painfully honest and true. It remembers us that we all have our doubts and insecurities, tears and fears. It's about gaining love or may be losing it.

Dulin: If you could direct a video for an artist, who would it be? For what song? What style/type of video would it be conceptually?

JeanD99: Direct a video for Bruna Caram/ Cuide-se Bem. Bruna as a Teenager traveling around the world and every time (nearly) escaping from the dangers of life. Movie in black. Only Bruna in colour.

Dulin: If you lived apart from your family for a year in another country with no visits allowed, then what would you like to receive from them in a care package each month?

JeanD99: Books. A couple of books.

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

JeanD99: @sedefic and @34SEB in Turkey

@accdias @abarbosa @danniaranda @Caco and @anjim in Brasil

@adelou in Guatemala

Dulin: Imagine you are on a reality show where you must sing karaoke to an audience of friends and family. The prize is $1 million (US) that you can keep or donate to charity. What song would you sing?

JeanD99: Beatles/ Norwegian Wood

Dulin: If you could blip a song now, as if it were from the future, and it would be sent to yourself when you were a kid, then what song would you blip?

JeanD99: Sade/ Nothing Can Come Between Us. I discovered Sade last year. I knew a couple of her songs but in a way I missed her as a person and musician in the past. She is fantastic!

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

JeanD99: Kate Bush/ Symphony in Blue. It connects me as individual 'homo sapiens' with the rest of our species.

Lyrics (quote)

"I see myself suddenly
On the piano, as a melody.
My terrible fear of dying
No longer plays with me,
for now I know that I'm needed
For the symphony."

Dulin: What artists/releases are you excited about for 2011?

JeanD99: I'm excited about the Director's Cut of old Kate Bush songs. Release in 2011?

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

JeanD99: Strange. I always ask to other BlipFM DJ what I want to ask. I've no secrets or hidden questions.

Dulin: What artists and/or songs would you want to hear on the soundtrack of your life?

JeanD99: 20 years ago I made a tape for my future funeral. Last year I had it in my hands again. It was so outdated. What I am trying to say is this: ask me again a couple of weeks before I die. It's a list that keeps on changing. Right now I want to "hear" only one song:

Spinvis/ Voor ik Vergeet. It's a song in Dutch about things "he" doesn't want to forget right now. Before it's definitively forgotten.

Dulin: What influences your blip picks? Mood, nostalgia, new artist/song, social interaction, or other factors?

JeanD99: Biggest influence is Mood. Things I hear on radio while driving to and from work. Things I read in tweets, books and papers. Music I hear on BlipFM, YouTube and Aweditorium. I don't care if the music is old or new, or hot or not.

I love to listen to music my friends like. Stick to maximum 40-60 'Favorite DJs'. I like a quiet timeline and check their music out every now and then. I would not be able to listen and talk to them if I have more favorite DJs.

Dulin: What prompted you to join Blip.fm?

JeanD99: Via Twitter I joined BlipFM. I wanted to hear music I would not listen to otherwise. I wanted to meet people from other countries. Via BlipFM I discovered 'Música Popular Brasileira' (MPB). It opened a new world for me. So many beautiful artists and songs. I like easy listening music. Mellow. Lounge. A good voice with a piano or a guitar is enough for me. Keep it simple.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

JeanD99: I still buy CD's. I know I shouldn't have to but I like albums of artists as a total concept. An album is more than collection of 10-15 songs. I like to check out the lyrics, pictures and drawings of CD-booklets. Puzzling and wondering. And listening. Checking out what the music does to me.

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Pete Dulin writes about food and music for print and online publications. www.petedulin.com
http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion
Twitter.com/petedulin
www.facebook.com/pete.dulin

Blip Nation Interview: Meet Rollerballrocco

2011-04-16T16:30:00.000-07:00

http://blip.fm/Rollerballrocco

Blipper since: November 28, 2008

Pete Dulin: Where in the world do you live?

Rollerballrocco: Southampton, United Kingdom

Dulin: Imagine you're 14-years-old browsing through a music store. What band/artist do you wish you had discovered that was so great you want to tell all of your friends about them. What would you say?

Rollerballrocco: This Heat...Liquid Liquid...Throbbing Gristle...Cabaret Voltaire. These bands were around in the late '70s when I was around that age. I discovered them a little later in the early '80s. They were all true pioneers of sound at this time, and influenced so many bands over the years. Their music reverberates even to this day. I would say to any of my friends today that didn’t know them, to listen and understand where so many of their current favourites drew their inspiration from.

Dulin: What song(s) give you comfort in times of stress?

Rollerballrocco: Whales singing (heh), and The Virgin Prunes - Down Old Memory Lane.

Dulin: What is your dream job?

Rollerballrocco: Well, I worked as a singles buyer for Virgin Records in the early '80s, and loved the buzz of working with the punters and the record labels, as well as indulging in my passion of listening to new and exciting music, and going to live shows. The instores with artists and bands were especially fun. I have at various times over the years toyed with the idea of opening my own independent record store ‘a la’ Rough Trade in London, and Criminal Records in Atlanta etc...Those guys have a blast, and make me miss being in ‘the industry’...hmmm...maybe one day still...who knows?

Dulin: Better dancer - Thom Yorke or Morrissey?

Rollerballrocco: *shrugs* They wouldn’t stand a chance in a dance-off with the late, great Ian Curtis of Joy Division.

Dulin: Do you play any instruments?

Rollerballrocco: I have been in several bands over the years. mainly as a vocalist and percussionist, and I can keep a good beat on the drums. In the early '80s, I was in a band called ‘Dis.’ We classed ourselves as Art Noise Terrorists, in the vein of bands like Einsturzende Neubauten, SPK and Test Dept. We had a great local following as our live shows were pretty notorious. The gamelan-like metal percussion, miked up glass smashing, screaming backing tape loops, and metal grinders producing a barrage of flying sparks, raised more than just eyebrows with local venue owners and the police. After the break-up of this band, I was in a post-rock outfit called ‘Haul’ similar to Swans. I still have an open project called ‘Chrome Skulls’ which I hope to resurrect with a former band member one day.

Dulin: If you could be a guest artist on tour with your favorite band, what song would you like to play with what band?

Rollerballrocco: I don’t have a favo(u)rite single band. That would be an impossibility for me. But if pushed, drunkenly singing ‘Heart Attack and Vine’ with Tom Waits around a piano in a late night dive bar in NYC would be ACES!

Dulin: Do you have any favorite song lyrics? What are they? Tell us about the appeal of those lyrics.

Rollerballrocco: I rarely like specific songs for their lyrics as a whole. I like snippets and lines of songs in juxtapose. I quote lyrics as I get the urge, on Facebook and Twitter from time to time as conversation starters.

Dulin: Where do you find out about new music and artists?

Rollerballrocco: A number of places: Spotify, Last.fm, The Hype Machine, The Line Of Best Fit, RCRD LBL, Stereogum, A Heart Is A Spade, The 405, DIY, and great Podcasts like Jon Hillcock’s New Noise. But there is a world of other great sites and bloggers out there.

Dulin: What are some of your favorite lesser known artists that you want the rest of the world to know about?

Rollerballrocco: This question is always a moving target for me. See my Blip / Twitter Feed for further details.

Dulin: If you could name a music genre, what would you call it and what would it sound like?

Rollerballrocco: Music genres are for pigeons and holes. They sound like this ‘Coo Coo.’

Dulin: If you could convince all of your Blip listeners to do one thing with you, what would it be?

Rollerballrocco: I guess it would be to support those up and coming talents that I blip so often. Go see them live, buy their merch, and most of all buy their music in whatever form that suits your listening experience. For me, I’ve lived through a lot of media changes over the years, and currently support the cloud streaming concepts like Spotify and Soundcloud....Go on, subscribe.

Dulin: Favorite female and male vocalist? What about her and his voice appeal to you?

Rollerballrocco: Favourite female and male vocalist? That would have to be Wayne / Jayne County then...the transvestite spirit of punk!...2 for 1!...heh heh

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

Rollerballrocco: USA @katost @Modster @cuezaireekaa @craigz @melky @lilyetc @jennyleepenny @by_starla and of course @SlipperyDistortion, all have impeccable taste. Canada @SabriESC awesome taste. Chile @Alvaroxx this dude roxx.

Dulin: What influences your blip picks? Mood, nostalgia, new artist/song, social interaction, or other factors?

Rollerballrocco: My blips primarily feed my Twitter site http://twitter.com/rollerballrocco. It’s mainly new bands, and new single / album updates from established artists. I rarely use blip to chat in the way others do. I hope folks don’t think I’m being ignorant, but I tend to have a smaller groups of friends that I interact with through Facebook and Superglued (which is another site / app I’d like to recommend. Foursquare meets Twitter meets Last.fm)

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

Rollerballrocco: I’m an Upstart - The Angelic Upstarts. Still Punk after all these years!

Dulin: If you could blip one song to the rest of the world, what would it be?

Rollerballrocco: The Laughing Gnome - David Bowie. Smile, life just ain’t that serious!

Dulin: Favorite cigar?

Rollerballrocco: Gil Gonzales Davila Soldado...Cubano!

Dulin: What makes for a good remix?

Rollerballrocco: A good remix should completely deconstruct the original, but remain faithful to the source. One of my current favourite remixers is ‘Blackbird Blackbird.’ His remixes are so so good. Inventive and Fun.

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Pete Dulin is the co-publisher and editor of www.presentmagazine.com and writes freelance for magazines, websites, and newspapers. He can be found in the Blip Nation at http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion. He can be reached at Twitter.com/petedulin, http://www.facebook.com/pete.dulin and www.petedulin.com.

Blip Nation Interview: Meet Davrocks

2011-04-09T18:13:00.001-07:00

http://blip.fm/Davrocks

Blipper since: October 10, 2009

Dulin: Where in the world do you live?
Davrocks: Adelaide, Australia.

Dulin: How did you get started on Blip.fm?

Davrocks: A friend called me up and suggested we could use this as a way to supplement our regular Record Club gatherings which had been made much harder by people having children and venues where we could turn it up became scarcer and scarcer.

Dulin: Do you listen to local/regional music in your much? Favourite artists?

Davrocks: I have been trying very hard lately to listen to more Australian music. I realised that I had been neglecting my own backyard for quite a while, made easier by the Internet too, but now I am finding more and more good local stuff but it is still only a small percentage.

Some newer favourites are The Vasco Era, The Leafs, Super Wild Horses, the Straight Arrows and Velociraptor. When I was growing up in the '80s, Australian music was everywhere across commercial radio and television and we had a bit of a golden era. Bands like the Hoodoo Gurus, The Models, The Angels, Midnight Oil, The Church, The Saints, Mental As Anything, The Radiators, Australian Crawl and INXS were all a big part of growing up and loving music. They also formed a lot of my first ever live shows and album purchases. In the '90s I had friends in bands so I went and saw them play a lot but there was also a great bunch of indie bands like Magic Dirt, Powderfinger, You Am I, Jebediah, Crowded House and Regurgitator who toured regularly and kept up the quality.

 Dulin: After Silverchair, what is the next greatest Australian music export of all time?

Davrocks: Well I think INXS did some really hard yards and hit it really big overseas. They were megastars in Australia for quite a while and then they released 'Kick' which went crazy all over the world. Back then bands worked their own backyard really hard and then went overseas with a huge body of work to back up a great album. Silverchair became big by copying the sound of Pearl Jam and then Helmet but I had no idea they were so big. I guess I should because I saw people buying 'Frogstomp' at a record store in Guadalajara in Mexico in 1999. They filled a void in grunge and were 'metal enough' to annoy parents without the stigma.

Crowded House were probably another great one. I like them without loving them but also concede that they might be a New Zealand band, it is debatable.

Dulin: What Australian band/artist(s) should the world know more about, besides Silverchair?

Davrocks: Why with Silverchair again? I never knew they were so big overseas. There are probably some really good New Zealand bands that we will claim at some point like we did with Split Enz and also Crowded House. We also claim their good actors like Russell Crowe and Sam Neill because we are the big brother and there is nothing they can do to stop us except beat us at rugby, which no one cares about except them.

There are a couple but most notably The Vasco Era. I discovered them last year and their brand of blues-heavy rock along with great lyrics make them a must hear for me. I will put in a disclaimer here because the next band I am about to mention contains friends of mine and they are a band out of Melbourne called Battlesnake. They will conquer the world. They have a heavy metal name but they are a three piece of organ, drums and bass and they play some outstanding music that I describe as "improv rock." Their live show is outrageous and they are currently mastering a new album that I have heard a bit of but had to promise not to upload and blip prior to release. It is being mastered by some gun guy from overseas, I think it is a bit 'secret squirrel' so I will not say anymore.

There is too much hip-hop here in Australia. I say that because I just don't get it and it dilutes the great rock history that this country has. Unless it has an awesome sample I don't really listen to it.

Dulin: How do you discover new music?

Davrocks: Before the Internet I used to go to my local indie record store and talk to Gavin who would point us in the right direction or just take a punt on something. They have closed down now and it is a bit sad but I hadn't bought a CD in years. We also used to have fairly regular Record Club gatherings varying from 2-10 people where we would play each other stuff (we take minutes and everything) we were listening to. This still goes on but less regularly than ever now that we have families and a lack of venues but I digress.

Then I began to scour blogs across the Internet, but now I only go into a few because there is too much information out there and I have a few that always treat me right. For the last couple of years I have taken my cues from the groups I am in on Last.fm, but more commonly other blippers whose music taste I trust. If I keep seeing the same stuff coming from more and more blippers it gets my interest up and I go in search of it.

Dulin: Whose tour bus would you want to break down in front of your home so you could host them for a week?

Davrocks: I once would have answered Guided By Voices but since reading a biography of the band I am not sure that my body could cope with their hard-living and general rock lifestyle. So now I would say Yo La Tengo because they are possibly the most underrated band of all time and have given me so much joy from their records over so many years and my wife likes them too. I also love a good cover and they have so many to play that they could entertain us for a week without playing their own tracks!

Dulin: You're the captain of the Aussie Blip Olympic Team. What other Aussie blippers would you recruit for the team? What attributes do they bring?

Davrocks: Well my team consists of a great blend of youth and experience: @Ineluctable & @tiny_montgomery bring their amazing knowledge of the late 70's early 80's Australian music (ie when it was awesome). Tiny's great love of pre-indie rock (before it had a name and had bands like Husker Du, Mudhoney & Dinosaur Jr plying their trade) and @ineluctable's music knowledge in general would be great, especially his Beatles knowledge. My good friends @sleegalizer & @hezza are on the team because they have great music taste and they are the great friends of mine who introduced me to Blip. I'll bring @winggirl but only if she marries @paraboschi and qualifies him for our team because they are really up to date with stuff and, after having met them for beers on a sunny December afternoon, they are both fantastic people. I would also love to come to a Blip wedding!

Dulin: Your Blip Olympic Team faces England's Blip Olympic Team in a sudden death face-off. What song do you play that's going to best their pick?

Davrocks: I like the concept but I'd call it the Blipympics. I will play the best cover ever in the whole wide world - The Chairs - "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" and I would trash talk @snapbadger because I know that song will just melt her will to compete.  

Dulin: How does a live music experience relate to your music listening habits or buying behaviour, if at all?

Davrocks: It varies based on the performance. Prior to going to see a band I will generally play of fair bit of their stuff to unearth the gems that I really want them to play and it helps me get excited about seeing them. A live performance can make or break my love for a band. Occasionally I will forgive a band for a bad night (I'm talking to you Sebadoh) but generally not (this time I'm talking you Courtney Love). I have been known to rush straight out after seeing a band and buy their latest record or pick up a tour EP from the merch table if the live experience has been amazing, such as the killer set by The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy at the Big Day Out in 1993. It is also amazing to be able to share these experiences with people and that is my favourite part of the live experience: getting together afterward and reliving the great parts.

Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?

Davrocks: The first music I ever purchased was on vinyl. My older brother and I used to pool our money and buy music but we couldn't agree on our first purchase so we went with a compilation 1983: Thru the roof. Anyone who grew up in Australia in the '80s will be lying to you if they say they never bought a compilation. With some pressing, most will admit to having one of the following either on vinyl or tape: '82: Out of the Blue, '84: Off the Floor, '81: In the sun, '85: music alive.

Our next few purchases were also on vinyl and we got INXS' The Swing (Still their best album), U2 The Unforgettable Fire, Midnight Oil Red Sails in the Sunset and The Radiators You Have The Right To Remain Silent (compulsory must-have EP for all Australian teenagers from 1983-1988 and a veritable right of passage to sing along with).

 Dulin: How do your music selections played differ between Blip.fm vs. Last.fm, if at all? Do you use one site more than another? Why?

Davrocks: I only play music on Blip.fm. I use Last.fm to keep track of what I have been listening to on the different iPods we have at home (and mostly I remember to not scrobble the music from the Kids play list although The Wiggles are one of my most played groups on Last.fm and it still irks me). I am in a couple of groups in Last.fm where I get some great new and old music recommendations and share stuff with strangers around the world. Blip contains nearly every track I could ever need (and if it isn't there @sabriesc taught me how to upload stuff so I can play it and it is available for others - I am NOT the one doing the YouTube covers in case that is what you were wondering) and I love the interactive nature of it. I love that I can flick from old to new stuff so easily within Blip.fm and I often take inspiration from what others are blipping, especially when I see someone blip a track by a band that I haven't listened to in ages.

I also use the Last.fm private message and shoutbox to keep up with blippers I haven't seen for a while such as the mighty @Alturn8tive.

Dulin: If you could work with a band as a producer to re-do an album in their catalogue, what band would you work with and what album would you produce? How would you suggest changing the music?

Davrocks: As this is hypothetical question I will respond with my dream collaboration and say Elliott Smith because hypothetically he is still alive. I would re-do Roman Candle because the songs are brilliant but would only be made better by recording them with a full band in a proper studio. We could rock some of them up and keep the acoustic beauty of others, it would be great but I'd probably let him and Rob Schnapf do all the work and just go along for the ride. Elliott is probably my favourite artist of all time and is sadly missed despite his massive body of work left behind. I often wonder how good he would have become later in his life.

Dulin: Dream line-up for a concert?

Davrocks: As a man and compulsive list-writer here is my dream concert line-up consisting purely of bands I have missed playing live due to laziness, poverty, drunkenness, clashing festival schedules or the fact that they've never come to Australia (it is in playing order but not necessarily most to least, if that makes sense):

The Flaming Lips
Public Enemy
The Stone Roses
The Wedding Present
Wolf Parade
Neutral Milk Hotel
Guided By Voices
Arcade Fire
Sunset Rubdown
Olivia Tremor Control

  Dulin: What music knowledge/influences do you want to impart to your sons?

Davrocks: So far I have begun with music genres with the oldest one. He is 3, and he can pick the difference between rock and roll and electronica. He broke my heart when he told that he likes electronica more but really I want him to love whatever music he chooses to listen to, to love to dance to music and want to share it with people. I have great hopes for my youngest (18 months) as he is constantly dancing so I assume he has the music in his head and he goes crazy (in a good way) when I play stuff that really rocks. I would like them to one day tell me they really like the music we have at home but then to go off and find their own bands and music scene to enjoy with their friends. I want them to be excited about music.

I have made them a mix tape for the car that encompasses indie rock bands like the Shins and They Might Be Giants doing kids stuff, as well as the Wiggles and other kiddie stuff. They love it and it gives them a broad cross-section of music that they can call their 'own'. They also like to play music and we have heaps of instruments for them to play. I hope that they will play something unlike me who never had the aptitude or sense of rhythm to play anything.  

Dulin: How does music, whether playing/listening on Blip.FM or elsewhere, affect your behaviour, reflect your mood, or express your personality from day to day?

Davrocks: I'm not sure it does. I am mostly in a good mood and I have a preference for rock music so you get a lot of that on the Davrocks station. Sometimes I don't feel very chatty but blip allows you to not be. If I am in bad mood I generally don't blip unless it is "Sheetkickers" by Guided By Voices. Music is pretty much a constant in my life so I'll listen to it no matter what mood I'm in, it is the volume that varies. Oh, and Joanna Newsom only gets played if I am already in a good mood, never play her stuff to cheer you up it doesn't work.

Dulin: Which member of U2 would you most want to spend a day with? What would you do and talk about?

Davrocks: Adam Clayton because he is the least rock-star but most "rock" of them all (Larry Mullen would make me feel inadequate because he is much prettier than me). We would drink beer, smoke cigarettes and talk shit about sport and music, just like I do with my friends now. I wouldn't expect him to be all deep and political like Bono, he is just in it for fun and because they can't kick him out now, can they?

Dulin: What three songs would you want played at your funeral?

Davrocks: I used to always want "All Hail the Black Market" by Archers of Loaf played at my funeral but that was when I was 20 so things have changed.

I would have these songs played at my funeral:

"Fight Test" by The Flaming Lips as the casket was coming in
"Last Call" by Elliott Smith instead of Psalm 23
"You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)" by Sunset Rubdown as people are leaving

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

Davrocks: Neutral Milk Hotel - "Holland, 1945" because it ticks every box to be the greatest song ever. 1. You can dance to it. 2. You can sing along to it and it has a punchy chorus that rises above the verses. 3. It rocks out amazingly. 4. It has an amazing horn section and not just a saxophone. 5. It has a great opening line. 1,2…1,2,3,4 and if that doesn't convince you then I don't reckon you get it. Failing that I would blip "Sheetkickers" by Guided By Voices as this is my go-to bad day song and the song I blip to other people who are having a bad day. You get to shout the great last line "It's OK, I'm over you" and by the end of the big guitar solo at the end all of the problems of the world just wash away. Try it, it works.

Dulin: If you have a wife, girlfriend, partner, or significant other, do you have a special song that makes you think of them and a moment in your life? Tell us about the song, the moment, and person.

Davrocks: I am married and my wife and I have a couple of special songs. "Autumn Sweater" by Yo La Tengo was the song we first danced to as a married couple. We even did dance lessons and amazed all of our friends and family. For some people there it was the first time they had ever heard this amazing song so it should always bring back happy memories for them.

"Perfect Day' by Lou Reed is another. My wife walked down the aisle to this song but it also reminds us both of meeting up in Europe when we had known each other for only a few weeks and were drinking copious amounts of beer at 7 AM in Prague. The barman at the hostel we stayed at was cleaning the beer lines and kept giving us free drinks (we were the only ones in the bar at the time) as he pulled the beer through and we got him to play this song about 4 times in a row (which included him singing it up on the bar and doing a cute little dance) before the manager put on some other trashy euro music.

"Details of the War" by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is an accidental addition to this list. As we were being married we could hear the music I had pre-programmed in our Reception venue (Yes, I got to partially DJ our wedding reception) over the celebrant talking. This is the song that we and about 4 others could hear playing loud and clear throughout the whole ceremony. To this day it makes us laugh a lot, especially given the song lyrics.

Dulin: If you were a commercial radio station DJ, then what song would you play first?

Davrocks: I'd have to choose between two and they are Lover! 'Tonight! She's Dead' because it is an amazing song and despite the fact that my wife really doesn't like garage rock she dances to it and sings along every time I play this. The other is Thee Oh Sees' 'I Was Denied' as it has become my default mix tape starter for the last year or so. I saw them play recently and this song was amazing, actually their whole set was but this was my highlight.
                                                              
Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

Davrocks: This is the most unfair question that you ask Pete. I am going to base myself in countries so that we can arrange other DJs to visit so here goes (apologies to anyone who gets missed, you still rule):

I'm going to London and sleeping on the floor of @snapbdger's flat. Joining us there are @dolittle who doesn't have a house in Ireland to live in anymore, @pmpmnorton who I will fly over from Portugal and was one of my first ever listeners and the creator of the "get goer" to help me fire up in the mornings as he considers going to sleep, @pratinsky and his chimp, @spacespencer and @MarkMoregain who'll supply us with books. Together we will hire a bus and go in search of one of my most missed Blip DJs @MrDali (Simon, why did you leave? We do miss you).

After that Magical Mystery Tour I'll flick over to New York and pick up @craigz and @by_starla and any of the NY blippers who want to come along (@smilecin @epicrates @jennyleepenny are you in?). We will get a mobile home and tour around. I'd find @livtiludi, @jimkeh, @franimal, @zenchaotik & @sqwerl wherever they are. We'll visit @BlacknTan in North Carolina, @sarcasticoptimist and his pregnant wife in Boston (I think, go Celtics anyway), over to Colorado to drink beer with @Tsauro and maybe see @nastysurprise and @cuezaireekaa. I'd organise a stop off in Utah to see @jong and his many wives kids and @rageofutah. We would go to San Diego (lovely town) to hang with @indie_tunes. Somewhere we'll drop in to see if @VeryEmerald still has her Breakfast Club-era Ally Sheedy look. We'd go to Texas in search of @Alturn8tive and get him to start blipping again but I'd also visit @mycosmicrebellion and @stevhory wherever they are because I think Blip couples are so sweet. I'd also visit @modster and together we would get @okmusic to start blipping again (you hear that Jess?). I would stop in the Pacific North West and get all of my Canadian blippers to come down because Canada is too cold for this Australian. I'd arrange a massive party at @modster's house for @sabriesc, @newnewwave, @badtemperedzombie, @everythingispop, @deadcowaroma, @muffinlab, @andyrew, @indoorsoccershoe, @wayoutosphere @toxiferous and anyone I have forgotten and they can all crash in the basement, which is, apparently, a comfy place to sleep.

Then I would go down to Brazil just to give @eliott_is_dead a big hug because he just seems so grumpy all the time. I'd pretend to be his boss and get him off work early and we'd drink beer while waiting for @JimmyDanko to pop over from Argentina.
Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

"Conduit For Sale" by Pavement. It is a bit sloppy but it never fails to entertain, leaves you with a smile on your face and, well, I'm trying, I'm trying, I'm trying…..

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Blip Nation Interview: Meet moiberry

2011-03-31T09:44:00.000-07:00

http://blip.fm/moiberry

Blipper since: April 22, 2010

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

moiberry: I live in Luedenscheid, Germany. It’s a really small town about an hour away from Cologne. There’s a lot of nature around here what I really like but after living in New York City and Singapore I cannot stay here for the rest of my life.

Dulin: Do you have a favorite genre of music or preferred era of recorded music?

moiberry: I use to try not to think in boxes, so I might give every genre a chance but I like Indie, Folk and Punk most.

Dulin: Do you play any instruments? If so, what? If not, then what would you like to learn how to play?

moiberry: Well, playing is saying too much. I own a guitar and I had lessons, but I only know some chords and don’t have any feeling of rhythm but I’m still practicing.

Dulin: What features from other streaming music site or online media (i.e. Netflix, Rhapsody, Twitter, Facebook) would you like to see incorporated into the Blip.fm experience, if any?

moiberry: Private messages would be nice. It would be so much easier when you don’t have to search for users in other networks to get in contact with them besides 140 characters and everyone seeing it. Other features like on Facebook for example would be too much. I like Blip.fm as it is (except the missing message-system).

Dulin: What's your dream job?

moiberry: That might sound weird but I applied for a job at Blip.fm. I study Communication and Media Management and will be majoring in online marketing and I love music, so Blip would be perfect.

Dulin: Imagine you're a 14-year-old browsing through a music store. What band/artist do you wish you had discovered that was so great you want to tell all of your friends about them. What would you say?

moiberry: I imagine myself as very cool 14-year-old, not like the Justin Bieber kids nowadays (I listened to Nirvana when I was that age..), so I wish I had discovered The Undertones because their songs always turn me into a good mood. I would run to my friends and scream “Duuudes, I found this great band you should listen to!!!” then they would listen and ask me about what’s so special about them. But I would also find Mumford and Sons and my friends would really like them. Otherwise I would break up with them. Yeah, I don’t need friends who don’t appreciate The Undertones or Mumford and Sons.

Dulin: Name your favorite cover song, the original artist, and who covered it.

moiberry: "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" covered by Lykke Li. I think The Shirelles sung it first.. well that’s what Wikipedia tells me. I only know the The Ronettes' version.

Dulin: What song or artist do you think you've blipped most in the past month? Why?

moiberry: Ouf. I have some songs I blip all the time like Justin Townes Earle’s "One More Night in Brooklyn" or Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch’s "Lua" but I think the song I blipped most last month was either Chapel Club – "Bodies" because I really like the tunes and the lyrics, it’s just perfect or M.Ward’s I’ll be yr bird. I connect a lot with this song. It’s full of memories for me…

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

moiberry: I wish I had written Delta Spirit’s "Bushwick Blues." When I heard it for the first time I just thought, “That’s it.” I would replace the word “girl” with “boy” though.

Dulin: What musician, singer, or band would you most like to meet? Why?

moiberry: There are some for different reasons. I’d love to hang out with Vivian Girls and Best Coast at the same time. I think that would be a lot of fun. And I would like to meet Conor Oberst to make him sing for me because I love his voice.

Dulin: What artists are you excited about for 2011?

moiberry: No one in particular to be honest. I don’t wait for new releases and just stumble on new artists and bands, so that’s maybe what I’m excited about: Stumbling across music I did not know before.

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

moiberry: Wanna hang out?

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

moiberry: That’s hard! After going through my whole music library I decided it’s not going to be a song with any lyrics. I think the overture of Guiseppe Verdi’s opera "La Traviata" could describe my personality. All facets are somehow included. It’s a bit dark and thoughtful at the beginning then it becomes more and more optimistic and ends in happiness. This could be me. Sometimes really thoughtful and melancholic, but there’s always optimism and from the one moment to the next moment it all changes. I always try to be happy and to enjoy life as it comes taking the most out of it and to me the tension of this song reflexes this somehow.

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

moiberry: I would definitely go to the U.S. where I’d meet my friend @kaparual who introduced me to Blip, then I’d like to see a show with @CreepingElm and @Yastrzemski, I would also like to meet @mirrormirror, @SoMuch, @orangekittypie, @nastysurprise, @cuezaireekaa, @Coffeenuts and @nitologic to eat burritos together. And I would like to meet @space_cadet tell her that I miss her blips.

The next country would be Thailand to meet @TinyTrees and we would have fresh mango juice (one thing I miss about not living in Asia anymore).

And to be honest, I’d love to meet the German blippers @alienfresh, @DJWhatever199, @spacespencer, @AutumnPerception and @Bettys (a friend of mine) and we would visit @lookaway in the Netherlands.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

moiberry: Craig Armstrong and Liz Frazer’s "This Love" because it makes me get shiver and I want other people to feel this too.

Dulin: If you could invite any band/musician over for dinner, who would you invite, what would you serve and what music would you play throughout the evening?

moiberry: I’d probably invite The Moldy Peaches. We would eat Beer Goulash with self-made French fries and then apple pie. The music would be Elvis Costello.

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Blip Nation Interview: Meet rojdoj

2011-03-24T21:24:00.000-07:00

http://blip.fm/rojdoj

Blipper since: July 2, 2009

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

rojdoj: Alabama. The "crotch" of the United States. Just north of the university.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share? Kidding. Here are some more questions.

Dulin: Do you have a favorite genre of music or preferred era of recorded music?

rojdoj: I usually blip a lot of punk, garage and noise. I don't know if that is "preferred," but that is what I'm into lately. Punk is my mainstay. The Ramones are the greatest band ever and they're a punk band. I think punk is the crowning achievement of rock music. I'm anti-political correctness and anti-collectivist and that's what punk music to means to me. I love oldies a lot more than I blip too. That's all my parents would listen too while I was growing up.

Dulin: Do you listen to local/regional music in your much? Favorite artists?

rojdoj: The Glory Fires, Vulture Whale, The Grenadines, Three Happenin Guys and Thomas Function are big "locally." Regionally speaking, I like Howlies and The Drive-by Truckers, they play a lot of shows here and the others on the endless list of phenomenal bands from Athens and Atlanta.

Dulin: Do you play any instruments? If so, what? If not, then what would you like to learn how to play?

rojdoj: I have a guitar and I stink at playing it. I would really like to learn to play the accordion. I love the sound of an accordion and I need an instrument that just oozes stage presence.

Dulin: What features from other streaming music site or online media (i.e. Netflix, Rhapsody, Twitter, Facebook) would you like to see incorporated into the Blip.fm experience, if any?

rojdoj: I like the new twitter interface. Blip.fm could be better like that I suppose. I like @cuezaireekaa's suggestion. At least have an autocomplete feature for followed dj's like facebook.

Dulin: If you were half of a comedy duo (think Martin & Lewis), then who on blip would be the other half? Who would be the straight man, so to speak?

rojdoj: @nastysurprise and I would make a great duo, of course nobody would ever believe either of us are straight. I would team up with Benny Hill. I've loved the Benny Hill Show since I was young. I have a penchant for sophisticated British comedy. Or Jim Carrey to satisfy @anothercraze.

Dulin: Best lie you've ever told?

rojdoj: The cleverness of the wording of this question is not lost on me, Pete. I'm not sure of the "best" lie I've ever told. There are so many, but I think my persona on blip.fm may be misleading. I don't think I'm as happy in person as I am on blip, but I am just as crude if not more.

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

rojdoj: My first stop would be New York City. I could get into some drinking games with a bunch of my favorite DJs: @grassyknoll @sandyriverside @missdiggity @bestblips @funkshoi and I could personally thank @thenewyorkchimes for being @thenewyorkchimes. I'd have to go to Portlandia to visit @punkbroc, @modster would have to meet us halfway. Then I would have to pay a visit to that land of underdeveloped natural resources - Canada. I could thank @muffinlab and @sabriesc (and the other ones) for Justin Beiber and Nickleback. Maybe we could do a lil' elk hunting? Probably not, but they would be fun. Canada is rich in great punk bands too! (I sure hope there would be a layover in Manhattan, Kansas during my flight). Would this mean I would have diplomatic immunity?

Dulin: If you could invite any band/musician over for dinner, who would you invite, what would you serve and what music would you play throughout the evening?

rojdoj: I would invite the B-52's over and serve brisket. No, I'm kidding. I would love to have Ween over. I guess we would eat whatever Italian cuisine Dean would recommend. He is a connoisseur. We'd listen to "The Process of Weeding Out" by Black Flag. Ya know, nothing too wordy.

Dulin: What's your dream job?

rojdoj: Blipnation.blogspot beat writer? Charlie Sheen goddess? Naval architect? (I just occurred to me that I might like that) It's up in the air, but I do enjoy being a homemaker.

Dulin: If you have a wife, girlfriend, partner, or significant other, do you have a special song that makes you think of them and a moment in your life? Tell us about the song, the moment, and person.

rojdoj: I'm single right now, but my music is the biggest trigger of nostalgia in regards to past loves. My hair dolls are a close second. I associate past relationships with certain albums or songs.

"1. Weezer - Pinkerton
My high school girlfriend, first love and I listened to this on repeat every night. I imagine we listened to it thousands of times. We fell asleep listening to it and woke up with it playing. I look back on that time with great fondness. I am so attached to this album, that I am almost affected personally when someone else listens to it. I almost have a sense of ownership to it." - from facebook note.

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

rojdoj: The Ramones - "The KKK Took My Baby Away" or "Ginger Snap" by Cheap Time because they're irreverent, they're punk and they're love songs kinda. They aren't pretentious. They are both musically and lyrically good examples of what I like. Picking more than one thing is also part of my personality.

Dulin: Since you began blipping, have you had any experiences that surprised you? Please explain.

rojdoj: Interest from others is always surprising for me. A pleasant surprise no doubt. I was fairly certain that blip.fm would be a "conflict free" experience, but it was brought to my attention recently that there are feuds on blip.fm. Most of the communication on blip.fm is still banal meet and greets (don't get me wrong, I enjoy those), but apparently there are some clenched teeth behind some of those computer screens. Weird. I suppose that is inevitable in any form of social interaction...

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

rojdoj: I'd ask @muffinlab why on earth she would EVER need beauty secrets?

Dulin: What about Blip.FM appeals to you for listening to and playing music?

rojdoj: It's free. It is also a great place to discover free download links, blogs and good advice, especially if you're following @lilyetc.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

rojdoj: Umm...Wipers - "What Is" or King Khan and the BBQ Show - "Tastebuds" or New Order - "Ceremony"

Dulin: What has been the most pleasant discovery, experience, or aspect of Blip.FM? The most frustrating?

rojdoj: I think the most frustrating aspect has been acknowledged many times: the YouTube covers. I wouldn't get rid of them though. I've seen some pretty good covers and they have the right to be there I guess. Maybe the video and audio links should be separated. I think the avatar could be bigger. To show off my striking features, but Blip.fm is perfectly imperfect.

Dulin: What song do you hate to hear at a wedding?

rojdoj: I hate "Here Comes the Bride," which probably captures my thoughts of weddings altogether. If you're gonna play a Wagner tune, play "Ride of the Valkyries" or better yet, play "Siegfried's Funeral March" which may be a more fitting song. I sure don't hate hearing "the chicken dance" though! I'll even chicken dance at a funeral if the mood strikes.

Dulin: What song or artist do you never tire of hearing? What is special about that song or artist?

rojdoj: Probably Queens. I love all of their albums and there is something about a big band that is deserving of the acclaim in this day and age that can't be overlooked. Maybe the mystique of a respectable major label band is even more hip than a good indie band. They are certainly fewer.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

Special thanks to my friend @cuezaireeka for the consideration. Thanks Pete.

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Blip Nation Interview: Meet TheOneAndOnly

2011-03-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

http://blip.fm/TheOneAndOnly

Blipper since: December 12, 2009

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

TheOneAndOnly: I live in Lyon, France now, but I have lived in Rabat, Morocco and Freiburg, Germany before. I mention this switching between different countries and cultures, because it may explain a bit the eclecticism in my playlist.

Dulin: Do you have a favorite genre of music or preferred era of recorded music?

TheOneAndOnly: Not really, I tend to mix Indie, Rock, Hiphop, Folk, Electro, Jazz, Reggae from all around the world... And I also love classical music!

Dulin: Do you listen to local/regional music in your much? Favorite artists?

TheOneAndOnly: Well, shame on me. Not enough, I presume. Sometimes it´s easier to find shows with bands from far away than local bands.

Dulin: Do you tend to sing along to songs on the radio, to music playing in the car or at home, or when blipping?

TheOneAndOnly: Sure, sometimes I´m singing, whistling or tapping my foot to the beat while hearing music, as everyone does I think, but not all the time and not too much in the company of others.

Dulin: What are some of your favorite videos that you like to blip?

TheOneAndOnly: It is hard to choose, I would say I have some all time favorites like Wax Tailor - Que Sera, Pixies - Where Is My Mind, Patti Smith - Pastime Paradise, The Greenhornes - There Is An End, Frankie Valli - Beggin (Pilooski edit), and some new favorites that can change more often like Fleet Foxes - Meadowlarks, Mason Proper - Out Dragging The River, and Royksopp - Senior Living.

I´ll stop here because I could add tons of other great songs! And I must admit that I´m not playing these enough, because I always find new awesome songs.

Dulin: By estimation, how much time do you spend blipping a week?

TheOneAndOnly: Maybe around 6-7 hours a week, from time to time. I´m making blip pauses of 1 or 2 weeks when I´m away from home!

Dulin: Tell us about a favorite memory or treasured possession. It doesn't have to be related to music.

TheOneAndOnly: One of the best experiences I have made was the 6 years I lived as a kid with my family in Morocco, a great country on the Atlantic coast. I met nice people. It was a bit like 6 years of holidays, great food, culture and nice music too. (Rai music from nearby Algeria, with singers Khaled, Cheb Mami ("Desert Rose" song with Sting), Raina Raï (Ya Zina)).

Dulin: How has your musical taste changed over time?

TheOneAndOnly: I have always been, well, a bit eclectic, but in later times it has increased quite a lot, also I´m not blipping my weirdest music! I´m not trying to become the one (and only!) who blips the most unknown titles in the galaxy.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

TheOneAndOnly: Keziah Jones - Rhythm Is Love. It has a nice beat and good voice; the message is simple. What more could you expect? It´s surely not breaking news to say that music and rhythm are related to emotions and love, but it´s still fascinating to me how a song can change our mood within a few seconds!

Dulin: If you have a wife, girlfriend, partner, or significant other, do you have a special song that makes you think of them and a moment in your life? Tell us about the song, the moment, and person.

TheOneAndOnly: The song "Secret Heart" by Feist, originally a Ron Sexsmith (what a name!) song, but Feist´s version is just perfect. It´s about the fear of telling that you love. An ex-girlfriend of mine loved it and so do I now.

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

TheOneAndOnly: I´m sure I will forget a lot of great DJs, so I humbly want to apologise for that.

In the US & Canada, @kungfukoala, @orangekittypie, @Counterfitt, @nemesisurchin, @tokno, @TriggerHappyJax, @rockthetropics, @nastysurprise, @Gen22, @bduubz, @ZOEBOE, @bendrix, @ladypn, @DJOutre, @DoubleDigitCatastrophe, @axefield (maybe @SlipperyDistortion to discuss about the influence of music on (French!) cooking). Then in Brazil, @santamistura, @patita and last but not least, in Australia & Malaysia @paraboschi & @kooi. (And I would make an extra, regional tour for the European DJs!) What, you mean there were more than three countries? Sorry, I´m not very good at math...

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

TheOneAndOnly: Meat Puppets - Vegetables Opinion! I especially dig the political point of view... No, seriously, hardest question ever! I´ll have to take at random, Radiohead - Creep, the lyrics and music have a universal dimension, alternating between calm and loud...

Dulin: Since you began blipping, have you had any experiences that surprised you? Please explain.

TheOneAndOnly: Discovering Blip.fm was the big surprise, I hadn´t expected such a clever concept about sharing music instantly and worldwide!

While blipping, I haven´t been really surprised by something, but it´s interesting to observe the variety of blip habits and differences you can find, for instance some DJs blip several songs in one minute, some blip one after the other all the songs of an album, some don´t interact at all with others (or it seems so at least!)... It´s a culturally diverse world and this makes Blip.fm interesting. You´re confronting different tastes, characters, languages and types of humor!

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

TheOneAndOnly: I would ask: Why are you so damn serious all the time, you know you can blip good songs and also make some jokes. It´s not incompatible at all!

Dulin: What artists and/or songs would you want to hear on the soundtrack of your life?

TheOneAndOnly: Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams, Jeff Buckley - Lilac Wine, The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight, Nina Simone, Danger Mouse & Jemini - Medieval, Radiohead, Björk, Jack Johnson - Angel (Kid Koala Remix), Etta James - At Last, Edith Piaf, Nirvana, Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun, Caesars - Jerk It Out, Luz Casal - Piensa en mi, Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit, Nancy Wilson - For Once In My Life, Dr Dog - My Friend and Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms (Anoraak Remix).

Dulin: What influences your blip picks? Mood, nostalgia, new artist/song, social interaction, or other factors?

TheOneAndOnly: Everything you mentioned fits for me. It depends a lot on the mood I´m in. Sometimes I feel like following and getting inspired by what other DJs blip; sometimes I´m just looking randomly for a new song.

Dulin: What is the earliest age that you can remember listening to music? What artists/bands did you like in your youth?

TheOneAndOnly: I don´t really recall one specific moment, because in my family there has always been a lot of music played. My dad is into classical music, jazz, and any kind of great voices. My mom likes pop, folk, world music, and my sister brought some reggae, punk, ska and rock. I liked Michael Jackson, Daft Punk, U2, De La Soul, Queen, France Gall, Rita Mitsouko, UB40, Sade, Billie Holiday, Madness, Bob Marley, Alain Bashung, Nina Hagen, Blur, Stevie Wonder, Cesaria Evora, Angélique Kidjo, Paolo Conte, Serge Gainsbourg, Jean-Michel Jarre and many others.

Dulin: What is your dream job?

TheOneAndOnly: I would love to be a writer or/and journalist, so maybe I´ll do that, one of these days...

Dulin: What French recording artists (singer, musician, band) in any genre should the rest of the world know more about?

TheOneAndOnly: Anoraak, Wax Tailor, Rita Mitsouko, Alain Bashung, Ben l´Oncle Soul, Françoise Hardy and General Elektriks.

Dulin: What prompted you to join Blip.fm?

TheOneAndOnly: I literally stumbled upon Blip.fm while searching the Internet. I hadn´t heard of it at all, but I found the idea to share music in this interactive way great! After that, I joined Last.fm [http://www.last.fm/user/LeOneAndOnly] to get more information about artists and bands, and share even more!

Dulin: What song reminds you of being in love? Of being heartbroken?

TheOneAndOnly: Being in love: The Airborne Toxic Event - The Book Of Love (Magnetic Fields cover).

Heartbroken: the monumental song called Ne me quitte pas (If You Go Away) by Jacques Brel, covered by Nina Simone, Sting, Frank Sinatra, Yuri Buenaventura, Sophie Hunger, Dusty Springfield and countless singers. The French lyrics are very poetic.

Dulin: You're in a vault at a major record label. You get to pick a secret album by any artist never before released that will be shared worldwide in 2011. What artist/band would you pick? What would you want the music to sound like?

TheOneAndOnly: I would pick Modest Mouse, Angélique Kidjo, The Pixies, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Jeff Buckley, Miike Snow and Lissie (I hope the dead ones will make an effort and be a bit cooperative). Well, expect it to give soundgasms at least...

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

TheOneAndOnly: First of all, it was a great idea to start the Blip Nation blog, it gives some spiciness to our random blip dish!

Second, this is the time, I suppose, for something a bit like an Oscar acceptance speech, so I`d like to thank all the great DJs for blipping courageously whatever may come, and so on, but as Jane Fonda once said, "There´s a great deal to say, but I´m not going to say it tonight." Thanks and let the music play!

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Blip Nation Interview: Meet froh

2011-03-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

http://blip.fm/froh

Blipper since: May 19, 2009

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

froh: South America, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro.

Dulin: Imagine you're 14-years-old browsing through a music store. What band/artist do you wish you had discovered that was so great you want to tell all of your friends about them. What would you say?

froh: I take it you mean an artist I wish I had discovered when I was 14? Then it'd be Bowie. Took me a few more years to find him, along with the whole '70s glam movement. I would tell my friends back then: "Hey guys, see, we can use all the make up for other things than just drawing dark eyes!"

Dulin: Do you have a favorite genre of music or preferred era of recorded music?

froh: I listen to pretty much everything, from opera to pop. If we dig deep enough, we can always find something to like in any genre. On the other hand, I must confess I have a strong connection with late '80s post-punk, the bands I enjoyed when I started buying my own records and going out. Smiths, Siouxsie, Joy Division, Cocteau Twins, those are serious references in my life.

Dulin: Do you listen to local/regional music in your much? Favorite artists?

froh: Not much, but some, and almost everything at least 20 years old: Mutantes, Tom Zé, Clara Nunes, Caymmi. Occasionally something from Brazil's vibrant but regrettably short indie rock scene in the late '80s - Fellini, Mercenarias, Vzyadoq Moe; great bands that really struggled to make good music those days.

Dulin: What features from other streaming music site or online media (i.e. Netflix, Rhapsody, Twitter, Facebook) would you like to see incorporated into the Blip.fm experience, if any?

froh: A desktop application for blipping such as Last.fm's would be cool, but as far as the web experience goes I'm pretty satisfied with Blip.fm's features. Maybe text messaging between DJs. Not everyone has Facebook or Twitter and some find that these social networks disclose information that is too personal to be viewed by people you only share musical tastes with.

Dulin: If you could invite any band/musician over for dinner, who would you invite, what would you serve and what music would you play throughout the evening?

froh: 'The Age of Adz' left a strong impression on me, so I'd love to have Sufjan Stevens over. I'd serve pasta and wine and play, hmm, Nick Drake maybe? Bah, I'd let him choose.

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

froh: This is a rather embarrassing question. If I name any DJs, it would feel like I'm ranking my favorites. But I guess I can mention three countries I would very much like to visit: Chile, Canada and Sweden.

Dulin: What song(s) inspire you?

froh: Anything I blip inspires me, or anything I can get a hold of in my computer or on the shelves in my bedroom. In my life, there's little I can do without music, it's just a matter of finding the right thing for the right mood. The list would be too long.

Dulin: What's your dream job?

froh: I am a professor of philosophy and I love my job. But I think I would have been very happy as a musician in an orchestra. I find it absolutely fascinating how individual talents can blend together to produce such amazing music as, say, a Beethoven symphony. There's a level of commitment to team work I don't see anywhere else. Unfortunately, it's very hard to pursue this career if you don't get formal training early, which I didn't.

Dulin: If you have a wife, girlfriend, partner, or significant other, do you have a special song that makes you think of them and a moment in your life? Tell us about the song, the moment, and person.

froh: Funny enough, I can't think of any particular song. I guess I don't associate songs with people, but rather with feelings.

Dulin: Do you have any favorite song lyrics? What are they? Tell us about the appeal of those lyrics.

froh: As far as lyrics go, I believe Morrissey's work with The Smiths remains unsurpassed. His poetry captured the whole spirit of my generation, it surprises me when I see younger people connecting to it. I'm particularly fond of their first album, songs like 'Reel Around the Fountain', 'Miserable Lie' and 'The Hand That Rocks the Cradle' still make my heart race when I listen to them.

Dulin: Name your favorite cover song, the original artist, and who covered it.

froh: That's a tough one. I'll go with Magnetic Fields rendering of Bowie's "Heroes." That song seems to have been made for Stephin Merritt's deep bass.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

froh: I don't think I could find something that absolutely everyone would like to hear and I don't presume to have a message that absolutely everyone should receive. I treasure diversity.

Dulin: What has been the most pleasant discovery, experience, or aspect of Blip.FM? The most frustrating?

froh: The pleasure, for me, is really about discovery. One of the greatest aspects of blip is how it constantly puts you in contact with new music. The frustration is probably shared with everyone else: the song you desperately want to blip but cannot find, the blip you forgot to check and has bad audio or ends after one minute.

Dulin: What song reminds you of being in love? Of being heartbroken?

froh: Love: Cocteau Twins' 'Domino'. Heartbroken: too many to fit here.

Dulin: What song or artist do you never tire of hearing? What is special about that song or artist?

froh: I don't get tired easily. What often happens is that, when I like something very much, I tend to hear it constantly, and after some time I need to give it a rest. But if I return to the album a few months later, it's like a new listening, I notice things about it that I hadn't before. The first record I ever bought was The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths, and after 25 years I still have great pleasure with it.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

froh: Well, just that I'm very happy to be a part of this community, and very thankful to every blipster for keeping it going. Blip has been a real presence in my life for the last 2 years, and a very good one at that.

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Blip Nation Interview: Meet jong

2011-03-17T21:10:00.000-07:00

http://blip.fm/jong

Blipper since: November 19, 2008

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

jong: Happy Valley (aka Provo), Utah. The area I live in has a really diverse landscape. I live on the edge of the suburbs with Utah Lake less than five minutes away, the Wasatch mountains are ten minutes away and Salt Lake City is thirty minutes away. So I am not so near the hustle and bustle of noise but close enough to the city. It's a great place to live in and raise my little kidlettes. To answer the first response I always hear when I tell people where I live, "Yes, I am Mormon. No, I don't have 15 wives and no, I don't have horns and a tail." (Yes, that's been asked.)

Dulin: You and Charlie Sheen are stuck in an elevator for three hours. What songs would you want to hear?

jong: 3 hours? Crap. White Rose Movement - Idiot Drugs. Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Winning. I also hear if you play The Dark Side of The Moon it syncs up to all his actions and nonsense that comes out of his mouth.

Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?

jong: But of course and I still own it. Cyndi Lauper - "She's So Unusual" on cassette. I saved up my allowance for a couple of weeks and my mom and dad took me to MusicLand in the local shopping mall.

Dulin: What music knowledge would you want to pass on to your children?

jong: Hopefully, I've already passed on the knowledge A) you don't listen to crap B) Never ever change a man's radio C) I want them to be open to music and not pay attention to what the mainstream tells you is cool.

Dulin: In a battle of witty puns, who would win as the wittiest? You or Rodger Snyder?

jong: Rodger. But he more than likely will cheat.

Dulin: By estimation, how much time do you spend blipping a week?

jong: Lately, 24-48 hours.

Dulin: Tell us about a favorite memory or treasured possession. It doesn't have to be related to music.

jong: It would have to be my entire music collection. I have spent over 20+ years and many, many dollars on collecting cassette, vinyl, compact disc and the digital formats. If you have any idea about being a Nine Inch Nails collector, then you would know about the endless different releases that will drive you mad trying to complete the collection.

I have bought metal storage containers to safe guard my collection as I would be sick if it got destroyed. Are we clear then? And my family photos.

Dulin: Do you play any instruments? If so, what? If not, then what would you like to learn how to play?

jong: I tried the guitar and piano when I was younger and just didn't have the patience for it. I hope, in the near future, to learn the piano as I think it's a marvelous instrument. I also would love to tinker around with the theremin one of these days.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

jong: Could this be anymore difficult? Lisa Gerard - "Now We Are Free." Even though it is a made up language (amazing), I think anybody can feel its raw emotion.

Dulin: If text wasn't allowed in the blip and you could only blip the song, then would you still play music onBlip.fm?

jong: Of course. Even though the comments and social aspect is nice, it's still really about the music.

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

jong: I'd love to see the Netherlands as that is where my family lineage starts. I don't know of any DJs there. Anyone?

I hear Canada is lovely except I hear they all live in igloos. @sabriesc told me she has Wi-Fi though. I'd like to go back to London again. The coolest and some of the most influential bands have came from England.

Dulin: Imagine you are on a reality show where you must sing karaoke to an audience of friends and family. The prize is $1 million (US) that you can keep or donate to charity. What song would you sing?

jong: Mazzy Star - "Happy" I mean how couldn't I win even if I messed up? I have to think on that if I would donate it or keep it. Times are tough but a lot of people have it worse off than me.

Dulin: If you could blip a song now, as if it were from the future, and it would be sent to yourself when you were a kid, then what song would you blip?

jong: Cold Cave - "Life Magazine" Well, for one thing I can't stop listening to it lately and it has such a great beat. My kid form might not like it though, he would be more into some big hair glam band. Like Ratt's "Round and Round."

Dulin: What song would you want to blip to your significant other, friend, or family member before you boarded a spaceship to the moon with little hope of return?

jong: To my wife.... Creeper Lagoon - "Wonderful Love." The lyrics are simple and yet describe that feeling you want to share with someone.

Dulin: Blip Baby Roulette!! If (pick an artist/band you blipped 5 songs ago) had a baby with (pick an artist/band you blipped 9 songs ago), then the baby would be named (insert name) and would sing like (insert name/description).

jong: If Helmet had a baby with The Big Pink it would be named The Big Pink Helmet and would sing, well, pretty awesome.

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

jong: Nine Inch Nails - "Leaving Hope." No words or lyrics needed to describe my beauty.

Dulin: What artists/releases are you excited about for 2011?

jong: The Kills, She Wants Revenge, The Big Pink (hopefully), Cold Cave, The Joy Formidable and many more I'm sure I have no idea about. Hmmmm, I already have a couple of these.

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

jong: Would you like a corndog in that igloo while we play Red Dead Redemption?

Dulin: What artists and/or songs would you want to hear on the soundtrack of your life?

jong: The Faint - Birth , MGMT - Kids, The Twilight Singers- Teenage Wristband, Fever Ray - When I grow up, The Smiths - Some Girls are Bigger than Others, The Raveonettes - D.R.U.G.S. ,Crystal Castles - Courtship Dating, Depeche Mode- Clean, Gold Panda- Marriage, The Teardrop Explodes - Bouncing babies, Janes Addiction - Had a dad, David Bowie - Never Get Old, Queens of the Stone Age- Song for the Dead andddd Dead Mans Bones- My Body's a Zombie For You.

Dulin: What influences your blip picks? Mood, nostalgia, new artist/song, social interaction, or other factors?

jong: I'm always looking for something new so I'll blip stuff I've never heard to get a taste. Mood also plays a big factor.

Dulin: What prompted you to join Blip.fm?

jong: I am a forum member on http://www.burningsoulsforum.com/community/ and one of the other users suggested it.

Dulin: Last live concert/show you attended? Who played? What did you like or not like about the live music experience?

jong: Well it would have been Interpol. They canceled the show and I'm still a little bugged about it...

The last show I went to was in the summer at a festival to see She and Him and The Dum Dum Girls. I don't go to shows as much as I would like to. My wife is not big on the shows and most of my friends don't have the same tastes I do. I like getting out in the crowd and just zoning out with the artist on stage. Unfortunately, there are some stupid drunk girls and lame frat boys that you have to put up with.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

jong: Being a member of the blip community has introduced me to a lot of great artists I may have never found. Also, I've met a lot of great blippers who share the same love I have for music and I can call friends. Thanks for doing these interviews as I've enjoyed reading them.

______________________________________________________________________

Blip Nation Interview: Meet ladypn

2011-03-14T20:19:00.000-07:00

http://blip.fm/ladypn

Blipper since: December 4, 2008

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

ladypn: Pacific NorthWest.

Dulin: Imagine you're 14-years-old browsing through a music store. What band/artist do you wish you had discovered that was so great you want to tell all of your friends about them. What would you say?

ladypn: Like everyone else who truly loves music, that is nearly impossible to answer! There are so many talented bands! Such as Hypnogaja, Mumford & Sons, Devotchka, Eels, Foals, Fleet Foxes...I could go on and on!

Dulin: What prompted you to join Blip.fm?

ladypn: I was invited by a very popular Youtuber - interestingly enough, she has never blipped, but I took to it like a fish takes to water!

Dulin: You have over 56,000 listeners. You follow nearly 1000 DJs. And you have over a quarter of a million(!!!) props. Wow. How do you keep up with Blip.fm props, blips, reblips, etc.?

ladypn: No one is more surprised than I am, at the number of listeners! I don't know how that happened! It has never been about numbers for me, it's all about the music and the connections with music lovers from all over the world!

I used to use the email notices to handle replies but now find that is easier just using the Replies/Props pages. I try to address every reply with either a prop or a reblip!

"Music is my salve - it helps to heal
an aching heart, mind and body."

Dulin: Tell us about your brother, who needs a kidney transplant. What qualities do you like best about him?

ladypn: He truly is one of the most impressive people I know. He's very determined and accomplished - whether working in musical theatre in NYC (he starred on Broadway once!), or racing on his bike, running 26K marathons, or running his own successful computer graphics firm for years - he usually accomplishes his goals! In spite of all of his generous spirit and the redeeming attributes most would envy, he is a very humble person. And he is a wonderful big brother! Literally and figuratively, as he stands 6'4"!

Dulin: How can people help your brother?

ladypn: Well - simply put, the best way to help would be as a live kidney donor. Where that isn't possible, people can help greatly by sharing the link to my blog - http://ladypn.blogspot.com. I sincerely do believe that the more people who read it, the more who become aware, the more hope that a donor will be found. The alternative simply isn't acceptable.

Dulin: What song would you dedicate to your brother for inspiration?

ladypn: "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the 1945 musical Carousel. It is very important for so many reasons.

1-When we were kids, we both performed in that production in summer stock theatre.

2 - It was one of our departed Mother's favorite songs and most importantly...

3 - He isn't alone through this! He has a loving wife and son, siblings, nieces and nephews, and friends all over the world who are walking this challenge with him.

Dulin: What purpose does music serve for you?

ladypn: The first word that comes to mind is - an escape. It has always served as an escape for me. To me, music is as necessary in life as breathing is. I've always felt sorry for anyone who didn't have the same passion for music that I do - not because I think I'm better than anyone - but because music brings so much joy. I feel sad for those who don't know that joy themselves. Music is my salve - it helps to heal an aching heart, mind and body.

Dulin: What artist/band would you most like to meet?

ladypn: Living or deceased? ;) This is another list which could be endless! I often fantasize about sitting around the chiminea in my backyard with Glen Hansard and Damien Rice! We'd all be singing and playing guitar, for the pure joy of it! I would be in heaven! I'd love to meet Preston Reed, one of my favorite guitarists! I'd love to sing harmonies with Fleet Foxes, Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons, a'tris, Hypnogaja, Local Natives and on and on...

Dulin: If you could invite any band/musician over for dinner, who would you invite, what would you serve and what music would you play throughout the evening?

ladypn: Wow, this is really a tough one! I really couldn't pick just one. Rather I'd like to host a huge party with all of my favorites! I'd have to rent a castle though.  There would probably be classical music playing in the background, Chopin and Bach preludes perhaps would be more conducive to conversation. Until we gather around the piano - then its singalongs!

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

ladypn: I can't pick any particular DJ's! There are so many wonderful people from all over the world! I'd have to limit this answer to which countries I most want to travel to - Japan, China, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, England, Ireland, France, and Egypt. It would be wonderful if all the DJs in each country would meet me at the airport! What a welcoming committee that would make!

Dulin: What song(s) give you comfort in times of stress?

ladypn: Again, there are so many diverse songs that I fall back on, depending on the mood. When I'm in frustrated, I love to play Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" on the piano, or one of Bach's fugues! For my sadder times, nothing soothes like Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings." As sad as that piece is, it builds to golden moments of pure joy - reminding me that no matter the torment or strife, there are better times ahead. And no matter what particular brand of stress, I can find most anything by Glen Hansard and Damien Rice which speaks to me.

Dulin: What's your dream job?

ladypn: Archictect or rock star! :)

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

ladypn: Muse - "Uprising." Because no matter what fate throws my way, I will be victorious! I've had a lot of challenges in my life; nothing will keep me down. "Uprising" reminds me of my own innate optimism to overcome.

Dulin: Do you have any favorite song lyrics? What are they? Tell us about the appeal of those lyrics.

ladypn: Glen Hansard's "Falling Slowly" "Take this sinking boat & point it home, we've still got time." Just love that line! Again, it speaks to my desire to be optimistic!

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

ladypn: No worries, I won't reveal who! But the question would be: Why are you so cryptic? What is it that you're hiding behind that facade?

Dulin: Name your favorite cover song, the original artist, and who covered it.

ladypn: "Wild is the Wind" originally released by Johnny Mathis (my mom used to listen to it!). I love the David Bowie cover!

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

ladypn: "I Hope I Never" by Split Enz. "Happiness is back in style!"

Dulin: What has been the most pleasant discovery, experience, or aspect of Blip.FM? The most frustrating?

ladypn: The most amazing aspect has been new music discovery and reacquainting myself with old favorites. Blipping has also fed my urge to find even more new music! I scour the Net looking for new artists/bands and new releases. I can't seem to get enough!

Another pleasant aspect is that because of Blip, and that thirst for new music and my desire for high quality sound, I have bought more music the past two years than I have in my entire life! My library is now so vast that repeating myself isn't much of a concern.

The most frustrating? I'm hard pressed to find anything frustrating about Blip.fm! I think it is the greatest gift! Seriously, I look at being able to blip a privilege. To have this incredible forum to share music with people from all over the world, what more could a people-loving music aficionado ask for? I can't even get frustrated by the poor quality live videos or cover vids. That's why I have as much in my library as I do.

Dulin: What influences your blip picks? Mood, nostalgia, new artist/song, social interaction, or other factors?

ladypn: All of the above! Sometimes I'm in a very playful mood, others I'm feeling nostalgic. Still other times I want nothing but the freshest tracks.

Dulin: What is the earliest age that you can remember listening to music? What artists/bands did you like in your youth?

ladypn: My first words were sung, rather than spoken, so I don't think I actually recall the earliest memory. My parents always had music playing in the home. My father played the piano, I had 4 older siblings who all loved and played their music. When I was little I had equally diverse tastes. I loved classical, rock, pop, the standards.

My older siblings played a lot of Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, Chicago, Yes, The Who, Guess Who, Carpenters. When little, we used to put on John Philip Sousa marches and do our own little parades around the family room! My parents taught us the Cha Cha, Waltz, Two Step, Fox Trot, etc. We were always singing, dancing or playing instruments! And having done summer stock musical theatre from the time I was 7, our home was usually the preferred location for cast parties which of course were filled with music!

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

ladypn: I want to thank everyone at Blip.fm for making this site available to us all and for all the work they do in maintaining it! I don't think @Jeff and the crew get enough credit for all they do!

I also want to say how deeply moved I have been by the compassion of thousands of friends on Blip.fm! I cannot express how much it has meant to me. I've gone through two boxes of tissues since I first blogged about my brother, just reading the encouraging replies on Blip, Twitter and the blog itself. So many wonderful people! The music is what brings us together - the people and the sense of community makes Blip.fm special!

Finally, thank you so much for Blip Nation Pete! I've so enjoyed learning more about our fellow Blippers and am honored to be interviewed!

______________________________________________________________________

Blip Nation Interview: Meet GrassyKnoll

2011-03-12T14:03:00.001-08:00

http://blip.fm/GrassyKnoll

Blipper since: April 6, 2009

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

GrassyKnoll: I currently live in New York City

Dulin: A lot of your blips are unfamiliar to me. Are they older, more obscure recording artists? Do you own music by some of these artists on LP or CD?

GrassyKnoll: I would agree that a lot of my blips are unfamiliar and are generally older and more obscure recording artists. I enjoy finding these types of recordings both on the web and especially in tangible form such as LP as they give a deeper insight into a specific genre and/or region at definitive point in time.

Sometimes I have a prior interest in the genre/region and the time frame in question; other times it's the recording itself that will drive me to dig deeper. An example of this is when I first found a copy of Mogollar's Les Danses et Rythmes de la Turquie back in 2004/2005. I had no prior knowledge of Turkey's rock scene in the present let alone that scene in the late '60s and early '70s. After that discovery, I was able to dig much deeper and learn quite a bit about the scene, major acts, impact, etc of a special place and time in music.

Dulin: Do you have a favorite genre of music or preferred era of recorded music?

GrassyKnoll: I try not to place one form or era of music over another and in general will give anything a go. From early 20th century recordings of Russian piano compositions to a new hypothetical track that combines, let's say, live traditional Chinese instruments played in a subway mixed with a Biggie a capella track and a sample of a disco synth line that someone put together in Brooklyn last week. What matters to me is if it moves me to groove or helps me to think about the piece both musically and in the context of the society/era in which it was produced.

Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?

GrassyKnoll: The first cassette tape I ever purchased was Chuck Berry's Great 28 immediately followed by a cheap RiteAid Muddy Water's Greatest Hits compilation on cassette. I was into Chuck since I was a little kid, that whole straight forward no frills "rock and roll" vibe. I was a shocked 11-year-old when I first heard Muddy Waters' "40 Days" since one was easily able to distinguish just where Mr Berry had gotten all those riffs. I think the cause for going that far back as a young kid was that the music I was hearing on the radio in the '80s sounded too polished for my taste. When I heard the oldies station, things sounded more "real" to my ears.

Dulin: By estimation, how much time do you spend blipping a week?

GrassyKnoll: These days, I try to keep it to 5-6 hours a week. I work online and really only get a chance to blip if it's slow at the office. Once I leave work after staring at a computer all day I tend to just throw on an LP rather than sit back in front of the computer and blip. However, back in 2009 through early 2010 I was on Blip.fm constantly. I miss having all that free time at work!

Dulin: Tell us about a favorite memory or treasured possession. It doesn't have to be related to music.
GrassyKnoll: I have an autograph book my Grandfather gave me from the Big Band era that includes his ticket stubs, notes about the show, artist autographs and more. It's pretty cool, like a piece of history I keep in my room. I think he has all of the Glenn Miller's orchestra in one section. How he got them all is beyond me.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

GrassyKnoll: Cheesy as it sounds, I would probably go with Daft Punk's "Around the World." There are only 3 words and the bass is hypnotic, which causes me to believe that it would be more inclusive for the non-Anglophones of the planet (including Daft Punk themselves).

Dulin: If text wasn't allowed in the blip and you could only blip the song, then would you still play music on Blip.fm?

GrassyKnoll: I would but the focus would be different. If that was the case, I would look at it as building web-based playlists I could share with friends on social networks as opposed to being a social network all it's own.

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

GrassyKnoll: Tough question but I would have to go with the following: UK, EU and Japan (I'm still trying to figure out the whole UK/EU thing so I'm keeping them separate at the moment).

As for DJs I'd like to meet in these countries, I've been talking to the following for years and I have a feeling they are a blast.

From the UK: ShantiBaba, CreepyGirl, TomServo, Corts, NattieB, TreakiePop and Arth

From the EU: Chittamani_tara (formerly the artist known as Lucinda_lala), QuicksandRangero and ElNito

From Canada: Muffinlab!

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

GrassyKnoll: Another tough one! I'm not sure I can find a song that fits that many genres and styles into one cohesive unit succinctly. If there was an album though, I would say the original LP release of Funkadelic's One Nation Under a Groove complete with the bonus EP with the live cut of "Maggot Brain." These guys hit almost every possible genre that was relevant in '78 when it was released and do it better than most who only played one genre. Not until Outkast's Stankonia did we get that on the top of the charts again. I really value a group's ability to easily move from one box to outside the box to a whole new box altogether. I can also be just like that, doing my best to not get pinned down by any one thing.

Dulin: Since you began blipping, have you had any experiences that surprised you? Please explain.
GrassyKnoll: Participating in what we now call the first "NYC Blip Meet" back in late summer 2009. I was surprised by how affable the New York City blippers are compared to the average New Yorker. A group of 10-12 people in the New York City metro area on Blip.fm decided to meet up and have a few drinks. Not knowing what to expect due to the fact that we are still talking about meeting people "from" the internet, I approached it pretty cautiously. Everyone met around 7 PM and by 11 PM it was as if everyone had 12 new friends. The group still hangs out to this day and that was 2 years ago almost.

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

GrassyKnoll: I'd love to ask a few of the DJs who didn't build bots to blip from their account at night what it's like to do a [blip] marathon? @Sandyriverside and I were contemplating giving it a go on an upcoming weekend.

Dulin: What artists and/or songs would you want to hear on the soundtrack of your life?

GrassyKnoll: This is incredibly difficult to answer but based on Last.Fm over the past few years, I'm going to go with these songs in no particular order:

The Velvet Underground – I'm Waiting for the Man
Funkadelic - I Got A Thing
The Temptations - Ain't No Sunshine (cover)
Cromagnon - Caledonia
GZA - Liquid Swords
Hooterville Trolley - No Silver Bird
13th Floor Elevators - Street Song
Hawkwind - High Rise
Spacemen 3 - Losing Touch with My Mind
Muddy Waters - 40 Days and 40 Nights
People's Choice - Boogie USA
MFSB - Backstabbers (cover)
Lee Perry - Soul Fire
Takeshi Terauchi & The Bunnys - Moanin'
Memphis Slim - Havin' Fun
The Fatback Band - Mr Bassman
Pharcyde - Ya Mama
Chuck Berry - Johnny B Goode
Jimi Hendrix - Vilanova Junction (Studio Version)
Mogollar - Cigrik
Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full (Coldcut Remix)
King Tubby - Herb Man Dub
Nirvana - Aneurysm
Ronnie Foster - Mystic Brew
John Coltrane - Resolution
Frank Zappa - Trouble Everyday
Beastie Boys - Car Thief
Les Rallizes Denudes – The Last One
Nine Inch Nails - Piggy
NWA - 8 Ball

Dulin: What influences your blip picks? Mood, nostalgia, new artist/song, social interaction, or other factors?

GrassyKnoll: I would say the vast majority of my blips are influenced by interest in a certain genre/time/region I'm becoming familiar with on that particular day. After that comes social interaction and mood. I try to keep my channel pretty eclectic which is difficult sometimes.

Dulin: What is the earliest age that you can remember listening to music? What artists/bands did you like in your youth?

GrassyKnoll: I would say very young. My mother pretty much forced me to listen to classical as a kid up to maybe 3rd grade. If I was good I got to listen to jazz or blues but nothing that was current at the time.

Dulin: What is your dream job?

GrassyKnoll: Dream job would be to blip for a living. Who wouldn't love that?!

Dulin: What prompted you to join Blip.fm?

GrassyKnoll: Mr Sandyriverside got me to check it out about two years ago so we could trade tunes back and forth.

Dulin: What song reminds you of being a kid?

GrassyKnoll: Oddly, The "1812 Overture" by Tchaikovsky and Chuck Berry's "Johnny B Goode."

Dulin: Last live concert/show you attended? Who played? What did you like or not like about the live music experience?

GrassyKnoll: Last show I caught was Motorhead on 3/4 in Atlantic City, NJ. As far as an experience goes, it was probably as close to perfect for a three-piece act that I have ever seen. Not sure what else to say, it's Lemmy!

Dulin: You're in a vault at a major record label. You get to pick a secret album by any artist never before released that will be shared worldwide in 2011. What artist/band would you pick? What would you want the music to sound like?

GrassyKnoll: Hmm. Going out on a limb here but Velvet Underground backed with MFSB. That would be amazing. You would get Lou's songwriting and Cale's sonic experimentation coupled with MFSB's smooth driving back beat and orchestral prowess. Who said the Sound of Philadelphia's smooth can't mix with the sound of NYC's amphetamine driven angst?

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

GrassyKnoll: Blip is a great community and I'm happy to have met so many friends over the year who love music as much as I do.

______________________________________________________________________

Blip Nation Interview: Meet by_starla

2011-03-08T18:19:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/by_starla

Blipper since: October 3, 2008

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

by_starla: I live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I can see the Philadelphia Art Museum from my apartment building. I grew up in Bucks County, PA, but moved to Philadelphia when I started my doctoral studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and I have lived here ever since. I love the city – the culture, the restaurants, the historic buildings, and the people. It’s also wonderful to see shows without worrying about where to park.

Pete Dulin: What prompted you to join Blip.fm?

by_starla: A friend introduced me to the site. I think he may have heard of it from a mutual friend on Last.fm. Neither of them is blipping anymore, but I am still here.

At the time, I had joined Last.fm to find others who loved music as much as I did. My friends and co-workers tended to view music as pleasant background music, or a diversion for a Saturday night. I guess I got tired of having friends’ eyes gloss over as I was waxing enthusiastic about a band, or of trying to explain why I saw so many live shows, especially in venues where I had to stand for the entire show.

It was a revelation to find so many people my age on last.fm who loved music as much as I did. Blip was even better.

Dulin: Where do you learn about and hear new music?

by_starla: Blip.fm is a major source for me. I also listen to Blalock’s Indie Rock Playlist and the Indie Rock Playlist every month. I used to be a music magazine junkie, but I’ve since stopped reading almost all of them, with the exception of The Big Takeover. I use Metacritic to keep track of upcoming new releases. I go to last.fm sometimes for recommendations and information about new bands. Allmusic.com also is helpful when catching up on more established bands, but it’s hit or miss with new indie bands. I don’t read blogs as much as I should, but I do occasionally visit Hype Machine to catch up.

The Internet has made a huge difference – it’s so much easier to find so many wonderful bands from all over the world. I am grateful not to have to rely on the radio (although I am fortunate to have WXPN here). I like doing research. Currently, I seem to use the skills I developed in graduate school more to discover music than to write history papers.

 Dulin: What about Blip.fm appeals to you for listening to and playing music?

by_starla: After about 2.5 years on the site, I have made so many good friends from around the world (including my boyfriend @2liveis2fly). I also have amassed a great music collection due in part to what I have learned from other blippers.

I enjoy the immediacy of sharing music in real time with people from all over the world. We get equally excited about new releases from old favorites. We share and enjoy the personal associations brought up by nostalgic blips. I think theme blipping is Blip’s version of word games – there’s a wonderful sense of playfulness in trying to come up with the next blip. And we all love having friends introduce us to a new favorite band or song.

I also love the kindness of blippers. I remember @eliott_is_dead sending me my first reply when I was still tentatively figuring the site out. He and others were funny, encouraging, knowledgeable and passionate about music. Even though the site has grown so much since 2008, there’s a sense of community on Blip that keeps drawing me back. I’ve dealt with some difficult times while on Blip, and am thankful for the friendship and support I have received from other blippers.

Dulin: You have over 34,000 Blip.fm listeners. If all of them moved to one place and made you mayor of the city, what would you call the city?

by_starla: Harmonium.

Dulin: What song would be the theme song for the city?

by_starla: The most mellow theme song ever: Great Lake Swimmers, "Unison Falling Into Harmony."

Dulin: What influences your blip picks? Mood, nostalgia, new artist/song, social interaction, or other factors?

by_starla: All of the above. It really depends on my mood and energy level. Lately I seem to be doing more random blipping off the top of my head. When work is crazy and I am tired and have little energy, that’s what happens. But I still love putting together playlists around a mood or a genre or a theme. That’s my favorite way to blip. It’s fun also to blip spontaneously, playing off the blips of other blippers, so I sometimes do that too. I also periodically blip only new releases or new artists. I like seeing what others think of songs that strike me when I am trying out new albums. And it’s always fun to go down a rabbit hole with @2liveis2fly or other blippers, exploring the work of one band or artist.

Dulin: Your real name isn't Starla. What does your Blip.fm DJ name mean?

by_starla: I made up the username when I was setting up my last.fm account. I was on a major Smashing Pumpkins jag at the time, so I decided to pay homage to two favorite SP songs with the name: "By Starlight" and "Starla." I decided to use the same name when I created my Blip account. I also used the same avatar, which is a screen shot from the SP video for "Thirty Three," another of my favorite SP songs.

  Dulin: When you're feeling sad or depressed, do you have a "go to" song or artist to help cope?

I have whole playlists of beautiful songs that I can crawl into when I am feeling depressed. If I had to choose one artist, it would probably be Cloud Cult. Their music is transcendent. They survived incredibly painful experiences (particularly the death of a child) in part by healing their pain and grief through music. The hope and love that their songs express are inspirational to me.

  Dulin: What musician, singer, or band would you most like to meet? Why?

by_starla: Probably Richard Thompson. He’s a brilliant musician and songwriter who deserves far more popularity than he has – but fellow musicians rightly view him as one of the best guitarists ever. He’s made breathtaking music at all stages of his career, from Fairport Convention, to Richard and Linda Thompson, to his current solo career. I’ve been fortunate to see him perform live many times, and it would be even better to be able to sit down and talk to him. He has a wonderful, dark, dry sense of humor, and I think it would be fascinating to hear his take on the music business and life in general.

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

by_starla: I’m struggling to answer this question too! I guess I would say "Mercy" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. It’s a beautiful, simple song, and very moving. I would like to be able to express longing and regret and sadness so eloquently and purely.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

by_starla: This is the most difficult interview question for me. There are so many moving songs that represent and touch different aspects of being human. (And as my friends will tell you, I have a terrible time picking just one song.)

After thinking long and hard, I have come up with two possibilities. One is Sam Cooke, "A Change Is Gonna Come." Such deep pain in the song, but also such vivid hope for a better future. The other is James Taylor and Yo Yo Ma’s rendition of "Hard Times Come Again No More." @2liveis2fly introduced me to their performance. It’s ethereally beautiful, simple, touching. And Stephen Foster’s lyrics are eloquent.

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

by_starla: I am wincing while answering this, because there are so many Blip.Fm DJs I would love to meet. I hate the thought of leaving anyone out or hurting any feelings. So, please know if you aren’t listed for this tour, I would want to plan subsequent tours to meet everyone.

I think my first stop would be to visit @SabriESC in Calgary – hoping that @badtemperedzombie, @wayoutosphere, @everythingispop, @Surreality, @evablue, and other Canadian DJs would be able to stop by for the visit (knowing that it would be quite a trek for those living further East). (On my way to my first stop, I would want to stop by CA to pick up @lilyetc so she could come along too.). I would then work back East to England to see @Qrobur, other UK DJs such as @snapbadger, @Arth, @CreepyGirl – and hopefully @Dolittle if she could stop over from Ireland. My last stop would be Italy to see @mammara – we have a long-delayed date to see live music together sometime, and he’s one of my oldest and dearest friends on Blip. It would be wonderful if @pratinsky and @spacespencer could stop by too, but if not I’d have to make stops myself to see them before going home.

 Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

by_starla: I’d ask @mammara for a catalog of his music collection – more of a request than a question. He blips such a wonderful range of music, that I am certain his collection would be an inspiration as well as a source of new music for me.

Dulin: If you could invite any band/musician over for dinner, whom would you invite, what would you serve and what music would you play throughout the evening?

by_starla: I’d invite Richard Thompson, and also John Wesley Harding (he lives in Philadelphia now). It would be great fun to talk about folk music, politics, and the state of the world in general with them – and I would hope they’d have their acoustic guitars with them for some post-dinner music. They both have eclectic taste in music, so I’d probably set iTunes on shuffle so we’d have a jumble of indie, rock, indie pop, folk, alt country, and blues all night. As for food, Richard Thompson is a vegetarian, so I would serve roasted red peppers, cheese, olives, and bread to start, followed by cheese lasagna with a huge salad, lots of Chianti Classico, and finally some homemade bittersweet chocolate ice cream with butter cookies, good coffee and some Oban.

Dulin: How has your musical taste changed over time?

by_starla: It’s gotten broader. My early love was classical music, due in large part to my father’s influence. He was an excellent clarinet player, and I remember listening to classical music with him, identifying composers and instruments, when I was quite young. (Because of him, I played clarinet, bassoon, and some piano-great experiences.) My parents also exposed me to jazz and a lot of musicals as well as to some 1970s pop music. I still listen to a lot of classical and jazz off Blip, and make it to NYC to see 5-6 operas a year at the Met with my dad.

Throughout the 1970s, I listened to a lot of AM radio in the back seat of my parents’ cars (and I sadly still know the lyrics to many songs I wish I could forget). I remember being enthralled by MTV in the 1980s, and going to high school dances featuring a lot of Billy Idol and Journey and Madonna. I branched into rock when I was in high school (Led Zeppelin, Blue Oyster Cult, U2, etc.), but didn’t really listen to much indie or punk or blues or alt country until I was in college, when I started to make up for lost time. R.E.M., Talking Heads, XTC, Husker Du, The Replacements, Smashing Pumpkins were all early favorites.

Over the past 12 years or so, my musical taste has broadened a great deal as I have discovered new bands and explored favorite genres, especially indie music in all its many sub genres. There are some prominent elements in my musical taste today. I love melody and harmony. Expressive, intelligent lyrics get my attention. I respond to primal blues riffs in acoustic blues, electric blues, and in folk, rock, and country iterations. Acoustic music, whether rock, folk, alt country, or country, also appeals to me. And for some reason, fuzzy guitars in psychedelic rock and shoegaze also get me every time.

Above all, I like to be moved, touched, and sometimes challenged by new music.

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

by_starla: Sandy Denny, "Who Knows Where The Time Goes." I can be fairly contemplative, nostalgic, and emotional. The song’s lyrics and traditional-sounding melody represent that part of me.
Dulin: What artists and/or songs would you want to hear on the soundtrack of your life? 

For childhood scenes, Simon and Garfunkel and John Denver (both of whom I listened to a lot with friends in the 1970s and early 1980s).

For high school years, some Yes (90215 was my first concert), Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin (to recall times sitting in a friend’s basement listening to her playing along on a purple drum set), B-52s, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush.

For college, R.E.M., The Cure, Violent Femmes, 10,000 Maniacs, The Replacements, Husker Du, Talking Heads, XTC, Smashing Pumpkins, The Clash.

Graduate School years: Richard Thompson, John Wesley Harding, Built to Spill, Galaxie 500, Luna, Smashing Pumpkins, Throwing Muses, Pixies.

Post-graduate school: John Gorka, Dean & Britta, BRMC, more Richard Thompson and John Wesley Harding, The White Stripes, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Bob Dylan, Bob Mould, Laura Marling, Emily Jane White, Kristin Hersh, Aimee Mann, Eels, Ryan Adams – too many others to list. (It would have to be a very long movie with multiple soundtracks….)

 Dulin: What is your dream job? 

by_starla: I’m pretty happy with my current job (teaching and directing undergraduate and graduate academic programs), but if I could do anything at all, I would choose to be a reviewer of music, books, and restaurants—with the ability to review only what I really loved.

 Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

Thank you for the opportunity to answer these questions, and for providing windows into fellow Blip DJs’ lives through these interviews. And many thanks to all the wonderful Blip DJs who make Blip such a vibrant community.

______________________________________________________________________

Blip Nation Interview: Meet Greenfields47

2011-03-06T08:47:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/Greenfields47

Blipper since: October 26, 2009

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

Greenfields47: Kuala Lumpur City, Malaysia.

Dulin: What artist or band would you most like to have dinner with? What's the first thing you'd ask?

Greenfields47: Many artists. Can't figure out who I like the most. At present moment, Lindsay Buckingham(Fleetwood Mac). I'd ask, "How is your day going today?"

Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?

Greenfields47: Fleetwood Mac, Rumours album on tape. To listen to my favourite band in 1970s more often.

Dulin: What music artist(s) do you think the world should know more about?

Greenfields47: George Harrison, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, R.E.M, Suzi Quatro, Alabama, REO Speedwagon, Fleetwood Mac, John Lennon, Kraftwerk, Eagles, Don Henley and many others.

Dulin: Is there any artist from your country that you think the world should know about?

Greenfields47: Sheila Majid, Zainal Abidin, Ella Malaysia, Nora.

Dulin: Tell us about a favorite memory or treasured possession. It doesn't have to be related to music.

Greenfields47: My Travels in India, Thailand, Singapore and in peninsular Malaysia. All people of other nations that I met as a fellow traveler.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

Greenfields47: "Give me love (give me peace)" by George Harrison. And many other songs.

Dulin: If you could direct a video for an artist, who would it be? For what song? What style/type of video would it be conceptually?

Greenfields47: Billy Joel's "We didn't Start the Fire." The video will reflect the words of this song in the background but song will be updated in history from 1950s to 2010s.

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

Greenfields47: USA, Germany , Australia ....All my DJs friends from the U.S., Germany and Australia. No particular DJs.

Dulin: Imagine you are on a reality show where you must sing karaoke to an audience of friends and family. The prize is $1 million (US) that you can keep or donate to charity. What song would you sing?

Greenfields47: At present moment, Suzi Quatro's "Rockin Moonbeam."

Dulin: If you could blip a song now, as if it were from the future, and it would be sent to yourself when you were a kid, then what song would you blip?

Greenfields47: None, but would like more songs from the past to be blipped to present.

Dulin: What song would you want to blip to your significant other, friend, or family member before you boarded a spaceship to the moon with little hope of return?

Greenfields47: The Temptations' "My Girl"

Dulin: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why?

Greenfields47: Bob Dylan - "Subterranean Homesick Blues" The lyrics in this song are so truthful about the ways of society in U.S. in the past. I'd like to study the history of nations via songs.

Dulin: What artists/releases are you excited about for 2011?

Greenfields47: Nickel Creek, Foo Fighters, R.E.M, SevenDust, Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum and many others.

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

Greenfields47: No questions really. I'd just be happy to talk about some silly things/silly questions. I'd like for DJs to laugh and enjoy together.

Dulin: What artists and/or songs would you want to hear on the soundtrack of your life?

Greenfields47: I love too many artists. The list is long. I cannot list all of them. George Harrison, John Lennon, R.E.M, REI Speedwagon, Suzi Quatro, Neil Young, Neil Diamond, Phil Collins, Genesis, Mike and the Mechanics, Temptations, Cameo and many others. Songs will be songs of these artists.

Dulin: What influences your blip picks? Mood, nostalgia, new artist/song, social interaction, or other factors?

Greenfields47: I just blip the songs that pop in my head or reblip songs from my past blip list. I blip songs that other DJs may love or like and which is carefully selected, according to DJs and their different tastes.

Dulin: What prompted you to join Blip.fm?

Greenfields47: I love to meet people and exchange music with people of all nations. I love to give CDs to friends and share music joy. Blip.fm is a good way for this music hobby. I have even met DJs who visited Kuala Lumpur City. I have met Florinsta from Italy, who is no longer blippin and closed their account.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

Greenfields47: Keep blippin' DJs. It does much good for other DJs, more than you will ever know. There is too much good music, good musicians and good DJs in the world. You can't list all their good enough.

_________________________________________________________________

@ladypn - Her brother needs help with a kidney transplant

2011-02-28T13:26:00.000-08:00

My brother Kevin Bartley’s kidneys have lost 85 – 90% of function and he will soon have to start dialysis. He has been on a kidney donor list for the past few years, to no avail. We are hoping to find someone who will donate a kidney for Kevin. Transplants performed from living donors usually are more successful than from deceased donors. @ladypn

Read more here:
http://ladypn.blogspot.com/2011/02/hello-my-friends-i-am-writing-today-for.html

Blip Nation Interview: Meet SlipperyDistortion

2011-02-27T15:38:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/SlipperyDistortion

Blipper since: November 30, 2008

After posting nearly 40 interviews of blippers from around the world, I figured it wouldn't be too self-indulgent to agree to being interviewed. The twist with my interview is that I asked blippers to send me questions. I picked 20 questions of most interest to me. Beware, I'm a writer first, editor second by trade. I'm not a master of the pithy response.

One last note... Interviewing my fellow blippers has been such a treat. It's gratifying to learn about people from around the world with an avid interest in music. I'm thrilled to share your insights, stories, humor, and memories. If you want to be interviewed, then drop me a line via email or Facebook. Thanks for the support of the Blip Nation blog. If you're ever in Kansas City, Missouri, give me a shout.

@SlipperyDistortion

LocoStavos: If you were an (nonhuman) animal blipping to another animal. What animal are you, what blip, to what other animal?

SlipperyDistortion: I love this question. Well, I’ve been called a snow monkey, better known as a Japanese macaque. Presumably for my wise demeanor and monkey antics. And tendency to get into hot water. :>o

As a snow monkey, I would blip “Peaceable Kingdom” by Adrian Belew to a goofy and lovable giraffe. Lyrics: http://www.adrianbelew.net/discogbelew/mrmusichead.html

SabriESC: If you could invite any band/musician over for dinner, who would you invite, what would you serve and what music would you play throughout the evening?

SlipperyDistortion: Lucinda Williams. I could listen to her accent all night long. As a lyricist, her self-expression is hard-knuckled, soft-hearted, scabbed and scarred. I love her music even though I don't blip it endlessly. Neko Case would be an alternate.

I’d serve a spread of homemade Thai dishes with a small course of Kansas City barbecue, if she ate meat, to represent hometown flavor. For music, I’d either play old soul music or get an all-star band of Kansas City musician friends to throw a rock/roots show while Lucinda and I sat on the back porch, chatted, rubbed our full bellies, and counted fireflies.

MyCosmicRebellion: Do you think Blip.fm will find ways in the future to make money... like by charging users? What if blip started running preemptive ads before songs?

SlipperyDistortion: Unfortunately, I’d leave Blip.fm if they ran ads before songs. That’s an instant killer. I’d rather pay a monthly or yearly subscription for their service than have advertising interfere with the primary draw of the site.

tammik: I recently read an interview in which Christopher Chu of the Morning Benders said "People are losing the attention span to listen to an album in its entirety, and that is a scary thing. Some music and art needs time to work, and if we aren't in a place to give it that time we are cheating ourselves." Do you prefer to listen to an album from start to finish, or do you favor the randomness of continuous shuffle?

SlipperyDistortion: The short answer - I prefer to listen to an album from start to finish. I agree with Chu wholeheartedly.

Art in any form - music, visual art, film, etc. - takes time to absorb, understand, and appreciate whether we like it or not. I think people are too quick to latch on or dismiss before they really know why they like it or not. Now, we can like some thing, cause, identity online with a button click. I'm not saying we always need to do a deep analysis. Sometimes our gut instinct is immediate and profound. However, I think taking time to listen attentively - to music, to each other - is a skill in decline.

I grew up listening to albums and cassettes. 700 cassettes formed the bulk of my music collection in the 80s until I switched to CDs. Albums and cassettes are sequential, made for listening from start to finish. It’s like receiving a letter from your favorite friend, a lover, a hero. You read it from beginning to end and then re-read it, obsess over it, read between the lines, and study the handwriting, the envelope, the paper. You don’t just extract one line at first. The rest of the letter gives that sentence context. I like to believe that albums (no matter the form they take as media) still communicate in that way. As a result, it’s why I fall in love with certain albums for specific reasons.

That said, a good song stands on its own. Ideally, it has context within the over-arching vision of the artist’s expression on an album. That is, if the artist had a vision that connected the songs and unified the album. That doesn’t always happen.

I still care about this stuff even though I largely consume music digitally now. As an editor of PresentMagazine.com and the primary music writer since 2005, I have focused mostly on listening to local music for work. When I review a record, I listen to it repeatedly in different settings (home, car, coffeeshop). Usually I listen to it over a span of weeks so my reviews are published notoriously slower than anyone might prefer. I take my time to better absorb what’s happening from the artist to the noise between my ears. I write a better review that way rather than cobble a 250-word impression (which I’ve done as a freelancer.)

My listening habits have changed over the past five years. I do hear currently released music more often now as a single or select tracks instead of an entire album. Blip.fm is my music indulgence where I explore, listen, and re-discover music for fun. By nature, it’s a single-based format. It’s a nice alternative to writing about and listening to music with a critical focus. I receive emails daily from PR reps, bands, labels, and newsletters about more music than I have time to explore. The songs I hear and really like wind up in my iTunes, my CD mixes, and sometimes my blips.

orangekittypie: If you could bring a band back from the dead (whether from the literal grave or not), who would it be?

SlipperyDistortion: This question prompted hours of thought. While I think my rationale for coming to the answer is fascinating, I’ll take a cue from my girlfriend who said, “Just tell me!”

If I had the power to bring someone back to life, then I’d like to believe that I’m also omniscient and prescient. I would find unknown boys and girls scattered throughout the world that were incredibly talented singers, songwriters, and musicians. They would have found each other through chance, kismet, social media, business connections. Each of them died, either in the floods of Hurricane Katrina, the remote lands of Sudan, in a dusty tent in Tibet, the streets of Kansas City, London, Toronto or Detroit from drugs, guns, murder. Had they lived, had they found each other and consummated music and established a career, they would have thrilled the world with their voice, vision, and sound. They would stand on the shoulders of established artists who lived, got a shot, and died as world changers.

tammik: You have been hired to create a marketing campaign to drive new traffic to BLIP.fm...what is your tagline?

SlipperyDistortion: Find @nastysurprise.

Davrocks: How do you find that Blip.fm enhances your social networking experience when compared with other more common forms? Is it one of the many ways in which you keep in touch with the same people or are those on Blip.fm different to your other social network compatriots?

SlipperyDistortion: @Davrocks - social network compatriots? You make me sound like I tweet with the Soviet Sons of Cultural Entropy and post party line propaganda on their Facebook wall.

Seriously, first and foremost Blip.fm is a means for me to find, listen, and play music that isn’t necessarily loaded on my laptop. The fact that Blip.fm allows for socializing has grown to be a compelling and vital feature. I love that it's not cluttered with games, photo albums and other distractions like Facebook. I love that its purpose is relatively pure, simple, focused, and effective. It's worth my time.

I have always been interested as a writer in learning about other people. Blip.fm is a perfect means of doing so in a safe, practical, and fun fashion. Music + social engagement tend to enhance each other. Music is better when enjoyed with others. Vice versa, we connect with others better and more easily through music. There are exceptions, of course, i.e. your mom or dad hates your music as much as you hate theirs. I digress.

Blip.fm enables me to listen to and play music as part of an online global network of people with the same interest. Collectively, we share an affinity for music. Blip.fm creates a social networking experience where we can act on that affinity, play music for ourselves and each other, and allow for written and hyperlinked interaction. Rather than enhancing my social networking experience, I would say that Blip.fm is an enhanced social networking experience. It works extremely well within its own platform.

Twitter and Facebook are non-essential social media in my opinion. I can live without both, but have reluctantly adopted them because that's become yet another way people communicate with me personally and professionally. That said, Facebook has become a means of enhancing the social aspect of Blip.fm because FB is better suited to a rich, multimedia experience when communicating. I keep in touch with other blippers through the Blipsters FB group and a few that I have befriended. I keep in touch with many other people that I know in person via FB that I don't connect with via Blip.fm or Twitter. I hope this answers your question...

tammik: You have over 10,000 listeners on blip, yet only 270 favorite DJs. How do you primarily approach music sharing on BLIP.fm...as a means to suggest artists you enjoy to others, or as a tool to pick up new music for yourself?

SlipperyDistortion: I used to keep my favorite DJ count to 50ish in the first few months of being on Blip. I gravitate to both DJs with similar tastes and those with completely different tastes so I could be exposed to different music. That still holds true even though my favorite DJ count bounces around 250, give or take 50-100. I expanded to be more social with limits. The social aspect matters to an extent. Being friends with 1000s prompts the question of what that connection means. While a number of blippers remain in my core rotation, I do trim blippers that I haven’t seen in weeks or months and add new ones for variety.

After re-reading this question, I realized I dodged it. I do blip songs that I find with hopes that others will appreciate it too. Mostly, I'm seeking new sounds for myself.

MyCosmicRebellion: There is a nuclear holocaust - five people remain across the earth, and somehow the internet still works. What do you blip to them?

SlipperyDistortion: I’m going to presume that because the internet still works, Blip.FM still has access to its current library. I’m also going to presume that the five of us (me included) can blip to each other and communicate. When I’m not fending off radioactive zombies and scrounging for food rations leftover by the Dharma Initiative (a “Lost” reference), then I’m going to blip songs that keep me keepin’ on first and foremost. Self-preservation, ya know? Don’t want to go insane. I won’t care about their props or getting new listeners. If one of them drops me as a favorite DJ, then I’ll be incredibly pissed. Not really. For once, I’ll be thankful for music videos on Blip.fm as a visual reminder of how life truly was. ;>) Any music blipped will always be a reminder of the past. Unless the other four form a long-distance band somehow, record music via the internet, and upload it to Blip.fm so they can play their new post-apocalyptic cover of Hanson’s “Mmmm-bop.” In their bedrooms, no less, on their out-of-tune guitar. As a video blip recorded on a cheap cell phone. Ugh.

To answer your question, I’ll re-blip the entire playlist of @anothercraze just to preserve her witty banter for the aliens that will discover my remains and learn how hilariously weird (or weirdly hilarious?) our species is/was.

sliddy: Desert Island. What album would you want to have, that you could play on repeat, and not wind up making you crazy??

SlipperyDistortion: That’s tough. I could pick an album by Sade or Bebel Gilberto for a female voice to keep me company, but I think that'd be a pleasure and a torture over time.

My premeditated pick would be The Replacements’ “All For Nothing/Nothing For All - Best of the Replacements 1985-1990”, B-sides and studio outtakes. This release is a treasure trove of the band’s best music. Paul Westerberg wrote some amazing lyrics that bear examining over and over. The music hits highs and lows; it taps into angst, sadness, defiance, humor, pain, and plenty of other aspects of the human condition that would keep me company until my bones were sun-bleached.

Franimal: Did a specific event occur in your life that helped to encourage your love of music, or have you always had an appreciation for music? If an event, explain.

SlipperyDistortion: I’ve always had an appreciation for music. I don’t play any instruments. As a kid, I was pretty average without many true, close friends. I immersed myself in books, comics, and music to entertain myself and feed my imagination. Music has always had a power to express in ways that I couldn’t as a non-musician, to move me, to inspire creativity, to salve wounds, to introduce rhythm and melody in fresh ways that informs my writing and life.

Franimal: Oh, and your road trip question. What songs would you bring on a road trip.

SlipperyDistortion: I create CD mixes for road trips whenever I’m bound for someplace. Incidentally, my blip DJ name comes from a lost CD mix that I named at random as I usually do. Most of my existing mixes are in my girlfriend’s possession now. At this moment, I’d put together:

Girls - Lust for Life
James - Sometimes
Avi Buffalo - What’s It In For
Camera Obscura - Let’s Get Out of This Country (or French Navy)
Mumford and Sons - Little Lion Man
M. Ward - Jailbird
Wilco - California Stars
Neko Case - This Tornado Loves You
The Watson Twins - U-N-Me
Bill Callahan - Sycamore
R.E.M. - Electrolite
Lissie - Little Lovin
Jens Lekman - Maple Leaves
The XX - Heart Skipped a Beat
The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Hysteric
Talking Heads - This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)

34thStreetVintage: What was the first album you ever bought?

SlipperyDistortion: Eagles Live, a two-LP set released in 1980 by The Eagles. I listened to lots of album-oriented FM radio in my bedroom growing up.

juanita: Where do you learn about new music?

SlipperyDistortion: 1) Peruse what other people play on Blip.FM 2) Receive daily emails from bands, artists, and publicists. As the co-publisher, editor, and primary music writer at PresentMagazine.com, I learn about plenty of music from many different genres. 3) Peek at the playlist of Indie Pop Rocks, a Soma FM online station, http://somafm.com/indiepop/played, when I seek inspiration or want to break out of my routine. 4) Check out Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist, http://www.blalocksirp.com/ and 5) pay attention to KC music podcasts Sonic Spectrum, hosted by Robert Moore (http://twitter.com/sonicspectrum), and The Mailbox, hosted by Michael Byars. (Sample: Show #73 - http://bit.ly/e6cwop). Sonic Spectrum used to appear on Present; The Mailbox is a current feature of PresentMagazine.com.

AprilJ: How has your musical taste changed over time?

SlipperyDistortion: Great question. My music taste has broadened and deepened over time like a river slicing through a canyon. As a teen, I grew up on 70s FM radio which wasn’t quite so formatted. I heard classic rock, disco, New Wave, and pop. In my late teens, I got into hip hop and soul to break away from music I heard on the radio 1000 times already. Run-DMC and other hip hop artists were a radical revelation for me. That music not only appealed to my innate love of rhyme and rhythm, but it also inspired an extremely short breakdancing career. In college, I immersed myself in New Wave and 80s music which morphed into "alternative", World music, and classic roots/revivalist roots which some refer to as Americana or the No Depression genre. Over the past twenty years, I still love all of those genres and more, but find myself listening mostly to indie rock/pop, Americana, and Kansas City/Lawrence bands/artists that span many genres. Since I found Blip.FM, it’s been a near daily process of exploration and appeasing my curiosity. The artists that I appreciate and respect the most are ones like Wilco where their sound evolves over time.

tammik: If you could create a new badge for BLIP.fm, what would it be?

SlipperyDistortion: I think there could be a session badge to recognize the quality of a DJ’s set list, so to speak, of perhaps 20 blips in a session while online. A DJ could indicate they are in “session” mode and consciously play a series of blips where there is continuity, theme, flow, and an arc from start to finish. It’s one thing to blip good songs at random. We all do it. Putting together a solid set that others can tune into for an hour would be cool and interesting to see what people would do. Other blippers could prop, rate, or simply indicate that they are listening in on a specific set. If a DJ’s set garnered say 50, 100, 250, 500, etc. listeners, then they’d earn different badge levels.

The idea behind this badge is to encourage the DJ to focus on the music and consciously blip a set of songs in a quality session. They would only earn badge levels if others were attracted and rated the session accordingly. Of course, that could be gamed just like propping.

orangekittypie: Pick one song that encapsulates your personality, and explain why.

SlipperyDistortion: Crikey. (Browses through iTunes...) Hmmm, “Lighten Up” by Morcheeba. I like the lyrics. The music opens with a contemplative sound that breaks into optimism with a reminder to not take things so seriously. That's me - contemplative, optimistic, serious. The song has powerful highs and lows. It’s full of energy, it’s joyous and redemptive. That's me too. And I’ve brewed up plenty of storms over nothing.
Franimal: What song would you like to have played at your funeral?

SlipperyDistortion: Cowboy Junkies - To Live is To Fly. Great song written by Townes Van Zandt.

MyCosmicRebellion: If you were to create a soundtrack for your favorite book what songs would you use to capture the novel?

SlipperyDistortion: Geez. This is tough. First, I have to decide on a book and then a soundtrack. (Thinking hard.)

Okay, this might seem like a cliché, but I'm going to choose a children's book. Go, Dog, Go! by P.D. Eastman. While I have many favorite books that are varied and complex, I gravitated to this gem from my childhood. Browsing through its pages again, I'm reminded why it hooked me as a kid. The illustrations, colors, story pacing, and subject matter (dogs and cars, dogs in cars) are appealing to me.

What strikes me now as an adult is the story's structure. On a basic educational level, it introduces basic concepts by comparison - big/little, over/under, up/down. Now, this is a big stretch but the observational nature of the book from page to page reminds me of Charles Baudelaire's flâneur, or "one who walks the city in order to experience it." From start to finish, the book poses observations about dogs that are big, little, red, yellow, etc. that are traveling, playing, working, and driving. As early as page 8, a sub-plot begins where a male and female dog have a brief conversation about liking a hat. That sub-plot carries on throughout the book. A second, more subtle sub-plot begins on page 14 that introduces the idea of dogs in cars. Well, why not? In the final pages, an action sequence commences where dogs in cars race to a tree for a dog party. That's a lot to pack into 64 pages using simple sentences and illustrations. While it's not exactly a novel, it's sophisticated for what it accomplishes and conveys to the reader.

So, what would the soundtrack be? For openers, I'm hearing the French combo and lilting voice of Nouvelle Vague's cover of Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough" simmering in the opening. It's light, fun, peppy. Perfect for all ages. That song would segue to The Cure's "Friday I'm in Love." Next, "Nine Lives" from a Kansas City band, Expassionates, for some panache. I'd follow with another local artist, Sara Swenson, who sings beautifully on "Passing Cars, Passing Time." For the closer, I'd include Pomegranates' energetic "Everybody Come Outside" for the dog party scene and fadeout.

TheSteadyDrifter: What was the first song that "changed your life" in a meaningful, memorable way? Why? Does that song still resonate for you today?

SlipperyDistortion: This is one of those questions I could think about endlessly to find a definitive answer. I'm going to go with "Hard Times" by Run-DMC. The song is from the hip-hop act's self-titled debut album released in 1984. The song didn't necessarily change my life, but it came out at a crucial time when my life was changing.

I was a junior in high school. Within a year, my parents would divorce. That itself has nothing to do with the song. That's too easy of a reading. Personally, I was undergoing the shifts that any teen experiences at that age preparing to finish school, thinking about the future, college, growing and more independent. Yet, I also faced a new role as the oldest child of four in a family that I didn't realize would split. I would graduate despite the inner turmoil in my household and heart. I would get a summer job where I earned enough to pay for the first year of college out of my pocket.

The song was important because it opened my ears, mind, and perspective to a style of music that was been one of the major evolving and enduring genres for more than thirty years. It was different from the classic rock, pop, metal and New Wave that dominated radio formats at the time. It spoke to me on a visceral level. I won't fall for the cliche of saying that I identified with the emcees rapping about their life of hard times. I connected with the beat, the sound, the delivery of lyrics in a spoken word form that was honest, forthright, creative, and rhythmic. It made my body want to move, my heart bump, my mind connect observation and expression. It wasn't the formulaic music I heard on the radio or anywhere.

Hip-hop's emergence on the fringe and into the mainstream expanded my interest in other genres of music that I explored in college and in life thereafter. I've never looked back.

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Blip Nation Interview: Meet TheSteadyDrifter

2011-02-25T09:39:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/TheSteadyDrifter

Blipper since: August 20, 2009

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

TheSteadyDrifter: Minnesota, just outside of Minneapolis.

Dulin: You are the new owner of Blip.FM. What would you like to say to the Blip.FM community? How would you improve Blip.FM?

TheSteadyDrifter: I would simply compliment the members for being precisely what you said - a community. We're a global community of music lovers and so many of you are also really wonderful people, I've found. Through Blip.FM I've literally "met" people from all over the world who have not only introduced me to countless great new songs, but who have shown generous spirits.

Dulin: How would I improve the service?

TheSteadyDrifter: I have a few ideas, none of which are likely original. I would love to see greater quality control, eliminating the partial files, the files with poor sound quality, the painfully annoying "cover" videos. On the other hand, I'd like to find a way to make it easier for the community to upload files directly to the service. I know there are copyright issues, but at the end of the day, if we're helping to get these great songs heard, I would hope there could be common ground. Lastly, how about a Blip.FM App for Android devices? iPhone?

Dulin: If you could be a guest artist on tour with any band/artist, then who would you tour with? What instrument would you play?

TheSteadyDrifter: As of right now, based on everything I saw and heard in the last year, I think touring with Mumford and Sons would have to just be an absolute riot. They have tapped into something. I hope they can sustain it. I'd play the spoons.

Dulin: Fill in the blank - I would rather blip music on Blip.FM than...

TheSteadyDrifter: ...try explaining "leap year" to otters.

Dulin: How does music, whether playing/listening on Blip.FM or elsewhere, affect your behavior, reflect your mood, or express your personality from day to day?

TheSteadyDrifter: I make music a part of every day. Most days it plays a significant part. Hearing a favourite song is magical. It can sometimes both lift me and speak to pain at the same time. The brilliance of Blip.Fm is that I can be lost in a project or some other thought and then in the next moment be raising my head with a smile upon hearing a great new song for the first time. I don't trust radio. I used to work in the business, and it seemed like all I ever did was break format because I couldn't stand listening to mediocrity and sameness. Here I have found an entire lovely world of co-conspirators - we break format. worldwide. every day. I trust my fellow blippers.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

TheSteadyDrifter: Well, this will be an involved story. I hope you will bear with me, Pete.

While I never fell out of love with music, for a while there we weren't really speaking to each other. I had grown disaffected, in a variety of ways. Then, sometime in 1997, I think, I found myself in a Borders listening to a bunch of different stuff, when I put on this CD from a guy I hadn't encountered before. On the cover he's standing in a suit, sepia tones, watering the lawn. Cool.

First cut starts with this tasty guitar, and the guy's got just a growl of a voice, and I'm liking it. a lot. Second cut, I hear:

"There's only one light on in the house,
and that's the light up in the hall,
and it's shining on the back of my head,
and I'm concentrating hard,
on the cigarette, to the ashtray,
from the ashtray, back to my lips..."

Well, damn. You know when a song just "works," and it seems perfect? I just went and bought it. Matthew Ryan's debut, May Day.

To make a long story short, I think that record and that song are what reignited my passion for music. Over the years I've had chances to meet and talk to Matthew when he's come through town. Shared a couple drinks. We've corresponded. He's even critiqued some of my awful poetry.

And, two years ago he introduced me to Blip.FM. I really don't know what kind of relationship I'd have with music today if I hadn't stumbled on that record all those years ago, and I quite literally don't know if you and I would be interacting like this without that having happened. So, I'd most definitely blip Matthew Ryan's "Irrelevant." Thanks to @895TheVelvetDJ

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

TheSteadyDrifter: Okay. World tour means I'm leaving out my friends here in the U.S. and Canada. I'll catch them on the North American tour in the fall.

Dublin - @Dolittle
Santiago - @Alvaroxx
Prague - @Spacespencer, @Pudliszek, @leffi333
My tour, so I'm adding a fourth city: Melbourne - @Paraboschi, @winggirl

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

TheSteadyDrifter: Another terrific writer, Michael Timmons, in "Bea's Song":

"John says I look at the moon and the stars,
these days more often than I look into his eyes,
and I can't disagree, so I don't say nothing,
I just stare on past his face, at Venus rising,
like a shining speck of hope hanging over the horizon."

That's a devastating scene, and I can't conceive of a better, more poetic way of conveying it.

It's almost an unfair question. I could list dozens of favourites, but this one has always seemed achingly beautiful.

Dulin: What band or artist would you like to compose an album as a tribute to your life?

TheSteadyDrifter: I think that would be more of a B-side than an album. I wouldn't want to condemn anyone to that. I find plenty of songs that speak to me already.

Dulin: What song reminds you of being in love? Of being heartbroken?

TheSteadyDrifter: Hmmm. Did someone tell you how easy it would be to get me talking if you ask about the heart?

Lisa Hannigan's "An Ocean and A Rock" is a perfect, happy love song.

Heartbreak. One song? Impossible. Here's the song at this particular moment: "31 and Falling," by Chris Pureka.

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

TheSteadyDrifter: Many of them I would just like to ask how they are able to find so many wonderful songs. Amazing. Others, I'd ask - why did you leave, and will you please return?

Dulin: What is your most treasured possession or favorite memory? Tell us a little about it.

TheSteadyDrifter: I took my nine-year-old son on his first real camping trip last summer. The Black Hills of South Dakota. It was also his first time on horseback. I was nervous about the trip, because I wanted it to be special for him, not something boring. We spent a lot of time driving west from Minnesota, talking and listening to music, laughing. The last night, we're in the tent, it's pretty late, and he's half asleep as I'm getting the sleeping bags unrolled. Out of nowhere, he leans over and gives me a hug, and says, "Daddy, I loved this trip."

Dulin: Do you tend to sing along to songs on the radio, to music playing in the car or at home, or when blipping?

TheSteadyDrifter: I sing. Enthusiastically. I have no illusions of any talent, but I can't help participating.

Dulin: Whose tour bus would you prefer break down in front of your home so you could host them for a week? Neko Case, Sharon Van Etten, The National, Radiohead, or someone else?

TheSteadyDrifter: You picked a nice lineup for me. How could I improve? I remember Neko at First Avenue, talking all night about her "dirty hair," and plainly not giving a shit. Completely endearing. I've seen Clogs and The National a couple times. Fantastic. Those guys can stay with me anytime as well.

Dulin: What music would you play first at home to entertain them? What music in your collection would you hide out of embarrassment?

TheSteadyDrifter: I think I could pretty easily just put my iPod on shuffle and feel pretty good that they're going to get some good stuff. I'd want them to hear Sergius Gregory. I might look to skip past the Perishers. I'd try to limit the Rush to just one or two tracks. Everything else is fair game.

Dulin: Imagine you are on a reality show where you must sing karaoke to an audience of friends and family. The prize is $1 million (US) that you can keep or donate to charity. What song would you sing?

TheSteadyDrifter: I've been told that I can do a passable Neil Finn. Of course, alcohol was involved. "Four Seasons in One Day," perhaps, with the proceeds going to @VeryEmerald's and @nastysurprise's new venture ;)

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

TheSteadyDrifter: It's simply amazing what music can do, is it not?

I've told you before Pete, but I will say again what an admirable project this is. Thank you for doing this and helping to me to better know my fellow blippers around the world. I'm honoured to be a small part of what you've compiled, just as I am honoured to have become a small part of the community that is Blip.fm.

Sláinte!

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Interview SlipperyDistortion - Details

2011-02-18T15:00:00.000-08:00

Hi,

It's been suggested that I be interviewed for this blog, Blip Nation. Fair enough. Ask me questions through Feb. 25 via FB, leave a comment here, or email me. See contact info. I'll answer the 20 best questions.

Have fun. Be kind. Remember, the key words are slippery and distortion!

Yours,
SlipperyDistortion

Blip Nation Interview: Meet santamistura

2011-02-17T16:26:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/santamistura

Blipper since: August 16, 2008

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

santamistura: I live in a litle paradise. It is the last beach on the south of Rio de Janeiro - Praia da Macumba.

http://www.panoramio.com/map/?user=1951397#lt%3D-23.032796%26ln%3D-43.477602%26z%3D3%26k%3D1%26a%3D1%26tab%3D1

Dulin: What type of work do you do? Do you listen to music at work for inspiration or distraction?

santamistura: I work with illustrations, and also I do interactive multimedias. My own studio is my home. Music to me = distraction and it inspires me alllllllll the time, for to draw, for to cook, for to think, for to live!!!

Dulin: If you were the new owner of Blip.fm, what would you like to say to the Blip.fm community? How would you improve Blip.fm?

santamistura: If it has a technology ready, then maybe the avatar could have a choice also to use a webcam so it could be a veryyyyyyyy funny show of how I dance sitting in front my computer. Ahahaha, and that is true, I sing and dance with all change of blip replies, but sure I sing everything wrong. Ahahaha. But all time that I am on Blip.fm is always the best moment of my day. It's my time to have fun!!

Dulin: When you're feeling sad or depressed, do you have a "go to" song or artist to help cope?

santamistura: Sure the songs express in some way what you feel about your life, but always it shows also more about you. Your taste shows the way you drive your life. The rhythm, it's like your personal beat, personal style. You can't [help but] to catch who you are in your spirit. The songs show relevant moments in your life, what was happening in these relevant moments. It doesn't matter, the important is the emotion that the song maintains alive ;o)

Dulin: If you could be a guest artist on tour with any band/artist, then who would you tour with? What instrument would you play?

santamistura: ahahaha Hard to choose so I will choose a Brazilian guy that i love, Sr Jorge and Almaz and I could play percussion ;o) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFKC9CajY7M I wanna rock with youuuuuu!!!

Dulin: How does music, whether playing/listening on Blip.FM or elsewhere, affect your behavior, reflect your mood, or express your personality from day to day?

santamistura: I think I have answered that in some way before, but in my routine the songs... It's like to charge my life with emotions = sweetness and happiness.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

santamistura: Easy to answer, and singing it now...
(back voice - ahhhhhhhhHAAAAAAAAAAaaaHHhhhhh) The Republic Tigers - Buildings & Mountains http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qPv4rtVL64&feature=related

[Editor's Note: Republic Tigers are from my hometown, Kansas City! Pete]

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

santamistura: California ( I never went before. It's a dream), Sydney (also because it's my second dream to visit and I'm sure make a long tour of Australia), and Tokyo, because I loveeeeeeee the city and the special behaviors that the Japanese have. Soooooo polite and sweet always!!

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

santamistura: Thinking in the future HTML5 - Arcade Fire - We Used To Wait ;o))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nTjn1yJp0w

Dulin: What is your most treasured possession or favorite memory? Tell us a little about it.

santamistura: The day that I show the house that I live now to my sons. In a middle of a very bad moment of my life, I found this house. For to buy, it was close and an accident. I never was thinking that I could be here but I was always dreaming to be! A perfect place for me and my sons, and they are sooooooo happy also. Pete, I was dreaming to live on this beach when I was 14-years-old and 30 years after I meet again my dream and i live it. ;o)

Dulin: What band or artist would you like to compose an album as a tribute to your life?

santamistura: Neil Young!! Easy title - Harvest Moon ;o) - Neil Young has a magical power of touch in my soul! When I was young, in every big plan for my future I was hearing Neil Young. After so many years, I meet my dreams that I have forgotten and I live all now, living close to the sea, watching my sons to grow... It's like during your life, hearing Neil Young, you can understand and live many things that you don't make plans for, but it´s part of life. So, the songs by him reflect my vision during different times of my life...at 5 years ago..."The Believer" and now "Love and War."

http://www.youtube.com/user/neilyoungchannel#p/u/7/skJddbSJQjA

Dulin: What song reminds you of being in love? Of being heartbroken?

santamistura: Manyyyyyyyyyyy. I'm laughing now. So i will think of my last marriage... Lobão - "vou te levar." Lobão has made a independent CD that you could find on alternative distribution, and I was buying a newspaper and I found his CD 9 years ago. I heard his CD looping. Pete, you can't imagine how beautiful the song is. And he repeats, "I will bring you, I will bring you with me for anywhere I go." ;o)) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MoLbYR57DA

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

santamistura: I have a question for a mountain of blippers. Why they use a avatar and not his true face ;o)

Dulin: What song or type of music inspires you to dance?

santamistura: Many, many again. I must think for each moment. With friends, S&B easy beat like Tim Maia - "Sossego." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCz3NM0WGN8

With my boyfriend (if he will dance one day with me ahahaha), half lounge with swing = Gotan Project - "Chunga's Revenge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyogxu5MLZA

With my sons, when I wake up them ;O)) Cyndi Lauper - "Early In The Morning." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sMEvEAks4I

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

santamistura: Thankssss to you and sure the Blip.fm team for creating this magical link blip.fm ;o)

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Blip Nation Interview: Meet cuezaireekaa

2011-02-16T18:30:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/cuezaireekaa

Blipper since: July 13, 2009

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

cuezaireekaa: Denver, Colorado

Dulin: If you were the new owner of Blip.FM, what would you like to say to the Blip.FM community? How would you improve Blip.FM?

cuezaireekaa: Well, the first thing i would like to say is, "Thank you DJs for making Blip.FM such a beneficial site for sharing/finding new music and classic favorites between like-minded individuals."

To improve I would incorporate a private messaging system just in case you wanna say something to a DJ without the whole community seeing. Also I would let the user design/theme their page with maybe an uploaded image for the background to make it a little more personal. (Yeah and do away with those pesky bedroom covers).

Dulin: When you're feeling sad or depressed, do you have a "go to" song or artist to help cope?

cuezaireekaa: Indeed i do... Any song by Okay or Hey Joe by the late and great Sparklehorse. ~~<3

Dulin: If you could be a guest artist on tour with any band/artist, then who would you tour with? What instrument would you play?

cuezaireekaa: That would be a toss up between They Might Be Giants and I'd play the giant stick John bangs on the stage. (Forgot what they call it.) Or, the Flaming Lips and I'd share screaming duties with Wayne on the megaphone.

Dulin: Fill in the blank - I would rather blip music on Blip.FM than...

cuezaireekaa: ...sleeping obviously.

Dulin: How does music, whether playing/listening on Blip.FM or elsewhere, affect your behavior, reflect your mood, or express your personality from day to day?

cuezaireekaa: It sometimes is what I turn to to make my mood better. Just the diversity that gets played from my favorite DJs helps. I love being able to go a few pages back and finding a song that is just what the doctor ordered, or jumping on someone's page and realizing they are feeling just like me.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

cuezaireekaa: (toughie) I guess i would blip "Love Yer Brain" by the Flaming Lips. "Because a person has to have something, to keep them from going insane."

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

cuezaireekaa: Italy - @mammara / Canada - so many to mention / England - @arth @creepygirl and @treakiepop because I could prop them all-day and they're HILARIOUS.

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

cuezaireekaa: I wish i had written "Boat of Car" by TMBG so I'd know what the hell it is about. ;)

Dulin: What is the earliest age that you can remember listening to music? What artists/bands did you like in your youth?

cuezaireekaa: That would be around ten. I had one friend that turned me on to the type of music I listen to today. His name is Billy Graves (where are you Billy?) ..he was an older kid but i wanted to be a skater just like him. He turned me on to Depeche Mode, The Cure, PiL, and a slew of others and to this day, I have still never met anyone personally who can stomach what i listen to. (save for a couple friends i have force-fed my tastes to)

Dulin: What song reminds you of being in love? Of being heartbroken?

cuezaireekaa: "Heartbroken Forever" by Tender Forever explains me to a tee.

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

cuezaireekaa: Probably one of my top favorite DJs @by_starla. I would ask her "Where do you find all that Gold?: She can blip no wrong. Or to someone I won't mention but ask, "Why so many name changes?"

Dulin: What is your most treasured possession or favorite memory? Tell us a little about it.

cuezaireekaa: My IPOD or phone w/headphones because it has replaced my walkman and discman. ;)

Dulin: What song or type of music inspires you to dance?

cuezaireekaa: I'm afraid to dance.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

cuezaireekaa: I just want to say that what you are doin Pete, IS WONDERFUL and it gives us DJ's a chance to get to know each other a little better. Thank you for the interview and I'm not alone when i say "Lets get @rojdoj on here!"

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Blip Nation Interview: Meet unkledd

2011-02-10T14:14:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/unkledd

Blipper since: June 23, 2010

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

unkledd: I live in Franca, a small town in France. Like the song of "Songs for Drella" by John Cale and Lou Reed, it' s hard to find people who are music addicts like me. [There are only 2.] Then it's a great pleasure to be here.

Dulin: What sort of work do you do? Does music inspire your work or is it a part of your workday?

unkledd: I would like to work in the music field, but for now I am an employee in a department store [that sells wine]; I love wine but I prefer music.

Dulin: If you were the new owner of Blip.FM, then what would you like to say to the Blip.FM community? How would you improve Blip.FM?

unkledd: I would ask your question, "How would you improve Blip fm?" Because they know what they need to do it better. For me, don't change but a chat ( like on Facebook), and more possibilities to search for music like Last.fm.

Dulin: If you could be a guest artist on tour with any band/artist, then who would you tour with? What instrument would you play?

unkledd: Last year, I would be proud to sing "Vaporyze" with Broken Bells. I was singing in a friend's band ten years ago... Now, I would like to something as a duo or solo...

Dulin: Do you have a favorite genre of music or preferred era of recorded music?

unkledd: My roots are pop and indie rock, but I love electro, hiphop, jazz, world too... The style is not important. A good song is a good song...

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

unkledd: The easiest is "Imagine" [by John Lennon] but to give a more personal song, I would like to blip the song "Time to Re" by Nana Simopoulos from the album Wings and Air (1986) because it's so peaceful. After that you can kill your neighbour...

Dulin: Do you listen to local/regional music much? Favorite artists you'd recommend to the rest of the world?

unkledd: It doesn't matter where music comes from. All music that speaks to my soul or my heart is welcome. I recommend Karaocake, the Bewitched Hands, Chapelier Fou from France, Triggerfinger from Belgium, Nits from Netherland, Naseokomix, Kottarashky from Bulgaria, Fear of Symmetry from Serbia, Bandfastforward from Turkey...

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

unkledd: The next one I will write ;p

No, "Days" by Ray Davies of the Kinks for the meaning of life. So positive, just to be thankful of what you are, what you have done, peace and love message... " I won't forget a single day, believe me ..."...

Dulin: What is the earliest age that you can remember listening to music? What artists/bands did you like in your youth?

unkledd: It begins with The Cure, The Beatles, The Smiths at 14.

Dulin: What song reminds you of being in love? Of being heartbroken?

unkledd: Being in love...so many songs. "I Got a Crush on You" by Ella Fitzgerald. Being heartbroken: "You Can Put Your Arms Around a Memory" by Johnny Thunders.

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

unkledd: When do you come back here ?

Dulin: Is there a family member or friend that has had a significant influence on your music tastes? If so, who? Tell us how they influence(d) you.

unkledd: Everyone who loves music is an influence to me, because I really love to discover new sounds. I want to thank missing @Kristen Boyd who helps me a lot. [She is a] famous and very kind DJ. I hope she will come back.

Dulin: What is your most treasured possession or favorite memory? Tell us a little about it.

unkledd: We have no possessions here, We are just dust that the wind blows. My favorite memory will come...

Dulin: You're in a vault at a major record label. You get to pick a secret album by any artist never before released that will be shared worldwide in 2011. What artist/band would you pick? What would you want the music to sound like?

unkledd: I choose my Serbian friend Fear of Symmetry. You can listen to her on Soundcloud or on Last.fm (freedownload).

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

unkledd: It's always a pleasure to meet music addicts. Blipsters, I wish you the best in music...

Thank you Pete. Really a kind exercise. Someone should interview you?

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Blip Nation Interview: Meet MyCosmicRebellion

2011-02-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/MyCosmicRebellion

Blipper since: January 30, 2010

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

MyCosmicRebellion: I just moved to Asheville, North Carolina. I’m an expatriate of Northeast Ohio (home of some really great artists: The Black Keys; Jim Jarmusch; DEVO; Guided by Voices; The Breeders; The National; Joseph Arthur; Talons’; Trouble Books; Mark Kozelek; etc..)

Dulin: If you were the new owner of Blip.FM, what would you like to say to the Blip.FM community? How would you improve Blip.FM?

MyCosmicRebellion: The first thing I’d send out to the Blip.FM community would be a quote by Haruki Murakami: "Music brings a warm glow to my vision, thawing mind and muscle from their endless wintering." Then I’d improve Blip by not allowing people to mass Blip, and by cutting out all the terrible iphone videos that sound like the @%()*#@!

Dulin: If you could be a guest artist on tour with any band/artist, then who would you tour with? What instrument would you play?

MyCosmicRebellion: I’d tour with Sunset Rubdown – Spencer Krug is brilliant. I don’t play an instrument, but if I did it would be the piano.

Dulin: Fill in the blank - I would rather blip music on Blip.FM than...

MyCosmicRebellion: Take a bath while eating spaghetti.

Dulin: If you could teach English anywhere in the world, where would you go?

MyCosmicRebellion: If I could teach English anywhere in the world I’d probably go to Romania. My ancestors were from the Transylvania area, and I’ve always been interested in the Roma Gypsy culture. The music goes straight to my soul. Django Reinhardt; Gogol Bordello; Balkan Beat Box; Kultur Shock; etc..

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

MyCosmicRebellion: Nina Simone “Ain't Got No... I've got Life.” I respect that woman to the core of my bones.

Dulin: If you were on a world tour as a Blip.FM DJ and ambassador, what three countries or cities would you visit first? What DJs would you like to meet?

MyCosmicRebellion: I’d visit Ireland first so I could finally meet with @Dolittle in person. Then I’d go to Brazil with @Beap, and we’d hang out with @Eliott_is_dead. Lastly, I’d stop off in London, and say hello to my old friend @Shanx.

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

MyCosmicRebellion: Tom Waits “Never Let Go”

“Well, Peter denied and Judas betrayed
I'll bail with the roll of the drum
And the wind will tell the turn from the wheel
And the watchman is making his rounds
Well, you'll leave me hanging by the skin of my teeth
I've only got one leg to stand
You can send me to hell
But I'll never let go of your hand.”

It’s legal to have a crush on a man that’s twice your age when he’s as talented as Tom Waits.

Dulin: What band or artist would you like to compose an album as a tribute to your life?

MyCosmicRebellion: You could just play Nico “These Days” and Hank Williams “Ramblin’ Man” on repeat.

Dulin: What song reminds you of being in love? Of being heartbroken?

MyCosmicRebellion: A song alone can play upon my emotions. I remember the first time I ever heard Jeff Buckley’s version of “Hallelujah” …I was in tears!

Bowerbird’s “In our Talons’ along with Neutral Milk Hotel’s “In The Aeroplane Over the Sea,” and Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” make me w-a-r-m inside. The achey feelings come when Chris Bell’s “I am the Cosmos” is played (goodness, have you HEARD that album?!); The Flaming Lips “Revenge”; Fugazi “I’m so Tired”; The National “About Today”; and of course Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

MyCosmicRebellion: @LocoStavos – How’s the weather in Ohio?

Dulin: What is your most treasured possession or favorite memory? Tell us a little about it.

MyCosmicRebellion: One of my favorite memories as a child is riding in the back of my mom's 1984 Buick station wagon. It had faux wood paneling and tan corduroy seats. My mom was in the front seat singing along to Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind." I always thought she had the most beautiful singing voice.

Dulin: Do you tend to sing along to songs on the radio, to music playing in the car or at home, or when blipping?

MyCosmicRebellion: If I’m alone I’ll sing along. I like to dance in the bookstore (when no one’s there of course). The Black Keys and Gogol Bordello are good for that.

Dulin: Whose tour bus would you prefer break down in front of your home so you could host them for a week? Cat Power, Aimee Mann, The National, Neutral Milk Hotel, or someone else?

MyCosmicRebellion: I’d like to host Radiohead for a week. What a deal that would be, they’re each uniquely rewarding.

Dulin: What music would you play first at home to entertain them? What music in your collection would you hide out of embarrassment?

MyCosmicRebellion: I’d play some Duke Ellington; Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald; Billie Holiday; T Model Ford; Tom Waits; The Black Keys; some Leonard Cohen; and Jeff Buckley.

Luckily, I just sold most of my embarrassing albums before I moved from Ohio to North Carolina.

Dulin: You're in a vault at a major record label. You get to pick a secret album by any artist never before released that will be shared worldwide in 2011. What artist/band would you pick? What would you want the music to sound like?

MyCosmicRebellion: Thom Yorke, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley, and Nina Simone supergroup!

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

MyCosmicRebellion: Everyone should check out Own Records. They've released so many incredible bands, and they're just down right amazing people.

Also, I’d like to thank Blip.fm for giving me the strength through music to make it through my last place of employment and for introducing me to my current boyfriend @Stevthory.

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Blip Nation Interview: Meet Diordan

2011-02-08T15:27:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/Diordan

Blipper since: September 9, 2009

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

Diordan: São Paulo, Brasil.

Dulin: How important is blipping to you?

Diordan: I'm very passionate about sharing music. Actually, since I begun blipping I became very passionate about sharing music. To share a tune is something special. Something that makes me feel the song is more alive.

This strange feeling that someone else in the world could listen to that song and it and this could really change that someone's mood, day, life. I think this feeling is amazing, so when I listen to music I feel more than a desire. I feel a real need of sharing the songs I'm listening to.

Dulin: What sort of work do you do? Does music inspire your work or is it a part of your workday?

Diordan: I'm owner/partner of a digital marketing focused agency http://mohlab.com.br. Music is absolutely vital for me. It is present from I wake up until I go to bed. I used to sleep with music on before but not anymore. Yes, music inspires my work, my living, my relationships, pretty much everything I do. I used to read more than I do nowadays, then music and cinema represent my main intake channel for culture.

Dulin: Can you provide an example of music used in advertising/marketing that you think works well or terribly?

Diordan: A fantastic example is that Egyptian Panda TV commercial. The use of that Buddy Holly song - True Love Ways - http://blip.fm/profile/Diordan/blip/63000453/Buddy+Holly%E2%80%93True+Love+Ways was just perfect. Funny, tragic, violent and cute, all at the same time! =)

See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6iHCFiSqIw
See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0PiINfDxP4 for a car good example.

The bad uses of music in advertisements in my opinion are basically when you use a "not very unknown" version of a classic, just to look cool and there's no interaction between the song meanings and the brand concepts or something interesting that could be said.

I feel like they're using the song just because is a well-known song, and trying to capture it's vibes and meanings just to stay close to it, like if a brand logo displayed by the side of a famous artist.

Dulin: If you were the new owner of Blip.FM, what would you like to say to the Blip.FM community? How would you improve Blip.FM?

Diordan: Well this is tough question. The guys behind Blip.fm must have been taking a lot of pressure. It's not easy to deal with digital music, record labels, narrowed visions upon this new "uncontrollable sharing world." Most artists still feel their music is not being shared or promoted by the crowd, but stolen.

I really hate the invasion of the YouTube database, but I understand that this was something that had to be done. Now most users blip YouTube legal videos and this is such an useful smokescreen. That's why they did not implement an easy way to filter databases from the search results.

It's not that I don't like YouTube music videos at all, but I think that in many cases the audio quality is poor. There are dozens of fantastic videos that could be blipped, because they're really great, but I don't like to see my favorites thread and notice that there are about 80% of Youtube videos versus only 20% of mp3 songs.

I guess Blip.FM is still the best music-oriented social platform, and I have much respect for the work of that team. @Jeff is really an enthusiast of sharing and promoting undiscovered good music. I think that he did what he had to do to keep up this brilliant site.

Dulin: What is your blog about? http://mordaca.tumblr.com/

Diordan: Music. I also publish Mordaça's Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/Mordaca

The objective is to share good music. Spread good music all around. I really believe that life's a 24-hour journey, and you will do great things if you spend a few minutes with relevant hearings. I have another Tumblr too about, images, art, design, and visual references. This is a blog that I use to compile visual references which could be inspiration to my work. http://myverythoughts.tumblr.com

Dulin: If you could be a guest artist on tour with any band/artist, then who would you tour with?

Diordan: Wow, If I have to choose only one, holy Curtis Mayfield. But Brooklyn Funk Essentials, Mundo Livre SA, Freak Power, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, and Duke Ellington would be great too!

Dulin: Do you have a favorite genre of music or preferred era of recorded music?

Diordan: Yes I can say I'm mainly a Jazz, Soul, Samba and Funk lover. But I really love Rock and Roll and Hip Hop too. I like music from the '20s through the '70s. From the '80s on things "aren't just the same," but there are a lot of great, fantastic things of course. And nowadays there are a lot of great things too.

Dulin: How does music, whether playing/listening on Blip.FM or elsewhere, affect your behavior, reflect your mood, or express your personality from day to day?

Diordan: It is a symbiotic relationship I guess. I use music to promote states of mind, feelings. I also use music to cheer me up when I'm down, or to calm down when needed. I have songs I need to listen to in certain circumstances. But music is also a reflection of my mental states. When I am angry I used to listen to more Rock and Roll. When I'm filled with more sublime thoughts or feelings I tend to listen to more Jazz, Soul, Samba and Funk. When I feel more "urban tuned," kinda upset by things that goes on in the city, urban problems, injustices etc., I tend to listen to more Brazilian Hip Hop.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

Diordan: Curtis Mayfield - No Thing On Me (Cocain Song). http://bit.ly/ewmhkq or Nitin Sawhney - Mausam - http://blip.fm/listen/nitin+ sawhney::mausam

Dulin: What three songs would you want played at your funeral?

Diordan: I don't want to have a funeral I guess. If my ashes could be spread in the wind from the top of a mountain the sound of the wind would be perfect enough.
If I have to choose a song to be remembered for, then I'd choose Miles Davis' "So What" or Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" or even Duke Ellington's "Take the A Train" or maybe Gershwin's "Summertime."

Dulin: Do you listen to local/regional music in your much? Favorite artists you'd recommend to the rest of the world?

Diordan: Yes, Brazilian music is rich, huge and fantastic. I'd recommend a great list of new or "not that new" artists/producers:

Instituto, Daniel Ganjaman, Tulipa Ruiz, Karina Buhr, Céu, Daniel Cohen & Marcela Bellas, Beto Villares, Fil Pinheiro, Filipe Bueno, Giba Nascimento, Anelis Assumpção, Teresa Cristina, Bruno Buarque,Curumin, Siba, Lucas Martins, Sizão Machado, Rosa Passos, Filó Machado, Gui Amabis, Rodrigo Campos, André Hosoi, Grupo Rumo, Jonas Tatit, Paulo Tatit, Luiz Tatit, Ná Ozzetti, E.M.I.C.I.D.A., Maquinado, Cidadão Instigado, Móveis Coloniais de Acajú, Kiko Dinnucci, Swami Jr., Bocato, Proveta, Banda Mantiqueira, Maquinado, Cérebro Eletrônico, Dudu Tsuda, Jumbo Elektro, Miranda Kassim & André Frateschi, Baiana System, Tom Zé, Ari Borger Quartet, Mundo Livre SA, Arnaldo Antunes, Garotas Suecas, Pata de Elefante, Mombojó, Deodato, Raul de Souza, Pedro Luís e a Parede, Roberta Sá, Marcelo Jeneci, Carlos Careqa.

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

Diordan: I'd really like to have written Cat Stevens' -"Oh Very Young." The lyrics are perfect. Very, very inspirational. I'd really have enjoyed writing Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" for the same reason. But the song I really wanted to have written is Otis Redding's "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay." Such a perfect mood, smooth and cozy.

Dulin: What is the earliest age that you can remember listening to music? What artists/bands did you like in your youth?

Diordan: I really couldn't tell. 5, 6 years old? I remember from my very early years sitting in my father's car and listening to classical music. Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Mozart, Vivaldi, Dvorak.

After that I discovered music by myself when I began to "steal" my mother's K7 tapes and LP's. I was an early teenager and I discovered Bob Marley and great Brazilian composers like Chico Buarque, Tom Jobim, Gilberto Gil, and Caetano Veloso.

Dulin: What song reminds you of being in love? Of being heartbroken?

Diordan: In love: Roy Orbison's "We'll Take the Night." Heartbroken: Stevie Wonder - "Just Called to Say I Love You."

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

Diordan: @threebears - Why did you quit blipping? Miss you so much =)

Dulin: Is there a family member or friend that has had a significant influence on your music tastes? If so, who? Tell us how they influence(d) you.

Diordan: Yes @pafurada, @FernandaW and @cabrochette always had a significant influence in my musical taste. They all know very very much about music in all of my favorite fields and styles. Blip.FM is the perfect tool for exchanging music and we have been doing this along since 2008.

Dulin: What is your most treasured possession or favorite memory? Tell us a little about it.

Diordan: About Blip.fm? Guess it is the friends; people I met for real who came by Blip.fm I used to say that music is the perfect filter. I made true good friends in Blip.fm and I wasn't much the kind that made new friends over the Internet. Blip.FM changed that. If you check what people say and listen to, you find out if that someone you'd want to meet personally or not.

Dulin: You're in a vault at a major record label. You get to pick a secret album by any artist never before released that will be shared worldwide in 2011. What artist/band would you pick? What would you want the music to sound like?

Diordan: Wow again! I'd really wanted to listen to that secret unreleased Beatles' record and I'd like the songs to sound like original mastered recordings, I'd like also to follow the Beatles' original edition and mastering standards so the entire record could sound like if it was released in 1972.

I'd really enjoy doing the same with that fantastic unreleased Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions record.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

Have you seen this? http://www.dojo.ie/donal/radio/busy_blipper.html I found it a great iniciative. It's nice to have some stats on Blip.Fm.

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Blip Nation Interview: Meet sliddy

2011-02-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/sliddy

Blipper since: November 23, 2009

Pete Dulin: Where in the world do you live?

sliddy: Broomfield, Colorado between Boulder and Denver. Suburb city baby!

Dulin: What is the appeal of Blip.FM for you?

sliddy: Discovering new music....also, connecting with like-minded people and talking about what's out there. Those close (proximity-wise) don't necessarily get my taste. Blip.FM is a way to engage with those who are passionate and open about music. I love it! Work has been stifling it a lot lately though.

Dulin: What's the first music that you ever purchased? Record, cassette, CD, other?

sliddy: Embarrassing as this may be, I'm willing to admit it....."Cooleyhighharmony"....Boyz II Men babyyyyyyyy

Dulin: Is there a family member or friend that has had a significant influence on your music tastes? If so, who? Tell us how they influence(d) you.

sliddy: Friends over the years have influenced me. First being Karl and Pixies. We're not friends so much now, but I remember being 21 and hearing 'Broken Face' and wondering what the hell it was and who was creating it. I was memorized.

Dulin: If you could play one song to rock your office and get the staff dancing on their desks in accounting, what would you play?

sliddy: Hard one, 'cause I work in an office consumed by males. I've had to assert myself and then some! They are old school and dig Hendrix, Lynyrd Sknyrd, Johnny Cash, and are obsessed with Youtube. I find that I exceed highly when I bring up John Hughes' movies and reference those soundtracks.

Dulin: What artist(s) is over-played on Blip.FM?

sliddy: Call me a peace-loving hippie-dippy type, but I don't think anything is over-played. People are on Blip.FM to explore and play music that inspires them and appeals to their ears. To each his own.

Dulin: What song reminds you of being in love? Of being heartbroken?

sliddy: Being on the receiving end of a break-up at 22 was hard. Death Cab - "Tiny Vessels." I was the dumpee. "She is beautiful but she doesn'/don't mean a thing to me...." Words resonated forever. Not that I think I'm beautiful, but the intention of those lyrics fit my situation perfectly. Glad I'm not 22 anymore!

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

sliddy: Azure Ray- "Rise"

This exemplified a difficult period in my life and made me feel as though someone in the world understood. Actually though, now that I'm older I realize that it's not about what I was going through. I'm beyond happy that it helped even so. Also, it's hauntingly beautiful.

Dulin: What kind of music bores you?

sliddy: Jazz. I feel bad dogging any sort of genre, but jazz makes me crazy. My step-dad plays Kenny G sometimes. No thank you. And also, though I've been judgmental on Facebook regarding country, I can tolerate various types. No honky-tonk. The twang drives me nuts. And if your dog died (huge animal lover) it's a private thing. :)

Dulin: What would you recommend to Blip.FM newcomers?

sliddy: Explore, explore, explore. Find different things you enjoy and don't be influenced by props. Blip.FM to me is about having fun and listening to new/old music for free and for fun! I've come across so much sound that I never would have had it not been for this site.

Dulin: You're trapped in an elevator. What country song would you not want to hear repeatedly?

sliddy: I don't know much country, but I will tell you that growing up my mother and I listened to Garth Brooks 'Picket Fences' incessantly. Could be why I despise country now...

Dulin: What is your most treasured possession or favorite memory? Tell us a little about it.

sliddy: My laundry basket of CDs. I have two gargantuan CD holders (300 each) that hold music from when I was a teenager. The rest is filed in a couple of laundry baskets. If a fire ensued, I'd grab those first. Plus my cat, my boyfriend's dog and the art on the wall.

Dulin: You've just purchased the company, Blip.FM. What is the first thing you'd change?

sliddy: I've discovered so much music through this site. It's amazing. I'd try to offer a little more diversity with new bands if possible, and also I'd give a little extra space for people to share thoughts about said song. Being limited to a certain number of characters gets bothersome if you're trying to intro/send a buddy an artist you enjoy.

Dulin: If you were the leader of a band, what instrument would you play and what would your stage name be?

sliddy: Triangle or the air guitar, 'cause these are two highly underrated instruments! :p Seriously though, my bf bought me a bass and I'm on the hunt for a teacher.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

sliddy: Though I haven't been able to be on it lately, I'm so psyched about this site. I've learned about so much new music and have 'introduced' myself to so many like-minded people. I enjoy all of my time on Blip.FM. If only you were all closer and could come to concerts with me!

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Pete Dulin is the co-publisher and editor of www.presentmagazine.com and writes freelance for magazines, websites, and newspapers. Always looking for the next great song, he can be found in the Blip Nation at http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion. He can be reached at Twitter.com/petedulin, http://www.facebook.com/pete.dulin and www.petedulin.com.

Blip Nation Interview: Meet spacespencer

2011-02-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/spacespencer

Blipper since: May 27, 2009

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

spacespencer: After living in the city of Cologne (which some may know) for a long time I moved to the countryside a few years ago in the western part of Germany. It's a very rural region close to the Eifel mountains, but I've got company in the form of a residential community with my boyfriend and some good friends (and loads of animals). We share a house that used to be a former moated castle outside a tiny village. Very romantic.

Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?

spacespencer: When I was a kid I heard Kate Bush's "Wuthering Hights" on the radio and was blown away. Actually I thought it was also a child singing it because of the very high voice. Luckily my older sister had the single on vinyl so I could steal it from her. Does that count as "purchase"?

Dulin: What kind of music bores you?

spacespencer: I can't really listen to Hip Hop or Rap tunes. Maybe it's different when you're English and get all the lyrics, but the mostly monotonous rhythmic schemes and the use of samples doesn't convince me that much. Besides that I can't really find an approach to latin music (e.g. Salsa etc.).

Dulin: What music do you listen to when relaxing? With friends?

spacespencer: Loads of all the indie folk and alt-country bands are brilliant to listen to when I want to sit back and relax. Also most of The National's excellent slower songs make me relax and unwind. I usually don't listen to music just as a background noise, for example when having friends around. Much more I like to play songs to the friend who's with me and discover them together. Or be a DJ at a party and make the folks dance.

Dulin: What is your most treasured possession or favorite memory? Tell us a little about it.

spacespencer: Hmm, I guess you're referring to memories connected to music. Well, as many others I associate a few tunes with certain situations with lovers and friends. Of which I won't tell more of in detail here … but, I clearly remember the song that was playing in my car (on cassette) when I had my first car crash (nothing serious). So "Birdmad Girl" from The Cure always makes my foot hit imaginary breaks.

Dulin: Where do you learn about and hear new music?

spacespencer: I follow several music blogs on tumblr and listen to the songs posted there, and of course I get lots of inspirations from the Blip.FM DJs. Since I've joined Blip.FM I discovered an incredible amount of artists and bands. It's so sad that you don't get to hear any of those on the radio stations over here. How many good musicians deserve the chance of being played more often to a broad audience and don't get that opportunity because the radio keeps playing the charts up and down or some crappy casting bands?

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

spacespencer: Oh, that's a tough one. There are many, and at the same time none that fits all. So maybe "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" by The Smiths is a nice way to make you really feel something and see what a good little song can do and mean to you. Time to get more sensitive!

Dulin: Pick a song by one of your favorite artists/bands. If you were a producer, then who would you pick to cover that song?

spacespencer: It would be interesting to hear some German bands cover English songs and translate the lyrics, just to know what's going on in the songs.

So what's Frightened Rabbit's "Snake" really about? ;) The other way 'round: Scottish band Camera Obscura should cover some songs from our very own "Wir sind Helden" or Arcade Fire could do "Verstärker" from "Blumfeld."

Dulin: What song or type of music makes you want to dance?

spacespencer: I can dance to a lot of the stuff from the '80s and '90s (keyword: at the indie disco! @Dolittle), but I also don't have a problem to make a fool of myself when jumping around to a good disco tune. I enjoy shaking my hips to some good tunes in public, but no one should really be allowed to see how I express myself in free dance when on my own … *ahem*.

Dulin: What musician, singer, or band would you most like to meet? Why?

spacespencer: At the moment I'd like to pick some of the singing Scots who made such brilliant music over the last two years or so. With the cute, cuddly and bearded ones I'd stand on some deserted, foggy scottish hill and just listen to them having a chat with each other and I'd enjoy the most lovable accent. :)

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

spacespencer: Oh well, I may be the wrong one to judge qualified all the lyrics written and sung in English. But I guess that Robert Smith was a pretty good lyricist on the early albums of The Cure, and I understand that Guy Garvey of Elbow uses some amazing ways to express himself, together with his fascinating voice.

Dulin: Do you play any instruments? If not, what would you like to play?

spacespencer: I play the guitar a bit for I needed it when I was a teacher for the little kids in primary school. So I can accompany "Good morning, good morning, good morning to you" and others. Besides that I kind of taught myself to torture the piano. I'd love to be able to play it really good so I could improvise or play along to my favorite piano tunes.

Dulin: Name 5 songs that would be essential on a road trip mix.

spacespencer: I'd pick anything of The Shins or Arcade Fire. You'd certainly find songs by them that fit any speed or scenery you're driving by.

Dulin: Do you have any thoughts about the anonymity of a social medium like Blip.FM and how people connect and/or get to know each other in that online music community?

spacespencer: Well, it does make the world a smaller place. It actually doesn't matter where the other one is – it may be around the corner in Denmark (Hi mermaid @mettee!) or down under. Apart from the damn time zone thing it's too nice to be able to get in contact with people from the other side of the world, and not just for a chat but because you share the love for music. When getting in touch to someone in Australia or the US West Coast via a band or a song we both like the distance doesn't matter much, because you're connected by the tunes. So it's not very anonymous when sharing your feelings, is it?

Dulin: What are your favorite things to do when not listening to music?

spacespencer: I'm on the Internet a lot. I'm a freelance graphic designer working from my home office. So procrastinating is easy when being in front of the monitor all day, for example, going to my favorite blogs or trying to catch up with the feed reader.

Far too often I don't take my time to find a balance for that and go outside with the dogs and enjoy the countryside. I need to be distracted by friends and guests coming around and who will make me get off of my chair and say "Hello" to the world outside. Luckily living together with 5 friends in our house makes this happen more often. And when I've finally made it to get out of my office I like to take lots of photos from everyone and everything over here, so I did a kind of pictured documentation over the last six years of everyone involved.

Dulin: Do you prefer to focus on only songs by an artist that appeal to you or do you give the whole recording time to grow on you?

spacespencer: When I was younger I used to be a collector of everything a band or artist had published, from the worst bootleg recording to all available b-sides and things. This doesn't happen much today, so it seems I finally got over my teenage fanboy phase by now (which is good, since I'm 40 – Haha).

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

spacespencer: I'd like to say "Thank you!" to @DChain who introduced me to Blip.FM (Bütz!) – I can't tell how much I would have missed without discovering that site.

And a special hug goes out to @JTMaustin who became a very good friend, and guess what: I met him on Blip.FM. (Hey bear!)

And thank you, Pete, for doing these interviews and having me.

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Blip Nation Interview: Meet muffinlab

2011-01-29T09:08:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/muffinlab

Blipper since: November 18, 2009

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

muffinlab: Calgary, Canada.

Dulin: Since you began blipping, have you had any experiences that surprised you? Please explain.
muffinlab: I'm surprised that I genuinely like so many people I have never met.

Dulin: How would you improve Blip.FM?

muffinlab: I'm easy to please, but the YouTube covers have got to go, It bugs me that I can't blip Neil Young without sifting through 800 vids.

Dulin: What animal, cartoon/comic book character, or character in a film best personifies you?

muffinlab: I'd like to think I'm a cross between Beatrix Kiddo aka Black Mamba (Kill Bill) and Margot Tenenbaum, however in all honesty I am most like Tank Girl. Kind of a tomboy, problems with authority, extensive weapons training, eccentric and questionable taste in boyfriends.

Dulin: What legacy of musical knowledge would you like to impart to someone else you know?

muffinlab: I'd like to introduce ANY OTHER genre to my uptight, vegan friends. There is more out there than punk rock! (Not to detract from said punk rock.)

Dulin: What band or artist would you most like to meet and why?

muffinlab: I would say Damon Albarn, but I'd bet money he would be a total prick; so, I'll go with Beck Hansen. I've never met a real live Scientologist, and he's a total babe.

Dulin: If you could impersonate a Blip.FM DJ for a day, then who would it be? What songs would you play?

muffinlab: I'd impersonate @nastysurprise and blip a load of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nickelback because they are his favourite bands.

Dulin: What Blip.FM DJs would you recommend following?

muffinlab: I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings here, but for a good time call @FunkShoi @dronnoisseur @TheNewYorkChimes @GrassyKnoll @Arth @PennyDreadfulsNightmareJuice @Modster @anothercraze @igetfreepie @Letranger. Also, you can learn a lot from @radolo, @rojdoj and @sandyriverside. Bonus! These DJs are clever and quick-witted. (There are so many more!)

Dulin: Name 5 songs that would be essential for a road trip mix.

muffinlab:

Led Zeppelin 'Immigrant Song'
Fugazi 'Waiting Room'
Gnarls Barkley 'Storm Coming"
The Beatles 'Here Comes the Sun'
Fever Ray 'Keep the Streets Empty for Me'

Dulin: What interests you about blipping?

muffinlab: I'm too lazy to have a music blog, or read them. I'm enamored with the idea of having comments to my soundtrack..and vice versa. Also, Blip.FM>Facebook.

Dulin: If you could travel anywhere in the world to see a band/artist perform live, then where would you go and who would you want to see?

muffinlab: DREAMSHOW! - Gorillaz/Radiohead/Glastonbury. Note: This may have actually occurred at some point. Clearly, I missed it.

Dulin: What song would you like to see retired from Blip.FM?

muffinlab: NONE! that would be censorship :)

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why? Aesop Rock 'None shall pass' because his rhymes are sick! Also, his lyrics and style inspire me.

Dulin: Do you have a special song that makes you think of a significant other or a moment in your life? Tell us about the song and moment.

muffinlab: Pavement's 'Shady Lane' reminds me of my first love. The Killers' 'Somebody Told Me' reminds me of the day I lost it.

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

muffinlab: I'd ask @rojdoj for his beauty secrets.

Dulin: You're in a vault at a major record label. You get to pick a secret album by any artist never before released that will be shared worldwide in 2011. What artist/band would you pick? What would you want the music to sound like?

muffinlab: Beck...and I would want it to be a return to Midnite Vultures.

Dulin: What song(s) would you want to hear on a date that would sweep you off your feet?

muffinlab: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes - "Home" (le sigh!).

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

muffinlab: Hercules and Love Affair - 'Iris'. You didn't ask, but that's the song I'd force the world to listen to if I could :)

__________________________________________________________________

Blip Nation Interview: Meet krisp

2011-01-26T18:11:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/krisp

Blipper since: May 11, 2009

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

krisp: Kuna, Idaho, USA.

Dulin: Since you began blipping, have you had any experiences that surprised you? Please explain.

krisp: I sure have! In March of 2010, I began receiving a heaping helping of props from a blipper named @tammik. I checked out her page, and admired her taste in music. Our blip friendship subsequently led to a Facebook friendship, which in turn led to many email exchanges, and then to nightly, lengthy phone conversations. I was living in Orlando, Florida at the time, and had been divorced since 2004. After that experience, I was pretty certain that I would remain single for the rest of my days... As I got to know Tammi, I realized that I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with her, even though she lived far away in the wilds of Idaho. Luckily, she felt the same way. We got married in September. I moved to Idaho. I've been given a new lease on life. If it weren't for Blip.FM, all of this wouldn't have happened.

Dulin: How would you improve Blip.FM?

krisp: 1. Get rid of the cell phone concert videos. 2. Less reliance on YouTube. 3. Give blippers the ability to easily upload tunes. I know that last one is really just a pipe dream, as the copyright/use hurdles are probably too difficult to overcome.

Dulin: What legacy of musical knowledge would you like to impart to your children?

krisp: My passion for music began around the age of 10 - at that time, vinyl was the prevailing format, and I think, during that era, the music biz was more about art, and less about 'product'. I'd like for my kids to really cherish music the way I did as a kid, and in turn, develop a passion for it that will last their lifetimes. I would also urge them look beyond the music that is being spoon-fed to the general public, as most of the 'corporate' product (there's that word again) seems to become obsolete rather quickly.

Dulin: Are you still a freelance writer? Does music inspire your work? Do you listen to music when writing or brainstorming to find an idea or rhythm to your words?

krisp: Yes, I am still a freelance writer. I'm always looking to sink my teeth into a new project! I always have music playing when I write (right now it's 'Bruises' by Chairlift), so I can't help but be inspired by music, either consciously or unconsciously.

Dulin: You have a great post on your blog (http://wajaba-wajaba.blogspot.com/) about album covers. One of my favorities is 1965 Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Whipped Cream & Other Delights. My dad had that record. As a boy, I stared at that cover for hours. What are some of your all-time favorite album covers?

krisp: Thank you for the kind words about that post. I LOVE Whipped Cream... (both the cover AND the music)! As I mentioned before, I came of age in the 'vinyl' era, and the album design/cover art/liner notes were all a very important part of the total package. I'm glad to see vinyl making a 'comeback' of sorts these days. Some of MY personal all-time favorite album covers, in no particular order, are:

Some Girls and Beggar's Banquet - The Rolling Stones

Bitches Brew - Miles Davis

Candy-O - The Cars

Strange Days - The Doors

Weasels Ripped My Flesh and We're Only In It for the Money - Mothers of Invention

London Calling - The Clash

Aladdin Sane - David Bowie

The Ramones - The Ramones

One Step Beyond - Madness

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

Maggot Brain - Funkadelic

Aja - Steely Dan

Abbey Road - The Beatles

Dulin: Name a cover song that you respect. Who covered it? Who did the original? Why is the cover respectable?

krisp: I love this question, because I love interesting cover versions of well-known (or at least fairly well-known) songs. The first one that popped into my head was 'Satisfaction' by Devo, which, of course was originally done by the Stones. Devo took an iconic song, deconstructed it, reassembled it, rendering it virtually unrecognizable. The whole Q: Are We Not Men? album was pretty groundbreaking, actually, and remains one of my all-time favorite albums.

Dulin: What artists are you excited about for 2011?

krisp: Amos Lee, Cold War Kids, the great Wanda Jackson!!!, Lucinda Williams, Beasties, Fleet Foxes, Praxis, Kate Bush, Radiohead, anything involving Jack White, RHCP, Arctic Monkeys, QOTSA, Wolfmother, ZZ Top (Rick Rubin). It's also very exciting when new artists emerge and surprise us!

Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?

krisp: The first music I ever purchased on my own was Naturally, by Three Dog Night, on vinyl. Bought it at White Front (anybody out there who grew up in Southern California remember White Front?) on sale for $2.99 (suggested retail for most LPs at the time was $5.99!). I bought it because I loved the tracks I had heard on my transistor AM radio, particularly their cover of the Spooky Tooth song, 'Liar'. I'm a sucker for good harmony vocals, and they don't get much better than these guys, particularly Chuck Negron. Turned out to be a damn good album - I still have it. Very funk-tinged, actually.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

krisp: I think the world would be a much better place if we would all shake our collective booties more often, so I'll pick "Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine" by James Brown.

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

krisp: My all-time favorite piece of music is 'The Ecstasy of Gold' by Ennio Morricone, so I'd have to go with that one. Lyrically speaking, I think Leonard Cohen is the most brilliant lyricist ever, and I'd love to have written:

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?

Dulin: Do you have a special song that makes you think of your significant other or a moment in your life? Tell us about the song and moment.

krisp: The song, "Thank You", by Led Zeppelin, makes me think of my wife, Tammi. We were going to have this song played at our wedding, but we wound up not using music. Maybe if we renew ours vows at some point...???

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

krisp: Well, I DID ask another Blip.FM dj to marry me...

Dulin: You're in a vault at a major record label. You get to pick a secret album by any artist never before released that will be shared worldwide in 2011. What artist/band would you pick? What would you want the music to sound like?
krisp: Another tough one. Well, I hope this is what you were going for...

Following On the Beach, Neil Young was supposed to release an album called Homegrown. He cut about 18-20 tracks for the album in 1974/75, and there was even a cover designed, but, ultimately, Neil decided to shelve the largely acoustic album, and release Tonight's the Night instead. Some of the reconfigured tracks showed up on other albums, but I'd love to hear the album as originally intended, in its entirety.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

krisp: All in all, I really do love Blip.FM. It's heartening to connect with so many people who are really passionate about music. And Pete, I love what you are doing with this blog - it's fun to read what other blippers have to say.

__________________________________________________________________

Blip Nation Interview: Meet Dolittle

2011-01-23T10:43:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/Dolittle

Blipper since: January 1, 2010

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

Dolittle: Cork on the south coast of Ireland.

Dulin: Since you began blipping, have you had any experiences that surprised you? Please explain.

Dolittle: Making friends in real life and online with some great people. Sharing a love of the same music is quite powerful. It's great when people get to know your taste and send you on something new to check out.

Dulin: What would you change about Blip.FM to make it better?

Dolittle: Besides getting rid of all the YouTube covers and bad quality videos and short samples in one fell swoop, the addition of Soundcloud, Vimeo, and bandcamp as many artists are using these.

Also it would be nice to able to discuss a song or band without leave the site and finding people on other social networks.

Dulin: What has been the most pleasant discovery, experience, or aspect of Blip.FM?

Dolittle: Discovering music that I might never have heard, sharing the same obsession with like- minded people, also means I bore some of my friends less about bands they have never heard of and have no inclination to do so.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

Dolittle: That's hard, Lennon's "Imagine" is a obvious choice but maybe "Blackbird" by The Beatles. It may have been symbolic of the civil rights movement in the US in the '60s but to me it's full of hope and encouragement that can be applied to many situations.

Dulin: What song would you dedicate to your best friend or parent before you left for a long journey and possibly would never see them again?

Dolittle: To my Dad, it would be "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." He would know why. To my best friend, "Old Friends/Bookend." We spent many many hours listening to her parents' record collection when we were teenagers. Simon & Garfunkle were always in that rotation.

Dulin: What artists/albums are you excited about for 2011?

Dolittle: Obvious ones would be Radiohead, Elbow, Fleet Foxes, Beth Orton, PJ Harvey, Beck, The Kills,, The Ambience Affair, The Low Anthem, Autumn Owls and after hearing the first track from Bright Eyes that too. Trying not to build any of them up too much...and of course the ones I've yet to hear.

Dulin: Pick a favorite band or artist. What song or lyric by them best expresses an aspect of you? Tell us what and why.

Dolittle: That would probably change daily depending on how I felt and things that are going on in my life so I don't feel I can pin it down to one.

Dulin: What musician, singer, or band would you most like to meet? Why?

Dolittle: Never really a big priority for me. There are some that I'd have questions about lyrics for. Hanging out with Alison Mosshart would be neat maybe some of that uber coolness would rub off.

Dulin: Imagine you are on a reality show where you must sing karaoke to an audience of friends and family. The prize is $1 million (US) that you can keep or donate to charity. What song would you sing?

Dolittle: Cringe...it'll never happen. It would bring a whole new meaning to the term "murder of crows."

Dulin: What song reminds you of being in love? Of being heartbroken?

Dolittle: Too many. They are everywhere but I'll answer with Jeff Buckley's "Last Goodbye."

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

Dolittle: To an ex-blipper, @MrDali where did you go?

Dulin: Do you have any thoughts about the anonymity of a social medium like Blip.FM and how people connect and/or get to know each other in that online music community?

Dolittle: I think it's a great thing. You can choose to be anonymous if that's what you want. But I have made real friends through Blip.FM and Last.FM so can be of benefit to expose yourself a little.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

Dolittle: Yeah one, Blip.FM needs to work on a teleportation!

__________________________________________________________________

Blip Nation Interview: Meet Alvaroxx

2011-01-22T12:01:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/Alvaroxx

Blipper since: April 26, 2010

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

Alvaroxx: In Chile, in the countryside, near a small city called Parral (Maule) in central zone.

Dulin: What would you change about Blip.FM to make it better?

Alvaroxx: Erase all the videos, and the songs with poor sound quality.

Dulin: Who would you pick as the most influential band in modern rock - The Smiths, Joy Division, Radiohead, or another band? Explain your pick.

Alvaroxx: My fave bands, uhmmm, I choose The Smiths. I'm a big fan. They had the best lyricist and guitarist, who inspired, influenced and paved the way to future major bands like Radiohead, Pulp, R.E.M. etc...

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

Alvaroxx: "Rubber Ring" by The Smiths or "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" by Radiohead.

Dulin: What artists are you excited about for 2011?

Alvaroxx: Radiohead! I'm waiting for the new album for ages.

Dulin: What musician, singer, or band would you most like to meet? Why?

Alvaroxx: Morrissey or Thom Yorke. I have too many questions about the lyrics.

Dulin: What has been the most pleasant discovery, experience, or aspect of Blip.FM? The most frustrating?

Alvaroxx: The pleasant discovery of new bands; or when blippers give thanks for uploading a song. Frustrating, when you reblip a lot of "your" songs, erasing your name.

Dulin: Do you play any instruments? If so, what? If not, then what would you like to learn how to play?

Alvaroxx: Nope, I'm very distracted; I cannot concentrate in one thing. I'd love to play the bass or piano.

__________________________________________________________________

Pete Dulin is the co-publisher and editor of www.presentmagazine.com and writes freelance for magazines, websites, and newspapers. Always looking for the next great song, he can be found in the Blip Nation at http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion. He unleashes profound non sequiturs at Twitter.com/petedulin and publishes creative work at www.petedulin.com.

Blip Nation Interview: Meet auticomics

2011-01-16T11:24:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/auticomics

Blipper since: February 1, 2010

"Imagine" by John Lennon. I think it has the best message for everybody: tolerance.

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

auticomics: Western Europe

Dulin: Since you began blipping, have you had any experiences that surprised you? Please explain.

auticomics: The many people who had interest in me, and my taste for music. still growing on the net.

Dulin: What would you change about Blip.FM to make it better?

auticomics: I would make it universal, the music rights, all over the world. That it is very clear which songs you can and cannot blip.

Dulin: What has been the most pleasant discovery, experience, or aspect of Blip.FM?

auticomics: That you can stream music without putting your computer full of songs that you never listen to in the first place.

Dulin: What type of work do you do? Do you listen to music at work? If so, what do you listen to?

auticomics: Believe it or not, I am a comic artist. (I know I wouldn't believe it.) Also, I do packaging work.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

auticomics: "Imagine" by John Lennon. I think it has the best message for everybody: tolerance.

Dulin: What song would you dedicate to your best friend or parent before you left for a long journey and possibly would never see them again?

auticomics: Well, none of that happens a lot to me because my real friends are counted on one hand. But, I have one song that fits for me and my best friend Maykel Gerde with who I create a few Dutch parody songs at the moment for YouTube. It´s a Dutch song so it isn´t strange if you don't get it.

ik wou dat ik jou was - veldhuis en kemper

Dulin: Pick a favorite band or artist. What song or lyric by them best expresses an aspect of you? Tell us what and why.

auticomics: "One" by U2. "We're one but we're not the same / we've got to carry each other, carry each other."

Dulin: Imagine you are on a reality show where you must sing karaoke to an audience of friends and family. The prize is $1 million (US) that you can keep or donate to charity. What song would you sing?

auticomics: Hard one...I would sing a song from U2 or Bon Jovi. The song would have to count for the moment, especially which mood I am in.

Dulin: What is the earliest age that you can remember listening to music? What artists/bands did you like in your youth?

auticomics: Ever since I was 3 or 4 years old, that would be my earliest memory with music.

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

auticomics: @jumbojetje - How do you deal with people who don´t understand your handicap? I have autism and a lot of people don't understand that autism is more than just Rainman.

Dulin: Who would you rather meet? Lady Gaga, Madonna, Patti Smith, or another artist?

auticomics: Music, I don´t have real preference but comic artists I would like to meet Marc Retera. He does a Dutch newspaper comic called Dirkjan.

Dulin: You're in a vault at a major record label. You get to pick a secret album by any artist never before released that will be shared worldwide in 2011. What artist/band would you pick? What would you want the music to sound like?

auticomics: U2! Defnitely!

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

auticomics: Too many too mention, but the most twists often end up in a comic of mine ;)

If somebody would like to read them, just in case : http://auticomics.deviantart.com.

Or follow my blog: auticomics.blogspot.com

__________________________________________________________________

Pete Dulin is the co-publisher and editor of www.presentmagazine.com and writes freelance for magazines, websites, and newspapers. Always looking for the next great song, he can be found in the Blip Nation at http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion. He unleashes profound non sequiturs at Twitter.com/petedulin and publishes creative work at www.petedulin.com.

Blip Nation Interview: Meet Mammara

2011-01-12T16:22:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/Mammara

Blipper since: 21 August, 2008

"I'd like to be Tom Waits, at least for a week."

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

Mammara: Teramo, una tranquilla cittadina in Italia Centrale, sul lato orientale.

Teramo, a quiet and small town in central Italy, on the east side.

Dulin: Since you began blipping, have you had any experiences that surprised you? Please explain.

Mammara: Tutta l'esperienza di Blip.FM è stata una continua sorpresa, dopo aver iniziato quasi per caso. L'avere migliaia di ascoltatori dopo pochi mesi, lo scoprire fratelli e sorelle in musica sparsi per tutto il pianeta, il piacere di poter mettere la musica più strana e sconosciuta che mi passava per la testa e trovare sempre e comunque qualcuno che l'apprezzava.

My whole experience on Blip.FM has been full of surprises, after I started by chance. To have thousands of listeners in a few months, to find brothers and sisters in music all over the planet, the pleasure to put in the most strang and unknown music that comes in my mind, and finding always someone who likes it.

Dulin: What would you change about Blip.FM to make it better?

Mammara: Non ci ho mai pensato troppo, ma cercherei di fare in modo da aumentare l'interazione tra i dj e di avere la possibilità di conoscere meglio chi blippa, senza snaturare troppo un servizio che funziona già molto bene.

I never thought much about it, but i'd try to add the interplay between DJs and have the opportunity to know better who blips, whitout perverting the nature of a service that works very well.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

Mammara: Potrei stare ore a pensare a quale scegliere, ti dico la prima che mi viene in mente: Dolphins di Fred Neil, nella versione di Tim Buckley.

I could stand hours thinking about it, so I say the first that comes to mind: Fred Neil's "Dolphins" in the Tim Buckley version.

Dulin: What is the earliest age that you can remember listening to music? What artists/bands did
you like in your youth?

Mammara: Le mie prime memorie musicali sono in bianco e nero. Le sigle dei programmi della Tv dei ragazzi (con canzoni di Beatles e Procol Harum), il pop italiano degli shows del sabato sera dei tardi '60 di Mina, Modugno, Celentano. A 10 anni ho cominciato a comprare i singoli della hit parade. A 14 ho comprato il primo LP, Harvest di Neil Young, poi mi sono buttato sul progressive rock. A 18 anni sono stato folgorato sulla via dei Joy Division.

My first musical memories are in black and white. TV for kids' themes (with songs of Beatles and Procol Harum), the Italian pop of the Saturday shows in the late Sixties of Mina, Modugno, Celentano. I started to buy the Hit Parade singles at 10-years-old. At 14, I bought my first LP, Neil Young's Harvest, then I launched into progressive rock. At 18, I've been flashed on the way to Joy Division.

Dulin: What artists are you excited about for 2011?

Mammara: Sono eccitato da quello che non conosco. Nel 2010 ho scoperto decine di nuovi gruppi formidabili, mi aspetto di fare lo stesso nel 2011.

I'm excited about what I don't know yet. In 2010, I discovered dozens of new fantastic bands and I expect to do the same in 2011.

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

Mammara: Una qualsiasi del Tom Waits di Swordfishtrombones e Rain Dogs, diciamo "Soldier's Thing." Perchè? Perchè non mi dispiacerebbe affatto essere Tom Waits, almeno per una settimana.

Any one written by Tom Waits for Swordfishtrombones and Rain Dogs, let's say "Soldier's Thing." Why? Because I'd like to be Tom Waits, at least for a week.

Dulin: What musician, singer, or band would you most like to meet? Why?

Mammara: Robert Wyatt. Un genio della musica, un formidabile cantante e un amabile essere umano.

Robert Wyatt. A musical genius, a formidable singer and a lovely human being.

Dulin: If you have a wife, girlfriend, partner, or significant other, do you have a special song that makes you think of them and a moment in your life? Tell us about the song, the moment, and person.

Mammara: Il mio rapporto con la mia persona speciale è segnato dalla musica dei tardi anni 80, specialmente shoegaze e l'indiepop di Creation e Sarah Records. Se ne devo scegliere una dico If You Need Someone dei Field Mice.

The relation with my special person is marked by the music of the late 80s, especially shoegaze and the indiepop of Creation and Sarah Records. If I must choose one, I say "If You Need Someone" by Field Mice.

Dulin: Do you play any instruments? If so, what? If not, then what would you like to learn how to
play?

Mammara: Non sono capace di suonare nessun strumento. Mi piacerebbe saper suonare uno strumento a corda, adoro in particolare il suono del violoncello.

I'm unable to play any instrument. I'd like to be able to play strings instruments, i adore especially the sound of the cello.

Dulin: Imagine you are on a reality show where you must sing karaoke to an audience of friends and family. The prize is $1 million (US) that you can keep or donate to charity. What song would you sing?

Mammara: Sono stonato come una campana. Se costretto canterei qualcosa di semplice e divertente, magari "Obladi Oblada" dei Beatles. Dubito che vincerei.

I sing atrociously. If forced, I could sing a simple and funny song, like "Obladi Oblada" by The Beatles. I'm doubtful I could win.

Dulin: What song reminds you of being in love? Of being heartbroken?

Mammara: Centinaia, ma una su tutte: There is a light that never goes out degli Smiths, con parole come "if a ten-ton truck kills the both of us, to die by your side well, the pleasure and privilege is mine."

Hundreds, but one above all: "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths, with lyrics such as "If a ten-ton truck kills the both of us, to die by your side well, the pleasure and privilege is mine."

Dulin: What Italian recording artists (singer, musician, band) in any genre should the rest of the world know more about?

Mammara: Ce ne sono molti, e io ogni tanto cerco di farli conoscere su Blip. Potrei dire: Paolo Conte e la sua miscela unica di melodia italiana e memorie di swing e vecchio jazz; gli Area, grande fusione di prog, jazz e world music, con un incredibile cantante, Demetrio Stratos; l'indie pop malinconico e sognante dei Perturbazione.

There are a lot, and I sometimes try to let them know on Blip.FM. I could say: Paolo Conte and his unique blend of Italian melody and swing and old jazz memories; Area, a great fusion of prog, jazz and world music; the melancholic and dreamy indie pop of Perturbazione.

Dulin: Think of another Blip.FM DJ. You don’t have to reveal who it is. What question would you most like to ask him or her?

Mammara: Perchè sei persa nello spazio, cadetta? Torna! Mi manchi.

Why are you lost in the space, cadet? Come back! I miss you.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

Mammara: Come diceva il grande Alex Chilton " Thank you friends, wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you".

As the great Alex Chilton said, "Thank you friends, wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you".

__________________________________________________________________

Pete Dulin is the co-publisher and editor of www.presentmagazine.com and writes freelance for magazines, websites, and newspapers. Always looking for the next great song, he can be found in the Blip Nation at http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion. He unleashes profound non sequiturs at Twitter.com/petedulin and publishes creative work at www.petedulin.com.

Blip Nation Interview: Meet fulana

2010-12-31T11:13:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/fulana

Blipper since: January 28, 2009

"With friends, I bring out my Spanish pop
repertoire and do my signature Tetris dance."

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

Fulana: I’m currently in Austin, Texas but I’m originally from the Canary Islands.

Dulin: What does "fulana" mean?

Fulana: In Spanish, when you don’t know someone’s name, you just call them fulana or fulano. I guess “so-and-so” is decent translation.

Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?

Fulana: I remember very well because I saved for weeks. It was The Real Thing by Faith No More (tape) and I bought it because their music made me feel great at the time.

Dulin: What kind of music bores you?

Fulana: I don’t think music can ever bore me. I sometimes hate some music, but I’m too busy hating it to get bored by it. I hate hair bands, for instance, but I find them very entertaining.

Dulin: What music do you listen to when working on design? When relaxing? With friends?

Fulana: I usually just let my playlist run. I like the little moment of suspense in between songs when I don’t know what’s coming on next. During downtime I gravitate to chamber pop and haunting voices like Caetano Veloso, Cohen, Concha Buika, The Irrepressibles, Scott Matthew, etc. With friends, I bring out my Spanish pop repertoire and do my signature Tetris dance.

Dulin: What is your most treasured possession or favorite memory? Tell us a little about it.

Fulana: Stealing figs from my neighbor’s tree and playing in the sand with my canine sidekick. Also, Pamplona 2005.

Dulin: Where do you learn about and hear new music?

Fulana: From friends, mostly. But I keep my ears open because some of my favourite music finds have been completely unintentional and come from unlikely sources. Like the time I first heard My Morning Jacket during a visit to the dentist. Local anesthesia couldn’t stop me from appreciating Jim James’ vocals.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

Fulana: Something empowering, like "List of Demands" by Saul Williams.

Dulin: Pick a song by one of your favorite artists/bands. If you were a producer, then who would you pick to cover that song?

Fulana: I love Caetano Veloso and Ween and if I could ever make one of them cover the other I would pass out.

Dulin: What song or type of music makes you want to dance?

Fulana: Celia Cruz gets me every time, but I can dance to anything (or attempt to) when I’m in that special mood.

Dulin: What musician, singer, or band would you most like to meet? Why?

Fulana: I’d like to meet Damon Albarn because let’s face it, he’s the man…

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

Fulana: I wish I had written "The Book of Love" by the Magnetic Fields. Or at least have been the source of inspiration…

Dulin: Do you play any instruments? If not, what would you like to play?

Fulana: Unfortunately, I can’t play any instrument. Ironically, I own quite a few. I’d like to learn to play the accordion.

Dulin: Name 5 songs that would be essential on a road trip mix.

Fulana:

1. Letter Home - Motorama
2. Remember Me – Tame Impala
3. Clandestino – Manu Chao
4. Por la Ventana - Gepe
5. Going on – Gnarls Barkley

Dulin: Share some examples of well-designed album cover art or a music video that appeals to you and explain why.

Fulana: The interactive video for Arcade Fire’s “We Used to Wait” is pretty amazing. I appreciate the thought behind it and love the fact that they tried something so different. Mew’s video for “Special” is also one of my favourites. Actually, all of Martin De Thurah’s music videos are beautiful.

Dulin: What are your favorite things to do when not listening to music?

Fulana: I’m into archery so I spend a lot of time practicing out in the range. I know that’s very Cupid of me but whatever.

Dulin: Do you prefer to focus on only songs by an artist that appeal to you or do you give the whole recording time to grow on you?

Fulana: It’s easy nowadays to navigate the music spectrum and listen to a ton of music each day. It’s very addicting. We play some, skip some, prop some, bookmark some, skip some more… And to me, that’s just no way to listen to music. But I digress; I like to give music time to grown on me. Yes.

__________________________________________________________________

Pete Dulin is the co-publisher and editor of www.presentmagazine.com and writes freelance for magazines, websites, and newspapers. Always looking for the next great song, he can be found in the Blip Nation at http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion. He unleashes profound non sequiturs at Twitter.com/petedulin and publishes creative work at www.petedulin.com.

Blip Nation Interview: Meet mz_rocko

2010-12-21T18:21:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/mz_rocko

Blipper since: March 30, 2009

"I'd like to have a Martini with Michael Stipe and discuss the state of the world or just the color of his pants."

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

mz_rocko: San Antonio, Texas - home of the Spurs and oh yeah, the Alamo!

Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?

mz_rocko: John Lennon - Jealous Guy. I was little and and my Mom took us all to buy EPs. That was my choice, totally mom-influenced. I, like the whole world, just liked the sound of his voice.

Dulin: What kind of music bores you?

mz_rocko: You know, I like ALL kinds of music - and I mean all. I just can't get myself to listen to country music ever. I can appreciate some of the classics - Mo Bandy, Don Williams, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash. My parents listened to all that, but now I can't sit still and consistently listen to it.

Dulin: What music do you listen to when relaxing? With friends?

mz_rocko: That's tough. I would say these days it is more alternative bands - Shins, Stereophonics, The Vines, Blue October, The Cribs, etc. My heart is with the REM, U2, 10,000 Maniacs, Radiohead. These are on all our playlists.

Dulin: What is your most treasured possession or favorite memory? Tell us a little about it.

mz_rocko: I would say a T-shirt with Bono's signature and quote that says, "Get Bono off your chest." Now this sounds fantastic, except I was a little 19-year-old teenage nerd with braces, bob haircut, and a T-shirt with a big happy face on it when I had the honor to meet him. This is not the way you want to look when you meet Bono, the man you have been lusting after since you discovered boys, even with his mullet. Anyhow, love this shirt. It's hanging in my closet.

Dulin: Where do you learn about and hear new music?

mz_rocko: Blip.FM is key. I have been introduced to sooo many new bands on here. I will turn to music blogs and satellite radio, but mainly it's Blip.FM. The diversity of music is unbelievable. Why let Pandora suggest when you can have a Blip DJ do this for you and actually discuss the music in real time?

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

mz_rocko: Just one? Wow, I would go with The Killers' "Smile Like You Mean It." My ode to spreading cheesy smiley love and it's a great song.

Dulin: Pick a song by one of your favorite artists/bands. If you were a producer, then who would you pick to cover that song?

mz_rocko: Interesting. I would say "Ciao Edie" by The Cult covered by Muse and if I wanted to stretch this, I would say Kanye West. Bet that would be insane.

Dulin: What song or type of music makes you want to dance?

mz_rocko: Again, depends on the mood and what day of the week it is. Everything from Erasure, Depeche Mode, and The Cure to the Fratellis, Vampire Weekend, and Franz Ferdinand to Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, and The Black Eyed Peas - "The Time" (what a great beat).

Dulin: What musician, singer, or band would you most like to meet? Why?

mz_rocko: If you follow me, you know I love U2 and would love a second chance in front of BONO; however, if that doesn't count, then I would say Michael Stipe. He puts on such a great performance, is intelligent, and just mesmerizing. I'd like to have a Martini with him and discuss the state of the world or just the color of his pants.

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

mz_rocko: I think that I would say "Romeo and Juliet" by Dire Straits. It's the classic love story but told with modern lyrics and sweet sweet music. I love this song. It is definitely car concert worthy.

Dulin: Do you play any instruments? If not, what would you like to play?

mz_rocko:No, unfortunately, I have butter fingers. If I did, I would love to play the piano.

Dulin: Name 5 songs that would be essential on a road trip mix.

mz_rocko:

REM - Crush with Eyeliner
Guns N Roses - I Think About You
Smashing Pumpkins - I am One
Pearl Jam - Glorified G
B-52's - Roam

Dulin: Share some examples of well-designed album cover art or a music video that appeals to you and explain why.

mz_rocko: That's hard. Let's see. Van Halen II by Van Halen. It is such a simple cover, but I used to practice over and over trying to perfect this logo for my Trapper Keeper. Videos. Wow. They are now sooo complicated. I like good ole performance videos such as U2, "I Will Follow."

Dulin: What are your favorite things to do when not listening to music?

mz_rocko: It's funny but it seems that I have music on everywhere I go. At home on the laptop, during the 8-hour work day, while I'm running, when I'm in the car driving, when I'm dancing around with my little superkid. I can't escape music and wouldn't want it any other way. It has a way of taking me to the place where I need to be and let's face it, drowning out the realities to some degree.

Dulin: Do you prefer to focus on only songs by an artist that appeal to you or do you give the whole recording time to grow on you?

mz_rocko: I give it all a chance. Some of the best songs are the B-side songs. Little jewels that don't see the light of day.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

mz_rocko: I just want to say that Blip.FM has been such a great experience. It is not just about the music, but the great people you meet. If you are on here long enough, you can tell a DJ's mood by their playlist. You become a part of something bigger and I think this is bonus to all the fantastic music being shared on here and what drives the Blip addiction. So thanks and let the music and Blip love continue to flow. (Nod to my homies goes here @mirrormirror @derkrauss - :) )

__________________________________________________________________

Pete Dulin is the co-publisher and editor of www.presentmagazine.com and writes freelance for magazines, websites, and newspapers. Always looking for the next great song, he can be found in the Blip Nation at http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion. He unleashes profound non sequiturs at Twitter.com/petedulin and publishes creative work at www.petedulin.com.

Blip Nation Interview: Meet sufferin_jukebox

2010-11-29T17:14:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/sufferin_jukebox

Blipper since: February 5, 2009

"Top 40 music bores the shit outta me."

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

sufferin_jukebox: Live in Reno, Nevada, but grew up in greater Los Angeles (Orange County).

Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?

sufferin_jukebox: First recorded music was a 45 rpm called "Don't Hang Up" by The Orlons. Wow, I'm old.

Dulin: What kind of music bores you?

sufferin_jukebox: Top 40 music bores the shit outta me.

Dulin: What music do you listen to when relaxing? With friends?

sufferin_jukebox: Relaxing music... Hmm, I can't pin that down to one genre.

Dulin: What is your most treasured possession or favorite memory? Tell us a little about it.

sufferin_jukebox: Recordings would probably be old 45s and LP collection and my saxophone. Favorites memories are Mexico with friends.

Dulin: Where do you learn about and hear new music?

sufferin_jukebox: Learn about new music from Blipmates and various music blogs.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

sufferin_jukebox: Wow. Just one. I really like the Avett Brothers right now. I guess “I And Love And You.”

Dulin: Pick a song by one of your favorite artists/bands. If you were a producer, then who would you pick to cover that song?

sufferin_jukebox: Avi Buffalo's “What's It In For” and Peter Gabriel covering it.

Dulin: What song or type of music makes you want to dance?

sufferin_jukebox: Dance music would have to be 70s punk rawk.

Dulin: What musician, singer, or band would you most like to meet? Why?

sufferin_jukebox: I'd like to meet Morrissey. I dunno why.

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

sufferin_jukebox: I wish I had written “Here Comes the Flood” by Peter Gabriel. Why? It’s very heartfelt. That song calls to me.

Dulin: Do you play any instruments? If not, what would you like to play?

sufferin_jukebox: I play saxophone and a bit of guitar.

Dulin: Name 5 songs that would be essential on a road trip mix.

sufferin_jukebox:

Rolling Stones - All Down The Line
Death Cab For Cutie - 405
Lucinda Williams - Bus To Baton Rogue
Son Volt - World Waits For You
R.E.M. - So. Central Rain

Dulin: What musician, singer, or band would you most like to meet? Why?

sufferin_jukebox: Like to meet Jagger/Richards. no explanation needed.

Dulin: Share an example of well-designed album cover art or a music video that appeals to you and explain why.

sufferin_jukebox: I like “Sticky Fingers” by The Rolling Stones.. way ahead of its time and designed by Andy Warhol.

Dulin: What are your favorite things to do when not listening to music?

sufferin_jukebox: I enjoy playing golf and torturing my family.

Dulin: Do you prefer to focus on only songs by an artist that appeal to you or do you give the whole recording time to grow on you?

sufferin_jukebox: Depends on the artist..Some groups or artists I like through and through.. Other have to grow on me.

Dulin: Any other thoughts to share?

sufferin_jukebox: I have to say, Blip has been an amazing format to allow all of us to express ourselves musically and I have really met some wonderful people here.

__________________________________________________________________

Pete Dulin is the co-publisher and editor of www.presentmagazine.com and writes freelance for magazines, websites, and newspapers. Always looking for the next great song, he can be found in the Blip Nation at http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion. He unleashes profound non sequiturs at Twitter.com/petedulin and publishes creative work at www.petedulin.com.

Blip Nation Interview: Meet JeffreyMarsh

2010-11-07T11:01:00.000-08:00

http://blip.fm/JeffreyMarsh

Blipper since: February 9, 2009

"Our lives are filled with daily fire-drills forcing us to focus on the immediate at the expense of the bigger picture. Unfortunately, it's the bigger picture that contains the subjects that really matter most in our lives."

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

JeffreyMarsh: Boston, Massachusetts.

Dulin: Why do you blip music on Blip.FM?

JeffreyMarsh: There are several reasons I suppose, but ultimately it comes down to a desire for hearing and sharing new artists along with listening to older favorites.

Dulin: What other ways do you listen to music? (iPod, stereo, other online services?)

JeffreyMarsh: iPhone, laptop and on occasion college radio; WHCL (Hamilton College) & WERS (Emerson College)

Dulin: What song or artist do you never tire of hearing? What is special about that song or artist?

JeffreyMarsh: I don't really have one band or artist I listen to incessantly, but I suppose I never tire of going back and listening to either the Walkmen or Radiohead. Both bands have large bodies of work and to some extent each of their albums have their own personality allowing me to ask, "What do I feel like listening to?" Normally, there is an album that does the trick.

Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?

JeffreyMarsh: I think the first dozen tapes I bought were by the Beach Boys. I loved the Beach Boys growing up. I even attempted to start a band with a friend called the Jr. Beach Boys. I was probably 6 at the time and only owned a sweet Casio Keyboard, but hey, we had big dreams! ;-)

Dulin: How does music, whether playing/listening on Blip.FM or elsewhere, affect your behavior, reflect your mood, or express your personality from day to day?

JeffreyMarsh: For the most part, music reflects my mood. If I'm excited or up, then I may listen to something of a more pop-rock nature, but if I'm tired or down, then the music will likely be post-rockish. Those aren't hard-and-fast rules by any means, just tendencies. On occasion I do play music to influence my mindset. For example, when I'm trying to get through lots of work or if I'm exercising, I'll put on music with faster and heavier beats to get me going.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

JeffreyMarsh: I feel like the answer to this question has to be a song with a universal message. Not necessarily my favorite song, but something everyone can relate with. An obvious answer would be John Lennon's "Imagine" which I do love. If I wanted to play something maybe a little lesser known with hopes of possibly sharing something "new" with everyone, then I would blip "Everybody's Gotta Live" by Love. Not only does it have an universal message, but it also introduces the perfect opportunity for a worldwide sing-along. :-p

Dulin: Fill in the blank super group band name. ___________ (color) __________ (verb that starts with R) ____________ (type of dog)

JeffreyMarsh: Rusty Rhyming Hound-dogs.

Dulin: How does a live music experience relate to your music listening habits or buying behavior, if at all?

JeffreyMarsh: These days when I go to a concert it's normally to see a band whom I really enjoy so the show is more of a live realization of all of the listening I've done over the past however many months. So in that regard the live experience is more a result of my listening habits than anything else. The exception to this is the opening act. There have been several occasions where the opening band has really impressed me and I'll go out and pick up their album the next day.

Dulin: What Blip.FM DJ(s) would you most like to meet?

JeffreyMarsh: I've been fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet several Blip.fm DJs in person (at various concerts) and I can say pretty definitively that the Blip.FM community is filled with some really great and interesting people. If I could meet anyone going forward I guess it would be @aoikao or @dirtycash. They both post great music on blip and interesting items on their blogs and/or Twitter pages. They also happen to hail from Argentina which I would love to visit. I work closely with someone who lived there for several years on business and he didn't want to come back. He raves about...well pretty much everything about it.

Dulin: What local/regional musician, band, or singer do you wish the rest of the world knew more about?

JeffreyMarsh: I was going to say 'Hooray For Earth'; however, I see they have moved to NYC (a couple years ago apparently...guess I missed that). They are still pretty great, but I guess a couple Boston bands worth checking out are Mystery Roar and Bodega Girls. They both place on the dance end of the rock spectrum and their live shows are a blast.

Dulin: What musician, singer, or band would you most like to meet? Why?

JeffreyMarsh: Bob Dylan. The man is living/breathing/walking history.

Dulin: Do you have a favorite genre of music or preferred era of recorded music?

JeffreyMarsh: Not really. I've found music to love in every genre and era of music.

Dulin: How are your music tastes different from or similar to your parents, siblings, or friends?

JeffreyMarsh: I see my tastes in music as having grown out of the point where my parents stopped actively seeking new sounds. In other words, my tastes are a continuation of sorts of their musical explorations. My exposure to the Beach Boys and Beatles at a young age was certainly their doing and when my father recently wanted to test out his new home sound system he did so with David Bowie, Lou Reed, and Roxy Music. I enjoy all of those artists/bands and I think they kind of helped create a foundation for me to build from. Furthermore, if you were to speak with the new artists I appreciate most, I imagine many of them would reference bands found in my parents' record collection as influences. As far as my friends go, there is plenty of overlap; however, I would venture to say that my collection is bit more eclectic and extensive.

Dulin: What is the earliest age that you can remember listening to music? What artists/bands did you like in your youth?

JeffreyMarsh: The earliest age I can remember listening to music is probably around 3 or 4 years old. At that age, I mostly just remember bits and pieces of songs and sounds: 50s & 60s rock, Motown, and whatever was on the radio. As I mentioned earlier, the first band I really got into was the Beach Boys, but after that I don't think I really got into anyone until around middle school when I started listening to Nirvana.

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

JeffreyMarsh: There are plenty of lyrics I admire and wish I could have written; many for their melodic virtue and others for their vivid imagery. However, I'm often impressed most by simple self-reflection. Our lives are filled with daily fire-drills forcing us to focus on the immediate at the expense of the bigger picture. Unfortunately, it's the bigger picture that contains the subjects that really matter most in our lives. Stepping back to shine a honest light upon our relationships with the subjects in our picture and their significance in shaping us as individuals is not something that is easily done. The Beatles' "In My Life" has always impressed me by how simply and succinctly it steps back and reveals that bigger picture. It doesn't hide its meaning behind complex diction or symbolism, it lays it out in its barest form so anyone can delve into the importance (and ultimately the complexity) of its message. All that said, if you had asked me on another day I may have chosen a more veiled verse. :-)

Dulin: Name 5 songs that would be essential for the soundtrack of a movie based on your life.

JeffreyMarsh: This is an extremely difficult question for me, but I suppose off the top of my head a few songs that possess either the sonic quality I admire most or just have that right feel to them are: Radiohead - No Surprises; Velvet Underground - Sunday Morning; Tom Waits - I Hope I Don't Fall In Love With You; The Jesus and Mary Chain - Just Like Honey; The Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice.

__________________________________________________________________

Pete Dulin is the co-publisher and editor of www.presentmagazine.com and writes freelance for magazines, websites, and newspapers. Always looking for the next great song, he can be found in the Blip Nation at http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion. He unleashes profound non sequiturs at Twitter.com/petedulin and publishes creative work at www.petedulin.com.

Blip Nation Interview: Meet crispast

2010-10-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

http://blip.fm/crispast

Blipper since: November 14, 2008

"It still surprises me how much the music can create connections between people so far away from one another."

Pete Dulin: What part of the world do you live in?

crispast: I live in Tuscany, Italy.

Dulin: Why do you blip music on Blip.FM?

crispast: The reasons are several. The first for sure is the love for music and the possibility to listen different genres and new music everyday; moreover, I got used to Blip.FM with nice people and love to take this network for what is: a social one. :)

Dulin: What other ways do you listen to music? (iPod, stereo, other online services?)

crispast: Usually I listen to music during the day using my mp3 player, especially moving from a place to another, walking. Also I listen to the radio almost everyday. I don't use other online services too much.

Dulin: What song or artist do you never tire of hearing? What is special about that song or artist?

crispast: If I had to choose only one, then my choice would be U2. I can listen to "The Unforgettable Fire" more than 10 times in a row.

Dulin: Do you remember the first music you ever purchased? What was it? Format (record, tape, CD, mp3)? Why did you buy it?

crispast: Yes, I remember I bought a tape by Raf ( http://tinyurl.com/2u5r4c9 ), "Cannibali." It was 1993 and I was caught by the single "Battito animale," a very popular song at that time in Italy.

Dulin: How does music, whether playing/listening on Blip.FM or elsewhere, affect your behavior, reflect your mood, or express your personality from day to day?

crispast: Fortunately or unfortunately, music is such a part of my life, my personal soundtrack. It's easy to understand my mood looking at the tunes I blip, but the relationship between me and music is not "one way." Music is also a sort of therapy, you can easily change your mood just by changing genre. At least, that is the way it works for me. If I have to define my personality, then I think that "eclectic" might be a good definition and so it's the music I like: I can listen to Mozart and then to Incubus or Sia or Sting.. without a problem :)

Dulin: Since you began blipping, have you had any experiences that surprised you? Please explain.

crispast: I know that socializing is one of the aspects of this network, but it still surprises me how much the music can create connections between people so far away from one another. Music has a power that is often underestimated. And meeting so many different people from all over the world changed my perspectives, and made me want to learn new languages (see: Portuguese and Spanish too, someday), to travel more, and hopefully to improve my English.

Dulin: If you could blip one song that could reach everyone on the planet, what would you choose?

crispast: "Where the Streets Have No Name" by U2.

Duiln: What local/regional musician, band, or singer do you wish the rest of the world knew more about?

crispast: Talking about Italian artists, for sure I have to mention Negrita, a rock band. (http://www.negrita.com/)and Carmen Consoli, an amazing singer. (http://tinyurl.com/34vzuon)

Dulin: What musician, singer, or band would you most like to meet? Why?

crispast: I know I'm repeating myself, but U2 is at the top of my preferences. U2 has always been part of my life, since I was a little girl. My life soundtrack.

Dulin: Do you have a favorite genre of music or preferred era of recorded music?

crispast: I appreciate different genres and artists, but if I have to choose only one, then I think rock in all variations - from classic to metal - might be my favourite.

Dulin: How are your music tastes different from or similar to your parents, siblings, or friends?

crispast: I think I'm different a bit from my parents about music tastes. They like more Italian and popular music in general and don't know too much about international bands or singers. About friends, I've a lot and different ones, all kinds of people, with unusual tastes also.

Dulin: What is the earliest age that you can remember listening to music? What artists/bands did you like in your youth?

crispast: Since I was a baby, I remember I used to hear and sing popular Italian songs like "Italiano" by Toto Cutugno (with funny results of course!) and I was less than 5, I think! When I was a teen, I used to listen to more Italian music than I currently do: Raf, Eros Ramazzotti, Laura Pausini. Already, I liked Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, and U2, of course.

Dulin: What song or lyric do you wish you would have written? Why?

crispast: The choice is hard.. maybe "Working Class Hero." It has a deep social meaning and I'm in love with the melody.

Dulin: Name 5 songs that would be essential for the soundtrack of a movie based on your life.

crispast:

Stay (faraway so close) - U2
Even Flow - Pearl Jam
Drive - Incubus
Glorybox - Portishead
Perfect - The Smashing Pumpkins

__________________________________________________________________

Pete Dulin is the co-publisher and editor of www.presentmagazine.com and writes freelance for magazines, websites, and newspapers. Always looking for the next great song, he can be found in the Blip Nation at http://blip.fm/slipperydistortion. He unleashes profound non sequiturs at Twitter.com/petedulin and publishes creative work at www.petedulin.com.