Off to Wordpress

So I've moved my blog on over to Wordpress! You can now follow me there. I'm starting off on such a high note with an interview with Abisha Uhl of Sick of Sarah. So go check that out and subscribe.

http://jusjayrr.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/interview-with-abisha-uhl-of-sick-of-sarah/

What Were You Listening To This Summer?

So it's starting to feel less and less like summer everyday now. Believe it or not there's a few weeks left. All we've been talking about here are summer records; I listed my favorite record releases of the (spring and) summer and LLV basically gave a run down of what she's been into this summer with a wide range of selections from Eminem to Fleetwood Mac.

I had this idea to ask a few people what their favorite records were to listen to in the summer. For me it's Weezer's Blue Album, hands down. It's as if I forget that record exists until it gets warm outside. The opening chords of the acoustic on "My Name Is Jonas", the lyrics in "Surf Wax America" (and the title!) and the visual I get from "In The Garage" seem to just scream "It's summer, get out, enjoy the weather, have fun!!!". Hell, I don't even own a car this is the feeling I get from popping some ear buds in my ear so I can only imagine what fun I'd be inspired to have if I hopped into a car and cranked the volume up to 'obnoxious'. This summer however I've gotten a bit dark. Along with my beloved Weezer summer pick-me-up I've been putting Kittie's discography on repeat. Ironically, one of my favorite songs by the band is called "Summer Dies"

SO, I asked Raimy Rosenduft, Sarah Bastin, Jamie Holm (Sick of Sarah), Brad Hale (Now, Now Every Children) and Lindsey Byrnes to fill us in on what they've been blasting this summer. I'm nosy, I ask a lot of people a lot of things and you're no different. I'd love to see what you guys have been listening to this summer in the comments!

And yeah The Byrnes' answer is kind of short. But if you're a fan of The Byrnes then you know how busy she is, seriously, I don't think the woman sleeps! Glad I could get a hold of her to get this! Enjoy

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Nada Surf's 'Let Go' it just happened that way, I got back to Los Angeles after being gone for almost a year and it's just what has been on my ipod. That and Next Stop Soweto and Miriam Makeba's Greatest Hits and a bunch of other afrobeat... and the new LCD and Washed Out all on shuffle. It reminds me of walking around Park Slope and Ft. Greene... home.

-Raimy
http://raimyrosenduft.com
http://twitter.com/muthafunka

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my record of the summer 2010 is ra ra riot - boy
because before them i hated the cello and the violin. because their new record makes me sad, happy, joyful, melancolic and summer is all about that. it's the moment of the year to reach a new level in work and life, you start a new year in the summer. ra ra riot is a great band for roadtrips !

-Sarah
http://sarahbastin.net
http://twitter.com/sarahbastin
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The album I've been listening to the most is my boyfriends band, Vaudeville, I'm a nerd. Haha. Other than that I would have to say Mermaid Avenue, Wilco & Billy Bragg. I'm addicted.

-Jamie
http://sickofsarah.com
http://twitter.com/jamiestrange

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I'm not big on summer, so whenever summer happens to come around I need to listen to music that distracts me from the heat. Every summer for the past handful of years I have found myself retreating to the Sufjan Stevens "Songs for Christmas" albums. Maybe it's a bad habit, but it totally gives me this nostalgic feeling that I can never find anywhere during summer.

-Brad
http://nownowband.tumblr.com
http://twitter.com/poopybrad

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Steel Train/Steel Train
Pixies/ Doolittle
Tegan and Sara/Sainthood

These are the CDs that are currently on rotation in my car.

-Lindsey
http://lindseybyrnes.com
http://twitter.com/lindseybyrnes

Illustrations by Jodi Sandler

http://jodisandler.com

http://twitter.com/jodisandler

Exclusive: A Moment With Trish Bendix!

Afterellen.com's music blogger Trish Bendix has kept me up to date for some time now with her column "Soundcheck" on the site. She's interviewed Missy Higgins and Tegan Quin, two of my favorite people (and yours)! So I was honored when she agreed to answer a few questions for me. I really didn't need an introduction, after you read this interview you will see why I wanted to interview her and why she's one of the coolest people....ever. YEP.


How did you begin working for Afterellen.com? Was this before or after you started "The L Blog"?

I started writing for AfterEllen as a freelancer, covering music. Eventually, I started the music column, SoundCheck, and when ScribeGrrrl left the position of Blog Editor, the powers that be asked if I'd be interested in working for the site full time. The L Blog started after, for Chicago lesbians, separate from AE.


As a music blogger you have to cover a number of genres to please your readers. What kind of music are you actually into though?

I really do like most kinds of music, or at least some artists in each genre. I find, though, that my favorites are those that are more eclectic and mix genres, usually bands that have a pop edge to whatever kind of music they are actually making: folk-pop, dance-pop, indie-pop and hip-hop and R&B, which are just innately filled with some pop. I go through phases, sometimes, and right now I've been really into the country-tinged alt-rock like Brandi Carlile and Neko Case. My girlfriend (an addmittedly huge metal head) and I are really into Jace Everett's album, too - he sings the twangy theme song for "True Blood," which I think sparked the latest obsession.


You've done SO MANY interviews and articles over the years, is there one in particular that sticks out in your mind?

I once interviewed Missy Higgins backstage before a concert after watching her do a soundcheck. She had just recently come out as bisexual, and I was glad to get her to open up about my favorite song, "Secret," of hers, which was about dating a closeted girl. Tegan, of course, is a great interview, and that's because she's not afraid to answer anything. Molly Siegel of the Baltimore indie band Ponytail was really refreshingly honest and laidback, and both gay women of The Gossip (Hannah and Beth) were awesome. It was right before they blew up huge and were playing a tiny venue in Chicago. Beth was eating chocolate cake and bought me a coffee. Oh, and Sia right after she inadvertently came out in a UK gay men's mag.


Can you name three people that you want to interview that you haven't yet?

I'm hoping to get an interview with Brandi Carlile ASAP and would also love to talk with Carrie Brownstein and Joan Jett. Probably Sam Ronson, too, because she's been thrown into this crazy position of high-profile lez and I bet she'd be an interesting interview.


How do you feel about "Women In Rock" features/articles (and things of that nature)?

Ah, such a loaded topic. In general, I do not think they turn out to be much more than "These women are great - for women!" It would be a wonderful world if we didn't have to have specific issues dedicated to women because they had equal coverage everywhere else. The same could be said for lesbians: We have AfterEllen.com because we need it.


In my opinion this has been a great record release year (at least for indie rock). I haven't found myself listening to so much current music in years. Could you tell us a few of your favorites so far?

Some of my recent gay faves: Telepathe - "Dance Mother," Brandi Carlile - "Give Up the Ghost," The Gossip - "Music for Men," Tegan and Sara - "Sainthood" and Dance Yourself to Death's debut. Despite being semi-closeted, I'll also say Lissy Trullie's been a mainstay. I also love Ladyhawke and Little Boots, both rumored gays but otherwise, just really awesome musicians.


My blog is all about indie music/bands (for the most part). Are there any indie bands you think people should be aware of? Perhaps some local Chicago acts?

Chicago is lucky enough to have two great indie bands with lesbians in them: Bound Stems, The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir. We also have an awesome lesbian rapper named Psalm One who is on the Rhymesayers label with Atmosphere and some other hot MCs.


Favorite Sleater-Kinney song/record? (Oh you so knew that was coming)

Album: One Beat, Song: Jumpers - it used to be my ringtone