9 Questions

Hailing from Milan, Italy, Rosanna Salonia received bachelor’s
degrees in fine art photography and art history from the UA. Her works
can be found in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts in
Houston, UA Special Collections, the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic
Arts in Japan and the International Center of Photography in Verona,
Italy. See her desert-inspired artworks at www.rosannasalonia.com.

What was the first concert you ever saw?

Paul Young in Milan, in the early ’80s, when he was hottt!

What CDs are in your changer right now?

Desert Noir No. 2, a fantastic compilation from Kidd Squidd;
Brazilian Girls, Brazilian Girls; Until the End of the
World soundtrack; The Bird and the Bee, Please Clap Your
Hands; Soul Coughing, Ruby Vroom.

How many total albums do you own (CDs, vinyl, cassettes,
8-tracks)?

About 50 CDs and three or so vinyl records. I still have about 20 of
my old fave cassette tapes, but by now, they must be totally
melted.

Do you download music, and if so, legally or illegally?

I’m into sharing, though I haven’t done a whole lot of legal or
illegal downloading. Am I deluding myself by thinking it’s OK because
we “stick it to the man”?

What was the first album you owned?

Duran Duran, Arena. I loved it so much!

What song would you like to have played at your funeral?

Nick Drake, “River Man.”

Musically speaking, what do you love that your friends don’t know
about? What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?

Hard-core ’80s pop. Do I have to feel guilty about still loving The
Cure? Or Pearl Jam?

What band or artist changed your life, and how?

Duran Duran made me learn English; The Cure made me feel OK about
being a brooding teenager; Pearl Jam and Soundgarden made me rock
out!

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all
time?

It’s a tie: Jeff Buckley, Grace; Björk, Homogenic and Vespertine; Ry Cooder, Paris, Texas soundtrack; Soul
Coughing, Ruby Vroom; Radiohead, OK Computer; Tom Waits,
Rain Dogs; Nina Simone, The Blues; Neil Young,
Harvest.

This article appears in May 28 – Jun 3, 2009.