Jared McKinley, a proud sufferer of ADHD, enables his illness
through his pursuits in photography, music and literature, and furthers
his mental distraction through nighttime social debauchery. He
currently works as a horticulturist, botanist and writer.
What was the first concert you ever saw?
Pere Ubu and Gang of Four in New York. It was awesome. I was
underage and looked the part. This was before Giuliani, obviously.
What CDs are in your changer right now?
Who plays CDs anymore? Last six albums played: Tyvek, Fast
Metabolism; Eat Skull, Wild and Inside; Thee Oh Sees,
Help; Shoes, Present Tense/Tongue Twister; Beach
Boys, Smiley Smile; Isaac Hayes, Hot Buttered Soul.
How many total albums do you own (CDs, vinyl, cassettes,
8-tracks)?
Thousands of albums, thousands of CDs and countless digital tracks.
I hardly ever play my CDs anymore—mostly just vinyl and on my
computer.
Do you download music, and if so, legally or illegally?
Yes, mostly legally. However, I have no problem with illegal
downloads for people, like me, who will not be curtailed from spending
on music by getting some of it for free.
What was the first album you owned?
Kiss, Destroyer, on 8-track.
What song would you like to have played at your funeral?
“Green Door,” as performed by the Cramps.
Musically speaking, what do you love that your friends don’t know
about? What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?
Most people find my love for Liza Minnelli appalling, but I am more
embarrassed by my collection of Smashing Pumpkins CDs.
What band or artist changed your life, and how?
Many. Kiss, for the initial launch into music love; Anthony Braxton,
for expanding my ears via the avant-garde; and I would have to admit
the importance of Sonic Youth on my teenage years.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all
time?
The Carpenters, The Singles 1969-1973, the only music that
ever made me actually cry.
This article appears in Aug 6-12, 2009.