Lauren Baker is the co-owner of Razorz Edge, a rock 'n' roll fashion boutique at 427 N. Fourth Ave. Visit www.razorzedge.com for more information.
What was the first concert you ever saw?
Stevie Nicks and Don Henley. My parents took me, and I must have been 8 or 9 years old. I was in awe of Stevie Nicks after that! My first concert without my parents was Bell Biv DeVoe. I can't believe they let me wear a "Do Me Baby" shirt to school the next day.
What are you listening to these days?
A Place to Bury Strangers, The Horrors, The Ettes, Freezepop, Silversun Pickups, The Kills, The Deftones and the Rockabilly Revival Pandora station. Over the last few years, I have gotten into a lot more of the "garage" sound.
What was the first album you owned?
The Go-Go's, Vacation (vinyl), and Motley Crüe, Shout at the Devil (cassette).
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone seem to love, but you just don't get?
New R&B is pretty much the worst.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
I'd die happy if I could go back in time and see Siouxsie and the Banshees when Robert Smith was in the band, in the early '80s.
Musically speaking, what is your favorite guilty pleasure?
'80s-'90s hair metal, cheesy industrial/goth synth stuff.
What song would you like to have played at your funeral?
Tossup between "God" by Tori Amos, and "Dear God" by XTC.
What band or artist changed your life, and how?
It was actually a radio show that changed my life. I used to listen to the alternative radio show the New Music Test Department that was originally on KLPX in the early '90s. I recorded that show on cassette every Sunday night. ... It was the first time I heard bands like The Smiths and Cocteau Twins. I remember the first time I heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and it was on that show, and it blew me away!
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Disintegration by The Cure.
