What was the first concert you ever saw?
The Clash, in Cleveland--the North American Campaign Tour. It was either 1982 or 1983.
What CDs are in your changer right now?
Lyle Lovett and His Large Band; Spoon, A Series of Sneaks; Steely Dan, Can't Buy a Thrill; Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Damn the Torpedoes; Pixies, Death to the Pixies 1987-1991 (disc one); Built to Spill, There's Nothing Wrong With Love.
How many total albums do you own (CDs, vinyl, cassettes, 8-tracks)?
About 250.
Do you download music, and if so, legally or illegally?
No. I like to have the album in my hand; I like to read the liner notes.
What was the first album you owned?
I can't remember the first album, but I know the first CD I bought was The Who's Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy.
What song would you like to have played at your funeral?
"Heroes" by David Bowie.
Musically speaking, what do you love that your friends don't know about? What's your favorite guilty pleasure?
My friends know about it, but I defend it on a daily basis: Steely Dan.
What band or artist changed your life, and how?
I don't know about changing my life, but the first artist I listened to who made me think differently about music was David Bowie.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Steely Dan, The Royal Scam.