What was the first concert you ever saw?
Probably Bob Dylan--at least that was the first one I remember. I kind of fell asleep during the encore, though, but I was six. Give me a break.
What CDs are in your changer right now?
Fela Kuti, The Underground Spiritual Game; David Bowie, Low; Sigur Rós, Takk ... ; Keith Jarrett, Up For It; Paul Motian, I Have the Room Above Her.
How many total albums do you own (CDs, vinyl, cassettes, 8-tracks)?
Jesus ... I own between 500 and 600 CDs. I also recently inherited a hard drive with at least another 500 albums' worth of music on it. I feel kind of dirty about it all, though, which leads to the next question ...
Do you download music, and if so, legally or illegally?
It bugs me that people think they can own someone's artistic and intellectual property without giving him something for it. I plan to make a living doing this, so I always feel better paying for a CD instead of downloading it.
What was the first album you owned?
Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue. It was a present. The first one I bought was probably Pink Floyd's Meddle or Animals.
What song would you like to have played at your funeral?
I think Philip Glass' "Metamorphosis" would be very nice.
Musically speaking, what do you love that your friends don't know about? What's your favorite guilty pleasure?
I'd have to say Aesop Rock, or Moby. Everyone hates Moby, but he influenced my early solo stuff a lot and probably still does.
What band or artist changed your life, and how?
Every time I hear something new that excites me it changes my life. This has happened with Philip Glass, Keith Jarrett, Brian Eno, Sigur Rós, Jack DeJohnette, John Coltrane and Antibalas, to name a few. I like to think that I'm influenced by everything.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
I'm afraid this question has more than one answer, but it would be safe to say John Coltrane's A Love Supreme.
