Wed... er, Thursday Duologue: Henry Beguiristain

me: henri!

Henry: Hey!

Sorry it took me so long. AT&T clearly does not have the nation's largest 3G network.

me: how's le texas? (that's francais for texas;)

no sorries

Henry: Texas.. so far, it's incredibly sunny. A little chilly.

We also spotted a "Jesus Christ is Lord Travel Center".

me: did you go in?

Henry: The heavenly burger was tempting, but we drove past it.

me: oh my. so i assume you're hanging out in Our Father's Internet Cafe?

Henry: Haha.. no, I'm in the car. Borrowing James' internet USB dongle.

me: 2 points to technology!

shall we get ramblin' then?

Henry: Sure!

me: great. who are you?

Henry: Hello, my name is: Henry. I sing, play, and write for Aloud.

me: pleasure.

who are you when you walk into a lonesome texas gas station where no one knows you?

Wednesday Duologues: Michael J. Epstein

Michael: Hello!

me: drat! i've been sitting here drafting an email for the last two hours when we could've been having a pre-midnight conversation?

Michael: Indeed. Apologies for keeping you up late.

me: i'd be up anyway, no worries.

Michael: Excellent. I don't trust people who go to bed early.

me: why's that?

Michael: Going to bed early is so unthinkable to me that I must conclude that one who chooses to do so must have had some kind of cognitive injury.

me: that's where logic will get you. what people do you trust?

Michael: It is true that there are a lot of behaviors and philosophies that I just can't comprehend. It is likely a result of my narrow-mindedness. Either way, I prefer not to have to trust anyone. Then I don't have to think about whether I trust an individual or not. That is the only way I can get along with people who prefer early slumber.

For instance, I really don't like Billy Joel, yet Billy Joel attaches himself to my musical accomplishments, however objectively minor they are. He has a song about how it's just a "matter of trust" and I positively do not trust him.

me: Billy Joel attaches himself to your musical accomplishments?

Michael: Do you trust Billy Joel?

me: no, he's a drunk.

(hold on i gotta get a drink.)

Michael: He is a drunk that SPIN thinks I make lyrical shout-outs to and VH1 thinks I want to help celebrate by counting down his hits.

me: wait, what's that last bit?

Michael: http://www.spin.com/articles/motion-sick and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkLwR-3oVo0 respectively, but my doctor asked me to reduce my Billy Joel perseveration, so perhaps we should move on.

me: okay but maybe we'll come back to your lyrics in a bit.

Michael: My Billy Joel shout-outs? Incidentally, I tried to contact that guy to ask him what he was referring to, but did not receive a response.

me: so you don't know which song he meant, even?

Michael: I haven't even the slightest clue. I probably spent two hours poring over the lyrics on that album to try and figure out what could possibly be perceived as associated with that guy.

me: wow.

that would be infuriating. also, now i want to pore over the lyrics on that album to figure it out. i probably know more billy joel lyrics than you do.

Michael: I should probably hire a private detective to solve the case. I like the idea of private detectives. I really like the classic American film noir stuff. I almost feel inspired to make a hard-boiled documentary/drama about the Billy Joel lyrics. Actually, this might be the first official announcement, but there is a small group of us working on a sitcom based on our lives. We have an assignment to outline episode ideas. This just might be one.

me: let me ask you something that keeps me awake at nights.

wait

first i have to ask you the traditional first question.

Michael: These are the lyrics to the album in question by the way: http://www.themotionsick.com/alllyrics.html

I once wrote a song called "Destroy Tradition."

me: i know it may seem like a formality at this point. you've been featured in SPIN, after all.

but my mother will be reading and she has somehow managed to get this far in life without knowing you.

so

::ahem::

who are you?

Michael: For your mother...I am Michael J. Epstein. I am most well known for having a mustache and liking things on Facebook. Neither of those things is important to me at all of course, but the things that are important to me don't make for good sound bites. Declaring that a mossy patch of grass on the sidewalk is a national park and wildlife preserve for mummified squirrels does. So, your mom will only find out about the squirrel, the mustache, and the liking. Also, most recently, she should know that it's my birthday.

Mothers tend to like me for whatever reason. I guess I seem okay, at least on the surface.

me: that's useful. mothers usually do not like me. grandmothers, however, do.

Michael: Also, I bet you have more readers, and you certainly have more important readers, than SPIN.

me: ahhh and that's why mothers like you.

Michael: Yes. I do actually like SPIN, particularly SPIN.com, so I don't mean that as a dig at them. Not everyone can reach the acme.

me: i really have reached it, by the way. have you heard?

Michael: I don't know, I hear a lot of things (practicing lines for my noir sitcom episode).

me: (i like it.)

i'm Boston Band Crush's newest blogger!

(i think this is the announcement, by the way.)

Michael: That is very exciting news! I am delighted to hear that!

me: all thanks to you, but we'll get back to that too.

Michael: This chat is like ten press releases in one!

me: right?

Michael: I like to make an event out of everything.

me: and i think i have even convinced ashley to give me a weekly column on lyrics.

"column" - it'll be short interviews.

Michael: Ooh, I like that even more! Lyrics are very important to me. Back to distrust, I distrust people that don't pay attention to lyrics when they listen to music.

me: on this we agree.

Michael: How does your mother feel about this?

Wednesday Duologues: Richard Bouchard

Boston Band Crush duologue month continues!!!

me: monsieur! shall we do a whirlwind interview?

or... a whirlwinterview?

that sounds snowy.

Richard: Lets see what we can do!

me: okay let's dive right in, then. who are you, anyway?

Richard: I'm Rich! The guy in the hat.

Man about town

indierockranger on the twitter

me: who are you when you're all alone in your car rolling down the highway?

Richard: It depends on the day I've had. In the mornings I'm usually focused on work, so I'm not listening to too much.

On the ride home, if I've had a good day I'm listening to some BBC favorites on my ipod, the happy Rich most people know

after a trying day, I might slip back into old Rich, a bit more aggressive

'90s grunge rock Rich

me: what's your favorite grouchy grunge song and in what ways do you sing and/or play along in the car?

Richard: I really still love anything by the Smashing Pumpkins, if I hear Geek USA everyone around me is done for.

How do I sing in the car? Poorly, but loudly. I try to drown myself out with the volume.

I tend to abuse the steering wheel during particularly rousing drum solos.

me: that's what i was picturing. good.

Richard: I have this weird relationship with the Smashing Pumpkins. I love them for what they were, but I know their new stuff is crap. I keep going for anything that dude puts out though.

Just hoping, every time

me: i so know that compulsion. and the let down.

do you have any unicorns on or in your car?

Wednesday Duologues: C.D. Di Guardia

me: good morning (it's still morning, isn't it?) - this is a spontaneous duologue request from MacKenzie Outlund. wanna?

lemme interview you!

C.D.: hey!

me: aha!

hi!

so are you down? i'm totally going to make this BBC month on my blog.

C.D.: hahah

surely!

me: great!

do you know what you're in for?

C.D.: I think so!

a verbatim transcript of the chat? typos and all?

me: yup, although if you use naughty language i have to bleep.

C.D.: wherein I shall try to be as inoffensive as possible?

me: oh that's not MY rule!

C.D.: what is YOUR rule?

me: just be as you as possible.

C.D.: got it

me: while i ask you wacky questions.

ready set go?

C.D.: done and done!

turn on the recorder

me: yay!

::ahem::

so. who are you?

C.D.: I am Christopher Dennis (Chris/CD) Di Guardia.

me: who are you when nobody's looking?

C.D.: Definitely a Jedi. Because I know the Force is going to work someday when NO ONE is looking.

me: nice. and how will you use it first?

C.D.: I am starting small, just trying to move objects by gesturing at them and/or reach towards them, a la Luke in the beginning of Empire Strikes Back.

me: are we talking remote controls across the room? or moving your car to the other side of the street on street cleaning day?

Wednesday Duologues: Sophie Innerfield

me: heya

Sophie: Hi!

me: it just occurred to me that whatever we end up talking about, our duologue will hold one very exciting distinction.

Fewest Typos!

Sophie: Hurray!!

me: one sec. coffee refill.

me: back! is this an okay time?

also: coffee is the truth.

Sophie: Yes, this is a great time.

Coffee is great! I've actually been trying to cut back.

Tea just doesn't have the same kick.

me: it doesn't. and i would LOVE to have a life that didn't require a kick. but till then...

Sophie: Coffee it is.

me: good for you for trying to cut back, though.

so, who are you?

Sophie: I'm Sophie Innerfield!

me: yay!

this is funny... i have all these friend questions to ask, like - how was your night last night and are you going to magen's show tomorrow, but that's not really why we're here. let me consult the official interview questions....

Sophie: Ooo, sounds good. Let's stick around after the interview portion and have a friend chat.

me: good idea.

it'll be really juicy.

(i just said that so people will wish they could read that part, too and so we sound all intriguing.)

(i hope it works.)

Sophie: (Nice!)

me: oh this is a good sophie question.

if you could remove just one thing from existence, what would it be?

Sophie: Oh boy.

That's actually a terrible, terrible question for me.

me: :)

Sophie: Everything I think of has a flip side.

How about...malaria.

I don't think there's anything good about malaria.

me: good point. what were some of the candidates with positive flip sides?

Sophie: Heroin (opiates are an important therapeutic drug), Facebook (endless, endless material for ridicule)

My need to make a living, which is what gets me up at a reasonable hour every day

me: you think you wouldn't get up otherwise?

Sophie: Not at a reasonable hour anyway

I think that having something to rebel against or escape from is a big part of why we do things, especially as musicians. I'm not sure how much I would get done with unlimited time.

I'd like a little bit more time, but I still need some structure.

me: i've thought a lot about the structure factor, but the rebellion thing is an interesting idea.

do you think we need to define ourselves against something? or is that not quite right.

Sophie: Of course music doesn't feel much like rebellion when I'm practicing technique.

Yes, I think that's true

me: sure

Sophie: I think it helps when we have something to be be angsty about

And for those of us with broad-minded, thorough liberal arts educations in administrative positions...

Instant angst!

me: that was quick.

'cause that's us, right?

and we're both way too smart for our jobs.

Sophie: It's true.

me: so what if we engaged the really dark crap of the world more.

then could we quit our jobs and still be creative?

Wednesday Duologues: Jason Dunn

(Jason's chat photo was of a cute, fuzzy
panda bear, which I would've used here
but apparently I wasn't licensed to do so.)

me: there.

Jason: any second now, yeah, as soon as she figures out how to use computers

oh crap wrong window

me: niiiiice

Jason: hi!

me: i can see i'll have my work cut out for me

hi! how are you?

Jason: I'm OK. Surprisingly awake for a weekday.

me: well done.

are we on a tight schedule?

Jason: define "tight".

me: that's what she said.

who are you?

Jason: I can't believe you just snatched the first off-color joke in the convo out from under my fingertips

I'm Jason Horatio Halogen Dunn

me: wah ah ah ah

really?

Jason: This from the girl who was offended by my harmless Juicy Waterfall rap.

No, not really.

My middle two names are really Michael. And there is only one of them.

me: i wasn't offended, i was just warning my relatives that they might be.

Jason: pfft.

Relatives.

me: twss

so

Jason: OH MAN

you've even shortened it t an acronym to get the jump on me

this seems planned.

are you typing really slowly, or thinking?

me: that's classified.

Jason: (TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP)

me: so. jason michael dunn. do you consider yourself an impatient man?

Jason: I don't have time for that.

me: to...consider yourself?

Jason: Oh man, if I took the time to consider myself I wouldn't ddo half the sh*t I do

feel free to edit this for typos

me: shan't.

Jason: sh*t.

me: so, for example.

Jason: An impatient man?

yes, examples please

me: what might you not do

if you stopped to consider yourself?

Wednesday Duologues: Jen de la Osa

I love this conversation.  I'm not saying I have a crush on Jen de la Osa.  But I totally do.  Fortunately, I have a crush on the other half of Aloud, too.  I'm planning to score the other half of my Aloud duologue while they're on the road this fall, so stay tuned for that one of these Wednesdays.  In the meantime, DO NOT MISS the Exile release show this Thursday at Church of Boston.  The album is beautiful and, as you'll get an inkling of below, the show is guaranteed to be spectacular.  See you there!

me: this is me NOT laughing at your username [oasisfan something something]. <3

Jen : hahaha

I love that I've never bothered to change it since I was 13.

me: still a fan?

Jen : Till the end. They were the reason I finally made my parents get me a $30 acoustic guitar off a Speigal catalog.

me: oh awesome.

Jen : Yeah, it was a crappy guitar, but I loved it and wrote many terrible songs on it.

me: did you name it? do you name your instruments?

Jen : No. That's for BB King to do.

me: bb king names your instruments?

Jen : He's a phone call away.

me: can i get that number? :)

Jen : I'll be sure to put you both in touch. :)

me: please.

okay you ready?

Jen : Let's do it!

me: great! so, to situate ourselves in people's minds a bit... what are you wearing?

wait no.

sorry.

Jen : ?

me: that was a joke.

Jen : Olive. Jeans. Purple nikes.

me: purple nikes!

i love purple.

Jen : Me too!

me: i feel like there's something special about people who like purple.

you gotta be willing to feel to like purple.

Jen : Yeah, it's like those people "get it"

me: obviously.

so, lemme go back and explain that question. i was really going to ask for you to describe some object in your immediate environment. i feel like the chats are so virtual.

if you know what i mean

Jen : Right on. Well I'm in my living room. It's filled with furniture that Henry and I are selling. The walls are bare save the two paintings I refuse to get rid of. We'll be moving at the end of the month you see.

me: yes!

what are the two paintings?

Jen : The one directly behind me was painted by a family member. He did these since I was a kid. It's a beach mainly blue, palm trees, calm ocean. The place I love the most: the ocean. And perhaps his remembering Cuba.

The second is an Egyptian lady sitting down with fruit around here, mainly yellow. Her boob's hanging out. It used to sit next to the booze in my parents house all my life. My parents had no place for it when they moved to North Carolina, so I took it. Many times did I steal vodka with this lady watching me.

me: and now? do you drink with her?

Jen : Yes. Though these days it's red wine or good beer.

me: mmmm

okay that is a fantastic scene-setting job, thank you!

now the real first question: who are you?

Jen : I'm Jen de la Osa. One half of Aloud. I play guitar, keys and sing for Aloud. My partner in crime Henry Beguiristain and I write the songs for Aloud (he's the other half).

um... we're a rock band. yay!

me: yay!

how are you feeling at this point about kicking off the tour next week?

Jen : Ah, well it's really just the CD release next Thursday. The tour kicks off in Oct starting off with CMJ.

me: gotcha. so same question for the CD release show, then. :)

Jen : Ready. Ecstatic. We've finalized the set list over the weekend and started rehearsing it Monday. I can say it's going to be a real treat. We've got some cool things planned and it feels like more of production. I suppose having seen Cabaret last week helped. Don't get me wrong. We won't be dressed up like German strippers, but the idea of upping things a bit. I don't want to spoil things, but it will be a LOT of fun. We've also got the Exile Orchestra and the Exile Choir joining us.

For those of you don't know Exile is the name of the upcoming album.

me: no german strippers?!