Pure Pop: Hi Bo - What brings you down to pure pop today -

Bo: Music – Looking for a copy of Born To Run.

PP: And it looks like you found it – What have you been listening to today?

Bo: Not much a lazy day, listening to alot of Rod Stewart – A Jeff Beck CD Rod does vocals on, Truth I think it’s called – Rod’s the man.

PP: What are you prefered mediums, CD, Vinyl, Tape, 8-track, Mp3? Ogg Vorbis…

Bo: CD’s – I like to support the Artists, i’m not a huge fan of Itunes.

PP: Read anything good lately?

Bo: I havn’t lately – motorcycle forums, xs650.com focus’s mostly on Japanese Motorcycles.

PP: You ride?

Bo: I do – building a custom bike, yamaha motor, probably take me about 4 months and cost me too much, 3 – 4 grand. That’s why i picked up the new Black Key’s, i guess the guys in the band are really into motorcycle culture.

PP: Where do you go to find out about new music?

Bo: I have alot of friends that listen to good music – i listen to there opinions.

PP: If you could be one person in music history who would it be, and why?

Bo: Joey Ramone – Joey was sweet, modest, i don’t think the Ramones got all the recognition they deserved.

PP: LL Cool J or C&C Music Factory?

Bo: *crickets* I would have to say LL Cool Jay, since i don’t know what the other band was.

PP: Shower Singer or Car Singer?

Bo: Car.

PP: What song?

Bo: Bruce Springstein – It’s hard to be a Saint, been really feeling that Jam lately.

PP: Mind if we get your picture for the blog?

Bo: Man, the only day i go out without my hair slicked up… sure.

You may know Eric Olsen from his various musical endeavors. He is a member of a number of beloved Burlington-based outfits, including Swale, Led Loco and James Kochalka Superstar. He’s also a web and graphic design guru, a husband and, most recently, a father.

Tanner: Hey Eric – what are you shopping for today?

Eric: I’m looking for the Spoon album -

Tanner: Find what you’re looking for?

Herb: boxes havn’t arrived yet cause of the holiday delay…

Eric: Because of MLK day, the shipments were delayed – activists man, they always fuck shit up.

Tanner: What have you been listening to today?

Eric: Been going through albums in alphabetical order – I’m up to B, so I’m up to that Art Brut album – then there was that Basement demo’s from Elliot Smiths post suicide album… something else, can’t remember…

Tanner: What are your preferred mediums – vinyl, mp3, cd, cassette, 8-track, a-dat etc?

Eric: That would depend on the setting -

Herb: What if you were being held prisoner?

Eric: That would depend on the size of the prison…

I’ve slacked on vinyl – i like to get my albums, and rip them to MP3 for my Ipod. I have alot of vinyl, but i wouldn’t call it a collection, i’m mainly CD though. Usually my record player is in disarray.

Tanner: Conan or Leno?

Eric: I’m with CoCo. Actually in my opinion, Leno is like a red state thing, they’re gonna win – it’s like the decline of western civilization.

Tanner: Read anything good lately?

Eric: Murakami - What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, or is it “what i think when i talk about thinking”? … no wait. I’ve also been reading Bill Bryson‘s, A Short History of Nearly Everything – basically cliff notes  of the history of science and all things.  Also since I’ve been coming here last week, i’ve been constantly checking out Gawker.com pretty religiously, we’ve been having alot of laughs at the house about Conan’s list of possible porno names if he starred….

Tanner: If you could be one person in music history who would it be?

Eric: Fela (kuti) I’d have a sovereign nation. Not every musician has that.

Herb: You’d be dead.

Eric: he had alot of sex.

Herb: Not like, Warren Beatty levels of sex.

Tanner: ZZ-Top or DeeDee Ramone?

Eric: Ooooh tough one…. It’s a toss up, ZZ Top would be in the running before they remastered their drums, did not like that. Depends, every other day, I’d go back and forth – shared custody.

Tanner: Your #1 album of 2009.

Eric: Umm… hmm… not sure.

Tanner: Your #1 album of 1989.

Eric: It was either Nation of Millions or Daydream nation…I’m dating myself now aren’t I?

Tanner: Shower singer or car singer? If so, what song?

Eric: Bath Singer – You got another thing coming by Judas Priest.

We had a chance to pick the brain of local weird pop mastermind Joseph D. Pizza van der Slice. Mr. Slice to his friends and fans, is responsible for numerous limited issue projects including this years “Opposite Hitler Mustache” recorded under his Nosebleed Island Moniker. 

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Pure Pop: What are you shopping for today?

Joseph D. Pizza-Slice: Records – looking around for records, R Stevie Moore, but i know im not gonna find it. ELO, Electric Light Orchestra – see if i can find some more.

PP: What genre’s do you prefer?

JDPS: Pop & Soul -  Motown, The good ol’ R&B i don’t know what you call it, R&B or Soul, but the Motown sound and period is what i like, that and weird Pop, Like Ariel Pink, R Steve – Not so into Wavves, and that stuff – I like that new Girls Album – “Album”.

PP: Where do you find out about new music?

JDPS: Friends – that’s where i find out about 90% of my music, I have one friend who does all the looking in the world and he just turns me on to the good stuff.

PP: Where do you shop for new music generally?

JDPS: Pure Pop & Downtown Discs – No online shopping for me – No Computer, I’m about to get one for the first time though i’m excited.

PP: What formats do you prefer?

JDPS: Vinyl and CD and Tape – The big three, i prefer tapes – i guess for listening it’s not the best…. I’m getting a pixel vision camera that records video – onto an audio tape, it’s so crazy i can’t wait to get it.

PP: What was the last album you purchased?

JDPS: ELO – A New World Record, I think Jeff Lynn is quite possibly the greatest post-Beatles, Beatlesesque music maker out there, if that’s even a thing.

PP: Any early suggestions for Album of the Year?

JDPS: I couldn’t call an album of the year – i havn’t heard enough new stuff – I like Yacht’s new one, at least my girlfriend does.

PP: What was the most recent live show you attended?

JDPS: I was gonna go to Happy Birthday but i missed it – but i went to Lawrence Welks & Our Bear to Cross, they’re like Power House Passion Pre-programmed Playing Purple Pussies, I don’t know … *laughs*

PP: If you could recommend one album to anyone, what would it be?

JDPS: I Really like the soundtrack to the Movie “The harder they come” I think that even people that arn’t even into reggae would dig it – Jimi Cliff, really good stuff…

PP: Shower singer or car singer? If so, which songs.

JDPS: Oh man, i have a good answer for that – What was i just singing for like 3 days….  “Yesterday Once More” By The Carpenters! And i’m a shower singer.

Pete Chiacchieri has been a regular pure pop buyer and more than a little big of a rarities collector – even once doing a short stint back in the mid 90′s at our venereal venerable establishment. We cornered him in the back for a brief discussion on music, and he willingly submitted his answers.

Pure Pop: What are you shopping for today?

Pete Chiacchieri: Today i was hoping to find the re-issue of the Rolling Stone‘s Live Licks - but i couldn’t find it, i might have the release date wrong…

PP: That has to be it…what genre’s do you prefer?

PC: Right now? Progressive Rock, you know bands like Yes, Pendragon – Their new one is the second best record of the year for me. It sounds like what you’d hope Pink Floyd would have done after wish you were here; that professional melodic sound that made Dark Side and Wish You Were Here so fantastic, and lyrically on par with the best of 70′s Floyd.

PP: Where do you find out about new music?

PC: I read lots of interviews in all the various magazines - MOJO is big, Uncut, “Q“  Art Rocker – All British Mags, sometimes if you’re online you can just travel through links, Wikipedia – just following the leads where they take you. The British mags are so much more well rounded than these American mags.

PP: Where do you shop for new music generally?

PC: Locally – here, of course. (Ed – That’s Pure Pop Records, 115 North Winooski Ave. Burlington Vermont, 05401 – Open 7 days a week.) Downtown Discs, Burlington Records, and for the more obscure i use Amazon and cd uninverse and if i’m feeling lucky i go to GEMM, (global electronic music marketplace) It’s sort of like dealing with ebay people but you never know what you gonna get so you have to really want that specific item and be will to take a chance…

PP: What formats do you prefer?

PC: Vinyl. CD. then Cassette – No MP3 as of yet, i’m interested but i’m 50 so i grew up with artwork and liner notes, having this little bit of nothing doesn’t really intrigue me. So far i’ve been able to find everything i’m looking for without getting into MP3.

PP: What was the last album you purchased

PC: Jasper Wrath, American Progressive rock from around 71′ – really astounding stuff, melodic song based progressive rock. It looked like it was a dodgy, limited issue so if you’re a collector, get it fast cause it won’t last.

PP: If you could recommend one album to anyone, what would it be?

PC: Aliens: Luna – If you wanna hear something new that beyond belief, ex-Beta Band,  pure psychedelia – they use ever studio trick in the book all to great effect.

PP: Shower singer or car singer? If so, which songs.

PC: I guess both – There’s probably footage on the internet somewhere…. right now definitely belting out the Jasper Wrath, historically – Magical Mystery Tour, what if that album had been better than Sargent Peppers?

For those of you that have never had the misfortune of meeting Tanner McCuin, allow me to give you a primer. In addition to being the Pure Pop Czar of All That is Cyber, he’s a petty and conceited man who’ll happily pontificate for hours on matters he knows nothing about. If you question any of his divergent and often conflicting points, or even ask him to clarify one, he’ll either retreat screeching from the conversation or volley a series of increasingly personal attacks. Whatever personality the man has is obscured by a swollen nest or poorly employed affectations intended to establish the neo-bohemian intellectual he desperately wants to be.

Let’s take a look at the opening paragraph of Tanner’s most recent blog entry, a “review” of a Dungen and Fleet Foxes show.

I showed up to Club Metropolis twenty minutes before Dungen hit the stage, a heartfelt desire to not be disappointed and a bottle of cheap strawberry daiquiri mix burning a hole in my stomach. I had been here most recently to see The National, their Boxer LP and Virginia EP being two of my most listened to albums from the previous year or so and while their performance was spirited, I felt they had a hard time translating their brooding heavily produced between-you-and-me delivery to the broad strokes required for such a large venue and seemingly disinterested audience. That experience had left me seriously questioning my interest in live music, at least, in seeing live many of the bands I enjoy in headphones.

As the experience of seeing The National left Tanner disinterested in seeing comparable bands perform live, the experience of reading this paragraph leaves all but the masochistically curious disinterested in reading the rest of the article. This, ladies and gentlemen, is Tanner, warts and all (all=more warts). The paragraph is convoluted and narcissistic. If Tanner’s writing style was a means of ascending stairs, it would be going up backwards on your hands and knees while talking a lot of nonsense. His ideas go nowhere, and take forever to do so.

I recently sat down with Tanner in an attempt to understand the mechanics of his being. The following is a sort of highlight reel of our conversation.

Herb van der Poll: Hello Tanner.

Tanner McCuin: What’s cracking?

HV: (sighs in disgust) How would you characterize yourself?

TM: Uhm… I don’t really like to pigeon-hole myself. I’m just a guy trying to live my life, attending to my responsibilities as best I can.

HV: Right. Sure. What do you do for fun?

TM: Well, I like to spend time with my friends, my dog. I keep up on music, tech, films, etc. You know what I mean. We’re pretty similar.

HV: (under breath) You wish. (Audibly) Right. What’s it like being such an asshole?

TM: (laughs)

HV: Seriously.

TM: (Apparently under the false impression I’m kidding.) It’s great. (Laughs again.)

HV: What kind of music do you like?

TM: Oh, a little bit of everything. (Ed. note-pretentious) Some of my favorite artists include Will Oldham, Richard Thompson, Kate Bush, New Order… Uhm… I really like ambient music, neo-psych…

HV: Blah, blah, blah. I get it. Shitty stuff no one else likes.

TM: (laughs) Yeah. Pretty much.

HV: The old paradigm of music production and distribution has evolved quite a bit in the last ten years or so. Do you think we’re approaching a period of stability, or is that further ahead?

TM: Well, I think that’s an interesting question with a complicated answer. Clearly, the old model hasn’t dissolved completely, as many predicted it would by now. I can only speculate, but-

HV: I’m just kidding. No one cares what you think about that kind of stuff.

TM: Uhm.. O

kay.

HV: In fact, no one cares what you think about anything. This interview is

over.

TM: Okay.

HV: Wanna get a beer after work?

TM: Sure.

In a new segment on Pure Pop Online we’re talking with random customers and asking them what they’re listening to, what they’re looking for and a little bit about pop culture in general. Yo know, the hard questions.

Pure Pop: Hi Josh, What brings you into Pure Pop today?
Josh F: Decided to pick up the new Jarvis Cocker album.  I’m not a fan, but I’ve heard/read some interesting things so I’ve decided to give it a shot.  He compiled a wonderful cd called “The Trip” with another fellow, and it’s a great mix of new wave, country, rock, and a little bit of wtf?  I also grabbed the Incredible String Band‘s “The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter“.

PP: What else have you been listening to lately?
JF: Phil Spector ripoffs, Paul Dutton, Judas Priest, Royal Trux, JT IV, Sun City Girls, Omar Souleyman, Def Leppard, Dr. Strangely Strange, The Frogs, Brainbombs, Too $hort, Chubby Checker‘s meltdown album from the early 70s.

PP: Been out to see any live shows lately?
JF: Sadly, no.  The last show I saw was Greg Davis/Toby Aronson, Stellar Om Source, Infinity Window, and Mark McGuire. That was a couple of months ago, killer show.

PP: What’s your favorite record store employee stereotype?
JF: I didn’t realize there was more than one.  I think I enjoy the ones that look down on me for whatever it is that I’m buying.

PP: Are you a Vinyl or CD guy? 8-track? Ipod?
JF: I’m not picky.  Anything with sound is fine by me.  I am more of an album person, and that’s something that I realize is not too popular.

PP: What other shops in town do you frequent? (music, and non-music related)
JF: Burlington Records, The Red Onion, American Flatbread, Crow Books, Great Harvest Bakery.

PP: Heard any good jokes lately?
JF: Yes, but I won’t tell it.  It’s not appropriate.  I’ll stick to a good old standard.
How do you make a tissue dance?
Put a little boogie in it.

PP: What magazines or websites do you read / requent to find out about new music?
JF: Arthurmag.com, blastitude.com, aethereverywhere.com,  weirdorecords.com, Z-Gun magazine, cosmicjams.blogspot.com, Wax Poetics, Signal to Noise, The Wire

PP: What are your feelings if any on the state of music today?
JF: Lots of cool stuff going on if you know where to look.  It’s amazing that we’re living in a time where you can actually listen to pretty much anything that was recorded in the history of music.  That’s a plus.

PP: Do you make music? Art?
JF: I make a little music with a friend under the name Black Beauty.  We’re two full grown men who should really know better, but we play a noisy mix of rock and some other things thrown in.  I also make some silly collages occasionally.

PP: If you were a ice-cream flavor what flavor would you be?
JF: Spicy Chocolate

PP: Thanks Josh!