Top "Mama, I've made it!" moments last week.
4. Discussing a David Byrne sighting like a school girl with Pete Shelley
of The Buzzcocks.
Last week at SXSW, before our interview started, Pete Shelley and I discussed being
star-struck over a David Byrne sighting. Sort of ironic since I was standing next to a
legend in his own right.
3. Pete Townshend showing me how to sign off old-school style.
Also at SXSW, God granted me 25 minutes with Pete and his lady-friend Rachel Fuller. They were delightful, and, let's be honest, down-right inspirational. At the end of the interview, Rachel was doing a great "Spinner is the most rock-ass website in the world!" sign off, and then Pete chimes in, total grandpa style, "This is how we used to do it, back in the day!" And he starts rattling off an old-school radio-style sign off, like "KCRQZ102 Rocks!" It was adorable.
2. Pete Townshend claiming he invented the internet.
I asked Pete and Rachel about the importance of video and music on the internet. (Rachel broadcasts a live performance internet TV show called "In the Attic".) At one point during the answer, Pete, says "well, I invented the internet." I laughed and was like "Oh yeah, you and Al Gore!" Rachel turned to me and was like "No, really, he did!" Apparently Pete had a premonition back in the 70's about the internet. Not sure if it was chemically induced. Note: the irony of this topic of conversation was not lost on me.
My other favorite SXSW moments included my interview with Chin Up Chin Up, 15-member Antibalas, Money Mark, and Menomena. Plus I actually managed to see a couple of shows. Andrew Bird was my fave.
1. Witnessing firsthand the abnormally large head of Kurt Loder.
Before SXSW, I unexpectedly ended up at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, where I got to interview Aretha Franklin, Nedra from The Ronnettes, Sammy Hagar, and that dude from the Stone Temple Pilots, Scott Weiland (who is even skinnier in real life). As if all those moments weren't enough for me to call home, my interview "room" was next to Kurt Loder's. Dude. This guy has an extremely big head, and I'm not talking in the figurative sense, though I assume his ego is gigantic given he's managed to remain standing after nearly 30 years in the nuclear-holocaustic environment of MTV programming. Here he is with Grandmaster Flash. See?
If you think I'm getting too braggy here. Let me just put it in perspective for you. After all these great moments, I get back in to the office this morning and there is this glossy postcard on my desk:
