Share a song you feel was ahead of its time.

As always, this whole album is pretty great. It knows who the villains are, and that the villians want to control your life, your body, and your money. It's over 20 years old and it's sad that we're still fighting the same forces of evil as we always have.

Fuck off nazis, I'm going to live my life how I want to live it.

There's a EP they put out which I wish was on streaming, but I'm sure you can find it. I think Reel Big Fish even put some songs from it on one of their recent albums, but that old crunchy sound has been improved which sometimes I prefer.

A song from a genre you didn’t think you’d like—what changed?

Genres are weird. Wikipedia says this band is "folk rock," "alternative," and "nu-disco." I can't say I'm invested enough to know the meanings. What the hell does "alternative" even mean? I imagine I could look it up and find out it's got some deep and appropriate meaning, but in all my time listening to music I've never been able to figure it out. Music doesn't really fit in to these confined little boxes we call genres.

I think a lot of how I find new music and genres is to just come upon it without trying. I was at some live podcast taping at the Marines Memorial Theater in San Francisco and Thao Nguyen came out and played some songs on an acoustic guitar. She was just so good that the songs stuck with me. So I continued to listen to their music and I think their big new album at the time was A Man Alive and I just kept listening to it over and over again. It's still so beautiful. A few months later Thao was performing at The Filmore in San Francisco and I had to go. Only show I ever saw at The Filmore. Only show I needed to see at The Filmore. From where I was standing in the pit, I could see her warming up before coming on to the stage. The way Thao was dancing to the song that was playing through the venue's speakers before the show started was just so mesmerizing I could never forget it.

What’s the last song you discovered and loved instantly?

Always excited to get a new single from Ben Kweller, and apparently this is from the upcoming album Cover The Mirrors, which I am also excited about.

What’s a lyric that resonates deeply with you and why?

Look, when you hear the line

I ride an otter like a motorcycle

it will never leave your head.

If your life were a movie, what would its theme song be?

It's not offensive since I'm trans right? Or does that make it worse?

How do you discover new music, and what’s the latest gem you’ve found?

My friend Erik. Everyone needs an Erik.

What is a song that feels like home to you?

This song feels like the home that is the real world we all live in.

I've got a funny feeling
We're all born to lose
And I've got a funny feeling
That this life ain't worth living through

I love this song a lot, despite those brutally honest lyrics, but keep going and you'll see. You'll see.

I'm not giving up yet
That's not the end of me
But it's not gonna be all right
You'll see, you'll see, hey!

The reality of life is the game is rigged, things keep getting worse, injustice keeps escalating as the truth leaks through the cracks. But you can't give up as the only way out is through. We're all in this together, and we will cope the best we can in our attempt to...

What’s the first song you’d play at a party?

Maybe I don't know shit about parties, but I feel like the first song can be whatever you want because you probably start before people are there. I don't recall ever being at a party where people were like "ok gather around i'm gonna open Winamp." I don't recall being at a party where music played an important role outside of a birthday party, and even then that music is provided by the guests, I don't get to say "everyone lets sing Money Machine by 100 gecs, you all know the words!" Though it would be fun to hear a group of people say "Hey you little piss baby."

So I'm going to pick something self-indulgent so that I can get it out of the way before I force my musical taste on people who didn't ask for it. Sleigh Bells has a new album out and it's good! I mean, it's the closest thing to their first few albums in a while and that's pretty cool to see them do. I've also been listening to their first few albums again and I currently think this song sounds pretty loud and fun.

What song do you associate with the current season?

What season is it actually versus technically? I don't really care. Everclear's 90s grunge sound feels like whatever this season is. If I recall correctly I heard this song for the first time on a road trip with my mom, but there was no way to know what was on the (admittedly, FM) radio. Not too long later my friend was introducing me to their other hits Santa Monica, Everything to Everyone, Father of Mine, and Volvo Driving Soccer Mom. The front-man was diagnosed with MLS, which feels like one of the most tragic outcome for a guitarist, but that didn't stop them from releasing a new song a few years ago in the year of the tiger called Year of the Tiger that maintained everything I love about that Everclear sound.

What’s your favorite love song, and why?

You didn't specify what is being loved, and so I picked one that celebrates artists who struggled with mental health and life.

And I don't know much, but I do know this:
With a golden heart comes a rebel fist
And I can't help agreeing with those that would not quit

Sometimes living is the greatest act of rebellion.