Music.

Long ago, Craig-aitch posted a fun survey. Today, I completed mine. Fun!

List 10 musical artists (or bands) you like in no specific order. Answer the questions below AFTER PICKING YOUR ARTISTS! NO LOOKING AHEAD!

1.Weakerthans
2.Neko Case
3.Mark Lanegan
4.Tom Waits
5.Black Keys
6.Iron & Wine
7.Neil Young
8.Ween
9.Beirut
10.Corb Lund (with or without the Hurtin' Albertans)

1. What was the first song you ever heard by #6?
Lion's Mane. First song, First album. Around the time Shawn and I first started dating. Good memories of meeting him at the Seabus terminal for the midweeks we spent together early on.

2. What is your favourite song of #8?
I don't accept this question. And much like this survey, it largely depends on my mood. Flutes of Chi? The Mollusk? Buckingham Green? Transdermal Celebration? Can't pick. All I know is that it all makes me smile. And makes me think that huffing solvents must be REALLY REALLY FUN.

3. What kind of impact has #1 had on your life?
They have been the soundtrack to the good times, and the bad. They have inspired a desire to love your hometown, no matter how much you hate it, to find the beautiful in the mundane, and to bare your heart, no matter how fragile it makes you feel. Awww...

4. What is your favourite lyric of #5?
Wreeeeoooo-waaah-eeeeer. Did you get that? It was an amalgamation of every dirty electric blues guitar riff they make happen. It still surprises me that this band consists of two bearded white boys. Also, this test is too hard.

5. How many times have you seen #4 live?
Zero. Sad. So sad. I could have, but my brain was broken at the time, and I had no desire to camp over night for tickets, ignoring the fact that I did not have the money either. This seems like a no-brainer now, but at the time the thought of staying all night on Granville Street made my head swim, and my lungs constrict. ALAS. I will have to live vicariously through others.

6. What is your favourite song by #7?
Down by the River. Gotta love a song about murder. Old Man is a very close second, largely because the Harvest album means a lot to me. It was one of the first records that I stole from my Dad.

7. Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad?
Entire albums. However, this artist (though one of my longest standing favourites) is so tangled up in past people and places that I can't dissociate the lyrics from the memories. Oh, Mark. You junk-adled ginger. SO I'll pick his cover of "Consider Me"- not that is makes me sad, per se, but it just makes my heart ache. In a good way.

8. Favourite song by #9?
Brandenburg. Listening to this song at unsafe volumes in headphones makes me feel like I'm part of an 18th century Gypsy army that has the ability to fly.

9. When did you first get into #2?
I think around the time we moved to Edmonton, and upon hearing "That Teenage Feeling", though I recall liking "Deep Red Bells" when Blacklisted was released. It's been true hetero-girl-crush love ever since.

10. Favourite song by #4?
Gun Street Girl. Hands down. Still my favourite. Rain Dogs was the first Tom Waits album I ever bought, from the $6.79 bin while working at A&B Sound. It was the only song that upon first listen, I pressed repeat. I think I listened to it about 5 times before moving on.

11. How many times have you seen #9 live?
Zero so far. Edmonton is not always a hub for travelling bands, and opportunities to see them/him at other times (i.e.: in Vansnoozer) were dashed by dirt poor-ness.

12. What is a good memory concerning #2?
Seeing her perform at Folk Fest this summer, under the moon, on the dried out grass, with mist creeping up from the trees, and my best friend beside me. I had a hard time not sobbing through the entire performance. That girl has some pipes. And some demons.

13. Is there a song by #8 that makes you sad?
Hahahahaha! No. No there isn't. Sad that I don't huff solvents, maybe.

14. Favourite song by #1?
Our Retired Explorer (Dines with Michel Foucault in Paris 1961). My Favourite Chords.

15. How did you become a fan of #10?
I'm a sucker for a good roots country song- truly. But there is nothing worse than the saccharine, bleached blonde, new country crap out there these days! Ugh! Corb brings me back to the days of rebel country, story songs, a healthy dose of sarcasm, and early twang while still being wholly believable, without being gimmicky. I think it surprised me one day while working at Free Range when, after a day filled with post-rock and hip hop, a Corb Lund mix was put on. I may have asked Shawn if he was feeling okay, and though I thoroughly enjoyed it, I doubt the other employees shared the sentiment…