Mad Caddies' trumpeter Keith Douglas drinks a few brews with me at the Whiskey Tavern in Chinatown to celebrate Dirty Rice, the band's first album in seven years. Keith reveals what they were doing on their break, and how recording in an old barn from their past helped to shape the sessions.  A self-declared food lover, Douglas also shares some of his favorite things to eat on tour, as well as an eel-filled drinking story from Germany.

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Terri Nunn of Berlin has her first-ever pre-show drink before a gig at NYC's Cutting Room.  She explains how punk music opened the door for the band's electronic pop sound in the late '70s.  Despite a few battles over some suggestive content, Nunn attests to the power of MTV in its early years.  Terri also reveals how a lucky encounter with Giorgio Moroder resulted in the international #1 hit "Take My Breath Away," and how a job as a radio host inspired her to incorporate EDM into the band's latest album, Animal.

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Hollis Brown is a current rock band that makes the kind of songs you would've heard at Woodstock. Singer/guitarist Mike Montali has a beer with me to celebrate the band's latest record, Hollis Brown Gets Loaded, a Velvet Underground tribute album released as part of Record Store Day. He discusses the recent changes in their lineup, a collaboration with rapper DMC, and how a Salvador Dali painting inspired him to write lyrics in Spanish.

www.hollisbrown.com

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Ed Williams, Michael Girardot, and Andrew Campanelli of the Revivalists throw back some brews in their (parked) van on Wythe Avenue before a concert at Brooklyn Bowl.  A renowned live act out of New Orleans, they just re-released their album City of Sound with a bonus disc of live cuts.  They share their rules for selecting a cover song, their favorite food on tour, and how a gig at a craft beer festival landed them a trip to India.

therevivalists.com

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Jake Smith a.k.a. The White Buffalo pounds a beer with me in a backstage hallway at Irving Plaza in NYC.  Known for his ferocious live shows, Smith could potentially tour for eternity on his latest LP, Shadows, Greys, & Evil Ways.  A timeless concept album about the trials and tribulations of a young couple, it's been praised by fans and critics alike.  Jake tells how the songs came together to fit the story, what it's like playing onstage with his son, and why alcohol often plays a role in his tunes.

thewhitebuffalo.com

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As a founding member of the Mekons, Jon Langford has been making music since the 1970s, so we had a lot to talk about in this two-beer chat at Halyards in Brooklyn.  He covers his entire history, from his childhood in Wales, to art school in Leeds, to his migration in the '90s to Chicago, where he formed the Waco Brothers.  Now backed by his band, Skull Orchard, he's just released Here Be Monsters, his critically lauded sixth solo LP.  Langford also explains how he came to design labels for Dogfish Head Brewery, and reveals the greatest gig he's ever seen.

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As the drummer of Soulive, Alan Evans has played several concerts over the years, but the biggest event is always the band's two-week Brooklyn Bowl residency known as Bowlive.  Over a backstage beer during Bowlive 5, Evans gives a brief history of the tradition and shares his daily routine on a gig day.  Alan explains what it's like to feed off the energy of the audience, his bandmates, and any number of special guests that frequently sit in with the band.  He reveals it's this same energy that inspired the Alan Evans Trio to record their latest album, Woodstock Sessions Vol. 1, live in a room full of friends.

soulive.com

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The World/Inferno Friendship Society's Jack Terricloth has a few drinks with me at Matt Torrey's in Williamsburg.  He shares his thoughts on what makes a good bar and why he prefers to write songs about historical figures.  Jack reflects on his first punk show, his time in Sticks & Stones, and the collaboration with Mitch Clem to create a comic book to accompany the band's latest EP.

worldinferno.com

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Gordon Voidwell sits down for a drink between DJ sets at Brooklyn Bowl.  He explains why he classifies his music as "memory pop" and why fashion is important to him as a performer.  Having just released his third mixtape, Bad Études, Gordon shares his thoughts on the current state of the music industry, as well as his picks for a dream producer.

www.gordonvoidwell.com

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