Things That Keep Me Going:
Mom and Dad, Gary the Mini Dachshund, The Flat Midwest, The Wet Northwest, The Mean Streets of NE 67th Avenue, Graphic Design, Design Colleagues, A Loose Network of Friends That Stretches From Coast To Coast, Stayin' Outta The Red, Staying Strong, Gocco Slams, Think Inks on Durable Fibers, Six-Stringer Acoustics, the Open Road, Helvetica 55, Trade Gothic no.20, Futura bold, Legos, Vignelli Calendars, Carhartt, Late Nights, Apple Flat Screen Monitors, Right Angles, Tweed Tube Amps, Impko decals, Carved Chainlinks, Wildlife Art, Rain, Memo Books, Clean Sheets, Levi 501s, Saucony Kicks, Fall Foliage...
In General:
01. Good people.
02. People who like barking Dachshunds.
03. Badass Motherfuckers.
Currently reviewing applications for:
01. DDC Girlstuff Dept.
Snowball's chance in Hell:
01. Kathleen Edwards, on a lonely Canadian Highway.
02. Wayne Coyne, and this time, for more than just a friendly handshake.
03. Mark Borchardt, as well as Mike Schank too.
04. Sam Prekop, Chicago.
05. Gibby Haynes, circa 1987.
06. Jay Farrar, St. Louis.
07. Chris Ware, Novelty Comics Artisan.
08. Joseph Müller Brockman, Grid Master.
09. Michael Moore, Patriot.
10. Willie Nelson, National Treasure.
The "DDC Top Ten of All Time" are as listed:01. The Goddamn Flaming Lips
02. Son Volt
03. Uncle Tupelo
04. Dinosaur Jr
05. Replacements
06. Paul Westerberg
07. Pavement
08. Richmond Fontaine
09. Red House Painters
10. Wilco
Regionally speaking:
Favorite Minneapolis Bands:
Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Jayhawks, Cows.
Favorite Detroit Bands:
MC5, Mule and those Dirtbombs.
Favorite Portland Bands:
Richmond Fontaine, Poison Idea, Shins, Decemberists.
Favorite Chicago bands:
Shellac, Wilco, Sea and Cake, Sam Prekop, Tortoise.All the warts and moles:
And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead, Aerial M, Al Green, Archer of Loaf, Archer Prewitt, Ashtray Hearts, Backsliders, Bash & Pop, Bevis Frond, Black Flag, Black Keys, Big Business, Bill Frisell, Black Diamond Heavies, Black Flag, Blue Mountain, Bo Diddley, Bob Mould, Bonnie Prince Billy, Boss Hog, Bottle Rockets, Broken Social Scene, Buck Owens, Built To Spill, Butthole Surfers (pre-1993), Calexico, Califone, Cardinal, Cat Power, Centromatic, Chavez, Chet Atkins, Coachwhips, Cobra Verde, Cows, Cro-Mags, Damien Jurado, Decemberists, Dianogah, Dirtbombs, Dirty Three, Drive By Truckers, Dungen, Bob Dylan, Early Day Miners, Elf Power, Elliot Smith, Explosions in the Sky, Faces, Friends of Dean Martinez, Fucking Champs, Fugazi, Giant Sand, Golden Smog, Guided By Voices, Hold Steady, Hüsker Dü, Ida, Idaho, Jay Farrar, Jayhawks, Jesus Lizard, Jim O'Rourke, Johnny Cash, Josh Rouse, Juno, Lanterna, Low, Lucinda Williams, M. Ward, Magnolia Electric Company, Mark Kozelek, Mercury Rev, Minutemen, Mule, My Morning Jacket, Neil Young, Neko Case, Neutral Milk Hotel, Nick Drake, Owen, Oxes, Palace Brothers, Paw, Pernice Brothers, Poison Idea, Polyphonic Spree, P.W. Long, R.L. Burnside, Red House Painters, Richard Buckner, Sam Prekop, Scenic, Shellac, Shins, Silver Jews, Smog, Spiritualized, Stephen Malkmus, Stereolab, Steve Earle, Stooges, Sufjan Stevens, Swervedriver, The Sea and Cake, Tortoise, Twilight Singers, Unwound, Will Johnson, Will Oldham, Willie Nelson, U2 (1980-1984) and a little band from New Jersey called, Yo La Tengo.
Documentaries, mainly.
"The Shawshank Redemption" tops my list.
Anything Coen Brothers, American Movie, Cool Hand Luke, Straight Story, Simple Plan, Easy Rider, Casino, My Bodyguard, Spaghetti Meatball Westerns of yesteryear, Raging Bull, Life Acquatic.
The sweat of:
David Yow
The stoicism of:
Jay FarrarThe range of:
Philip Seymour-HoffmanThe bite of:
David Sedaris
The shotgun blast of:
Gibby Haynes
The existentialism of:
Wayne Coyne
The growl of:
Richard Buckner
The determination of:
Mark Borchardt
The linework of:
Chris Ware
The archive of:
Chuck Anderson
The icons of:
Todd Piper-Hauswirth
The cynicism of:
Paul Westerberg
The expletives of:
R.L. Burnside
The courage of:
Mark "Porkchop" Holder
The Guitar-rorism of:
J Mascis
John FaheyThe drumming of:
Steven Drozd
Todd Trainer
Damon Che
John Convertino
The Americana of:
Mark Twain
Bill Bryson
The Spirit of:
Kristine Okins