[editor’s note: This issue, we launch a new shortie asking local folks what’s they’re listening to right now. … it’s not ground-breaking, but it will be interesting. We’ll check in with local musicians, business owners, politicians and characters. Know of someone with a dynamic iPod? Let us know at ae@mountainx.com]
Considering he's the veteran frontman for local garage-rockers Reigning Sound, we were expecting some pretty in-depth, expertly obscure answers, and Greg Cartwright didn't disappoint. (Seriously, Google every band mentioned below.) And be sure to check out Strychnine Dandelion, the new album from his side-project The Parting Gifts — a collaboration with The Ettes' singer Coco Hames — which features guest appearances by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys and Patrick Keeler of The Raconteurs.
Hey Greg Cartwright, what’s your spin?
Listening to now: The Louvin Brothers, A Tribute to the Delmore Brothers.
Most recent album/song bought: I recently picked up a copy of Warm Waters by Charles Lloyd, a jazz musician from Memphis who had his heyday in the late ‘60s. This one's from 1971 and sounds nothing like his other previous LPs. Side one has a great fragile folk vibe, and other parts of the record things get grittier and I would almost swear I hear the influence of Lou Reed and Iggy Pop. This record is in a dollar bin near you. Jazz aficionados hate it. Lucky us.
Most recent concert attended: When I go to a concert it's usually in a working capacity, but that's not so bad. I get to see a lot of cool bands. We played at a festival in San Francisco last month and I got to see Ty Segall, the Icky Boyfriends and a lot of other great bands, as well as see Roy and Cyril from the Flamin' Groovies playing together!
First concert ever attended: That's tough because my parents took me to some concerts when I was a kid. The first concert I paid my own money to see was either Mad Parade, a punk band from the West Coast, or Alice Cooper.
Favorite local/regional act: Locally, I really like the Mad Tea Party. And if we're looking around the region a bit, there's the Spider Bags from Chapel Hill. They're great too.
Favorite band/artist of all time: I don't have a favorite artist of all time, but there are definitely artists with higher batting averages in my book, like Dan Penn, Doug Sahm, Carl Perkins, Gene Clark and lots more.
Guilty pleasures: In the ‘80s some of my friends thought it was goofy that I liked Roxy Music. In the early ‘90s, acquaintances turned their noses up at my love for Thin Lizzy. Of course, Roxy Music was always very hip (just not in my circle at the time) and Thin Lizzy has a much larger audience now, outside of fans of classic rock radio. Music fads come and go. But what's good is good.
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