The Jack may have erred last night when he attempted to explain the Elephant 6 sound by ways of a Neutral Milk Hotel namedrop. Though Mangum (not Magnum like I thought for years) may be the most recognizable artist from the bunch, his work hardly embodies the predominant aesthetics that connect the loose-knit collective.

In telling folks last night that tonight’s Ladybug Transistor show may be worth checking out due to their E6 heritage, I had explain why the E6 is interesting in the first place. So, I said, “Oh it’s a loose collective of bands that includes the Apples in Stereo, Olivia Tremor Control, Of Montreal and Neutral Milk Hotel.”

But I think my friends heard it like this “apples in stereo, olivia tremor control, of montreal and NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL.”

Worries abound that their expectations are built up now for raw wordplay emotions and a singing saw, when in fact they’re gonna just be taking in some cleverly competent sunshine pop.

The Ladybug Transistor - Broken Links (buy)
The Ladybug Transistor - I Found A Reason (Velvet Underground Cover) (buy)

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This is the beginning of what will be a recurring feature here at The Lumberjack Thief. Every week (hopefully) we will present an interview with a different interesting person from the political realm, which could include bloggers, activists, writers, and so much more. But the interviews won’t be about politics. Instead we’ll be discussing music. Then, based off the answers of the interviewee, I, The Lumberjack Thief, will create and post an MP3 mix for your listening and downloading pleasure.

We begin with the Thief himself, pictured below. Consider this an introduction of sorts.

1) What is the first website (other than your own or email) that you visit in the morning? Usually the New York Times homepage, followed by the Washington Post, and then off to the races of my RSS feeds.

2) What is the most interesting bit of information that you’ve picked up in the past month? In 1995, Newt Gingrich passed a resolution declaring January 12, Rush Limbaugh’s birthday, to be National Rush Limbaugh Day. Or so says someone who e-mailed me recently.

3) How would you describe your taste/interest in music? It’s certainly rock-based, but not exclusively so. I’ve been really excited by a lot of older soul, funk and country lately. I’m generally more interested in the music that came before than I am with the fresh stuff, though I still try to keep my ear to the ground for great new music being made.

4) Name five of your favorite songs at the moment (in no particular order):

1) The Amps - Pacer
2) Ohio Express - Yummy Yummy Yummy
3) Brian Protheroe - Monkey
4) Tall Dwarfs - Deodorant
5) Daniel Johnston & Jad Fair - I Met Rocky Erickson

5) Name five of your favorite albums of all time (in no particular order):

1) John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band
2) Eels - Electro Shock Blues
3) Silver Jews - American Water
4) The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
5) Jerry Jeff Walker - Viva Terlingua

6) What are some songs to which you have a particular emotional attachment? Different songs at different times can hit me in a hard way. John Lennon’s “How” off of the Imagine album was difficult for me to listen to for a while, but now when I hear it I just get nostalgic for a certain past emotional sadness.

7) How did you first get interested in music and how has your taste developed since then? Christmas ’91 was when music first asked me to the prom, in the form of Nirvana’s Nevermind. I fell hard for Kurt’s delivery of his defiant and descriptive inner world. So, I guess you could say that is the seed from which all my musical tastes have grown. Since then, my taste in music has gone through valleys and peaks of interest, with the advent of the internet allowing me to get very geeky about it all.

8) What are some of your musical guilty pleasures? I don’t feel guilty about it at all, but I’ve been in love with the Monkees for about a year now. I also have a soft spot for covers in general.

9) If you were running for President in 2008, what song would you use as your campaign theme? No doubt about it: Misinformed Manzerick – Jump On Board (The Super Patriot American Freak)

10) What is your opinion on downloading copyrighted material without paying for it? ? I don’t feel good when I do it, as it’s hard to credibly argue that it’s not against the letter of the law (or at least the spirit), but my compulsive music collecting has a tendency to make me succumb to the convenience. As a bulwark for my conscience, I make an effort to use a notable percentage of my discretionary spending to support musicians and their work. I’m not sure if that really means anything for my karma though.

If I were a Lumberjack, this is what I might listen to:

1) Shel Silverstein - Invitation (buy)
2) David Ruffin - Me And Rock And Roll Are Here To Stay (buy)
3) The John Barry Orchestra - On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (buy)
4) Black Randy And The Metrosquad - I Tell Lies Everyday (buy)
5) The Blow - Little Sally Tutorial (buy)
6) Talking Heads - Road To Nowhere (Early Version) (buy)
7) Tom Ze - Complexo De Epico (buy)
8) Pavement - Gangsters And Pranksters (buy)
9) Bobby Bare, Jr. - The Monk At The Disco (buy)
10) Brian Protheroe - Monkey (buy)
11) K. McCarty - Walking The Cow (Daniel Johnston Cover) (buy)
12) Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow (buy)
13) Misinformed Manzerick - (Jump On Board) Super Patriot American Freak
14) Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Sure ‘Nuff ‘N Yes I Do (buy)
15) The Monkees - All Of Your Toys (buy)
16) Bill Cosby - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Beatles Cover) (buy)
17) Peter Ivers - Alpha Centauri (buy)
18) Bourbon Family - Booze Booze
19) Harry Nilsson - Gotta Get Up (buy)
20) Little Wings - Next Time (buy)
21) XTC - I’m Bugged (Live At The Front Row Festival)
22) BOAT - (I’m A) Donkey For Your Love (buy)
23) The Nazz - Open My Eyes (buy)
24) The Halo Benders - Don’t Touch My Bikini (buy)
25) Daniel Johnston - Rock $ Roll/Ega (buy)
26) Lefty Frizzell - Don’t Think It Ain’t Been Fun Dear (Cuz It Ain’t) (buy)

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Factual truth: this lumberjack gets tired and busy by Friday night, thus Friday night posting will likely be streamlined and potentially less amusing. But the music will still be fun!…or at least interesting. There’s even a chance of gimmicky-ness with recurring cover song posts, like this take on Donovan by the Butthole Surfers. If I remember my Azzerad right, it was recorded right before the Surfers broke up:

Butthole Surfers - Hurdy Gurdy Man (Donovan Cover)

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This is the face of an aged man. Someone who’s laid on the ground and said “you sir, please shit on a plate and place it on my chest” (or words to that effect):

Legend has it that he’s been low. Perhaps even hit bottom a time or two. Maybe even thought “life is not worth living.” But something brought him back, something pure. Something we can all agree is worth your time:

I’ve also heard that Philip Seymour Hoffman prefers the black and tan when preparing for really down and out roles, like Scotty J. from Boogie Nights.

Lester Bangs And The Delinquents - Life Is Not Worth Living (But Suicide Is A Waste Of Time)

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When I was growing up, it was my understanding that there were two uses for Gatorade. Replenishing electrolytes after soccer and avoiding this after drinking:

But now, those mish-mash bastards in Lambchop have taught me differently. They’ve shown me how it can be used for junkie code too. “You know how I like it. The Gatorade. The Riptide Rush.”

As for David, we’re glad he doesn’t like it anymore.

Lambchop - The Gap In My Education (Berman)

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This is Bobby Bare, Jr.

There are few things in this world of which a young lumberjack can be certain. But one of them is that Bobby Bare, Jr. — the long haired son of country legend Bobby Bare — has never seen nor heard of Degrassi Junior High. I should know. He told me so. And you know you can always trust the word of a musician.

But Bobby boy is in luck. If he’s got a DVD player and $34.99 to spare, he can soon immerse himself in the glory that is late 80’s/early 90’s Canadian melodrama: Degrassi High is finally being released on DVD!

And I’m not talking about “The Next Generation,” which has sadly turned the anti-90210 into the hockey-loving version of the OC. No, this Degrassi in all it’s beautifully ugly, awkward realism:

Luckily for Melanie — who kind of steals my heart for a few episodes later in the series — Bobby has a song just for her.

Bobby Bare, Jr. - Flat Chested Girl From Maynardville (Live In Utrecht, Holland) (buy)

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There’s an unwritten rule that if you have big glasses, scraggly hair, and you need to introduce yourself to a trivia team full of libertarian bloggers, then you need a damn good icebreaker.

I had neither the glasses nor the intro line tonight. Kinda wish I had some sorta guide to guide me. Like a list that some half-clever editor would task to a bunch of not-as-clever interns:

5. “I read the most interesting story today on the E! Channel news scroll.” […]

25. “I’m not one to brag, but I live in one of the largest houseboats on Lake Minnetonka.” […]

33. “These look like lice, right? Apparently, they’re just chiggers.” […]

35. “I’m feeling a little crazy tonight. Anyone want to stage a Jonestown reenactment with me?” […]

57. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: ‘The more you Mace me, the harder I love.’” […]

84. “The Muppets are bullshit, and let me tell you why.” […]

96. “Everything Smurfy over here?”

Unfortunately, none of those beat being a male prostitute for the FBI.

Half Japanese - My Sordid Past

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Stay tuned. Real content coming to this space soon. But until the rough edges are smoothed out a bit more, you’ll have to make due with this placeholder: Bob Dylan, Harry Dean Stanton and Peter Himmelman singing “Hava Nagila” at a telethon in 1989.

According to a Beliefnet article, which describes the performance as both “legendary” and “surreal,” Dylan and co. are performing at the “‘L’Chaim/To Life’ telethon to raise funds for the orthodox Lubavitcher Chabad organization.”

Dylan has participated in the telethon at least three separate times.

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