Full name: Daniel Edward Steven M.
Age: 27 years young
Location: Greenfield, Pittsburgh USA
Occupation: Temp/Office Drone/Dreamer/Rock-n-Roller
Hobbies: postulating, posturing, amateur songwriting, axe-grinding, scanning books for possible nuggets of truth, occasional self-pleasuring, imbibing in a potent drink or three.
Pets: self-righteous cat named Walter

1: the heavy part
Update us on your situation in life.
Life in Pittsburgh is the same it's always been, but, at the same time, different than it's ever been. City life itself has not changed much, but as I'm going through the symptoms of Late 20s Figurative Menopause that I believe all restless souls go through, I'm making a concerted effort to live in the Present as much as possible. I know, "Real Zen," right? They don't make a roadmap for this kinda shit. I'm doing my best without some sort of "Chicken Soup for the Disaffected Soul" book to guide me.

Ideally, what will your life look like on New Year's Day 2004?
It's kind of a cop-out answer, but the best I can possibly muster in this sort of question is that I'd like to be a little less confused, a little more established, a little more inspired. In short, I'd like to have more of a clue. It's hard to state what you want for yourself if you don't know what you want for yourself… What was the question again?

Have your early-to-mid '20s been like you imagined?
I've always been guilty of not thinking too much about the future. I don't really know what I pictured this period of my life to look like. When I was younger, I tended to focus entirely on the problems of the past and present… and I think in a lot of ways I confused the two. Now I find myself lacking much focus at all, because there are so many directions one can go in if one only has the courage… or, for that matter, the imagination. So, finding courage and imagination: that's the problem.

Which was the best year, for you, of the aforementioned early-to-mid '20s?
Each year has its good and bad parts. I'm not really that big on laying out all of my accomplishments and setbacks and then attempting to quantify them. I don't know if I can really look back on one specific year and say, "That was a great year." Seems to me you should just take the good with the bad. I look at myself as a younger man, and I had essentially the same strengths and weaknesses then that I have now. I've always felt kind of "out of step" with my fellow man, but that's not such a bad thing when you're younger: it helped me to form my own identity. With each passing year, though, the external pressure gets a little greater to settle down and start worrying about taxes and car payments. But I guess that's a choice every reasonably intelligent person has to make… As for me, I'm gonna stick it out as a Boho… what's the worst that could happen?

Which was the best year, you-wise, of your life?
See above. The best answer I could give would probably be some time in college where life seemed to be full of possibilities… but, as they say, "Youth is Wasted on the Young." Hunter S. Thompson said something like, "you can't see the high water mark until the wave has passed." Something like that.

Compare those two years. How were they different? How were they the same?
I could probably do that, but I don't want to obsess over the decisions I did or didn't make… I'd rather think about the present. I worry about the past too much as it is. I hope that's not a punk-ass answer.

How is the band?
The band is stalled . . . we're looking for a drummer. Anybody out there in Web Land want to play for a detail-obsessed shoegazer band? As a songwriter, I'm always improving, but there's a lot more drive to write good songs when you can see the results fairly quickly.

How is Walter?
Walter is extremely consistent. He is the same cat he was the day I "rescued"him from his life as a drifter. Although sometimes I worry that he might be happier if he was still living in the street.

2: the not-heavy part
Describe a good night out on the town. . .
A good night on the town always starts with the people. Ideally, there would be some old friends, some interesting folks I who I didn't know. We wouldn't stay in the same place all night. Hopefully, there would be a good crowd: not too many people, not too few. A lot of interesting conversation, good booze, good jukebox. Maybe a good band playing, but they'd have to stop early enough so as not to impede the various discussions. . . which could be about anything but religion or racism. . . regardless how much people agree on these two subjects, they always take unpleasant turns and tend to repeat themselves. I'm not against "deep" conversation, but it's got to go somewhere. . .

And a good night in the apartment, describe that, too.
That would include either of the following:

Plan A: A bottle of halfway-decent (though I'm not picky) Cabernet Sauvignon and a good book, candles and other creature comforts. Pausing now and again to play with the cat.

Plan B: A bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin, a bottle of tonic, some limes, and my guitar. Writing songs, and, after a few drinks loosen my windpipes, recording the jangle and vocals into my half-assed four-track. It won't sound as good when the gin wears off, but let's live in The Now!

Plan C: Almost exactly the same as "the good night out”: friends, conversations, booze, et al. All of my ideals seem to include alcohol. . . C'est La Vie

Current favorite ethnic food and, if possible, dish.
Anything spicy, or with garlic. I really enjoy Chana Masala. Or Pho Soup. I like a lot of food. . . as is well evidenced in my physique.

What have you been listening to?
Right now, I'm listening to Genius + Love = Yo La Tengo and I'm surprised to hear a cover of that "She's Gotta Be Somebody's Baby" song. . . what's even more surprising is that I actually like it! Recent faves include the new Delgados, Beth Gibbons and Rustin Man's Out of Season, The Swirlies Blonder Tongue Audio Baton, and lotsa Devo and PJ Harvey.

Was hast you been been reading?
Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymous Bosch by Henry Miller. I'll probably take your suggestion and read High Fidelity next.

What have you been watching on TV?
Not a whole hell of a lot. . . Simpson's reruns, mostly.

Seen any movies lately? What did you think?
Most recently I saw Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and I was sorely disappointed. I actually fell asleep in the movie theater. I must admit that I saw The Two Towers and thought it was excellent. . . that's me, The Great Populist.

3: the cocktail party
So you're having a cocktail party: list five A-list guests, other than Jesus, me and your friends. . .
That's a real toughie. There are many, many people who I have a great admiration for, but because of my nature, I don't really care to meet them. I'm not really into idol worship. . . and even if I did want to know how someone composed a great work of art, I'm sure they couldn't adequately explain how they did it. . . who could? But, I'll bite:

Most of these are going to be musical figures. . . and I should add once again that the following aren't necessarily my all-time favorites, but just people who I think I'd be interested in talking to. . .

1. I'd have to say my first choice of someone I'd like to meet would be Henry Miller, not just because he's my favorite writer, but every bit of information on the man seems to suggest that he is truly Self-Actualized. Since I don't think I've ever met someone about whom this could be said, it would definitely be an experience that was either life-changing or incredibly disappointing. Either way, a learning experience. Kill Yr. Idols! Well, except for Henry, who's already dead.
2. On the same line of thought, I'd like to invite Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips fame. I know: you could invite anybody, living or dead! Why invite someone that insignificant? Well, because he seems to be a genuine and actualized person, someone who is angelic and down-to-earth at the same time. So, yeah, why not? I'd also like to know how he got to where he is today by seemingly doing whatever the hell he damned well pleases, and making more than his share of missteps. Not to mention taking lots and lots of drugs.
3. Brian Eno. He'd probably be really effete and uppity, but I still have a lot of admiration for him, and he falls into line as being someone who has blazed his own path. And I'd ask him if he'd produce my album some day. That'd be a reason to finish up the songs I'm working on, what!?!
4. Kate Bush. What fun would a party be if there weren't any chicks?!? Not only am I a fan, but she seems like a really interesting person, who no doubt has a lot of great advice. And I bet she'd be really nice, too.
5. Who would I invite last? After some degree of thought, I'd have to go with John Lydon. I'm sure he'd be the biggest prick I've ever met. But what if he liked me? It would make me feel ever so warm and gushy. And he might be valuable in ensuring Eno's head didn't disappear up his own asshole.

What will be in the stereo?
I'd start off with something upbeat, maybe some dance music. . . not techno, but soul, R&B, or something rockish with a good beat. What I wouldn't give to see Henry Miller and Kate Bush dancing together to Sam Cooke. . . Towards the end of the evening, it'd get more downbeat, to allow for introspection and waxing (wanking?) philosophic.

Conversation topics will include. . .
Favorite books/music, how we've all learned from our bad decisions, anecdotes, knock-knock jokes, swapping recipes, which actor would play each of us in the story of our lives. . . or in a movie about the cocktail party.

How will the evening end?
Probably with me throwing Lydon out for being too surly, and Kate Bush deterring my advances. . . shouldn't have had all that gin!

Wait. . . Is it too late to invite John Waters?