Manny & Lindsay Tripodis
The co-owners of The Rogue Bar want you to come to the Prague CD release party this Saturday, May 14, with additional performances by Snake! Snake! Snakes!, Ladylike and Blue Skies.
When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now?
LT: Either KWSS or XM First Wave.
MT: Lindsay yells at me when it's on sports radio, then I switch over to KWSS.
What's the last song played on your music player?
LT: The Nerdist Podcast -- heart it!
MT: I've been listening to a CD from a four-piece out of Portland called The Priory who played at the bar a couple of months ago. Good stuff.
What's the first album you bought?
LT: Make It Big by Wham! No explanation needed.
MT: Escape by Journey. I was 11.
What's the first concert you saw?
LT: Michael Bolton. I was in 7th grade, but that's no excuse. I should get extra points for honesty.
MT: Duran Duran, The Reflex Tour. 1984, at The Rosemont Horizon in Chicago. That used to be embarrassing until I found out that Lindsay's was Michael Bolton.
What's your favorite concert you've ever been to?
LT: Tears for Fears, the Raoul &The Kings of Spain Tour in 1995 at Gammage. Jellyfish opened up and I was mesmerized by the lead singer, Andy Sturmer. He had a kit set up so that he could stand while singing and playing drums.
MT: The Decemberists at The Hollywood Bowl. The L.A. Philharmonic backed them up. A close second to Radiohead in San Diego, Hail to the Thief tour.
Preferred format: CD, vinyl, cassette, 8-Track or digital?
LT: Digital. It's uncool, but I travel a lot and like to have all my music with me at all times.
MT: I'll go with the CD. The sound quality is better than vinyl or cassette, but I like the idea of listening to a whole album as opposed to choosing selected tracks and putting them on an iPod.
What's your favorite album?
LT: Grace by Jeff Buckley.
MT: Abbey Road (by The Beatles).
Who is your favorite singer or band?
LT: Right now? Elbow. I wish they got half of the press they get in the U.K. here in the U.S.
MT: Radiohead.
Does you computer track how many times you've played something? If so, what's at the top of the list?
LT: I'm playing a lot of stuff by Fink right now. The number one played song on my iTunes is "Nothing Is Ever Finished".
MT: I have a Brit Pop playlist that's top of the list at the bar: Travis, Doves, Elbow, The Smiths.
What was your favorite new or new-to-you album from 2010?
LT: He'd played our bar prior to 2010, but it wasn't until The Rogue shows in October that I became a super-fan of Wallpaper. The live show shouldn't be missed, and his 2009 album Doodoo Face stands on its own as a dancy, hyper, smart-lyric-ed party album.
MT: It usually takes me a little longer to discover new music. I'll tell Lindsay about a new band I'm into, and she's had them on her iPod for two years. I recently got into Elbow's The Seldom Seen Kid, which has been out since 2008, I think.
What one song would you play if you had a world-wide radio audience?
LT: The first thing that came to mind was "All You Need Is Love," by The Beatles.
MT: "Radio Gaga" by Queen. I remember watching Live Aid in '85, thinking it was a complete bust. Then Queen got on stage, and Freddie Mercury took control of the crowd. After that, I wanted to grow a mustache and get veneers.
Who is your favorite local artist?
LT: This one could get us in hot water, so my gut is telling me to plead the 5th. However, in the spirit of honesty and their pending CD release show, I'll say that I'm very excited about Prague right now. They're unique, they craft songs very well, and they put on one hell of a show.
MT: Kinch. They are a local band that is very concerned about creating a local scene. They did a residency with us in January, which helped put us on the map as a "venue." So many local acts wanted to be added to any bill with Kinch. Oh, yeah, and their music is fucking awesome.
What is your favorite local venue to see music?
LT: The Rogue Bar, of course. My second choice would be Rhythm Room.
MT: The Rogue Bar. Honorable mention goes to the Rhythm Room, The Lost Leaf, and Long Wong's in Tempe.
What is your favorite music video?
LT: There's a band from Vancouver called Mother Mother. They've played at the bar a couple of times, and we're hoping to see them again in 2011. The first video from their new album is called "The Stand." It's pretty great.
MT: "Smack My Bitch Up" is pretty clever, but I really like "Everyday" by Dave Matthews Band. Judah Friedlander goes around New York City trying to get hugs.