Here are the rules:
1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by asking you 5 questions of a very personal nature.
3. You will update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this and an offer to interview someone else in the post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them 5 questions.
The following questions are courtesy of scargrrl
1. What made you decide to move to the US after vowing once to never return?
After I was back home in South Africa, I realized that I had nothing in common with my old school “friends”, and I did not even want close to the same thing they wanted (marriage, kids, a scripted life).
I felt very adrift, and alone. I worked at a bar for a while and then I got a job at a record store, and I pretty much discovered how much music meant to me, and how living in SA I would forever be wanting more. Also this was back in the very early 90’s, grunge was breaking, and I loved grunge, I might be a “goff” but the excitement and rawness of grunge was so inspiring, I wanted that. At this point South Africa was very “Brit-Centric” and pop in its music choice.
Plus the biggy, apartheid. I was 18 – 21 and I felt that South Africa would never come right, the violence was terrifying, the anger, and the wanton destruction just broke me. Also, military service for guys was still mandatory, and seeing your friends go in one personality and coming out another was scary.
So, after about a year, I knew I would go back to the USA, it was a very hard decision in a lot of ways though, I could have had an easy, sheltered life in South Africa, but I would have been lying to myself. Plus, my sister was going to move to the USA as well, and go to college so I would not be so alone. Also, by the time my Visa finally came through, I had met Greg, and he wanted to get out of SA as well, so it was a team move.
2. What music style do you dislike the most?
I can find something to like in most musical styles, heh, pitfall of my job! But, I dislike “gangster rap”, over-crafted pop, noise for the sake of noise, and manufactured idols. To be more exact I hate stuff like Britney Spears, Garth Brooks, massive popstars who have no real talent, whom the system is just going to chew up. I feel sorry in a way for Britney as she was so young, as I also feel for Hannah Montana, who I worry about – in an abstract sense. I dislike gangsta rap as it is so hate filled, the people performing it, and “being real” are all lies, they live in cushy houses, drive nice cars, and have manufactured fights to sell CDs. This is a hard question though, as I love pop songs, those perfectly crafted gems that last 3 minutes own my soul: Lightening Seeds – Pure, Nirvana – Smells like Teen Spirit, Outkast – Hey Ya.
3. What is the best live performance you have ever seen?
Best? I saw The Cure on the Disintegration Tour, and I cried, they were so perfect. I saw Nick Cave at the House of Blues in New Orleans and here (Tabernacle) and I could not talk during the show, he was so amazing. I saw Soundgarden open for Sylvia Juncosa, and they blew her away, and everyone else, you just knew they were going to be huge. I saw Nirvana, their first Atlanta show, and they ruled, no other words suffice. I saw Current 93 and I cannot tell what songs they played, or how long, but they were amazing. Thinking about all the shows I have seen, and the thing that stands out the most is the energy of the crowd, the fans, be it 20 or 20 000. I wish I could narrow it down more, but so many other shows spring to mind: Nine Inch Nails at the Fox, Tom Waits at the Tabernacle, the Melvins, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Jesus Lizard, Bauhaus, Dead Can Dance, sorry.
4. If you could erase one thing from your memory, what would it be and why?
I saw a man die, it was the worst thing I have ever seen.
5. What are your political views for the upcoming election?
I am not a citizen here, I am a resident alien, so I cannot vote. That been said, I call myself a conservative. It is hard to judge, I tell people I am a fascist and it shuts them up normally. I believe in many liberal ideas, I believe in many conservative ideas, but I do not believe in the Libertarian Party, I do believe that there should be a third or even fourth party. I dislike government intervention in my private life, I believe if you make choices you pay the price, I believe it is my body so hands off, I believe if people want to get married they should be allowed, I believe government is there for the people, and should not give us handouts, but rather protect us and advance us(FDA, Coast Guard, NASA).I dislike religious moralizing, be it islamic, wiccan, or christian. I hope the Democrats get into power, I think Obama can make a change, and I also feel America needs to swing left, it has been on the right so long. But, left and right, those concepts right now are meaningless as both parties seem the same, plagued by scandal, back-biting and big business.