never panic. never.

if you were wondering, the interview on friday went exceptionally well.

i'm not one to brag. sure, my social awkwardness chimed in every now and again, but it never really stops, so i didn't let it hold me down.

interviews are usually a little more conventional than the one that was conducted last week.
don't take me wrong, i'm by no means implying that it wasn't professional.



it was.
it was just different.

instead of a one-on-one type of interview, this one was done downstairs at the venue on a huge couch with a number of people sitting in and being a part of it.

this didn't really hurt. it helped. it relaxed.
it broke tension and gave it a very laid back atmosphere that was needed.

as long as i stayed on track with the questions i had formulated, then i couldn't really go wrong.
or could i?

in the time of an emergency during an interview, never panic.

let me preface by saying that the word emergency should be used loosely.
no one bled. limbs were in tact. no immediate need for bayer aspirin.



hearts were pumping just fine.

things that might make an interview go awry:

1. forgetting your handy-dandy notebook



this did not happen, and i don't think it ever will.
it's like my mother always said: "would you go to war without your gun?"

2. getting into the interview process and realizing that some of your questions may be irrelevant because people (the interviewee) tend to ramble and sort of answer questions that you haven't had a chance to ask, leaving you with a little less material that you went into the game with.



which is why i come prepared. notes, upon notes of relevant information. you need backup for your backup at times.

3. vodka tonics



which is why you stay away from the bar during the shows. it can only lead you into a bumbling mess, making you feel like you've known the artist for your whole life. inclining you to be less professional and pour your deepest secrets and possibly shed a few tears.

it's not cute to be a groupie.

this will never happen to me. ever.

4. batteries in your recorder going dead

travel with spare voltage. aaa batteries are less expensive than lifelong regret.

5. not hitting "record" on your recorder



in case you were wondering, that is the look of despair.
yes. for the first question and a half, i hit "play" instead of hitting "record."

i bounced back and no one noticed. it was sly. sometimes, i'm stealthy and fresh.

do i know the answer to the question i missed? yes.
but, do i want to post it? no.

there is something about not having the direct quote that irks me.
so, i e-mailed the artist and am awaiting his response to the question in his own words.

i don't want him to read the interview when it's posted and be like: wow, someone slipped me a roofie. i don't remember saying that.

with all that aside, i think that the outcome is looking up. i started transcribing the interview a few nights ago. but, with five classes and a mediocre work schedule, it's a little more tedious than one would think.

if i could have any super-power, i don't think i would want superhuman strength.



i wouldn't want to scale buildings, or fly, or set things on fire with the glare of my eyes...
i would want something simple.

i would want the power to hit "play" and "rewind" on my recorder without having to use my hands.

it sounds completely lazy, but it's such a time consuming act when having to type down every word that you hear. not to mention the fact that it's gut wrenching to hear yourself on tape.

it makes you reevaluate your close friends.



why would someone let you sound like that?

it is also a very tedious task because of the fact that people are not aware of how they really speak. people tend to ramble at times. they don't answer questions completely. they make things up and random and try to make sense of what you're asking them by simply avoiding the question and making up their own.

it's all in good nature.

it's just that when you're transcribing, you need the text to read somewhat smooth.
it needs to be fluid, in a sense. it needs to be what they said, and it still needs to make sense when reading.

adding [informational brackets] that fill in the gaps of what someone meant to say, opposed to what they really said.

so. in case you missed the show...



it's like you were there all along.

"well, atlas had those shoulders..." -kevin devine

until next time
-nick