Rock This! Thursday with Shut Up! I'm Reading

Today we have a fellow blogger Jessica who runs Shut Up! I'm Reading to discuss music and books with us.  Make sure you swing by Jessica's blog and check it out!


What is your favorite music book type read?

I don't think I've ever read a book centered around music, sadly. I plan to. The closest I've come so far is Lament by Maggie Stiefvater. She's one of my favorite authors.

You've been given two tickets to a concert you've been dying to attend. The only catch is you have to take an author with you. Who's it going to be?

Cool! Sounds like fun! I'd probably go with Bree Despain. I read and completely LOVED The Dark Divine, and she'd probably be someone who would track down a Death Cab For Cutie or Postal Service concert with me.

You're walking down the street, what song is following you?

There's quite a few, but I guess I'd have to say "Who Said We're Whack?" by The Lonely Island. What? I love them. They're the only rap I can actually tolerate.

What's one of your all time favorite books and what song do you think goes with it?

The Hunger Games Trilogy, or course! And I think that "Re-Education (Through Labor)" by Rise Against fits both books very well.

We're always up for new music, tell us five songs we should be listening to.

Well, I think you should just come and borrow all of my Cds, because you should hear almost all of them. But if I had to pick 5 I'd say:

"Give Up The Gun" by Vampire Weekend
"New Dark Ages" by Bad Religion
"Float" by Flogging Molly
"Lexington (Joey Pea-Pot With A Monkey Face)" by Chiodos
"Hate Everyone" by Say Anything

All are very different, and very, very awesome in their own special way.

One song you think would make an awesome novel?

"Long Road To Ruin" by Foo Fighters. "Running through hell, Heaven can wait." To a paranormal junkie like me this song instantly makes me think of demons and angels.

Who's your favorite band and why?

Rise Against. Why? Because they're amazing. Their lyrics are real, rebellious, and they just...speak to me. And of course their instrumentals are awesome! I've been lucky enough to see them in concert twice (!!!!) and that just confirmed why they are my favorite band.

If you could meet one musician - living or dead - who would it be?

Unsurprisingly, I'd have to pick Tim McIlrath, the lead singer/rhythm guitarist/main-lyricist of Rise Against (among other bands that have broken up). If I couldn't pick someone from Rise Against, then I'd probably pick John Lennon. He seemed like such a cool dude!

Lastly, tell us why music is important to you.

Music can be the only thing that makes me happy-or any emotion-sometimes. (Wow, that sounded kinda "emo"....) A lot of times, it has been the base for my political beliefs, as well as some life choices. It speaks to me in a way that nothing else-no human, book, or anything else-can. That's the only way I can really explain it.