Huh huh, I said "breast" huh huh huh

I stole this one from Squirl and Nilbo. Not being the type to tag anyone with memes, I'll just say that this one is fun, and if you do it, too, let me know! No pressure, though. Don't feel obligated. Just ignore me as I stare at you, my eyes boring into your skull like low-budget lasers.

Obviously, a lot of my answers will parallel Squirl's. Don't like it? Then someone should have separated us at birth. Well, at my birth. We didn't exactly pop out of Mom at the same time.

What is the first music you remember hearing?

Probably the Beach Boys. I'm told I used to dance so vigorously in my playpen to the Boys' rendition of Barbara Ann that my oldest brother wanted to rename me.

Did you come from a musical family?

Dear lord, yes. Mom is a classical pianist, my brother JD was a supremely gifted professional composer/musician, and my siblings and I all learned at least one instrument in school. All but one brother, Timmy, have kept up with playing and singing music. We may be just a little obsessed with music.

Do you remember a lullaby from your childhood? If so, what is it?

The only one I can recall is one I would never sing in public, for fear of having my face bashed in (and perhaps with good reason). The first line is:

Go to sleep, my little pickaninny...

Do I have to say anymore? Didn't think so.

What song(s) changed your life?

Hmmmm...interesting question. I'd say hearing the title song from the musical Man of La Mancha at age 7 sparked my lifelong love of musical theater. That was actually the first music I ever picked out for myself. God, I played the shit out of that album (I'm sure my family members remember it vividly and with gritted teeth).

Bob Seger's Night Moves was the first rock song that ever made me go out and buy an album. My taste runs more to his early garage rock tracks, but Night Moves was the first one to catch my attention.

Brick House by the Commodores is one of those songs I loved at first hearing, and that hasn't changed. I remember being in 7th grade when it came out, and for some reason, it was the song of choice for us to blurt out during phys ed, and in the locker room afterward. It was the first time I knew I loved funk. Funny how it all came together for that song, and then when Lionel Richie left the band, suddenly the Commodores sucked without him, and he sucked as a solo artist. Oops, that wasn't very nice of me, was it? 40 lashes with my own tongue.

God is a Bullet by Concrete Blonde gave me chills when I first heard it, and continues to do so.

If you could have dinner with three dead musicians which three would you choose and why?

Hard to beat Nilbo's answer to this one. But in any case:

Frank Zappa. I'd like to ask him what he ever did with my underpants.

Janis Joplin. Because you know she'd bring Southern Comfort.

Minnie Ripperton. So I could slap the fuck out of her for ever recording Loving You. God, all the glass in the house is breaking, stop it, STOP IT!

You are stranded on a deserted island. You are allowed the complete musical works of one band and its members. Which band or musician would you choose?

I guess I would have to go with Tom Waits, because his music has meant so much to me since I was a teenager, it's a large and eclectic selection, and it kicks ass.

He just edged out James Brown. The Godfather of Soul deserves an honorary mention here.

Does music play in your head? If so, what is playing right now?

Music always plays in my head (it competes for equal time with the voices). Usually, it's something irritating that gets stuck in there, or something stupid, like the closing theme to Robot Chicken. Right now, I've got Concrete Blonde's Bloodletting (the Vampire Song) running through my brain, so that's better than what's usually in there.

Can music truly soothe the savage beast? If so, what music soothes your beast?

Again, I will point out that we should be discussing BREAST and not beast, but then again, I'm always an advocate of the breast.

Yeah, I think it can. If I'm down, I can listen to some hard funk and it lifts my spirits. Now, when I'm in my blackest moods, I don't want music at all. Maybe I just don't want to associate any songs I like with rock bottom, I don't know. But if I'm just blue, funk will do the trick to lift me out of my, ah, funk.