Best Of 2013: Chris Butler of The Waitresses

Photo © Marianne P. Smith

Music: The Front Bottoms, Talon of the Hawk on Bar-None. I used to hope that if was young and in an indie band, that I/we would be like The Replacements. Now, I hope I’d be like these guys. Smart, fast, funny, real.

Food: Jose’s Real Cuban, Bradenton FL. My brother saw a segment on this place on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. Too few seats, too many flies for the germophobes. . . order the picadillo and shut up, Clean Freak. 8799 Cortez Rd W, Bradenton, FL 34210, (941) 795-4898

Worst Food: I’m avoiding the Cult of Kale. I don’t care if it’s good for me; it tastes like old socks.

Best Ironic “I Am Old” Moment: The closing block party for Maxwell’s in Hoboken. End of an era, so many good times, blah blah blah, getting old sucks. http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2013/07/maxwells_goes_out_with_a_block_party_bash.html

Personal Magical On-Stage Moment: Winning the Rosendale, NY Gong Show by playing spoons to an a capella version of “My Generation.” Really. I got a trophy and everything.

Movies: 20 Feet From Stardom. Everything else was shit. I had to take my son to so he could keep up with his peers.

Gear: Fender Squier “J. Mascis” Jazzmaster. First new guitar I’ve ever bought. Got it for a trip to London for a one-off gig, thinking if it got smashed by the airline I wouldn’t mind. If this had happened, I would have bawled like a bee-stung baby. A great guitar.

Best Found YouTube Clip: The Kinks in Paris 1965. Wonderful fuckin’ band. Watch before it gets pulled.

Best Roadside Attraction Discovery: The Museum of Jurassic Technology (thank you, Elaine Sokoloff). Key to my heart? Nothing beats a joke idea taken too far. 9341 Venice Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232 (310) 836-6131.

Best Live Show: 15-60-75 (The Numbers Band) record release party and reunion show, The Kent Stage, 11/9/13. Still the baddest band in the land.

Just Desserts: The Complete Waitresses was released by Omnivore Recordings on September 24.