I’m extreemly pleased to be posting the following interview with Rachel Hurley, publisher of Rachel and the City and Scenestars. She gave some amazing answers and some of the shows she has seen make me a very jealous man. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions, we really appreciate it. Read the interview, and don’t forget to check out her sites!

Let’s get some general background on you. Where do you live, how long, etc.

Here’s my standard bio:

Rachel Hurley is a freelance music writer and production coordinator. She is the publisher of Scenestars.net and Rachelandthecity.com, and contributes to Projectdu.com, Memphis CityScene, and The Commercial Appeal. She has worked as a music supervisor and associate producer for MTV, VH1, Disney, ESPN and RCN. She grew up in Memphis and attended the University of Memphis where she studied Philosophy, which basically means she has no tangible skill set. Therefore, she moved away to work in entertainment. After two boring winters in Nashville and five cold winters in New York City, she has returned home to Memphis where all the bartenders know her name.

Likes: Plus ones, vodka tonics, guys who put out
Hates: Last call, haters, guys who don’t put out

I want get an idea of your musical taste evolution if you will. What were some of the first albums/tapes/CD’s you bought?

The very first record I recall owning was a 45. It was the song Cruella Deville from the movie 101 Dalmations.

The first record I ever remember asking for was Kenny Rogers’ Greatest Hits. There was a commercial that came on for it every night, the kind where Kenny was sitting on a stool on a stage alone in a spotlight and the announcer would say, ‘Including hits like Lady!” and then Kenny would break into that particular song. I begged my parents for that record. The next two records I owned were Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the first Culture Club record. They were all on LP.

The first cassette tapes I ever purchased were INXS’ Kick, Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians’ Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars, and REM’s Eponymous. I think I was 12 or 13.

That’s when I really started getting tinto music and by high school I was really into Jane’s Addiction and The Cure.

How about some of the more recent CD’s you’ve purchased?

I get most of my music sent to me at this point, but I did purchase the last two Ryan Adams’ records. I have purchased records at shows from people who aren’t on labels.

Where do you buy the majority of your records? Do you support a particular record store in your area, buy online, and if so, where?

I try to support local record stores like Shangri-la and Goner Records by posting links to them on my site. As I said, I get lots of promos and am lucky enough that I don’t have to purchase a lot of music. I do give LP’s as presents and always try to buy form a local record store. I also have used Emusic to buy digital albums.

When I started listening to music, there were certain musicians that led me in the path of a lot of other bands. Did you have any similar experiences with bands growing up?

The father of my best friend in 3rd grade was Survivor’s manager (Jimi Jamison, Eye of the Tiger) and that’s what really got me into music, that and MTV, which actually played videos when I was growing up. I’ve always like a little bit of everything. I grew up listening to Prince and Madonna, Black Flag and Minor Threat, The Cure and Jane’s Addiction.

What are some of your favorite records of all time?

Off the top of my head…

Harlan T. Bobo – Too Much Love
Bjork – Homogenic
Pavement – Terror Twilight
Paula Cole – This Fire
Rachael Yamagata – Happenstance
Beulah – When Your Heartstrings Break
Ani Difranco – Dilate
Badly Drawn Boy – About a Boy OST
Cocteau Twins – Heaven or Las Vegas
Stereolab – Dots and Loops
Indigo Girls – Swamp Ophelia
Tori Amos – Little Earthquakes
Fiona Apple – When the Pawn
Aimee Mann – Lost in Space
Wilco – Yankee Foxtrot Hotel
Ryan Adams – Gold

Any idea how many albums are in your collection?

1500? I’ve worked in entertainment for almost 10 years, so I’ve gotten tons of free records over the years.

If you could spend time with 3 musicians, who would you choose?

Ryan Adams, Bjork, Tori Amos

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I’m sure you’ve seen some great concerts. Can you tell me what the first concert you saw was and when? To follow that up, are there any particular shows that stand out in terms of being favorites?

The first show I ever saw was hall & Oates with my mother. The first show I ever saw with my friends was when I was a freshman in High School, REM on the Green Tour, opening act was The Indigo Girls.

I’ve seen 1000’s of shows, my favorite so far is probably Bjork at Coney Island with Sigur Ros – 2003. I felt like I was on drugs the whole night even though I was stone cold sober.

Also, I’ve seen Tori Amos at least 10 times in 5 different cities, she is always amazing.

For my senior trip in 1992 my friends and I went to Atlanta to see The Cure – that was an amazing show.

Now for shows that I didn’t know meant anything until after the fact:

Seeing Nirvana in ‘91 before Smells Like Teen Spirit was released ranks up there.

The first Lollapalooza was pretty spectacular.

Moby at 616 in 1992.

What are some bands that you haven’t gotten the chance to see live, but would really like to?

Not many, Wilco I guess. If I like them – I’ve seen them.

How did you choose the name of your blog?

Someone called me a Scenester one night, I was just drunk enough to correct them and tell them I was a SceneSTAR. It was one of those inside jokes that seemed hilarious at the time, and then you wish you could take back. Kind of like the band name Hoobastank.

Can you tell me what got you into blogging, and are you surprised by the popularity your blog has attained?

I started a personal blog when I lived in NYC for my friends in other cities to read. I started my MP3 blog because I wanted to write about music and it didn’t seem appropriate to put on my personal blog. As for popularity, yes and no. when I started Scenestars, there weren’t not many sites like it.

What are some of your favorite blogs? Music or otherwise.

Stereogum is always great.

Alex Blagg is a friend and has a hilarious blog.

I get my fill of snarky from Golden Fiddle.

My favorite political blog is the Pesky Fly.

David Gutowski does an excellent job over at Largehearted Boy.

I write weekly column for Projectdu. They have links to all of the best blogs in the internerd.

How important do you think music blogs are in general? Do you think they will continue to be as popular as they are today?

I think that they were more important last year than they are now. Mp3 blogs are beginning to go through gentrification. I find it annoying so many write about the same bands. Now that everyone knows about these sites, we get all the same records from promo companies and you can tell when they came in the mail – the next day the same band is being touted as the next big thing on 5 different sites.

Personally, I like to sit with albums for a few weeks before I decide how I feel about them, but usually after that period of time, they’ve already made it onto 5 other sites and it seems redundant to write about them.

It seems all we are doing at this point is promoting mediocre music in order to publish consistent content.

Let’s get away from music for a bit. What are some of your favorite movies and television shows?

Movies

Lost in Translation
The Color Purple
About A Boy
Labyrinth
City of God
Trainspotting
Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

TV Shows

My So-Called Life
Felicity
Buffy
Nip/Tuck
Entourage
Sopranos
Arrested Development
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Gilmore Girls

Outside of music do you have any other interests or projects?

I am a freelance production coordinator for films, last year I worked on Hustle & Flow and War of the Worlds, I have also written two screenplays. I am an amateur photographer, mostly interested I taking pictures of animals. I love to travel – I’ve been to 8 countries in Europe and to Tokyo, Japan. I think I’ve visited about 35 states.

A lot of people have a favorite concert t-shirt, do you have one?

I have lots, but no favorite.

In your opinion, what’s the best place to eat on your city?

Owen Brennan’s has an awesome brunch.

Animals dressed as humans. Funny or not?

Beck and the Flaming Lips played a Halloween show that I attended in NYC in 2002 and dressed in animal Costumes – it was hilarious that night – since then, not so much.