MUSIC LUCKY 13 the

Get to better know a rock/country great coming to Pappy’s, and a local indie-rocker

by matt king

What was the first album you owned?

First, I started collecting every Elvis album I could find. Dion and the Belmonts, Frankie Avalon, then the Beach Boys, Beatles and Rolling Stones were the records I wanted! That is where all my money went!

What bands are you listening to right now?

I listen to Lucinda Williams, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, The Mavericks, and the Long Ryders, as well as local bands in Austin: Fausto/Faustito, Sue Foley, West Texas Exiles, Bonnie Whitmore, and BettySoo.

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?

I get it, but I can’t say I love rap. A song or two is cool, but when the rapper gives too much anger and sounds like hate, it turns me off. Although some rap mixed with melody and harmony, I dig it. I dig the cadence and the rhythm of words.

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?

back then, so that really did change my life. Once I started playing music and being in a band at age 16, well, I just never stopped.

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you are asking?

Keith Richards: Please call me?

What song would you like played at your funeral?

“Free as a Bird” (on repeat!) by the Beatles.

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

Ooh scary! Just one? OK, Sam Cooke, Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963

What song should everyone listen to right now?

“Imagine,” John Lennon.

NAME Ben Villa

GROUP Case Study

MORE INFO Although Case Study was formed in Pomona, vocalist and lead guitarist Ben Villa is from the Coachella Valley. The band experiments with everything from sparkly indie rock—see “Fool (From the Start)”— all the way to crunchy, driving, pop-punk (“Whiplash”). In 2023, the band has released eight singles and one album. Villa describes the writing process as “indie rock therapy,” which makes sense, considering the lyrical tales of lost love and emotional experiences. For more, visit instagram.com/casestudybnd.

What was the first concert you attended? With Confidence.

What was the first album you owned? American Football (1999).

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? Pop music. It all sounds the same and sometimes can lack creativity.

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? The 1975.

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

Rap. I love the poetry and storytelling from ’90s hip-hop.

What’s your favorite music venue? The Glass House, Pomona.

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? “Here’s a plaque on your wall, for the hall of fame of fucking off,” Waterparks, “High Definition.”

What band or artist changed your life? Waterparks. Their songwriting and ability to cross over multiple genres is amazing.

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? Awsten Knight (of Waterparks): What goes through your mind when creating the lyrics for your songs?

What song would you like played at your funeral? “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie.

MORE INFO Rosie Flores is truly one in a million. She entered the music scene playing country punk, before her country-focused stylings helped her break into the Billboard charts in the late ’90s. Since then, she’s continued to mix country and rock into her own unique sound, and she continues to kick ass and perform regularly at the age of 72. She’s heading yet again to Pappy and Harriet’s, a venue she’s performed at for more than 35 years, on Friday, July 14. For more information on the show, visit pappyandharriets.com.

What was the first concert you attended?

The Beach Boys in Balboa Park (San Diego), 1963. It was the best concert to this day! We were all so young, so excited, and I even went backstage and got a kiss on the lips by one of the Beach Boys. (David Marks.) Yee haw!

I used to love seeing Jeff Beck play live; I’m sad that he’s gone. I’d love to have seen Queen, and I’d love to have seen Patsy Cline and Elvis back in the day. I’m a huge fan of Paul McCartney and his band, and I’ve seen them only twice! I’d like to see Mavis Staples again, too!

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

Singing and listening to jazz, all kinds!

What’s your favorite music venue? The one I’m playing! At home in Austin, I absolutely love The Continental Club. My favorite owner, bartenders, staff and bands!

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?

Whatever song I just wrote or recorded. Today, it’s “Dig a Pony” by the Beatles.

What band or artist changed your life?

I’m sure so many people will say the Beatles, which is also true for me. They made me want to play guitar. Girls didn’t play electric guitar

What bands are you listening to right now?

Waterparks, Hot Mulligan, Deftones, The 1975, and Motion City Soundtrack.

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? Commit This to Memory, Motion City Soundtrack.

What song should everyone listen to right now? “Brainwashed” by Waterparks.