Every year, we get it into our heads to do some sort of holiday feature -- partly because we're suckers for seasonal entertainment, and partly because it's hard to find bands to interview at this time of year. Besides, we know there's nothing you readers like better than to gather round the tree/menorah/space heater and read about a bunch of punk bands' holiday plans.

This year, we decided to see what's going on in the hearts and minds of your favorite musicians (and a few you've probably never heard of) by posing seven questions dealing with tradition, togetherness and world peace. We expected a handful of replies. Needless to say, we got more than we bargained for. This bugger took hours to put together...but we learned some useful stuff. For instance, we found out that Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas is just as much of an American cultural touchstone as people say it is. We learned that only something like fifty percent of people have ever eaten fruitcake. And we discovered that a lot of people in bands can't spell worth shit...although we knew that already.

Now that we've exhausted ourselves cutting and pasting and proofing and linking, our article, like a steaming-hot plate of cookies, is ready for you to enjoy. Read on...

What's the best holiday gift you've ever given? We're not talking about the fanciest or most expensive gift, but the one that made you far more excited about giving it than about anything you might receive in return.

Kelly Hogan: I've never had enough dough at any time in my life to get anyone a "dream gift" like a pony or a Corvette or anything like that -- but I did surprise my Mom with a Christmas visit one time. She started crying and that was my present.

Mike D. (I can lick any Sonofabitch in the House): I got my kid a Telecaster. She's 10 and was sick of playing the acoustic she was on.

Mike Zolfo (ex-Absinthe Blind): I made a giant handprint out of clay for my mom one year. As I got older the handprint became smaller... Hmmm.

Adam Fein (Absinthe Blind): Last year I brought home a new cat for my wife from the humane society.

Timothy Den (Kimone): Either a sushi set I bought for my sister, or a song I wrote for my Mom.

Shelby Cinca (The Cassettes, The Black Sea, Frodus): A pair of chococat gloves to my girlfriend. (Hey, don't ask us... -- Ed.)

Ben Adrian (Replicator): Well, one year for my girlfriend's birthday I built her a theremin. Her birthday is in October, when I got the parts. I finished it just before Christmas, so it was kind of a Christmas gift, too.

Roger Chouinard (Closer than Kin): So many holidays, let me think... Probably the music gift certificate or the Atari 2600. Man, I'm old...

Conan Neutron (Replicator): That would probably be a set of CD-Rs I burned for my friend's little brother. To encourage him to listen to stuff other then Top 40 and what is played during montage segments on MTV reality shows, I burned him a set of ten CDs of stuff I thought he'd like. Fugazi, Sonic Youth, Pixies, Ramones, etc. Honestly, it was really enjoyable actually picking the CDs and keeping within the 10 CD boundary, as it honestly made me think in that "which 10 CDs were most important to my musical development" kind of way. The most exciting thing was realizing that even if the CDs were all broken, lost or unplayed, it at least reinforced the idea that there is more out there than what is served to you -- which, in the end, is one of the best things about independent music to me, and is one of the things that shaped who I am.

Shane Tutmarc (Dolour): Well, don't tell him yet... but this year I am giving one of my roommates a velvet painting of a unicorn. It has a rainbow in the background too. I'm sure he'll find a special place for it on his wall...although I'm kinda thinking about keeping it.

Ville Leppanen (Snowdogs): Last year I bought a Michael Moore book to... I honestly can't remember who, but I thought it was a good buy because it meant that I had something to read while I was visiting my parents.

Maggie Vail (Bangs): A four-track to an ex-boyfriend -- so much potential and fun in that gift.

Princess (The Hissyfits): The pink glitter Hello Kitty vibrator I gave to my friend Laura last year. She can't stop thanking me for it. Oh!

Pascal Deweze (Sukilove/Chitlin Fooks): Last year I gave a Creed album to someone I couldn't stand.

Jason Korzen (Sprites, ex-Barcelona): A few years ago, I gave my girlfriend Amy a West Highland Terrier named Brady. I've never known anybody who needed a dog more than Amy. And that dog has been a great friend for her. Sometimes a better friend than I.

Slo-Ro (Soul-junk): I am giving my mom an accordion this year. She always talks about how she use to play the accordion when she was a kid. She even played on the radio. But she hasn't played a musical instrument since she was probably about eight years old or so. She will be completely surprised. I really hope she starts playing again.

Alan Scheurman (Rescue): I never have the money to give anything worthwhile on the holidays --except, of course, sweet lovin' to my girlfriend, Alysonne.

Mickey Molinari (August Premier): I would have to say the best gift I have ever given was the ceramic Elvis Presley head I got for my dad. For two reasons: 1) it is an Elvis head, and 2) it's a ceramic Elvis head.

Neilson Hubbard: I gave an old girlfriend a Cocker Spaniel one year. I had to plan it out and keep it a secret for over two months. In high school, that's a long time. She had had a Cocker Spaniel that had died a few years before, so it was really special to her and the family.

Blake Miller (Moving Units): The best holiday gift I ever gave was some good advice: Xmas is x-tremely lame. Santa Claus is a thinly veiled Alan Greenspan in bad make-up and red lederhosen.



Robert Mann (Recover): Fuckin'.

Chris Fafalios (Punchline): I always get excited to give my Mom her gifts. She loves those little craft Snowmen and thinks they're so awesome, and I always get excited to get her those. It makes her happy. I like to make my Mom happy.

Johan Angergard (Club 8): I remember making a really nice "and tomorrow the stockexchange will be the human race" t-shirt for my brother. It was when he had just started working with some sort of management consulting so it was good timing.

Atom (Atom and His Package): I bought my friend Mike a helper monkey once.

Benjamin Hunt (Brazil): I always try to buy my Mother a gift that makes her feel better. She works really hard all day. No one present really stands out, but it’s always nice to buy her something she will enjoy and that will benefit her health. Buying someone a gift they will actually enjoy is a great feeling.

Überzone: I built a Nativity scene completely from scratch for my Mother. I really went all out. I put two music boxes in it and a little bulb that flickered and made it look like there was a little lantern inside. It made me meditate on the true reason for Christmas.

Méa: I bought my mom a car last X-mas. She didn't even see it coming. It was great! It took her a minute to actually fathom what had just happened, and even then she thought it was all a joke.

Freaky Flow: I think the best gift I've ever given to someone was a crisp slap in the face. It was neither fancy nor expensive, but it was definitely exciting! As for receiving one in return, though...

Akiko Carver (Semiautomatic): I give sucky presents on holidays. I wait for birthdays for the good ones.

Allysia Edwards (Three One G Records): Aahhh... a sex toy.

Katrina Ford (Love Life): When I was about six or seven I gave my grandpa "the golden turd". It was fake shit painted gold. I got it from Spencer's. It was in a fancy little box. My mom was like, "You're not giving grandaddy a turd for Xmas", so I did it anyway. My mom was mortified. My whole family was freaked out. After they realized it didn't smell like shit, they weren't so scared. All day long my uncles were like "I didn't get shit for Xmas! Pa, what did you get?"

Tim Midgett (Silkworm): This sort of jumps the gun on question #3, but anytime I've been able to give someone the Anthology of American Folk Music, I've felt real good about it.

Toko Yasuda (Enon): A handmade scarf I knitted for a boyfriend in junior high. It took me a long time to knit it so I was proud to give it.

M.Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold): I got my girlfriend a nice ring to show her my dedication. I know that made her excited.

Zacky Vengeance (Avenged Sevenfold): Everything I get people I'm sure to save the receipts 'cos they usually hate it. I'm planning on buying everyone I know presents that I want so that way when they don't like them I'll take them off their hands.

Andy Bristol (Junction 18): You know what? I never remember what I give to people a year later. I get so stressed with buying X-mas presents so when I'm done with buying, I try to erase the whole process from my mind. I'd say show your family you love them. That's the best X-mas present of all.

Chris Heine (The Holy Ghost): My Godfather gave me a pair of size 12 cowboy boots when I was six years old at my maternal grandparents' Christmas celebration. Despite being wrought with disappointment after frantically unwrapping the present, my Mom nudged me to say "thank you" to my Godfather, and I did with a crummy, sad look on my face. That Christmas present was purely and unforgettably ridiculous, and so it's also the best ever. I doubt if my Godfather remembers the incident at all since he was very, very stoned. The year was 1978, after all.

Tony Carbone (Bikeride): When I was in first grade I sent Ronald Reagan a basket of broccoli. I'm really proud of that.

Robbie, Polly and Electric Al from Crimson Sweet: Emotional blowjob to my great-great-grandfather. (Editor's Note: We're not sure which one of them answered the questions. We're not sure we want to know, either.)

Chris Barber (Spiv): The Big "O".

Derek Ma (Music for Mapmakers): I guess anything I make, like t-shirts, prints or paintings. It's amazing what you can make with a couple of pipe cleaners and some glue.

The Rock'n'Roll Outlaw (Brothers of Conquest): A plane ticket for my ex-girlfriend to go see her family (and then cheat on me with her ex-boyfriend).

The Captain (Two Man Advantage): MYK (Two Man Advantage metallizer, assistant coach, and equipment manager) wanted the ultra-rare Witchfinder General "Soviet Invasion" 12" for as long as I've known him. I was able to find a copy relatively cheap and gave it to him last year, I think it was. One record nerd giving another record nerd a record he's been seeking for years was rewarding for both of us, I think.

Ken Floyd (Eighteen Visions): A song I wrote for my ex girlfriend. I wrote it, performed all the instruments and vocals and recorded it by myself, then burned it onto a CD and gave it to her for Valentines/one year anniversary. I know it's sappy as hell. But we also broke up at the same time.

Steve Jackson (The Pietasters): One time I cashed in all of my frequent flier miles and set up a tropical weekend getaway for me and my girl. She was really surprised but I think I was just as excited. That's a gift that keeps on giving.

Anthony Lopez (Glasseater): Geez, I can't remember the last time I gave someone an awesome gift. Since I'm in a band, I'm always broke so usually can't afford people nice gifts, but I did get my girlfriend an acoustic guitar for Xmas which I was stoked about.

Russ Pollard (Alaska): I can't recall. Perhaps it was the vinyl copy of Black Sabbath's Paranoid that I passed on to a friend who had no opinion of the band until said gift was given. Or the time I got my cat, James, a really nice bag of food. I think it had spirulina in it. Blue algae. That was a great gift.

Arlie Carstens (Juno): When I was a kid our father brought us up. We were poor as stray dogs. We always (I mean always) gave my dad soap-on-a-rope and Old Spice aftershave. We had no idea that that crap was about as generic as it gets. What did we know? We were idiot kids. I swear to God there was not an original idea in our heads. Life was all Star Wars footie-pajamas and boiled hot dogs. But who could blame us? It was the late-'70s, everybody gave their dad soap-on-a-rope and Old Spice. All we knew was that it smelled like our dad. He never seemed to mind the predictability of our gifts, which I'm sure was no easy task. When opening his presents he always stayed in character. He knew to feign surprise at just that right moment. Classic. I have to hand it to the guy; he got the same shit every year and never flinched once. Even though that stuff was dumb we were so excited to give it to him! Apart from his children's mundane affections, his world was very lonely during those years. I realize now that it made him happy to see how happy it made us. He loved us so tremendously. We were his everything.

Biggi Veiran (GusGus): When my wife was pregnant with our daughter, I gave her a "glass angel" to watch over them.

Dave Shapiro (Count the Stars): One time I sent someone a Fedex package of shit. Everyone go to www.smellypoop.com -- you can send your friends poop too! I was definitely much more excited giving that than receiving anything from anyone ever.

JJ Starside (The Starside Eight): The coolest, most exciting present I ever gave anyone was an Oliver Oink. Oliver Oink is a pig-shaped cookie jar that I gave my friend Dan. Some friends and I presented it to him and his family on Christmas Eve. His dad responded with "what the fuck is that?" At that moment, we knew it was truly Christmas.

Chris Benner (Digger): I'm going to give it this year. They are called Kinder Surprise Eggs. They are Milk Chocolate Eggs with a toy on the inside. You can only buy them in Europe and Canada. I think they are the coolest thing. Everyone I know that has ever eaten one, gets so excited about them. I figured I would hook my family and friends up with some sweet culture from around the world.

Jeff Kelly (The Green Pajamas/The Goblin Market): Engagement ring to my wife. After that, the "Free Winona" t-shirt to myself.

The Dears: Music. Unfortunately, many in the world today would hardly regard that as a proper gift.

Kelly Hogan: Best: Touring. Worst: Touring. And my dog got sick, but is hanging in there.

Mike D. (I can lick any Sonofabitch in the House): The great shows we've been getting, the touring, the acclaim the record has received and finding a bass player who rocks his ass off. The worst? Watching the Constitution being turned into toilet paper by G Dubya Bu$h and his fine staff of jackaninnies.

Doug Powell: No lawsuits.

Mike Zolfo (ex-Absinthe Blind): Best: I got accepted to Berklee school of Music. Worst: Bush regime still in control.

Adam Fein (Absinthe Blind): Best: Good health of my family, touring the Southwest with Absinthe Blind, adding new bass player Brett Sanderson, re-signing to Parasol Records. Worst: Losing old bass player Mike Zolfo.

Timothy Den (Kimone): Best: Kimone and my new roommates. Worst: Everything else.

Shelby Cinca (The Cassettes, The Black Sea, Frodus): Numerological symmetry.

Roger Chouinard (Closer than Kin): Best was probably finishing the recording. The worst: having it pushed back to 2003 so we can remix it -- but it's worth it.

Conan Neutron (Replicator): The best? Having a really successful and fun coast to coast tour with Replicator that paved the road for us to do it again. (I think there's a tour diary of that on some website, actually!) The worst? Splitting up with my fiancee and the love of my life and learning to be single again. (cue the violins)

Shane Tutmarc (Dolour): I think 2002 will go in history as a pivotal year in music. Between all the oldies putting out new albums (Beck, Wilco, Weezer and the Flaming Lips), we also saw the rock thing really trying hard (The Strokes, White Stripes, Vines, Hives, etc) and newer inspiring artists like Andrew W. K. and Cornelius fucking shit up with their appetites for destruction. But personally, the best thing for me was turning 21 -- no more sneaking into bars or having to wait outside before I play a show in a bar. The worst thing about 2002 has been all the stress that the ugly side of the music business can bring you. But I guess it's sorta the philosophy of "you gotta spend money to make money", so it's all worth it in the end.

Ville Leppanen (Snowdogs): We signed to Victory Records early this year. We all thought it was a great way to start the year. The worst thing was England losing out to Brazil in the soccer world cup. As you can tell by the rather lightweight "worst thing", my year has been pretty good.

Maggie Vail (Bangs): Clarity. Heartbreak.

Princess (The Hissyfits): The best: playing with The Pattern on our tour of the UK and crashing on their tour bus. The worst thing: having to haul all of our equipment up and down the London tube station stairs.

Pascal Deweze (Sukilove/Chitlin Fooks): Did you know that "worst" means "sausage" in Dutch? So if you just asked me if the sausage was the best thing in my life in 2002 then the answer is probably no.

Jason Korzen (Sprites, ex-Barcelona): Amy and I got married in September, easily the best part of the year. The worst thing of 2002? Probably living in the DC area with the sniper thing going on, because it affected us so directly. But overall, it seems like 2002 has been a shitty year for our country and the world in general.

Slo-Ro (Souljunk): The best thing about 2002...feeling settled in San Diego and celebrating my one year wedding anniversary. Worst thing about 2002: Audiogalaxy getting shut down, the mess of war.

Alan Scheurman (Rescue): The best thing about 2002 for me would definitely have to be being away from home for half of the year. I've seen all corners of North America this year and had the chance to make friends in so many new places. The worst thing about 2002 was the amount of money I did not make. I'm in debt.

Mickey Molinari (August Premier): The best part of 2002 was signing with Fueled By Ramen. The worst part was having Allister steal our singer for a while.

Neilson Hubbard: The best: I stayed super busy with work (producing and writing) and I also finished up my new record. So it was a productive year. The worst was that my cat died. We lost him for five weeks then found him. After he was home for a month and half he died.

Blake Miller (Moving Units): Best: love. Worst: isolation.

Robert Mann (Recover): Fuckin'.

Chris Fafalios (Punchline): The best thing about 2002 was playing lots and lots of shows. The worst thing about 2002 was death. Not death of anyone in particular, just death in general.

Johan Angergard (Club 8): It was a fine year for love and music. But as always it was also one step closer to the grave. This year the step even felt a little bigger than usual.

Atom (Atom and His Package): Best: Hanging around with friends and family. Worst: Death of loved one.

Benjamin Hunt (Brazil): Best: Being able to play music. Worst: Having to work in retail when not playing music.

Überzone: I feel like I really took the initiative in my career and got back to basics. The worst thing was the entire month of November.

Méa: The best thing was that I was finally able to close escrow on my first new home and move in; the worst was my favorite Abyssinian cat, Ra, was stolen.

Freaky Flow: For me the best thing about 2002 was Star Wars: Episode II, and the worst has been the wait for Episode III.

Akiko Carver (Semiautomatic): Collecting unemployment, and running out of unemployment.

Allysia Edwards (Three One G Records): The best... having the ability to quite my "real job" on December 31st to dedicate all my time to my record label. The worst... working a "real job" the other 364 days.

Katrina Ford (Love Life): Best: I got married. Worst: I got a tumor.

Tim Midgett (Silkworm): The Shellac-curated All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Camber Sands, England was a terrific experience. I feel lucky to have been part of it. Living in a burgeoning police state is a pretty bad thing, but as long as we keep having elections I won't worry about it too much.

Toko Yasuda (Enon): Best: No nuclear explosions. Worst: President George W. Bush.

M.Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold): Touring was the best and worst part of the year.



Zacky Vengeance (Avenged Sevenfold): Touring across America half drunk is the best. Touring across America half sober is the worst.

Andy Bristol (Junction 18): The best thing about 2002 is that the number is a palindrome and palindromes are cool. One of the Roosevelts wrote the longest palindrome ever. Check that shit out, sucker. The worst thing about 2002 is knowing that next year will no longer be a palindrome. Party's over, everybody. Time to die.

Chris Heine (The Holy Ghost): Best: It went by really fast, since we put out two full-length records, toured for more than five months and drank the whole time. Worst: I got thrown in jail once for that drinking thing.

Tony Carbone (Bikeride): Best: I finally finished the album! Worst: I lost my left pinky toe in a gardening accident.

Robbie, Polly and Electric Al from Crimson Sweet: Best: Chimp Channel. Worst: Car show hot-dogs

Chris Barber (Spiv): Best: birth of my first son, "Maximum Rock and Roll" Barber. Worst: passing a kidney stone while my son was being born. (No shit!)

Derek Ma (Music for Mapmakers): The best definitely was finishing school, with a tight second for finishing up the first full length album (set for release early 2003 -- shameless plug). Oh yeah, and not dying. The worst? Probably figuring out that quitting smoking is as hard as everyone says.

The Rock'n'Roll Outlaw (Brothers of Conquest): The best? Releasing our new album, All the Colors of Darkness on Go-kart records. The worst? Every other day of the year.

The Captain (Two Man Advantage): The best thing for me was probably the amount of touring that I got to do with the band (absolutely my favorite thing to do). Also, finally, at the ripe old age of 29, moving out of my parents' house (as much as I love them so) was a great thing. The worst thing was the death of my mother's cousin, who was as close as an uncle to me.

Ken Floyd (Eighteen Visions): All the tours we went on. I was gone for like eight months of 2002. It was awesome to see and experience so much in one year. The worst thing was dealing with sacrifices as a result of being gone. My whole year was these tours and how it effected me and affected me.

Steve Jackson (The Pietasters): The best: The release of our seventh album, Turbo, on Fueled By Ramen Records. Or the fact that we get to back up James Brown on 12/13. That's pretty much the coolest thing that's ever happened to our band. The worst: Compared to 2001, I can't think of anything bad that happened this year. What a relief.

Steve Touchton (Snowsuit*): Moving to Oakland, California from Mobile, Alabama was the best thing of 2002 for me. The worst might have been almost getting killed in a car wreck. I don't mind death, but don't really want it to be by way of a car wreck. The post-9/11 nationalism was a pretty bad part of 2002, also.

Anthony Lopez (Glasseater): The best? Hmmm. I think all the touring we've done this whole year has been awesome. We've had the opportunity of touring with such great bands and making a ton of friends along the way. We also had a lineup change and a new record come out this year, which we are totally proud of. The worst I would have to say is being in financial ruts. We recently were forced to buy a brand new trailer in the middle of a tour in order to continue on the tour, and it set us back a ton of money. So it sucks that for the holidays, we can't afford some of our bills and be able to get nice things for our friends and families.

Russ Pollard (Alaska): The best thing about 2002 for me was recording two records -- Alaska's debut, emotions and the new Folk Implosion record. Very nice to reflect on this year...Very nice. I'd have to also mention that I met one of the most beautiful people ever in 2002.

Biggi Veiran (GusGus): The release of our new album Attention was the best thing for me in 2002. After difficult changes in the band we are finally back kicking. The worst thing that happened 2002 was when my wife started graduate school.

Dave Shapiro (Count the Stars): I would have to say getting signed to Victory Records was pretty cool.

Chris Kasarjian (Count the Stars): Best thing: touring the country on our own, then getting signed.

Adam Manning (Count the Stars): The worst was probably being stuck on the highway in our little tour van for three days in a blizzard in Wyoming with a bag of nachos and one movie -- Con Air. It was murder, but Con Air is the shit.

JJ Starside (The Starside Eight): The best thing about 2002 was I had a lot of fun making the music I wanted to make (along with James 8) and some people actually liked it. Also I started eating vegetables and I feel better! The worst thing that happened in 2002 was all the talk of war, violence and terrorism which was brought about by events from last year. Also, the Mets really sucked, especially all the new players. Finally, the veggies tasted bad sometimes.

James Eight (The Starside Eight): The worst is just the Mets sucked big time!

Chris Benner (Digger): I got to travel Europe playing music for the third time with my best friends and band. I can't think of any really bad things that happened to me this year.

Jeff Kelly (The Green Pajamas/The Goblin Market): The Best: Probably quitting smoking and finaly really hearing Nick Drake. The worst? Quitting smoking and making a fool of myself in front of Donna Tartt at a book signing for The Little Friend.

The Dears: Best: Finishing our second full-length album, No Cities Left. Worst: Finishing our second full-length album, No Cities Left.

Kelly Hogan: Jon Rauhouse's Steel Guitar Airshow. You can do anything to this record, even have your feet scraped! And disregard the song that I sing -- I'm talking about the rest of the CD! I always skip my song.

Mike D. (I can lick any Sonofabitch in the House): Oh, for sure Southern Rock Opera from The Drive By Truckers. Strong ROCK!

Doug Powell: Peter Gabriel's Up.

Mike Zolfo (ex-Absinthe Blind): Queens of the Stone Age's Songs for the Deaf.

Adam Fein (Absinthe Blind): Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Camden's Pieces of Places.

Timothy Den (Kimone): Tom Waits's Alice.

Shelby Cinca (The Cassettes, The Black Sea, Frodus): The Church's After Everything Now This.

Ben Adrian (Replicator): I can't clearly remember if I bought anything right now. I'm too broke. The Low album Trust is pretty damn good.

Roger Chouinard (Closer than Kin): Killswitch Engage's Alive or Just Breathing.

Conan Neutron (Replicator): Fugazi's The Argument, Hot Snakes' Suicide Invoice or The Liars' They Threw Us All in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top.

Shane Tutmarc (Dolour): I really like Beck's new album (Sea Change), but it may be too downer to give to everyone for Xmas. Everyone I know has such different taste, I can't think of anything.

Ville Leppanen (Snowdogs): If I had a list it would be Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age. There'd only be one or two people on that list who'd like the record, but what the hell -- a gift speaks volumes about its giver.

Maggie Vail (Bangs): Hot Snakes' Suicide Invoice.

Princess (The Hissyfits): The new Nirvana album.

Pascal Deweze (Sukilove/Chitlin Fooks): The Charley Patton box. It costs 200 Euro (about the same in dollars).

Jason Korzen (Sprites, ex-Barcelona): Neil Halstead's Sleeping On Roads. I considered the All Girl Summer Fun Band, but I'm not sure if everyone would appreciate that one as much I did.

Slo-Ro (Souljunk): Black Heart's Amore del Tropico, but that's kinda of cheating, because my wife sings on it. But it is an incredible record and probably the most easy listening of all the stuff I like. I don't think Wobbly's Wild Why would be appropriate for my relatives, although I think it was a brilliant release.

Alan Scheurman (Rescue): The Velvet Teen's Out Of The Fierce Parade.

Mickey Molinari (August Premier): Wow, good question. I would have to say the only CD that came out this year that I would buy people would be the new Foo Fighters CD. Who doesn't love the Foo Fighters?

Neilson Hubbard: Beck's Sea Change.

Blake Miller (Moving Units): I'm still waiting for someone to record it.

Robert Mann (Recover): Queens of the Stone Age's Songs For The Deaf.

Chris Fafalios (Punchline): It would either have to be Unsung Zeros' Moments From Mourning or Ben Folds's Rockin' the Suburbs. I can't decide, they're both awesome albums.

Johan Angergard (Club 8): David Design's From Sweden with Love seems like a nice CD for anyone in the family. Even grandpa would like it.

Atom (Atom and His Package): The Flaming Lips' new CD is really good.

Benjamin Hunt (Brazil): Queens of the Stone Age's Songs for the Deaf or Isis's Oceanic.

Überzone: Wow, that's a tough one, I have friends with such diverse tastes... It had to be released in 2002? Hmmmm, how about...man, I honestly can't answer this... OH, I KNOW! How about a blank CD? They can download or copy any CD they want for free! I mean, evidently that's all anyone does now anyhow...

Méa: Tenacious D. (Actually from 2001... -- Ed.)

Freaky Flow: I really like that new Coldplay album.

Akiko Carver (Semiautomatic): Monotrona's album.

Allysia Edwards (Three One G Records): Love Life's Here is night, brothers, here the birds burn (Jagjaguwar Records).

Katrina Ford (Love Life): No Xmas this year -- bah. Humbug. I'm broke. If I could, it would be the Get Hustle's Dream Eagle on Three One G.

Toko Yasuda (Enon): Gary Wilson's You Think You Really Know Me?.

M.Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold): Killswitch Engage's Alive or Just Breathing. I think that album can open up a lot of people to heavier music.

Zacky Vengeance (Avenged Sevenfold): Coheed & Cambria's Second Stage Turbine Blade.

Andy Bristol (Junction 18): I would give everyone Abandoned Pools' Humanistic because I know a lot of people who hate them, yet the record became one of my favorite records ever so it would be funny to hand it out. It's just a record that has some great elements of rock, electronica, some good loops, yet it has this mid-'90s alternative feel that some of us loved when we were in high school. This record is for that generation.

Chris Heine (The Holy Ghost): The Kills record.

Tony Carbone (Bikeride): Rolled Gold by The Action



Robbie, Polly and Electric Al from Crimson Sweet: Cobra's This is Fashion

Chris Barber (Spiv): Elvis' #1 Hits.

Derek Ma (Music for Mapmakers): To be honest, I haven't really been into anything this year. Probably the new Delgados album, Hate. It's so good, it's hard to explain in words.

The Rock'n'Roll Outlaw (Brothers of Conquest): Andrew W.K.'s I Get Wet or Pentagram's First Daze Here.

The Captain (Two Man Advantage): The new Daycare Swindlers record, Heathen Radio. I'm not just saying this because they're also on Go Kart (although that is probably the reason I got to hear it). The record kicks my ass from beginning to end. It doesn't have the diversity of styles that their past three records have...but that's okay. It's the winner of 2002 for me.

Ken Floyd (Eighteen Visions): Björk's Greatest Hits.

Steve Jackson (The Pietasters): Supergrass's Life on Other Planets.

Steve Touchton (Snowsuit*): Off the top of my head, Deerhoof's Reveille, Xiu Xiu's Knife Play, Black Dice's Beaches and Canyons and Andrew W.K.'s I Get Wet are tied.

Anthony Lopez (Glasseater): I would have to say either the new Glassjaw or the new Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Russ Pollard (Alaska): Well, that's tough. I suppose it's a tie and this may be a very predictable pick, but good music is good music. I think everyone should have both Sea Change, Beck's new one, and Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, The Flaming Lips' new classic.

Arlie Carstens (Juno): Califone's Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People.

Biggi Veiran (GusGus): The album with "Chicken Lips - Extended Play" -- it is an instant party tool...

Dave Shapiro (Count the Stars): The Used for sure!

Clarke Foley (Count the Stars): I would have to say the album that got the most play from us this year was Taking Back Sunday's Tell All Your Friends. These guys are awesome friends and write killer tunes.

James Eight (The Starside Eight): I have to give it to the Hot Snakes' Suicide Invoice, hands down the best new music this year. I'm still shaken up from their live show.

JJ Starside (The Starside Eight): I think I like Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco, or Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips.

Chris Benner (Digger): Superchunk's Here's To Shutting Up. (Actually, that's from last year too, but what the hell. -- Ed.)

Jeff Kelly (The Green Pajamas/The Goblin Market): Handel's Hercules with the very wonderful Anne Sofie Von Otter.

The Dears: The Strokes/White Stripes/Hives/Vines album.

Mike D. (I can lick any Sonofabitch in the House): More silly shit from the same major label idiots. I'm sure Pink and me will fornicate and go on to do a Sonny and Cher type thing. She will leave me after I knock Michelle Branch up.

Doug Powell: Hopefully young bands will figure out how to write songs.

Mike Zolfo (ex-Absinthe Blind): A gradual start to the rise of Hair Metal, which will peak in '06 or '07. (Seriously)

Adam Fein (Absinthe Blind): More major labels trying to figure out the "music is free" issue.

Timothy Den (Kimone): More of the downward spiraling of both the mainstream and the underground. The sappiness of cutesy pop punk, ignorant rage of nü metal, and the knuckle-dragging "rock revival" will continue to pummel music listeners into drooling idiots. Music as a vital art form will continue its journey into extinction thanks to the ever more precise "marketing strategies" of the music industry. Though none of this is actually "new" to any of us...

Shelby Cinca (The Cassettes, The Black Sea, Frodus): Better AI programming to create virtual pop stars for the masses -- faster, cheaper, more efficient entertainment.

Ben Adrian (Replicator): More post punk/goth retro. And more "duo" bands.

Roger Chouinard (Closer than Kin): Hardcore and metal becoming mainstream.

Conan Neutron (Replicator): Shoot, I don't know. Probably nothing too "developed", actually. More of the same, I guess. I think garage rock is on its way out, which is good; the dilettante can do something else. It seems like art-punk/post-post-punk is making a comeback -- maybe that? That'd be nice. I don't know, though.

Shane Tutmarc (Dolour): I am hoping and praying that Creed, Nickelback and Default wake up on January 1st and realize that music isn't really their calling, and they stop the madness. Then bands like Vendetta Red, United State of Electronica, The Divorce and little ol' Dolour and clean up the airwaves with some fresh tunes.

Ville Leppanen (Snowdogs): Personally, I would like to see Snowdogs grow into a major musical development. We already are in our own minds... ;-) we just need others to realize it.

Maggie Vail (Bangs): More assless chaps. There's no stopping that Har Mar.

Princess (The Hissyfits): Bands that are comprised of dancing bears and organ-grinding monkeys.

Pascal Deweze (Sukilove/Chitlin Fooks): Christina Aguilera will join the Five Blind Boys of Alabama. Nickelback turn out to be Creed with a different hairdo. Metallica try to forbid other artists from existing, claiming it ruins their album sales. Westlife record the vocals for their new album without the use of Autotune, making it the most expensive record ever. Mariah Carey continues to fine-tune her ability to whistle with open mouth.

Jason Korzen (Sprites, ex-Barcelona): The return of hair metal. A major diva will have a major breakdown. A band with a hit record this year will release a stinker. Hilary Rosen will be attacked by wild dogs. An Eminem backlash. Allen Clapp will get a song on a car commercial and unexpectedly become a huge celebrity.

Alan Scheurman (Rescue): I think/hope people will start taking an interest in music that is more sincere than the majority of popular music today.

Mickey Molinari (August Premier): I think 2003 we will see a lot more good rock bands, not this shitty novelty pop punk stuff or Creed shit. Good old rock bands are making a big comeback, and it's about time.

Neilson Hubbard: Cheaper music -- in the stores, that is.

Blake Miller (Moving Units): Android boy bands. Wait -- I mean android boy bands who can write a good song.

Robert Mann (Recover): New Radiohead.

Chris Fafalios (Punchline): More and more hard-working rockin bands making it big and a lot less O-town. And maybe if we're lucky, a little more Michael Jackson baby-dangling.

Johan Angergard (Club 8): I just want there to be some kind of genuine movement -- something which is not just a marketing program.

Atom (Atom and His Package): I have no idea. I can't wait, though.

Benjamin Hunt (Brazil): Hopefully bands will start to be more honest and genuine with their music. I’m tired of seeing so many bands faking it.

Überzone: The mass acceptance of the kazoo as a viable musical instrument. More whistling in dance music tracks. Techno line dancing.



Méa: Hopefully the economy will get stronger so people will feel more inspired to try new things, more instruments in dance music, more live vocals, more live shows rather than just the solo DJ. Hopefully kids will have gotten bored with drugs so they let music be their mind-openers instead, which would mean less busts, less cancelled shows and less clubs closing down, and more festivals and music shows to go to.

Freaky Flow: I think we'll see the birth of an entirely new genre: hip-step-tech-prog-trance-core-ska. Word.

Akiko Carver (Semiautomatic): Acid House revival.

Allysia Edwards (Three One G Records): Way more main stream attention directed towards more avant-garde bands like Get Hustle, The Locust and such.

Katrina Ford (Love Life): RCA and MIDI jacks installed right into the head of every musician.

Tim Midgett (Silkworm): Someone will do some bullshit with a computer, but I won't like it.

Toko Yasuda (Enon): We have no clue.

M.Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold): Absolutely none.

Zacky Vengeance (Avenged Sevenfold): The innovative combination of Rap with Heavy Metal.

Andy Bristol (Junction 18): Major new musical developments? I don't think we will hear any developments that are major unless we are really really lucky. It seems like most of the music roaming around the radio dial now is actually just a 21st century version of the '60s and '70s -- except these garage bands that we are hearing on the radio can't sing worth shit. I do love Queens of the Stone Age and Audioslave, so maybe we can get some good musicianship going back onto radio.

Chris Heine (The Holy Ghost): More dance rock, a rebirth of songwriting-oriented rock (I hope), and I have a sneaky feeling that those Williamsburg, Silver Lake and Wicker Park hipster types are going to hijack the whole No Depression thing and either embarrass the American Soul or blow country right back up. I really don't know, though. Like an old gambler once said, predicting the future is really fucking hard.

Tony Carbone (Bikeride): More Midget Lesbian Goth bands.

Robbie, Polly and Electric Al from Crimson Sweet: Power metal is coming back.

Chris Barber (Spiv): I'm praying for the death of nu-metal and a rise in Joan Jett inspired girl rock.

Derek Ma (Music for Mapmakers): The rejuvenation of synth pop and '80s music will continue, and hopefully alt-country artists getting more recognition (My Morning Jacket).

The Rock'n'Roll Outlaw (Brothers of Conquest): More crap about cars, money and bitches from a bunch of fools in the ghetto, and some more moronic pop punk from white kids with a lot of holes in their faces and skate boards. Also more uses of the words "bling-bling".

The Captain (Two Man Advantage): I think the beginning of the end of music-like product -- that is, sounds that are marketed as "music", but are really no more substantive than a Big Mac. Hopefully, music -- real music -- will make a comeback. I think the masses are getting bored of people who look good, and dress good, but really have mediocre voices, backed up by synthetic pops and clicks. As much as I'm not a huge fan of bands such as White Stripes, The Strokes, or The Hives (although none of those bands are that bad, really), they are making people take notice that rock 'n' roll is still a viable option. Hopefully 2003 will extend that notion.

Ken Floyd (Eighteen Visions): A new Eighteen Visions album and tons of tours.

Steve Jackson (The Pietasters): Not sure, but we won't hear about it on a large scale until some large label waters down the sound and it becomes the next big thing, at which time any kernel of originality will be lost and all the good that could've been done will be undone.

Steve Touchton (Snowsuit*): More and more indie/punk-gone-dance or indie/punk-gone-hip-hop stuff probably. Reunions of broken-up bands.

Anthony Lopez (Glasseater): That's hard to tell. There's been so many changes in the music industry that it's hard to know what to expect next. I really have no idea how it'll develop.

Arlie Carstens (Juno): I predict that Rolling Stone magazine and all the rest of those like-minded desk jockeys will continue to spout that "THE RAWK IS BACK!!!" It's like they're pretending rock went for a walk and got lost. "Oh look! There it is, we found it again!" Sorry, that whole scam just slays me. What else? Cat Power will drop an album so dope that even lame-asses like Sean Combs and Christina Aguilera will name check her on TRL (even if they've never heard a note of it).

Biggi Veiran (GusGus): Most musical developments are minor nowadays. I'm still using my gear from the '80s. The major new musical development I would like to see is a stable computer environment. Both the PC and Mac platform suck -- the computers are so crammed with endless badly written software at startup that it is amazing that they start up anyway. I have never had a computer that is in perfect working order.

Chris Kasarjian (Count the Stars): I think we are finally going to see the last of boy bands and nü metal, and more and more we are going to see young rock bands (most of which are touring the independent circuit and doing really well, signing to indie labels) hit it big. Thursday, Saves the Day...it's just the beginning. Rock is coming back full swing.

Adam Manning (Count the Stars): More hair metal bands will get back together and tour. I guess that's less of a well thought out prediction and more of a wish!

James Eight (The Starside Eight): Brooklyn, New York will become the next Seattle and some truly innovative and imaginative music, as well as the best balls-out rock, will be the result -- and people in New York will actually feel proud to support some homegrown talent again. (Didn't most of that happen this year? -- Ed.)

Chris Benner (Digger): New gimmicks to market boy groups and pop stars.

Jeff Kelly (The Green Pajamas/The Goblin Market): Curve puts out their masterpiece, becomes biggest band in the world. Someone gives me the Avril Lavigne record and a free month of MTV. Finally a Garbage singles collection (with the James Bond song). My first daughter converts my second into a Green Pajamas fan. All of the Green Pajamas give up drinking and call Michael Jackson for tips on how to hide broken veins on their noses.

The Dears: Hopefully, the death of trendy rich white kid "rock'n'roll" and white kids talking about the "blues"; the new birth of song and the end of moral bankruptcy within the music industry.

Kelly Hogan: Albums -- well, probably my Columbia Jazz Christmas album featuring Ella Fitzgerald, and my hero Bob Dorough singing "Blue Christmas" with Miles Davis, among other excellent songs. And I'm a goddamn sucker for the Charlie Brown/Vince Guaraldi action.

Mike D. (I can lick any Sonofabitch in the House): I got a Partridge Family record one Xmas. I opened it put it on the stereo. In the middle of the first song the phone rang. I heard my mom scream and start wailing; she had just found out her ma, my grandma, died of a massive stroke. I was 11. Merry Christmas.

Doug Powell: Wynton Marsalis's Cresent City Christmas Card. Also, Kevin Gilbert and Jonatha Brooke's version of "Emmanuel" is my favorite one-off.

Mike Zolfo (ex-Absinthe Blind): Booker T and the MGs' Christmas. Way chill and smooth.

Shelby Cinca (The Cassettes, The Black Sea, Frodus): The Return Of The Jedi soundtrack.

Ben Adrian (Replicator): Low's Christmas is by far the best holiday record. Funny, they came up twice.

Roger Chouinard (Closer than Kin): Rock and Roll Christmas and the Chipmunks' Christmas album.

Conan Neutron (Replicator): I don't think I've ever had a favorite holiday record. I'm tempted to make one up, like A Very Yoda Christmas: Everyone's favorite Jedi master performs yuletide songs from the Cole Porter songbook, but I'll spare us all that embarrassment.

Shane Tutmarc (Dolour): I love Christmas music, more than any other kind. Even music that reminds me of Christmas I love! Like Edward Scissorhands, or the sleigh bells in God Only Knows. But my personal favorite Christmas record would have to be Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas. My family always played that when I was a kid. I love his chords and his arrangements too...he's the best.

Ville Leppanen (Snowdogs): I like all the cheesy Christmas songs. They're all my faves. Sentimental bullshit... I think it'd be un-Christian of me to not like 'em.

Maggie Vail (Bangs): I love the Phil Spector X-mas record.

Princess (The Hissyfits): The brand new The Night Before Christmas compilation CD featuring awesome New York bands like The Hissyfits, The Witnesses, Calla, Hot Socky, The Kick, and more! Available now at www.richandsexyinc.com.

Pascal Deweze (Sukilove/Chitlin Fooks): Halli, hallo, wir fahren by Heino.

Slo-Ro (Souljunk): Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Alan Scheurman (Rescue): I was never a fan of holiday music.

Mickey Molinari (August Premier): Hmm, I remember listening to the Chipmunks' holiday stuff. The Chipmunks are always a blast.

Neilson Hubbard: Charlie Brown Christmas Album, of course.

Blake Miller (Moving Units): Black Mass Lucifer by Mort Garson.

Robert Mann (Recover): "White Christmas".

Chris Fafalios (Punchline): A Very Special Christmas. That album is amazing. Especially the U2 song, "Its Christmas...baby please come home..." or whatever it was called. And the Run DMC song too.

Johan Angergard (Club 8): I really like the old Christmas songs like "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby or some Christmas stuff with Frank Sinatra. I gives the right atmosphere.

Atom (Atom and His Package): I don't like holiday music at all. Never have.

Benjamin Hunt (Brazil): Now: Vince Guaraldi Trio's A Charlie Brown Christmas. Then: The Chipmunks' Christmas Album.

Überzone: The original soundtrack to Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Méa: Billboard's top 10 favorite X-mas songs.

Freaky Flow: Hmmmm... Even as a kid, I didn't have a favourite holiday record. But I really loved the Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer TV special. I know this doesn't count, but come on, show some compassion... it's Christmas!

Akiko Carver (Semiautomatic): I don't remember the name, but it was a tape that had a song about "Peter and Penelope Penguin", who weren't invited to any parties on Christmas.

Allysia Edwards (Three One G Records): I don't have a favorite holiday record, but my favorite holiday song would be "Get Off The Cross, The Wood Is Needed".

Katrina Ford (Love Life): The No New York Xmas Album. I don't actually own it. It's fucking amazing. There's a James White song on it called "Xmas with Satan". Also, I have a great Disco Santa record.

Tim Midgett (Silkworm): John Fahey's The New Possibility. A beautiful and soulful record.

Toko Yasuda (Enon): Forgive me for forgetting the pianist. But the Charlie Brown Christmas record has always been a great record and can make you feel like Christmas any time...

M.Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold): Oi To the World by the Vandals.



Zacky Vengeance (Avenged Sevenfold): I actually love almost every Christmas song. I really like the Vandals Oi to the World album, but Metallica's version of "Carol of the Bells" takes the cake.

Andy Bristol (Junction 18): It was a definitely Holiday Sing-A-Longs with Mitch Miller & The Gang. We had it on vinyl and it was overplayed in our living room. Other than that, it's the classics you hear sung on the radio by Burl Ives and Nat King Cole. Any new X-Mas song now just blows unless it's Harry Connick Jr. -- he's got some good stuff.

Chris Heine (The Holy Ghost): I really don't have one. "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" was pretty fun as a kid back in the '80s.

Tony Carbone (Bikeride): I like The Easter Bunny is On Crack by Tippy Carmichael.

Robbie, Polly and Electric Al from Crimson Sweet: Wizzard's "I wish it could be Christmas every day".

Chris Barber (Spiv): Christmas with Perry Como.

Derek Ma (Music for Mapmakers): Is and will always be A Charlie Brown Christmas.

The Rock'n'Roll Outlaw (Brothers of Conquest): The first two Elvis Christmas records and A Dean Martin Christmas.

The Captain (Two Man Advantage): Without a doubt, hands down, it's the 1979 New York Islanders Christmas record -- given to me, actually, a couple of years back, by a fan.

Ken Floyd (Eighteen Visions): When I was a kid it was probably Alvin and the Chipmunks. Now it's just a song by John Lennon.

Steve Jackson (The Pietasters): There's a really good (old) Motown Christmas record as well as some cool Jackson 5 Christmas tunes. Who doesn't love Burl Ives?

Steve Touchton (Snowsuit*): I really want to get my hands on a copy of A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Anthony Lopez (Glasseater): I don't think I ever had a favorite, but if I had to choose I think it'd be the Chipmunks.

Russ Pollard (Alaska): I like the Christmas album that Low put out a few years ago.

Arlie Carstens (Juno): Favorite Holiday Record: Lungfish's Pass + Stow. Lungfish reminds me of Christmas because singer Dan Higgs is often referred to as "Brown Santa". I don't really know about any other holiday albums. Sorry, I'm obviously stunted in my development here. What is holiday music supposed to do anyway? I don't get it. It just makes me want to blow my brains out. It really kind of freaks me out, to be honest.

Biggi Veiran (GusGus): "Last Christmas" by Wham is the best holiday track ever. And George Michael is a star -- one of few pop artist that has guts in making people think about how USA bullies the rest of the world.

Chris Kasarjian (Count the Stars): Of course it's still Christmas with the Chipmunks. You gotta love little furry animals dressed up like all-American school kids enslaved to a psycho manager named Dave Seville singin' your Christmas favorites.

Adam Manning (Count the Stars): Mannheim Steamroller?

James Eight (The Starside Eight): Phil Spector's Christmas album with the Ronettes and Darlene Love on it -- I heard it at a baseball game this summer (some Xmas in July promotion or something) and it didn't sound corny like most Xmas music. It's good enough to stand on its own and even better during the holidays.

Chris Benner (Digger): When I was growing up I think it was the Charlie Brown Christmas record. I also had The Grinch Who Stole Christmas on vinyl -- the one that you could follow along with the book.

Jeff Kelly (The Green Pajamas/The Goblin Market): I'm certainly not sick of holiday music. My favorite is Home For Christmas by Anne Sofie Von Otter, with which, believe me, you cannot go wrong. But for a long time it was Christmas At Chateau Ste. Michelle, with The Northwest Boychoir and The Norwest Youthchoir, which I still love. But there are also two, more swingin', Capitol compilation CDs from a few years ago, just before the cocktail craze (at which time a lot of the songs were re-issued again, perhaps less imaginatively), that I couldn't really live without: Let It Snow and Merry Christmas, Baby.

Kelly Hogan: Yes -- kind of like dry chewy banana nut bread if you took out the bananas and put in little chunks of erasers.

Mike D. (I can lick any Sonofabitch in the House): Oh, hell no. I ate a pot roast though. I gave it four stars!

Adam Fein (Absinthe Blind): Yes, it's a tradition that should be forgotten.

Timothy Den (Kimone): Yummy, surprisingly.

Shelby Cinca (The Cassettes, The Black Sea, Frodus): It tasted good, seemed a bit thick though.

Ben Adrian (Replicator): Yes, a long time ago, and I don't remember. I remember it wasn't very good, but it also wasn't as bad as I expected either.

Roger Chouinard (Closer than Kin): All I can think of fruit cake is from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

Conan Neutron (Replicator): Yes. It was really unremarkable, actually. I don't remember much about it.

Ville Leppanen (Snowdogs): I eat everything apart from liver. I can't remember what fruitcake tastes like, but I'm sure it was wonderful. Wait a minute: is there a difference between "holiday fruitcake" and plain "fruitcake"? Holiday fruitcake sounds like it's a bit old... I'm European, I dig old stuff!

Princess (The Hissyfits): Yes. It tasted like sweet candied death.

Pascal Deweze (Sukilove/Chitlin Fooks): We don't have that dessert in Belgium.

Jason Korzen (Sprites, ex-Barcelona): No, I never have. It always looked too much like olive loaf.

Slo-Ro (Souljunk): Nope. I imagine it tastes like chunky minty spitup.

Mickey Molinari (August Premier): No, I can't say I have ever eaten fruitcake. I heard it's gross, though.

Neilson Hubbard: I never have, but it would have to taste like a furry gummy bear.

Blake Miller (Moving Units): I've met my share of fruitcakes but never fancied one enough to eat.

Robert Mann (Recover): Nope. I imagine it is probably rather foul.

Chris Fafalios (Punchline): Nope. And I don't plan on it. But what is pretty strange is that we eat seafood at my grandma's on Christmas Eve. I don't know why.

Johan Angergard (Club 8): No, I've never even heard about it.

Atom (Atom and His Package): No. I just ate a strawberry for the first time in my life last Saturday. I'm 27.

Benjamin Hunt (Brazil): Heh, I don’t believe so. I thought fruitcake was some type of urban legend.

Überzone: No. I would imagine it tastes like juicy fruit cardboard.

Méa: Rubber mucus.

Freaky Flow: Yes I have. Call me crazy, but it tasted kind of like fruit -- but also kind of like cake!

Akiko Carver (Semiautomatic): I don't remember the taste, but once my mom (who never drinks) got drunk off of one that had rum in it, and started dancing around with twenty dollar bills singing "Bust-A-Move".

Allysia Edwards (Three One G Records): No, but I imagine it would taste like the stale candy found in a grandmother's cupboard.

Katrina Ford (Love Life): Yes and it sucks.

Tim Midgett (Silkworm): I've never gotten my mind or teeth around fruitcake.

Toko Yasuda (Enon): It didn't taste like the holidays.

Zacky Vengeance (Avenged Sevenfold): I took a bite of an elf once. It tasted a lot like leprechaun.

Andy Bristol (Junction 18): Fruitcake? I actually have never seen a fruitcake in my entire life. It doesn't sound too good, either. Thumbs down on fruitcake.

Tony Carbone (Bikeride): This is no lie: My great-grandfather actually invented a very famous fruitcake. Can't remember the name. Oh, and I've never eaten a piece of one, either.

Robbie, Polly and Electric Al from Crimson Sweet: Yes, lots, my grandma made it and it was great.

Chris Barber (Spiv): I managed to force down a bite and it tasted like a coiled Grogan.

Derek Ma (Music for Mapmakers): Yes, I think pot. I don't remember being able to see shortly after.

The Rock'n'Roll Outlaw (Brothers of Conquest): Yes and awful.

The Captain (Two Man Advantage): I have not. I don't even want to think about it. I may vomit.



Ken Floyd (Eighteen Visions): Yes. It's not as bad as people say, but then again my dad's cousin is a good cook.

Steve Jackson (The Pietasters): I couldn't finish chewing it. Kind of waxy, a real filling puller.

Steve Touchton (Snowsuit*): I think I did in school way back. I don't remember it being that bad.

Anthony Lopez (Glasseater): Nah. My family feasts around the holidays, but the sweets usually consist of flan, pies, poundcake, or something of the sort.

Arlie Carstens (Juno): I don't think I ever have. They just look so uh, mmm... unhelpful.

Biggi Veiran (GusGus): We don't have fruitcakes in Iceland... (Not since Björk left, anyway -- Ed.)

James Eight (The Starside Eight): Well, it tasted a little different coming back up than it did going down, but that's a suppressed memory that I'd rather not get into.

JJ Starside (The Starside Eight): Fruitcake is yucky.

Chris Benner (Digger): I know I ate it once but I really don't remember the taste. My Grammas always have that stuff sitting around the kitchen. I never see anyone eating it, though. I think it's more of a decoration.

Jeff Kelly (The Green Pajamas/The Goblin Market): No, I'm sure I spit it out. Hate walnuts. Aren't they in that shit?

The Dears: Fruitcake is a salty, sweet, boozy, soggy yet chewy anomaly.

Kelly Hogan: Remove machismo actions and feelings of entitlement from the world. Love one another, farts and all.

Mike D. (I can lick any Sonofabitch in the House): Eradicate religions and big corporations. Oh, you said small step. There will never be peace. I don't think its our nature as a species.

Doug Powell: To change the world, change yourself.

Mike Zolfo (ex-Absinthe Blind): Start thinking seriously about energy reform, before we destroy our planet, damn oil scum suckers. Don't think that it won't run out!

Adam Fein (Absinthe Blind): Don't believe everything you hear from our government. Take the time to read up on things. Check out sites like www.thehungersite.com, www.freality.com/cnn and www.waronwant.org. Oh, and read the Bible, the only real truth.

Timothy Den (Kimone): Just try and be more considerate in all respects. Whether it be parking, crossing the street, or washing your dishes when you're done (hint hint, roomies), people should try and use their peripheral visions once in a while.

Shelby Cinca (The Cassettes, The Black Sea, Frodus): Focus more on uniting the inherit nomadic human spirit and exploring our galaxy and beyond. See: planetary.org.

Ben Adrian (Replicator): Americans (and people in general) should all try to feel a little less entitled to everything. Sorry people, you aren't owed anything for nothing.

Roger Chouinard (Closer than Kin): How about everyone getting along and living day to day?

Conan Neutron (Replicator): It'll sound pretty contrived, I'm sure, but I think the most important thing is to just be cool to each other, or at least not a jerk. You know, don't bomb other countries because you want better prices on oil, don't rob people, don't kill them, try not to be mean or condescending, stand up for yourself but don't be obnoxious. Just make a concentrated effort to think about people other then yourself now and again. Do unto others... etc. Neat idea, eh?

Shane Tutmarc (Dolour): If everyone rocked like Andrew W. K., they'd have no energy to start wars.

Ville Leppanen (Snowdogs): Try a little common decency.

Maggie Vail (Bangs): Be more conscious of how you affect your surroundings.

Princess (The Hissyfits): 24-hour ecstasy drips for everyone.

Pascal Deweze (Sukilove/Chitlin Fooks): Take a deep breath and walk on.

Jason Korzen (Sprites, ex-Barcelona): Make a personal commitment not to shoot anybody this year.

Slo-Ro (Souljunk): Hang up the cell phone while driving.

Alan Scheurman (Rescue): I will leave that with a quote from Albert Einstein: "Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."

Mickey Molinari (August Premier): I think we could all be a little more laid back, relax more, and just have fun. I think the world would be a lot better if everyone was more laid back.

Neilson Hubbard: Love the people that you come in contact with each day. And eat something so you're not grumpy.

Blake Miller (Moving Units): Turn down their TVs.

Robert Mann (Recover): Smoke a bowl, brah.

Chris Fafalios (Punchline): As Bill and Ted would say, just "Be excellent to each other". In other words, just be nice. Don't have an attitude. Treat other people you want to be treated. No one can ever have enough friends.

Johan Angergard (Club 8): Be peaceful and caring themselves.

Atom (Atom and His Package): Be careful, when in your car, of bikers.

Benjamin Hunt (Brazil): Offer kindness to strangers; maybe let someone go in front of you in traffic. Everyone always seems to be a huge asshole on the roads. Me first, must go fast to get nowhere. Oh yeah, remember that animals have feelings too.

Überzone: Turn up the bass and shake your ass.

Méa: Stop calling me DJ! It's just Méa, dammit!

Freaky Flow: I think that violence, and the threat of more violence, is a great incentive for peace.

Akiko Carver (Semiautomatic): First, stop fighting.

Allysia Edwards (Three One G Records): Support organizations that oppose all war!

Katrina Ford (Love Life): Get laid. If you're happy in that department, you won't feel the need to kill.

Tim Midgett (Silkworm): Treat anyone employed in the service industry with respect, unless they are obviously fucking you over in some way.

Toko Yasuda (Enon): Leave everyone else alone!

M.Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold): Be more considerate towards others' feelings and beliefs.

Zacky Vengeance (Avenged Sevenfold): Try being nice. That pretty much is the answer for world peace. People think so hard about solutions but fail to use their brains...

Chris Heine (The Holy Ghost): Buy locally and vote seriously.

Tony Carbone (Bikeride): Whenever you see a cat in front of your car, creep up on it real slow and then accelerate really fast when you get close. There are too many cats, especially in Rome.

Robbie, Polly and Electric Al from Crimson Sweet: http://www.hungersite.com.

Chris Barber (Spiv): Impeach Bush.

Derek Ma (Music for Mapmakers): Do anything we can to get GWB out. After that, breathe a sigh of relief.

The Rock'n'Roll Outlaw (Brothers of Conquest): First of all, we're not all in favor of that. In fact, some off us wish it was a little more chaotic and scary, so keep Santa blood red!

The Captain (Two Man Advantage): Disenfranchise religion. Religion is the root of so much that is bad in this world. If people believe that God is truly on their side, it's a recipe for disaster. It leads to racism, killings, wars, planes flying into buildings, etc. People should believe and practice whatever it is they want, but it's such a personal thing; people should be confident enough in their own personal beliefs rather than depending on a pre-constructed set of beliefs written up by some corporate-like organization which existed hundreds or even thousands of years before they were born.



Ken Floyd (Eighteen Visions): If everyone lived by the golden rule, then it could be achieved easily. Which is to treat everyone how they would like to be treated. Seems to make a lot of sense, but then never happens. I try my hardest to do so.

Steve Jackson (The Pietasters): Use your turn signals and get out of the left lane unless you're passing someone. I drive the band van most of the time.

Steve Touchton (Snowsuit*): Change yourself before trying to change the world. Be nice!

Anthony Lopez (Glasseater): Being less selfish. Every year people get more and more self-centered and it's pretty sad. I think if people would consider doing something good for people other than themselves, it would be a huge step towards making the world a better place.

Russ Pollard (Alaska): Listen more, talk less.

Arlie Carstens (Juno): Good question! Yup, the 21st Century's off to a pretty grim start. As far as I can tell, from the global scale down to the actions of the corniest neighborhood bully, war is most often brought about by a series of polarizing events and self-serving political/economic agendas. When considering how to make the world more peaceful, I suppose I'd suggest we all calm down, get facts and then make informed decisions as individuals, rather than as a blob of head-bobbing, mass-minded "pseudo-patriots". Additionally, we all might want to vote more often and perhaps accept greater responsibility for what our political leaders do in our names. That'd be a nice start. Also, it'd be wonderful if people made it a point to travel more widely during their lives. Seeing the world and actively trying to be a source of strength and goodwill helps to wage peace. Sure, that may sound far-fetched, or too simple. But oh well, fuck it. It's true. People have been traveling around the globe for centuries, sharing their work, getting to know the world and its varied inhabitants. Existence is not all conquering, violence and exploitation. I'd like to believe I've seen first hand how making music and touring serves the goals of peace. It's nice learning how other people live, why they do the things they do, and believe the things they believe. Peace begins with mutual respect for shared differences. So I guess what I'm saying is: Travel your world, maybe start a band, do your part for peace. As I write this I may be laughing right along with you but I'm dead serious. Thanks for asking this question, these are hard times for everyone.

Biggi Veiran (GusGus): Stop supporting Nazi Israel.

Chris Kasarjian (Count the Stars): Stop tailgating and more mullets.

JJ Starside (The Starside Eight): Everyone should just relax a little and find some better ways to take out aggression. When you feel that vein throbbing in your forehead, just take a deep breathe and think it out rationally.

Chris Benner (Digger): Drink a beer and chill out!

Jeff Kelly (The Green Pajamas/The Goblin Market): Everyone have regular sex, smoke one cigarette minimum per week, drink a lot of Christian Brothers VSOP brandy and listen to Veronique Gens sing Berlioz. All at the same time, preferably. Oh, and maybe a four day work week. I guess, in other words, live like me! Now that would be a fucking beautiful world.

The Dears: We should all stop eating meat, walk instead of driving and be kind to and considerate of others every moment of our lives. Check out David Suzuki at http://www.davidsuzuki.org. And stop voting Republican. Or Democrat, for that matter.