After Hours: Hutch Harris (The Thermals)

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As our new feature gathers momentum, we caught up with Hutch Harris of the Portland-punk outfit, The Thermals, and found out what he’s been up to recently. It sounds like he’s been living in a 80′s time bubble…

Who’s your favourite new band at the moment? Tell us a bit about them.
I wish I could, I have been listening to nothing made before 1980 lately.

What’s been the best album you’ve heard in the last 12 months?
Been loving Bowie, The Capitols, M. Ward (ok that is new-ish), Paul McCartney.

What was the last book you read? Would you recommend it?
Fail Safe by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler. It’s great and terrifying, very quick read though. Nuclear armageddon or something close to it…

What was the last film your saw in the cinema and was it any good?
“No Country For Old Men”. I fucking love it, just saw it on DVD again.

If push came to shove, what’s your all-time favourite song and why?
Let’s go to bed by The Cure – no need to say why just PUT IT ON.

MP3 / CD / Vinyl: what’s your format of choice?
I’m getting over mp3s I think, cause the sound quality sucks sometimes. I like AIFF files and i’m really looking forward to listening to the next radiohead record on the new 88-4893754tri-bit/de-ionized/infected*3.2 encoded format.

What’s the best TV show you’re currently following?
The Dana Carvey Show from 1996, on hulu.com. Not the most amazing sketches ever but you do get Steve Carell AND Stephen Colbert pre-Daily Show, which is always dope…

What one piece of criticism has stuck in your mind and was it justified?
“…record sounds like it was recorded by drunk teenagers in a tin can etc.” Yes it is ALWAYS justified, and appreciated, by us.

What one thing has caused you to waste your free time in the past 6 months?
Change 6 months to six years and change “waste” to “waste and be wasted” and your answer is “The Thermals”.

Do you follow any type of sport? If so, who’s your “home team”?
Is this a way of asking me if i’m gay? CHEEKY!

What’s your poison?
Strychnine, usually. Monoplowa is good too.

We’d like you to make us a mix-tape. Pick five tracks with a theme of your choice.
Five Soundtracks For Sean Penn
“If I Live To Tell”-Madonna (At Close Range)
“Nuages”-Django Reinhardt (Sweet And Lowdown)
“Colors”-Ice-T (Colors)
“I’ll Be There For You”-The Rembrandts (Friends)
“Lady Marmalade”-Labelle (Carlito’s Way)

Links
The Thermals [official site]