3?aK Episode 8: James LoMenzo (Megadeth, White Lion)

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be former Megadeth and White Lion bassist James LoMenzo.

3?aK Episode 7: Brother Ali

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be Minnesota rapper Brother Ali.

3?aK Episode 6: David Bunton (The Showdown)

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be David Bunton of Christian rockers The Showdown.

3?aK Episode 5: Matt McGinley (Gym Class Heroes)

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be Matt McGinley of New York hip-hoppers Gym Class Heroes.

3?aK Episode 4: Rob Arnold (Chimaira)

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be Rob Arnold of Cleveland metal band Chimaira.

3?aK Episode 3: Brian Richie (The Sword)

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be Brian Richie of Austin stoner metal kings The Sword.

Black Keys, Harvey Milk stream new albums on (seriously?) NPR.org

By now you're probably used to seeing bands stream their forthcoming albums on sites like Pitchfork, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, Metal Sucks, etc. Apparently, NPR is jumping into game as well. The public radio syndicator best known for droll political discourse and monotone jazz DJs seems to be upping its hip quotient with streams of the new Black Keys and Harvey Milk albums. The streams will be available until May 18, when both albums hit retail shelves, so listen while you can.

3?aK Episode 2: Tim Ellis (Skybox)

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be Tim Ellis of Chicago indie rockers Skybox.

Arizona rappers unite to denounce SB 1070

Russell Pearce: legalizing guns and criminalizing Mexicans since 2001

Unless you've been living with your head under a rock, you've probably heard about SB 1070, a bill passed by the Arizona legislature and signed by Gov. Jan Brewer that essentially forces average beat cops to act as immigration enforcement officers. The bill was the brainchild of Sen. Russell Pearce (R-Mesa), a conservative Mormon and apparent neo-Nazi sympathizer. As if Sheriff Joe wasn't a big enough embarrassment for a state still trying to live down the whole MLK holiday flap from the early '90s, we now have a law set to go into effect that, for all intents and purposes, requires brown people to carry proof of citizenship every time they leave the house.

One of the biggest ironies of this bill (and there are many, believe me) is that the majority of its backers are conservatives who support a free market capitalist economy. These people have no problem with huge corporations outsourcing thousands of American jobs to countries full of brown people, but god forbid one of those brown people sneaks into America to bus their table, wash their dishes or pick the lettuce that went into their salad. That we simply cannot abide.

3?aK Episode 1: Jacob Thomas Berns (The National Lights)

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be Virginia-based folk singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Jacob Thomas Berns of the National Lights.

3?aK (Three Questions as Kip) - The Origin

The story behind "Three Questions as Kip" begins in early 2007, back when I was the music writer at College Times.

A recently reunited Winger was on tour in support of their first album of new material in 13 years -- an Iraq War-themed album unassumingly titled Winger IV. They were scheduled to make a stop at Martini Ranch in Scottsdale on March 6, 2007, and their publicist wanted to set up an interview with frontman Kip Winger to preview the show.

Despite the fact that most College Times readers were either in diapers or not even conceived when Winger were at the peak of their fame, I agreed to the interview anyway, partly because I thought it could be kind of funny and partly because I was actually somewhat impressed with the then-new album.  Admittedly, I was never a Winger fan back in the '80s (I've always been more of a Slayer guy), but I thought Winger IV was a pretty solid effort that sounded modern enough to not be labeled a blatant cash-in on '80s nostalgia, while still retaining enough of the band's original sound to avoid alienating any die-hard Winger fans that might still be hanging around.