October's Fan of the Month is from northern California...a young girl just discovering
the joy that is Red Elvises. One day she ventured south to Rusty's all dressed up in
red and here's her story... |
Fan of the Month! |
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For the record, what is your name?
Julianna
Where were you born, and where did you grow up?
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, mostly in a suburbia known as Fremont.
What were your main interests, entertainment and otherwise, growing up? Any obsessions you don’t mind people knowing about?
Soccer is my obsession. I play it, watch it, referee it, and sometimes, when I’m in the mood, even eat it and sleep it. The San Jose Earthquakes are my favorite team in the whole wide world, and I go to every home game dressed head to toe in the team color (royal blue).
Tell us about your musical endeavors and any musical instruments you play…
Well, I was in my high school’s marching band for four years, but I never played an instrument. I played the flag, or rather, I was on the color guard. We marched at the front of the parade spinning six-foot-tall flags. We spent a lot of time tossing them up in the air and giving ourselves head injuries…perhaps that’s why I ended up being such a fan of the Red Elvises.
What accomplishments are you most proud of at this point in your life?
I graduated valedictorian at my high school and I am now pursuing a degree in Materials Science Engineering. Plus I have acquired a closet full of costumes, ethnic dress, and simply smashing outfits to wear to Red Elvises concerts.
What are your favorite movies?
The usual weird cult-following movies, I suppose. Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Princess Bride, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Office Space. Plus TV show-DVDs like Family Guy, The Prisoner, Red Dwarf, Blackadder, Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Do you have any favorite books?
Lost Horizon by James Hilton, Backwards by Rob Grant, Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, and The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie.
What music are you into, in addition to Red Elvises?
Anything that has a “different” sound, or anything with trumpets or bagpipes. I love everything from novelty music (Weird Al and whatnot) to really original classical music. I listen to the oldies station because I can’t stand the pop music today, and if a song was good enough to last 30-50 years, it’s good enough for me. My favorite bands are the Velvet Teen, Suburban Legends, Logan Whitehurst and the Junior Science Club, Radiohead, and the Audrye Sessions.
When, where, how, etc. did you first hear and experience Red Elvises?
It was completely by chance. My mom was on a business trip in Ohio, and while she was driving a rental car she heard some sort of noise. She turned up the CD player to see what it was, and it turned out that someone had left a Red Elvises CD in the car and it was playing “Rocket Man.” I don’t know who would be crazy enough to lose a precious Red Elvises CD, but I’m sure glad my mom brought it home and said, “You’ve got to listen to this!” I was hooked.
About how many times have you seen them?
Promise you won’t mock me? Only twice.
[Interviewer's note: This is a mocking-free zone! I always say it's not quantity that matters, only quality - the quality of your enthusiasm for the band!]
What is it about Red Elvises that draws you to them, that you like the most?
Well, I’m a real sucker for people with accents, and I like things/people that don’t take themselves too seriously. I love the sense of humor in all of the songs, and I appreciate the fact that there is a lot of musical skill, a plethora of different musical styles, and many layers of instrumentation present in the albums that really give the albums a “complete sound.”
What’s the farthest you’ve traveled to see them? And do you have a good story around that?
Oh goodness, I don’t know if I should be spilling the beans on this one. Well, I took an 800-mile-or-so round trip from northern California down to Rusty’s all by myself in my nearing-200,000-miles station wagon. I left Saturday morning, went to the concert that evening, then drove back Sunday morning, getting about half an hour of sleep and spending about 12 hours driving…but don’t tell anyone, it’s a secret.
Which show is your favorite of the RE shows you've seen?
Definitely my Rusty’s road trip.
Any other standout, all time great memories of shows you’ve seen so far?
The after-party.
What are your favorite Red Elvises songs?
Well, I still get a thrill every time I hear “Rocket Man,” my first RE song, but I also love “I’m Not That Kind of Guy” for its sense of humor, and “Venice, USA” because I can never resist getting up and dancing to it.
What would you like to see them do in the future? Any ideas? Anything you’d like to say to the band?
I think the band should play a private concert series in my backyard. Come on guys, I’ll make you a nice big dinner and you can swim in the pool…
Okay, last question… Do you have anything you’d especially like to say to all the fans?
I love you all very much; you are awesome on the dance floor, but you need to wear more RED!