ANNE MARIE TO STEPHEN:

AM: What is your favorite song?

SB: So this might seem random with all of the great jams you've got in there this month, but I'm going to go with Footsteps by Vanilla. Something about the vibe is just perfect for a nice cruise on an overcast day.

AM: Have you heard any of these tracks before?

SB: Backup Generator is the only one I've heard before. Others...new.

AM: If you, Billy and I had formed a band as kids instead of going deep into the sporting world — what would our band name have been? Our vibe? And who would be our lead singer? And most importantly, what would we have argued the most about?

SB: What an amazing question. And also what a tough question. Mostly because the kids we were back then are much different than if we formed a band today. Part of me wants to talk about the band me Stephen wishes we would have made, but the reality is it would have looked a lot different back then. Had we formed back in the day, I'd say it would have either been called Pete's Cheap Trees or The Acorns. Or Krazy Kruellers. The vibe would have been a weird mix between Spin Doctors, Fastball and Ginuwine. Some alt rock with a little touch of hip hope. I feel like we would have had to find a lead singer cause none of us have ever gotten close to the mic, but I'll give Billy the nod just because he likes to go visit the occasional karaoke bar?? What would we have argued about? Easy...creative differences of course. Anytime you get that many great ideas/influences/styles in the same room there will be days when we'd bump heads. Thankfully though, I'm willing to bet it would have also resulted in the best music.

STEPHEN TO ANNE MARIE:

SB: What is your favorite song?

AM: Jacob Sigman, Casual Love -- I hate it when you get me on the first song off the list but I also love it.

SB: Have you heard any of these tracks before?

AM: Kaiser Chiefs -- Ruby was my JAM in college.

SB: Let's say you could play any instrument you wanted (saxophone, I'm guessing) and you could play it well enough to teach all over the world. Where would you teach, who would you teach and what would be a rough lesson plan for them (i.e. what is some of the must-have knowledge you'd want to you pass along?).

AM: I'd love to play the saxophone, yes. I'm completely hopeless to the sweet, sweet sound of it. Something about those sax sounds triggers me in a way the other sounds don't. Although, drummers are always badass hype men and women, so I'd say drumming as close second. I'd teach overseas in Europe or in Brazil (bossa nova heaven) -- anywhere the sax is celebrated as it should be. I think it would be too arrogant to talk about what I'd want to impart to students about music or the arts or creativity in general because I'm still learning so much about it on a daily basis in my own creative career.

And yet - I think resonance is really important as a concept and was slightly overlooked in art school. Appealing to an audience was always talked down on a little as if it was selling out or commercial, and I really feel that there should be a whole course on resonance in any art or music program. The dream is to play music or tell a story that resonates with both you and the audience but that's not the daily life of an artist. Most times you get one or the other, and then, yes, if you want to make a living at it, you must factor money in. I'd love to keep a lively, ongoing debate about it in any course I participate in or teach.