ANNE MARIE TO STEPHEN:

AM: What is your favorite song?

SB: Maaaan hitting me with the French vibes this month. Love it! Ok, so while I have several that I'm digging, I've got to give the edge to Sax On The Beach. The concept alone is hilarious and when you read a title like that - and then it turns out to sound just how you imagined it - it’s an instant winner. 

AM: Have you heard any of these tracks before?

SB: The Aces and Opia jams I've heard before. Really kicking myself because I could have sworn we already used The Aces but, nope, I just got beat to the punch. 

AM: I’m going to take a page out of your “fall music” playbook and ask you what music in your arsenal is “falling in love music”? To clarify - sorry, Erin, - I don’t mean things you like together or have memories with together. I mean things you, Stephen, alone like. Songs or bands that put you in that state of mind. That “state of mind” being a place where you think about her specifically or falling in love in general. Now, you know the rules. No Leon. No Daft Punk. Ok, go.

SB: This is a really good question because my mind goes in a few different directions. First, I must tell you that, by far, the thing I find most attractive about women is confidence. The perfect balance of swag and strength that doesn't tip into cockiness (one of my least favorite qualities). Someone who carries themselves like they know they've got something going for them and aren't worried what anyone else says or thinks. Now, getting back to music. The challenge with this is that, in theory, one of the ways someone could demonstrate confidence is to get out on the dance floor and cut loose to just about any song, so in that scenario, I'd say - any song that gets her out there dancing unapologetically. The other direction that I'd take this (and to give you something a little more concrete) is to hone in on songs that are slower, but still have these amazing grooves. It's these songs specifically that allow for the best of both worlds. You dance on a much more personal level and yet it's not awkwardly slow that it feels weird. Now, for location. My favorite dance locations are the impromptu ones. Standing next to each other doing dishes when the kids are asleep and a slow groove song comes on. You both start to sway to it, but continue with what you're doing. But eventually someone takes the lead and you both start shuffling together. Weather - colder. Helps a lot to be colder. The colder it is, the closer you get. So now that I've set the scene for you, throw on some John Legend "Save Room" or some "New Slang" by the Shins or "Espera" by Esperanza Spalding or just about anything old school/jazz like Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday and of course, Stan Getz. Both of those examples relate to dancing, but the truth (my truth) is that often times the context of a moment ends up driving it. It could be a quiet dinner and the perfect song comes on to complement the mood. It could be a road trip. Whatever. Once it happens, that music specifically and other songs/artists like it remind you of those moments, thus making them "falling in love songs" too. 

STEPHEN TO ANNE MARIE:

SB: What is your favorite song?

AM: Stay Tonight by Niterunner

SB: Have you heard any of these tracks before?

AM: Hozier, MUNYA (but not that cut)

SB: Hypothetically speaking, if you or someone you know was shooting a film and you were in charge of the music on day one and were told to set the tone for the rest of the crew, what would you play? Are you trying to pump them up? Calm their nerves? Whatchu got?

AM: This question really cracks me up because of the setting you chose. What’s hilarious about it is that if you’d picked any other location, I’d be waxing poetic about how I’d try to set X mood to achieve Y. But you didn’t, so I’ll tell you that on set I play whatever music I want.

Remember that time for my birthday we watched James Bond movies? That was the highlight of my year and all I did was pick the movie. Hah! Call it third child syndrome, but there’s something inside me that caters to other people’s feelings. I’m sure this is a really great quality I’m currently discounting for the sake of this music debate but let’s just say I spend a lot of time factoring in how to make an experience great for all parties involved. Gatherings, parties, reunions, quick hit shuffles, hangs. It’s all about the family, the homies, the community in a macro sense. That’s how my brain works. But on set, I get to just react with the quickest thing that comes to mind. With what I want to hear. It’s freeing.

With that said, time of day is everything. Early morning hours put me in an indie pop, almost folk kind of mood. Maybe throw on some throwback Stevie Wonder. End of day or night time and I’m probably going with something more electronic. I don’t know, usually stick to whatever I’m listening to on repeat at the moment.