JUSTIN SCURTI

Justin Scurti techs for Interpol, owns Saint Vitus, and plays guitar in I Hate Our Freedom.

What was the food highlight of your year?

In 2014 I got to go to Noma! Thanks to a good friend they made some room for myself and a couple of the other Interpol crew while on a day off.  Everything from being greeted by the entire staff upon walking in the door to every course and wine pairing was nothing short of amazing.  We also got a full tour of the restaurant and as an added bonus Pastry chef Rosio Sanchez and a few of the other staff arranged for a boat, filled with champaign, to take us through the canals of Copenhagen and over to friends restaurant Amass where we got to visit the restaurant, farm and meet chef/owner Matt Orlando.  As the day turned into night I was invited to spend the rest of the evening with the staff at Mikkeller Bar where i tried very hard to taste everyone of the namesakes beers.

What was the music highlight of your year?

So much happened in 2014.  Interpol released their 5th album and I have been lucky enough to be a part of it from the very start.  We've been on tour for most of 2014.  But for Christmas last my girlfriend Elena bought me a plane ticket to San Francisco to see Rocket From The Crypt play The independent in March 2014 for one of their first US reunion shows.  I stayed with my good friend and chef Bill Corbett.  We ate too may burritos and sang every word.  I also got to see a few other reunions in 2014 including The Strokes as well as Slowdive and Soul Side twice each.  But of course there was the epic Nirvana "reunion" that happened at Saint Vitus.  Seeing Dave, Krist and Pat Smear play those songs on that stage along with Joan Jett, J. Mascis, St. Vincent, Joahn McCauley and lastly Kim Gordon was absolutely mind blowing.  The year ended with Quicksand playing through midnight on New Years Eve at Saint Vitus and it was the perfect cap to a great year.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

I tour with a great group of people that are also into food.  I can almost always count on a text or email from, guitarist, Daniel Kessler with a couple of vegetarian suggestions in almost every city we hit.  And anytime I get to see Scott Winegard it always involves food and music.  Especially when I stopped at his restaurant M.A.K.E. and he treated me to a 20 course tasting menu that you would have never known was vegan and raw. He and I also did the tasting menu at Alma in LA while I was holed up at the Ace Hotel across the street. But one of the best memories of 2014 was when Elena and I went out for a "family" dinner with some of our best friends to Lil Frankies in NYC before I left for 3 months and they played nothing but Jawbreaker, Fugazi and Quicksand on the radio for us.

@squish108

JASON SCHREURS

Jason Schreurs (left) is the co-founder and music editor of Rice and Bread, a food and music magazine. Jason is also a freelance music writer for Alternative Press, Noisey, and more.

What was the food highlight of your year?

My personal food highlight is getting a chance to eat Rice and Bread co-founder and food editor Megan Cole's amazing meals almost every night. She loves cooking and makes some killer dishes. Just recently, she made a chicken mole that was to die for. Another food highlight was hearing about all of the different Hometown Scenes on Rice and Bread from musicians and foodies all over the world. Every time we talk to someone about their city's food scene, we immediately want to go there and check it out! Where's that transportation device when we need it!?

What was the music highlight of your year?

Getting a chance to see Rocket from the Crypt again at Calgary, AB's Sled Island Music Festival (and, for Megan, a chance to see them for the first time). One of rock and roll's all-time best bands, sounding just as good as they did when I saw them in the '90s. RFTC!

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

When Chef John Hurkes from Minneapolis, MN created The Slayer Pizza for our regular RIce and Bread feature, Perfect Pairings, it was like a perfect moment of heavy metal and heavy metal's signature dish (pizza). Cut into a pentagram with a crust made from communion wafers, this was one EVIL PIZZA!

@riceandbreadmag

GREG JACOBS

Greg Jacobs has managed Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Big Drill Car, and Supernova; worked at SST, Cruz, and Cargo Records; and photographed musicians for print, TV, and the Death or Glory web series.

What was the food highlight of your year?

2014 is the first time that I realized why people love Prime Rib. Our friends were recently married and they served prime rib at the reception. It was catered by Johnny Rivera (of San Diego restaurants: Hash House Au Go Go, Tractor Room, Great Maple) and the food was stunning. The prime rib was cut thick and ate like a steak ... It wasn't thin and fatty and serviced on a plate of liquid ... It was awesome. Plus the roasted asparagus, mac and cheese and sausage skewers with pollenta cubes were great too. Not to mention the Old Fashioneds.

What was the music highlight of your year?

Bob Mould at the Roxy in Hollywood had to be the highlight of 2014 for me. I had seen Husker Du a few times back in the old days, but never saw Sugar or Bob Mould solo until this show. I was shocked at how many Husker Du songs were in the set ... Plus Sugar songs and his new stuff too. It was a great, well thought out set list that concluded with "Love is All Around" (Mary Tyler Moore theme song). Amazing.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Joe Jost's is a place where food and music come together for me regularly. Joe Jost's is the longest serving beer bar in Long Beach, CA - Open since prohibition was repealed, they are famous for their pickled eggs, hog dog sandwiches (called "specials"), roasted peanuts and of course, their schooners of beer. Whenever friends come up from San Diego to play at Alex's Bar (Hot Snakes, Night Marchers, Heartaches and more), we always meet at Joe Jost's before the show. There's nothing better than sitting with great friends over some pickled eggs and a schooner of Busch and catching up.

@ribshots

JOAN GUÀRDIA

Joan Guàrdia operates La Castanya, a record label and booking agency (Ted Leo, Obits, Rebecca Gates, Daniel Higgs) in Barcelona.

What was the food highlight of your year?

I travelled quite a bit during the past year discovering some new places and trying new dishes. Mexico and Texas were amazing highlights since I was visiting for the first time. Besides this, touring Spain again was one of the best culinary experiences of the year: amazing seafood in Galicia, great “pinchos” in Euskadi, or delicious black rice in Tarragona… the variations on traditional recipes are never ending, so you have to keep touring!

What was the music highlight of your year?

Music wise 2013 has been an intense year and it is hard to choose. Here are a few highlights: Rocket from the Crypt playing the 5th anniversary of our label and booking agency in Barcelona and cooking ”boquerones” for them in exchange for the amazing show they delivered. A great celebration. Shudder to Think playing at The Black Cat’s 20th anniversary in Washington DC. I thought maybe we could cook for those guys one of these days. Charles Bradley playing at the Daptone Soul Revue in Brooklyn on what felt like the last day of summer. No “boquerones” in NYC, so… It was also great to see Mrs Magician, Parquet Courts, and Ex Hex for the first time. And I saw Nueva Vulcano, Obits, and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists as many times as I could. It reminded me of the important things in this world, as always.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

It came together many times, especially when we cooked for our friends in bands or when those friends cooked for us when we visited each other. Of course, meeting at our favorite restaurants also counts. “La Cova Fumada" in Barcelona was one of the places that hosted many music meetings with spanish and foreign friends during 2013. Places like that are always memorable!

lacastanya

GREG JACOBS

Greg Jacobs has managed Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Big Drill Car, and Supernova; worked at SST, Cruz, and Cargo Records; and photographed musicians for print, the Death or Glory web series, and an upcoming TV show. Photo by: Rinzi Ruiz

What was the food highlight of your year?

I was on my annual baseball spring training trip with some friends in Scottsdale, AZ. We had just left a day game, we were hot, drunk, and hungry.  I saw Grimaldi’s and dragged our crew of 8 there hoping to find it as good as I remembered it in NYC, knowing full well that I would be subjected to serious hazing for the rest of the trip if my suggestion failed. We ordered salads, wood-fired pizzas, beer, wine - all fantastic, all friends satisfied, and I plan to return in 2014 spring training trip.

What was the music highlight of your year?

This is tough. This year I was lucky enough to attend and photograph 2 secret shows by bands that were way too big to play the venues I saw them in: First was Rocket From The Crypt on Easter night at Bar Pink in San Diego (150 people I’d guess), next was Foo Fighters at a pizza parlor in Moorpark, CA (guessing there were around 100 people there). But I honestly think my musical highlight of 2013 was at a festival, and I hate festivals. It was a weather-shortened, 15 minute set by FLAG! I saw them at Riot Fest in Denver. They were absolutely insane! Powerful, energetic, tight, and ferocious! The wind started blowing so hard during their set that it tore the giant banners off of the PA stacks. Then the rain started. It was raining huge Colorado rain drops (I swear the rain drops are smaller in Southern California). FLAG was about 15 minutes into their set when a voice came over the loudspeaker advising everyone that the National Weather Service have issued a storm warning and to “shelter in your car until further notice.” The festival continued after a weather delay, but FLAG was done for the day. They played for 15 minutes and it was the best show I’ve seen all year. I can’t wait to see them again (maybe Ron Reyes will join them on stage now that he’s been booted from Black Flag That would be awesome).

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

When I first read this question, I went totally blank and had no idea what I would say. Now I have a few ideas. The first is not 2013-specific, but it’s MY LIFE. Before I was married, I used to think that the perfect girl for me would be a “Casbah/Keva” girl, meaning, I wanted to find a girl who would go to a dirty rock show at The Casbah with me on a Saturday night and then feel equally comfortable at brunch with my parents on Sunday (Keva Grill was a place in La Jolla for brunch). I found her!

The 2013 collision was after the Rocket From The Crypt, show with my wife and our friends Josh and Mona, standing outside of Bar Pink after the show we made a plan and left for Roberto’s #10 on El Cajon Blvd. We ordered at the window, sat outside on the circular cement table, ate burritos, rolled tacos, nachos, drank Cokes from the can, and just talked. It was just like the old days and it felt great.

www.ribshots43.com

JUSTIN SCURTI

Justin Scurti is a bar owner (Saint Vitus, Brooklyn), tour manager (Spritiualized, Texas Is The Reason), guitarist (I Hate Our Freedom), and rock photographer.

What was the food highlight of your year?

Touring all year made this tough but I’d have to say Mission Chinese Food in San Fransisco.  Scott Winegard and I ordered every vegan dish on the menu and it was only lunch time. It’s also a tie with having the tasting menu paired with wine at Chateaubriand in Paris when Scott, John Hiltz, and I took a road trip from Groezrock Festival in Belgium to Paris just to eat and drink.  

They had a dessert made with an egg yolk poached in simple syrup on top of malt cookies. But then there’s also every time i get home from tour and my girlfriend Elena makes me the best brunches and dinners.  She’s a chef so i pretty much eat amazing every day of the year!

What was the music highlight of your year?

I think seeing one of Rocket From The Crypt’s first shows back from the dead in Europe. They played a secret show at a community center in a little town about an hour away from Brussels. Then getting to see them the very next day at Groezrock along with Turbonegro and Texas Is The Reason.  There was also the very last Texas Is The Reason show at the Electric Ballroom in London.  After a year of touring it was pretty spectacular to see them do it all one last time in front of 1200 people who were just as grateful as i was to see it for the last time ever.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Food and Music are always together for me.  The last year of touring with Texas Is The Reason we were very fortunate to be in some great places with some of the best restaurants. When we were in Chicago back in January, Graham Elliot invited us all out to Graham Elliot Bistro for a dinner at the chef’s table.  Instead of us ordering off the menu, he said he was gonna just send out food till we said we were full.  We never said we were full.  I think we had close to 20 courses!!!  Every cocktail on the list and lots of wine all finished with a full bottle of Fernet brought right to the table.  Graham is a huge 90’s indie/emo music fan and loves giving back to the bands he’s listened to over the years.  

@squish108

JEFF TAKACS

Jeff Takacs runs and hosts the punk podcast Rocket Fuel. 

What was the food highlight of your year?

For me, the best part of this year for food has been stepping out and trying local restaurants that I haven’t been to in my own backyard of Tallahassee.  Believe it or not, Tallahassee is actually a pretty great food town and we have a lot of options of locally owned and run places to eat.  So this year, I wanted to go to more of them and see what they had to offer.  My favorite is Voodoo Dog, which has amazing hot dogs (duh) as well as hamburgers, fries, etc.  I absolutely love their Jefferson dog, which is a bacon-wrapped dog topped with mac-n-cheese.  My arteries hate me, but it sure is delicious.  Another great thing about the place is their décor.  It’s totally kitsch with awesome items from the 80s and 90s.  How can you not love a place with framed portraits of each of the Golden Girls?  

What was the music highlight of your year?

Getting to see a reunited Rocket From The Crypt in a 400-person club in Chicago.  I only got to see them once before they called it quits in 2005, so getting to see them again was not only unexpected, but really special.  The venue was packed with die-hard fans who were singing along with every word.  The band ripped through their set with the energy and their patented big sound as I had remembered them doing when I saw them some 17 years ago.  Reunion shows are always a gamble, but it was one that I was definitely willing to take and was ecstatic with the show.  It was icing on the cake for me when a month later, I got the chance to interview Speedo (John Reis) on Rocket Fuel when he was in Florida for Fest 12 with one of his other bands, The Night Marchers.  

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Every year, food and music come together in an amazing way for me when I travel down to Gainesville for The Fest.  Not only do I get to see a ton of my favorite bands and friends from across the globe, but the restaurants in downtown Gainesville make it an even more memorable experience.  Whether it’s the authentic Cuban food at Flaco’s, to the amazing island flavors of Reggae Shack to the outstand gator burritos at Boca Fiesta, the food choices at Fest are always the perfect complement to a weekend filled with the best punk rock and PBR.

@rocket_fuel

TOMMY HABETZ

Tommy Habetz is co-owner of Bunk Sandwiches and Bunk Bar in Portland.

What was the food highlight of your year?

The food highlight for me was a dinner that Nick and I were lucky enough to be a part of a few weeks ago in Toronto. My friend, Scott Vivian, invited us up to take part in a Charlie’s Burger dinner with the Group of 7 Chefs and David Bazirgan from the 5th Floor in SF. We got to cook alongside some of Canada’s best chefs. It was a great dinner, so much fun. It really opened my eyes to the incredibly talented chefs living and working in the great white north. David Bazirgan did a great Walleye poached in horse fat. And Matty Matheson did a sort of a Horse Pot au Feu. Eating horse is pretty common in a lot of other countries, but still is a hot button topic in Portland, OR. I really don’t understand why it is socially acceptable to eat cows, ducks, deer, etc., but horse is a no-no. Or is it a nay-nay, maybe? Anyway, one animal’s life is just as important as another animal’s life - And, as a disclaimer, selling horse meat is still illegal in the US, including Oregon. It was a great meal, and incredibly eye opening and educational to boot. Unfortunately, Mayor Rob Ford and Drake weren’t there, but you can’t have everything. Thanks, Canada! 

What was the music highlight of your year?

I feel so lucky to say that this is a really tough question. There have been so many musical highlights this past year: Parquet Courts, Deafheaven, Angel Olson, Love Language…so many great shows at Bunk Bar. But the highlight, for me, was getting to go to Chicago to Riot Fest with my brother, Michael, to see The Replacements reunion, and then an after show from the one and only Rocket From the Crypt at The Double Door. They shook both doors off, goddamnit. So good. 

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Food and music came together for me at Huichica Festival at Gundlach-Bunschu Winery in Sonoma. Whether it was driving through the Redwoods blasting “I Am a Tree” by GBV, eating Poppycock. Or maybe somewhere right about here: Bob Weir! Muffalettas! God bless America!

@tommyhabetz

MAT DIABLO

Mat Diablo is Sr. Program Manager at Slacker Radio.

What was the food highlight of your year?

My food highlight of the year doesn’t change much from year to year. It’s going home for the holidays and eating family-style Basque food at the JT Basque Bar & Dining Room in my hometown of Gardnerville, NV. They make a traditional cocktail called a Picon Punch that is the perfect accompaniment to tongue stew, cabbage soup, and lamb chops. That, and the fried oysters at Ranch 616 in Austin.

What was the music highlight of your year?

This was a year of finally getting to see bands that I loved as a kid but was either too young or too remote to have seen the first time around. This included, but was not limited to:

RFTC’s first show back at Bar Pink in SD, and then again on Halloween and at Riot Fest

The Dismemberment Plan, Superchunk, and Chuck Regan at Riot Fest Denver

The Ocean Blue at SXSW and Satellite in LA

The Residents at the Belly Up

And of course- the almighty Knapsack at The Void in SD.

Also, I flew to Reno for one night to see The Bronx play some shitty tweeker bar, I won $2500 at the casino across the street, and The Bronx killed everybody (as usual).

Honorable mention goes to Melt Banana and Retox at the Casbah, Parquet Courts at ACL, Twin Shadow at Casbah, and Speedy Ortiz at Soda Bar in SD.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

A traditional sushi restaurant called Sushi Tadokoro opened up near the Casbah, and they’ve got the freshest sashimi, nicest chefs, and best omakase in town. It’s nice to have a… lighter alternative to La Posta, Dos Brasas, or El Zarape on show nights.

@matdiablo

TOMMY HABETZ

Tommy Habetz is co-owner of Portland’s Bunk (multiple restaurants, one bar/music venue, and a truck) and Trigger. His take on the cuban sandwich is the subject of many a television show, magazine article, and road trip.

What was the food highlight of your year?

Wow! Is it the end of the year? What a weird, anxiety ridden, fun, delicious year it’s been. We started a mobile Bunk Truck, opened up Trigger (our new Tex Mex place) and I became a father (again) to the most beautiful baby girl, Vivienne.

The food highlight for me was probably going to NYC for the Oregon Bounty Food Assault, a precursor to our Portland Feast inaugural event. I got to see first hand that people really do dig what we’re doing in Oregon. I also got to eat at Roberta’s in Bushwick, which was pretty mind blowing. I also got to meet Danny Bowien and watch a bunch of famous chefs and food media folks devour a sheet tray full of Doritos and Fritos chili pie, made at the hands of Danny.

What was the music highlight of your year?

My favorite musical moment has got to be The guys from Built to Spill surprising us with a free show at Bunk Bar. It was crazy, packed to the gills and filled with friends that I have never seen smile so much. What a great band.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Sitting at a table at Bunk Bar, talking with John Reis from Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu, Rocket From The Crypt, etc. about Tex-Mex food. He couldn’t understand why we were opening up a Tex-Mex place, because he thought Tex-Mex sucked. But, of course, he’s from San Diego. I knew what he was talking about, though. He and his band mates had had many many bad experiences eating at bad Tex-Mex places. And, oddly, that’s what’s been inspiring me lately. It’s been fun to tackle the opposite of haute cuisines, get in there and find the sweet spots. To me, it’s endlessly more fascinating than seeing a grape deconstructed, then reconstructed as a grape.

All in all, a beautiful and inspiring year. I look forward to eating Jimmy Albee’s Queso Deluxe in the post-Apocolyptic, hopey changey, zombie wasteland of 2013!