Fan of the Month!

May's here!

I've been waiting for this. Bigtime. Spring and warm weather might start in April, but it still feels like a prelude to May. Consistently good weather, basketball playoffs, travel, school ending, the first wave of summer blockbusters, lots of new music, Cinco de Mayo, crawfish boils, horse races, summer around the bend--it's an active month. It's a time for winding down and gearing up. It's a great transition. And I've been looking forward to it obsessively.

To match my obsession for the month, I needed a Fan of the Month who lives and loves music at 300%. I needed someone who's so obsessive about Fleetwood Mac that her favorite place on earth is Stevie Nicks' guest house. Which she's never visited. I needed someone who calls me out for mixing up the names of her favorite artists. I needed someone who simply loves anything to the point of obsession, because what's life without that?

I needed a Fannon. What's a Fannon? Read and learn.

I introduce to you May's Fan of the Month, Shannon in Brooklyn!

(As always, if you'd like to be a future FOM, just drop me a line at chris@chrismilam.com. I promise every email is read and much appreciated!)

Name?
Lindsey (ala Buckingham) Shannon Sanderson.

Age?
29.

Where y'at?
Brooklyn, NY.

Something the average interweb browser wouldn't know about me is…?
I kick ass.

So the website www.shannonkicksass.com isn't you?
Hmmmm, nope, but maybe it will be.

The music scene in Brooklyn is…?
In reality I live in a community that loves that they found a band first while playing bocce ball at Union Hall. In my fantasy music scene I am a cliff dweller from the old school who hangs with Stephanie Lynn Nicks and her BFF Back Up Singers.

(Editor's Note: Strap in, dear readers. That's the first of 3,000 Nicks references. If you've ever wondered, "what if someone connected every question with Stevie Nicks just to mess with Chris," you're about to find out. This is a journey.)

Whatcha do for a living?
Office Manager/Ruler of the Corporate Universe.

A lot of people just pictured a handlebar mustache. The corporate universe isn't evil, is it? Is it???
Very....more than anyone should know.

You have taken Fanship to another level. Superfans aren't fans--they're "Fannons." How did you do it, and who are you a "Fannon" of?
My passion is insane and has been from an early age. If I loved you then I LOVED you.

It started with Stevie Nicks. I played "Bella Donna" on a Little Tykes record player for hours. I thought that "Edge of Seventeen" surpassed anything that Mozart had ever composed. I stared at that album cover for what felt like days.

Then hormones kicked in and my devotion to the New Kids On The Block became legendary. I missed every musical movement from 1988 to 1992. I didn't listen to Michael Jackson and I had no interest in Guns N Roses. Hair metal was not on my radar either--all because of Jordan, Jonathan, Donnie, Danny and Joey.

Then, there was The Party, born of the member of the new Mickey Mouse Club. They broke up in 1993 and scarred me for life. It's still hard to talk about.

Then, grunge happened, my local radio station was rocking my world, and I evolved into a total rock and roll soul. I think my mother was relieved.

My musical awakening and my true transformation into a Fannon (seriously, I should copyright that) was in 1994 when I saw Green Day play that tragic festival called Woodstock '94. Billie Joe Armstrong entered my life and has never left. I have been devoted for almost 17 years. I remember sitting with my mom and my grandmother at Applebee's and I just could not eat my shitty meal because I needed to communicate with Billie Joe and I had no idea how to make that happen when my mother said "Go through the wife. He gets fan mail all the time, but I'll bet she doesn't."

Thus a friendship was born, first through letters. I was 15 and Adrienne Armstrong was 25. We talked about life, music, ideas, her and Billie Joe's kids and sometimes a little band called Green Day. I have family pictures she's sent me, I knew when Billie was obsessed with American Idol and I got lots of goodies from their record label Adeline. We wrote letters, emails, sent packages and the band knows my name. All of this came to a head in July 2009 in the mosh pit of Madison Square Garden when Adrienne professed to a large group of tweenies that I am "the biggest Green Day fan ever". So, I guess devotion does get you a bad ass title every now and then.

I'm also still hopelessly devoted to Miss Stevie Nicks and her band Fleetwood Mac. My endless dedication to them could fill a novel.

(Editor's Note: I'm telling you, get comfortable. Fannon is for reals. What a magical story that was. Favorite part: Mom was "relieved" when she went from Disney-fan to rock-chick.)

What was your local grunge station called?
94.5 The Edge.

(Editor's Note: Awesome. It's no 96X, but worthy.)
　
When was the last time you ate at Burger King?
Maybe six months ago.

You have one meal left in life but it has to be fast food. You can pick and choose different items from different joints. Name that meal!
Its all from Sonic: the Club Toaster with tater tots and a vanilla cherry Dr. Pepper.

You have one meal left in life, period. Name that meal!
My grandmother throws these family meals twice a month and she basically cooks whatever pops into her head with no rhyme or reason to any of it. So, I'd want a Mimi Meal: fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, chicken enchiladas, mashed potatoes, rolls, salad, and cheesecake with cookies for dessert. Not kidding, this is a typical spread.

(Editor's Note: I want to be with Mimi and her meals.)

What music publications/blogs/sites do you read? Any of them good?
www.greendayauthority.com
http://ledge.fleetwoodmac.net
http://nickslive.blogspot.com
I also read Rolling Stone but I find it seriously lacking. The most recent issue is called "The State of Rock," but The Black Eyed Peas are on the cover. WTF? I really just want to be in the 'know' as far as what projects people are working on or where their next concert or secret show is going to be. I have such specific taste that I find it hard to give a shit what people think about music. I know what I think and that's all that matters to me.

Pick your dream concert. Any three (living) artists, anywhere, any venue, any month, any time of day. What is it? What's it called?
Fleetwood Mac, Green Day and Coldplay at Red Rocks in June at dusk. Coldplay (still the greatest live act IMO) into Green Day into Fleetwood Mac.

I'd call it "Fannon Land."

(Editor's Note: We're at 87% accuracy for Stevie Nicks-connections for each answer. Can she keep it up? I'm sweating! Uh oh, and I know what question's next...)

You can pick one album as your morning alarm for a year. The songs and their "wake-up" segments will shuffle randomly, but you are stuck with this album for a full year. What is it?

(Editor's Note: Wait for it...)

Tusk by Fleetwood Mac. Their masterpiece. Every second of that album is different from the last. It's severe and beautiful and passionate and you can hear them fighting the establishment that wanted a Rumours II. Lindsey gave them the middle finger with this record.

(Editor's Note: She's not slowing down!)

So, you want to wake up to Stevie Nicks' middle finger every morning?
Actually, I think I said Lindsey's middle finger. Chris, I need you to keep up here! Any member of Fleetwood Mac could flip me off in the AM. I'd just appreciate the acknowledgment.

(Editor's Note: Sweet Jesus, she just cyber-slapped Chris, which makes her my favorite FOM ever. In his defense, that band has only chick-names. It's easy to get confused. Who CAN keep up with Fannon? Flash Gordon? What's HAPPENING HERE???)

If you could fight any public figure, who would it be and why?
I really, really, really despise Taylor Swift and the mediocrity she represents. Its a joke. But I'd rather fight the people who actually bought those albums.

(Editor's Note: AHA! She didn't connect this question with Stevie Nicks! Busted!)

Taylor Swift has a lot of fans. If you fought one of them, you'd certainly win (www.shannonkicksass.com). If you fought literally all of them, you'd lose. But how many Taylor Swift fans could you take? At what number would they have the insurmountable advantage?
I have enough rage to take on 100, give or take. Although, if you put me in front of a television that was repeating her performance from The Grammys with Stevie where she was tone deaf and basically took a verbal shit on "Rhiannon" I might have enough rage to take on another 1,000.

(Editor's Note: She connected this question to Stevie Nicks. I am fortune's fool.)

Fill in the blanks!

Five favorite artists from the 60's are…?
Jefferson Airplane ("Volunteers" makes me cry), The Rolling Stones, The Who, Cream, The Mamas & the Papas.

Five favorite artists from the 90's are…?
Green Day, U2, Soundgarden, Fleetwood Mac (that '97 reunion was MAGIC), Alice in Chains.

Five favorite artists from the 2000's are…?
Green Day, Fleetwood Mac, Coldplay, The White Stripes, U2.

Some more singer/songwriters I love are… ?
Elton John, Sheryl Crow. Jack White is a genius.

....is my favorite Beatle.
Never been a big fan, but I like George.

...is my favorite adjective in the English language.
Fabulous.

Know any adjectives from other languages?
Fabuloso.

...is my favorite month of the year.
September.

...is my least-favorite month of the year.
January.

Favorite wrongly-heard song lyric is...? (e.g. "Excuse me while I kiss this guy...")
"Just like the one-winged dove" from "Edge of Seventeen" by Stevie. I mean, the poor thing would fly in circles!

Favorite rock album of the Oughts?
American Idiot by Green Day.

Favorite non-rock album of the Oughts?
Britney by Britney Spears (its my guiltiest pleasure).

Favorite movie (you can pick separate ones for comedy and drama)?
Flatliners, Singles.

Favorite TV show (you can pick separate ones for comedy and drama)?
Gossip Girl (sorry, but it is).

On a scale of 1 to Chris-Knitting-A-Quilt-For-Nick-Saban, how much do you miss football?
I miss NFL football at a 7. I don't miss college football at all; college sports have never been my thing.

(Editor's Note: I just broke up with Fannon.)

Rank these items in order of awesomeness: Jack White, Brooklyn, Slip-N-Slides, The Declaration of Independence, peanut butter, Spain, Green Day.
1) Green Day
2) Jack White
3) Peanut Butter
4) The Declaration of Independence
5) Brooklyn
6) Slip N Slides (these hurt)

I ranked all twelve months a while back. Where would May be in your rankings (1 being best)? What's #1? What's #12?
May would be #3. September is #1. January is #12.

If you owned a thoroughbred horse, what would you name it?
Buckingham.

(Editor's Note: ...and I'm back together with Fannon. I can't believe how good a horse name that is. Curse her and her Fleetwood wiles!)

I did a "Monthly Playlist" throughout 2009, and have taken a brief hiatus. I need your help. Give me 5 "Songs for May."
Well, since May always make me think of the beginning of summer:
1) "Summer of Love," The B-52s
2) "Daylight," Matt & Kim
3) "Moth's Wings," Passion Pit
4) "Nightbird," Stevie Nicks
5) "Waiting," Green Day
　
You can move anywhere in America for six months. Money, time, and job situation are no object. Name the place.
Stevie Nicks' guest house.

You can move anywhere on earth for six months. Same deal. Same place, or do you become an expat?
Where is Stevie going to be during those six months?

Pretend Stevie Nicks is temporarily off the grid. Pretend she has--by some miracle of space-age science we haven't discovered--vanished from the physical earth. Where do you live for six months?

(Editor's Note: Ooh, nice! It only took 3,000 words, but Chris finally tried to counter the Nicks-strike. How will Fannon respond?)

Well, if she vanished I would probably spend it at her memorial site.

(Editor's Note: Wow--just, wow. Masterful.)

The chiffonheads would absolutely build a site dedicated to looking for her.

In all seriousness, a huge beach house in Malibu. Secluded, next to the water...

You are going out tonight. You are going out to do whatever it is you would like to do for a fun night of festivity and frivolity. This can include anything from organizing cricket tournament to bank robbing in Monte Carlo to spelunking in the Ukraine. Anything. You get to assemble your posse for the night. You can pick ANY FOUR MEN OR ANY FOUR WOMEN on the planet, friends, celebrities, athletes, etc. Who is in your entourage and why?
Um:
1) Stevie Nicks
2) Adrienne Armstrong
3) Grace Slick
4) My best friend Becky. She wouldn't say no to anything.

I'm sure we'd all end up in the hospital, Stevie would probably relapse on cocaine, Grace Slick would get into a fight with everyone we met and Adrienne would manage to get us home safely. Eventually.

Where will music be in 5 years? What will be the next "big thing"? Where would you like to see it go?
ROCK 'N' ROLL needs to make a loud and volatile comeback. Auto tune needs to go the way of the dinosaurs. People need to raise their expectations. I want something equivalent to the grunge movement, but with fewer drug deaths and no flannel. I think its our turn again, although I don't know who would be the next big thing out of that genre. It's slim pickins, unfortunately. Maybe Jack White can just form another band.

(Editor's Note: I'm onboard. A revolution of one. Let's do this.)
　
Finally, how can I ever thank you for the support?
Keep playing. Keep on keeping on. Music is all that matters.

Done. Done. Yes, and yes.