wow wow WOW

What a day it has been! (and it's not over yet)

And how did our day of interviews end? With us meeting and shaking hands with HILLARY CLINTON! If Rufus wasn't already waiting in the van for us we'd have grabbed her for an interview. We were pysched - Amy and I did a little happy dance.

Okay - we start the day setting up at the Four Seasons where Billboard Magazine happens to be hosting this huge outside "acoustic brunch" with music and food and tons of guys wearing skinny legs jeans with tossled hair and sunglasses. We probably walked by lots of rock stars without even knowing it - they had breakfast tacos, we do have priorities!

It was Rufus Interviews from 10-6 - revolving bands! We began with the Victorian English Gentlemens Club performing a song with Rufus (Bang The Tin - a modified version of their song "Bang The Gin"). They were great (of course) and we liked them a lot.

The super cool chicks from The Dansettes were next - they picked an Elvis song to sing karaoke with Rufus. Fun Time People. They were a bright spot (literally) in a sea of black clothes with their matching yellow dresses (loved the shoes ladies).

Manomena was next - I don't think they knew exactly what they were getting into at first but they got into the spirit and performed their pessimist song to cheer up Rufus.

Northern State did some freestyle rhyme with Rufus - they really mixed it up! I think Rufus has a crush on them, they were FUN FUN FUN, we hope to see them perform.

The Annuals came in for karaoke - Crazy Little Thing Called Love. A six member band and none of them over 20!

After we wrapped up with the Annuals we all escaped for a much needed 30 minutes break and enjoyed sitting outside listening to the music and enjoying the open bar. Oh, and the view too, the hotel is located right on the river, it was really very beautiful. Course, sitting outside the Four Seasons with a mimosa in your hand enjoying the music and the sun - how can you go wrong? Amy did a little roll down this hill but she did it on purpose, she's that kind of crazy gal!

(There are orchids in the bathrooms. And real towels - no paper here. Fancy!)

Sara Wasserman was our first interview after our break - and she sang an acoustic songn to Rufus.


Chin Up Chin Up banged out a heartfelt version of Madonna's Material Girl. Not bad for an all-boy band!

Persephone's Bees came by and we were really excited about them performing for us (since we had seen them the other night play live) but they mislaid their guitar player so we had to settle for karaoke - the Beatles Eight Days A Week. (You guys forgot your t-shirts and dvds - email me an address and I'll send them to you!)

Aesop Rock were next and did some rappin' with Rufus (Rufus is really quite good with freestyling, can't wait to see the videos of all of these.)

And - last but CERTAINLY not least were THE EMERALDS (and you have to write it in all caps because you can't say their name you MUST SCREAM IT. YEAH!) They are from Japan and they were without their translator - so the interview was hilarious with Rufus trying to get what little Japanese he knows pronounced correctly (look, I'm telling you, this sheep is a multi-talented! he keeps surprising me!) and with what little English they knew. They tie for BEST DRESSED with The Dansettes - cause while the Dansettes had the cool mod 50s look going on the EMERALDS were rocking it out in the black leather suits and sparkly shirts. Fab U Lous.

And - as if an interview with a Japanese band that doesn't speak much english wasn't enough they did karaoke with Rufus - AC/DC's "Hell's Bells" It was amazing. A perfect ending to our very long day.

(and then Hillary walked by and we went a little nuts, and then we left.)

Thanks so much to all the bands, you all were really great and we appreciate you taking the time to come by for interviews and putting up with us :)

We're crashing back at Chez Pancake right now - living it up with frozen pizza and champagne. (No, I'm not kidding.) But we're only resting up before heading out again tonight to tape The Watson Twins and hopefully have enough energy to make it to the VEGC set too. The EMERALDS are playing at 1:00am and as much as we would all love love love to see them perform I can't see any of us staying up that late. We shall see if any of us get a second wind.

Right - tomorrow doesn't look as crazy as today (but my copy of the schedule isn't the one being updated so I could be really wrong about that) with:

* The Palm School Choir
* The Watson Twins (It's their birthday! Happy Birthday!)
* Asobi Seksui
* Dengue Fever
* The Detriot Cobras

Okay, the pizza is almost done. Our contacts in DC report that the weather there is horrible with snow this afternoon while we are enjoying beautiful weather here in Austin. Sorry guys!

This is tracy signing out for the night

- t