I first heard of Brian Harding in late 2009. The Food Guy went to the Austin City Limits Festival and came back talking about this band called Hymns that had backed Daniel Johnston. The Food Guy said Daniel Johnston is a good songwriter but that his live performance mirrored his life. I’m not sure what he was talking about. But the Food Guy said Hymns was great. The Food Guy found out all about Hymns and downloaded all of their music. I liked Hymns, too, so I became Facebook friends with the lead singer, Brian Harding.

A lot has happened since then. The Food Guy and I have lived in 4 different places and we are about to move again. We adopted an Idiot Cat named Fluffy. The Food Guy broke up with his girlfriend. Hymns broke up, too, and Brian Harding started a new band called Ex Cops with Amalie Bruun, who used to be in Minks. I like Minks and I like Amalie’s solo stuff, especially a song called “Crush.” The Food Guy uses part of “Crush” as his ringtone so I hear it all the time when the local rednecks call about a canoe the Food Guy put on Craigslist.

The Food Guy actually met Brian a couple of years ago and sometimes they email each other. Ex Cops put out an EP called White Women that was recorded in Brian’s bedroom and co-produced with a guy named Dan Shapiro. The Food Guy met Dan Shapiro, too, and said he is a nice guy.

There is a song on White Women called “The Millionaire.” It is good Cat Music. Tim Underwood created a video for it.

My favorite song on White Women is a cover of Freddy Fender’s “Before the Next Teardrop Falls.” The Food Guy and I made a video for it. It was a present for his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day, but I guess that doesn’t count anymore. She was born in Cuba and she said Brian’s Spanish is pretty good.

Last year Ex Cops released a real studio recording called True Hallucinations. It is a great album. There is a song called “James” that sounds like it was produced by Phil Spector. Tim Underwood made a video for “James.”

When True Hallucinations came out the Food Guy read every blog post and review about Ex Cops and decided that he could write better than most of the bloggers. The Food Guy said they all write like they have 5000 CDs and an inflatable woman under their bed. I don’t know what that means, but anyway after that the Food Guy and I started this blog called Reverb Raccoon. I wanted to call it Reverb Cat, but the Food Guy has a thing for alliteration.

The Food Guy tried to get Brian to play 20 Questions for this post. He sent Brian 20 questions, but Brian answered only 10. The Food Guy made some remark about lack of quantity, but as Brian said in “James…”

My main concern is the quality

The Food Guy: Is it possible for an indie musician to eat without a day job?
Brian Harding: There are so many variables to this question, but 75 percent of the time I would say No. No it’s not. Unless you play at a restaurant everyday.

TFG: How would you describe Tim Underwood’s “James” video if you were an NPR film critic?
BH: Fellini makes a reboot of Clueless.

TFG: Do you still collaborate with Dan Shapiro?
BH: Not recently. We live in different towns but we still exchange Tim and Eric clips on a weekly basis.

TFG: If you had to be stranded on an island with a drummer and a bass player, who would you take?
BH: Phil Collins and Sting.

TFG: Who would you eat first when the food ran out?
BH: Phil.

TFG: Pick one: Replacements or Velvet Underground.
BH: Velvet Underground

TFG: What is your worst musical habit?
BH: Bar chords.

TFG: Is there such a thing as Too Much Reverb?
BH: Yes. When you drop the amp.

TFG: Who should I start listening to?
BH: Skip Spence.

TFG: Who should I stop listening to?
BH: NPR.

TFG: Do you have any last words for Reverb Raccoon’s vast hoard of rabid readers?
BH: Don’t answer your Netflix surveys. Take a chance. Stay away from sodium. Look around. Drink some tea.

Thanks, Brian. That sounds like good advice. I will tell the Food Guy to do that. Hey, Food Guy, read this! And feed the Idiot Cat.