FirstWord CURTIS STIGERS
In Edinburgh for the Jazz & Blues Festival, Curtis Stigers talks to The List about sex, lies and ballet recitals
First record you ever bought ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’, by Elton John.
First film you saw that really moved you I remember being profoundly moved and inspired by Warren Beatty’s film Reds. Such a romantic film, and the politics and history are fascinating. Last lie you told That I’d love to do this interview.
First movie you ever went on a date to When I was 15 I took Kate N, who was 17, to La Cage aux Folles II, and we snogged through the whole thing. I’m sure it was a fine film, but I didn’t see much of it. Glorious. Last time you cried At my ten-year-old daughter’s ballet recital.
First thing you do when you’ve got time off work I fix my wife and daughter breakfast and then I get on my bike and head for the mountain trails. Last great meal you cooked I threw a dinner party for Alan Macdonald, a very talented painter from Carnoustie, Scotland, who was visiting Boise for an opening, and I grilled lamb chops and asparagus and made my
infamous cheese grits soufflé.
Last extravagant purchase you made My Gary Fisher Superfly mountain bike. Worth every penny. First crush First grade, six years old, Julie with the ginger hair. I still have a weakness for redheads. I married one.
Last book you read The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon. First great piece of advice you were given When I was a teenager, the legendary jazz pianist Gene Harris told me that I was a good saxophonist, but that my singing was perhaps my special talent.
Last time you were star struck A year or two ago, I met Rat Scabies, the drummer from The Damned. We got on quite well and have become pretty good friends. I’ve been over for dinner at his house with his family and he’s even taken me to his local for a pint. Funny pair, the two of us, riding the London bus: punk rock icon and jazz warbler.
First thing you’d do if you ran the country I don’t run the country already? Last meal on earth – what would it be Mexican food: carnitas, corn tortillas, guacamole and a cold Dos Equis beer.
First song you’ll sing at karaoke I don’t believe in karaoke or The X- Factor (which of course are the same thing).
WeLike The things making our world just that little bit better
P H O T O :
A N D Y L A W L E S S
Last time you exploited your position to get something I performed a concert in my hometown to raise money for the much beleaguered and greatly outnumbered Idaho Democratic Party.
Last time you made an impulse buy and regretted it My incredibly stupid ‘smart phone’. First concert you ever attended Oingo Boingo.
First time you realised you were famous When The Sun newspaper lied about me. Last time someone criticised your work It happens less and less these days. The less money I make, the more the critics like me.
Last time you bought someone flowers Last week, for my wife.
First thing you think of when you wake up in the morning Sex. Last thing you think of before you go to sleep Why am I not having sex?
First three words your friends would use to describe you Nervous, over-cautious dad. ■ Curtis Stigers plays The Hub, Edinburgh, Fri 6 & Sat 7 Aug, as part of The Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.
■ We like that Mr ‘Yosemitebear Mountain Giant’, otherwise known as the slightly over-zealous appreciator of a double rainbow one morning, and inadvertent creator of a multi-million hit YouTube clip, gets over-excited about other natural sights too. And it turns out it doesn’t even need to be that spectacular either. A flock of turkeys will do it, as it happens. See tiny.cc/jq070. (‘DAMN! Look at all those turkeys!’) We also like to occasionally
2 THE LIST 22 Jul–5 Aug 2010
speculate about our politicians and their suspected alter-egos. For example, have you ever seen old- school house hero DJ, Sasha (pictured) and David Cameron (same picture, we strongly suspect) in
the same room? Finally, when it’s time for the tri- annual haircut, and we need a new statement hairstyle to aspire towards,
we enjoy looking to heroes from the worlds of pop and rock for inspiration. Take a look at Rolling Stone’s gallery of mullets and ‘fros, as sported by Joan Jett, Kid ‘n Play (right), Morrissey and others. www.rolling stone.com/ music/photos