Mike Thaxton
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Homepages: Octagon Music Festival My embryonic attempt (along with a few other esteemed gentlemen) to create some sort of progressive music, uh, thing. Maybe a festival. Perhaps a review site. Used to be known as ProgWest. Keep an eye on it.
Geographical location: Laguna Niguel, California, USA
Other contact information: AIM: OctagonFestival MSN: Not From Concentrate
DOB:
Enjoy these Styles and musical qualities: Ambient, Canterbury, Electronic, Kosmiche or Kraut Rock, Heavy Metal, Jazz, Humor, Mainstream/Accessible/Pop, Symphonic, Space, Psychedelic, Zeuhl
Other styles/genres/qualities of music that I like not listed above: Power pop (e.g. Jason Faulkner), the occasional hip-hop act (Oukast and Beastie Boys slay me), "Intelligent Dance Music" (or whatever they're calling Aphex Twin/Squarepusher/mU-Ziq these days), etc.
Favorite or well-respected bands/artists Gong, Mike Keneally, Marillion, XTC, Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Locanda Delle Fate, Deus Ex Machina, Radio Massacre International, Steely Dan, The Spacious Mind, Frank Zappa, Stevie Wonder, Magma, ad nauseam. I respect any musician who obviously CARES about what he or she is writing/performing.
Dislike these Styles and musical qualities:
Musical styles or qualities that I do not like: Ehh... anything that smacks of dishonesty, I guess. I've gotten a lot less judgemental about music in the last few years. I suppose I don't care at all for "capitalist country music" like Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, etc. or smooth yuppie jazz, as both represent a lifestyle/mindset that I find extremely unappealing (jingoism and materialism, respectively). Other than that, I find it hard to get worked up about how awful Britney Spears's most recent single is. Oh, and I hate the fucking Eagles.
Occupation(s): I'm a web designer/developer, though I've always wanted to work in a shop of some kind, maybe in a haberdashery, or maybe like a chapeau shop.... you know, like: "Would you... what size do you wear, sir?" and then you answer me.
Other musical activities: I'm a tremendously amateur drummer, though with one public performance under my belt, which I'm far too happy about. I own a guitar and a bass guitar and a really nice amplifier and effects board, so one of these days I swear I'm going to learn to play something on them.
Hobbies / obsessions: Bowling. Driving around. Pestering Yakov Smirnoff. Searching for the perfect glass of horchata. Buying the occasional CD. Apologizing to my wonderful girlfriend Amy for doing stupid stuff.
Other comments: Have a good time ALL the time.