FRIENDS IN ALL PLACES

Alex Dupree & the Trapdoor Band - A great friend whose experimental folk band claims me as its "utility man."

Antibalas - Upper-echelon Afrobeat ensemble whose founder played saxophone & flute on my latest album.

B L A C K I E - Houston MC whose industrial, emotional hip-hop is leading a sonic revolution.

Balmorhea - Two members of this baroque post-rock ensemble played strings on my latest album.

Capillary Action - Quite possibly the first band ever to cite me as a musical influence.

Charly East - My sonic dreamgirl.

Cutlery & Love Field - A Trilluminati comrade fronts both bands, with a guitar in one hand & a Korg in the other.

Fat Tony - The God MC of Houston's DIY hip-hop scene, and another Trilluminati comrade.

Fyza Hashim - This Trilluminati comrade helped design the artwork on my latest album.

Grupo Fantasma - While they served as Prince's backing band, their manager played sax on my album.

Inbeds - Because of their drummer, there are now TWO Black guys @ the indie-rock show.

Jody Seabody & the Whirls - Houston's leading purveyors of teen spirit.

The Kominas - Taqwacore in excelsis!

The Kyle Sowashes - Their songs are both funny and serious...no wonder we're friends!

Meryll - The nicest and most professional recording engineer EVER also makes good music of his own.

Moonbabies - Swedish shoegazers who traded tapes with me when I was in high school.

Nosaprise - Houston MC who is just as lethal with a guitar as he is with a mic.

tRANSELEMENt - Britain's best-kept secret of the 2000s, gone but never forgotten.

TV on the Radio - This band has been a big source of moral support for me over the years.

volcano! - If I ruled the world, this band would be the Beatles.

The Weird Weeds - One of my all-time favorite experimental rock bands.

Young Mammals - Houston's most psychedelic pop band.

The Zest of Yore - Any band that can cover Guided by Voices AND Prince well gets my vote.