Ask Two Straight Guys: Blitzen Trapper's Drew Laughery and Brian Adrian Koch

This post was written by TNG co-founder Zack.

Blitzen Trapper prepare to cover "Everything's Gone Green."

A fun side effect of music writing is the moment a band turns from "group you always hear hyped, but never listen to" into the creators of your new favorite song. My experience with Portland folk-rock sextet Blitzen Trapper was that their name reminded me of a reindeer hunter and that people really liked them. Then I fell into a copy of the fourth album, last year's Furr, and fell in love with the title track. The Ovid-worthy ballad about a boy turning into a wolf and back was a nice gateway to the rest of the album, an even mix of The Band and pre-Yankee Hotel Foxtro Wilco.

Blitzen Trapper's keyboarder Drew Laughery and drummer/vocalist Brian Adrian Koch were nice enough to answer some of my questions about being straight. You can read the full interview and check out a Blitzen Trapper mixtape below the fold.

Blitzen Trapper plays a sold out show tonight at the Black Cat.

The New Gay: When did you first realize you were straight?

Drew Laughery: When at church, at 13, the sports illustrated swimsuit pages I had torn out and stuck in my bible spilled out in the middle of service. My dad reached down to help pick up the spillage. He was red with anger/embarrassment. It was then that I realized I was different.

Brian realized it on a wednesday evening and it just stuck. He continues to re-realize it every Wednesday.

TNG: What is your least favorite stereotype about straight people?

DL: Polo shirts

Brian Adrian Koch: That we are all amzing spellerz.

TNG: What obligations, if any, do you feel that you have to the gay community?

DL: To be the best straight person I can be, and Brian volunteers a lot. I mean a lot.

TNG: What are the biggest challenges faced by a straight person in today's culture?

DL: What's for dinner?

BAK: Making decisions. That's what's for dinner.

TNG: If you had to "go gay" for one member of the same sex, who would it be?

DL: Brian is the only one for me.

BAK: Drew and I are constantly mistaken for twins, and that's fine by me. I see myself in him and I like that. Why go to the store for milk when you have a cow at home?

TNG: Given the seemingly endless number of "indie" artists in existence today, how do you think you set yourself apart from the crowd?

BAK: Eric [Menteer] writes amazing songs and has the largest lymph glands in the country. It's a powerful combo.

DL: Hmmmmmmmm... one word "superolfactroysmellingsenses"

TNG: Finally, why should Washington, DC come out and see you play tonight?

DL: Because I will be performing with my pecs out.

BAK: Drew's pecs and we love gay people.

DL and BAK: Thanks for asking. see you at the show.TNG

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