Brace yourself: Today marks the triumphant, eagerly awaited return of the Mating Game, a feature we dreamed up once upon a time in which we pit bandmate vs soulmate to see who knows who better. It's often been said that being in a band is just like being in a relationship, that sometimes your bandmates know you better than your significant other. We put this notion to the test by asking a select band member a series of personal questions (easy, tiger, nothing salacious), and then we pose the exact same queries to his or her main squeeze and one of his or her bandmates to see who offers up the most correct answers. This week: Ezra-David Darnell from Hearts in Space, his fellow singer and guitarist, Jordan Wyatt Hubner, and Ezra's lady, Maiki.
See also: - Hearts in Space puts out a new EP - The Mating Game: Born in the Flood's Nathaniel Rateliff - The Mating Game: Eric Halborg from the Swayback
1. What was your first concert?Ezra: The Eagles, with my pops. He dragged me out there at age thirteen. It was the one where they sat down with acoustic guitars. That was my first "proper" concert. During that time, I was also going to friends' basement concerts in D.C. -- Dischord label stuff. There were always shows in friends' back yards.
Jordan: Something really fuckin' cheesy. I don't know that answer, I'm sorry. If I had to guess... he's gonna lie about whatever it was, I can guarantee you. He'll say it was Jimi Hendrix. [--]
Maiki: I would say some local show he went to, like, some of his friends' bands. He's not into the big artists. He probably went and saw some really hip thing before it was cool. [+]
2. What's your favorite record?
Ezra: Miles Davis' Kind of Blue.
Jordan: Ezra's a lover of all records. I'm giving you the truth. I bet he doesn't have a favorite. [--]
Maiki: Some Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. [+]*
3. Who's your favorite (musical) artist?
Ezra: My psyche is so diverse and exploratory. It's all about the mood at the time. I'd say... do you know Charlie Parker? He's the one who taught me to open my mind and break the strands of structure.
Jordan: I bet he doesn't have a favorite. [--]
Maiki: Every week he has someone new. I can tell you his favorite artist of the month right now is Father John Misty. He can't get enough of that. Is that an okay answer? I feel like I'm being a terrible girlfriend right now. [--]
4. What's your favorite song right now?
Ezra: Father John Misty, "Funtimes in Babylon"
Jordan: Probably a Hearts in Space song. Probably the new one we're working on, "New Breed." [--]
Maiki: I don't know any of the names, but I'm sure it's a Father John Misty one. [+]
5. What's your least favorite song?
Ezra: Can i have just one? I yell at the radio constantly. I don't want to be cliché, but things like songs that I don't like -- I try not to carry that negativity with me. I'm really not into high produced, non-artist written pop music I suppose that doesn't feed the minds of our youth with any intellect or their modality of truth. There's a lot out there on pop radio. I really don't like the direction hip-hop is going. Who's that guy with all the tattoos on his face? I really don't like Lil' Wayne. I get his production styles are really interesting, but it's his message that really irks me. The younger generation looks up to that cat, and I think they're on the wrong path.
Jordan: "Hello" from Lionel Richie. [--]
Maiki: Anything I love! I love terrible pop music. I'll put on some Spice Girls or something from my past. Our neighbor is building a house in Montana for Justin Timberlake right now, and I'm like, "Wow that's so cool!" and Ezra can't believe I'm excited about that. He thinks it's so stupid. Love transcends music though. [--]
6. If you could join any band, which would it be?
Ezra: Dead Can Dance. Oh, I'd love that.
Jordan: Fuck. I don't know Ezra at all. Daft Punk. (Walks away). [--]
Maiki: I want to say Crystal Castles. But you know, I'm sure he'd have creative differences with any band he joins. He's a stronghold of artistic-ness. He's gonna force his ideas on everyone. He'd rather have a band back him than join another one. [--]
Tally: Maiki smoked Jordan on this one. We gave Maiki only half credit (*) for mangling the name of perhaps the most famous jazz record of all time. But in her defense, Maiki did say she was terrible at names. She got a total of 50 points (20 points for each correct answer, plus half-credit for the Miles Davis answer.)
Verdict: Ezra's co-frontman is better at writing songs with his friend than he is on knowing the details of his personal tastes. Maiki's future with Ezra looks bright, even though her admission of loving the Spice Girls is damn near unforgivable.
Follow @Westword_Music
