THE INTERZINE

Welcome to Open Season. Our first target is Ed Droste, the founder and principal front-man of the band Grizzly Bear. Ed is an old friend of mine from Brooklyn, where he spends his time ambling around at a remarkable height, writing atmospheric songs about betrayal, romance, and heartache, blogging on his band’s website, drinking Grey Goose, and probably riding around on yachts and playing croquet (he’s kind of a wasp).

Sometime over the past two weeks, Ed, Chris, Christopher, and Daniel stepped out onto a soundstage at CBS to perform one of their new songs for The Late Show with David Letterman. Since I’m completely, unabashedly OBSESSED BY TV, I had to ask him what it felt like to be piped into millions of homes around the country. He admitted it was nerve-racking, but when I fished for gossip and shocking behind-the-scenes drug stories and sex scandals, I was entirely let down. “Nothing crazy happened,” he said, seemingly ecstatic to be crushing my dreams. “Doing late night TV is never crazy. We were there from 9am to 6:30. Most of it is just waiting around.”

Fuck waiting! Without anymore delay, here is the first in a series of top ten seasonal essentials, recommended to you by a bunch of friends of mine in bands:

ED DROSTE’S TOP 10 SUMMER ESSENTIALS

10. AIR CONDITIONING.

Yeah I know I’m a punk and it’s bad for the earth but when it gets TOO hot I get super unhappy and unsoothed. AC can really turn a hellish day around for me.

9. BAREFOOT CONTESSA’S CHICKEN SALAD RECIPE.
You roast whole chicken breasts with the bone in, throw in green grapes, celery and a shit load of Tarragon with the smallest bit of mayo and lemon and wow do you have an amazing salad. I’ve been making it on the regular.

8. THE CLIENTELE.
Their music always reminds me of a summer breeze. I like it.

7. TABLOIDS.
…Very very necessary for the beach.

6. ISLAND LIFE.
Greece, Cape Cod, Caribbean, wherever. Islands in the summer are amazing if you can get to one—except Sea Island, Georgia. I recently had to go there and it was a hellish pit of fat, rich, white republicans.

5. COLD CANS OF CHEAP BEER.
Normally I hate drinking piss but something about it in the summer is refreshing.

4. BERRIES.
All sorts, my favorite being raspberries, but I don’t discriminate.

3. LOBSTER ROLLS.
In the city Ed’s Lobster Bar reigns supreme, I used to love Mary’s Fish camp but the people that work there are rude.

2. NAPS/SIESTAS OUTDOORS.

1. THE OCEAN.

This goes along with some of the other things, but ain’t nothing better!

Thanks Ed! MP3s are below.

Grizzly Bear – “Two Weeks (Live on David Letterman)”
Grizzly Bear – “While You Wait for the Others”