Chris DeLine

[Chris DeLine is] one of the men responsible for Culture Bully a very fine music blog based right here in Minnesota. One of the very coolest things about Culture Bully is their nobility. In October, the blog spent 60 hours raising money for Twin Cities Arts Education. It was awesome, featuring music premieres and artists’ commentary on arts education. It was amazing and humbling.

What book(s) are you currently reading?

I just went to the library yesterday and picked up a copy of Douglas Wolk’s take on James Brown’s “Live at the Apollo,” from the 33 1/3 series. For the entirety of what can loosely be described as my adult life, James Brown has been a staple in my listening diet. I choose not to think of him as the person he was when he died, but rather the person he was when he was at his artistic peak, and even at that I’m not saying he was ever a “good” person.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Who?

While this could easily be answered by saying that I’ve had a crush on pretty much every character Jennifer Connelly has ever played – I’m not sure it’d fit the bill… the question being about books, and all. I’m not too sure that I have ever had a crush on a character I’ve read about. My answer is swayed by the fact that I find myself far more interested in non-fiction, though. I suppose that probably says something about my inability to read into the intricacies of literature, but you have to do what works for you…

If your favorite author came to Minnesota, who would it be and what bar would you take him/her to?

I have no idea who my favorite author is – I haven’t read nearly enough to even begin the process of identifying who I enjoy reading “the most.” That being said, for all his flaws and idiosyncrasies, Henry Rollins has probably had the most impact on me, as far as authors go. His non-fiction journaling aside, my teens were saturated with his words, and his poetry helped me identify a lot of emotion that I was experiencing at the time. I haven’t necessarily grown away from his words, but I’ve grown away from those feelings… by default he’d probably be my favorite author. He’s not a drinker – and I’m not much for making plans, we’d have to cross that hurdle when it comes.

What was your first favorite book?

When I was in elementary school I really liked The Wizard of Oz I enjoyed the adventures that the gang went on that weren’t in the movie… as a child I was typically too interested in playing with friends to sit down and read, unless it was for school. Suppose that I was fortunate to have had to write a book report on that bad boy, otherwise I might have never figured out that movies don’t necessarily reflect the books they’re based on.

Let’s say Fahrenheit 451 comes to life, which book would you become in order to save it from annihilation?

I’m happy with being a bystander in terms seeing how the world sorts itself out – and if that’s how the world was going down, I’m not sure that I’d be too interested in saving it. Toss in something nihilistic from Chuck Palahniuk, and you’ve got yourself a stew.

What is one book you haven’t read but want to read before you die?

The follow-up to Obama’s Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance entitled Saving a Nation: How a Young Canadian Stallion Helped Me Turn America Around.

[This interview was first published by Minnesota Reads]