Update: Competition over.

CityZine has found yet another LA band, Flashing Red Lights, to be a part of our “Get to know your Local Bands Series” where we supply you with information, dates, and free tickets and you provide the opinion. Recently, CityZine sat down with Mack Slevin the lead singer of Flashing Red Lights and asked him our obligatory band questions about his darkest secrets, as well as his cure for hang overs.

Slevin has been lending his guitar work to LA bands, Darci Cash and The Absentee, for years and in 2005 began writing and recording his own songs under the moniker of Flashing Red Lights. Recently he has brought in Jason Wrightsman, Mike Hendry and Zach Schrock from the Absentee and Ben Welch from Darci Cash to fill out his sound.

They have a show coming up Sunday, April 6th, at the Knitting Factory Alterknit Lounge. If you want to win free tickets and a free copy of their latest EP “Bridges,” it’s easy! Just leave a comment below and you’ll be placed in a drawing for two free tickets and a free cd!

Describe Flashing Red Lights.

The sound of a freshly fleeced sheep standing at the top of a great mountain, shivering and yawning into the depths of a mighty canyon. With guitars.

Or, a rock and roll band that, at least in its current incarnation, has shades of folk and country.

What was the first record you ever bought? And where did you buy it?

Probably the Wayne’s World soundtrack on cassette, which I bought at Warehouse Music in La Crescenta when I was 8 years old. I also hold this record partially responsible for the first time I ever got rejected by the opposite sex. I put it on at a party, asked a young lass to dance during Tia Carrere’s cover of “Ballroom Blitz” and received a loud and enthusiastic “No way!”

Thanks Wayne. Party on, indeed.

What’s the best cure for a hangover?

Beer.

What’s on your ipod?

About 40% of the music on my ‘pod is Elvis Costello. Also, a large supply of Broken Social Scene and Bob Dylan.

How do you get ready for a live show?

Usually I just aimlessly wander around the venue and try not to worry about any of the technical things that are best worried about in practice (like tempo changes or whether or not I’m going to be able to hit the high notes.)

What’s your favorite song to play live?

Probably “Creation/Broad Smile” because it’s LOUD.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Smallville. I can’t say that it’s a good TV show, but it is fun to watch with friends late at night when you have nothing better to do.

Who would win in a fight, a Ninja or a Pirate and why?

Well, initially the ninja. Let’s face it, pirates are sloppy drunks with no actual combat training. However there’s always the possibility of the pirate coming back as a zombie and getting the ninja in his sleep. Somebody should write a song about that….

What was the last album you bought?

Diamonds In The Rough by John Prine.

If you could rid the world of one song, what would it be?

Maybe “Mack The Knife.” Not because it’s a bad song or anything. For personal reasons.

Who would play you in a film based upon your life?

I’m going to have to go with Jon Lovitz. I believe he would capture my essence.

Dead or alive. What 5 acts would you have play with you at a festival?

Oh, man. That’s a pretty rough one. This is so not definitive, but here goes: Bob Dylan (with band, circa ‘66), Joanna Newsom, Elvis Costello (solo acoustic, circa ‘85), the Ghost Kings, Neutral Milk Hotel.

If push comes to shove, what is your all-time favorite album?

Again with the heavy-hitting questions! Man! Let’s say In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel. Again, not a definitive answer.

What’s your most memorable on the road story?

Once, when I was playing guitar in another band, we went out to New York to play CMJ. We flew there from Portland (we were in the middle of a west coast tour at the time) and had our instruments shipped out with us. The next day at the show we were playing in Manhattan, the band playing before us had gone on longer than they were supposed to, so the people at the venue were rushing us to get started quick so they could stay on-schedule. As I frantically set up my gear minutes before show-time I opened up my guitar case and discovered that the neck of my guitar had snapped almost completely off. I had to run around the venue until I found a guitarist from another band who was gracious enough let me use his guitar.

Then there was the time we showed up at a venue in Tucson, AZ only to find out the promoter had canceled the show without telling us. It especially sucked because we had friends who had driven out from Los Angeles to see the show. But then we met one of the other bands in the parking lot (the promoter had also neglected to tell them the show was canceled) and ended up setting up an impromptu house-party show that night, which was awesome.

Favorite place in LA?

Lately, the Buena Vista library in Burbank. It’s new and clean and very peaceful. They even have free WiFi and a small park in front. Also, Intelligentsia in Silver Lake has the best coffee I’ve found in Los Angeles.

What’s the best piece of advice someone has ever given you and did you take notice?

“Mind your manners.” I try to hold this advice close to my heart, but it’s an on-and-off relationship.

What would be your perfect LA day?

Wake up at the crack of noon. Get some coffee at Intelligentsia, get some food at Green Leaves in Los Feliz. Maybe make a trip to Amoeba or see a movie, see a good band at Spaceland and then go to Coral Cafe in Burbank until the wee hours. (Man, I should be getting paid for all this advertising.)

Of course all these things would require money, so maybe there should be a heist of some sort before the coffee part.

What’s the best book you’ve read and film you’ve seen in the last 6 months?

Just finished Tropic Of Cancer by Henry Miller a few weeks ago. It’s pretty much everything it’s cracked up to be. There would have been no On The Road without it. As far as the movies go, I saw George Romero’s Diary Of The Dead a couple weeks ago and it was the feel good comedy hit of the year.

What three things could you not live without?

Unicorns, cupcakes and smiles.

Tell us a fact about yourself we probably don’t already know.

I know nearly everything there is to know about the TV show Friends.

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