INTRODUCING THE FOUNDER OF STALKING SEATTLE CHARITY DREWERY....
Stalking Seattle is a unique tour ran by a hardcore Seattle music fan who shows you where it all started (and ended for some), check out the first place that Pearl Jam ever played, where Nirvana was kicked out of their own album launch party, the Jimi Hendrix statue and all the important bars and clubs along the way.
You'll even see where Kurt Cobain lived and died and so much more. Our own Mark Wincott was in Seattle a couple of months ago and decided to catch up with Charity Drewery who is the name behind Stalking Seattle, they found a nice cosy coffee shop, ordered a couple of latte's and chatted about conspiracy theories, meeting Seattle musicians and her favourite shows, here's how they got on….
Please explain to the readers of musicmuso in one sentence, what Stalking Seattle is about?
Allowing Seattle music fans an opportunity to see some of the places where their favourite bands got their start and paved their ways.
What made you come up with this idea?
I was always surprised that nobody had ever done something like this and with all the random music facts I knew, I said, why not?
Who designed the Stalking Seattle logo?
I did.
During the time since you’ve started this tour, what has been the most amusing thing that has happened on one of your tours?
Running into Tom Grant, (the private investigator Courtney hired to find Kurt after he left rehab and who is now the biggest “Courtney Killed Kurt” conspiracy theorist in the world) at the park next to the house.
As you’re someone who grew up and witnessed the ‘Grunge’ explosion, what was the first band you believe started it all off?
Tough question. If we’re talking about who gained national attention first, probably Alice In Chains.
If Andrew Wood was still alive today, would there be a Mother Love Bone or a Pearl Jam?
I think so.
There are many conspiracy theories surrounding the suicide of Kurt Cobain, what do the residents of Seattle and you think about them?
I absolutely believe he killed himself.
During my time in Seattle, I went to see The Kills, I then noticed I was sitting behind Mike McCready, I became like a child. I didn’t say anything, but I knew if I did, it would be a verbal assault on poor Mike’s ears. Has anything like that ever happened to you?
I run into Seattle musicians here and there and I usually keep my cool. I completely froze and turned bright red when I met Nancy Wilson though. I totally blew it.
In your opinion, what is the BEST album/record ever released and why?
It’s an impossible question for me to answer. I’ve decided over the years there can’t be one best album or band. I have a top 1000 or so that I’ve had to put into categories. Sgt. Pepper’s and The Wall are up there though.
How has the music scene in Seattle changed over the years?
In a lot of ways it doesn’t feel like it’s changed at all. You can still see great live music any night of the week and a ton of the bands from the 90’s are still going strong. But tickets to their shows are more expensive and the venues are bigger.
Name three people (alive, dead or fictional) that you would like as party guests?
At a party? Dave Grohl for conversation, Joan Rivers for laughs, and Paula Deen for snacks.
There are many good bands and musicians out there, who would you, ask the readers of musicmuso to look out for?
Hobosexual, The Young Evils, Star Anna, and Ayron Jones.
Why in your opinion do you think bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Mudhoney reach the heights they did throughout the world?
Because people were tired of packaged, meaningless pop music and hair metal.
Your tours have a small group, up to six people, is this something you are conscious of and will you strive to take on more people at one time?
I don’t think so. I don’t want it to ever feel commercialized or even feel like a tour at all. It’s just music fans driving around.
If you could describe your tour in the form of a fictional character, who would it be?
The Little Engine That Could
Mad Season’s love album ‘Above’, for me is a record made way before its time, why do you think this wasn’t widely received when originally released?
I honestly didn’t realize it wasn’t. Everyone around here owned it.
Can you name your top five best gigs?
That’s tough. Seeing Eddie Vedder and Krist Novoselic play Beatles songs together at a hippie commune the summer after Kurt died is definitely number one. I’m going to see a Mad Season reunion with Chris Cornell and Duff McKagan in a few weeks. I’m sure that’ll live in my memory forever.
Will there be any new sights that you will be adding to your tour?
Maybe. There’s a ton of stuff I wish I could include. The tour could last eight hours and we still couldn’t get to it all. Deciding on the sites and route was tough.
Mark ordered another round of coffees and whilst waiting, he fired into a round of quickfire questions....
Coffee or Tea?
Coffee
Coke or Pepsi?
Coke
Long Hair or Bald Head?
Bald Head
Manual or Automatic?
Manual
Mac or PC?
PC
Taco or Clam Chowder?
Taco
The Moore Theatre or Key Arena?
The Moore
CD or Vinyl?
CD
Car or Motorbike?
Car
Acoustic or electric?
Electric
Shawn Smith or Ayron Jones?
Shawn Smith
Shower or Bath?
Shower
Tattoos or Piercings?
Tattoos
Robert de Niro or Al Pacino?
Al Pacino
God or Google?
We'd like to thank Charity for sparing her time to talk about her tour and we wish her every success in 2015. You can learn more about the tour, including reviews and a better list of sites that are covered HERE
SOCIAL MEDIA