Features

- by Tom Dumarey

We caught up with Tightwire's bassist/vocalist Tane to talk about all things Minneapolis, the band's hometown. You can check that out below. And while you are at it, do yourself a favor and pre-order the band's debut album 'Six Feet Deep', which comes out tomorrow via Red Scare Records.

PRT: What made you first fall in love with the city?

Tane: I don't recall there being one thing in particular that made me fall in love with MPLS. I grew up in a small town in South Dakota so the idea of moving to a city was really exciting to me. I always knew I would move to a city right after high school. MPLS stuck out because everyone told me it was a music town. It was close to home, so if I went and totally blew it, it would've been easy to go back to SD.

PRT: If you had to come up with a marketing slogan for the city, what would it be?

Tane: Minneapolis: it's not LA.

PRT: Best place to play?

Tane: Triple Rock Social Club was great. But I'm biased. I managed that place for years. Hell, I would've died from liver failure if Erik hadn't closed it. First Avenue is great too.

PRT: Best place to go for a late night drink after the show?

Tane: Muddy Waters in Uptown is fucking great. Or you could head to Northeast MPLS and have Paddy serve you a couple hefty shots at Grumpy's. Psst.. ask for the John Goodman.

PRT: Best place to go for a late night snack after the drink after the show?

Tane: Again, Muddy Waters has great food. Little Tijauna is great for Mexican. Shit man, I don't know. MPLS is more of a “pass out and wake up (still drunk) for brunch” type place.

PRT: Best touristy thing to do in the city?

Tane: Everyone goes to the Mall of America, but honestly, fuck that shit. Have you seen a mall before? It's the same thing but a lot bigger and honestly a lot more sad. I know, when you come here you're just going to do it anyway. No matter how many times I tell you the place sucks. BUT(!) after about an hour of walking around that miserable shithole and you start to feel that panicked feeling you feel deep down.. you know, panicked... kinda like you just did a bunch of cocaine that probably was just a bunch of chopped up crystal meth with some asshole stranger in a trunk stop bathroom and then got a handjob from a hooker named Gourmet that you feel like somehow still managed to give you gonorrhea... like that kinda panicked. Well, this is me saying I told ya.. I fuckin' told ya.

PRT: Best hidden spot in the city?

Tane: Minnehaha Falls, in the winter time, when the water fall freezes over. Climb down (be careful, you could die) and go behind the waterfall. It's beautiful.

PRT: One thing you would like to see changed in the city?

Tane: Blow up that goddamn mall.

PRT: What's your best memory about the city?

Tane: I don't know. I love this place. Get on a bicycle in the summertime and ride around. Maybe hit a bar or two. People are nice and will welcome you in for a conversation. It's just nice. I don't have a specific memory.

PRT: Where in the city did you get your heart broken?

Tane: The house I still live in. What can I say... I love to toil in my own misery.

PRT: Is there a historical fact about your city that makes you chuckle?

Tane: No.