First/Last-Red Collar

"Three years in the making, Red Collar's Welcome Home fulfills the promise of the band's acclaimed debut full-length, 2009's Pilgrim. Welcome Home continues the tradition of heart pounding indie punk & roll from the Durham, NC quartet but expands the palette with dynamic results. Red Collar combine the jagged rhythms of DC punk along with the soulful, working class spirit and lyrical bend of bands like The Hold Steady and The Gaslight Anthem. Never shying away from their influences, the band proudly displays the earnestness of Springsteen, the boldness of The Replacements and the swagger of The Clash firmly on their sleeves. All that you know and love about Red Collar remains but Welcome Home opens up into hauntingly beautiful songwriting territory that touches on the timelessness of Americana roots. Red Collar is back and they are better than ever! Welcome home!"

Check out the band at their official Website, Facebook, BandCamp, ReverbNation and Twitter. Digging deeper into the Paste 50 States Project, I hit North Carolina with Red Collar. I want to thank Jason Kutchma (Guitar/Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

 

The first album you ever bought?
Chicago "17", hell man what an awful thing to admit.

Your last album bought?
Chet Baker "Baker's Holiday".

Favorite album of all time?
John Lennon's "Plastic Ono Band".

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
Steve Vai's "Flex-Able", another awful thing to admit but yeah I was really bummed out about that one.

First concert attended?
The Hooters and Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers at War Memorial, Johnstown, PA.

Last concert?
Masked Intruder, Elway and Sam Russo on July 22, 2013 at Motorco Music Hall in Durham, NC.

Favorite concert ever?
Hammer No More the Fingers & Friends sometime in 2009 at Duke Coffeehouse.

Least favorite concert?
Iron Maiden, 1987 at War Memorial Johnstown, PA... ‘Somewhere in Time US Tour’, killer set-list, apparently an amazing show but I wouldn't know because THIS GUY (thumbs pointing to himself) didn't get a damn ticket... hey, can my 'Least Favorite Concert' be one of my own?

Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
I've played Pittsburgh a number of times with Red Collar, with The Five Fifths and just JKutchma solo shows. It's usually a pretty fun time because I was born in Johnstown and went to college at Duquesne for two years so I have friends and family in the area. One time, a Red Collar show was cancelled because a Pens Playoff Game was going on. That was kind of a bummer...

Thanks, Jason. A native Western Pennsylvanian, eh? Always nice getting to know the neighbors.