A 2005 Round-Up

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
Personally: "Sugar (Gimme Some)" & too soon to tell for winter.

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
Jarvis Cocker

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
"Some talk too long. They know it all. I just smile, and move on. Words ain't free, like you and me. I don't mind." - QOTSA, "I Never Came"

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
Worst: Morningwood, opening for Gang Of Four. Dishonorable mention: everything before RFTC at their last NY show ever. Best: RFTC's last NY show ever. Honorable mention: Gang Of Four.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
Memphis Jug Band

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
"Axel F" or "Don't Save Us From Flames" if they count, which they don't.

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
i'm sure it involved Trapped In The Closet.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
The first third of the Ja Rule comp.

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
hysterical

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
i believe we're having a party at our pad, so it will probably be some random CD or whatever Dick Clark is spinning.

happy christmas to you!

the only thing i can think of isn't really specific, mostly just driving across west texas and new mexico in january. oh, wait, ok, driving down from the sandia peaks blasting rtx's "transmaniacon," that's probably it.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?

endless boogie, and endless boogie.

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?

i don't even know what this means.

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.

"i'd rather live in a trash can/ than see you happy with another man" - silver jews.

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?

whatever awful thing(s) i saw, i tried to put out of my mind. best things: endless boogie (again), major stars, miminokoto, watersports, tony conrad, a few others. missed a lot of good shows, tho.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.

mostly really old blues stuff.

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?

the entire earth "hex: or printing in the infernal method" album. or the walter de maria "drums and nature" album.

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?

can't think of anything off-hand, again.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.

the double, "loose in the air"

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?

not much comes to mind. i'm sure 2006 will be find.

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!

no.

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?

no idea.

wow!

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
Summer - "1 Thing" was lingering, also Brad Paisley's "Alcohol"
Winter - "Hung Up"

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
Ryan Adams - busy, but to what end?

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
"I was born secular and inconsolable" - Jenny Lewis (I know it's a ringer for '06 but I heard it this year).

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
Best - Fiery Furnaces plowing uninterrupted through the entirety of Rehearsing My Choir before a completely dumbfounded audience (thank God I was one of the few who'd heard the then-unreleased record)
Worst - whoever the fuck opened for Sufjan Stevens

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
Emmett Miller, after reading Nick Tosches' Country

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
the entire Monk/Coltrane Carnegie Hall disc

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
w/ Alfred Soto re: Sleater-Kinney, Kelly Osbourne and Roxy Music

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
the goodness of geezer rock - Stones, McCartney, Stevie, Van Morrison

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
a good new album from Radiohead, something new from Ted Leo

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
free!

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
Apparently Pussycat Dolls are playing Dick Clark's special, so God willing...

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
summer: Orthrelm "OV", winter: Lindstrom "I Feel Space"

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
John Lennon (lots of sudden changes, volatile relationship, heavy work schedule, many spirited debates, creative ups and downs, more interested in writing about myself)

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
"if we could be closer longer, that would help me so much"

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
I didn't see anything awful on stage this year. best thing was probably watching a flute solo by Dungen. you don't see a lot of flute solos

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
Debussy piano music

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
Orthelm, OV

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
no one talks to me about music

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
Paul McCartney's album

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
I hope mine is okay

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
cold

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
whatever my friends and I are playing at the time

Listening to Low's "The Great Destroyer" on New Years Day while recovering from a wicked hangover. By the time the album was over the hangover had miraculously disappeared.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?

... winter = I don't know, but Animal Collective's "The Purple Bottle" has been stuck in my head a lot

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?

Kate Bush

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.

"Imagine the view / When they bounce that shit off of satellites" -- Silver Mt Zion etc.

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?

Worst: The Peppermints and their lousy Sleater-Kinney impression. Best: probably Caribou making a shitload of noise

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.

I can't think of anything old I got into *this* year. Like, *really* got into.

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?

New: Polmo Polpo's "Kiss Me Again". Old" Balanescu Quartet's "No Time Before Time" (hence the ilx name change)

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?

Most recently: why Bono taking back his endorsement of the Liberal party doesn't (and shouldn't) mean jack shit for Canadian politics (speaking with a small group of people at a party)

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.

Animal Collective

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?

More great music, plz

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!

Lots

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?

No idea

can't remember

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?

Summer: Girls Aloud - "Long Hot Summer"
Winter: ?

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?

Kevin Shields, the guy that never does anything

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.

"Now I ain't sayin' she a gold digger / But she ain't messin' with no broke niggaz."

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?

Best: Dave Mason (of Traffic fame) in Boston. Totally unexpected and rockin'.
Worst: Dave Mason's opening act. Boring sensitive singer/songwriter shite.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.

Some ILMer's old wax cylinder blog had the original version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" with the "Katie Casey was baseball mad..." verse. I dug!

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?

Anima - "Hemipode"

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?

Hmmmm. Couldn't tell ya.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.

I had absolutely NO idea the new Madonna would be as good as it is.

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?

More media coverage of the hip-hop mixtape scene. So much awesome underground shit that just blows away everything in the Billboard Top Ten (ever heard the Game's "300 Bars"? Holy shit!), but nobody knows about it!

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!

reliable

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?

"Kiss Me Again and Again"

Oops, I read this as "instrument."

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
Girls Aloud - Long Hot Summer. Saint Etienne - Tales from Turnpike House.

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
Ralf Hutter of Kraftwerk.

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
'I'm superhorny like Paxman on Newsnight'.

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
Most awful, pass. Best, Jamie Lidell at the Sage, Gateshead.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
Billie Holliday - Lady in Satin.

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
Track one of Double Figure by Plaid.

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
Suprising a new member of staff with my knowledge of grime, G!YBE and other leftfield stuff then being told that 'I looked like a Coldplay fan'.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
Arctic Monkeys.

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
Pedestrian NME bands to go the way of the do-do.

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
Overabundant.

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
Thinking where I might be probably Pink Floyd or Cream.

no memory

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?

summer - clor album
winter - girls aloud - chemistry/xmas bonus disc

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?

nah.

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.

clor - dangerzone = 'emotional'

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?

awful : brian wilson @ Glastonbury - kareoke of the most painful kind.
best : LCD Soundsystem - same place, same day, but so very very different. awesome.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.

probably some of the $tateside reissue - all excellent - especially the David Axelrod comp

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?

Marconi Union on All Saints - ambient gorgeousness.

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?

nothing of any interest - possible the drunk chat wth Eddie Art Brut and John Robb - Eddie believing that Manchester has no decent bands at the moment and they all want to be Stone Roses/Mondays - me + John disputed this vigourously .. but me and Eddie were indeed very very drunk.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.

pop music - especially Rachel Stevens.

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?

rachel stevens to get the sales she so fucking deserves .. the album is great, but her image is killing her off.

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!

poptastic.

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?

hopefully not that nizpoli track - its truly fucking dreary

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
summer, White Overalls, La Dusseldorf, winter (now) Totenkopf - Dominik Eulberg

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
Me!

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
"See these muscles? They're yours, baby"

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
Worst? Ami Yoshida
Best? Michael Mayer 6hr set

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
1971 - Il Conventizione/Paranoia/ - Franco Battiato

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
Luciano - Octagonal

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
DJ Koze: "I don't like techno. I like warm music, you know, Belle & Sebastian, High Llamas." gulp.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
Toots and the Maytals

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
bring trance back

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
Fantastic

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
Something spun at a party by Tobias Thomas, Jennifer Cardini, Thomas Fehlmann, or Steve Barnes. fucking A

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
Summer - Amerie/1 Thing Winter - Skream/Midnight Request Line

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
Gary Barlow.

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
"There's another afterparty and you know what?/Girls enter for freeeeee!"

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
Michael Mayer (not bad but not great)/The Producers!

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
Dunno. Bill Evans, maybe? Harry Partch?

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
Probably Midnight Request Line or Magda - "48 Hour Crack In Your Bass". Or "Hour Of Fair Karma 1" by Eyvind Kang if we're allowed old stuff.

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
Probably some stupid argument with Alex In SF about grime. Or online Robag Wruhme fanboyisms with Michael F Gill!

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
Rammstein! And The Smiths!

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
Luomo

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
Fetal

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
Probably something in the car driving up to Monte Rio. I'd like it to be "Soy Rebelde" by Jeanette.

Merry xmas!

dancing half naked with my friend rachel, on the stage, just before lesbians on xtc, at the vazeleen christmas show...there was a naked lesbian baby as well.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
summer--robyn bum like you
winter--this year, john darnielle

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
hank williams w/o the pills

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.

i downshifted as i pulled into the driveway/the motor screaming stuck in 2nd gear/the scene ends badly/as you might imagine/in a cavalcade of anger and fear/there will be feasting and dancing in Jersuelaem this year/there will be feasting and dancing in jersuleum this year/and I am going to make it thru this year if it kills me

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?

self satisfied liberal christians playing african drums, jason maccoy singing mama tried

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.

schuberts winterreise

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?

brad paisleys time warp

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?

my friend ray and i had a shortish conversation about the power of teen girls, sex, desire, openness and the overshare, how uncomfortable the lohan made us feel and how useful was the discomfort, it was the first time i felt old, and powerless and voyueristic...

sundar playing led zeplin, cold and sick, homeless, deciding wether to go home or not, and for the first time needing and receving phallocentric power...

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.

reaggaetron

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?

i want to quit thinking about it so much

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!

bipolar

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
aud lang syne--chris isaac i think

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam? - Summer - USAisamonster album; winter - Lightning Bolt album

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be? - There are too many mediocre, boring and rutted musicians to choose from

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you. - I really can't do these, sorry

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing? - Awful: I don't know if Roll Deep were definitely the worst, but there can't have been anyone I saw who gave lazier show this year. Best: Coachwhips, Jason Forrest, Duracell, Les Savy Fav

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005. - Errr, late 60s Pentangle era British folk I guess

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year? - Konono No.1 - first track off the Fat Cat 12"

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about? - Jason Forrest about punk rock (ref. 'My 36 Favourite Punk Rock Songs' off his last album)

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005. - 'My Humps' (go "lalalala" over the vocals when it comes on and this is no real stretch)

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...? - for people to keep releasing albums as good as the new Pearls And Brass one

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word! - no

12. What will be the last music you hear this year? - whatever they play on NYE in Dublin

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
Summer : I turn my camera on Winter : Models/Push the button

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
dunno

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
I guess I didn't pay enough attention, can't remember any.

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
Awful : Hollywood Porn stars at a festival. Best : Vitalic at the same festival, till 4 in the morning, during 3 amazing hours.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
Some Incredible String Band I'd say. Or Balaklava.

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
Someone said "Don't save me from the flames" up there. I agree and share his feeling that it is prolly not one.

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
Trying to convince some friends of mine that Sugababes' "Push the button" is actually a load of fun AND great music.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
Winners of UK/US entertainment shows (Girls Alous, Kelly Clarkson ...), 'cos I'd never listen to those who won in my country.

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
Discover as many great things as this year. Actually have enough money to keep on buying CDs and stuff.

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
Fantastic.

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
Prolly something I read about in a top albums of 2005 list that sparks my interest.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
Gold Digger by Kanye for the summer, just pipping 1 Thing by Amerie. Kanye's Heard 'Em Say gets the winter call too. He sure does know them jams.

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
Gary Glitter, mainly because Colin Cooper tried and failed to chase both of us down.

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
"It feels like glue I'm in / and life is hell / it's always happening / to someone else"

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
Most awful = the guitarist from Guillemots, who I thought would surely die because of the amount of sweat running off his head (not that the band were awful - far from it, just the sweat). Best thing = Danny swinging a torch to Exploding Machines.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
Probably Led Zep.

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
Anything by Polar Bear or Acoustic Ladyland. Both made great, great records and the indie kids really ought to try their fantastic jazz chops out for size.

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
Danny McNamara very effusively telling me how much I'd love the next Embrace record because what they're doing now is right up my street.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
Led Zep.

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
For Danny to have been right.

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
Widdly.

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
I'll decide what it is right before I hear it.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
Summer = Daddy Yankee's Gasolina
Winter = Girls Aloud's Biology

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
Brian Higgins (Xenomania)

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
Sorry can't find any.

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
Sorry I don't go to gigs anymore.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
Not so old (1979), but I've been obsessed for a while with "Roberto Cacciapaglia - the Ann Steel Album"

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
The GO Team - Ice Storm

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
With MIA and Diplo about Simon Reynolds. She was very very annoyed.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
Macca

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
I want to be surprised by a new genre.

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
POP

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
I guess my neighbours will play U2's New Year's Day at high volume...

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
- summer: Sebastien Tellier 'La Ritournelle'
- winter: Jens Lekman 'Pocketful of Money'

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
- Wrest

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
- cant remember right now

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
- awful: Caroliner
- best: Animal Collective doing it like it should be done on stage

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
- Satie probably

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
- Birchville Cat Motel 'Cold Herdes Travel'

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
- with an old buddy of mine, about hippity hop hop

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
- Jens Lekman

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
- more quality GRIMM BLACK METAL woo

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
- Sacred

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
- pfft who knows

HAHAHAHA MORE DETAILS PLEASE!

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
Summer early 05 = KT Pearl, "Mr. DJ"
Winter 05 = Rihanna, "Pon De Replay"
Summer late 05 = Girls Aloud "Biology"

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
James Brown (the hardest working man in etc. etc.)

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
"Being kind is just a way to keep me under your thumb..." ("Each & Every One" by Ada and originally EBTG)

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
Worst = some awful local garage band whose name escapes me.
Best = Schaeben & Voss with Schad Privat, wow.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
Some Renaissance music half-heartedly (further investigation pending), otherwise some more italo-disco etc.

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year? Booka Shade "Mandarine Girl"

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about? With Catherine Ryan, several conversations, some about pop and pathos, some about Jacques Lu Cont, some about the pop group we'd like to start. Also conversations with Geeta and Tobias Rapp in Berlin about house music and sumptuous R&B (the Cherelle --> Teedra Moses connection).

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
Random bits of British rock e.g. "Dakota", "Do You Want To", Interpol. Some dubstep again.

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
Brighter, sparklier production - more liberal use of synths for more than just riffs or weedy hooks.

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
? I'm not succint by nature.

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
Probably the dirtiest R&B available if I end up dancing with Shen.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam? -
Dunno

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be? -
Lars Ulrich at hieght of Napster affair.

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
ahhhh! can't think

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?

Foo Fighters; Alison Krauss and Union Station

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
nothing really

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
I can't recall any

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
Arcade Fire with a friend.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
Wolf Parade

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
To enjoy it.

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
Unspectacular!

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
Not sure yet

Carry on :)

(Also, Australians: ignore)

1. What's your first musical memory of 2005?
Bloc Party, the album leaked in the first week of the year and someone sent it to me.
I played it on the train coming from a conference in Germany and 'felt it'.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
Summer jam: De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig - "Watskeburt", which none of you readers will know since you're not Dutch. Not something you can help, of course, but it also means your year-end-album-lists don't make a lot of sense, cos this was the year of Parels voor de Zwijnen.
Winter jam - where 'winter' was the first few months of the year, right, and not the past month?
The early part of 2005 was all about '1 thing' by Amerie.

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
I've stopped trying to deny that I'm growing older. I'm now determined to grow old gracefully, but also to show the kids how it's done, whenever i get the chance. Yay, I've done it - I'm Saint Etienne.

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
Wenn Du denn auf den Mund fallen muss, warum dann nicht auf meine? from Wir Sind Helden's "Nur ein Wort".
It's funny and touching at the same time.

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
I saw Annie in Amsterdam last Sunday.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
"Where did Robinson Crusoe go, with Friday on Saturday Night?". A song from 1916.
Other than that, Sandy Posey.

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
"While We're Learning to Forget" by Mr Suitcase. I enjoyed the Chemical Brothers' "Surface to Air" even more, but that's not technically an instrumental I guess.

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
With a bunch of fellow phonologists, about the Eurovision.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
Babyshambles.

PSYCH! :-D
No, they're the lowest of the lowest, of course.

In real life, Stars. I didn't rate their first album at all. But this one wasn't too bad.
Also, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. I really thought I was over that. Unsteady whiny David Byrne singing over jangly Pretenders tracks. Worst idea ever on paper. And then they snuck up on me and "Upon this Tidal Wave of Young Blood" [shit! title! the fucking nerve of this band] became one of my favourite songs of 2005.

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
Less quantity, more quality (that's mainly to do with my listening habits)

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
Enjoyable.

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
If I have my way, it will be "Arthur" by Jeans Team. I rarely have my way with these things, though.

I think it was listening to the Pharcyde's Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde in the car on the way to the airport to drop off my brother and sister to fly home.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?

Summer: Missy Elliott "On and On"
Winter: Frank Sinatra "I Get a Kick out of You"

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?

Kenny Wollesen

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.

"I get no kick from champagne
Mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all
So tell me why should it be true
That I get a kick out of you"

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?

Most awful: I don't know - probably some band whose name I forget
Best: Devendra Banhart & Hairy Fairy Band

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.

Handel's "Messiah"

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?

I don't know - there's lots of competition. I'll say Ellen Allien's "Naked Rain".

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?

I don't know - most of my "conversations about music" take place on ILM.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.

Dar Williams

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?

More good music, please.

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!

sensuous

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?

I've no idea.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
PERSONAL highlight was totally the O'Jay's "I Love Music" at summerdance, but really the summer jam was Mariah. Winter jam would have to be CZR's "Chicago Southside" (Paul Johnson remix) which is old but warmed my heart on the coldest + longest day of the year.

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
AKON BCUZ I'M SO LOOONELY. haha I'm not really that lonely but there were times this year when it was perfect.

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
new york hong kong montreal,
get your back up off the wall

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
Awful...Oh there was one DJ at summerdance who was really bad. I dont remember his name. But him. Best thing was by MILES Bobby Hutcherson at the Jazz Showcase.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
Prob. Bobby Hutcherson.

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
(Biting Tim here, but) Mandarine Girl

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
Talking on the El with a guy who came from Japan to be a DJ in Chicago. I never got his name but he liked Arthur Russell and he was one of the most interesting people I've met. He had moved on to the acoustic bass.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
Mariah.

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
Some good indie rap wouldn't be bad!

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
I have to use two... Rebuilding Year.

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
Hopefully some dance music on new years.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
summer: "1 thing" by amerie, "funk on you" by dj t, "mandarine girl" by booka shade
winter: "daybreak" by daso, "say you will" by cajmere (which actually makes me pine for a chicago winter), the entire middle section of ewan pearson's sci.fi.hi.fi mix

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
superpitcher

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
"maybe i just can't believe it"

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
worst: m.i.a. best: kraftwerk

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
i loved the bob dylan scorsese docu and we had a great thread about it here, but i couldn't really get into dylan on his own.

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
"dinamo" by nathan fake or "just for a little peek" by chardronnet vs. afrilounge (kind of a trick question for someone who barely listens to anything with lyrics!)

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
a dear friend who i barely ever see anymore came over to raid my cd collection and help me pack and we talked and reminisced about dance music all night long.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
can't come up with an answer here

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
more time to spend listening

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
fragmented

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
a surprise!

Blasting JC's Schizophrenic and ROCnelius' Fantasma during an iPod battle at a pal's house party. Anything to avoid more Silverchair.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?

Summer jam: 'Dare' - Gorillaz, '1 Thing' - Amerie, 'Sekai Wo Koete' - The Aprils, 'Switch' - Will Smith, 'Signs' - Snoop, Uncle Charlie 'n' JT, 'Lose Control' - Missy, Ciara 'n' Fatman S, 'Banquet' (Phones mix) - Bloc Party
Winter jam: 'Drop The Pressure' (Rex The Dog Mondo Remix) - Mylo, 'Push The Button'/'Red Dress' - Sugababes, 'Biology' - Girls Aloud, 'Love, Piece & Ice Cream'/'As for love queue/cue Lu queue/cue Lu/koi wa kyurukyuru ????????' - Hazel Nuts Chocolate, 'Moon The World' - Teriyaki Boys (Cornelius finally turns into Prince somewhat and has something approaching fun)

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?

Tomonori Hayashibe of Plus-Tech Squeeze Box. Head full of mad ideas barely containable for the pop world. Fingers in many pies. Only wanting to make things right.

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.

"They come round and take you/where no-one mistakes you/for someone they don't want to know/But there's always morning lows/Just goes to show how much you know"

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?

Awful: Mel C and Razorlight at CD:UK and the knowledge that I'll never get to see Mutya Buena sing Sugababes songs live with the group.
Best: The Shimura Curves and The Shortwave Set very handily.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.

60s psych pop and weirdness: The United States of America, Inner Dialogue, Mort Garson and further time with The Beatles and Beach Boys.

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?

Hmm. The Rex mix of 'Drop The Pressure' has a smattering of vocals. Neil & Iraiza's 'Fez' is from 2002. Probably Gustav's 'Intro' or Cagedbaby's 'Evolution'.

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?

The "Alex Macpherson is INDIE" def comedy jam between myself, Swygart and Lex with guest contributions from nearby friends.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.

Girls Aloud - Chemistry. Nothing normally suprises me, except the occasional death of old vitriol.

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?

A Mutya Buena solo album produced by the best music makers on earth.

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!

(Un)stable.

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?

Something inevitable.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
God knows. Can't keep a jam going a whole season. Devin's "Too Cute" maybe. And Sufferin' Stevens' "Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream". And lots of other stuffs.

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
Roky Erikson.

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
"Oh I'm scared of the middle place/Between life and nowhere."

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
I don't go to enough gigs to go see awful ones. Best is a tie between Van der Graaf Generator and Melt-Banana. VdGG maybe shade it on sentimental disbelief grounds.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
I decided I needed to hear more Renaissance (era not band) stuff.

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
Gonzales' Solo Piano album.

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
My friend Paul. His former band.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
The Rakes.

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
Another Kate Bush double album.

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
Musical.

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
I don't know, I'm not there yet.

2.) What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
Summer: Booka Shade, "Mandarine Girl". Winter: Luciano "Octagonal".

3.) If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
Carl Craig. "Sandstorms" when I felt bad. "Landcruising" the rest of the time.

4.)Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
"Pure Vernunft darf niemals siegen, wir brauchen dringend neue Lügen." I was never a big Tocotronic fan, but their album is fantastic. And their singer Dirk von Lotzow is a poet.

5.) What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
The best was Cecil Taylor with Tony Oxley at the Total Music Meeting in November. By a mile. Couldn't listen to any other music for a week. Made me feel like a Jazz douchebag. The worst was Animal Collective at the Volksbühne Berlin. I like their record, but their show was awful. But that's just me.

6.) Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
Ahem. Gustav Mahlers sinfonies.

7.) Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
There were too many.

8.) What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
"Mandarine Girl".

9.) Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
Aggro Berlin, a German Hiphop label. Hilarious stuff. They try very hard to be "street" and everybody seems to believe them. Great stuff. The german Hiphop swindle. Great production though, very techno influenced sometimes.

10.) Your music wish for 2006 is...?
Just go on 2006. It's all good.

11.) Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
Satisfied.

12.) What will be the last music you hear this year?
"Saturday Love" by Cherelle and Alexander O'Neal. I'm going to play at a party on New Years Eve. In fact it's the Throbbing Gristle aftershow party at the Volksbühne. So I can play it - if my DJ-partners let me.

'Cruel Summer' by Bananarama being dropped in the middle of an amazing Bug/Warrior Queen set at the house party I was at last NYE.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?

Summer jams - 'Gasolina', '10 Dollar', 'Washing Up (Tiga rmx)', '1 Thing'
Winter jams - 'Hung Up', 'What Else Is There? (Trentemöller rmx)', 'I Said Never Again (But Here We Are)', 'Push The Button'

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?

Madonna? Stopped taking herself too seriously and went raving.

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.

"We stand in the Atlantic / And we become panoramic" - Kate Bush, 'Nocturn'

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?

Best thing - Vitalic at The End. Holy. Fuck. Also great were Girls Aloud @ Hammersmith Apollo, Ellen Allien @ Fabric, Smoosh @ Cargo, Booka Shade @ Fabric, Shimura Curves @ Bull & Gate, Diplo @ Cross Central, Grace Jones @ Cross Central, Kano @ Infinity and Michael Mayer everywhere he went.
Worst things - Josh Pearson at the Plan B Xmas party last week. Dear god it was dreadful; I'd always previously approved of this folk-noize stuff in theory, because, y'know, it's a really interesting direction for people to go in and I like the idea of weird underground scenes creating weird underground music. This was the first time I actually heard any of it, though, and it was completely unlistenable. The Drones, who supported Smoosh, were even worse, but I didn't see them because I fled back outdoors after two songs.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.

Um 'old music' haha oh dear I think I was even more of an inveterate neophiliac this year than I usually am. I got into Arthur Russell thanks to Frances, he's ace, and the Lipps Inc best of I got from the library was very illuminating.

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?

WASHING UP! Rave rave rave rave rave.

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?

MSN conversation with Dom about The State Of Pop, or enthusiasming with Ria about Girls Aloud.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.

Surprised myself by LOVING the Jacques Lu Cont remix of The Killers. I didn't expect tATu to have a good comeback either. And I burnt a CD of Brazilian post-punk off Frances which, bizarrely, I completely love. oh yes and the Arcade Fire.

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?

All boys with guitars to be banned from making music. Electroboshing remixers to have more fingers in more pies. Grime artist to make decent album.

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!

Banging.

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?

Hmm where will I be. At the most hedonistic house party I can find, so probably some insane techno.

I was going to answer the same, Ned!

"5. Awful -- the bad Italian band at the Venetian alt-rock fest doing an industrial version of "Black Hole Sun."

well, I can say I saw something even shittier tha this - Italy is full of good occasions if you like bad concerts.

2. What was this year's summer jam? And winter jam?
M.I.A, "Bucky Done Gun" (fuck the haters) and Ladytron, "Destroy Everything You Touch" (ibid.)

3. If your life in 2005 was a musician, which musician would it be?
AC/DC -- alternately fun, dumb and surly, and not really all that different from previous efforts.

4. Tell me a lyric from this year that meant something to you.
"City Center used to be the center of our scene/now City Center's over/no one really goes there" -- the Hold Steady, "Your Little Hoodrat Friend" (NOTE: City Center is being remodeled right now and may wind up really kind of nice, but still.)

5. What was the most awful thing you saw on a stage this year? And the best thing?
I'm smart enough not to go to awful shows. The best (and probably the only) thing I saw this year was, again, the Hold Steady.

6. Name the oldest music you got into in 2005.
Charlie Parker Septet, "A Night in Tunisia" (1944)

7. What was your favourite instrumental of the year?
Weirdly enough, Masafumi Takada's "Rave On" from the killer7 soundtrack.

8. Your favourite conversation about music this year: who was it with, and what was it about?
Matos, over the phone, about the Crazy Frog album.

9. Name one thing you surprised yourself by liking in 2005.
The new Common album. (I went back to Resurrection a couple months before and it bored the daylights out of me.)

10. Your music wish for 2006 is...?
More Wu-Tang and Wu-Tang proprietary materials, and a less-retarded critical response to the Strokes (Kill the VU references. NOW. And the Knack references, while yer at it.)

11. Describe the music of 2005 in one word!
PHBLTTTT

12. What will be the last music you hear this year?
Hell, I don't know. Probably Funkadelic.