The Daily Vault Review Panel

The qualifications to become a member of The Daily Vault's reviewing staff are simple: love music, write well, keep your commitments, don't expect to earn a dime. If you're interested in being part of a team that writes about music for the pure love of it, e-mail us at editor@dailyvault.com.  [NOTE: The Daily Vault review panel is currently full and not accepting new applications.  If you are interested in applying, please check back later for a time when we are once again accepting applications.] 

David Bowling Staff Writer sdbowling83@earthlink.net	BORN: The Truman Administration JOINED THE DV STAFF: May 2007 HOMETOWN: Woonsocket, R.I. NOW LIVING IN: Whispering Pines, N.C. SPOUSE / KIDS?: Susan/ Amy, Stacey and two grandchildren FAVORITE ARTIST: The Beach Boys OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Roy Orbison, Lou Reed, the Jefferson Airplane, Dire Straits, Dusty Springfield, Etta James, Pat Benatar, Mary Chapin Carpenter, early Santana, Bob Dylan. BEER: All OTHER HOBBIES: Reading and traveling PERSONAL MOTTO: Relationships are temporary. Vinyl is forever. I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: ...it is a way to express publicly the interaction between myself and the music.
Michael Broyles Staff Writer broyles.michael@gmail.com	BORN: 1985 JOINED THE DV STAFF: December 2008 HOMETOWN: Phoenix, AZ NOW LIVING IN: Tempe, AZ SPOUSE / KIDS?: Single without children. FAVORITE ARTIST: Thelonious Monk OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Alice Coltrane, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Charles Mingus, Motown and Staxx, Simon and Garfunkel, Nina Simone, The Clash, Wu-Tang Clan, and others.  Mostly jazz and soul. BEER: Oyster Beer at The Porterhouse in Dublin, Ireland. OTHER HOBBIES: Fighting tyranny and exercising. PERSONAL MOTTO: No doubt alcohol, tobacco, and so forth, are things that a saint must avoid, but sainthood is also a thing that human beings must avoid. —George Orwell I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: …somebody needs to tell people why the Duke Ellington Trio recordings are SO hip!
Mike Cirelli Staff Writer guitarded202@yahoo.com	BORN: 1990 JOINED THE DV STAFF: February 2009 HOMETOWN: Austintown, Ohio NOW LIVING IN: A McDonald’s restroom SPOUSE / KIDS?: They work the drive-through and cash register. FAVORITE ARTIST: No Doubt OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: The White Stripes, Fountains Of Wayne, Weezer, The Beatles, Vampire Weekend, The Strokes, and Bruce Springsteen BEER: None OTHER HOBBIES: Reading, spending time with my family, playing guitar, playing ping pong, constructing palindromes, watching The Office PERSONAL MOTTO: Does it smell like updog in here? I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: ...it’s something to do when I’m not pretending to play guitar.
Jeff Clutterbuck Staff Writer jeff25624@gmail.com	BORN: October 1985, year of the Ox JOINED THE DV STAFF: April 2004 HOMETOWN: Delafield, Wisconsin NOW LIVING IN: nisnocsiW, dleifaleD SPOUSE / KIDS?: Nope FAVORITE ARTIST: Simple answer -- Chicago OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Elton John, Yes, Boston, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Eagles, Queen, Stevie Wonder BEER: Corona and Spotted Cow OTHER HOBBIES: Sports, sports, sports, and yes, more sports. PERSONAL MOTTO: I’m surrounded by ignorant people. I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: …someone has to defend Tales From Topographic Oceans!
Sarah Curristan Staff Writer serra.kurrstin@hotmail.com	BORN: 1990, the year that also birthed Soulja Boy (so sorry) JOINED THE DV STAFF: August 2008 HOMETOWN: Dublin, Ireland NOW LIVING IN: Dublin SPOUSE / KIDS?: Neither that I am aware of. FAVORITE ARTIST: Elliott Smith OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Bright Eyes, Interpol, Kate Nash, Joy Division, The Beatles, Damien Rice, Death Cab For Cutie, The Cure, Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, Kings Of Leon, The Kinks, Jeff Buckley, Led Zeppelin, Pete Doherty (whatever he’s at), Modest Mouse, Nina Simone, Nick Cave among others. BEER: Bud Light, but I’m not a big beer fan. OTHER HOBBIES: Art, films, reading, tennis, mooching around and travelling. PERSONAL MOTTO: "We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us" - Charles Bukowski I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: …it would be rude not to.
Duke Egbert Staff Writer xgrundy@gmail.com	BORN: Pre-Let It Be JOINED THE DV STAFF: September 1998 HOMETOWN: Ottawa, Illinois (Population 17,000. Salut.) NOW LIVING IN: Austin, TX SPOUSE / KIDS?: Married, three kids. FAVORITE ARTIST: Alan Parsons in all his various incarnations. OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Great Big Sea, Nickel Creek, Kate Bush, Dan Fogelberg, Spock's Beard, Howard Jones, Wang Chung, Natalie McMaster, Sting, R Carlos Nakai, Duncan Shiek, Suzy Bogguss. BEER: I'm a beer geek. Blanche de Chambly, Sapporo, Kronenberg, or anything malty. OTHER HOBBIES: Writing, cooking, baseball, Pagan activism, wine, beer. PERSONAL MOTTO: Why not? I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: …Rolling Stone pissed me off at an early age.
Paul Hanson Staff Writer prhmusic@hotmail.com	BORN: December 1969 JOINED THE DV STAFF: October 1997 HOMETOWN: Cedar Rapids, Iowa NOW LIVING IN: North Liberty, Iowa SPOUSE / KIDS?: Wife, Karen, married on 8/7/93. Two children: Megan, born 8/96, and Alex, born 10/98. FAVORITE ARTIST: Don't have one. I can go from saying Brand New Sin to Disarray to Postman Syndrome to Engine to TenFootPole to Black Sabbath to Metallica to Supafuzz to Tool to Brand New Sin in a single conversation. OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Offspring's "Americana" has found a new home in my player. Also, bands on Kung Fu Records, like the Ataris, Useless ID, and bands on Victory Records like TenFootPole. About the only 'bands' I can't stand are Meat Loaf and Linkin Park. BEER: Bud Light in a bottle. OTHER HOBBIES: PRO WRESTLING!! I like the athleticism of the wrestlers. BLOG: PRHmusic PERSONAL MOTTO: "There is no try. Do or do not." - Yoda I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: …I retired from playing drums in bands. Yet, I don't want to be away from the industry. I like writing and I like music so it seems a fit made in heaven.
Vish Iyer Staff Writer wish_1979@hotmail.com	BORN: March 1979 JOINED THE DV STAFF: September 2003 HOMETOWN: Mumbai, India NOW LIVING IN: Pennsylvania SPOUSE / KIDS: Nope. FAVORITE ARTIST: Morrissey OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Cure, Smiths / Morrissey, Catherine Wheel, Cocteau Twins, Curve, Tears For Fears, Nine Inch Nails, Sneaker Pimps, Depeche Mode, New Order, The Mission UK, Faith No More, Massive Attack, Electronic, Grant Lee Buffalo, Jeff Buckley, Jesus Jones, The The, Manic Street Preachers, etc. BEER: I am a teetotaler. I wouldn't like to be a toper. I am happy drinking just plain lemon juice. It is much healthier. OTHER HOBBIES: Writing poetry, watching documentaries of all sorts, reading books (PG Wodehouse, J D Salinger, Albert Camus, etc.), and a little bit of guitar-playing and music-mixing. PERSONAL MOTTO: Don't worry too much about life. It will depress you anyway. I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: ...it gives me a great sense of satisfaction by writing them and sharing my thoughts on music with other cognoscenti, like myself.
Melanie Love Assistant Editor staropt13@aol.com	BORN: 1990 JOINED THE DV STAFF: December 2005 HOMETOWN: Los Angeles NOW LIVING IN: Los Angeles SPOUSE / KIDS?: Nope FAVORITE ARTIST: Queen OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Okkervil River, Bon Iver, Elliott Smith, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Mountain Goats, Death Cab For Cutie, Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, Band Of Horses, Coldplay, Arcade Fire, Sparklehorse, Bob Dylan, Guns N' Roses, George Michael, Jeff Buckley BEER: Nah. I'll pull a Freddie Mercury instead and request champagne. OTHER HOBBIES: Reading, writing, and other general mayhem PERSONAL MOTTO: "Art is not a mirror to reflect reality, but a hammer with which to shape it." - Berthold Brecht I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: ...I like to think it justifies all the money I spend on CDs.
Sean McCarthy Staff Writer smccarthy55@hotmail.com	BORN: 1974 JOINED THE DV STAFF: March 1997 HOMETOWN: Lincoln, NE NOW LIVING IN: Omaha, NE SPOUSE / KIDS?: Nope FAVORITE ARTIST: The Clash OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Morphine, Tori Amos, Radiohead, Liz Phair, Lucinda Williams, Public Enemy, Eminem, The Pixies, Husker Du, Mos Def, Bjork, Cowboy Junkies, Tool, Bob Dylan, Blur, The Chemical Brothers, Buddy Guy. BEER: Guinness, but for health reasons, I had to switch to vodka. OTHER HOBBIES: Mountain biking, reading, cooking, X-Box vegging, basketball and tennis. PERSONAL MOTTO: "I'd rather be lucky than good any day" H.R. Dobbs I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: …you need to read them. (come on, admit it, most music snobs are arrogant).
Mark Millan Staff Writer mmillan79@yahoo.com	BORN: October 1979 JOINED THE DV STAFF: June 2008 HOMETOWN: Melbourne, Australia NOW LIVING IN: St. Kilda, Melbourne, Australia SPOUSE / KIDS?: No / no FAVORITE ARTIST: Tina Turner OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Bob Dylan, Blondie, Renee Geyer, Marianne Faithfull, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Cher, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Cold Chisel, Divinyls, Alice Cooper, Emmylou Harris, Icehouse, James Reyne, Free, David Bowie, Little Richard, ELVIS...this is the list that never ends... BEER: Carlton Draught or Carlton Cold. OTHER HOBBIES: Reading, AFL, Movies, Gigs. PERSONAL MOTTO: Step to the left. I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: ...my parole officer says it's "productive."
Jedediah Pressgrove Staff Writer jrp208@msstate.edu	BORN: 1984 JOINED THE DV STAFF: September 2008 HOMETOWN: Grenada, Mississippi NOW LIVING IN: Starkville, Mississippi SPOUSE / KIDS: No. FAVORITE ARTIST: Elvis Costello and The Attractions OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: The Police, The Beatles, The Kinks, Miles Davis, Public Enemy, Roger Miller, Howlin’ Wolf, Mastodon, Wilco, Chrisette Michele, The Pipettes, among others. BEER: Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout. OTHER HOBBIES: Writing other stuff, reading, film, and video games. BLOG: The Usual Review PERSONAL MOTTO: Personal mottos might be bad for you. I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: ...I am possessed.
Bruce Rusk Staff Writer brucerusk@gmail.com	BORN: 1962 JOINED THE DV STAFF: February 2004 HOMETOWN: Berkeley, CA NOW LIVING IN: Lison, ME SPOUSE / KIDS?: 3 kids FAVORITE ARTIST: Pink Floyd OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Rush, Yes, Kansas, Jethro Tull, B.O.C., Beatles, Who, Iron Maiden, Genesis, Black Sabbath, Primus, Nine Inch Nails, Red Hot Chili Peppers, SRV (if you need to ask...don't), Chris Duarte, Robin Trower, Bela Fleck, Talking Heads, Creem, Porcupine Tree, Spocks Beard, The Flower Kings, Bad Religion, Social Distortion, Foo Fighters, Korn, Staind, Everclear, System of a Down BEER: Redhook E.S.B. OTHER HOBBIES: Film, herpetology, travel, anime PERSONAL MOTTO: Turn what down? I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: ...I have no musical skills myself, so I have no preconceptions about how it should be played.
Jono Russell Staff Writer jono.russell@gmail.com	BORN: 1987, not long after The Joshua Tree JOINED THE DV STAFF: October 2008 HOMETOWN: Ballina, Australia NOW LIVING IN: London, United Kingdom SPOUSE / KIDS? Nope FAVORITE ARTIST: Ben Folds (Five) OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Death Cab for Cutie, The Mountain Goats, Angus & Julia Stone, The Decemberists, The Format, The Waifs, The Dresden Dolls, Amanda Palmer, Belle and Sebastian, Tilly and the Wall, Sufjan Stevens, of Montreal, Neutral Milk Hotel... and the list could go on. BEER: Boags Premium, Toohey's Extra Dry OTHER HOBBIES: Reading, writing, playing piano, religiously supporting various sporting teams that inevitably fail on a regular basis PERSONAL MOTTO: "Bitches can't hang with the streets" - Dr Dre, as delicately rehashed by Ben Folds I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: ... it give me the chance to use the trite clichés I can't use in my day job.
Christopher Thelen Founder / Staff Writer christopher_thelen@yahoo.com	BORN: 1970 JOINED THE DV STAFF: Joined?!? I founded the fargin' place! HOMETOWN: Chicago, IL (go Cubs!) NOW LIVING IN: Gurnee, IL SPOUSE/KIDS: Married to Carrie since 1995 / Sarah (born 1996), Nicolette (2002) and Andrew (2002 - yes, twins) FAVORITE ARTIST: AC/DC OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Geez, got a year? Anthrax, Black Sabbath, Miles Davis, Eddie Harris, Melissa Etheridge, Frank Zappa, Grateful Dead, Phish, Led Zeppelin, Sur Sudha, Dave Uhrich, Rick Wakeman, Joe Satriani, Motorhead, Thelonious Monk, The Who, XTC... the list is endless, really. BEER: Lost the taste for it, sadly. I do drink the occasional Old Style, MGD, or Budweiser. Prefer screwdrivers made with Ketel One, thank you. (Available for endorsements... you listening, Ketel One?) OTHER HOBBIES: Radio, DJ'ing, active in the American Cancer Society "Relay For Life," reading, trying to catch up on my DVD collection (and failing miserably). PERSONAL MOTTO: "Never judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes. That way, if he's an asshole, you've got his shoes and you're a mile away." - Rev. Billy C. Wirtz I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: ...I've got 20-plus years' experience in this field. Do I really need a reason?
Per Vissers Staff Writer per_vissers@hotmail.com	BORN: January 1992 JOINED THE DV STAFF: January 2009 HOMETOWN: Enschede, the Netherlands NOW LIVING IN: Enschede, the Netherlands SPOUSE / KIDS: No sir. FAVORITE ARTIST: Louis Armstrong OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Jamiroquai, John Lee Hooker, Sex Pistols, Gogol Bordello, Fats Waller, Howlin’ Wolf, Madness, Late of the Pier, Muddy Waters, Jaco Pastorius, the Clash, Jimi Hendrix, etc. BEER: Grolsch, obviously. Westmalle Tripel every now and then. OTHER HOBBIES: Playing the bass guitar, photography, cooking, cycle-racing. PERSONAL MOTTO: Health food makes me sick. I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: ...I currently have plenty of time, right?
Jason Warburg Editor editor@dailyvault.com	BORN: when Pete Best was still a Beatle JOINED THE DV STAFF: October 1997 HOMETOWN: Ross, CA NOW LIVING IN: Sacramento, CA SPOUSE / KIDS?: Karen / Josh, Sarah & Eric FAVORITE ARTIST: Bruce Springsteen OTHER ARTISTS I LIKE: Montrose, Yes, the Beatles, Switchfoot, Gin Blossoms, Ben Folds, AC/DC, Jet, U2, Shawn Mullins, the Who, Fountains Of Wayne, Counting Crows, John Mayer, James Taylor, Led Zeppelin, Semisonic, John Hiatt, Jimi Hendrix, the Jayhawks, Ian Hunter, Mary Chapin Carpenter, etc. BEER: Occasionally (a cold Molson on a hot day). OTHER HOBBIES: Writing, softball and the San Francisco Giants. PERSONAL MOTTO: "I don't know.  I'm making this up as I go!" -- Indiana Jones I WRITE MUSIC REVIEWS BECAUSE: ...Rock'n'Roll Jeopardy said no.

Contributing Writers: Daniel Camp, Eric E5S16, Corwin Egbert, Roland Fratzl, Herb Hill, Mark Kadzielawa, Kenny S. McGuane, Ben McVicker, Giselle Nguyen, Darren Paltrowitz, Sam Rusk

Alumni: Luke Adams, George Agnos, Eric Atwell, Benny Balneg, Alison Bellach, Brian Birnbaum, Andrea Callahan, Tammy Childs, Steve Cooper, Elizabeth Crowder, Graham Drennan, Ben Ehrenreich, Michael Ehret, Laura Elise, Mark Feldman, Scott Floman, Cory Galliher, Gordon T. Gekko, Sandra Gilraine, Chris Harlow, Denise Henderson, JB, Tommy Johnson, Paul King, Emily Kinsella, Tom Lancing, Shane M. Liebler, Loznik, Riley McDonald, Adam Mico, Alfredo Narvaez, Candy North, Hansen Olson, Casey O'Lear, Mark Phillips, Benjamin Ray, Julia Skochko, Dan Smith, Michael R. Smith, Jon Southwood, Alicia St. Rose, Jason Thornberry, Matthew Turk, Eric Warburg, David Welsh, Larry (Duke) Williams, Bill Ziemer