Critic, journalist, sometime musician, onetime actor, and full-time Midwesterner Mark Deming was born in Jackson, MI, during a brief moment in the John F. Kennedy administration that James Ellroy failed to document in American Tabloid. In 1964, Mark's older brother Steve brought home a copy of "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris, and played it at full blast on the family stereo as young Mark was busy coloring in the next room. From this point on, Deming was a child obsessed, absorbing any arcane information he could uncover on the subject of pop music. He began foisting his opinions about music and film upon others via the printed page in high school. While attending Michigan State University (where he received a B.A. in Journalism, thereby proving that just about anyone can), he became entertainment editor of MSU's daily student paper The State News, where he once elicited a death threat for writing that Journey was "just not any fun." After graduating, Deming wrote for a number of publications, including the Lansing Capital Times, Detroit Metro Times, Chicago New City, American Garage, and Resonance, while supporting himself by assembling multi-part carbon forms, guarding the parking lot of a Taco Bell, and impersonating a Hostess Twinkie. In 1999, he became an editor and staff writer for All Media Guide, where he spreads his knowledge to the four corners of the globe through what some guy on TV calls "the power of the Internet."

As an actor, Deming mumbled his way into a supporting role in Robert Altman's 1978 film A Wedding, and ended his screen career with a larger but significantly more embarrassing appearance in GORP, which he described as "quite possibly the worst comedy ever made." In his mid-twenties, Deming's lingering adolescent obsessions led him to join the first of several rock bands, namely, the Kokobutts. The vocalist later lent what one critic called his "nasal Midwestern twang" to recordings by the Lime Giants, Mark Lansing and his Board of Water & Light, and The Clutters.

While Deming's objects of musical fascination tend to wax and wane, a so-called "desert island" list for him would doubtless include the following titles:

The Velvet Underground, Peel Slowly and See The Schramms, Dizzy Spells Charles Brown, All My Life (Their Greatest Hits) Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Get Happy!! The Stooges, Fun House Willie Nelson, Red Headed Stranger Professor Longhair, Rock 'n' Roll Gumbo Buzzcocks, Singles Going Steady The Replacements, Let It Be Mission of Burma, Vs. Toots And The Maytals, Funky Kingston John Coltrane, A Love Supreme Television, Marquee Moon 13th Floor Elevators, Easter Everywhere Richard & Linda Thompson, I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight The Who, Quadrophenia (disc 1) Yo La Tengo, May I Sing With Me Little Richard, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Greatest Hits: 22 Best-Loved Favorites Uncle Tupelo, No Depression Emmylou Harris, Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town Muddy Waters, "A.K.A. McKinley Morganfield" Steinski, Nothing To Fear A Rough Mix Big Star, Radio City Ramones, Rocket to Russia Elvis Presley, The Stars and Suns Sessions

Best of 2004 (in no order) Drive-By Truckers -- The Dirty South Mission of Burma -- ONoffON Wilco -- A Ghost is Born Reigning Sound -- Too Much Guitar Kasey Chambers -- Wayward Angel The Breakup Society -- James at 35 Loretta Lynn -- Van Lear Rose American Music Club -- Love Songs For Patriots Mike Watt -- The Secondman's Middle Stand Patterson Hood -- Killers and Stars The Lazy Cowgirls -- "I'm Going Out And Get Hurt Tonight" Local H -- Whatever Happened to P.J. Soles? BR5-49 -- Tangled in the Pines Faces -- "Five Guys Walk Into A Bar …" Crime -- San Francisco's Still Doomed

First Record Album Bought: Harry Nilsson, Nilsson Schmilsson First Concert: Dave Brubeck Favorite Music Movie: Hard Core Logo Favorite Music Book: England's Dreaming by Jon Savage Favorite Songwriter: Paul Westerberg (when he's good) Favorite Producer: Jim Diamond Favorite Arranger: Jack Nitzsche Favorite Record Label: Dangerhouse Favorite Music Writer: Lester Bangs

Favorite Magazines: Creem, Trouser Press and Psychotronic Least Favorite Magazine: National Review Favorite Guitarist: Richard Thompson Least Favorite Guitarist: Eddie Van Halen (more for his influence than his actual playing) Favorite Album Cover: And Nico (with peelable banana!) Least Favorite Album Cover: Creed, Human Clay Favorite Session Players: Earl Palmer, James Burton, James Jamerson Least Favorite Record Label: Wind-Up Favorite Teen Idol: Ricky Nelson (for teaching millions about the magic of rockabilly and James Burton) Artist Who Broke Your Heart: Wayne Kramer Artist You Will Always Believe In: Mike Watt Singer Who Makes Your Skin Crawl: Morrissey (not a bad songwriter, though) Singer Who Makes You Swoon: Emmylou Harris Favorite Sound: Rain Album You Will Always Defend: Heartbeat City Album You Own That No One Else Does: The Schramms, "2000 Weiss Beers From Home" Classic Album You Own But Don't Like: Pink Floyd, The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn Artist You're Supposed to Like But Don't: Can Song You Can't Stand by an Artist You Like: "Nazi Girlfriend" by Iggy Pop Band That Should Break Up: R.E.M. Band That Should Reform: Fastbacks Guilty Pleasure: Tubular Bells III Favorite Music DVD: MC5: A True Testimonial Musical Era You'd Most Like to Visit: L.A. Punk Scene, 1976-79 Concert You Wish You'd Seen: The Velvet Underground, The Sir Douglas Quintet and Flamin' Groovies, Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA, 11/22/1968 Your Dream Concert Lineup: The Stooges, The Lazy Cowgirls and Mission of Burma Dream Collaboration: Richard Thompson and Tom Verlaine (Runner up: Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young)

~ Mark Deming, Rovi