It was frightening in that these folks also have very high standards and, often, are friends of mine. I was very conscious of the weight involved, aware of the scrutiny I was under, but also knew I had to write as honestly as I could.

This meant covering some pretty uncomfortable topics at times, but it had to be done. Any book that couldn't speak the unvarnished truth (as we saw it) would have been worse than useless, and not a worthy representation of a community grounded in such a demanding ethic as DC.

In the end, that really was my aim: to create a book that was worthy of the community we were trying to document... hope we succeeded.

2. Have you had any interesting experiences, positive or negative, that have arisen based on those pre-existing friendships?
All the time! Most of my friends covered in the book have been very supportive, even proud of the book. Some of them have not read it (intentionally); a couple have had fairly intense conversations with me. I haven't lost any friends over the book which, given its frank nature, I think is all I can reasonably ask. Hopefully Mark Jenkins and I proved worthy of the trust so many folks invested in us.

3. Where I grew up and played music and went to shows (in Seattle), there were a bunch of kids, including myself, who were fascinated by bands that were coming out of DC and how dedicated they all were. What is some of the feedback you've gotten from people outside of DC about your book?
The response from outside the DC community has been incredibly positive overall. I think this shows how significant DC has been (and remains) to many people across this world. In a sense, I am not surprised by this, as the community has obviously been such an inspiration to me as well.

Still, it makes me happy because I hoped to pass on some of that energy, creativity, and dedication, and the positive reaction makes me feel like perhaps we did. It sure would have been an awful waste of 15 years of my life otherwise!

4. You mentioned that an earlier version of the book was almost twice as long. I'm curious to hear a little about what didn't make it into the finished book.
There were more stories, plus more details in even those stories that made it in, for one thing. There also was much more autobiographical material, and more social and political history. Some of it will soon show up on our new website (DanceofDays.com), so check it out if you have the chance!

5. What was it like to work with another writer, Mark Jenkins, on such a huge project inspired by your own personal experiences in DC?
The chance to work with Mark was a real pleasure. He is such a good-hearted, intelligent guy, with great skill as a writer. We are both pretty hardcore about what we do, however. The collaboration could never have worked if we didn't really respect each other and agree on the basics of the story.

It actually helped with a key problem with the book: how could the tone remain the same throughout when half of it was before I came to DC and half was after my arrival? Once Mark was involved, it was clear that we would have a more objective tone all the way through, with chances to speak in a more personal way with the inserts. I think this helped make the book much, much stronger.

6. In the later chapters of Dance of Days you talk about Olympia, Washington. It seems like Olympia became a sister-town to DC at least as far as music and activism are concerned. Could you elaborate a little more on how that relationship developed?
Mostly it was all about friendships and the sense that certain ethics were shared between the two communities. It wasn't planned at all, it just happened, like most of the beautiful parts of life.

7. And is there a Positive Force in Olympia too?
Nope, not to my knowledge.

8. For people who haven't read the book yet, what are the primary differences between Dance of Days and Cynthia Connolly's Banned in DC?
They are very different books: Cynthia's is more of a photo book, covering less than half of the time-span that Dance of Days covers. I think Banned In DC is a beautiful book, and I used it a lot as a source. At the same time, however, I wanted to look at the story in deeper and broader ways.

Ironically, Cynthia and I both had our book ideas at around the same time, considered collaborating, but then decided to each do our own thing. I'm really glad we did, as it suggests that neither of us think that our individual books are the "be-all, end-all" of the DC punk story.

9. You're now involved with the Emmaus Services for the Aging. What exactly is your role there?
I am the outreach coordinator, so I spend a lot of time out in the inner-city neighborhood (Shaw) where I work, visiting seniors, trying to defend their rights, to help out wherever they have needs.

As the job title suggests, I also help "coordinate" outreach visits by our volunteers and groups from all over the USA and world. I also do a fair amount of public speaking and writing, trying to spread our message. I also do scheduling for the Flemming Center where we (and about 10 other activist groups) are based. I also represent Emmaus in groups like the Fair Budget Coalition, trying to build power among DC's marginalized, to press the "powers-that-be" to put human needs first.

10. Have many DC bands been involved in the antiwar movement over the past year?
A lot of folks have been active in different ways. Some of our "heavyweights" have been a bit more quiet this time. Fugazi, for example, has not been active as a band, simply because they are focusing on family matters while taking a break as a musical unit. Still, I see alot of artists out at different demos, or speaking out in other ways. I know people are now helping to organize a "Bands Against Bush" movement here, perhaps in collaboration with others across the country.

11. Is it more difficult for you to do locally based grassroots activism in the age of George W. Bush, when global political developments affect the lives of so many people on such a vast scale?
No, simply because this has always been true, the "global" impacts to the "local" and vice versa. I do feel that being rooted in your local community is really important; it can be way too easy to be upset about injustice elsewhere, while being blind to it in our own backyard. Done correctly, all of this work ties together, and we help each other to get it done.

The work is more difficult, of course, when Bush cuts social programs to fund an insane military build-up and tax cuts for the rich. Still, no-one ever said this was going to be easy. The struggle between the rich and the poor is not a new development, and we are all called to stand with one side or the other.

12. Have you made any further progress on the book that you mention in the last chapter that you are working on, tentatively titled "All the Power: Radical Illusions and Practical Revolution"?
Yes, there is progress, I am glad to report! I just sent off the 4th chapter (of 10 planned) last night, July 16, 2003. Hope to have the rough draft done by October 1, the final version knocked out by February. Looks to be out more or less on schedule on AK Press by mid-to-late 2004. It is really hard work, and there are so many other demands on my time, but the writing is going well. Keep rooting for me to get it done, OK?

The last thing I would say is simply the point from the end of Dance of Days: Your story is really the one that matters.

NOW is way more important than THEN. Believe in yourself, don't give up on other people, keep an open mind and heart. Never let anyone tell you what can or can't be done. If you are moved by the tale told in Dance of Days, then write a story (with your actions)that is a worthy sequel.

Above all, thanks for taking the time to read these words. I hope they are of some use to you in this brief, crazy, pain-filled, mysterious, glorious life.