This year were able to bring you so many great answers to our Holiday Q & A from so many great musicians, artists and more. Today we feature the highlights of our Q & A Series and make sure to check out all the 5 Part Series! Our Holiday Highlights includes:
- Michael and Monte Money – Money Brother$
- Justin Emord – Love and a.38, Bassist
- Josie Stevens – Designer, TV Personality
- Tavis Stanley – Art of Dying, Guitarist
- Kenny Kweens –
Villains of Vaudeville, Vocalist, Musician
- Kent Brooks – Like A Storm, Bassist, Vocals
- Siren Sycho – Death Koolaid, Singer
- Brody DeRozie – American Monster, Guitarist
- Justyn Vynn – Guitarist, Solo Artist
- Fiona Kernaghan Singer, Songwriter
- Ed ManDevil –
Switchblade Serenade, Bassist
- Diamante Bovelli –
Diamante, Singer
- Morten Garberg –
NiteRain, Drummer
- Dean Pizzazz –
Wayland, Bass
- Adrien Persen –
NiteRain, Guitarist
- Joel Hoekstra –
TransSiberian Orchestra, Guitarist
Michael and Monte Money
Money Brother$
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
Michael Money: In 2009 a fan gave me a Gizmo doll from japan just like the one from the movie Gremlins. I still have it
Monte Money: A birthday cake with my face on it.
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
Monte Money: Sweet potatoes and cinnamon, not sure what it’s called.
Michael Money: I would have to say turkey! With some cranberry sauce, I could eat that for weeks!
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
Michael Money: We get together to go out to the mountains (Mt. Charleston) to have fun in the snow or a Magical Forest walk through (at Opportunity Village that helps give the disabled a chance to be independent and follow their dreams) AND drink hot chocolate.
Monte Money: We all open one present on Christmas eve but then sometimes one isn’t enough. Next thing, I know I want to open all of them. The anticipation is the best though.
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
Michael Money: A Christmas Story but I think I’ve seen that too much. I really like the Christmas claymation shows they show on tv.
Monte Money: Nightmare Before Christmas and Carol of the Bells.
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
Michael Money: The Christmas tree, I love picking out a tree it’s awesome! Bringing it home and trying to shove it through the front door when it’s just too big. Ha ha!
Justin Emord
Love and a .38,Bassist
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
It’s not an odd gift exactly but an odd process. In high school, I had to go on a scavenger hunt around the neighborhood to find my present which turned out to be a guitar wrapped in a box in a tree outside of the house that I had to climb to get.
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
Favorite holiday food is an old Italian dessert called struffoli that is something my grandmother would make and is something I usually still make.
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
A holiday tradition for me which was started 8 years ago with my family in New York was seeing Trans Siberian Orchestra and is now a tradition I carry out here in LA with my friends.
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
Favorite holiday movie would be between Elf and Nightmare Before Christmas, both are movies I enjoy a lot and watch on Christmas day. Being my family is from New York, I love all the jokes and humor pertaining to the city in it and Nightmare Before Christmas, need I say more? It’s one of my all time favorites.
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
My memory is of the miniature artificial Christmas tree my parents would set up for me when I was a kid every year in my room. Nowadays, I set up that same tree with many of the same Disney Ornaments from back then on top of an old bass cabinet I used and line the whole thing in Christmas lights . And of course, add some Halloween flare to the whole set up.
Josie Stevens
Designer,TV Personality
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
A fan once sent a giant pink Hello Kitty “water pipe”, complete with Maribou trim, to my PO box which did surprise me, particularly because I was opening the boxes in my car, which happened to be parked right next to a police car. haha.
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
I have a major sweet tooth so I love all the holiday cakes & cookies!
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
Just enjoying our day with family & friends, good food & opening presents.
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
My favorite holiday movie is probably “Love Actually”. Billy Mack is amazing. haha.
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
Steve & I collect European ornaments when we travel, especially ones of the Krampus
Tavis Stanley
Art of Dying, Guitarist
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
We have a saying in my family “you’re gonna get a slap in the belly with a wet fish” I never got one yet though lol
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
Definitely all the chocolate, i go nuts around xmas with sweets
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
We drive around and look at lights on xmas eve and ooh and aww at everyone’s houses!
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
Favourite movie is elf
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
Yes we have an ornament of a gingerbread man thats actually made of plastic, but when i was like 5 i tried o eat it and it has these huge teeth marks in it still!
Kenny Kweens
Villains of Vaudeville, Vocalist, Musician
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
Well first of all, I am thankful for any gift I receive, so don’t this twisted, but I do remember my family was going through a rough patch, so my gifts were a bit odd this one year. My big gift was a “vintage” pachinko machine. A what? Yeah I know, that’s what I said when I got it.. I didn’t ask for one, hell I didn’t even know they existed, so I had no idea what I was looking at when I unwrapped it. A pachinko machine is a Korean pinball machine. Anyway, at first I was a bit confused and thought I had unwrapped the wrong gift, but I was a understanding kid and before I knew it, me and my friends were having pachinko tournaments.
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
Mama Kweens’ Gumbo!
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
My scavenger hunt. I always pick someone every year and will wrap a box with a note inside… That note has a clue to find the next gift with another note inside to find the next gift with another note and clue inside and so on and so forth until the person finds their actual gift. This can be hours of fun, as it can go on for a while and it gives me great pleasure watching people wandering around trying to figure out my poorly written riddles. I’ve sent people down the street, to other homes, inside of cars, up in trees.. Oh the joy of Christmas.
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
My favorite movie would be that old stop-animation movie with the cold miser and heat miser. Those two guys crack me up and their theme songs are hilarious! I think it’s called, “The Year Without a Santa Claus”, I love all those old stop-animation movies and my favorite song would be “Please Come Home For Christmas” the version by The Eagles.
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
My Mom is an awesome decorator. Her decorations are the best I’ve ever seen. Her stuff should be in magazines, it’s better than what you see in high-end department stores and she does it all with arthritic hands. She is absolutely amazing! She tops herself every year, which makes it hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to, it would be the little black tree she puts in my room when I visit.
Kent Brooks
Like A Storm, Bassist, Vocals
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
We had a mate from Canada stay with our family in NZ one Xmas. He put big presents under the tree for everyone, and we felt bad that he’d spent all his money doing that. Then we opened them and realized he’d done his shopping at the Dollar Store! Haha… Mine was like a plastic toy piano.
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
Xmas is in Summer in NZ, so you gotta fire up the Barbie! Wash it down with a few Steinlager Pures… Finish it off with Pavlova for dessert, which is Kiwi fav
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
In our family, we try and get as many people in one spot as we can! It’s awesome because you keep having new people showing up all day.
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
We love “Scrooged” with Bill Murray. That was on every year on Xmas Eve in NZ when we were kids.
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
When I was a kid one year I didn’t know what to get Mum, so I tried to make her a Xmas wreath. I couldn’t figure out how to make the chicken wire round, so the wreath is a square! But it actually came out ok, and she loved it. I’m pretty sure if you drove past the house today you’d see it hanging on the door!
Siren Sycho
Death Koolaid, Singer
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
A pot noodle.
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
I hate most Holiday food – dark mint chocolate, does that count?
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
Going out to one of my home towns bars to meet old friends on Xmas eve.
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
The Shining and Price of Reality by Amen.
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
No I hate xmas but actually one year i had a tiny black xmas tree… and then i burnt it.
Brody DeRozie
American Monster, Guitarist
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
One year my great grandma got everyone these super ugly matching hats, we took a pic together with them and never saw the hats again.
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
Stuffing. Ill get down on that for sure. haha
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
Getting the see all the So Cal family!
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
A Christmas story. Some channel plays it for 24 hrs straight every year and I always end up watching it a few times. the Gremlins too. Love it!
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
A Kiss ornament that I’ve had since I was a kid. Don’t know how its still in tact.
Justyn Vynn
Solo Artist, Guitarist (formerly of Snakeskyn Whiskey)
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
Christmas or in general? Haha I’ll answer both, for Christmas, I received a Backstreet Boys CD at like 12, and while I’m not knocking them, the Backstreet Boys have never been my type of music ever lol. Maybe when I was 7-8 when all the girls went nuts for them, but by 12, I was into the stuff I’m into now.
Oddest gift ever?? My 18th birthday, where my buddies decided to bake me a “shit” cake, they literally threw everything in the kitchen in there, stuck it in the oven, and “baked” me a cake lol. I took a bite and it was horrendous but I felt the love haha.
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
Well I’m Portuguese, my entire family is, so I’m totally looking forward to all the food my grandmothers gonna cook up! But totally can’t wait for that Portuguese –wait for it—TURKEY! In Montreal, Portuguese chicken is like food fashion, people line-up everywhere they make it to get some chicken, but I’m waiting for my home cooked Turkey!!
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
Ever since I was born, we’d go to my Grandmother’s house on Christmas Eve. The entire family is there (way bigger now than when I was 5-6), and it’s just a great time without any worries. We’d get gifts at midnight (since we wouldn’t see each other till the week after), and just continue the fun there. The tradition has changed, I now enjoy watching my younger cousins open their gifts! And all the grandchildren take a photo on this staircase at my grandmothers house. I’m the eldest grandchild, and the youngest is 2 and theres 8 other children in between, so that staircase is plenty full. Although, I’m trying to “retire” myself from this photo since I’m closer to having my own kids then being a grandchild lol.
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
Oh of course! Jingle All The Way! The movie with Arnie! TURBOOOO MAN! Home Alone 1 + 2. Music, I absolutely love Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Christmas Eve Sarajevo is my definite favourite Christmas Song.
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
Yep! This ornament I had when I was a kid with my name on it. I can’t remember what happened to it, it probably broke as all Ornaments do.
Fiona Kernaghan
Songwriter, Singer
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
A driver safety training course, after having had my license for many years. Somehow it still makes me laugh, but at the end of the day it was kinda fun!
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
Roast turkey – with cranberry sauce… Oh and holiday cocktails!
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
We open one present each Christmas Eve. Who can wait for Santa!?
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
I have both a favorite holiday song and movie. My favorite holiday song is “White Christmas”, by Bing Crosby. It has extra poignancy for me, having grown up in Australia where a white Christmas really is only a dream! A close second is “Breath Of Heaven” by the lovely Amy Grant. My favorite holiday movie is “Love Actually”, and it competes annually with “The Holiday”.
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
Growing up we had a plastic Santa and sleigh with reindeer that mom would set under the tree every year. No matter how old and banged up that thing got we loved it and it seemed to have a life of it’s own, we found it so enchanting
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Fiona has available her heartwarming short story and song,”An L.A. Christmas Story & Song” now available on Itunes here. Make sure to pick this up tonight, cozy up by the tree and enjoy her inspirational and soul touching story that will have you feeling blessed. Her companion song, “A Christmas Blessing” is magical and beautifully captures the spirit of the season.
Ed ManDevil
Switchblade Serenade, Bassist
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
It would be a photoshopped picture of a dude as a radioactive spider burning down a city and roasting a marshmallow
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
I’d have to say Deviled eggs haha
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
It would be watch my dogs open gifts
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
Jingle All the Way for the Movie and Favorite Christmas song (come on you cant beat Billy Idol, Steve Stevens, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum)
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
I got an ornament of a bass for the first Xmas since joining the band from my folks
Diamante Bovelli
Diamante, Singer
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
It’s not odd whatsoever now, but when I was about 6, my parents got me my first stereo. I was really surprised at the time because it looked like some incredibly advanced alien invention to me. I knew I liked singing, but that stereo completely opened up my entire passion for music and singing. I sang with it every single day and I still do to this day. I love it because now it’s almost looking vintage.
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
That is such a hard question because I love a lot of holiday food! I’m vegan, but I probably have to go with either pumpkin or pecan pie because those are some of my favorite flavors.
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
Usually my family always sits down on Christmas Eve and has dinner. Instead of celebrating the next morning, it’s customary in Latin and European cultures to sit down with family and have huge dinner parties. We usually go to Mexico or Italy to see family which I love.
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
I don’t have a song in particular, but I love hearing those really classic jazzy and almost bluesy holiday songs that malls will play in bookstores or cafés. It really sets the mood and brings that magical feel. My favorite movie definitely has to be “The Nightmare Before Christmas” because it’s the cutest movie ever.
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
When I was living with my best friend and her family last year, I got to help decorate the Christmas tree which was so much fun. It was a gigantic mess but the finished product was really nice. I remember the one ornament on the very top that her sisters and I all attempted vigorously to put on top of the tree, we didn’t succeed until about half an hour and almost fell of ladders but it was worth it.
Morten Garberg
NiteRain, Drummer
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
The oddest gift i really don’t know, my friends aren’t that creative
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
Favorite food has to be a norwegian dish called “ribbe” Its pork
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
My favorite tradition has to be Christmas dinner with the family and i still open one present in the morning on Christmas Eve
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
I’m not really big on the Christmas songs
But A Day To Remember has a song themed around Christmas and i like that one alot
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
I love my grandmothers tiny discoball ornament still hang it on the tree myself
Dean Pizzazz
Wayland, Bassist
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
A dick sock. Hand knitted.
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
My moms corn soufflé. ( A delicious corn bread/cake type dish. its fareeking awesome.
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
Hmmmm…Christmaseve with my family all my aunts uncles and nephews!(on my mothers side)
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
Favorite Holiday song: Happy Holidays (the Perry Como version) and movie would be Santa Clause Is coming to town and A Muppet Christmas Carol.
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
And my favorite thing about Christmas involves decorations. My parent house. It always looks amazing during Christmas time. Being home really feels like the Holidays:). Merry Christmas!!
Adrien Persen
NiteRain, Guitarist
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
Last Christmas I received a guitar (BC Rich Mockingbird), it’s not directly “odd” but more shocking y’know, haha. Or it has to be the time I got a hip flask camouflaged in a bible.
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
Christmas Ribs, It’s just a classic that I never get tired of. Oh, and it tastes great with aquavit/akvait!
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
Every 2nd day of christmas we meet almost the whole family (uncles, aunts and cousins) to eat even more delicious food, drink, have a lot of laughs and just have a good time!
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
The Grinch is always a classic, but to be honest I’m not quite sure which holiday movie that I would call my “favorite”. I kinda have a long list! Same with the songs!
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
I have this miniature Fender Stratocaster that I’m always hanging in the tree. I’ve always loved guitars, and I didn’t think about using it as a holiday decoration, it was more of a joke. But my parents loved the idea, so they let me hang it in the tree!
Joel Hoekstra
TransSiberian Orchestra, Guitarist
What is the oddest gift you have ever received?
Nothing really stands out off-hand. We do get lots of “creative” gifts from the fans though.
What is your favorite Holiday Food Item?
Our keyboard players’ mom makes chocolate covered honey roasted peanuts for the band bus each year that are just devastatingly good.
What is your favorite Holiday family tradition that you still do today?
My in-laws have a traditional secret Santa exchange and you have to ce up with a skit/presentation for that person as well. It’s always a riot.
Do you have a favorite holiday movie or song?
I love watching A Christmas Story and am a sucker for most carols…Silent Night might be my favorite.
Do you have a specific memory of a certain ornament or holiday decoration?
I’ve got one with a picture of my departed dog in it that almost gets a tear out of me every year. What a softie, huh? Lol!
~ Marisol, Rockin’ Ryan, Rachel, Steve, Larry, and Music Junkie Press!
In case you missed it, click here for Part 1
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