The Stats:
Name: Gerald Hammill (Brooklyn, NY)
Programs: Brooklyn Industries, The Bedford, Various One-Offs (GQ/Nordstrom Pop-Up Shop, Gizmodo Home of the Future)
Q: How do you find music for your programs?
My full-time job is the editor/webmaster for Other Music — a great New York City record shop, on-line store, and record label. Just right there I’m exposed to so much incredible music, old and new, and I get to hear a lot of unsigned bands as well via self-released albums and demos. I also try to stay up to date with music blogs (Brooklynvegan, Stereogum, Pitchfork, Aquarium Drunkard, Dusted, etc.) magazines from Fader to Wire to Wax Poetics, etc., surfing around Bandcamp and Soundcloud, and I always check out all the music that Shoplifter sends over.
Q: What’s your all-time favorite track that you think works in just about every retail program?
I feel like each project I work on is very specific in its “vibe” and “feel,” so I can’t really single out a specific tune that I sneak in across the board. But I was at a restaurant the other night and Air’s “Moon Safari” was playing on the stereo, and as many times as I’ve heard that album when I’m out, it still sounds so good. There’s so much atmosphere in that record that it just feels right no matter where you are or what time of day it’s being played. That is unless you’re in a country and western bar, then I’d stick with Johnny Cash.
Q: When you’re not programming music for stores, what are your interests and hobbies?
I’m pretty involved in music ‘round the clock. Along with working for Other Music, I DJ around the city a few times a month and also have been playing guitar in a loose-knit group called 178 Product, put together by Sal Principato of Liquid Liquid, an ‘80s band from NYC’s downtown scene that I’m a huge fan of, so that’s been really cool.
Q: What Shoplifter release are you currently loving?
I’m just getting ready to start programming my summertime playlists but no doubt Purity Ring, Nite Fields, Ibeyi, Michna, Cheatahs, and Hanni El Khatib will be included.