Feature / One Question Interviews
Pinned In Place

Words: Loren • October 17, 2017

Pinned In Place
Pinned In Place

Sean Arenas 

SPB: What song would you want played at your funeral? 

Sean: It took me a bit to decide what song because I don't want something totally depressing playing at my funeral.

So, I figured Tom Waits' "Anywhere I Lay My Head" perfectly combines both the downbeat and the upbeat. Waits' gravelly vocals and vagabond lyrics--"anywhere I lay my head, boys, I will call my home"--are supported by a mournful brass section, but then the ending erupts into New Orleans-style parade music. Perfect, man. Put me in the ground with that one playing.

 

Loren • October 17, 2017

Pinned In Place
Pinned In Place

Related features

Pinned in Place

One Question Interviews / What's That Noise? • April 2, 2021

Sean Arenas (Pinned in Place – guitar) SPB: What guitar do you play (and how did you choose it)? Arenas: I've only ever owned one electric guitar: my purple Fender Standard Telecaster, a Mexican model. I purchased it when I was nineteen from a sixteen-year-old kid in Temple City, Calif. … Read more

Related reviews

Pinned In Place

Rubbernecking at the Gates of Hell
Reflective Tapes (2018)

I’ve been debating how to describe this one for a while. Pinned in Place aren’t exactly happy campers, but compared to most of what I’ve been reviewing lately their music feels downright optimistic with the sunny guitar lines and harmonies that define their sound. That said, the record is named Rubbernecking at the Gates of Hell for a reason.The opening … Read more

Pinned In Place

Ghostwritten By
Razorcake (2016)

One (of many) differences between indie rock and punk is generally the sense of humor as it relates to self-awareness. Considering that other reviews namedrop Built to Spill frequently in the RIYL section for Pinned in Place, it’s a nice touch to start the record with the song “Built to Chill.” It’s both self-referential and a sweet name that describes … Read more

More from this section

Skyway

One Question Interviews • May 23, 2025

Andrew Burgess (Skyway) SPB: What is your favorite protest song? Burgess: My favorite protest song? That's a tough one. I think it's impossible to talk about protest songs without mentioning the all-time greats that have held up over the years. I'm talking about songs like "We Shall Overcome," "We Will … Read more

ButcherBird

One Question Interviews • May 22, 2025

Rob (ButcherBird – guitar) SPB: How do you draw the line between taking influence vs. mimicking? Rob: When it comes to human creativity, almost nothing is truly and completely new. There’s a song by Iron Monkey called “House Anxiety” which has an absolutely crushing riff in it -- and it’s … Read more

Perfect Buzz

One Question Interviews • May 20, 2025

Petey J. Cool (Perfect Buzz) SPB: What is the best TV theme song? Petey J. Cool: I’ve still never seen an episode of Hawaii Five-O, but when I was a kid I’d get to catch the opening sequence just before I was marched off to bed. I was fascinated because … Read more