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Feb 13, 2013 Artist Surveys 2012 By Under the Radar Staff

For Under the Radar‘s 10th annual Artist Survey we emailed some of our favorite artists a few questions relating to 2012.

Pick up the print version of the Best of 2012 issue to read responses from the following artists: Alt-J, Fred Armisen, Bear in Heaven, Camera Obscura, Chad Valley, Charli XCX, Choir of Young Believers, Clinic, CSS, Dan Deacon, Desaparecidos, Django Django, Efterklang, Egyptian Hip Hop, El Perro Del Mar, Grimes, Halls, Richard Hawley, Hercules and Love Affair, Ladytron, Liars, Lord Huron, Lower Dens, Mount Eerie, My Morning Jacket, The Mynabirds, The New Pornographers, of Montreal, Peaking Lights, Porcelain Raft, Laetitia Sadier, Tame Impala, and Tegan and Sara.

Then download the digital version of the Best of 2012 issue to read all those surveys, as well as bonus responses from the following artists: !!!, Clare and the Reasons, Codeine, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Esben and the Witch, The Fresh & Onlys, Get People, Islands, Kwes, Lost in the Trees, NZCA/LINES, OFF!, Plants and Animals, Still Corners, Violens, Xiu Xiu, Young Dreams, and Zambri.

We are also posting additional web-exclusive bonus answers to the website. These are from artists whose surveys are in the print magazine, but are extra answers that didn’t fit in the issue. Here are bonus answers from of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes and pick up the Best of 2012 issue to read the rest of their answers.

What are your thoughts on the 2012 U.S. presidential election?

Neither candidate was totally ideal, though Obama is definitely less repulsive than Romney. I’m very happy and relieved that Obama won. I was really terrified of what four years of Romney/Ryan would do to the U.S., as well as to the rest of the world. Hopefully there will be a more positive and healthy relationship between Congress and Obama this term. The last two years or so have just been an embarrassment. I am definitely very happy to see that the corrupt world of Karl Rove’s millionaire boys club failed to buy the election for Romney. That alone makes me feel less cynical about politics.

Steve Albini criticized Amanda Palmer for recruiting musicians to play in her backing band for free. Was he right to do this and was Palmer right to change her mind and pay her musicians?

I definitely feel like one should share the wealth. We spent many years traveling around in a van and sleeping on people’s floors and we always shared whatever little money there was between the band members. I don’t know the specifics of Amanda’s situation, though I did see that she made some insanely huge amount of money from her Kickstarter campaign, so it does seem kinda weird for her to not pay her musicians anything for their contributions to her vision. But, like I said, I don’t know any of the details so I can’t really comment on it beyond that.

Were you affected by Hurricane Sandy? Do you think that climate change was partly responsible for the hurricane?

Luckily I wasn’t directly affected. The worst thing that happened to Athens, GA, was a bit of cold weather. Global warming seems like an undeniable reality, and I feel like it’s disgusting that people who could actually slow it down do very little to save us. I don’t know what it will take for everyone to have to face the facts. It seems like we are basically doomed.

What pop culture phenomenon from 2012 would you most like to erase from your memory?

Definitely “Gangnam Style.”

Tell us about the most memorable fan encounter you had this year.

Someone gave me a Howard Zinn book. That was really nice.

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