In addition to being home to more than its share of Seattle rockers, from Mudhoney’s Mark Arm to Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, West Seattle is a magnet for the men and women who represent them. While we usually take pitches from the following women about the shows and bands they’re representing, here we give them some space to pitch one of the things they hold most dear: West Seattle itself. The windup, the pitch . . .
Kerri Harrop, freelance publicist and alumnus of the Murder City Devils/Mad Rad camps: “I don’t think you, or anyone, should relocate to West Seattle. One of the reasons I moved to the west side 11 years ago was its short supply of groovy ghoulies. Unlike certain neighborhoods around town (I’m looking at you, Capitol Hill), West Seattle is still, in spite of marked growth, relatively sleepy and quiet.
“Sure, we’ve got the O.G. Easy Street Records, which continues to be one of the best record stores in Seattle, and enough indie businesses to satisfy certain demographics. I reckon there are enough places to see live music, although you’re probably not gonna see those shows written up in the local press. West Seattle is still blessedly devoid of nightclubs and trendy bars, and I like it that way.
“For the longest time, the only people I would ever run into in West Seattle were Mark Arm and his lovely wife Emily Rieman. Mark already did his part for West Seattle’s music notoriety by a) being a longtime resident and b) shooting a Mudhoney video at the legendary Admiral Benbow Inn. We’re good to go on cool shit and fun humans. There are a million reasons why West Seattle is awesome, but if I tell you, I will have to kill you.”
Nicole Vandenberg, publicist for Pearl Jam: “The east and west is divided by–among other things–those who want to watch the sun rise–eastsiders–and those who want to watch it set—westsiders.” Vandenberg’s West Seattle faves include: Easy Street Records, West 5, Spring Hill, Mashiko, Bakery Nouveau, Husky Deli, Endolyne Joe’s, Metropolitan Market, ferryboats, island and Olympic mountaintop views, Lincoln (not Linkin) Park, the Colman saltwater pool, Alki Beach, the Rat City Rollergirls, Kerri Harrop, and the West Seattle Golf Course.
Barbara Mitchell, publicist for the Comet and Can Can, and onetime rep of Death Cab for Cutie: “I’m not going to lie—I was really worried about moving to West Seattle. I’m a Ballard girl. There’s a bridge involved. And not to sound all Joy Division, but isolation seemed the go-to word.
“The truth is, West Seattle is cozy but not isolated. It takes me far less time to get to Capitol Hill or downtown than it did from Ballard (and Ballard is a pretty quick trip, too). There’s a relaxed, self-deprecating vibe, a nice sense of community, lots of fellow music folks, plenty of great food—and a pirate bar! (The Benbow Room.)
“I go back and forth between being really social and a total hermit, so it’s pretty perfect—kind of an easily accessible retreat.”
