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GUEST EDITOR

Best Of 2012, Guest Editors: Imperial Teen On Swank Five-Star Hotels On Hotwire

As 2012 comes to an end, we are taking a look back at some of our favorite posts of the year by our guest editors.

Imperial Teen has been around for longer than you think; roughly 15 years to be exact. Wielding its own distinct brand of pop/rock, the quartet has since crafted a solid niche for itself on the indie scene, particularly thanks to the experience of seasoned pros Will Schwartz, Roddy Bottum, Jone Stebbins and Lynn Truell. Known for its complex lyrics and catchy hooks, Imperial Teen has made a solid mark in the music world during its run, especially with new album Feel The Sound (Merge). We decided to test that experience by inviting the band to guest edit magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new Q&A with Schwartz.

Schwartz: I was one of those kids who grew up in a blue-collar to middle-class town in Jersey and dreamed of a glamorous lifestyle with celebrities in Beverly Hills. When I was in high school, my family moved out West and I kind of got my wish. I made photo albums of white limos and the Beverly Hills sign and gems and the Mondrian hotel when it was painted like a Mondrian. One of the best things I can remember is being a kid in L.A.; it was so glamorous! My family stayed at the Mondrian while we were waiting to move into our house, and I met George Burns, Madonna, Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli (she bought me a Coke!), Molly Ringwald and Dweezil Zappa. There was a free limo service and I would just go tool around—14 years old!! Anyway, in my late teens/early 20s, I kind of rejected that lifestyle and embraced a more punk aesthetic, later on learning that they’re not (necessarily) mutually exclusive. Like how Joan Didion talks about her stays at the Beverly Wilshire. I’m still pretty punk, but once in awhile I like to go on Hotwire (a discount website) and pick out a five–star hotel and go stay for the night with pals. There’s still a part of me that’s a little prince; not sure where it came from.

Video after the jump.