Blues Traveler Interview
By: Katie DeVito (Self-Proclaimed Princeton Celebrity Journalist)
Follow me on Twitter @kdevito and @PartyLiteNJ

Here we go Tigers, Here we go! Clap! Clap!

PrincetonScoop is stoked to be able to share their first ever celebrity interview with you. We were able to score an interview with Princeton’s own Tad Kinchla from the band “Blues Traveler”. Here’s what happened:

Hey Tad! First of all thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview for Princeton Scoop. I know our readers are going to love hearing about all your favorite things Princeton. If at any time you don’t like the question, don’t have an answer, or just don’t feel like answering, just say pass. (*He didn’t. He answered everything.)

PrincetonScoop:    What teams or groups were you involved with growing up in Princeton?

Tad Kinchla:    We were involved with Princeton Travelling Team Hockey, Princeton Soccer Association, Princeton Little League,  Princeton Pop Warner Football, Trinity Church Men Boys and Girls Choir.

PS:            What was your first job? Was it in Princeton?

TK:    I worked in the kitchen at the Colonial Eating Club at Princeton University.  I was also part of the paint crew at the Institute For Advanced Studies.

PS:    When you are not on tour, and visiting Princeton, besides visiting friends and family, where’s the first place you must go?

TK:    We always make it a point to stop by the Battle Field to hang out.

PS:    Favorite place to hang out when attending Princeton High School?

TK:    While at PHS, you could usually find us hanging out at The Arch.

Ok this appears to be the food section, I mean culinary section. I for one am always on the search for the best of the best, so I’m curious what your faves are.

PS:             All time favorite restaurant?

TK:            No Doubt, Lahiere’s!

PS:    Favorite Pizza Place? Favorite toppings? What do you prefer to drink with your pizza?

TK:    Victor’s is my favorite place for pizza.  I always get a plain slice with a Mellow Yellow.

PS:                Favorite Ice cream place? What do you order?

TK:    Without a doubt Thomas Sweets!  Sweet Cream ice cream with peanut butter cups blended in.

PS:            Favorite Coffee Shop? What is your drink of choice?

TK:            You can never go wrong with a large coffee from Wawa.

PS:        Hoagie Haven was a popular answer when I posed the question “you know you’re from Princeton…” What is your typical order at Hoagie Haven?

TK:    I always order a #8 with everything. Extra ketchup and oregano on the fries is a must.

PS:        Do you call them subs or hoagies? It’s an ongoing debate. I say subs and the hubs refuses to go for subs but say’s we can go for hoagies.

TK:            Definitely hoagies!

PS:        Favorite place to grab a beer? What do you typically order? Favorite bartender?

TK:            I always like to head out to the Rusty Scupper for a Yuengling.

PS:        Favorite Chinese restaurant? What do you order? I’ve always been a fan of chicken with broccoli.

TK:            The Great Wall for the best General Tso’s.

PS:            Who has the best wings? Hot? Mild? BBQ?

TK:    Chuck’s had the best wings before the Menendez brother bought it.  Hot is the way to go.

Ok enough talk about food. Now I’m starving! Let’s go back to general questions.

PS:                Where did you used to rehearse?

TK:            We used to rehearse in Brendan’s basement.

PS:                Where was your very first gig? Was it in Princeton?

TK:            Our very first gig was at John and Peter’s in New Hope PA.

PS:        Where would you hang out after rehearsals and gigs? Princetonian Diner? Should this have been in the food section? ☺

TK:            After rehearsals we used to hang at Mykonos on Nassau St.

PS:        What’s a little known fact about Princeton not everyone might know?

TK:            It was once our nations capital in 1783.

PS:    Favorite movie that was filmed in Princeton  (IQ, A Beautiful Mind, Transformers 2, etc.)? Little known fact, I was an extra in both “ A Beautiful Mind” and “Transformers 2”. Does that sway your decision?

TK:            “IQ”,  I lived down the street from where they filmed it.

PS:                Favorite place to shop? Not shoppers? That’s cool too.

TK:            Quaker Bridge Mall.

PS:                Where did you get your hair cut?

TK:            I always went to the Continental Barber Shop.

PS:                Who were you favorite teachers at Princeton High School?

TK:            Mr. Lucker and Mr. Hand were always my favorites.

PS:                Did you ever carve your name in a table at PJ’s Pancake House?

TK:            Of course!

PS:                What’s your favorite historical site in Princeton?

TK:            Definitely the Battle Field.

PS:        Did you ever sell or buy albums at the Princeton Record Exchange?

TK:            Yes! I’ve sold and bought albums at the Record Exchange.

Social/New Media is blowing up, as you are well aware. For our readers, when I posed the question “you know you’re from Princeton…” Blues Traveler responded right away without hesitation, which led to me scoring this interview. That’s just one reason why they are so incredible.

PS:        Thoughts on social/new media and how it can help build a brand?

TK:    It’s great for bands and allows direct and instantaneous connection with fans.  Social media is way better than giving out gigs at a glance on New York City street corners.

PS:        Besides me (@kdevito) and @princetonscoop, who are some of your favorite NJ Tweeps?

TK:            We’re always looking for some.

PS:        Anything else that is a favorite thing Princeton I didn’t mention?

TK:    Sneak into Reunions (When you’re underage.  It loses its glamour once you’re 21)

PS:        David Letterman gives a Top Ten List at the beginning of every show. What are your Top Princeton Pick’s?

TK:    In no particular order:
Thomas Sweets in the Summer
Getting drunk at Reunions
Throwing eggs at the ETS facility
Sledding at Springdale golf course
Stickball at the Governor’s Mansion (Morven not Drumthwacket)
Chuck’s Buffalo Wings.  We miss you Chuck!
Skitching down Nassau Street
PHS Tigers Football Games listening to Duke Ellington standards dispatched by the PHS Jazz Band.  Nice white slacks fulfills this sick acoustic experience.

PS:        Anything else you want to tell our audience? How Princeton rocks?

TK:    Big Ups to Princeton and to Mercer County in general.  We couldn’t have done it without you.

I can’t thank you enough for taking time out of your hectic touring schedule to answer all these questions for me and I know the Princeton Scoop readers are going to love it. Who knows, maybe we’ll catch you at Thomas Sweets one of these days.

Make sure you follow Blues Traveler on Twitter @blues_traveler!