Mia Jones was a child of divorce and is pretty sure the only thing her parents ever had in common was their love of music.
Her dad, for instance, often sang "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash to her as a baby. "That song has followed me my whole life," she said. Her mom would sing a lot of Motown songs to her and also The Bangles, particularly, Manic Monday.
She also has long been into dancing, including hip-hop and break-dancing. And one of her favorite movies continues to be Breakin'. "I watched and tried to do the moves [in that movie] when I was 6 or 7," Jones said.
Plus, in fourth and fifth grades, Jones and four of her friends started a band called The Funky Five. They wrote their own songs, performed on the playground and even at a school assembly. "We thought we were pretty cool," she said, laughing.
"I've always been into music in a really emotional way. Music, lyrically and instrumentally, can punctuate whatever mood you're in. I've always been moved by it."
Jones' preferred method of blogging is, admittedly, "nothing too serious. I'm more of a snarky half-wit." She said her writing is as if she were talking.
Her words on music have appeared in Venus Magazine and Flavorpill, and across Tribune websites. Many of her exclusive interviews have been high-profile, such as Teri Gender Bender from Le Butcherettes, The Veronicas, Sea of Bees, Beth Ditto and more.
Her dream interviews are Karen O of the rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Mariah Carey.
Jones also writes about pop culture and music for AfterEllen.com, and acted in a web series, The Throwaways, due out this summer from tellofilms.com .
Jones formerly worked as a web producer for almost six years for the Tribune Company before leaving last November.
Age: 33
Neighborhood: Edgewater
Job title: Music blogger; AfterEllen.com, The L Stop ( www.thelstop.org ) and Do312.com .
Relationship status: "I'm in a loving relationship with my two dogs, Marshall and Bubble."
Tattoos: 12, including an old-school cassette tape on her left bicep.
Favorite local bar: Big Chicks
Little-known fact: Once was in a performing arts troop with Kel Mitchell from the movie Good Burger