DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Trey At The Grenada Theater

Q: Hello Trey. So, a 2010 Dodge Charger SXT? Sweet ride. What made you pick it?

A: I drove one a few years ago. I was up in Albuquerque. I rented a car and this is what they gave me. It was a 2007 or 2008 model. I loved it so much that I kept it in mind for when my car bit the dust, which I knew it was going to do pretty soon, because it was almost 15 years old!

Q: What is your car's primary use?

A: I use the car for toolin' around town, carting my drums around to gigs, and to get to work. But I don't drive it a whole lot, really. I've only put 9,000 miles on it since I got it. That's been almost a year.

Q: Dallas doesn't really have any public transport. How do you manage keep your milage so low?

A: I don't go very far. I go from Southside to Deep Ellum, then back to Southside--a lot! That's a three-mile trip.

Q: Now, let's get down to business. Why doesn't your car have a nickname?

A: Because I just don't really believe in naming my cars. It's a little creepy to nickname your car, I think. I suppose I could call it Fred, or something. Sounds like a funny name for a car: Fred the car.

Q: What's your favorite thing about Fred the Car?

A: It's one of the coolest cars out there right now. It's got the retro dials like the old '60s style chargers. You can't screw up getting into a gear because it's got this funky design on the gearshift. It's much bigger than what you'd think it is. I can put my entire drumset in the trunk--except the bass drum. That won't fit.

Q: Nice. And if you were to give Fred the Car a theme song, what would it be?

A: I play a lot of Wilco. I have an MP3 player in here, so I can listen for about seven hours without ever changing a disc. I don't have an iPod, or an iPhone, or any of that i-stuff, so it works out great. I do have an iPod plug in though, so when I finally decide to break down and buy one, I'll have even more hours of music.

Q: Do you have any rules in your car?

A: I don't like people eating in my car because then I have to pick up their crumbs. People always leave crumbs! More crumbs than they'd leave at a dinner table.

Q: OK, so no eating and no crumbs. Got it. Last questions, have you taken any road trips in your car yet? If not, are you planning any?

A: Yes, if I can get away. I wanna go to Austin for the weekend to see some friends down there. I'm kind of anxious to get this car out on the highway for a road trip.