What’s in Your Fridge is where the Straight asks interesting Vancouverites about their life-changing concerts, favourite albums, and, most importantly, what’s sitting beside the Heinz Ketchup in their custom-made Big Chill Retropolitan 20.6-cubic-foot refrigerators.

On the grill

Jack Mercer

Who are you

I am a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, whiskey bandit, and the sweatiest person you’ve ever seen on stage. I also moonlight as a tugboat captain and deckhand when I’m not toiling over a pad of paper and guitar, which is why I have a huge amount of respect and love for the ocean. One year ago I released the independent full-length LP Lonesome Dreams & Wild Things and toured it right across this beautifully vast country from coast to coast. On that tour I damaged my vocal chords and was forced to take six months off from my passion but am now fully healed and ready to rock the Fox Cabaret on January 14 with the foot-stomping music I have coined “Saloon Folk”.

First concert

My first concert was Tom Petty at GM Place—which it was known as then—with my parents in the spring of 1999. I remember being quite far back in the stands and barely being able to see through the thick cloud of smoke that nearly everyone in the place was contributing to. Being only 13, I had no idea what the thick haze was and could only attribute it to smelling like my older brother’s jacket. The show was great and by the end of it, for some reason, I felt quite euphoric.....

Life-changing concert

So many shows have given me that “life-changing experience” but one in particular changed my life forever. It was the John Butler Trio show on April 12, 2008 at the Commodore Ballroom. I was with my two best friends and after seeing the energy and emotion John brought to the stage I remember telling them both that I wanted nothing more than to do the same. He came off as such a down-to-earth kind of guy just doing what he loved, and that really resonated with me. No ego or pretentiousness, just a passion for live music and the energy it breeds. I decided that night that I would do whatever it took to be a performing musician and started taking my writing much more seriously. Two months later I was enrolled in a program for recording arts and was well into recording my first album.

Top three records

Sublime 40oz. to Freedom It was the first album I ever purchased and totally blew me away. I had no idea a band could meld so many genres and not come off as a cluster fuck. I listened to it for about three months straight and to this day can recite every lyric. I don’t listen to it very much anymore because we all know how our music tastes evolve, but whenever a song comes on from that album it takes me back to being 15, carefree and singing at the top of my lungs in my room. Possibly in front of the mirror.

The Tallest Man on Earth The Wild Hunt When I first was introduced to The Tallest Man on Earth it was like a re-awakening—the imagery he produces with his words is unlike any other songwriter of our generation. I would sit and try to figure out just what he was saying and when I thought I had a grasp on it, the next line would throw me for loop. His finger-picking is top notch as well. There aren’t many people that can carry a whole album with just vocals and guitar, but it is something he does with ease. I recommend the song “Love Is All” off this album.

Outkast Aquemini In my opinion, Aquemini is the quintessential rap/hip-hop album of all time. I couldn’t tell you how many times in high school my friends and I skipped class and listened to this album as loudly as possible while driving around town. Most people would say that that is a waste of time or that I should have been in Biology class, but I think knowing all the lyrics to “SpottieOttieDopaliscious” is much more beneficial in the long run.

All-time favorite video

Daft Punk “Da Funk” Who doesn’t like watching a crippled dog with a boom box try and take the bus but get denied?

What’s in your fridge

Cheese. About seven different types of cheese because you just never know. I mean, I guess I just really like cheese. I have everything from extra-old cheddar to cottage cheese and even Gorgonzola. Possibly some blue cheese that should have been thrown out by now.

A bottle of whiskey. I’m saving it for a rainy day. It’s Gentleman Jack. The rest of the scotch and whiskey lives in the liquor cabinet, where it belongs.

A shrunken head. It's a shrunken head that I got from an Amazonian shaman. Everyone knows you have to keep shrunken heads in the fridge and the voodoo I’ve been getting into lately has really paid off so I want it to last. That’s how I got this interview.

 Jack Mercer plays the Fox Cabaret on Thursday (January 14).