Humans of Cleveland — Lee Clarion

Rainy weather kept a lot of people indoors this past Friday, but that didn't stop the good people of Taqueria Arnadas from serving us some amazing street tacos. Not only did we get to chow down and recharge after a long search for humans, we also had the pleasure of getting to know Jackie and Lindsey Jo "LJ" Brown, a mother and daughter who sat at our table. As the saying goes, you never know who you might meet over a stellar plate of gorditos.

"I've lived in Cleveland my entire life. I don't know any other way, I have nothing to compare it to. It's like being an animal in the zoo, you're born there and you don't really know if there's anything else outside, but I loved growing up here."

"I really like your style ' how did that start? Who are you influenced by?"

"I got all this stuff from thrift stores and Walmart. But I'm influenced by European style ' I follow European fashion designers on Instagram and like all the really urban, really European looks. I think that's what you'll find about small towns, is that we have internet too. People forget that. A lot of people will be like 'woah, how do you guys know about that?' and I'm like well it is on the internet."

"You mentioned something about playing music earlier ' can you tell us a little about that?"

"I started [playing] in band in sixth grade here in Cleveland, and I did percussion all through high school and a little bit in college. Now I just play with friends that I met through school and doing music together, and now we have a little band."

"What's the name of your band?"

"Since Cassettes. As in I've been alive since cassettes."

"What kind of music do you play?"

"It has kind of a creepy acoustic sound, like electronic and acoustic combined. There's a drum machine and two guys on acoustic guitars, but one guy plays two oboes and a slide on the acoustic guitar, which makes it sound totally foreign, like a theremin or something. When you listen to it, you really aren't sure what you're hearing. And I just play really strange instruments, like this thing called a harmonium. It's like a tiny piano in my lap, but I pump air through the back, and you have to pump and play at the same time and it sounds like an accordion. It's really fun."

"Nobody in my immediate family is really into music as much as I am."

"She's um - "

"I'm the black sheep."

"No - no no no no. She's just our musical artsy one, she's very into all kinds of artistic things like that. She's always liked to dress different - her sister is all about the nails and the hair and extensions and everything, but she just [does her own thing]."

"What's your favorite thing about your daughter?"

"Her sweet heart. She is so tender hearted."

"What's your favorite thing about your mom?"

At this point LJ turned to her mom like in the photo above, and started to gush all about her before giving her a big hug.

"You're just the cutest. You're just really cute and bubbly and adorable!"

"You two look a lot alike."

"Thank you."

If you're interested in hearing LJ's music, Since Cassettes will be playing at J.J.'s Bohemia in Chattanooga on October 25, along with bands Big Kitty and Behold the Brave.