Diane Coffee plays at Slowdown Jr. Sunday, June 2.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Diane Coffee is Shaun Fleming. As an actor, he’s voiced a slew of animated characters including Jim & Tom Possible in Kim Possible and Leonard Amadeus in Teacher’s Pet. As a musician, he’s played drums in Foxygen. But as Diane Coffee he’s released three albums of retro electro-pop, singing in a voice that would make George Michael or Boy George proud.

On his latest release, Internet Arms (2019, Polyvinyl), Coffee croons about love in a tech age, desperately pushing emotion into a digital space that’s often too cold and isolated to allow for anything as bold as a human touch. He surrounds his smooth vox with lush synths and electronic beats that sound alien and futuristic in an ’80s sort of way. Standout track “Stuck in Your Saturday Night” sounds like it could have been sandwiched in heavy rotation on VH1 between Huey Lewis and Cory Hart.

We caught up with Diane / Shaun and asked him to take the 10 Questions Survey. Here’s what he said:

1. What is your favorite album?

Shaun Fleming/Diane Coffee: Not sure I can pick an all time favorite. My first favorite album, and one I just recently fell in love with all over again, was the self-titled Third Eye Blind record!

2. What is your least favorite song?

“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

Touring

4. What do you hate about being in a band?

Touring

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

Throatcoat Tea

6. In what city or town do you love to perform?

That’s hard, don’t know if I have a favorite. Any show can end up being an incredibly memorable experience if the energy is right. I do love playing in LA because it allows me to see my childhood friends and family

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

At a festival in Dayton, Ohio, we had a front-of-house engineer show up late to our set completely wasted and unprepared. Forgot most of his gear at home. It was one of the most unprofessional things I’ve ever experienced. That said, the audience was so unbelievably supportive and energized, it turned into one of my most favorite shows I have ever played.

8. Are you able to support yourself through your music? If so, how long did it take to get there; if not, how do you pay your bills?

For the most part. I will usually drive for Lyft or work odd jobs to supplement my income if need be.

9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?

Marine Biologist; Politician

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

I heard it’s the birthplace of the Reuben sandwich!

Diane Coffee plays with Disq Sunday, June 2, at The Slowdown, 729 No. 14th St. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 Adv/$15 DOS. For more information, go to theslowdown.com

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.