Viva La Cola!

Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

People were afraid that blogging would change journalism. Instead, we believe journalism can change blogging. Twenty-first century journalism may look and feel different, and yes Erica isn't afraid to get cranky, but we're committed to making sure online news still delivers independent, reliable, even-keeled coverage. And most of all, we're committed to making sure the coverage sparks honest civic debate.

Bringing you cola for the people, PubliCola is named after Publius Valerius PubliCola, the alias for the authors of the Federalist Papers—the original bloggers.

The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

PubliQuestion and Answer with The Lonely Forest

lonelyforest1

PubliCola: How’s block party been so far?

Tony: It’s cool. To even be playing at the same event as Sonic Youth is unbelievable.

PubliCola: How do you think your show went?

Braydn: Great!

Eric: I think Seattle is still getting acquainted to us

PubliCola: You guys have been in a band together since high school right?

Eric: Well, no, not really

John: We’re all from Anacortes, we all grew up within a half mile radius of each other

Braydn: But we were in different high school bands. My band used to hate [John's] band

Publicola: Why?

John: Because we were better

PubliCola: So did you guys write all your songs together [in Anacortes]?

John: Well, I’ve written lyrics in a bunch of different places. In Canada, in Kenya

PubliCola: Kenya?

John: I volunteered at an orphanage there for a while. I was there when Obama was elected and the night of the election I had to stay in a hotel because if he lost there would have been riots, but he won and it was like Jesus came back, people were waving palm fronds. I’d like to go back someday.

Eric: We can go back together and ride bikes at night without helmets

John: At night? No not at night, there are hippos on the roads then

PubliCola: Hippos are really dangerous

Eric: Can you out run a hippo?

John: They will destroy you

John: Where I stayed at night I could hear the hippos outside and these, like, alien insects and I was there, in my bed under a mosquito net with a headlamp on, just scrawling lyrics in a notepad.

PubliCola: You guys met [super producer/ Deathcab for Cutie member] Chris Walla?

Eric: He was really grounded

John: It was nice, we touched base about our record, what he liked what he thought we should change. He basically said he liked our core sound.

Tony: Which is nice to hear from someone you really respect

John: We just got a new manager, a new booking agent. It’s really a family feel. Everyone is from the Seattle area or Washington or whatever. I feel like we’re building something, we’re trying to master our craft and we’ve got a team of supportive people. Hopefully we’re growing into something.

Eric: (smiling) Things are happening.


  • Joshtown

    Hippos are really dangerous.

  • Joshtown

    Hippos are really dangerous.

  • Jensopolis

    Hippos are like the most dangerous animal on the planet. Partially because they are so adorable, and partially because they are so deadly, but mostly because of a combination of the two.

    The More You Know

  • Jensopolis

    Hippos are like the most dangerous animal on the planet. Partially because they are so adorable, and partially because they are so deadly, but mostly because of a combination of the two.

    The More You Know

  • Jensopolis

    Hippos are like the most dangerous animal on the planet. Partially because they are so adorable, and partially because they are so deadly, but mostly because of a combination of the two.

    The More You Know

  • obamatron

    John Van Deusen is one of the most talented musicians I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. If you haven’t already, check out his solo stuff:

    http://www.myspace.com/andthemoonbestillasbright

    Download the free album he’s posted. There are a ton of songs but it is well worth the time.

  • obamatron

    John Van Deusen is one of the most talented musicians I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. If you haven't already, check out his solo stuff:

    http://www.myspace.com/andthemoonbestillasbright

    Download the free album he's posted. There are a ton of songs but it is well worth the time.