At the closing of the year

I was torn as to where to post this.  It could go on my music blog or on Put A Face On It but since it covers all arts and artists, here seems to be the best choice.

Again, I choose the best song for this night, "At The Closing Of The Year".  It took up residence in my heart and my spirit the first time I saw "Toys" and it lives there still.  "If I cannot bring you comfort then at least I bring you hope".  "There is nothing more precious than the time we have".

2013 was a year of hope and precious times for me.  It started with a couple of interviews and meetings I'd waited a while for.  Wil Francis/William Control and Geoff Rickley were both part of the very first Warped Tour I went to in 2006.  This year, William was the opener for Black Veil Brides' U.S. tour.  Our conversation proved to me how intelligent and dedicated to his craft Wil is.  The NY show was so great.  William Control and his fans were a perfect match with Black Veil and theirs.  I also had my first and only photo pass for that show.

I had briefly met Geoff in the Acoustic Basement tent at VWT in 2012.  This year gave me the opportunity for a full interview before the Acoustic Basement Tour stopped in Connecticut.  I also got to spend some facetime with him at the show.  The Acoustic Basement show also brought Brian Marquis into my life.  Later this year,  Brian caught me offguard by remembering me when I climbed onto Bus #22 to interview Billy The Kid Pettinger.  Brian is a great musician,  a great road dad and such a genuine person.  He's also lucky to be alive.  During the Warped stop in Key West, Brian was struck by lightning.  He tried to stay on the tour but his doctors did end up sending him home.

January saw two huge tribe features in FourCulture.  After having his feature put on hold by William Close being selected to compete in America's Got Talent, we were finally able to do a second interview and create a great article.  Also in the first issue of 2013 was Lucent Dossier and their wonderful founder, Dream Rockwell.  In our interview she left me with truly great words of wisdom.  I do my best to always be mindful of the point on the arrow of my life compass.  Dream and William both introduced me to some more of the core values of the tribe.

In February, I had another one of those close encounters that didn't quite connect with Adam Lambert but I did get to do a short interview with legendary, funk guitarist Nile Rodgers.  I discovered that he lives right here in Connecticut and his "We Are Family Foundation" works with the people dearest to me...youth.  Thanks to meeting and befriending photographer Robert 'Bobby' Braunfeld, I was able to watch the whole awards ceremony and performances from the floor at the Hammerstein Ballroom.  The performances included the first and only of Lambert's "Shady"by all the artists involved in its creation - Adam and Sam Sparro who wrote the song and Nile who was asked by them to add his perfect guitar line to the recording.  Live with Chic adding the extra punch, it is by far the best live version of that song.

Although hectic schedules prevented the father-son interview to go with Hans and Bill Haveron's first father-son gallery show in Dallas, it didn't stop me from getting to know the Haveron patriarch.  Today Bill is a very dear, dear friend and is yet another one of the special gifts that has come from my friendship with Hans.

St. Patrick's Day was spent in Manhattan but not for the parade. I was downtown at Webster Hall for Canadian multi-genre band Dehli 2 Dublin.  After experiencing their show, I still believe they need to be on Warped Tour.  These musicians took a challenge of mixing Celtic, Eastern Indian, African and Reggae and have come up with something exciting and really great.

May was super special.  After a year and a half I finally got to meet William and experience The Earth Harp.  I did write a review but words don't do that instrument justice.  They also fall short when trying to describe William.  However, I will tell everyone that I now am even more certain that he is the chillest person I know.  Also at Metro Tech Plaza that day, I had my first encounter with Treeman, Lionel Powell.  This meeting gave me a chance to watch him interact with people and the environment.  I was totally enthralled.

A few days later was actually the beginning of June and a super-special trip from Steven and I to Queens and Manhattan.  My son had recently turned 21 so we included a birthday lunch in the adventure but we started out the morning on the #7 to go to Long Island City to do a photo-journal at 5 Pointz.  Both of us had our breath completely taken away and took hundreds of pictures.  After lunch we headed down to the East Village and met up with Treeman and videographer Michael Angelo.  We did interviews and photoshoots and had a blast.  After I treated Steven to the best soft-serve in the city, The Big Gay Ice Cream Shop.  Sadly the photos we took were used in a series of op-eds for 5 Pointz as greedy developers flexed their muscles to destroy the one and only living museum of aerosol art in the U.S.  Today, the complex has been white washed and is an horrible splotch on the landscape of Long Island City.  At this time it seems like NYC is in store for yet another big steel and glass generic box in its skyline.

Early in May I came to the understanding that my plans to go to Temecula, CA for Lightning In A Bottle were not going to happen.  As many friends know, I'm calling that my "Dorothy Moment".  I understood that "If you can't find your heart's desire in your own backyard, then you never lost it to begin with".  The moment I accepted that more members for the tribe came east.  So in the end it all had a purpose and I love where it has gone.

Also in June, having cancelled that trip, I saw that July 14th was now an open date on my calendar.  Deep inside I knew I was supposed to go to Warped Tour, despite being without my photographer for the first time in four years.  When I quickly and easily got my application in and approved, with an ace in the hole if that didn't work out, I started contacting PR's for some old acquaintances as fast as possible.  The result was outstanding.

The first band I interviewed upon choosing a journalist's path was Motion City Soundtrack. Although I met Justin Pierre two years earlier, after that I spoke to every other member of the band but him.  Earlier this year I got to interview Josh which was great but the other founding member continued to allude me. It would be at the Comcast Music Center that I would finally chat with Justin.  I also introduced myself to tour founder, Kevin Lyman who in turn, introduced me to the general manager of the venue.  I got to hang out with my road daughter, Bethany and gift her with a unique piece of Kill Hannah jewelry.  Courtney was no longer typed words on Twitter but someone I could actually share a hug with and watch her work.  I reunited with JT from Hawthorne Heights, got to interview someone else I'd waited quite a while for, Shane from Silverstein. Got to dance with Young London and then talk to them later.  Learned the stories of upcoming pop band, Echosmith, saw The Used, William Beckett and Relient K.  Then it was off to the bus yard to spend some very precious time with one of my oldest road kids...Jinxx.  I ended the day as perfectly as it started,  watching him with Black Veil Brides.  Driving home, I knew that I was never supposed to go to California.  In Hartford, I recharged my batteries and was reminded why I came this way to begin with.

October presented the chance to do the interview correctly that I had started with Sutan Amrull in April of 2012.  I also did my first Skype interview with someone in Bali.

2013 closes with news from a friend that has the potential to bring a huge change to my life.  There are things already in the works for sharing more of the tribe with the world.  I come into 2014 with a even more respect and appreciation for the tribe, their graciousness, generosity and sincerity.  I will strive harder to earn my place in this family by living these ideals.

Happy New Year.  Let us find more keys and unlock the doors to freedom, peace and unconditional love while locking away hate, fear, deceit and all other manners of evil.  My light to you.

Torture before murder - the death of living art

 Monday morning I woke up early with the intent of transcribing an interview done with a very bright spirited artist, instead I'm writing an obituary.  According to a series of tweets from Jonathan Cohen/Meres One, the present owners of the warehouse complex in Long Island City found a way to kill dreams and spirits.  With a whole lot of white paint and apparently an equal amount of police protection, 5 Pointz was beaten and stripped, left for dead.  Meres says that this morning all the exterior walls are stark white.

Dear Goddess I wish I had the money to pack my bags and move to Europe.  If I hear one more "patriot", "real American" aka Redneck asshole yell "We're number one" while fist pumping, I think I'm going to resort to physical violence.  For sure I will reply "No! No we're not! At least as long as jerks like you and corporate money grabbers are steering the culture of this country.  It's interesting, when I interviewed an Eastern European street artist, he reminded me that graffiti as art is one of the few things that the United States can claim as native culture (post Caucasian arrival).  Street painting was born here.  But just like our great music of the last thirty or so years, artists have to take it overseas for it to be appreciated.  

Dear skin heads, red necks, pearl clutchers, Tea Partiers, "middle America" what is your thing with wanting a country full of boring architecture, giant chain discount stores, awful music, cheesy movies and complete disinterest in visual art?  You want all women still dressed like June Cleaver and all males are supposed to be dude bro, knuckledraggers who drink lousy, corporately brewed beer while yelling at some sport on TV every weekend?  You find it revolting if a man chooses a career in the arts or sciences.  Most of you never travel beyond the borders of your states.  If you do go to New York, Boston or L.A., you wander around with your mouths open only visiting the tourist traps.  You take in the Broadway show that is getting the most media attention.  Do you know there is something called "off-Broadway"?  Did you know not all plays are musicals?  Have you ever taken yourself downtown and checked out all the cool boutiques, gardens and galleries?  Of course not. You all bolt for the closest chain restaurant because it's safe while mom & pop eateries that make superior, more creative food are suffering. You have no idea what the true personality of any of these cities are.  None at all. 

Gods forbid you would ever travel abroad.  Did you know that most European and Japanese kids have passports before they are old enough to walk?  In the U.S. most of us will die without ever having a passport.  

Safe is boring.  Safe does not expand your mind.  You will die only slightly more educated than when you were born.  The truth is is that you're too scared of truth and progress.  Corporations and big money keep you that way and you like it.  It's too easy to sit on the couch, in your safe little house and bitch and moan about all the horrible people in America...all the people who aren't just like you.  Did you know that your "god", my Divine Creator, made each and every one of us different for a reason and it wasn't to make yourself feel better by putting someone else down.  Yes, street artists are different from you.  Most of them work at night.  They can't take safety measures because people like you parrot the "its vandalism" song.  But their art is that important to them, needs to get out of them that bad that they are willing to risk their lives to paint.  I pray every day that corporations don't succeed in turning this country into a bunch of wooden, glass and steel boxes.  The more they can keep things the same, the safer you feel while they take over your life, your country.  You left your balls back in the 60's.  

So last night your apathy and fear resulted in the death of probably the only living aerosol gallery in the country.  With police protection but no permits, the owners of 5 Pointz renigged on their invitation to street artists again all for the all mighty dollar.  The steel and glass towers that will be built are just more of the "gentrification" of New York City. In the beginning, giving NYC a make-over consisted of try to hang onto to some of it's old beauty-sandblasting and renovating brownstones and other historic structures.  But not it just seems to be more and more homogenizing, tear down and put up more gray boxes.  This project is not only not necessary but more of the stripping away of New York City's heart and making it look like every place.  At least my son and I have our visit to 5 Pointz to carry in our hearts forever and also have many photos.  But future generations won't have that.  I hope the people who manage the street art project in Little Italy can provide spaces for more artists and other building owners around the five boroughs will open their walls to these painters and writers.  Our children, their children and on and on NEED art.  It is part of what makes us human.  It is our very souls in a tangible form that we share with the world.  Rest In Peace 5 Pointz.  You were a strong and beautiful being.  I am honored to have gotten to know you and will miss you dearly.