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.
We are all members of The Tribe
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Friday, December 20, 2013
Two songs from "Spark: A Burning Man Story" up for Oscar
The creators behind the independent film, Spark: A Burning Man Story, are proud to announce two original songs that have made the qualifications for the 2014 Oscars.
Seventy-five songs from eligible feature-length 2013 motion pictures will contend for nominations in the "Original Song" category for the 86th Oscars, which includes "Let It Go" by Michael Franti and Spearhead and "We Ride" by Missy Higgins.
Watch A Scene From Spark Featuring "We Ride"
Australian songstress Missy Higgins provides the original theme song for the film and soundtrack. Missy worked with the filmmakers to compose "We Ride" for a breakthrough moment in the film which is essentially the heart of the album with its intimate, soulful production. Higgins wrote the lyrics based on her experiences at The Burn: "I've had some incredibly powerful moments riding through dust storms on the Playa, feeling as though I'm 'On the edge of the world, where the light never dies' so my song, 'We Ride' is an attempt to capture the essence of this magical, mind-bending wonderland that is Burning Man. I'm honored for it to be used as part of the soundtrack to Spark.” Grammy Award-Winning artist, writer and producer,Dan Wilson, (Adele, Dixie Chicks) produced the single, and also was an Executive Producer for the soundtrack album together with Film Director Steve Brown.
Watch A Scene From Spark Featuring "Let It Go"
"Let It Go" is another original song written just for the film. As a Burner, Michael Franti writes about how Burning Man helped change his perspective on life: "For me, the burn is about one very large, meaningful thing: the simple act letting go. Releasing what is no longer helping me, in order to clear space for new opportunities, new ways of seeing the world and my own life. That's what the song 'Let It Go' is all about. Spark is not just the story of Burning Man, it is the story of people who share the relentless quest for transformation of themselves, our society and the planet. Sometimes, a lot of the time actually, we stumble and this song is about getting up. I'm grateful to be a part of that journey."
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| Tune in to the soundtrack on Spotify. |
Sunday, June 30, 2013
SM-ART
Over the last seven years the intellect of artists has becoming increasingly apparent to me. Now let me preface that with "true artists". I'm talking about people who create from their very core, heart and soul. True artists create because if they don't they will explode. Passionate people with messages, muses, inspirations and emotions. People who have owned the main art they were born with and then went on to find the other mediums they had the talent to work with that also successfully conveyed their thoughts and feelings.
Musicians, chefs and visual artists tend to also be mathematically adept. Many will also be interested in history but that subject is also common in all art. Creators, no matter how inspired, will research their subject and use that history to better flesh out their work. Of course writers and actors possess a passion for language. Music, acrobatics, dance, architecture and fine arts include a variety of sciences. So it's pretty safe to say that true artists are pretty nerdy. In fact if you look back at your K-12 days, the arts kids and the smart kids tended to all sit together at the lunch table. In fact a good number of us were both.
"But Kath' what about currently popular musicians or actors who, in interviews, come off sounding dumber than a box of rocks?" I say, these are not artists. These are manufactured products of large corporations. People who have enough knowledge to read words off a page or follow a producer's directions. Everything else is left to editors and engineers to clean it up for public consumption. As far as visual art? Most of what is in the mainstream is the product of a computer with templates and other people's art. It's slick. It's bright. But there is not substance or emotion there. There is no intellect required. It's just a higher level of "paint by numbers".
Today a friend of a friend posted a link to a Youtube video that really makes the point of this post. The young man being interviewed has been called a lot of names. He has been considered "just another stupid rocker boy" and a lot of other things that he even mentions in this interview. He is a true artist because he's never let any of that stop him from sharing his emotions. He has tapped into his other talents. He has braved some really tough times to make art and share it. He has been rewarded for his efforts. He's also been blessed with the ability to speak eloquently about his vision and his journey. Watch and I think you will agree
Musicians, chefs and visual artists tend to also be mathematically adept. Many will also be interested in history but that subject is also common in all art. Creators, no matter how inspired, will research their subject and use that history to better flesh out their work. Of course writers and actors possess a passion for language. Music, acrobatics, dance, architecture and fine arts include a variety of sciences. So it's pretty safe to say that true artists are pretty nerdy. In fact if you look back at your K-12 days, the arts kids and the smart kids tended to all sit together at the lunch table. In fact a good number of us were both.
"But Kath' what about currently popular musicians or actors who, in interviews, come off sounding dumber than a box of rocks?" I say, these are not artists. These are manufactured products of large corporations. People who have enough knowledge to read words off a page or follow a producer's directions. Everything else is left to editors and engineers to clean it up for public consumption. As far as visual art? Most of what is in the mainstream is the product of a computer with templates and other people's art. It's slick. It's bright. But there is not substance or emotion there. There is no intellect required. It's just a higher level of "paint by numbers".
Today a friend of a friend posted a link to a Youtube video that really makes the point of this post. The young man being interviewed has been called a lot of names. He has been considered "just another stupid rocker boy" and a lot of other things that he even mentions in this interview. He is a true artist because he's never let any of that stop him from sharing his emotions. He has tapped into his other talents. He has braved some really tough times to make art and share it. He has been rewarded for his efforts. He's also been blessed with the ability to speak eloquently about his vision and his journey. Watch and I think you will agree
Friday, June 21, 2013
Ricky Rebel - a revolution of healing through art
Under the shiny veneer of commercial show business is the larger community of real artists. These people sing, dance, play and act because it's in their soul. They can't not do it. Sometimes one or two of them will break through the ice and make an appearance in the national or even international arena. This has happened with a few members of the tribe. Ricky Rebel found his crack in the looking glass with alternative rockers My Chemical Romance in the music video for the first single off their album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. This video was the first chapter of a story about the Killjoys: Fun Ghoul (Frank Iero), Jetstar (Ray Torro), Kobra Kid (Mikey Way), Party Poison (Gerard Way), Tank Girl (Grace Jeanette), Dr. Deathdefying (Steve Righ of MSI) and Show Pony. The roller skating, tights and tank wearing, helmet hidden revolutionary was portrayed by Ricky Rebel.
Ricky had crossed my radar early in my journey into the tribe but then was lost track of as others took my time and attention. Recently he was back as a strong blip when I learned of his connection to people I have grown close to. I immediately made contact and we have had some great conversations including the following email interview. Ricky was destined to be a part of the tribe at some point. He is adventurous, a risk taker, honest and passionate. I hope you find him as interesting and charming as I do .
If you are in the Los Angeles area he will be playing at Bar Sinister on 6/29. All the information can be found at the end of this post. If you can't make it to the show be sure to visit his website where you can listen to his music, watch videos and look for other live performances.My favorite Language I speak is music. Music will always be my number one form of expression. Music is a Vibration. All things exist as energy as particles vibrating together. I try to reach others through music to create higher vibrations with one another.
I know that Ricky is a musician, a dancer, and a stylist. What other languages do you speak? What was your first art. Today which is your favorite to speak.
My first art is movement/physical body awareness and control. I learned that at age 7 when I started taking gymnastics classes. I Ranked 13th in the State of California. I had dreams of going to the Olympics, but that changed when I discovered dance and performing. It’s such a different world compared to the strict rules of gymnastics and competing. I prefer the no rules approach.
I speak the language of healing. Through my music I heal my fans that I call my “Rebels.” I have read some amazing letters from Rebels all around the world that tell me how much my music has touched moved and inspired them. When they feel down they say that they can listen to my music and that it helps them get through the hard times. That’s why I do what I do. I want to heal people.
My favorite Language I speak is music. Music will always be my number one form of expression. Music is a Vibration. All things exist as energy as particles vibrating together. I try to reach others through music to create higher vibrations with one another.
What languages do you understand? Why? Which speak to your heart? Your soul?
I speak the language of Music, Photography, Fashion, Film, and Acting. All of these art forms heal my soul. Film and acting I think are the most influential to me. Every time an amazing artist gets up and performs he or she is essentially acting. Acting is the highest and truest of all the art forms in my opinion. Without the ability to convey a message, tell a story, or become the role, than we are nothing as an artist. Life is acting. Acting is what we do everyday. We choose and create the roles that we play.
Finally my favorite question...What is the one art that you wish you could create in that you positively suck at?
Honestly, there are times that I feel like a shitty actor. But that’s only because I know in my heart that I can be great at it. One day I hope I portray a role that blows people minds. At this point, it’s the only art form that I haven’t proven to myself that I excel in. Which is a great thing. It means that I don’t have unrealistic expectations. As an actor. As an artist, that is the best position I feel I can best create in. As an actor I am the opposite of jaded. My heart is 100% open to the possibilities. At times I believe that I am a great actor, at times I don’t, which is cool because a few of my favorite actors are the ones that people agree, “suck.”
You are one of the post-modern gypsies, a member of the tribe. Did you find them or did they find you?
I found them so to speak. I was filming a Reality show for MTV about the life of underground Artists and I was looking for other people to get involved with the project. I came across Roxy Contin’s profile. I hit her up and we instantly became friends. She took me under her wing and introduced me to the tribe. She knew that I was friends with Adam Lambert so that helped to make us closer and trust one another.
We are just starting to see influences and members of the tribe here on the east coast. Your thoughts on SoCal vs NYC arts scenes?
I am all about Bi Coastal art culture. I believe that it is important for an artist to stay on top of what’s going on in both the SoCal and NY scenes. Both have important contributions to art and fashion. I feel like NYC is a faster tempo then CA though. Over here the weather is too comfortable. It makes us less rushed to survive. In NYC the elements are harsher so the instinct to survive is heightened. I hope to live in both places soon though. I feel like I would thrive in the NY state of mind. Everyone moves too slowly for me here in LA.
What is one thing that you really want people to know about you as a person or an artist?
I want people to know, to feel, and experience the authenticity that runs through all of the work that I do. I write, compose, perform, record, and produce all of my songs. Everything I do comes from an honest place. I have a message, and that is to “Rebel against the Darkness, and shine your light.” I want to be an example of someone who is true to their work, highly successful, and hopefully inspiring others in the process.
Ricky Rebel Live June 29th At Club Bar Sinister
Bar Sinister located at Boardner's in the B52 Club
1652 N. Cherokee Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028
Phone: 323.462.1934 or 9621
Site: http://www.barsinister.net/ , myspace.com/barsinister, facebook.com/clubarsinister or twitter.com/clubbarsinister
Open: 10pm-3am
Strictly 18 & Over
Cover: PLEASE CHECK WEBSITE FOR UPDATED COVER CHARGES
Dress Code: Gothic, Fetish, Alternative, Upscale or all Black Attire enforced – NO STREET CLOTHES or PICNIC ATTIRE!
1652 N. Cherokee Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028
Phone: 323.462.1934 or 9621
Site: http://www.barsinister.net/ , myspace.com/barsinister, facebook.com/clubarsinister or twitter.com/clubbarsinister
Open: 10pm-3am
Strictly 18 & Over
Cover: PLEASE CHECK WEBSITE FOR UPDATED COVER CHARGES
Dress Code: Gothic, Fetish, Alternative, Upscale or all Black Attire enforced – NO STREET CLOTHES or PICNIC ATTIRE!
For any further information on Ricky or upcoming performances, please check out the newly revamped official website:
Saturday, May 4, 2013
All the latest from DoLab including lay-away for Lightning In A Bottle
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