Name: Adam Bernard Home: Fairfield, Connecticut, United States About Me: Entertainment journalist w/ over a decade of experience. Lover of good music, fringe movies, day baseball & chicken shawarma. Nerdy, but awesome. See my complete profile
Over the past two years or so Hopie Spitshard has become one of my favorite female emcees. Actually, let’s not categorize her. Hopie’s an emcee I really like and respect, period. She has a unique voice in hip-hop and she’s not afraid to do things that are a little different. Case in point, “Be A Lady,” which has a retro vibe from the music to the outfits in the video. Ladies are gonna love this one, and fellas can appreciate it, too. Plus, Hopie sings! I didn’t know she could do that!
Austin Tofte has never lived near an ocean, or owned a dolphin, but he goes by the name Swimming With Dolphins and his synth pop / electro pop sound is starting to make some waves with listeners. I caught up with Tofte to find out more about Swimming With Dolphins, including its original lineup, which included Adam Young, aka Owl City, and what Jacques Cousteau has to do with Tofte’s work. Tofte also told us about the strange videos on his hard drive, what he enjoys that may prevent him from having kids, and how bad timing has led to him never meeting Canadian synth pop goddess Lights.
Adam Bernard: You’re from Minnesota, but isn’t Adam Young, aka Owl City, from Washington. How the heck did you two get together?
Swimming With Dolphins: He’s actually from Minnesota, he just has this infatuation with Seattle and Washington. Everybody would write that (he’s from there) and everyone thought that. He’s a pretty secretive guy, he’s pretty elusive, so it’s not like you really know a lot about where is and what he does and where he’s from, so people would probably gather just from all the music that he’s written that he travels a lot and he’s lived in a lot of different places, but he’s kind of a homebody. He’s just got a crazy cool imagination about it.
AB: So did you two grow up together?
SWD: Yeah, we had some mutual friends when I was probably 12 or 13, some kids that were going to the school that I went to. Their father was a pastor, and they moved down and started working on this church in Owatonna, which is where Adam is from. From there he would come up and visit. We had about a two, two and a half, hour difference between us, but he would come up for weekends and hang out and we’d all just have a bunch of laughs and drink Mountain Dew and eat pizza.
AB: There’s nothing like havin some laughs while reducing the sperm count.
SWD: Yeah, exactly. Right?
AB: That’s such a great urban legend about Mountain Dew. At least I hope it’s an urban legend after what I did during college.
SWD: I hope so, too, cuz I’m in trouble, man. I’m not gonna have kids if that’s the case.
AB: Is Swimming With Dolphins still both of you?
SWD: It was for a while, but it’s not anymore. It hasn’t been for probably two-ish years. It started off as a side project to Owl City. There were songs that I had written and we were gonna make Owl City a two-piece, but we just had more material than we knew what to do with, so we had to make some decisions. He felt like God was really telling him Owl City needs to be a single project, so then we made these other songs and called it Swimming With Dolphins. He co-produced them with me, so that first EP is kind of a collective of him and I, but the songs are still really mine, he just threw a good taste of his creativity with sequencing and programming and stuff.
AB: Was there a violent breakup that involved beer bottles and knives?
SWD: Of course. No, he’s not a violent guy at all, he’s so anti-conflict. I am, too, for the most part. There were a lot of crazy things. Owl City went from zero to 60 really fast and I was on board with that as a member of Owl City touring. Things just got real crazy. Not in the sense of throwing beer bottles and knives, but it was just no one knew what to do with a lot of these things. We had Swimming With Dolphins sitting there and my interest was in that, maybe even more so than I realized, and we just decided mutually that it was better to keep the two projects separate. When we decided that I just decided that I had to take this project on full time.
AB: So you were also touring with Owl City when it was more than just Young. Were you on the tour that was with Lights?
SWD: No, that was the one right after I parted ways. I’m majorly bummed, actually. You brought up a very sore subject.
AB: I have my own depressing Lights story. My interview with her was the only time in ten years I’ve had a recorder malfunction and lose the entire thing, and she’s like the sweetest most gorgeous girl ever.
SWD: That’s what I’ve heard. I’m following this trail of Lights stories. I still haven’t met her personally, but I feel so connected to her by a lot of people. All the guys from Owl City know her really well so they’re all like yeah, she’s so awesome. It’s funny because before that tour me and Adam used to just sit around and talk about how stinkin awesome it would be if we went on tour with her, then it happened and it was right after I had just parted ways, so it’s kind of like that weird thing that I feel like I was a part of, but I wasn’t.
AB: In your bio it states you derive your inspiration from the ocean and fond childhood memories of America's largest lakes. Dolphins aren’t in lakes, though. Where’s the connection?
SWD: Yeah, I know, that’s where it doesn’t really work. The great lakes are like the ocean to us here. Lake Superior is the closest thing a lot of Minnesotans ever get to in terms of being like an ocean, so I think really what it is is this imaginative thing. I never really traveled when I was little, not anywhere to the coasts or anything, so I never spent a lot of time around the ocean, so what you see in movies is what you imagine it to be. When we started touring I saw it for the first time and it was overwhelming. I found these Jacques Cousteau documentaries from the 80s and that first EP I did, I had those playing in the background. I was watching them and writing over the top of them. Obviously Jacques Cousteau is a friend of dolphins. (The name) just seemed like the right thing for what the music was.
AB: Do you want a pet dolphin at some point when you get super famous?
SWD: Maybe. I’m not trying to get in trouble with PETA, or any animal rights kind of thing, but it would be kind of cool, the Free Willy kind of thing where he’s not totally in captivity, but it’s kind of still yours. That would be kind of cool.
AB: So basically you’ll buy an island.
SWD: Yeah, that’s what I’m gonna have to do, so I gotta start saving for sure.
AB: Do you think dolphins are as smart and people say they are?
SWD: I think so. I’ve seen some wacky videos. Kids send me stuff, maybe I don’t even really want to admit that they sent to me, but they’re pretty relational creatures.
AB: I think you need to describe this a little more because all you said was that kids have sent you some videos you don’t want to admit to. I think this requires some more words.
SWD: {laughs} I think so, too, so I don’t get in too much trouble. I have kids send me videos of dolphins. It’s all funny stuff, just like jumping up on people. You know how they kind of, in a way, you would say it looks like they’re humping things, but it’s just the way their body moves. They don’t have appendages really, they just flail around, so there are super funny videos of dolphins jumping up on people and stuff. It’s pretty funny stuff.
AB: You have the funniest hard drive ever because it’s probably just filled with videos of dolphins humping things.
SWD: Oh dude, I had to start deleting them.
AB: I think you should get an external hard drive and fill it up, so when the cops come in one day, just be like sure, take this.
SWD: Oh no, I have enough dolphin memorabilia that’s been sent to me.
AB: You have like pictures, and statues, and Dan Marino?
SWD: All sorts of things. I had a girl knit me a hand sized dolphin. It’s pretty big. That’s probably the best one. I got a Christmas ornament this year. It’s funny because Adam gets it, too, with all the owls. We didn’t really think about that. We should have thought about that before.
AB: At least it’s not the kind of animal where they’ll bring it to you. If you were Swimming With Puppies you’d have a puppy farm.
SWD: You’d have way too many dogs. That’s true. People would get in big trouble if they started brining dolphins.
AB: Yeah, it would be one interesting show, though. Getting back to the music, you released the Ambient Blue EP in 2008. What do you have in the works right now?
SWD: That’s a good question. It seems like that’s a pretty long time for me to not be doing anything, and it is. It’s been a long time. I signed with Tooth and Nail (Records) a little less than a year ago, so we have been working out everything with the new record. We’re pretty much set to release it this summer. It’s going to be called Water Colors. It’ll be ten tracks and some bonus material, I’m sure.
AB: Some videos of dolphins humping?
SWD: Yeah I think we’ll probably have to throw that one in there somewhere, I mean after this conversation.
AB: Thank you. Finally, since you are a synth pop / electro pop artist, what instruments and programs are you currently working with?
SWD: I just can’t kick Reason. I want to experiment with other things, but I really like Reason. Reason 4 is what I’m running right now and what I did most of the new album on. We throw it into Pro-Tools when you get into production. You can add some cool plug ins. We did re-track a lot. We used a lot more organic instruments on this new record. Personally I want to gravitate in that direction a little bit. I think it’s really cool that we can make dance music that can be reproduced in a live setting. I’m a touring artist, so I have to be conscious of that kind of stuff. Aside from Reason I do a little bit in Logic, but I don’t really see a lot of need for going a lot crazier with that. I know there’s some great stuff, but I'm feeling like I need to take a big deep breath of organic instrumentation.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from Weird Al’s saga with Gaga, to a Hollywood billboard that’s an assault on your senses, to Bulgarian cowboys, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
There are exciting times over at the Adam B Experience. Not only have we reached our 45th installment of the podcast, but ifrogz sent over a pair of their Ronin headphones to use while recording and they’re fantastic! Now if we could get a microphone company to hit us off with a dope mic everything would be perfect. Speaking of perfect, here’s hoping that’s how you’ll describe this month’s podcast. The 43 minute show has ten songs & all the strangeness you’ve come to expect from me.
Sleepwalkas - Wild Nightlife Tah Phrum Duh Bush - Laceration Foreign Legion - 2 Victory Super King Armor - Yadda Yadda Yadda Coole High - No Stress.. Jon Braman Band - Built A Raft Core Rhythm - Ronin Top $ Raz w/ Scienze - The Holy Ghost Gods’illa w/ Substantial & Kingpen Slim - Everybody Jackson P (Bisco Smith & Peter Jay) - Corner Store Elixir
Dinner at the Thompson’s is the funky, jazzy, smooth combination of American singer Lucille Tee and French producer FabLive. Their music defies conventional categorization, but I have one category it fits perfectly into – amazing. Despite it only being April I can almost guarantee that their album, Off The Grid, which is due to be released stateside on May 17th, will make my year end top ten list. The first time I spun it I knew I was listening to something special. It has a vibe that’s straight up cool, and I immediately wanted to find out more about the multinational duo with the odd band name. Unfortunately, they now both live in France, and only Lucille Tee speaks English. Fortunately, they were gracious enough to answer some questions over email and Lucille Tee was kind enough to translate FabLive’s answers for me. With our email interview I not only found out more about the dynamic duo’s music, I also learned who the Thompson’s are, and who else Lucille Tee and FabLive would love to have dinner with.
Adam Bernard: Who are the Thompson’s and why are you having dinner at their place? Lucille Tee: The Thompsons are the family next door. We wanted a name that was a generic American name. The idea for the name was that it represents an evening's experience. A dinner is a social event where you discuss, eat, dance... you never know what can happen, good or bad. We enjoy the good things in life, spending time with people in intimate settings like dinners, but it was mostly an idea that made us laugh.
Adam Bernard: From what I’ve read you two met when Lucille Tee jumped on stage to sing with FabLive’s band. Was this a “she was invited on stage” type of deal, or was it a “who the heck is this girl... wait, she can sing” type of deal? FabLive: It was a bit of both. It was an impromptu invitation on the night of the show. I was curious to hear what this California girl would sound like. When I heard her voice on stage I knew that a great singer was present. With her amazing voice, its sensuality, musical intelligence, and the energy she gave off, there was an originality and definitely a lot of soul.
Adam Bernard: How do you think being from such totally different places affects what you each bring to the table musically? FabLive: Growing up in Normandie, I was nurtured by my father's musical tastes. He was an organ player and a fan of soul and jazz. England being just across the English Channel, I was also very influenced by British music. It was a longtime desire to create a project around soul music. At one time I was the producer for a rap project. I was also evidently influenced by French music, such as Serge Gainsbourg, and François de Roubaix in film, which gives to Dinner at the Thompson’s an originality, a personality. For example the track “Running,” it's a reference to these French 60's soundtracks. So, to answer the question, I think that the mix of cultures, French and Anglo-Saxon, brings something different to our sound. It allows us to bring a rich musical mix to our songs. Despite our different cultures, we have a lot of points in common in our musical taste.
Adam Bernard: The latest mixing of those cultures has brought about your new album, Off The Grid, which was released in France and Germany, but won’t hit America until May 17th. Why the wait to release it in America? Lucille Tee: We are independent, and we prefer to take our time to develop the album in different territories. The stateside release was important for us, and it took time to develop it as we envisioned.
Adam Bernard: What kind of mood do you think the album sets? Lucille Tee: It’s a sort of voyage into space and time with a blend of genres and differing musical periods grounded in hip-hop, soul and funk and mixing in other musical styles like original soundtracks. It creates a sort of deep blue mood with a lot of sunshine. Definitely good for cruising in your car, or for a dinner party.
Adam Bernard: What do you consider “off the grid” about Off The Grid? FabLive: The concept for this album was to create a mix of our different musical influences and not to pigeon-hole it into one genre. It's also a mix of live playing and programmed beats, so it's not an album that is necessarily easy to categorize, to place on a stylistic grid. There’s also the underlying meaning of the lyrics. It's important to us as artists that we nurture our own vision. I've stretched the meaning of Off The Grid to mean having a different sound and living outside the norm. As musicians we are on a different schedule and routine than normal working folks. We travel, we create our own goals and rules, we make our own deadlines. Being Off The Grid is about creating one's own universe. It's about the desire to be in equilibrium with nature, with society, and with ourselves and our artistic desires and vision. It’s a way of life.
Adam Bernard: The album’s tracks are listed as days. What’s the meaning behind this? Are you eating dinner at the Thompson’s A LOT? Lucille Tee: No, no. The idea came from the fact that we are often on the road and we imagined the days as a sort of travel log of our adventures Off The Grid.
Adam Bernard: Is there anything you give each other a hard time about? Lucille Tee: Fab's English accent. {laughs}
Adam Bernard: Finally, since we know you’re eating at the Thompson’s, who else would you like to have dinner with, and why? Lucille Tee: A whole lot of folks. Most importantly, though, would be to invite people who'll mix well together, cause a good dinner is about sharing ideas, good food, people, and of course music. FabLive: Lee Fields, Guilty Simpson and Insight would definitely be our special guests since they spiced up the album. We would love to invite Fela Kuti, if he were still with us, to share a good African dish and experience a percussive evening simply making beats on the table while speaking of ideals close to heart. That’s the basis of a lot of things for us.
CookBook to release Original Recipes July 12th Original Recipes Mixtape with DJ Revolution to Precede it May 10th
CookBook, who is one of the founding members of the legendary independent hip-hop group L.A. Symphony, will be releasing his latest solo album, Original Recipes, July 12th on ASB Records. In anticipation of Original Recipes he’s teamed up with DJ Revolution of The World Famous Wake Up Show to create the Original Recipes Mixtape, which he’ll be hitting listeners with on May 10th. The mixtape features a collection of some of CookBook’s best work to date mixed, chopped, cut, and blended by one of hip-hop’s most talented turntablists.
There’s a certain musical excellence fans have grown to expect from the artists who under the L.A. Symphony umbrella. The group produced the likes of Pigeon John, and CookBook’s solo work, including 2009’s I Love The 80’s, and his work with UNO Mas, including last year’s Cook & UNO release C+U Music Factory, has shown CookBook to be the next in line from the crew to make an impact worldwide.
CookBook’s style features top notch lyricism, mixed with wit and personality, over his own production. The results of this are songs that can be appreciated by underground hip-hop heads while still being accessible to mainstream fans. This is one of the reasons DJ Revolution wanted to team up with him for the Original Recipes Mixtape. “CookBook's music is needed in this time,” he explains, “it's a breath of fresh air in hip-hop. He can do all the hard, tough guy raps, but chooses to make the music fun for the listener and relatable at the same time.”
Fans of CookBook’s music know that no topic is ever off the table. He explores a broad range of emotions, touching on everything from relationships, to success, to vision, to enduring the ups and downs of the industry, and he does so with an energy that is unmatched in today’s music scene.
California hip-hop heads have loved what CookBook’s served up to them for the past decade-plus. Now it’s time for everyone to get a taste of his Original Recipes.
If you remember back to when a hip-hop track could get you hype from the very second the needle was dropped on the record you’ll definitely appreciate the Black Horde - DyingTooLive collaboration “Let’s Go.” The song brings me back to a time when everything on Rap City had that hyper, get up and get crazy, vibe to it. I think my alarm clock should play this every morning.
Some of the members of The Black Horde carry over into My Brother’s Keeper, who were featured as an Artist Of The Week (2/2010).
“I let my tape rock ‘til my tape popped.” - Notorious B.I.G., “Juicy.”
It’s an iconic line from an iconic song from one of the most popular rappers of all time. The line, however, is one that probably confuses the current generation of listeners that’s being raised on mp3s, and even the previous generation which has eagerly made the switch to the digital format. These are groups of people who have either never listened to a cassette tape, or if they have, they simply regard it is as a dead format not worthy of their attention. The era of the cassette tape, however, produced albums that are still hailed today for their greatness. Is this a coincidence? The answer to that question is a resounding no. The cassette tape, as a format, forced artists to be better due to its limitations.
Unlike with a record, or a CD, it’s damned near impossible to skip to certain song with a cassette. With vinyl you can fairly easily see where each song starts. With a CD it’s as easy as pressing a button. With a cassette you have to fast forward and rewind until you hit the right spot. Nobody ever did this. It was too much of a pain in the ass. It’s also why so many of our favorite albums are from this era.
Artists knew the limitations of the cassette tape. They knew listeners couldn’t easily skip to a song. This led to artists working harder to create complete albums, because if there were too many songs people didn’t want to hear the tape was going to be thrown into a shoebox, never to be played again.
The track sequencing for most cassette tapes was not what a modern music listener who’s used to downloading a hit single, or only skipping to the songs they’re familiar with, would expect. In the mind of the modern music listener the hit song goes first. With many great albums on cassette, however, the big single would oftentimes be the first song on the B-side of the tape. On Eric B. & Rakim’s Paid In Full the title track is the first song on the B-side. The same goes for LL Cool J’s Mama Said Knock You Out, and while “Bring Da Ruckus” was the first song on Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter The Wu-Tang, “C.R.E.A.M.” wasn’t found until after you were two songs deep into the B-side. Arrested Development had listeners waiting even longer for their biggest hit as “Tennessee” was the next to the last song on 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days In The Life Of... So regardless of the album, listeners weren’t getting to the single that drew them to the album until they were at least 20 minutes into their listening experience.
Could you imagine a mainstream artist bold enough to attempt that today? Do you think anyone getting commercial radio airplay would want you to have to listen to a half dozen songs before getting to their single? The vast majority wouldn’t, because we’re now in a single download world that doesn’t hold artistry up as being as important as instant gratification. The fact of the matter is, the majority of the mainstream artists today wouldn’t have stood a chance in the era of the cassette tape. They rush albums to sell singles, and although they sell singles well, their album sales are hitting all time lows because they’re not thinking about the album listener who, in the past, was the main focus because the format dictated it that way.
Underground artists are at a distinct advantage in this regard. By not having mainstream radio airplay, and, for the most part, not having the nation hooked on just one song of theirs, they can affect listeners with a CD, or a complete album download, the way listeners used to be affected by a cassette tape. If people are interested enough to purchase, or download, an album from an underground artist, they’re going to listen to the entire thing. They’re invested for the full hour, or however long the album is, not because they have to be, but because there’s no single that they already have an attachment to. Listeners of underground hip-hop are usually giving themselves a cassette era-like full listening experience.
As Dr. Dre feverishly works on Detox, I hope he remembers that part of the reason The Chronic was so great was that he put together an album knowing we had to listen to it all the way through. If every artist had that in their history, or thought about that when putting their albums together, I think we’d see album sales, as well as the quality in the artistry in what we listen to, increase. Even if the cassette may be dead as a format (although it’s not in my house!), we’d all be better off if artists created albums as if they were going to be released that way.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on the cacophony of cursing that’s permeated pop music. It’s an epidemic that needs to be addressed as far too many artists are giving us curse filled songs they edit for the radio and, in doing so, completely change the meaning of.
In basketball circles Portland is known as a city of missed opportunities. It was Portland that drafted Sam Bowie ahead of Michael Jordan. It was Portland that drafted Greg Oden ahead of Kevin Durant. Comedian Fred Armisen has a hit show on IFC called Portlandia, which depicts Portland as a place where the 90s never died. No one mentions Portland hip-hop. Portland native Luck-One has an inkling as to why–there isn’t very much of it to speak of. Now residing in Seattle, Luck-One recently released True Theory, an album broken up into three distinct acts. Luck-One’s own life has almost been broken up into three distinct acts–his childhood, his half decade of incarceration, and his current status as one of Portland’s few shining hopes in hip-hop. Will Luck-One be able to be the replacement for the Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant Portland missed the opportunity to have? Will he be the one to bring the city into the present day? Only time will tell, but we caught up with him to find out more about his life, his music, his activism while he was in prison, and why he no longer partakes in activism now.
When I picked up Bitch Slap I was already slightly familiar with it from seeing two of the cast members interviewed on Attack of the Show. That’s actually why I picked it up. I was in the mood for boobs and bullets, and Bitch Slap, from the look of it, was going to fit the bill. Little did I know it was also going to turn out to be one of the most kick ass movies I’ve seen in a long time.
Bitch Slap starts with three ridiculously gorgeous women - Hel, Camero and Trixie (played by Erin Cummings, America Olivo and Julia Voth) - on a mission in the desert. As the movie goes along the story of how and why they’ve ended up there is told through a series of flashbacks that go further and further back in time with each one. The flashbacks also get more and more insane with each one, culminating in the final flashback, which features a fantastic twist I can honestly say I didn’t see coming.
Some of the dialogue in Bitch Slap is less than stellar, but I think that was done intentionally as an homage to the sexplotation films of the past. I say this because when it needed to be smart, it was, so the occasional bad lines were probably included for effect.
The many pluses of this movie include the epic fight scenes, tons of guns, an ancient sword, and Kevin Sorbo and Lucy Lawless making cameo appearances. In other words, it doesn’t just rank high on the awesome scale, it breaks it.
If you like fun movies, and don’t get offended by some good natured sexploitation and coarse language, Bitch Slap is a little slice of perfection. You’re going to laugh a lot, say “that’s totally ridiculous” a lot, and that’s the point. There are no hidden deep meanings in this one for you, it’s pure entertainment, and it’s great.
Rabbi Darkside helped bring the Subway Series to Prague, and with his 3rd Party partners in rhyme–Hired Gun and Farbeon–he’s proven he has the Skillz to Take Brazil. Those haven't been the only times his passport's been stamped, though. “Visas” provides a quick tour of some of the many places Rabbi D has been while he provides his own killer soundtrack to that tour.
I’m sure a lot of my regular readers may wonder why on earth I’d write about a soap opera, but All My Children has had a special place in my life. My mother has been a religious watcher of the show since before I was born. Whenever I was home sick from school, or summer camp was no longer in session, our one TV household was tuned in to ABC from 1pm - 2pm to watch the lives of the characters of Pine Valley unfold. Once I was grown up and moved out my mom would leave VHS tapes with me when she and my dad went away on vacation so I could record the show for her while they were gone. A few years ago my parents finally got a DVR and I was relieved of that duty. Even one of their vacations had an AMC twist. I will always remember the excited call I received from my mother when my parents’ plane touched down during this one particular trip. She couldn’t wait to tell me they had shared a flight with the one and only Susan Lucci.
This is why yesterday’s news that ABC has canceled All My Children after 41 years on the air is so sad for me. The last episode will air in September and I felt with this news I should eulogize the show. Of course, I’m going to do so in true Adam B fashion, by counting down the top five hotties in All My Children history... or at least the history of it that my personal viewings of the show covered.
5) Esta TerBlanche
TerBlanche played Gillian, and to be totally honest I remember nothing about her other than her amazing hotness and her killer South African accent. Perhaps this is because her post-AMC work is non-existent in America. Her IMDB page is as sparse as any I’ve ever seen. Although it’s doubtful we’ll see a return of TerBlanche Stateside, she certainly deserves to be on this list.
4) Rebecca Budig
Budig played (and will probably continue to play through the series' last episode) Greenlee, although she’s nearly as well known for at one time being married to former Bachelor star Bob Guiney. The two called it quits last year, which is fine with me because Budig is just the right combination of adorable and hot. Well over 500 episodes deep, Budig is one of the longest running cast members in the history of AMC. Here’s hoping she finds work once the show is over. Something tells me she will.
3) Michelle Trachtenberg
Although she was far too young to be a hottie on AMC as she played an autistic child named Lily, Trachtenberg sure grew up to be quite the beautiful woman. At one point she was the sister of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (*cough cough* foreshadowing for this list *cough cough*), and as if she needed any more cool points, the video that appeared on the internet last year of her rapping along to Nicki Minaj’s “Shake it for Daddy” while James Van Der Beek was chillin in the back seat put her over the top.
2) Sydney Penny
Penny, who played Julia Santos, looked like a cross between Joey Lauren Adams and Tia Carrere, which is the exact kind of double dose of hotness that earns a high ranking on this list. Her character had some seriously intense storylines as murder seemed to follow her around quite a bit, but in my opinion she’d be worth the risk.
1) Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sure, sure, sentimental lists will put Susan Lucci at the top, but I’m putting her character’s rape baby in my top spot! SMG played Kendall, the rape baby Erica Kane gave up for adoption. Kendall came back to Pine Valley in search of her mother and they had, well, let’s just call it a rocky relationship. Of course, SMG is a little more well known for being the Buffy of Joss Whedon, and many others’, dreams in the TV version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which was a show I watched religiously. She also has one of most shockingly normal marriages in Hollywood history.
Can’t stand wading through a ton of reviews to get to the good stuff? I feel the same way, which is why I’m not going to waste your time with negative reviews here. Negative reviews only give press to bad artists and fuel hate mail, neither of which am I in favor of. Instead, I’m highlighting albums I feel are worth your listening time. This time around I’m reviewing EPs by Love Inks, Jesse Abraham, Hopie Spitshard, Sky Ferreira and Robotanists. Each review shouldn’t take you more than a minute to read, hence, five albums in five minutes.
Love Inks E.S.P.
If a downtempo group got it on with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs the resultant offspring would probably sound a bit like Love Inks. Pulling from both sets of musical sensibilities, Love Inks describes their music as “minimalist pop” on their Facebook page, but in my opinion that’s an incomplete description, as their music, which sounds like it’s one part production, one part instrumentation, is a lot more than that. It’s melodic mood music, at some points (OK, a lot of points) it’s makeout music, and their EP, E.S.P. has a highly enjoyable, chilled out vibe. It’s the soundtrack to a really late night, when the hard music is done and you want something to set the tone for what you’re going to do next. Their cover of “Rock On,” the 1973 David Essex classic that was later superbly redone by Michael Damian in 1988, is an echo filled winner.
Jesse Abraham The One Day EP
Jesse Abraham is someone I’ve supported for quite a while and his latest effort, The One Day EP, has a whole bunch of examples as to why. Starting off with his latest collaboration with NYC super-producer Spills (a killer combo if I’ve ever heard one), “Spiderman On Vitamins” sets the tone of the album perfectly. It showcases Abraham’s ability to switch up his flow to master just about any beat you put into his headphones, while also showing off his lyrical ability and sense of humor. A few songs later, on “I Wanna Hear Ya’ll” he spits the line “a dead ringer like a phone on vibrate.” This the kind of hip-hop for people who love beats that are bouncier than your typical underground hip-hop fare, and lyrics that are both dope and fun. I am one of those people. If you are, too, you’ll dig this.
Hopie Spitshard Dulce Vita
Hopie Spitshard is another artist that’s a longtime Adam’s World fave. She’s that rare female emcee that’s really dope and doesn’t rely on gimmicks to make records. No dumb look on her face, pink hair, and Barbie outfits here. No songs about her sexual prowess. Hopie makes hip-hop music that would have been at home in the early to mid 90s, but doesn’t feel dated in the least. It’s really no wonder acts like Tanya Morgan have worked with her in the past. Musically they’re like brother and sister. I’m pretty sure the likes of MC Lyte and Queen Latifah would love her. Lyrically Hopie’s not yelling being about independent woman, but she definitely makes independent woman hip-hop. After listening to Hopie you quickly come to the conclusion that she’s not the type of woman you can put one over on, and you like her all the more for it.
Sky Ferreira As If
Sky Ferreira confuses and amuses me, but she also makes me want to dance like an idiot (note to Sky if she’s reading this - I only know how to dance like an idiot). She makes 80s inspired dance pop / club music, yet at 18 she’s not old enough to remember the 80s, or get into a nightclub (at least not legally). Unlike a young Britney Spears, who played the virgin role, Ferreira’s “Sex Rules,” which states “sex rules / use your God given tools,” shows she ain’t goin that route. Ironically, for all the poppy fun of the dance tracks, the lone slow song, “Traces,” may be the highlight of the album. The dark tone of the song is something very different from the other songs and it shows she can actually sing. Sky Ferreira is a welcome addition to the pop scene. Perhaps she can even help push some of the old guard out.
Robotanists Plans In Progress
The female fronted indie rock band Robotanists aren’t trying to rock anyone out of their pants, but they do something very few indie rocks acts manage to accomplish - they make music that’s really enjoyable to listen to. Remember things like form? Robotanists do. This is not to say they take a cookie cutter approach to their music, but when a band builds on the basics their music almost always comes out much better. There’s a chill vibe to much of Plans In Progress, but don’t let that fool you, lead vocalist Sarah Ellquist DeBlanke can belt it out when she needs to, she just doesn’t need to all that often. She seems to realize great singing doesn’t involve making things loud, but rather melodic. After playing this album I thought “that was really nice music,” and how often do we say that about a band anymore?
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with some Billboard singles chart analysis. What’s hot? What’s not? And where does the popularity, or lack thereof, of certain songs come from? I’m diving into all of that, and more. Due to deadlines, the chart positions I'm using are from the Billboard Hot 100 as it was listed on Billboard.com on Monday, April 11th, and since it's Pop Shots, you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
The conflict in Libya is currently at the forefront of many people’s minds. There’s one emcee, however, who’s been focused on Libya for all of his life - Khaled M. Khaled M is a Libyan-American emcee who’s a member of the National Front for the Salvation of Libya, and Enough Gaddafi. He’s been inspired to fight for change since his youth, when his father was tortured in a Libyan jail for protesting Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. In addition to the political groups he’s a part of, Khaled M has taken to the mic to spread his message even further. This week I caught up with Khaled M to find out more about his music, his political work, and what everyone needs to know about Libya. He also discussed his thoughts on YouTube going from promoting his latest video, to pulling it from their site, and who he thinks may have been behind it’s deletion.
Believe it or not, last week’s Artist Of The Week feature on Duv was my 260th. That’s five full years of featuring talented, hard working, independent artists who fly too far under the radar for the major press outlets. Five years is a heck of a milestone. I also think it’s the perfect time to retire the feature.
Originally, I started my Artist Of The Week feature because Elemental Magazine, which I had been writing for, shut its doors. I knew quite a few emcees that had suddenly lost one of their biggest outlets for promotion. Commercial hip-hop publications weren’t, and still, for the most part, aren’t, interested in promoting the underground, so I said I have the contacts, why not get something started to give these artists a voice and let people know about their work? I honestly had no idea how long it would last. I had a couple dozen artists in mind, but other than that there was no long term plan.
Five years and 260 artists later I feel like my Artist Of The Week feature has a small place in hip-hop history. I’m not saying it’s the biggest thing ever, but I feel like I’ve made an impact. I’ve exposed talented artists to the masses, and those artists are proud to have the title of B-Lister (a term that was co-invented by Chaz Kangas and I during a radio call-in).
Those five years represent an era for me. I documented scenes growing out of scenes and into real forces. I’ve seen some former Artists Of The Week, including Rabbi Darkside and Homeboy Sandman, go on to national fame and be featured on MTV. I’ve seen others, many others, tour internationally. Very little in this world makes me happier than seeing a B-Lister gain fame.
All that being said, I want to retire this feature when it’s still at its peak. Call it doing it Barry Sanders style. There will never be anyone saying “man, those Artist Of The Week features have gotten wack,” and there will be no watering down of B-Lister Nation.
Now, I’m not saying I’m going to stop featuring independent artists. I still have my column at the Fairfield Weekly, I’m still doing interviews for RapReviews.com, I’m working on a book on a very specific underground hip-hop scene, and I’ve created a place on the sidebar here where B-Listers can sell, or give away, their music. And don’t think I won’t be keeping a close eye on things. I’ll still be at every show I can attend, and I’ll still be checking out every site, and if at any point I feel like the scene isn’t being properly represented I WILL come back to set things straight.
This is not the end of B-Lister Nation, this is the next step in its ascension.
Being that I’ve never heard Top $ Raz come wack, and I’ve not only listened to all of his albums repeatedly, but I’ve seen him live close to a dozen times, it’s more than fitting that his latest single is titled “The Man.” Right now Raz is one of the few in NYC’s underground hip-hop scene that can claim that title, and this song, and video, are perfect examples as to why.
When your first appearance on a song makes it an anthem you set the bar pretty high for yourself. This is exactly what Dev did when she first came on the scene singing the hook on Far East Movement’s “Like A G6.” She followed it up with the club songs “Bass Down Low” and “Booty Bounce,” but when I caught up with her she let me know that she’s not a fan of “party girl” label. During our interview Dev also revealed she’s in no hurry to complete an album just to have product to push. She does, however, have some future plans with her sisters, and she also discussed her Twitter interaction with DJ Pauly D of Jersey Shore fame, and the strangest thing anyone has ever handed to her at a club.
Adam Bernard: I already know a few things about you, for instance, you like your beats fast and your bass down low. What are some of the other important things I, and everyone else, should know about you? Dev: I’m 21, I don’t have a favorite color, my birthday’s in July, I have two little sisters, and I’m Portuguese and Mexican.
Adam Bernard: Two little sisters? So you’re setting the example now. Dev: I am! I’m the big sister, man.
Adam Bernard: Do you plan on taking them on tour with you during their summer vacation? Dev:{laughs} I don’t think my kind of tours are an appropriate place for a 13 and 16 year old. One day, of course, I’d love to. That’s my goal.
Adam Bernard: Yeah, 13 might be a little young. Dev: Yeah, I'm like popping champagne on stage. That might be too much. I have to wait till they’re at least 15, or the other one’s at least 18, I guess.
Adam Bernard: Wait till the other one can take care of the youngest one. Dev:{laughs} Exactly. That’s so good. Once they can drive me around and stuff. {laughs} “You guys can come on tour IF you drive me around.” I’m just kidding.
Adam Bernard: I think probably the number one assumption about you after hearing your first few singles and appearances is that you’re a bit of a party girl. Would this be fair to say? Dev: I don’t really like to say I’m a party girl, I think that’s like super corny, but I do be sippin, and sippin and movin, but I’m not necessarily a party girl, but I can party.
Adam Bernard: You attend events at night that have loud music and alcohol. Dev: That’s exactly it, yes. I attend events at night, sometimes in the middle of the day, that have loud music and alcohol, that I consume.
Adam Bernard: So as someone who’s been to their fair share of events at night that have loud music and alcohol, what’s the weirdest thing anyone has offered you, or given you, at one of those events? Dev: Someone gave me a drawing of myself one time, which was the last thing I would expect. That’s not really weird, but for being a club atmosphere I thought that was a little strange. Other than that everybody’s kind of cool to me.
Adam Bernard: Was it on a napkin with his phone number? Dev:{laughs} No, thank God. That would have been completely creeped. It was on like a piece of computer paper.
Adam Bernard: Speaking of art, you have a lot of it on your body. How many tattoos do you have and do any have special meanings, or are they all just sort of like “I felt like getting somethin done?” Dev: I’ll roughly say around 12, maybe. Most of them are all “I just felt,” but I have some that are in Portuguese and Spanish, so I guess there's meaning behind that, the fact that I’m Portuguese and Mexican, but other than that, they’re kind of “I just felt like getting them.” Personally I’ve never really wanted to have something where where I’m like yeah, well the meaning behind this is because der der der. They’re just for funsies.
Adam Bernard: It can get a little pretentious if you have seven paragraphs about what your tattoo is. Dev: Exactly. Like well this means blah blah blah, and this means strength and some other random Japanese.
Adam Bernard: "I got this when I fell off my bike when I was eight." Dev: Exactly. So yeah, they’re kind of just there for funsies.
Adam Bernard: And you said you have some in Spanish and Portuguese. Are you tri-lingual? Dev: I am technically not, no. I only know the demanding words like go to bed, and don’t touch that, or don’t do that. Things like that. Things that my family used to say when I was little.
Adam Bernard: So you can discipline a dog in any language. Dev: I can discipline a dog and order really good food and beer, and that’s about it.
Adam Bernard: That’s the basics. You can get through life with that. Dev: Yeah. It’s good enough, I guess.
Adam Bernard: Since you’re not disciplining dogs for a living, let’s talk a little bit about the album. Hit me with the title, the scheduled release date, and what your hopes are for it. Dev: Well, there is no title yet. I know everybody’s like completely on my ass for that, but there will be soon. And there is no date. We were set for April, but we pushed (it) a little bit. I think I’d like to spend some more time on it before I put it out there. So far I just spent three weeks in Costa Rica recording for it and there are a lot of great ideas and songs set down. I’m excited for everybody to hear it when it does come out and when it’s finished. There’s a lot of different textures and tempo and stories. There are some songs where I’m rapping the whole thing and there are some songs where it’s just me and a guitar and I’m singing the whole thing. So I’m excited for everybody to see that I can make songs about me being 21 and having a good time and they can have a good time and I can make songs that are a little bit more than that, and have a little bit more depth to it, even though both are great. People will definitely be able to tell I grew up listening to a bunch of different stuff and (am) influenced by a bunch of different stuff. I’m really excited for it. I’m 21 years old, I’m young, and I think that it’s a good representation of where I am and what I’ve gone through, so I’m excited for it.
Adam Bernard: I like hearing that you’re going to take some more time on it, because “Like A G6” threw you into the limelight pretty quickly. Was there pressure on you to rush the album? Dev: You know, with “G6” there was a little bit. It gave me enough attention without it being too crazy and putting me in some sort of unrealistic place, but it did give me a lot of attention and I know that we definitely didn’t want it to die down, we wanted to keep things moving. When the wave comes you sorta got to ride it, you know what I’m saying? Luckily we had “Bass Down Low” already all done and finished and we could push that out, and I feel it was a great follow up, but I wanted to spend a little more time on this and get it right. I’m figuring out more and more about myself every day, so yeah, thankfully there wasn’t too much pressure, but I have to keep movin.
Adam Bernard: Yeah, and “Bass Down Low” got quite the big ups from Pauly D on Twitter. Dev: Yeah, you see that? That’s my man right there {laughs}. He tweeted I’m obsessed with @DevIsHot OMG. It was so cool.
Adam Bernard: Have you linked up with Pauly D? Dev: I haven’t yet. We just kind of tweeted each other back and forth a little bit that one time, but hopefully I’ll meet him or see him at a show or something. I caught him playing at a Christmas show out here in LA for the radio station and he was really dope, so we’ll see.
Adam Bernard: You linked up with him through Twitter, and you linked up with the Cataracs through, and I know this sounds so 2006, MySpace. What’s your working relationship with them now? Are they producing your entire album? Dev: Exactly, so 2006. That was amazing. A lot of people brought up different ideas for the producers and stuff, but it was important to me that the Cataracs produced all of it and I wanted that. They found me on MySpace three years ago and have worked with me ever since. They taught me everything I know. When I met the Cataracs I didn’t even understand how to write a structured song or anything like that, so yeah, they’ve kind of taught me everything and I’ve kind of grown with them and it was just really important to me that they be the main production on it. The know me so well. I’m so lucky to be an artist that started out with these people and I’ve grown with these people, because most people meet their producers and they’re like “hey, let’s try to make an album in six months, nice to meet you,” or “I remember you back in the day, let’s hook up and try to,” but I’ve lived with the Cataracs for a year and a half, and I’ve been best friends with them for three years, I’ve toured with them. They’ve known everybody I’ve dated, and they know what food I like, so it was really important to me that that sort of authenticity and the sort of genuine feel behind that was in the album and represented with the album and all the songs. And we just work really well together.
Adam Bernard: And you live with them now. Is this a Big Love situation. Are you all married and being filmed for HBO? Dev: We’re all married and we have six children together. No. No way. They’re like my brothers. We should have definitely had a TV show, though. There were definitely some crazy times in the house, but those are like my brothers, they have my back and I have theirs and I’m very fortunate to have that relationship with people that I work with. I don’t think most people can even stand people that they work with and I lived with mine, so I think I’m pretty lucky for that.
Adam Bernard: One comparison you get is to Ke$ha, I think there are some notable differences between the two of you; your beats are more minimal, and your vocals are lower and at times slightly disaffected, while Ke$ha’s are up and chirpy. Are you happy with the Ke$ha comparisons, because she’s one of the biggest artists in the world right now, or would you rather they cease altogether? Dev: I respect all artists, whether I listen to them or not. I’d be a fool not to because this industry is absolutely insane, but I don’t like being compared to anybody. {laughs} I’m like such a brat, why would I want to be compared to anybody? So it’s whatever. People are gonna make the comparisons, that’s the easiest for people to do. They feel safe. They feel safe listening to me because I remind them so so and so, and that’s fine, and it’s cool, but they’ll definitely be able to tell when I sing it doesn't sound like that and on songs where I’m more rapping it doesn’t sound like that, but I can understand comparisons coming from people only hearing me on an eight bar hook from “Like A G6” and on a sort of party influenced song on “Bass Down Low.” So that’s that, but people will see when the album comes out and then they can make their comparisons then. I’m sure they will.
Adam Bernard: Finally, your Twitter handle is @DevIsHot. Modest much? Dev: Yeah, modest much? No, it’s like a joke because I’m completely NOT like that. I don’t have DevIsHot and have my background with modeling headshots of me. My Twit icon was of me with like no hair. I completely chopped all my hair off. So it’s more of a play off of the fact that I’m so not like that.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from Charlie Sheen’s epic fail of a live show, to a curious casting call for Vanilla Ice, to the winner of a reality TV singing competition taking part in another reality TV singing competition, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
Dead Man’s Cell Phone opens in a cafe with the cell phone of a lifeless patron incessantly ringing. A female patron, Jean, gets fed up with the noise, answers the phone, and gets sucked into the deceased man’s world. According to Jeffrey Allen, who is directing the Fairfield University production of the play, Jean then “transforms this world and makes it a different place.”
The play, which was written by Sarah Ruhl in 2007, features quite a bit of dark humor. Casey Grambo, who plays Jean, describes the humor, saying “there are moments when awful people are very funny, but they’re still awful people.” Allen adds “most comedy that we really appreciate is from putting people in bizarre circumstances, and this play opens with a woman picking up somebody else’s telephone. Each of the situations that she finds herself in as a result are increasingly more absurd in their own way.”
One bizarre circumstance for the student-actors was finding out they were to be active in the creation of the entire show. Allen wouldn’t have it any other way. “I think it’s a strange concept in the performing arts, in theatre particularly, to say to a group of creative people, here are the clothes you’re going to wear, here is the place you’re going to stand, here is how you’re going to say this line. I’m much more interested in, we’re all in this room together, so what are we going to bring to the table? A wiser director than I once said ‘explore every idea, no matter how absurd, just explore it, see where it takes you.’”
Grace Janiszewski, who is a “theatrical ninja,” playing multiple roles, remembers “at first we were like, where is he going? Then after a while we were like, OK, let’s just think up some stuff, and we’d show it to him, and he’d be like, that’s all great. Then we would do it again.” For Michael Maio, who plays Dwight, the process gave him more of a connection to the play. “You invest so much into it besides just learning your lines,” he explains, “you have a say in what the final product looks like, which is so unique.”
Because Dead Man’s Cell Phone is a relatively new play, the student-actors are even getting to mold the characters. Grambo points out “there’s no stereotypical Jean. There’s no stereotypical Dwight.” There is one rule, however, that Allen feels needs to be observed; “At the end of the day, everything has to serve the story.”
The story, at its core, is about the way people connect. According to Janiszewski “it really pinpoints the relationships that we have these days and how they are through technology. I think it’s hinting that this is what we’re becoming, machines talking to each other instead of people.” Allen adds “something like a cell phone creates that false sensibility that I am so important. I think it’s a great reminder, doing this play, that no, what’s important is human interaction.”
Performances are at the PepsiCo Theatre, Tuesday through Friday, April 12-15 at 8:00 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday, April 16 and 17.
Tickets are $12 general admission, $6 for seniors and University staff, and $5 for students. To order, call the Quick Center Box Office at (203) 254-4010 or toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396.
This Theatre Fairfield event is an Arts & Minds presentation.
Traditionally, finding women at hip-hop shows is like trying to find salads in Fat Joe’s diet. Sure, they’re there, but they’re few and far between. Female emcees can be even more scarce. Othello, who, with his d_Cyphernauts partner Nemesis Alpha, hosts the long running monthly open mic, Enter the Cypher, in Danbury, says that only about 10% of the emcees that pick up the mic during one of his shows are female, adding “it would probably be even less if it wasn’t for the fact that some groups roll through with a female emcee in the crew.”
It’s a disturbing trend in an already male dominated craft. Othello laments “hip-hop has always been more of a man’s game, but it seems even less diverse now than ever.”
Bridgeport emcee Sol Storm, formerly of Nervous System, sees this as a challenge. A challenge she enjoys taking on. “If the girls over on UConn’s basketball team can give male b-ballers a run for their money then so can us female rappers.”
One female rapper who’s given everyone a run for their money is Nicki Minaj. She gets airplay on every urban and pop radio station, her album, Pink Friday, hit number one on the Billboard chart, and her popularity eclipses that of many male emcees. Othello points to the success of Minaj as a starting point for the female emcees of today, saying “the fact that Nicki has been so successful shows that there is a place for commercial success for women rocking the mic.” Sol Storm adds “Nicki has allowed male listeners to be able to be open to the idea that women can rap again.”
Unfortunately, as Othello notes, there’s some baggage that comes with Minaj’s success. “Here’s my issue with Nicki Minaj,” he explains, “she’s the ONLY female voice in mainstream hip-hop right now. I think that she’s got crazy skills, but what is the message that young aspiring female emcees are getting when the only female rapper that can crack the airwaves is so self-objectified that she calls herself ‘Black Barbie?’” According to Waterbury emcee Dina Brass the results have been, “a lot of Nicki Minaj wannabes instead of inspired women that want to create their own lane.”
Brass feels that if these women want to be taken seriously as emcees they need to “leave the stripper heels and sparkly bras at home.” She does, however, want them to come out and perform, as does SolStorm, who says “perhaps if there are more females rockin mics then there will be more interest in each other instead of conflict and competition.”
Conflict between female emcees, while great for the occasional headline, may, in Sol Storm’s estimation, be one of the biggest factors holding female emcees back. “Production companies usually only invest time and beats to one female rapper at a time,” she explains, “and it may be related to female catty behavior. Maybe they know what they are doing, but they sure aren’t helping.”
Othello has some ideas for what could help the situation, starting with hip-hop fans doing a better job of celebrating the female emcees that are out there. He adds that at Enter the Cypher he encourages spoken word artists to approach the mic, which gets more females involved, and that ladies nights that feature female emcees are another great idea.
Brass feels that if female emcees want to be treated as equals to their male counterparts they have to start by treating themselves as equals. “If you’re serious about what you do, carry yourself in a way where people have no choice but to respect you. People LOVE when women rock the mic, so don’t be afraid!”
The opportunity is there, especially in Connecticut. Enter the Cypher happens every third Friday of the month at Cousin Larry’s in Danbury, while Brass helps put together shows that happen every first Thursday of the month at Sully’s Pub in Hartford, and every third Thursday of the month at Bleachers in Bristol. There are also a plethora of other open mics happening every week all over the state.
Once women start taking the microphone just as often as their male counterparts it will be up to the culture of hip-hop to do the rest. Othello points out that “hip-hop itself needs to value women’s voices more as we move forward,” adding “it’s problematic for hip-hop culture when the only space for women to exist is either singing hooks or as video eye-candy. If things don’t change, then you’ll lose the female fans, and that’s when a scene dies.”
If you’ve ever been to the Bowery Poetry Club you’ve met Duv. Not only does he greet everyone at the door with his position as a club’s bouncer, but he also graces the stage on a regular basis as one of New York City’s top singing talents. I’ve been wanting to feature Duv for a while now, but every time I see him he’s working. This week I finally caught up with him while he was off the clock and found out more about his musical past, which actually includes a lot of dance, his regular appearances as a part of the Symphonics Live events, and one of the rare occasions someone needed to be removed from the Bowery, and how Duv’s singing may have helped.
Adam Bernard: Start everyone off with some background info. Where are you from and when did you first become interested in singing? Duv: I was born and raised in The Bronx. As far as my first interest in singing goes, the joke used to be that I came out of my mother's stomach with a mic. To be honest, I don't really remember ever not being interested in singing, or some kind of performance, art growing up.
Adam Bernard: What are some of your earliest memories of performing? Duv: My earliest real memories of performing are from junior high school. During my junior high years I went to a school called The Bronx Dance Academy and every day was half academics and half ballet, modern, or jazz dance. I always felt comfortable performing on some level, but being there for the years that I was, with the people that I was there with, did so much for my strength and comfort as a stage performer, even as a singer. Every year we would have a few performances that took place on a large stage in a theater. The experience was amazing. There was a time in my life when I thought dance was going to be the career I was going to pursue.
Adam Bernard: I know a lot of people are glad you ended up pursuing music, including those who attend the Symphonics Live series of shows. You’re a mainstay on that bill. Tell me about those shows and how you came to be involved with them. Duv: Symphonics Live is an event that I genuinely love! It's put together by a very talented man named Shawn Randall who has an amazing ability to build relationships with people who are just as talented and know how to put on a great show, just as he does. To be honest, I don't think I even remember how Shawn and I met. I do remember having some kind of musical interaction early on in our friendship, doing some improvisation at an open mic with a guitarist and a beatboxer. The chemistry and respect for each other's artistry was unquestionable. From that point on I was a part of every Symphonics Live event, at least during the improv section at the end of the show, and at other times also doing my own sets with the band. We've rocked at some really wonderful performance venues such The Blue Note, The Bowery Poetry Club, and The Zipper Factory, to name a few.
Adam Bernard: Other than Symphonics, where might people have heard your work and seen you perform? Duv: I've done some shows at various places over the last few years; The University of Massachusetts, Pianos, South Paw, of course The Bowery Poetry Club. I've also done some events as part of the 14 person beatbox orchestra called Nu Voices, which is run by the founder of Beatboxer Entertainment, Kid Lucky. I'm featured on the soundtrack of a 2009 independent film called The Empty Hands, which was directed by Steven Watkins, and I’m featured on Baba Israel and Yako440's album Beatbox Dub Poetics. Baba and Yako also produced my debut album Urban Artistik, which was released in 2008.
Adam Bernard: 2008 was a while ago. Is there another album in the works? Duv: We did just start recording for my second album. I think the plan is to have it done at some point this year, but we don't have a deadline or anything. People can definitely expect to here some new songs in the next two months or so.
Adam Bernard: In addition to your music, a lot of folks know you as the world’s greatest bouncer over at the Bowery Poetry Club. In what ways do you think having that position has helped your singing career? Duv: The world's greatest bouncer?! That's a pretty big statement. Maybe one of the friendliest. It is a great job for my art, though. I'm very fortunate to work in a space where a large variety of arts, artists, and people in this city, and in many cases beyond this city, are at a very continuous flow, and I'm the man at the front. I get to interact and speak with everyone that walks in. I'm not positive, but I probably met Shawn (Randall) there. There has been more than one case where I'd meet someone at the Bowery and then collaborate with them, or be invited to do a show, shortly after. Just being at that door as often as I am, if used right, can be a great networking tool. Aside from it being a space to meet people, if you’re an artist working at The Bowery Poetry Club, which almost all of us are, it's a place to perform. In 2008 the Bowery housed the album release party for my debut album. It was a great event and I wouldn't have wanted to have it anywhere else. That stage is one of my musical homes.
Adam Bernard: Do you have any especially fond memories of seeing an artist first, watching an artist grow, or meeting someone special there? Duv: There are so many amazing people and performers that walk into that place and bless the stage. Coincidentally, the one that comes to mind first is also a frequent part of the Symphonics Live shows. Her name is Grace Kalambay. This woman has such an amazing voice. I am truthfully a fan. I have certainly seen her grow as a performer over the last few years. I very highly recommend that any/everyone look her up, hear her sounds and check out any shows that she might be a part of. You'll be glad you did.
Adam Bernard: Finally, have you ever actually had to bounce anyone? Do you have any wild moments to report? Duv: Ya know, it definitely doesn't happen as often as it does in a lot of other clubs and bars, but it does happen, and to be honest, most of the time, removing someone from the space is as easy as telling them they need to leave and walking them out. Some are a little more memorable, though. One time that comes to mind happened a few years ago at a rock show. A customer started a fight with one of the band members. Typically we would remove both parties involved in a fight, but I happened to be standing there and the performer clearly wanted no part in the confrontation. The man just grabbed the hat off the band member's head and tried swinging. I, and I believe the manager, grabbed him and pulled him outside. He spent about 20 or 30 minutes after that trying to argue his way back in. Then he said he was going to wait out front until the show was done to finish his fight. Finally he tries rushing his way in through us, which made no sense because he was a pretty good amount smaller than me, and two of the three guys at the door with me were almost twice my size. Anyway, I had to put him on the ground. He ended up with his back to street with my knee to his chest and my hands on the collar of his jacket until he calmed down. Then I helped him up, told him it was nothing personal, he apologized and wasn't any more of a problem. The reason this came to mind first is because the joke at the Bowery was that I sang him to the ground and then sang him calm afterward.
Normally I'm not a fan of live hip-hop footage because it rarely captures the actual emotion of a performance and the sound usually comes out less than stellar. Thankfully, Donovan Kasp managed to expertly record Dollar Coffee's Brown Bag Thursday's performance of "C.R.E.A.M." I say thankfully because Dollar Coffee is a duo I can't stop raving about. The combination of Albert Rhymestein and B.S. is really something to be seen and heard. They give fantastic live performances and I can't wait for their album to drop. I also can't wait for them to make an official music video, but until that time comes, we'll do it live!
B-Listers are a select group of artists that were featured in my Artist Of The Week series that ran every Monday from April of '06 to April of '11. All of these artists have two things in common; extreme talent, and a flight path far too under the radar for my liking. They took on the title of B-Listers as they embraced being featured by me, Adam B. Check out the AOTW Archives for all the interviews.
