WeMerge Magazine Issue 9 by WeMerge, Inc.

FREE

FALL 2010

Local Arts & Entertainment Magazine

www.WeMergeTalent.com

The

Art of

Pooch

CELERY See pg.34

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TABLE OF CONTENTS WeMerge Table of Contents Pg. 2 - Letter from the Editor Pg. 2-5 - Pooch (Cover Story) Pg. 6 - BLP Babble Pg. 7 - Oh? Radi...Oh?, Ladezma Pg. 8 - Anthony Burks, Tom Parker Pg. 9 - 12 - Local Businesses & Editorial Pg. 13 - Groovolution Pg. 14-15 - Editorial Pg. 16 - Invi, Nikki Copeland Pg. 17 - Local Businesses Pg. 18 - Fonda Cash’s Students Pg. 19 - 21 - Local Businesses Pg. 22-23 - DMAC Pg. 24 - Erika Taguchi-Newton Pg. 25 - Local Music Artists Pg. 26-27 - Who’s Next Gallery Pg. 28 - Teens Merge, Spred the Dub Pg. 29 - FW4S Records Pg. 30 - Tattoolapalooza Pg. 31 - Tattoo Artist Jesse Smith Pg. 32 - Monterey Club Pg. 33 - Bang Hair, Hoop So Fly Pg. 34 - Pam Bruno, Celery

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Pg. 35 - Ghost Post Publishing Pg. 36 - Freedom From Bondage Pg. 37 - Inked Productions Pg. 38 - Local Businesses Pg. 39 - Grace Café & Gallery Pg. 40 - F.A.T. Village Pg. 41 - Art Wear Pg. 42 - Crackhead Jesus Pg. 43 - Local Businesses & Performers Pg. 44 - Art Scavenger Hunt Pg. 45 - Purple Haze, Marvlec Pg. 46 - Art’s Coffee Shop, Mega Bite Café Pg. 47 - Local Business Cards Pg. 48 - Solid Sound Studios Pg. 49 - Some Advice for Bands Pg. 50 - We Asked, They Answered Pg. 51 - Kevro’s Art Bar Pg. 52 - Rock n Faces, Craig Mcinnis 19th Street Auto Salvage Pg. 53 - The WeMerge Graffiti Page Pg. 54 - Velcro Hash (Back Cover) Pg. 55 - Coupon: Lifetime Supply of Celery Pg. 56 - Map to hidden treasure

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WeMerge Magazine President Creative Director

Dwayne Adams info@wemergetalent.com

Vice President Chief Editor

Renda Writer editor@wemergetalent.com

Contributing Writers: Ashley Lombardo, Brian Dillingham, Brian Breslaw, Rachel Galvin, David Cintron, Ashley Allred, Matt Beck, Casandra Tanenbaum, Alexandra Seheult, CR Bauman, Maritere Taveras, Seth Kravitz, Pilot Rai Graphic Designers: Rob Smith (RobSmithArt.com) Brian Dillingham, Craig McInnis (CraigMcInnis.com) Marketing: Melinda McGee (LocalWebsiteRankings.com) College Promotions: Andrew Ackerman Cover Art: Pooch (PoochIsland.com) Contributing Photographers: Johnny Zhang (Flat12.vze.com), John Steffey (RabidRabbitStudio.com), Rachel DeJohn, Dwayne Adams Research: Michele Barenfeld, Nicole Esposito Proofreaders: Bethany Lee Auchter, Maritere Taveras Webmaster: Brian Dillingham (Brian@WeMergeTalent.com) Videography: www.LeafHouseProductions.com Copyright©2010-11 WeMerge, Inc. All rights reserved to WeMerge, Inc. All content included in this magazine: text, graphics, logos, icons, & images, are the property of WeMerge, Inc. and/ or its content suppliers (writers, photographers, illustrators, and others) and protected by US and international copyright laws. No content is allowed to be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from WeMerge, Inc. WeMerge Magazine contains the opinions and experiences of other people and the publishers do not necessarily approve, agree with, and/or condone those opinions or actions. WeMerge, Inc. cannot be held responsible for these opinions or actions. We provide a community service to our readers. All collaboration or verification of event postings are the responsibility of the reader prior to relying on such information for any action that may be taken on their behalf or on the behalf of others. For all legal issues call our lawyer. Special Thanks to Michele for her guidance against the cheeze & support against the struggles. Nicci “Bean” Loren for helping with imagination. All the haters for giving us motivation. Nicole for her support. Robert Sugar for his unmeasurable knowledge. John Hunter for all his help with the production. And last but not least, the Bonus Red Dot for always being an extra free bonus.

Celebrity WeMerge Supporters Celebrity WeMerge Magazine readers (L-R): Richard Roundtree, who played the lead role in the 1971 movie, Shaft; Chris Carrabba, from Dashboard Confessional; Waldo (we found him).

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Thank you for all your support. This issue is slicker than a harpooned hippo in a banana tree. Which is why I have to agree with my editor when he says “that you have to get up and go.” Pilot Rai even sang once that “you need to walk, run, take a train, fly. Cause you’re either punching a clock that pays minimum wage or getting high. So when this song comes on the radio, ya gotta get up cat...go go go.” These words couldn’t be more true for most of our society. That’s why this magazine is FREE. To give people that motivation that it can be done. You just have to get off your ass and do it. Even this magazine was started off the words of...”Why don’t you guys have a magazine?” Next thing you know with a little research...we had one, and look at us now. It’s a lot of hard work with no money, but we get to do what we love. Create. - Thanks, Dwayne Adams

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Letter from the Editor S

Staying in one place never got anyone anywhere. You’ve got to get up and go, if you really want to go somewhere. That’s the point of this magazine. That’s why I do what I do. Inspiring you inspires me. The goal is to inspire you to get up and go. Go somewhere with your art, with your music, with your business. Get up and go. It doesn’t have to be a geographical place. It can be a level of success or a state of mind, or some sort of metaphorical, metaphysical place. Whatever it is, wherever it is – you’ve got to go. You owe it to yourself to go there. That’s what I’m doing… what we’re doing… that’s what WeMerge is doing, and we’re doing it hard – hardcore. Carpe diem. Our Creative Director, Dwayne Adams, and I are sticking to our commitment to expand WeMerge, and take it national. We’re putting the pieces in place. So right here I would like to give a special thanks to Joey Schneider, of Joe’s Gems in Raleigh, North Carolina, for planting the seeds for our growth in North Carolina. I’d also like to recognize all of the artists in this issue with national ambitions, like cover artist Pooch, who is exhibiting right now in New York, and the guys from Footwork 4 Self Records, who are touring all over the US, making South Florida proud. Special thanks to Rachel Goldberg and Michael Penn of Osceola 32 Gallery in Stuart, for hosting our WeMerge Martin County Expansion Party, helping us expand into our fourth county. We know how to walk before we run, and how to run before we fly, so running into yet another county in Florida sets us up perfectly for flying into other states in the very near future. Think globally. Act locally. On a personal note, since 2007 I’ve been trying to go to one place, and one place only – Los Angeles. Why? That’s where The Ellen Degeneres Show films, and my goal is to perform my poem, “Half Hearted,” on her show. You can help by going to www. RendaWriter.com to sign my online petition. Also, please go to www.EllenTV.com/show and Facebook.com/EllenTV to let Ellen know that you support my dream.

Pooch What’s the last thing that comes to mind when you look at our cover? And the last thing when you look at the art on the next few pages? What’s the last thing that comes to mind when looking at the highly intricate surreal fantasy scenery painted by Pooch, the cover artist for our fall issue? The last thing you would think of when looking at Pooch’s art… could it be… Disney? Well oddly enough, it is in fact Disney that is at the root of Michael “Pooch” Pucciarelli’s artistic influence. The intricate mechanical look of the nautilus submarine at the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride at Disney World captivated a young Pooch during a family trip to the Orlando theme park and settled into the young artist’s mind, leaving an indelible mark that would stay with him as he grew… and as his sphere of influence grew to include the works of artists such as Salvatore Dali, MC Escher, and HR Giger. Giger is the Swiss artist that is credited as the father of the biomechanical style, and is the author of the book, Biomechanics. He also designed the alien in the Alien movie series, and his influence can be seen literally ON Pooch; his skull drawing is tattooed on Pooch’s stomach and a framed pencil drawing of that same skull hangs above Pooch’s work station like an homage to one of the greats at Pooch’s tattoo shop in Lake Worth, Altered State Tattoo (2402 N Dixie

Muerto Mechanico II

“Support the scene, or there will be no scene to support.” Peace,

Renda Writer Chief Editor WeMerge Magazine

We Can’t Change the World, but We Can Change Our Ways

Support the scene or there will be no scene to support

Madame Mollusk

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Hwy). When he’s not painting in his home studio or shipping his paintings off to galleries in New York, Seattle, or Los Angeles, this is where you can find him, sitting by the Giger piece, tattooing custom work on the skin of customers who are looking to turn their bodies into canvases. Like with painting, Pooch is completely self-taught as a tattoo artist and has earned himself the welldeserved credit as one of the best in the industry. One of the most humble and down-to-Earth artists you will ever meet, Pooch is happy to take time out of his day to chat at his shop, a nice reminder that he

is more concerned with things like art, creation, and imagination than ego, pride, or material success. In his book, The Art of Pooch Island, he even has a quote from Albert Einstein that says, “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” and it’s with a healthy dose of imagination that Pooch was able to reach back to his early Disney World memories and pull them through a life of pop surrealism and lowbrow influence to create his own theme park, Pooch Island, which is also the namesake for his website, PoochIsland.com. Although it may only exist in his mind, and on canvas and computer,

Pooch Island is a place where skeletons ride roller coasters and the all mythical elements of a bizarre theme park world are as real as the acrylic paint that comes from Pooch’s palette. The artist’s dedication to his fantasy world is evident in his predilection toward doing series, like the Muerto Mecanico series pictured along with this article, which helps the viewer to delve further into his surreal surrounding than an isolated individual piece, while also showing Pooch’s commitment to his style and theme. Continued on next page

Nautilus Girl

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Muerto Mechanico I What’s next for Pooch? His exhibition at Last Rites Gallery (owned by one of Pooch’s influences, Paul Booth) in New York City will be in full swing by the time you read this, and in addition to more tattooing and creating more art, Pooch has plans to build a big box that will open up into a diorama

sculpture of Pooch Island - a good tool to have just in case a wealthy developer should come across it and consider it a worthy model for the building an actual Pooch Island theme park. He has also recently begun painting on guitars, which is a medium that is close to the heart of an artist who spent 10 years

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in the band Raped Ape and is now in a new band called Trailer Shark. Pooch’s own musings on his life as an artist are simple enough, “I like ornamented, intricate things… Really detailed pencil work is at the core of what I do.” Statements like this stand out while

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discussing the daily role that art plays in his life, a reminder that once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve tapped into your talents and created a formula for artistic productivity, the rest is just followthrough. Just do what you love, and keep doing it. t For more information on Pooch please visit www.PoochIsland.com

Nemoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s EthnoBotanical Experiment #5

Muerto Mechanico III

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Custom Painted Guitar

Bomber Support the scene or there will be no scene to support

The

BLP Babble

By Matt Beck, founder of Brotherly Love Productions matt@brotherlyloveproductions.com

Support the scene or there will be no scene to support. I’ve dug this phrase since I read it in the header of WeMerge Magazine’s earliest editions. Generally, I’m out-and-about several nights each week, and I’m increasingly amused by everyone who says that the South Florida music scene is nonexistent while they stand in front of a band giving it their all. Being a jamband forte kinda guy, back in the day there were few musical outlets for me. However, bouncing between Crazy Fingers’ Pompano Pier Grateful Dead tributes and Way of the Grooves’ Alligator Alley jazz explorations, with an occasional South Florida Jam at the Culture Room, I made due. Then roughly three years ago, during Langerado’s peak, I must have sensed a changing tide. That’s when I began my all-purpose live music production company, Brotherly Love Productions. In this thin transient land, very few venues were open to original music and very few bands were giving it a go, but with the housing boom and influx of outsiders…the scene was growing. A wise man (my bank) told me at the time that no one would take me serious unless I could persist three years. The same must be true for bands… and bars. The Hurricane Lounge in Delray Beach is celebrating four years,

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while providing six nights of live entertainment and hosting our weekly BLP Sunday Night Cookouts; the Funky Buddha Lounge & Brewery, its Bamboo Stage and welcoming larger space are now always an option; the Titanic Brewery in Coral Gables and its unique vibe just off the UM campus playing regular host to BLP shows. I feel like things are coming full circle. BLP has grown up with bands like The Heavy Pets, The Resolvers and Cypress. Way of the Groove’s Pastorius brothers have both done stints with The Pets, helping gain them serious national attention; Crazy Fingers’ Corey Dwyer is a likely sit-in at our Hurricane party each week following his gig around the corner; The Resolvers have upped their game, added horns and infinitely expanded their sound; following some line-up changes, Cypress is sounding better than ever. There certainly is a scene. Spread the word, bring some friends and face the music. As always, we hope to see you out! t

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WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH RADIO By Brian Breslaw - BBreslaw@gmail.com TODAY??? There was a time when music lovers could tune in to a station and listen to undiscovered music and decide for themselves if they were going to purchase their album or a ticket to that band’s show. People, this was a long time ago. For the last fifteen years, all you’ll find is either remnants of 90’s grunge or this bullshit nu-metal that is created for people that don’t give a shit about a scene. Who doesn’t love Nirvana? I do. You do. But if I hear “Come As You Are” in my car one more time....well, I’d end up telling Kurt to shut the f*ck up. And he doesn’t deserve that. As for Buckcherry’s, “You’re Crazy Bitch”, stab me in the eye with a salad fork. I’m not saying that everyone should listen to Arcade Fire or Against Me. The question I’m asking is why doesn’t radio take chances on new bands. Of course the the answer is money, but don’t they see that radio will be obsolete in 5 years? Thank the invisible gods above that I can burn my own cd’s and plug in my mp3 player to listen to decent tunes. If not, I’d be slapping my steering wheel to Nickelback and Disturbed. Next thing you know I’ll be writing my congressman to keep digging for oil in the Gulf of Mexico and ban same sex marriages. I’m just saying, people...together we can stop “Mandatory Metallica”. t

‘ Need No We Don’t ‘

Stinkin Guitar

By Alexandra Seheult - ag.sehe@gmail.com

ost people would imagine a typical rock band to be composed of a guitarist, bassist, drummer, and a singer. This wasn’t the case when the local band LaDezma started in 2001. At the time, Alex, Abe, and Dave believed they didn’t need a guitarist in the band and they recorded their first demo, We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Guitar with just two basses, drums, and vocals. Entertaining the fans is a huge priority for the guys in LaDezma. After a while of playing with two bassists, the boys realized that if they were going to put on a kick-ass rock show for their audience, they would need to add a guitar to take their music to the next level. So front man, Alex, took on the role of lead guitarist and singer while Abe and Dave continued their respective roles as bassist and drummer. In 2005, the band added Chris as the lead guitarist, which allowed Alex to focus more on vocals as well as interact and jam out with the crowd as the true front man he is. Each member of the band is driven by their passion for music and entertainment, along with the love for their fans and their friendship. As I watched them rehearse their set, which is usually 50 to 60 songs, it was so easy for me to imagine these guys rockin’ out on stage. There is a constant flow of energy between them that’s impossible not to feel. Catch LaDezma at several local bars and clubs such as World of Beer in Coconut Creek on September 10th, The Dubliner in Boca Raton on November 6th, and future dates at Murphy’s Law and Dicey Riley’s in Ft. Lauderdale. Their latest album, Bringing it Back, will soon be available for purchase. t

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Being “Bummed Out”

Never Felt So Good

By Rachel Galvin - ravenprods@yahoo.com

Alyn Darnay and Larry Gotterer are bummed out. No, they aren’t sad, but rather they are the award-winning creative geniuses behind the new pilot Bummed Out that was recently filmed all over Broward and Palm Beach counties. This movie could have been named the ‘Misadventures of Zeke and AJ.’ “It follows middle aged guys who bumble from one misadventure to the next,” explains Darnay. After doing much darker award-winning short thrillers, directed by Darnay, like Art of Roadkill and Smooth Operator, Gotterer wanted to write a comedy. “We think it has potential as a cable series. We have ideas for six or eight more,” said Darnay, who also plans on sending it to film festivals. But making a movie in 100 degree heat wasn’t easy on this ten-day shoot. It wasn’t just the weather that was tricky, but also the fact that Darnay had to act and direct at the same time. “It was quite a challenge. I watched people on the crew to see those who liked things I liked and those members of my crew became my barometer. With comedy, everything relates on timing. It reads funny on the page, but [when you are acting], you have to hunt for the humor.” The laughs were not just in the script, but behind the scenes too. “The crew was laughing all the time. It was a happy set,” he added. Gotterer, who also spends his time in advertising and marketing, dove into acting in this one. “The sillier and crazier it got, the more comfortable I felt,” he said. “We are normal people playing not so normal people.” Besides working on this project, Darnay also promotes his book, The Script … A Breakthrough Guide to Scriptwriting. t

The Endurance of Quality By David Citron - David@techwriter.info

At an age when his high school classmates were playing in garage bands and wearing Beatle haircuts, Gary Lawrence was performing big band music, American standards, and traditional jazz at his summer job in the Catskills. The year was 1968, and Gary was performing with musicians twice or three times his age! “If a classical musician enjoys and performs the music of Chopin and Mozart, it doesn’t matter that it was written before he was born,” says Gary, regarding his performance and appreciation of music older than he is. “Quality endures forever.” After many years of playing private parties in New York, he formed a Roaring 20’s Big Band, The Sizzling Syncopators, which has appeared on national TV and has recorded for several labels, including CBS Masterworks. Since relocating to Florida in 1978, Gary has been the leader of two radio station orchestras, at WFTL and WLQY. As a pianist/conductor, Gary has performed with such well-known performers as Shirley Bassey, Mel Torme, Cab Calloway, Mickey Katz, Tiny Tim, and Howard Keel. He also toured with the internationally renowned Epstein Brothers klezmer ensemble. Gary has just returned from three months as bandleader on the Holland America Line’s Eurodam, cruising across northern Europe. Today, because the troubled economy is especially causing budget problems for nonprofit organizations, Gary’s latest project is organizing live music programs that can be fundraisers for them, funded by grants which he will help them obtain. Other current projects include Songs of the Sunshine State and The Classic Jazz Trio. To book a performance or discuss possible grants, contact Gary Lawrence at (954) 346-8863. t 10

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The Succession of by C.R. Bauman – crbauman@comcast.net

SoFloRadio

With the untimely retirement of AM radio legend Neil Rogers back in May of 2009, exiled producers Jorge Rodriguez and Boca Brian had to step it up with something for themselves. But how? Radio has only rotted from the core since Rodriguez first co-hosted Rogers’ show over 20 years ago. The cutthroat spirit of the corporate system that put all the pride in the packaging and not the product has polluted our airwaves. Enter SoFloRadio.com, an open-language and organic online radio station broadcasting now for over a year, the brainchild that is “doing local radio because local radio stations don’t want to” as Rodriguez puts it. FM/AM is fail. South Florida radio was once our voice where hosts and deejays looked out for what we wanted, but has since given in to the superficiality that made MTV go from music to marketing, from the jive to the Jersey Shore. SoFloRadio is where every opinion can be called out and challenged. But with a click of a mouse and a fix of SoFloRadio, Miami has found a new medium. You can hear Rodriguez and Brian on the Jorge Rodriguez Show streaming live weekdays from 12pm until 3pm, with past episodes archived on the site. In the past year the station has grown to feature more programs such as The Beast Show and Love and Sex with the intent of covering more subjects and most importantly more of South Florida. t

Do you have the time....to drive to Altanta

(A tale of two Green Days)

By Brian Breslaw - BBreslaw@gmail.com

Well, thanks to the large corporation that puts processed food on my table, I DID have the time to go and see the pop punk band that cured a flanneledout audience from the dismal grunge era. And yeah, I knew it wasn’t gonna be my “Kerplunk” and “Dookie” Green Day, but I knew it would still be a good show. And Green Day did not disappoint, and they played all the hits, and there was cool lights, and stuff exploded,,,,so basically it was like seeing Great White. All good. What I didn’t expect, or really even think about, was the kind of crowd I’d be driving six hours north to go party with. WHO SAID IT WAS OKAY FOR YOUR AUNT AND UNCLE TO GO SEE GREEN DAY AND NOT BRING YOU!!! I wasn’t expecting kids with blue hair, but c’mon. Middle-aged conservatives with shirts tucked in and birkenstocks??? You could certainly feel the level of discomfort when Billy Joe commented on how religion is bullshit and mocking “the heavens above.” He even baptised a four-year-old crowd surfer. The whole night was based on an intense game of “operation smoke a joint in public and not get arrested.” I’m not sure if it was the Bible belt or the new VH1 friendly Green Day, but this was the lamest crowd on Earth. I mean, take it from the guy who drank five Bud Light “Bombers”, smoked a joint and a cigarette at the same time, and was chanting “BURNOUT”. And if your folks ever bring you home a hooded sweatshirt from the Green Day show, you had better be thankful. THEY PAID 75 BILLS FOR THAT SHIT! (This was brought to you with the help of Redbull & Advil.) t

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Support the scene or there will be no scene to support 13

Dance! Dance, Magic:

By Casandra Tanenbaum, Hoopsofly.com - hoopsofly@yahoo.com

As skyrocketing quantities of YouTube dance memes and the popularity of Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance indicate: dance is fashionable again and the masses are salivating over a smorgasbord of flashy costumes and footwork. The South Florida arts scene includes an exceptional variety of dance companies, performance troupes, schools and regularly scheduled events catering to dancers and dance lovers alike. Which are you? Which would you like to be? Yeah, we thought so. Come on, don’t be a wallflower– NOBODY puts Baby in a corner! In the world of classical dance, the local scene is quickly recovering from the demise of two nationally-known institutions: Ballet Florida in West Palm Beach and Klein Dance in Lake Worth. Luckily, studios are springing up to fill the void! Look to the Florida Dance Conservatory in West Pam Beach and Downtown Dance in Lake Worth for classes along the spectrum from ballet (even “en pointe,” masochists!) to modern dance for youth and adults, and some movement arts considered less traditional like yoga and West African dance. Bellydance is truly South Florida’s best kept secret. Groovolution, a new studio in West Palm Beach, and the Goddess Store in Hollywood, specialize in elite and beginner level bellydance instruction, and our region is swept into a collective of hip shimmy spasms when national bellydance conventions like Gathering of the Tribes spin into town on regular, seasonal cycles. And you thought hurricane season was fun?! “But I don’t have the patience, coordination, or TIME for lessons, and I STILL JUST WANT TO DANCE!!” Well, lucky for you, the trancedance phenomenon has landed. Check out the Alternative Dance Network via Facebook or MeetUp to find a great event near you with live drumming, sweat-drenched smiling faces, and nary a critic to torpedo your technique. The magic is, that dance is alive here in South Florida. Let’s get out there and dance. t

Age of Robo Sapiens By: Maritere Taveras - Sodacanashtray@gmail.com

ART after dark Art, Music, FilM & reFreshMents

For all ages! 5 - 9 p.m. the 2nd Thursday of every month. September 16 | OCtOber 14 | NOVember 11

561.832.5196 | norton.org This program is generously underwritten in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Media support generously provided by Clear Channel Radio, The Palm Beach Post and PBPulse.com. Graphic design provided by d+g Communications Group. Printing services provided by SouthEastern Printing.

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Life as we know it is doomed. Progression is spinning faster than an emo at Respectables drinking IPAs. Whatever happened to simplicity? We fell into the black hole of multiverses and iHaves. Now, we are so deep down that we don’t even know where to go next. Robots are just around the corner. So was Phil ahead of his time when questioning Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Buh-bye Homo sapiens, this is the rise of the Robo sapiens – faster, smarter, successful-er, and even more full of shit. The age of man evolves with a twist and unlike any other era, this one is evolving fast – almost too fast. Machines making machines. For just $2,500 you can purchase Zeno, a robot that not only sits, walks, understands speech, makes eye contact, knows people by name and recognize faces, he can also remember conversations. Humans can hardly even hold a conversation! And they think this is the answer – robots made to help bring back humanity. No comment. Save the planet? We need to save ourselves! (I have much more faith on the planet doing an excellent job on its own.) We are lost in contentment. Lost in society’s standards and their false sense of accomplishments. What truly matters is then forgotten with age. These scientific advancements are setting us back, before we know it, there won’t be anything left. The Customer Service Department is now hiring, has anyone seen Zeno? t

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5 5

Recording Studio Session Tips

And These Tips Won’t Stick Through Your Zipper I can’t tell you how many times an artist has come in to the studio and left with next to nothing. Actually, I can. Approximately 17,500 times, give or take a smidge, at no fault to the engineer. Down at the bottom of the frying pan of situation it all boils down to 42 things. Roughly. Unfortunately we won’t be discussing all of these factors at this particular moment in time. I can, however, lend a few hints on how to have a successful studio session without wasting your time or your money. 1. PRE-PRODUCTION - I cannot stress the importance of this step in the recording process. Know your lyrics. Know the structure. Know your song and how it’s going to be played. You don’t want to find yourself spending your time writing in the studio. This could become quite profitable for everyone but the artist. YOU. 2. MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS - Most recording studios are pretty laid back. Once you’ve rented the space, you could sit and watch TV or battle it out on the xbox, with 6 of your boys, for all they care. You’re the one paying and the customer is ALWAYS right. I suggest limiting the people you bring along to band members, managers, agents, significant others, and maybe a good pal for support if you want. Having a crowded area can be a bit of a diversion. 3. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE - Be on time for your appointment. Professional studios book more than one session a day and have several engineers waiting to get in. This is their 9-5, per se, and they rely on that time and your punctuality. So if you show up one hour late for a four hour session, don’t be shrilled to find that you’ll probably still be paying for the four hours. Use your time wisely. 4. DON’T BE SHY - If it’s questions you’ve got, be it large or small, don’t be afraid to speak up and ask. You’re the boss Tony Danza. And don’t be coy when it’s your time to shine. Let it go. Show Angela Bower and the rest of the employees why you’re the head honcho. 5. HAVE FUN - Bottom line, this is rule number 1. Numeral UNO. The be all that ends all. Alpha, and maybe even Omega. I mean, it’s only work if you make it work. Have a good time, live a little, but remember, it’s not a party either. Drink responsibly. Ultimately a sound recording is forever. You want it to be as good as possible and that’s why you’re in the studio. t

Paul “Pilot Rai” Raimondo - PilotRai@gmail.com Owner & Engineer, Reverse Polarity Studios & Vocalist for “The 7D” www.The7d.net Myspace.com/unirbny

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Reverse Polarity Studios

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BEAUTIFUL MERCHANDISE AFFORDABLE PRICES Designers Include: We Carry: - Betsey Johnson - One of a Kind Boots - Juicy Couture - Handmade Jewelry - Dolce Gabana - Designer Clothing - Louis Vatton - Wedding Dresses - Lilly Pulitzer - Summer Dresses - Ferragamo - Designer Purses - Versace - Vintage Jewelry - Coach - Unique Belts - Alfani - Art - BCBG Mention WeMerge for Discount - Turk

(561) 274-PINK

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Build Self Confidence &

Enhance Your Creative Mind Fonda Cash’s Vocal & Performance Lessons

Fonda Cash has been singing and performing professionally for 30 years. She specializes in vocal training, stage performance and artist development. You can see her students live at Fonda Cash’s Teens Who Rock Show once a month at Connolly’s Sports Bar & Grill in West Palm Beach. Any establishment that is in need of great entertainment with a big following

Hannah Mahoney MySpace.com/HannahMahoney12 Facebook.com/HannahMahoney12 YouTube.com/HannahMahoney12

Hannah Mahoney is a 16-year-old singer/songwriter and guitarist from Royal Palm Beach, FL. Her music genres range from country to pop. Her ultimate dream is to be a Country Music Recording Artist. She is currently taking frequent trips to Nashville to achieve her goals and dreams in the music business.

Lexi Luca

Facebook.com/LexiLuca MySpace.com/LexiLuca Sultry, soulful and unique, this is Lexi Luca. She has incredible tone and a controlled, powerful and dynamic voice to back it. Lexi is currently being shopped for a major record deal and hopes to start touring soon. Her genres range from R&B, Blues, Rock and Pop to Country and Dance music. Lexi has already recorded her first solo album and is currently getting radio airplay globally. She is available for private parties, studio and club work.

Alex Grafton

MySpace.com/AlexGrafton

contact Fonda Cash at (561) 308-9406 to book a Teens Who Rock event! Visit her on the web for show dates, more information about what she does, and to hear her students’ music and more. Facebook.com/FondaCash MySpace.com/FondaCash MySpace.com/FondaCashMusicWorkshop

Brandi Lynn Collison Facebook.com/BrandiDragonfly MySpace.com/BrandiLynnCollison

Imaginative, sweet, pretty and talented, this is Brandi Lynn Collison. Brandi is a young aspiring singer/songwriter from Wellington, Florida. She is currently forming an eclectic band and is in need of a bass player. To hear Brandi’s studio tracks, check out her videos and find out where she will be performing next, visit her on Facebook & MySpace.

Emily Sall

MySpace.com/EmilySallSings Although she is only twelve years old, Emily Sall has been entertaining audiences in South Florida for several years. In 2006, Emily starred in Lake Worth Theater’s production of Annie. She knew then that she wanted to sing professionally, so she turned to Fonda Cash to learn, practice and perfect her craft. Emily is an aspiring singing/recording artist residing in Wellington, Florida. She performs a variety of music, including soulful ballads, kickin’ country, pop hits and old time rock and roll. To contact Emily, call (561) 313-4063 or email SherrySall@comcast.net.

Dominique Marie

MySpace.com/DominiqueMarieMusic Alex Grafton was born in 1996. He writes his own original music and is currently working on recording his two self-entitled albums You’re So Overrated and The World as I Know It. Alex is going on his third year as a musician and plays a variety of different instruments. He has a five octave range. His voice is very versatile. It has a warm soft tone for those meaningful ballads and an edgy rocker high register for when he really wants to belt something out. Alex is looking to form a band that plays Alternative/Pop Rock. He is available for private parties, club and studio work. 18

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This is Dominique Marie. She is a 14-year-old whose passions in life are singing and performing. She attends G Star School of The Arts, where she studies acting and video production and is currently taking vocal & performance lessons with Fonda Cash. You can see her perform live once a month at Connolly’s Sports Bar & Grill in West Palm Beach at Fonda Cash’s Teens Who Rock Show. Visit Dominique’s MySpace page to watch her self-made videos, hear her sing; find out all the latest info, show dates and more. For booking info please contact Fonda Cash. t

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Support the scene or there will be no scene to support 19

roject Audio Inc. is here to provide our clients with unparalleled service. We utilize our team’s professional background and experience in the audio industry to always produce projects of superior quality. We strive to be the only company that serious professionals come to when they need the highest quality audio work.

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Live Sound On Site Recording Studio Design Studio Tech Support Freelance Engineering DJ’s & Events Sound FX Music Production Engineering lessons

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We here at WeMerge Magazine believe that everyone has a story to tell. So, in aiming to give our readers the story of Digital Media Arts College in Boca Raton, we decided the best angle would be to let the people of DMAC tell it. We put out a call for submissions to the staff, students, and alumni of the school, asking for their stories, for original anecdotal accounts of how they ended up at DMAC, why they have chosen to enter the realm of digital media,

and whatever else they want to talk about. What follows is a collection of six varied accounts of lives that have passed through the doors of this institution for the digitally inclined. We invite you to read on, and if your story sounds anything like the stories that follow, but the only difference is that you haven’t yet been to DMAC, we also invite you to go check out the school, where you just might be able to add the most important chapter to your story.

AJ Brockman

Lucas Priamo

Sergio Melicio

Dave Baer

Amanda Bergman

Markeis Miller

by: Renda Writer

AJ Brockman DMAC Alumni

My name is AJ Brockman and I am a graphic designer! I also have SMA (spinal muscular atrophy), one of the 40 forms of muscular dystrophy, and I have been confined to a wheelchair all of my life. Graphic design (and art in general) has always been my passion, and now I am doing what I love for a living. Can you ask for much more? I originally wanted to get into broadcasting as a high school student but later found the Adobe Suite and realized this was what I was meant to do. I always promised myself I would get a degree, so I began looking at local colleges with an emphasis on a BFA. Then came Digital Media Arts College. After graduating, I was hired by Vision Haus Photography + Design as the Senior Designer/Project Manager. Now, I am even working on projects for the college itself and never imagined I would be designing the very things I thought were so impressive as a high school student. DMAC prepared me to be a successful artist and I would not have done things any different!

Lucas Priamo DMAC Student

My whole life I have been drawing and have been passionate about art. One day, as I was walking through the mall, I saw something that caught my eye. It was about 50 wooden art easels set up in the middle of the mall. After making my way over I discovered that they were easels set up for high school seniors who were part of a drawing competition for a scholarship to Digital Media Arts College. That led me to take a tour of the campus and subsequently enroll in DMAC’s jump start program. This meant that in my junior year of high school I started taking night courses in graphic design at DMAC. This had opened up a whole other world for me. By the time my senior year in high school came around I decided to enter myself in the very contest I had seen at the mall the year before. Turns out that I won the contest, with a full ride scholarship for my undergraduate degree at DMAC. Since starting 22

classes, I was able to take my passion and skills from drawing and illustration, and apply them in mediums in both graphic design and photography. It wasn’t long before I started freelancing and doing professional work outside of school. Before even graduating I was able to set up my own company and add real professional work to my portfolio. As part of my required internship, I was asked to design the school’s official 16-page brochure and subsequently produce their 30-second television advertisement. I now have a portfolio that reflects my ability to apply the knowledge gained from the curriculum into real world applications and projects.

Sergio Melicio DMAC Alumni

Since a young age I was always a big fan of Star Trek. In 1986, after noticing the special short CGI effects in the movie The Wrath of Khan and a couple of CGI TV spots, I decided to study computer applications in Brazil, at that time in the DOS system. Unfortunately, I was in the wrong country and was studying at a wrong time to develop my CGI skills, and was also working with small resources, but I started slowly to move myself to accomplish my goals. In 1989, after my first job as an architecture designer and after jumping around to many advertising agencies, I got a job as a Disney Representative in Brazil. After a couple years of hard work, I had the honor to launch for the first time in São Paulo, the Disney Video Collection with Donald Duck, a VHS and magazine product called Video Print. Between the Disney success and many other Video Print products launched, I resigned from the position with blessings from my friend and mentor Marcia Bagnolesi Zarmatti (at the time she was the Division Director of Operations), and with enough financial resources I moved to the USA in 1995. One strange and happy ending episode happened in 1998 when I was hired to be an art director of a web company in Pompano Beach. On my first day of work I was called to a Board of Directors meeting, a unique environment for an art director to be in. I jumped into the elevator and arrived at the conference room where 11 well-dressed people were waiting for

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me. One of the gentlemen at the end of the table, someone I will realize later to be the CEO, walked in my direction with a nice smile on his face, shook my hand and with a strong Australian accent said: “So Serg, I heard you speak Portuguese!” To make the story very short, they offered me a position as director of its subsidiary company in Brazil with all the “perks” that I could not refuse. Years later, I decided to resign from the position and start to consulting as an art director once again. Today, I am still in the art field, and this time working at Green Advertising in Boca Raton as an interactive art director. Well, it took me a long time but here I am. With a long way to go and many projects in mind, I cannot wait until when I will be capable of developing some of my work into a movie. I hope to be creative and design a movie which most audiences will like and will involve space and bizarre creatures for sure.

Dave Baer

Professor of Digital Media Arts Digital Media Arts College “Playing those damn video games will never amount to anything.” That’s what my parents used to tell me. In 1996 id Software released a first-person shooter game that would change the gaming industry. Quake brought real 3D graphics to life and multiplayer action to the forefront. No longer were you left to just playing against the machine, you were pitted against other human players from around the world. I really got into that. I built friendships with people who, to this day, I have never met in person, and gaming became a huge part of my life. And because of its user-friendly editing abilities, I was able to create skins for my characters which I painted using Photoshop. Quake was the game that made me say, “I want to make video games!” At the time, I was just coming out of painting and airbrushing custom cars for the past 8 years. I was really into drawing, and I could use an airbrush. Since I can remember, I’ve always been artistic in some way or fashion. From painting cars to creating music, to graffiti–my life was always intertwined with art in some way. So in 1999, while actually looking at another school for special FX makeup, I came across

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International Fine Arts College (IFAC) in downtown Miami who had a program for learning computer animation. The makeup school was supposed to open a branch in Miami but ended up moving to Canada instead, so my next choice was 3D. I had been a big fan of visual effects in movies for years. Jurrassic Park, Star Wars, all the Alien films, Predator, Terminator. Those were the big movies that got me interested. I was already familiar with computers, putzing around on my old man’s PC back home, but when I saw what you could do with computers and make it look so real I just had to do that for myself. So I went to IFAC and for the next four years I honed my craft. Learning things such as the 12 Principles of Animation, lighting, texturing, compositing, concept art, storyboarding, etc. We were put through the entire gamut of the CG industry. I learned what it took to become a CG (Computer Graphics) artist and after earning my Master’s in Computer Animation from Miami International University of Art and Design in 2004, I set out in the industry to get a job doing what I loved. One reason I stayed on to earn my master’s was that I wanted to teach. I wanted to show others how to do what I was so passionate about. So a few short months after graduation I was hired at Digital Media Arts College in Boca Raton. I thought it would be a good first step in my career and actually didn’t plan on staying for more than a year or two. But the interaction I had with students, the way the college was set up to learn,

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the great knowledgeable staff, and the eagerness of fresh, young talent coming in every semester has kept me here for the past seven years. Each new class brings me another chance to show them how cool and exciting this industry is. And now with our brand new campus, things are even better at DMAC!

Amanda Bergman DMAC Student

I met a group of my friends in the last two years through other friends and found out that most of them went to DMAC. Each time I met a new one and found out they went to the school it made me so excited. I’d end up talking about DMAC to them for hours. One day my roommate brought home a classmate on my birthday. She introduced him to the group and he hung out with her for a while. At one point in the night everyone had gone outside. I went inside to get a drink, after a short time he followed me in and asked me what the party was for. I smiled to him and said it was my birthday. Shocked at how no one told him, he wished me a Happy Birthday. After that we never went back outside. We talked with each other the entire night, forgetting the party. Throughout the next few months we kept hanging out, talking on the phone, or texting each other. We are currently going into the third year of our relationship, and I couldn’t be happier.

Markeis Miller DMAC Student

Me coming to DMAC started when I came home to Florida from school in Alabama for Thanksgiving. Once I got down “here,” I missed my family, my friends and the city so much that I did not want to go back to Alabama. Me and my cousin were driving in his car the day after Thanksgiving and I was telling him how bad I wanted to move back but I didn’t think my credits would transfer to any school down here. But my cousin told me “you have to at least look.” Then we argued for about 10 minutes because I just knew that no school would take my credits. So I told him, “If you can find a Graphic Design school down here I will look at it. So he Googled “Graphic Design Colleges in Florida” and Digital Media Arts College was one of the schools that showed up. The thing that really got my attention was that DMAC offers a BFA and also an MFA. At the time, I was going to school to get an Associate’s Degree in Graphic Communication and I always wanted to get a Bachelor’s to have a better chance at getting a job once I graduated. And I was also paying rent and bills while I was in Alabama; if I moved back to Florida I wouldn’t have to pay any bills. Once I got back to Alabama after the break, I called DMAC and asked them if my credits from my school in Alabama would transfer. About a month later I ended up moving back home and started going to school in January 2010. I’ve been loving DMAC ever since. t

Support the scene or there will be no scene to support 23

The Who’s Next Gallery Winner

Erika

Taguchi-Newton The Who’s Next Gallery in our magazine has become a great barometer for finding out what the readers want and what they want to see more of. The fantastical image of a young girl playing a violin while riding the back of a giant armadillo in a procession of snails that was featured in last issue’s gallery garnered enough attention to merit a full page to showcase more work from local artist Erika Taguchi-Newton. Enjoy, and be sure to flip the page to see who you think should be in our next issue too. t GirlsNest.com www.Raven

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Endorsed by Sennheiser & InEarz Personal Monitors

Download the new single, â&#x20AC;&#x153;NMEâ&#x20AC;? on iTunes and Amazon.com Inspired by Led Zeppelin, Portishead, Alice in Chains, Heart, Stevie Nicks

Has worked with: Maurice Gibb (The Bee Gees) Matt Knobel (Lenny Kravitz) Rashawn Ross (Dave Matthews Band) Sharief Hobley (John Legend) Marv Green (Warner/Chappell Music) Matt Kramer (Saigon Kick) Crease (Roadrunner Records) Nick Marinovich (Yngwie Malmsteen) Phil Varone (Skid Row)

Melissa Burnos.com MySpace.com/MelissaBurnos Facebook.com/Melissa-Burnos

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Support the scene or there will be no scene to support 25

???The Who

ere, in the “Who’s Next Gallery,” we provide you with some samples from artists we are considering for the next issue. We invite you to email us and tell us which artist’s work you like

best. The winner gets a free page in the following issue. Also email us if you would like to have your work shown in the Who’s Next Gallery. editor@wemergetalent.com

Stephanie Rodriguez - stephanierodriguezillustration.com

Susana Bendek - www.behance.net/suebendek

Sloth - www.anastizzle.deviantart.com Susan Clifton - www.susanclifton.com

26 Support the the scene scene or or there there will will be be no no scene scene to to support support 26 Support

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o’s Next Gallery????? “When I work, I work very fast, but preparing to work can take any length of time.”

- Cy Twombly

Trek6 - www.treksix.com

LeeAnna Yater - www.leeannayater.com

Migdalia Pace - www.recyclemybag.com WeMerge WeMergeMagazine Magazine--www.WeMergeTalent.com www.WeMergeTalent.com

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Teens merge

by Ashley Lombardo - Ashley@WeMergeTalent.com

By Ashley Allred ashley_allred@ymail.com “So, um, is it just background music or are there words?” The extremely brilliant, engrossing, self-taught musical escapades of Ameen Mettawa are much, much more than merely “background music.” Shaped mostly by psychedelia and “noise rock,” his sound can’t be compartmentalized, as the changes are drastic from one song to another, with each being based on a specific influence. And that’s exactly what it is: sound. Beautiful, raw, varied and undisturbed. To clarify, Healthy Animal’s songs don’t have vocals or words, frankly because... they don’t need vocals. With the earlier mention of psychedelia, Ameen isn’t referring to Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd, but his influences lean more toward the “spaced out weirdos with mountains of droning guitars” side, like Spacemen 3, Pocahaunted, and My Bloody Valentine. He also enjoys and incorporates genres such as shoegaze, drone metal, post-punk, 80s indie punk and super emotional folk into his work, paving the way for a diverse fusion titled Healthy Animal. The name, originally used as only a song title taken from a National Geographic caption, has a minor connection to the growing-in-popularity experimental band Animal Collective, also a heavy influence for Mettawa. Locally, Totally Nebular and Hear Hums have won his attention. With little to no knowledge of how instruments are traditionally meant to be played, save for the drums, Ameen schooled himself to play the guitar. The guitar is his favorite instrument, because of all the peculiar abilities it possesses beyond strumming chords. For example, “Even just leaning a guitar up against an amp, gives an interesting and different sort of feedback each time.” While self-teaching, he took queues from Sonic Youth in as much as incorporating “extended techniques.” He often uses a flute to make a noise not unlike a singing saw, and has developed an interest in slide guitar from his no-wave predecessors. His songs are created simply by improvising on the guitar, drums or keyboard, and there’s no pattern, no routine — just the channeling of musical imagination. Once he creates something he likes, he continues recording it for a couple of minutes. Then, he improvises more, to make parts that sound nice with the base of the song. Finally, he makes noises with whatever is around at the time (flutes, auxiliary percussion, broken drum heads, whatever), or he records sounds happening in his room or through his window, and incorporates them into the song too, making a layered and riveting composition. The most intriguing thing about this “noise music,” unknown to the general populous of Gaga lovers and Y100 listeners, is that its creators possess an understanding and perception of sound that reaches farther than most can comprehend. An individual, a true artist, like Ameen, must be equipped with a special kind of ear and an artistic integrity that isn’t blinded by the clichéd music of the times. The schism between the common and unusual genres of music can unfortunately cause confusion in place of appreciation in the hearts of listeners, which explains the starting quote of this article, but listening to any Healthy Animal track will reveal that the songs are way more than just background music. t

www.lazyroar.blogspot.com www.soundcloud.com/healthy-animal/tracks healthyanimal1@gmail.com 28

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pred the Dub and the Reef Road Rum Bar make dreaded Mondays a thing of the past. With a sound that can be described as “Steel Pulse meets Pink Floyd,” Spred the Dub makes it nearly impossible to stand still when they take the stage. Don’t believe me? You can try it for yourself every Monday from 10pm until 1am at the Reef Road Rum Bar, located at 233 Clematis St. in West Palm Beach. With drink specials like $3 Red Stripe, delicious food, no cover (ever!) and DJ HiGrade spinning between sets, “you won’t find a better party on Monday nights,” says bassist Kevin Johnson. As people walk by Reef Road’s wide-open doors they can’t help but be drawn in by lead singer Mick Swigert’s smooth vocals, Corey Tyler’s tripped out psychedelic effects, drummer Joey Bitton’s funky rhythms and the hard hitting bass lines of Johnson. But don’t be fooled, just because they’re a reggae band and play the occasional Bob Marley song; don’t expect it to sound like anything else you’ve ever heard. Instead of cementing themselves in one genre they prefer to “add elements of dub, blues, ska, rock and surf,” says Tyler. Johnson explains that, “because our sound is so eclectic, borrowing bits and pieces from so many genres, it’s not uncommon to see rastas, hippies, punks, hip hoppers, old folks and youngins all sharing the vibes at the shows.” They hardly make set lists, instead they prefer to thrive on improvisation and the energy of the crowd, “you never know what you might get. No two shows are ever the same,” says Tyler. The only way to understand the hype is to see them in action and with reggae Mondays at Reef Road, there’s no excuse not to.

SpredtheDub.com - Facebook.com/ReefRoad

10 x 10 4th annual one-night show of installation and performance art in empty storage units An ArtSite Project curated by Kara Walker-Tomé

November 20, 2010 5-10 PM - $5 admission Lake Worth Storage 4166 S. Military Trail Lake Worth, FL 33460

www.artsiteprojects.org Artist: Steve Backhus, 10X10, 2009/Photo by Jacek Gancarz

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(L-R) Shawn Wayne, Ryan Kolquist, Jabrjaw, Lox Tha Rippa, Protoman, DJ Dee Dubbs

When the Time is Right

What’s cool about these guys right here… what helps set them apart… is that they know what they’re doing... exactly what they’re doing. They’re making plans and sticking to them. They are the Footwork4self Records family, and in short, their history goes like this: Two dudes grow up on hiphop in Minnesota in the early 90’s, and then life puts them on different paths… until one day, Ryan Kolquist runs into Ryan Britt (now known as Jabrjaw) at the Purdy Lounge in Miami. They reconnect and reminisce, and at the end of the conversation Jabrjaw says, “when the time is right, let’s get together and build.” Three years later, the two reconnect and do just that. They build… Footwork4self Records. The idea for the label was hatched by Jabrjaw (artist/co-owner) and his partner on the cut, DJ Dee Dubbs (artist/co-owner) some years before, but the recent introduction of Kolquist into the mix as CEO/co-owner has formalized their structure a bit, allowing them to expand the family by signing on other artists to the label’s roster, artists like Protoman, Lox Tha Rippa, and producer, Shawn Wayne. There’s a well thought out business plan for each of the individual artists on the label, an intense touring schedule, and a release schedule that includes the re-release of Lox Tha Rippa’s

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Written by: Renda Writer Photography by: Dwayne Adams

underground classic CD, The Best Rhyme I Never Wrote, as well as an upcoming 12” vinyl single titled Funk Keeps Banging / Barley, Malt, & Hops by Jabrjaw & Dee Dubbs. The release of the single will start the campaign for promoting the release of their full length album, Eastern Specifics. New releases are also on the way for Shawn Wayne and for Protoman, who is the more “digital minded” one of the family, the one with the downloadable flow. His modern approach to the business provides an updated creative contrast to the overall “hip-hop retro” vibe of the family, giving the label’s roster some variety and stylistic range. Nobody in the family exudes the retro vibe more than DJ Dee Dubbs, who Kolquist speaks highly of, “You don’t find too many people like Dubbs. He’s an act in itself… a real turntablist.” And with the quiet wisdom of a DJ, Dubbs chimes in, “vinyls got weight. There’s weight behind it.” Kolquist also speaks highly of Rhymesayers Entertainment, who many readers might recognize as the label founded by Atmosphere frontman Slug, based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota... “We’ve done several shows with Toki Wright and other Rhymesayers artists in the recent past and will be doing more in the future. They are who I have grown up listening to, and seen evolve into the powerhouse they are today. Our overall touring plan is pretty serious. We’ll be doing shows in the Fall and Winter in Detroit, Las Vegas, Boise, Minnesota, and California to mention a few.

In between we will be doing local shows as well.” In speaking of local shows, our readers should know that they can meet the entire FW4S family and a couple new additions on stage at Propaganda in Lake Worth on September 17th. For more info on that, and everything else that’s going on with the label, fans are encouraged to sign-up for the newsletter at www.FW4S.com. Kolquist himself will keep you informed as to what’s going on. You’ll become extended family. Timing is everything, and now the time is right for a record label whose name combines a respect for the “footwork” of hip-hop’s b-boy subculture with the “do-for-self” mentality of eager entrepreneurs... to follow through with all of their plans. Everything is happening according to plan. The time is right.t

Support the scene or there will be no scene to support 29

Support the scene or there will be no scene to support

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Support the scene or there will be no scene to support 31

The Monterey Club is where different cultures live. A distinct gathering place for people interested and involved in vintage car culture, bike culture, tattoo culture, live music, and the whole lifestyle. This is where the scene is. Support the scene.

More than a bar and more than a music venue

(954) 598-1887 Open Tues â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sun, 11am-2am 2608 S Federal Hwy, Ft. Lauderdale, 33316 Next door to the Gold Coast Roller Rink MySpace.com/MontereyClub - Also on Facebook Sign up for our newsletter at: TheMontereyClub.net

No Night is Ever the Same Check out DJ Sensitive Side every Tuesday Cupcake Burlesque, led by Miss Jenna Beth, bi-weekly Ft. Lauderdale home of the Saints and Sinners Car Club Connected to Kreepy Tiki Tattoo and Orange County Choppers

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By Renda Writer

When Tabatha’s Salon Takeover on the Bravo network aired on November 28th, 2009, it introduced the world to Bang Hair Salon in Ft. Lauderdale and its owner, Darren Anselmo. Now, almost a year later, the place has become somewhat of a tourist attraction, and Darren is still receiving e-mails from all over the world as the show airs reruns internationally. An extremely ambitious and personable entrepreneur with a background in real estate and an impressive handyman skill set, Darren is proud of how far the salon has come since the show aired and since he first bought an old gay bar called “Phoenix” in a historic 1950’s building and turned it into Bang Hair Salon seven years ago. Since then, Darren has succeeded in creating a family atmosphere that keeps his stylists happy and productive. He cites the family atmosphere and the overall “good vibes” of the place as the secrets to the salon’s success. The staff agrees… Ann Marie – “Real people, fun atmosphere, serious stylists, and great hair.” Paula – “I love working at Bang. The staff all work and get along really well together and I think this reflects in the casual and friendly atmosphere of the salon.” Veronica – “I think Bang has a great familyoriented salon with no drama. Plus, Darren is hot!” Cheryl – “I love Bang because everyone who works with me are great people and it is the most relaxed salon that I have ever worked at.” Leona - “I like working at Bang because we’re a family, Artwork by: and we’re also independent. Darren Migdalia Pace RecycleMyBag.com treats us well. He’s approachable. I don’t have to worry about going to him if I have a problem.” Guy – “I like working at Bang because it allows me to be creative, with an easy going atmosphere.” Dov - “Bang is that functional family we all want. It’s fun, laid back and filled with the creative energy that inspires me every day. I go to ‘fun’ everyday – not work.” Not only does Darren have the honor of having such an enthusiastic and appreciative staff, but he will also soon have the chance to expand the “good vibes” when he launches his Hair Junkies line of franchised salons across the nation. Bang will serve as one of the first in the new project, and salons in New Jersey and Ohio are soon to join the collective. Stop in at Bang Hair Salon for a haircut. Come see why its owner refers to it as “the Cheers of the salon world.” t

south Florida hoopdance

classes & custom hoops hoopJams & parties Fire & Glow perFormance

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See our ad on Pg. 14 - 2312 NE 26th St, Ft. Lauderdale, 33305, (954) 567-4344, banghair@aol.com, www.BangHair.com

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Has brought you the following books “Funky Gorilla Fist”

Three very compelling looks at the tragic epidemic that is domestic violence.

Raw, Uncensored, and Unapologetic - REAL.

- A novella by Anthony Pepe reviewed in the 1st issue of WeMerge

“Walking from Memory” - A novel by D. Tori Morgenstein reviewed in the 6th issue of WeMerge

“That Defines the Light” - A book of poetry by Anthony Pepe & Tori Morgenstein reviewed in the 7th issue of WeMerge Magazine

All Books Now Available For Purchase: www.thatdefinesthelight.com www.myspace.com/funkygorillafist www.myspace.com/warriorpoets www.myspace.com/warriorpoetsaloud

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www.GhostPostPublishing.com

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by Brian Dillingham – Brian@WeMergeTalent.com

Bondage is described as slavery or involuntary servitude. Addiction is just that, the lack of choice. Art is freedom, and this freedom was on display for all to receive during the Freedom from Bondage event in Delray Beach this past summer. Todd Lim, published in the book, Addiction and Art, described the event as “a way to connect with others who share these experiences, as well as spread awareness.” How is art freedom from bondage? Todd Lim states that “sharing experiences through art has been a great release and a form of therapy and an inspiration to be therapeutic for others.” Manny Mendez, one of the displayed artists, had this to say while reflecting on his past, “I have a Master’s Degree in pain and misery.” And through art and wisdom he has evolved into having an outlook on life that, “Every day is a blank canvas… you just have to decide what you are going to paint today.” Meryl Joan Lammers, a displayed artist as well as the musical feature for the event says, “It is from death that new life has the room to grow with the wisdom of the past.” During Meryl Joan Lammers’ musical performance, she covered Hey Jude, by The Beatles, in the midst of a set filled with her own original music. During this song I came to my own realization of the line “Let it out and let it in.” In relation to the Freedom from Bondage event, “Let it out and let it in,” feels like a breath of fresh air while exhaling simultaneously. While the artists exhaled the bondage in their lives through art they also inhaled life through the healing of art at the same time. For more information about using art as a medium for overcoming addiction, contact Lynne Larson from Rumination Productions, the company that put the event together at ruminationproductions@gmail.com t

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Digital & Screen Printing l Custom Apparel for Men, Women & Children l Signage & Vehicle Wraps l Direct to Garment l Airbrush & Tattoo Art l

(305) 878-5426

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Enter My World

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Upcoming Art Walks september 25th october 30th november 27th

500 NW 1st Ave – The Art of Alex 503 NW 1st Ave – Sixth Star Entertainment 504 NW 1st Ave – Puppet Network 505 NW 1st Ave – Women’s Theatre Project 506 NW 1st Ave – Rachael Henriques Art Studio 508 NW 1st Ave – AVAILABLE ART STUDIO 517 NW 1st Ave - AVAILABLE ART STUDIO 521 NW 1st Ave – Art Wear 523 NW 1st Ave – Art Venue/Party Lofts 523A NW 1st Ave – Single Barrel Spririts 525 NW 1st Ave – Crossfit Sports 537 NW 1st Ave – Iron Forge Press 541 NW 1st Ave – CollideCo Branding 545 NW 1st Ave – Downtown Music Studio 19 NW 5th St – Krueger Audio Technologies 21 NW 5th St – Sixth Star Costume Studio 23 NW 5th St – Andrew’s Living Arts Theatre 111 NW 1st Ave – Blackbooks 113 NW 5th St – Alfred Phillips Art Studio 115 NW 5th St – Francisco Shourat Art Studio 501 N Andrews Ave, Suite 101 – Signs by Tomorrow 501 N Andrews Ave, Suite 102 – Victoria Park Ins. 501 N Andrews Ave, Suite 103 – Gallery 101 521a NW 1st Ave – 18 Rabbit Gallery 17 NW 5th St – Sixth Star Entertainment & Marketing 17B NW 5th St - AVAILABLE ART STUDIO

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WeMerge Movie review

by: Renda Writer

averick artist and modern day Gonzo journalist Victor Hugo Vaca II has succeeded in writing and directing a controversial and poignant short film with the goal of raising awareness of an important social issue. At the very core of Crackhead Jesus, and the stimulus for it being written, is the finger pointing at a grave injustice in the legal system: the fact that nobody has oversight over the Florida Bar. Surrounding this central theme of corruption is a brilliantly cinematic film crafted in the wake of Hurricane Wilma that weaves art and music into the script like actors, to tell the story of a lawyer who has lost his mind, thinking himself to be “The New Messiah for the New World Order.” But to his wife, Tommy Rogers, the character also known as “Crackhead Jesus,“ is “just my lousy husband.“ His shattered life becomes our source of entertainment, and nowhere is it more entertaining than in the scene with his drunk speech given atop a bar, while nursing a stigmatic wound on his right hand, or when he gets beaten by his wife with a rolled up newspaper while sleeping in a hammock and then tries to walk on water. Coincidentally, these are scenes that the viewer can actively participate in, while attending a “Flow Party,” an interactive Crackhead Jesus viewing party organized by Victor’s Modern Art Music Movement that is helping to turn the movie into a cult classic, with participatory involvement through props like rolled up newspapers and water guns. Hugo calls his movie, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show for the Lied To Generation” and has taken no shortcuts in promoting and creating a stir around it with viral and guerilla marketing techniques that might have already brought the term, “Crackhead Jesus” into your frame of awareness. Now that you’re aware, the next step is to see the movie, preferably at a “Flow Party.” Contact Victor Hugo Vaca II for more information about the movie, and to find out the location of the next “Flow Party.”

VictorHugoGallery.com

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LeeAnna Yater, a South Florida artist/ designer creates both brightly colored custom-designed fabric and tile artwork that depict somewhat surrealistic and architectural inspired themes. In part, her fiber paintings are “assemblages” created through a combination of techniques that include: photography, painting, drawing, machine applique’ and computer manipulation.

LeeAnnaYater@aol.com - LeeAnnaYater.com

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Free Wi-Fi

Serving Breakfast and Lunch All Day and sell ome hang Artists: C

here your work

2036 N Dixie Hwy – West Palm Beach – 33407 - Just North of Palm Beach Lakes Blvd - We’re in the Art Colony Building (561) 574-4101 - artscoffeeshop@yahoo.com - Located in the Northwood Arts Village - Studio & One Bedroom Living / Work Spaces Available

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by Renda Writer

As busy as we both are, it’s always a pleasure to find time for a quick phone chat with Judy Blem, a licensed booking agent and promoter with over 20 years experience, and founder of Main Event Talent Agency. We touch base from time to time, to chat as friends and “talk shop” photo by Donna Paul as professionals, so the other day I asked her for advice for our readers on the topic of getting gigs and doing them right. To paraphrase the discussion that followed, Judy said, “This is geared toward cover bands, because that’s 90% of the gigs that I book right now. For starters, it’s not just about how good the quality of the music is. There are lots of other aspects involved. If you think ‘your job’ is just to ‘show up and play,’ you’re not understanding the business side of being in a cover band. Most cover gigs are four hours long. If you’ve only got 35 songs in your repertoire, that’s not going to cut it. All bands could stand to rehearse more – learn new songs, work on your harmonies and your song transitions. Limit the ‘dead air.’ Have a set list but use it as a guideline; you have to be able to stray from the list to accommodate requests and play to the crowd. “As a rule of thumb, the later your gig ends, the younger the demographic. So add some contemporary pop and current rock to your repertoire, especially for playing late-night spots. Add some danceable music. People having fun stay longer. How good is your frontman? Not just his vocal skills, but his ability to interact with the crowd, that’s very important. Can he ‘work the room,’ engage the audience, and most importantly, push the liquor and food sales? After all, this is business. Put some bodies in the venue, make the register ring, and odds are, you’ll get re-booked. Invest in good equipment and learn how to use it! Your band may be great but you’re only going to sound good through a decent PA. The biggest complaint from bar owners is that bands are too loud, so watch your volume. Keep in mind that bodies absorb sound. You’re going to sound louder with less people in the room. Adjust your mains and amps accordingly. And don’t whine about it, you’re in a local bar not Wembley Arena. Customers shouldn’t have to scream to have a conversation. For booking, don’t just drop a note to a bar manager on Facebook or MySpace and claim, ‘We would rock your room.’ That’s ludicrous. You need an online presence, a professional promo pack with a decent band photo, audio and/or video samples, and a wellwritten introduction letter. But before you send that e-mail, GO to the venue, on a busy night, when they have live music. See if your style of music would be a good fit. Go see the local bands that are working every weekend. See what you’re up against. Watch them, see what they’re doing and ask yourself what the difference is between your band and theirs.” Our space limitations keep me from publishing the whole conversation, but the most important part of Judy’s advice is in the “go out there” part. If you’re serious about wanting something that bad, then “go out there” and do your research, so you can do it the right way. MainEventTalent.com t

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HBO Def Poet Jason Carney How important is the role of the mixtape in promotions and breaking new artists?

What do you love most about being an active member of the local arts community?

Mixtapes have now replaced what used to be considered a demo for the average artist. A prospective fan, investor, label, etc. in 2010 looks not only to a song, website or live show, but the overall presence and image of the artist; best showcased by a mixtape. Mixtapes give a visual as well as a great sampling of audio to the consumer for a great price: free. In today’s industry an artist is left behind if he/she is not feeding fans, blogs, and media a constant stream of music, be it free or an official label releases. You will see a huge increase in the number of official mixtapes or free “EP’s” from major and indie artists alike in the next year as the mixtape becomes the promotional vehicle of choice for all artists.

What I most enjoy about being an active member of the local arts community is the strong and lasting positive effects my Art Nouveau Events have had on the artists and the attendees. Nothing is more gratifying than to hear an artist express gratitude about the shows and the opportunities created for them. The shows also create an outlet for artists to push a little harder or try something new. I also enjoy the impact it has on the attendees. A lot of the people that come to my shows aren’t even that much into art; they just know it’s a great party. They end up not only having had a great time, but they usually leave with an artist’s piece and a whole new appreciation to the introduction of the local art scene. If I can help spread the talent in West Palm Beach and inspire others to pursue their dreams then I am fulfilled. Being an active member in my local arts community means changing people’s lives whether directly or indirectly, and most importantly a sense of UNITY.

Nick Hiersche President Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes & Magazine nhiersche@coast2coastmixtapes.com

Teresa Korber Founder Art Nouveau Events tkorber@gmail.com Photo by AngelaTronickPhotography.com

South Florida recently had the privilege of welcoming HBO Def Poet, Jason Carney to the local creative scene when he came through the area this summer for a 5-gig tour that included a performance at our own weekly showcase of talent, WeMerge Thursdays at Kevro’s Art Bar in Delray Beach (166 SE 2nd Ave). The ex-skinhead from Texas with dynamic stage presence told compelling poetic stories of race relations, life in the South, and being a father of three. Video footage from his 30-minute feature performance at Kevro’s can be found at www. WeMergeTv.com. Jason also performed at the following venues, which we recommend for readers who are curious about the amazing art of spoken word performance poetry and want to support the local scene. Mello Mondays @ Club Bluster Hollywood -115 N 21st Ave. Weekly poetry event known for featuring nationally touring poets, hosted by HBO Def Poet, Asia Poets Anyonymous @ Dada - Delray Beach 52 N Swinton Ave Monthly poetry slam, 2nd Tuesday of the month, Palm Beach County’s longest running slam The Stage @ RJ’s Lounge - West Palm Beach - 311 45th St Reputable weekly Open Mic and poetry show, known for featuring nationally touring poets The Literary Café - North Miami Beach -12325 NE 6th Ave Spoken word poetry venue owned by HBO Def Poet, Will Da Real One

What is the mission of YourDemoReview.com, and how does it tie in with the role that it plays in helping the local music community? The mission of YourDemoReview.com can be explained in three simple words: reviews, education, and exposure. 1. We are an online music review company providing aspiring artists, musicians, bands, and songwriters of various genres professional critiques of their music - giving them a chance to be heard. 2. Our reviews, evaluated by real industry executives, are used to guide and educate the artist on the strengths and weaknesses of their music for improvement. 3. These days artists

are looking for exceptional venues willing to allow them exposure, to express all that their creativity has amassed. We provide this unique opportunity by producing local events such as our most recent “93Rock.com South Flocal Soundcheck Showcase,” co-sponsored by 93 Rock FM and hosted by radio personality, John Spano. We are dedicated to our local music community by contributing to its success, - individually and collectively through education, advancement, and promotion…this is who we are. This is YourDemoReview.com!

We’d also like to let Jason know that he is more than welcome to come back to South Florida any time. WeMerge will be sure to promote you and help you enjoy your time here. Venues interested in booking Jason for a performance are encouraged to contact Mike Pavlov, from Ring the Bell Management: pediment@aol.com, (305) 450-5221. Photography By: Cher/Musico Roots Photography

Tomeka Napper, VP of Business Operations Demo Entertainment Group, LLC YourDemoReview.com

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I linked up with CROME & YNOT at the “Wall of Fame” during Basel in ‘08, I was hyped to see CROME rocking the spot we took way back in the day. Ynot was there for the whole shit backing CROME up, cleaning his shit up and just really helping get that shit done, man I was so hyped I told CROME like, “Yo, I got a spot that we need to rock tonight.” YNOT was down

to roll with us for the whole mission. When we finally got up to the spot that night I was really feeling the rust, it had been too long for me out the game to step up to rock a spot like that. Without a word YNOT stepped up for me and helped lace that shit for me, to be honest, I was basically helping him do my shit half the time, not too many writers are willing to get down like that pushing someone else’s shit and not even get any fame for themself, most writers are some fame hungry selfish muthaf**kas when it comes to bombing, only a down ass homie like YNOT would even do some shit like that. When we was almost finished I told Y, “Yo man, you gotta put your name

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on this shit man, you been killing yourself for us all damn day! “ I told him to smash the 95 sign that he painted with a big ass YNOT tag, and he didnt even wanna do it just so me and CROME could get all the fame, I made him put that shit on there and I’m glad I did. He held us down that night like he did so many other times in so many differet ways for so many different people. t Posted by: Richard Nixon on MSGcartel.com

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