Elton John, At An Enduring Vision 8th Annual NY Benefit for Elton John AIDS Foundation, Cipriani Wall St, NYC, November 16, 2009, Photography by Chance Yeh for PatrickMcMullan.com
Friday, November 16, 2012
TOP TEN: ANTHONY VOLPE & TYLER MALONE’S FAVORITE BOND THEMES - Dueling Lists of Favorite Bond Songs from Two Amateur Bond Enthusiasts
ANTHONY VOLPE & TYLER MALONE’S FAVORITE BOND THEMES
Dueling Lists of Favorite Bond Songs from Two Amateur Bond EnthusiastsBy Anthony Volpe and Tyler Malone
Fall 2012
(As seen in PMc Magazine, November 2012)
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“Bond, James Bond” has now been a character on the silver screen for 50 years. 23 films into the longest running Hollywood franchise–one that started in 1962 with Dr. No–and the character is still going strong. In fact, Skyfall, the newest Bond film, is probably the best the franchise has given us in decades. (You can read my review of it here.) Earlier in PMc Magazine‘s Fall Issue, I had my friend Anthony Volpe–the most knowledgeable guy that I personally know regarding the Bond cinematic universe–create a top ten list of his favorite Bond films. Soonafter, I proposed to him that we should make dueling best Bond theme lists, and he obliged.
Not only is Skyfall likely to join the ranks of best Bond films, but I predict Adele’s throwback theme song will also be remembered rather favorably. It could have certainly made my list here. It just felt too soon though to officially rate it against the others. Some of the same songs appear on both our lists, and some are unique to each, but we’ve got plenty to say about all of ‘em. So here, without further ado, are mine and Anthony’s favorite Bond theme songs from the first 22 films.
Anthony’s #10:
“The Man with the Golden Gun”
Lulu
[from The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)]
Lulu’s brassy ode to the film’s villain is a brew of psychedelica, freak-out funk, blaring trumpets, stray guitars, xylophones and gongs. Throw in a dash of the Far East for extra flavor. It’s a mess (much like the film itself), but an enjoyable mess.
Tyler’s #10:
“Die Another Day”
Madonna
[from Die Another Day (2002)]
Possibly the most maligned of the Bond title themes, Madonna’s odd little intrusion into the Bond cinematic universe is a sputtering tribute to a vintage Bond mantra. It certainly doesn’t harken back to the classic Shirley Bassey theme songs, but then again neither did Duran Duran’s Bond theme (which has sometimes been touted as one of the best tracks from the 23 Bond films, and which Anthony will list a little further on down). There are plenty of songs that could have taken this tenth spot–Bond has inspired more than ten great songs to be sure–but something made me want to let Madge into the top. Maybe I should have “Sigmund Freud analyze this”? Most likely I just wanted to buck conventional wisdom, and start the list off with a bang. But, despite the flack I know I’m courting with this choice, I stand by this eccentric electro-orchestral (auto-)tune and its accompanying title sequence (the only Bond title sequence to ever actually further the plot of the film).
Anthony’s #9:
“We Have All the Time in the World”
Louis Armstrong
[from On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)]
Satchmo sings this Bacharach-esque wedding song (Hal David wrote the lyrics) for the star-crossed Bond and Tracy. Armstrong’s weathered and froggy voice contrasts playfully against the wistful melody. It also gives the song an unintended sadness on account of the film’s tragic ending.
Tyler’s #9:
“GoldenEye”
Tina Turner
[from GoldenEye (1995)]
In contrast to the “Un-Bond-ness” of the Madonna’s “Die Another Day,” when Tina Turner sang her Pierce Brosnan era Bond theme a few years earlier, she sure as hell Shirley Bassey-ed the shit out of it. Of course, that’s not at all surprising since she’s Tina motherfucking Turner and oozes sassy soul from every pore. The return to a soul-infused vocal with big, brassy instrumentation as its musical foundation was a great choice that started Brosnan’s four-film run on a high note (one it would never hit again in terms of either song quality or film quality).
Anthony’s #8:
“For Your Eyes Only”
Sheena Easton
[from For Your Eyes Only (1981)]
Bill Conti’s (Rocky, Karate Kid) yearning Oscar-nominated love theme was tailor made for Bond in the feathered hair era. Sheena Easton sings it onscreen during the film’s title sequence; the only time this has ever been done in a Bond movie.
Tyler’s #8:
“We Have All the Time in the World”
Louis Armstrong
[from On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)]
Rarely in Bond films do you get a “love theme,” but in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service we get just that because love plays a big role in the film: it’s here alone that we see Bond getting married. With Armstrong’s muppety vocals, this tender little love ditty feels like it could have as easily appeared on Sesame Street as in a Bond film–and yet, his oddly beautiful voice also gives the song a sort of knowing wistfulness. Which is fitting since the lyric’s hopefulness is sadly in vain: a settled-down Bond can’t last long, and so the irony of the title is that James and Tracy Bond would not have all the time in the world; they tragically had barely any time at all.
Anthony’s #7:
“Live and Let Die”
Paul McCartney & Wings
[from Live and Let Die (1973)]
Macca’s frenzied, fever dream of a song (the first Bond song to be nominated for an Oscar) is perfect for this oddball film. One only wonders if in some alternative universe there is a John and Yoko version instead of the Paul and Linda classic. Many would shudder at the thought but I’d be curious to hear it. Speaking of alternative universes, listen to the Guns N’ Roses version at your own peril.
Tyler’s #7:
“Nobody Does It Better”
Carly Simon
[from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)]
Thom Yorke has claimed that this is “the sexiest song that was ever written,” and thus Radiohead has covered it in concert a number of times. Though I don’t know if I’d agree with Thom that it is the sexiest song ever written–I have heard any number of Prince songs as sexy as this or sexier–it is likely the sexiest of Bond themes. It doesn’t need to fill the lyric with double entendre (as “Diamonds Are Forever” explicitly did) to exude its natural sexiness. The Radiohead live versions have now overshadowed Carly’s original for me, due to Thom Yorke’s ghostly vocals, or else this would probably be higher on my list, but the Carly version is still phenomenal, even if it feels a bit more showtune-y than Bond-theme-y.
Anthony’s #6:
“You Only Live Twice”
Nancy Sinatra
[from You Only Live Twice (1967)]
Definitive of Bond’s “die another day” philosophy, Nancy Sinatra’s siren song, with its Eastern tinged guitars and weeping strings, has an eerie beauty to it. The song itself has “lived” more than twice in the form of various covers and samples, and was most recently featured on the season 5 finale of AMC’s Mad Men.
Tyler’s #6:
“Live and Let Die”
Paul McCartney & Wings
[from Live and Let Die (1973)]
Just three years after the break-up of the biggest band of all-time, one of the members of the Beatles wrote and sang this epic rock powerballad of a Bond theme–now that’s a pretty big get. And yet when Bond producer Harry Saltzman first heard the song demo, he famously said to George Martin, “Very nice record. Like the score. Now tell me, who do you think we should get to sing it? What do you think of Thelma Houston?” To which George Martin could only reply: “Well, she’s very good, but I don’t see that it’s necessary when you’ve got Paul McCartney!” Though the more funky soul version sung by B. J. Arnau in the middle of Live and Let Die is quite good as well, nothing can touch the Wings version (no matter how hard Guns N’ Roses or anyone else might try).
Anthony’s #5:
“A View to a Kill”
Duran Duran
[from A View to a Kill (1985)]
The only Bond song to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, “A View to a Kill” captures Duran Duran in all their schmaltzy 80s glory. This epic and boisterous song deserved a better film and it remains one of AVTAK’s few highlights besides Christopher Walken’s deranged villainous turn.
Tyler’s #5:
“From Russia with Love”
Matt Munro
[from From Russia with Love (1963)]
Before James Bond title themes were a thing, before that was part and parcel with the Bond cinematic universe, Matt Munro sang the first real Bond theme with vocals, and knocked it out of the park. Though it wasn’t over the opening title credits of From Russia with Love, it did start the trend of having a song in each Bond film that took its lyrics from the film title. Shirley Bassey would go on in the next film, Goldfinger, to really solidify the Bond title theme as an artform, but it’s Matt Munro who deserves some credit for singing the first great Bond vocal. Though oft-overlooked, I think Munro’s lovely pop crooning really stands the test of time.
Anthony’s #4:
“Nobody Does It Better”
Carly Simon
[from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)]
Marvin Hamlisch (A Chorus Line, The Way We Were) threw a little Broadway into this Oscar-nominated paean to 007’s prowess and Carly Simon helped sing it to #2 on the charts. After hearing this song again I’m convinced that the mystery man behind Simon’s previous hit “You’re So Vain” could very well be Bond. I don’t care what Warren Beatty says.
Tyler’s #4:
“Diamonds Are Forever”
Shirley Bassey
[from Diamonds Are Forever (1971)]
If one were to create the ultimate Bond film by stitching together requisite parts from the 23 films in the franchise, the title song of this imaginary “ultimate Bond film” would have to be sung by Shirley Bassey. She was the first singer to have her song played over the opening title sequence in a Bond film; she is the only vocalist to have performed three Bond themes; and because of these two things she pretty much embodies any Platonic ideal of what a quintessential Bond theme should sound like. This tune received a second life through Kanye West’s sampling of it in his hit song “Diamonds from Sierra Leone,” and though Kanye may put the sample to good use, nothing compares with the original, where the lyrics are so blatantly about sex that it’s hard to even label them sexual innuendo. “Write it as though she’s thinking about a penis,” composer John Barry told lyricist Don Black; and Black certainly did: “Hold one up and then caress it, touch it, stroke it, and undress it.” Yowza!
Anthony’s #3:
“Goldfinger”
Shirley Bassey
[from Goldfinger (1964)]
Shirley Bassey, the First Lady of Bond themes (she did three in total), sung the first hit Bond song for
the first hit Bond film. Bassey’s voice, if weaponized, could kill millions with its awesome power…I think I just came up with the plot for the next Bond film.
Tyler’s #3:
“You Only Live Twice”
Nancy Sinatra
[from You Only Live Twice (1967)]
Perhaps the reason why Adele was such a perfect choice to sing the new Bond film Skyfall‘s theme song is because she is our modern version of Nancy Sinatra, and the real Nancy Sinatra sang one of the most universally acclaimed of Bond tunes. This oft covered and sampled song remains a perfect example of what Bond themes can be at their best: both an interpretation of the movie’s thematic interests and an independent piece of pop art in their own right. As my buddy Anthony said, “You Only Live Twice” has already had more than two “lives,” and I’d guess it will continue to have many more because it simply is one of the best tunes that Bond has given us.
Anthony’s #2:
“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”
The John Barry Orchestra
[from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)]
The late, great John Barry’s music is synonymous with Bond. He scored 11 Bond films in all (From Russia With Love to The Living Daylights), and the music for songs #10, 9, 6, 5, 3, 2, 1 on this list was all written, arranged and performed by him and his orchestra (co-written in the case of #5.) Barry’s pulsing and urgent instrumental theme for OHMSS is one of his finest moments. And it makes for great running music. Try it sometime.
Tyler’s #2:
“Goldfinger”
Shirley Bassey
[from Goldfinger (1964)]
This song is the first theme with vocals to be played during a Bond title sequence, and because of this or in spite of it, “Goldfinger” remains, for me, the gold standard against which all Bond title themes are compared. Shirley Bassey’s vocals are absolute perfection, but it took effort to get them that way. After singing it and singing it and not quite hitting and elongating that final note to the producers’ satisfaction, she ultimately decided to unhook her bra, which she felt had been constricting her, and then she sang her heart out (with boobies out). Interesting side note: the first person to hear this song after John Barry wrote it? John Barry’s roommate, some unknown actor named Michael Caine.
Anthony’s #1:
“Diamonds Are Forever”
Shirley Bassey
[from Diamonds Are Forever (1971)]
Over the top doesn’t even begin to describe Shirley Bassey’s delivery of the song’s innuendo-laced lyrics. Diamonds Are Forever proved to be a harbinger of the campier direction the Bond films were to take. The film’s Vegas setting (1970s Vegas, mind you) certainly fuels the song’s devilish decadence. Considering that double entendres make up a large part of Bond’s vocabulary it’s only fitting that Bassey’s sparkly and sexy theme be number one.
Tyler’s #1:
“James Bone Theme”
The John Barry Orchestra
[from Dr. No (1962)]
How could the number one spot go to any other song? James Bond’s theme is probably the only thing as famous and recognizable as the popular character himself. With that nasally surf-guitar riff that launched a thousand spy themes and the swinging horns that moderate the tension between the moody danger of the song and its rapturous bounciness, this is not just a great Bond song, but one of the most iconic instrumental film compositions in cinematic history. ‘Nuff said.
—
Anthony Volpe is a writer, student of history, and amateur Bond musicologist.
Tyler Malone writes for various publications, runs Reading Markson Reading, and is working on a forthcoming novel. He is the Editorial Director of PMc Magazine. He lives and works in New York City.
LINKS:
Tyler’s Skyfall Film Review
Official Site: Skyfall
IMDb: Skyfall
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Written, Compiled and Edited by Anthony Volpe & Tyler Malone
Photography Courtesy of Eon Productions
Design by Jillian Mercado
—
Captions:
Photography Courtesy of Eon Productions
SUMMERS LOVE: A Conversation with Musician ANDY SUMMERS, One-Third of the Band THE POLICE
SUMMERS LOVE
A Conversation with Musician ANDY SUMMERS, One-Third of the Band THE POLICEBy Chiara Spagnoli
Fall 2012
(As seen in PMc Magazine, November 2012)
—
Andy Summers, the English guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, is an artistic of eclectic talent. Not only was he the guitarist for the rock band The Police, and thus a pioneer of several sonic innovations in rock music, but he also established himself in the world of photography.
The popular and successful songs “Can’t Stand Losing You,” “Roxanne,” “Don’t Stand So Close To Me,” “Every Breath You Take,” become worldwide hits for The Police, and while the band was loved by fans the world over, critics also took to their new brand of rock, with the band winning multiple Grammys, including two for Best Rock Instrumental Performance with “Regatta de Blanc” and “Behind My Camel.”
It’s remarkably inspiring to retrace the history of this outstanding life, listening to Andy Summers unveil his artistic path, where music blends in with photography as his pop career leads to the mentorship of young talents.
Chiara Spagnoli: How was it to hold a guitar in your hands for the first time?
Andy Summers: I was given a guitar by my uncle when I was about 12 and a half years old and it was an instant symbiosis: I would never put it down. I think my fate was sealed by that gift. I used to play the piano before, but the guitar was my thing.
CS: You started playing gigs when you were just a teenager, what do you remember of those times?
AS: I grew up in a town called Bournemouth, in England, and I was in a band, there were little groups. I played ten hours a day. But it was great for me, I found myself to be very fortunate to have found out at that age that music was the road forward for me. We eventually would go to London with my band and be in shows for weeks. I completely lived a life of music.
CS: Was joining The Police that moment that gave a twist to your career?
AS: Not in an obvious way, because I joined The Police when it was a sort of fake punk band, on the instinct of something I felt and I also wanted to be in a trio. But there was no future, there was no money, there was no record company. I joined a band that was going nowhere. But then something started to happen: when we came to the US on a tour of the East Coast people got very excited and that was gratifying and authenticating. Those three weeks really put us together as a band.
CS: What happened?
AS: We did this three week tour with literally no money but we had eight songs that we would stretch out in a jam and we would play for an hour and a half: it was very good for us as a band. We went back to England and we were offered to go off on a tour with the comedy rock band called the Albertans. For a 21 day college tour they offered us a pitiful sum to join them as a support act. The first night we went to Bath University and we got on at 7:30pm in a place that was jam-packed with punk kids. We were on stage and the place went in complete pandemonium, there were screaming girls and when we came off the stage the crowd was clear utter riot. The poor Albertans were standing to one side with white faces wondering what had happened. So somehow we started getting known outside of London, and from then on, it got more intense, with sobbing girls and chaos everywhere we played. That is when we knew we had to keep going on.
CS: When did you figure the time was ripe to continue playing solo?
AS: Well, as I truly am a musician, my musical life depends on more than being in a pop band. I’ve been a serious musician before, I’ve been to the college of American studies of music, I was fully pledged. I absolutely would have carried on as a musician. After The Police, I started making records on my own pretty quickly.
CS: Through your music career you experimented with different kind of sound effects, like Echoplex?
AS: Yes, it was a sonic landscape sort of thing, particularly in The Police. Echoplex was one of the signature sounds of the band. I started to use this device which gave me repeat rhythms with beautiful spacey echos and from there I started to add more things until I had a sort of sonic pallet. So during the course of a two hour show I could change the sound of the guitar from song to song and do different things with the technology that was available then. I didn’t know then, but I was starting to innovate with some of these sounds.
CS: You’re also established in the world of photography, how did that come about?
AS: Well, at the beginning I was so absorbed with music that I didn’t take to photography with the same sort of devotion. But it was in the early days in New York, maybe the second time we came here, I had the money by then so I could get a really good camera and I went out with a photographer to the B&H store and bought the icons with upper lenses, and decided to do it seriously. I started to take pictures all the time, carrying my camera everywhere with a bag of film. I became completely obsessed with photography too. I was able to talk to a lot of photographers. Hence, I basically photographed all The Police from day one: I was photo-reporting the band right from the inside.
CS: How did the documentary Can’t Stand Losing You, based on your life, come about?
AS: The documentary grew organically. I had written my autobiography and I also had done a book of photographs. At the same time I saw a film called The Kid Stays in the Picture by Brett Morgan, who is one of the producers of the documentary, and was going to be the director. I was so impressed with the film of the still photographs, animated with a new technology, and the voiceover, I decided to contact him. And as destiny turned out I met somebody in Los Angeles who knew Brett and put me in touch with him. So I literally contacted him by email and eventually sent him the autobiography and he was blown away by it. So we got together and started working on the film. Then other producers got involved, and the film got financed very quickly, I was pretty amazed.
CS: Music, photography, film…any other artistic field you’d like to explore?
Architecture, I’m joking. Music has always been my prime interest and of course I love to do photography. Right now I’m excited about a new rock band I put together with a really brilliant singer from L.A. named Rob Giles. The band is called Circa Zero, and we are just about finished with the album. We’re aiming to put that out right after Christmas and start bringing it out into the world.
—
Andy Summers is an English musician and photography, famous for being one-third of the band The Police.
LINKS:
Andy Summers – Official Site
Can’t Stand Losing You – IMDb
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Written by Chiara Spagnoli
Edited by Tyler Malone
Photography and Design by Marie Havens for PatrickMcMullan.com
—
Captions:
Cover:
Andy Summers, DOC NYC Presents the World Film Premiere of CANT STAND LOSING YOU Featuring The POLICE Guitarist, ANDY SUMMERS, SVA Theatre, 333 West 23rd Street, NYC, November 9, 2012, Photography by Marie Havens for PatrickMcMullan.com
IT’S NOTHING, IT’S MY LIFE: A Spotlite on RADIOMAN
IT’S NOTHING, IT’S MY LIFE
A Spotlite on RADIOMANBy Chiara Spagnoli
Fall 2012
(As seen in PMc Magazine, November 2012)
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Radioman, born Craig Castaldo, has had an extraordinary life: a spin on the classic rags-to-riches story, he started out in the streets of New York as a homeless lost soul and became the darling of filmmakers.
Tom Hanks and Joel Schumacher defined him as a landmark of New York City along with the Statue of Liberty and the Empire Stare Building. Johnny Depp wonders if he’s an alien from a distant planet or an eccentric billionaire, or both. Helen Mirren, George Clooney, Meryl Streep have known him for decades, and Robin Williams is flabbergasted by Radioman’s friendship with Scorsese: “He calls him Marty, I can’t call him that!” This extraordinary and amusing troll is the contemporary superhero of the silver screen, with cameos in countless films.
Chiara Spagnoli: You have acted in over 200 movies, how does it feel to have an entire film retracing your life?
Radioman: Miserable–no, I’m joking–it’s very bizarre and awe-inspiring to have anybody really care and think that my life is so interesting. It’s all about me, I don’t understand the reasoning behind it. People like it, they seem to adore it. I was in England, and Scotland, and they loved it, I never expected to get that kind of reception.
CS: How do you feel about being the lucky charm of filmmakers?
R: The movies that I’m in do well in theaters. and also when they’re released on DVDs, they tend to make money. Most of the films I’ve been in have been successful and in some of them I was just background. I think I may be some kind of a catalyst and make it happen for them.
CS: How did you start going on film sets? Do you remember your first one?
R: My first movie was with Bruce Willis in The Bonfire of the Vanities. I yelled at him in a high-pitched voice: “Bruce Willis your movie looks like an animation, it looks like a cartooooon, you don’t know how to act!” And I didn’t know what this guy was about, he had a bag with a bottle in it, and I thought he was a drunk, like I was at the time. I asked him if he wanted a beer and he told me he was an actor and that was a prop. Bruce said to me, “I’m just playing a part, but I’ll tell you what: when I finish the shoot I’ll have a beer with you!” So we had beers together and started talking.
CS: At the time you were homeless?
R: Yeah, I lived in the streets, in parks, down in the subway tunnels, on track 17 next to the men’s room at a low level of the Long Island Rail Road. A lot of homeless guys were there, at that time we were known as ‘bums,’ there was no word to define ‘homeless’ yet. You were either a bum or a derelict or somebody on the street nobody cared about.
CS: You also had a very rough time in a psychiatric institution, what do you recall about that experience?
R: I was there for two months or so. I was internalized for addiction even though I never did drugs or strange substances, it was just beer. One day I was on the set of a movie called City Hall and I didn’t realize there was a holiday. Al Pacino wasn’t there–he starred in the movie with John Cusack, Al played the mayor of the city of New York–and I said to everyone “Hey, I know Al Pacino, I know all these actors, and I’m friends with them all, they know who I am!”
They thought I was a nut and pushed me away. I spoke back to a cop who handcuffed me and gave orders to take me to Bellevue. Someone from the crew tried to say, “he really does know all these people,” but they took me away anyway. They kept me there, strapped me to a chair, brought me to the 24th floor of the observation room, and gave me some kind of drugs to try to mellow me out. I was screaming and yelling, saying: “I don’t belong here, I should be where they’re making movies.”
CS: How is it that you manage to find out the locations and schedules of the shootings?
R: Sometimes it was word of mouth. I would just ride around with my bike, and I would see the schedule signs of different permits, and I would put two and two together. Or I would ask one of the attendants about what was going on. They would tell me the call time, so sometimes I found out what was going on that way. I used to drive around a lot, day and night, I basically never used to go back home, I spent my time dwelling.
CS: Where does your passion for films come from?
R: My mother used to like to watch the old movies with Myrna Loy and Olivia de Havilland, Gone with the Wind and all these different films. My father would go for John Wayne and Ronald Coleman and stuff like that, Lawrence Olivier too. He also liked westerns and all the Italians, the old films on channel 9 with the subtitles, with Anna Magnani and all the old Italian actors.
CS: Why did you choose the radio as your symbol and why do you carry it around with you?
R: I always wanted to be a radio announcer, besides wanting to be a movie actor. I loved the movies, I used to watch them on television with my parents, but I always liked music, rock n’ roll. Before I was Radioman, I was known as Aqualung. I loved to show off, I always did it in school. I wanted to be the center of attention, and I didn’t really realize it, I was just being me. That’s the reason I have the radio around my neck, and because when I used to hold it in my hand, they tried to steal it–this way no one can take it away from me.
CS: Do you feel you’ve pursued your dream?
R: Yes, the dream just came to me 20 or 30 years later. I’ve been doing this for a long time. and I never expected it to be like this, have fame and recognition from people. I’m loving it. People love the documentary on Radioman, but to me it’s nothing, it’s my life.
—
Radioman has been in countless films throughout the years, and now there is a documentary about his life.
LINKS:
Radioman – IMDb
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Written by Chiara Spagnoli
Edited by Tyler Malone
Photography by Jimi Celeste for Patrick McMullan.com
Design by Marie Havens
—
Captions:
Cover:
Radioman, FOCUS FEATURES Presents a New York Special Screening of TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, Landmark Theater Sunshine Cinema, New York, November 30, 2011, Photography by Jimi Celeste for Patrick McMullan.com
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
THE EXCITEMENT OF THE UNKNOWN: An Introduction to Actress and Model KATIE CHONACAS
THE EXCITEMENT OF THE UNKNOWN
An Introduction to Actress and Model KATIE CHONACASBy Owen Hoffmann
Fall 2012
(As seen in PMc Magazine, November 2012)
—
Katie Chonacas is a fresh new face in the acting world. Not only does she have talent, but she loves a good challenge–she’s excited by the unknown. As her career begins its ascent, I decided to sit down and have a conversation with the model, actress, and artist.
Owen Hoffmann: I’m always interested in people’s stories on how they made their way to the Big Apple. Tell me your story…
Katie Chonacas: I have always wanted to live and thrive in NYC. Thank goodness I am finally here! Two summers ago I did a TV show in Brazil. My episode was all about fashion. O’Neal McKnight was on another episode devoted to music. We didn’t shoot together, but the producer of Noble Exchange, Tamara Park, thought it would be a grand idea to connect us. O’Neal had a project going on with Diddy, so he flew out to California and we connected over the summer. His uncle’s 50th birthday party was being held the following month in New York City with Diddy hosting. O’Neal invited me to come, and I obliged. I bought a round-trip ticket, visited my family in New Jersey for a week, and then went to the city for the birthday party. I decided ahead of time I wanted to stay in NYC for a week to take some meetings and see what opportunities could arise. Right away a modeling agency said they would start working with me, so this was great news. At the time, my sister, Anna was living in the city working for a PR company. We were downtown outside relishing in the moment on Lafayette Street having Greek gyros when it suddenly dawned on me: my return flight was that day, and I had already missed my departure by an hour. We were laughing and in shock, and I just never returned to LA! I went to New York on a round-trip ticket and never left.
OH: When did you first start acting and feel the need to pursue it as a career?
KC: I started professional acting when I ventured west to California. I knew only one person in the acting business–honestly, that is all you need: one person to help and direct you when you first start. I was led into the William Anderson acting studio under the Meisner technique. While studying, I was networking non-stop and found a firm to represent me. Finally, after going out for a constellation of projects and then landing a spot on CSI: NY soon after, I started to book more TV shows and feature films. Beginning in childhood I always knew I wanted to be an actor. When I accomplished my goal, I was full of love and excitement, and it thrilled me to entertain people and make them laugh.
OH: Who has been your inspiration?
KC: Inspirations for me have been Reese Witherspoon, Madonna, Winona Ryder, Andy Warhol. I admire Evan Rachel Wood, Sean Penn, James Franco, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Stiller, Johnny Deep, Judd Apatow, James Mangold, David Lynch, and Amy Heckerling.
OH: What has inspired you to keep acting?
KC: My passion, my love for God, and my love for living–for the excitement of the unknown–to be able to create and make something out of nothing, this inspires me to keep going. I love to push the limits. What are limits, really? It’s exciting to challenge yourself and push others to challenge themselves as well. There’s so much going on in life I want to experience, and when I’m exhausted I love to sleep and dream in the heavens, treating myself to bubble baths and massages. I love going to art shows, galleries, and the Met. I feel much love for the theatre as well.
OH: You also are very talented in other areas of the spectrum; tell me a little about this love for art and music, and what roles they play in your life.
KC: Well, thank you kindly. I have been writing since I was a pre-teen. I found myself writing all these deep, emotional thoughts and experiences. Not knowing where this writing would lead me, I just knew it was important to write. I have turned some of my writing into spoken-word poetry. I record in the studio a cappella. I met this amazing producer, Ronnie Beck, who has done all the beats for my spoken-word poetry. Ronnie says he has never created the way we have created. Normally a producer gives an artist a beat and they lay vocals on the beat, but with us it’s the other way around. Ronnie listens to the message in the poem, and interpolates the beats around and within my vocals. It’s pretty exhilarating and exciting to create something no one else is creating. Since then, we have done more traditional radio-ready tracks. Our first single is “Fresh Louboutin,” which can be found on iTunes under Kyriaki Sunday. Last week, I flew Ronnie here to NYC, and we recorded the sister track titled “Paris Fashion Week,” which I dedicated to my BFF and fashion stylist extraordinaire J. Logan Horne. I am obsessed with fashion, so I have incorporated within the lyrics my love for style and the experiences in the fashion world I see and admire. I have decided to call this “fashion pop.” My follow-up track is titled “Rockstar Legend.” I am also very blessed and pleased to announce I had my very first art show in New York City for six weeks at Pie in the Union Square area. The artistic reception for me in the Big Apple has been a grand welcoming. Since then, I’ve been commissioned in a couple of cafes and coffee shops with plans to have more exhibitions in New York and around the world. The pieces can be viewed at KyriakiSunday.com. and soon Artspace.com.
OH: How has social media affected your career?
KC: Social media is the 21st century’s way of bringing back care for one another on the hierarchy of what’s important in our daily lives. The ability to socialize and connect a little deeper with fans domestically and internationally on such a personal level is rewarding because I can instantly see my positive impact in the lives of others. Twitter is especially good for metering that impact and deepening social connections. When my fans feel that personal connection with me, they love me even more, which in the end, has inspired me to heights I never could have imagined. When it comes to Instagram, I am enchanted and enamored; sharing one’s best life experiences through pictures is really the sweet spot of the social media revolution. You can find my twitter and Instagram at KYRIAKISUNDAY.
OH: How do you see your career playing out in the future?
KC: I am a powerful creator. Having built an empire, I am really excited for the present and the future. I love predicting the future by creating it now because the future is a flowing continuation of “nows.” Looking back, I have been blessed with childhood and ten years of delicious experiences in LA and around the world. I am taking all that I have learned, and I’m applying it here in New York. It’s so exciting to see and feel all the dots connecting with aplomb. I know as long as I feel good and stay healthy, things that come into my experience will continue to please me. I am ready for my pleasing future, for I am so pleased with my “now.”
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Katie Chonacas is a New York based model, actress, and artist.
LINKS:
Katie Chonacas – Official Site
Kyriaki Sunday – Official Site
Twitter – @kyriakisunday
Instagram – @kyriakisunday
Check Out Some BEHIND THE SCENES Clips of this Interview
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Written by Owen Hoffmann
Edited by Tyler Malone
Photography by Owen Hoffmann
Design by Marie Havens
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Captions:
Katie Chonacas, 2012, Photography by Owen Hoffmann
TOP TEN : PATRICK MCMULLAN’S FAVORITE CURRENT TV SHOWS
PATRICK MCMULLAN’S FAVORITE CURRENT TV SHOWS
The Founder of PMc Mag Lists His Favorite ShowsBy Patrick McMullan
Fall 2012
(As seen in PMc Magazine, November 2012)
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1. The New Normal
2. Homeland
3. The Walking Dead
4. Survivor
5. Law & Order: SVU
6. Project Runway
7. Revolution
8. 30 Rock
9. Criminal Minds
10. Hoarders
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Patrick McMullan is an American photographer, columnist, television personality, businessman and documentarian. The premiere nightlife photographer in New York City, McMullan’s work seems infinitely pervasive. It appears regularly in his weekly New York Magazine column, “Party Lines.” His other columns include: Allure, Interview, Hamptons, Ocean Drive, Gotham and Art & Auction among others. In addition to the publications which feature his columns, his photography has been featured worldwide in publications such as the New York Times Magazine, Vogue, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Harper’s Bazaar, Details, In Style, Cosmopolitan and Out…just to name a few. Patrick McMullan is also a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. He has published five books of his photography: Secrets of the Riviera, Men’s Show, so8os: A Photographic Diary of a Decade, Kiss Kiss and Glamour Girls. His latest venture is PMc Magazine, which you are currently reading.
LINKS:
Patrick McMullan’s Official Site
PMc Magazine
Patrick’s Tumblr
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Compiled by Patrick McMullan
Edited by Tyler Malone
Photography by Shaun Mader for PatrickMcMullan.com
Design by Jillian Mercado
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Captions:
Patrick McMullan, Victory for Women Photoshoot for the National Hemophilia Foundation, at Pier 59 Studios, NYC, August 24, 2010, Photography by Shaun Mader for PatrickMcMullan.com
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
YOU KNOW ME ! : Dj Enferno
DJ ENFERNO
Fall 2012(As seen in PMc Magazine, October 2012)
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1: How do we know you?
You’ve probably seen me on Madonna‘s 2008 Sticky & Sweet Tour, or you have seen my live remix videos on Youtube or heard my work on iTunes. In any case, nice to meet you!
2: What is your latest project?
I’m about to release my first original track alongside Mickey Fortune called “Cavaricci” and I also just finished an official remix for the Linkin Park song “Powerless.” Both will be available soon!
3: Where are you living?
Fairfax, VA. It is near Washington, DC. The suburbs are my sanctuary.
4: What don’t we know about you?
I once jumped out of a plane voluntarily.
5: What is your favorite travel destination?
Secluded beach trips with my family.
6: What inspires you?
Those moments when I feel like I’ve experienced something for the very first time.
7: If not yourself, who would you be?
Thomas Edison. Although it’s never too late for that.
8: What book is your bible?
The dictionary.
9: What is your favorite word?
Unlimited.
10: Who is your biggest hero?
My wife. She is Superwoman. Literally, she has a cape, spandex, and wristbands.
11: How would you define success?
Success is when you feel happy without having to do anything. If you wake up in the morning and you are happy, then I believe you are successful.
12: What would the last question of this questionnaire be if you were the one asking?
How can we find out more about you? Glad you asked, you can find out all about me at: DjEnferno.com, Facebook.com/DjEnfernoFanpage, and Twitter.com/DjEnferno.
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Enferno is a DMC USA Champion (2nd in the World), and a certified gold remixer for LMFAO who has recently been named #1 on Billboard’s Next Big Sound chart. He is also the creator of the next progression of live DJ performance called the Live Remix Project (LRP). Enferno was Madonna’s 2008-2009 Sticky & Sweet World Tour DJ, as well as the DJ and programmer for Michael Jackson’s The Immortal World Tour and Rihanna’s Loud Tour. Today, Enferno is busy balancing studio time with jets-setting around the world for his own tour.
LINKS:
Dj Enferno
Facebook Page
Soundcloud
Twitter: djenferno
Youtube.com/djenferno
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Questions by PMc Magazine
Edited by Ceara Maria Burns
Photography by Douglas Sonders Photography
Design by Jillian Mercado
—
Captions:
Eric aka DJ Enferno, Photography by Douglas Sonders Photography
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
CONTROLLING THE MOMENT: A Glimpse into the Life and Work of Photographer NANCY ELLISON
CONTROLLING THE MOMENT
A Glimpse into the Life and Work of Photographer NANCY ELLISONBy Jonathan Metzelaar
Fall 2012
(As seen in PMc Magazine, October 2012)
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Photography is so pervasive these days that it’s remarkable how personal of a medium it still is. Almost everybody on the street has access to a camera now, whether it’s a point-and-shoot, a professional piece of equipment, or just a cellphone camera. Factor in wildly popular photography websites like Flickr and Instagram, and it’s clear that photography is being done pretty much everywhere, by pretty much everybody.
And yet each photograph is still unique, still comes out branded, in just the slightest way, by how the photographer sees the world. You tell twenty people to all take a picture of the same building, and you get twenty different shots, twenty different interpretations of how people feel an object is best represented. There is something of the photographer inside each photograph.
This is especially true of the professionals. One glance at a photograph by Ansel Adams or Annie Leibovitz and, without any other clue or indication, you just know who took that picture. It is ingrained in the colors, the subjects, the focus, the style.
Photographer Nancy Ellison is no exception. Her theater and dance photographs capture the beauty of movement, hold it still for us to marvel at. And her portraits are intensely personal, each capturing the subject in what seems like a moment of contemplation or reprieve, each giving the viewer a rare glimpse into what seems like a person in his or her natural state. Despite the wide range of subjects and categories her photography deals with, there is a unique thread to Nancy’s work that ties it all together, that makes a person automatically think, after they see a photograph of hers, “Now that’s a Nancy Ellison.”
Jonathan Metzelaar: You grew up in Los Angeles, in pretty close proximity to Hollywood and the movie-making process. How much of an impact did growing up there have on your eventual interest in photography and producing? What did you see growing up that made you realize this is what you wanted to do?
Nancy Ellison: Most importantly I saw celebrities–often out-of-work celebrities–in daily life. I saw the effects of the Hollywood blacklist on the lives of school friends. I was witness to the complete reality of celebrity. My awe was slowly replaced by sympathy.
I trained as a painter and art historian, and that clearly influenced my sense of aesthetics. But shooting on movie sets lured me back to my “Hollywood” childhood, and it was enticing. Aesthetically, my Hollywood influence would have been similar to anyone who saw films. I loved Hollywood Art Deco–George Hurrell’s Jean Harlow reclining in a bias-cut white evening dress on a polar bear rug comes to mind–and I loved the lighting used in black and white films. It is worth studying. The great lighting cameramen lit men and women quite differently; women were lit in glowing but selective lighting, literally blocking out anything that did not play to their eyes and to their mouths, while men were given the craggy shadows that brought out their masculinity. Black and white film gave drama and focus to even the slightest frame.
It was fun visiting movie sets as a child. I loved that secret, magical world in which the “adults” got to play, and I still do. Working on somewhere around seventy films as a “special photographer” has given me a superb education on lighting. Watching the best cinematographers, like Connie Hall, Vilmos Zsigmond, and Haskell Wexler, light a set and their stars was my ‘graduate school’.
As for producing, I just enjoy being part of any creative process. Producing “America’s Voices” in Berlin back in 2000, with my husband, Bill Rollnick, was an honor and an opportunity to be a representative of our country while having a lot of fun doing it.
JM: What would you say was your first big break, and how did it come about?
NE: During the filming of The Day of the Locust, I became friends with Mary Ellen Mark. At that time I was known primarily on the east coast–and exclusively as a painter–but she graciously posed for me. One of those photographs was used as her portrait in the book Masters of Contemporary Photography. Not only did she gift me with that inclusion, she helped me with my portfolio and gave me advice about photo editors. Quite honestly, I did not realize at the time just how unique her generosity actually was. I have since found that most photographers–with a few wondrous exceptions–react to someone starting out in the same photo-world with either suspicious indifference or behavior bordering on actual sabotage. I have tried to follow her example.
JM: I thought it was interesting that photography and dance seemed to be your two main areas of interest, since dance is an art concerned with movement, and photography seems to be just the opposite. How did you come about being interested in these two areas of art, considering how different they seem on the surface?
NE: Well, to begin with, photographing young, beautiful, and disciplined dancers is simply a treat, and classical ballet has created a world equal to that reality. Just showing up will give one breathtaking images. But stopping the dancer’s movement, catching the timeless and gravity-free moment of a jump, or defining harmony with a perfectly balanced arabesque, is splendor–spiritual in every way. The conceit of the photographer is sustained in conquering movement and making it still.
JM: You’ve photographed a wide range of people, from dancers to writers to politicians. Is there a particular group of people you enjoy photographing more than others?
NE: Starlets, presidents… kinda similar. Everyone I shoot wants to be loved and admired. The vainest man I photographed was Boris Yeltsin, who was quite infatuated with his pompadour hairstyle; surrounding my lens with a mirror guaranteed that I would get a perfect expression from him.
I am generally sympathetic and pretty patient with eccentric behavior, and I love shooting interesting people, but I do have a problem with overblown self-importance, and that certainly transcends any single group of celebrity. So it is not so much the group but the individual. I have to love, at least for the moment, the subject I am photographing, but if someone is behaving like a brat, I simply walk away.
By the way, the person who is actually important and powerful usually isn’t inclined to act self-important. They intuitively understand the symbiotic reality of the photo session.
JM: What goes through your mind when you’re photographing your subjects? Are you interested mainly in capturing an image that’s aesthetically pleasing? Are you trying to tell a story? Are you trying to capture the essence of whoever or whatever you’re shooting? Some combination thereof?
NE: Yes, all of the above–most of the time. For example, my session with concert pianist Lola Astanova became a spy novel. Every shot I took of her had a covert, seductive energy to it, but that is what I saw in her private beauty. If you think of photographers like Annie Leibovitz or Helmet Newton, the first thing that comes to mind would be their iconic branding of their style, which consistently overlays their subject. Very powerful images. My curiosity about my subject dictates a more intrinsic image, which means the subject often defines the style. Occasionally I achieve an iconic image and I am thrilled, but ultimately I am more interested in seeing one of my portraits and thinking, ‘there is something learned’. I love beauty, and I love finding a primordial sexuality in my subjects, but neither of these elements should overlay the essential reality in front of me.
JM: I’d imagine that growing up around so many celebrities would make you immune to it, but was there ever a photo shoot where you were starstruck by your subject? If so, did it make it any more difficult for you to do your job?
NE: Not starstruck, but I have been struck on occasion by the moment. When I was photographing the extremely distracted Nazi-hunter, Simon Wiesenthal, on assignment for US News & World Report, I had a major shy-attack, feeling that I was taking up his time. I became more focused on releasing him than getting his attention and finding some insight into him. The results were professional but unfulfilled. A photographer has to control the moment–even if it is only in his own mind!
JM: I know this must be a difficult question to answer, considering how prolific you are, but what photograph (or handful of photographs) are you most proud of and why?
NE: Not difficult at all. The photographs that I am the most proud of are the ones I took when I gave birth to my daughter. After twenty hours of labor, I became re-energized when my doctor made a bet with the nurses that I would succeed, and I managed about five images of her crowning before the doctor suggested he get on with business. The crowning image was like an Imogen Cunningham or Georgia O’Keefe magnolia blossom–breathtakingly beautiful, organic, and caressed by joy.
JM: Do you have any upcoming projects you’d like people to know about?
NE: I am preparing for a retrospective exhibition of my work that will open at the Pacific Design Center, aka The Blue Whale, in West Hollywood this coming March, 2013. At last I am organizing my archival work.
—
Nancy Ellison is an acclaimed photographer and producer.
LINKS:
Nancy Ellison’s Official Website
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Written and Edited by Jonathan Metzelaar
Photograph (Page 1/Cover) by Bill Rollnick
Photography (Page 2 & 3) by & Courtesy of Nancy Ellison
Design by Marie Havens
—
Captions:
Page 1/Cover:
Photograph (Page 1/Cover) by Bill Rollnick
Page 2:
Mick Jagger, Photography (Page 2 & 3) by & Courtesy of Nancy Ellison
Page 3:
Pierce Brosnan, Photography (Page 2 & 3) by & Courtesy of Nancy Ellison
[ADDITIONAL PHOTOS] TOO GOOD TO IGNORE: A Conversation with Rock Stars TOMMY LONDON and TOMMY MOKAS of THE DIRTY PEARLS
TOO GOOD TO IGNORE
A Conversation with Rock Stars TOMMY LONDON and TOMMY MOKAS of THE DIRTY PEARLSBy Jonathan Metzelaar
Fall 2012
(As seen in PMc Magazine, October 2012)
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Written and Edited by Jonathan Metzelaar
Photography by Coco Alexander
Design by Marie Havens
—
Captions:
Pages 1-7:
The Dirty Pearls in NYC, 2012, Photography by Coco Alexander
TOO GOOD TO IGNORE: A Conversation with Rock Stars TOMMY LONDON and TOMMY MOKAS of THE DIRTY PEARLS
TOO GOOD TO IGNORE
A Conversation with Rock Stars TOMMY LONDON and TOMMY MOKAS of THE DIRTY PEARLSBy Jonathan Metzelaar
Fall 2012
(As seen in PMc Magazine, October 2012)
—
If you want to make a name for yourself as a musician in New York, you need more than just musical talent. It sounds trite, but for people to take notice of you or your band, you’ve got to have that little something extra, that one thing that pushes you above the sheer volume of talent out there. When you look to some of the musical acts that made it in New York, more often than not you can see that distinguishing characteristic. Bob Dylan had the inimitable falsetto and the generation-defining lyrics. KISS had the face paint and the personality. The Strokes had the attitude and the charisma. Here it is not enough to simply be good; you have to be exceptional.
Enter The Dirty Pearls, a New York-based band with the attitude and the stage presence that rock and roll has been sorely lacking for a while now. Watching them perform live, you can sense them feeding off the enthusiasm of the crowd and channeling it into their music. These guys pretty clearly love doing what they do, and they’ve got the musical chops to back up their enthusiasm. Their brand of rock is gruff and manic, but instrumentally tight, a sound that is quintessentially New York. With their first full-length album, Whether You Like It Or Not, having just been released, and a potential cross-country tour on the horizon, these guys have been very busy, but lead singer Tommy London and guitarist Tommy Mokas still found the time to sit down and answer a few questions.
Jonathan Metzelaar: How do you view the New York music scene right now compared to other cities? How do the audiences, venues, and musical talent compare? What are some of your favorite New York-based bands and venues, and why?
Tommy Mokas: I think the New York scene is very volatile in terms of its perceived popularity, but always very vibrant in terms of the participation of the musicians themselves. It may go without saying, but New York City is probably the most difficult place in the country to be a successful, functioning unit. Every single factor about existing is against you, but I firmly believe this is what makes it exciting as well. Being a band in New York has changed significantly these past twelve years in terms of the scope of requirements for both the individual and the band, but what hasn’t changed is the amount of crazy you have to be to even try. I think it’s a bold statement to even be a band in this city at all. There is a vast amount of talent here, and because the pool is so vast, sometimes your “average” band doesn’t get very far here, when it would likely succeed in another place due to less competition. Other cities have the advantage of being cheaper, easier to get more space, easier to have a vehicle, etc. But none of those other places are New York. If it wasn’t such a drug, there wouldn’t be 8 million people trying to be here!
Venues in New York have gotten better over the years, but I think the more venues we have, the less of a scene there is. It’s been quite a while since a scene was centralized around a couple of key spots. I personally believe this makes it harder for a scene to grow. In other cities, you only have a few choice spots to frequent if you want to see live music, let alone good music. In New York, you have the choice of hundreds of venues on any given evening, and you rely largely on word of mouth as to where you’re going to go to enjoy yourself. You could go out to a venue, really enjoy it, and never go back there again before it closes up for good.
The last place that I feel had a really rabid and vibrant scene in New York rock was Snitch. The stage was shitty and narrow, there were barely any stage monitors, and it had a crappy sound system, but fuck, the crowds! The Monday night party was the place to be, because you could step on that stage and rock a full room. Even if nobody knew you, they gave you a chance just for having the courage to try. That was the last time I felt that sort of energy from a venue and a scene.
As for NYC-based bands, there have been a lot of good ones in recent years, and the range covers it all: The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, The Walkmen, Ryan Adams, Yeasayer, Grizzly Bear, Vampire Weekend, Holy Ghost… I mean it’s all over the place.
Tommy London: Yeah, there are a lot of great bands on the NYC music scene right now. It reminds me of when I read about the NYC rock scene from the 70′s, where all these bands were different in their own way, yet they still shared a core audience and were part of the same scene. You had The Ramones, Blondie, The Talking Heads, New York Dolls, and many more all coming from a different place, but still part of of the same scene. I feel that is the strength of the downtown rock music scene at the moment. It’s not like a Seattle scene or hair band scene, where all the bands were cut from the same cloth. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking those bands. I purchased all their music and still love it today. I’m just saying that the rock scene in New York has always been an eclectic one, and it still is. Though I think it’s more of a “community” than it is a “scene”. We have a strong community of rock music enthusiasts who just live and breathe rock ‘n’ roll. That’s what its all about–keeping the spirit alive.
And whenever we play out of town we always discover that small community of rockers, just like in NYC. They are just as passionate about rock ‘n’ roll as us and our friends in NYC. It’s pretty amazing. Sometimes I feel as if they are seeking that larger community of people that they can relate to, and when I sense that I always tell them they need to come to the the city for a week and experience the bars, parties, and venues that cater to their taste. Then they will see why New York City truly is a drug.
As for venues, we’ve played most of them in New York, like Irving Plaza, Gramercy Theatre, Bowery Ballroom, etc. They all have their own history, which makes them special to play. But I have to say the one that really did it for me was when we first headlined the Bowery Ballroom. That was our first venture into a large venue. On the NYC rock club scene, the Bowery Ballroom has always been considered the “Madison Square Garden” of the scene. They never booked bands from the rock scene. So when we landed our first headline show there, it not only represented the fact that The Dirty Pearls had arrived, but it also gave a lot of attention to the scene that we came from.
JM: You’re new album, Whether You Like It Or Not, was just released. In what ways would you say this album is different from the music you made prior, and which songs do each of you guys enjoy playing the most on the album?
TM: When I joined the band, I had every intention of making it a decidedly more hard-hitting band, but expanding on the pop sensibility. In my previous band, Nova Clutch, I was influenced by a lot of heavier and more progressive bands like Muse, The Mars Volta, and Soundgarden, but I was always rooted in bands like Aerosmith, Guns n’ Roses, and The Clash. Playing with The Pearls made me get back to my roots and start thinking in a simpler, more straightforward way about songwriting. I think the songs which best portray that spread of influence would be “Who’s Coming Back To Who” and “Mayday”. Those also happen to be my favorite to play live.
TL: Yeah I have to be honest, when Mokas and I got together and started writing, the band started shifting in a different direction–in a good way! The songs I wrote in other bands before The Dirty Pearls were cut-and-dry, fun rock tunes. But when I got together with Tommy Mokas the songs took on a whole different life of their own. To be honest it was pretty magical. We pounded out a bunch of killer rock/pop songs with strong hooks, melodies, lyrics, and riffs. Then when Sunny Climbs joined the band we hit the songwriting trifecta. I’m looking forward to the three of us writing some new songs.
As for performing live, my favorite songs to perform live are “Who’s Coming Back To Who,” “Sucker For A Sequel,” and “New York City Is A Drug”. There is just an energy behind them live that makes me want to jump into the audience and put my fists in the air with them.
JM: How do the songs you guys write typically come together? Is each band member responsible for coming up with their own part, or does one of you kind of give the others direction? And is Tommy generally in charge of lyrics since he’s the one who has to sing them, or is it more of a collaborative effort?
TM: Because I’ve been a recording studio owner since 2003, I can safely say I’ve forced my influence on the parts in the songs that I’ve helped write. I would generally demo out the songs in my studio, playing all the parts and getting the ideas out of my head. But in the hands of the other members, they have been allowed to come alive. This became even more true under the direction and wisdom of Mr. David Kahne, who took our piece of granite and chiseled a nice group of songs from it. His ear and ability to edit tightened the songs even more, both musically and arrangement-wise, and the songs are better for it. Lyrically, London and I work out the initial ideas together, but I’ve always allowed him the space to sing whatever he’s gonna sing. I know from years as a singer, you have to believe what you’re singing, so I tend to be slightly hands-off in that respect. But I give my input when I feel it’s needed or helpful.
TL: A lot of the songs actually start with a chorus melody and chord structure, and then we build around it and see where it leads. But as Mokas said, it was our producer Daivd Kahne, who has worked with Sublime, The Strokes, and Paul McCartney, that really helped mold the clay and make our songs just pop even more. After we get the initial demo down with melody and structure, we take it to the band so they can help develop it even more, and that’s when the song starts to come to life. That’s actually the best feeling in the world; coming up with an idea with a guitar and a vocal, getting the band involved, and then starting to feel it come to life. The icing on the cake, of course, is when you perform it in front of an audience to see their reaction. It’s amazing, I can’t even describe it.
JM: The illegal downloading of music has been a pretty big issue in the music industry for awhile now. As a band trying to make a name for itself, I’d imagine it’s pretty frustrating to lose out on some of the profits you could make in music sales, yet some musicians look at the silver lining and say it’s okay as long as their music is getting out there. Where do you guys stand on this issue?
TM: As the owner of a studio, and a lifelong musician, I say stop whining. It’s over. It’s been devalued, and it ain’t ever going back to the way it was. Figure out new ways. Its called the music business. It always changes, and it always will. It isn’t profitable to sell typewriters anymore, but people still write, don’t they? Someone made money when the trends changed, and it wasn’t cause they lamented the death of the typed word on paper. If you want to be financially successful in music, which, for the record, is not a God-given right, then you have to be an enterprising individual. If you want to be a musician, make music. They are two separate things to me. I treat them as such. You think Hendrix was thinking about how to market “Foxy Lady”? No, he was too busy being Hendrix. As Steve Martin said, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” That is how I believe you have to be to win. Oh, and have a good manager!
TL: I think Mokas just said it all! I mean the internet became a double-edged sword for a lot of things, not just music. But let’s be honest, an unsigned band like us have the opportunity to be seen and heard all over the world by just the touch of a button. That’s pretty amazing and special if you ask me. You have to learn to market your music as a way to sell your live shows and merchandise. Plus, there are many other avenues to make money with your music besides downloads. Commercials, TV, and movies are still profitable venues for you to make money with your music.
JM: The Dirty Pearls have a very distinctive sound, kind of a gruff-yet-polished rock and roll. Have you guys ever felt confined by that? Were there ever any songs you wanted to include on an album that you had to exclude because they didn’t really fit? And do you envision yourselves experimenting with new things on future records, or are you guys devoted to the sound you’ve got?
TM: Personally, I’m making all different kinds of music all the time. I’m a composer, it’s what I’ve been doing since I was 13. So for me, The Pearls is an outlet for making the kind of music that I really love, that I might not make to this extent on my own. I don’t think it would be wise to say we’re devoted to the sound we’ve got, but I’d say we’re devoted to the feeling we’re trying to create. I’ve seen how crowds react to us when we hit them over the head with a set, and that’s an energy I want to expand on.
TL: We never felt confined at all to be honest. We did have a few songs that we recorded for this album that just didn’t blend with the songs on the album as a whole. But that’s not to say we won’t be performing them live, or that we won’t consider them for the next album, or even that we won’t release them as an individual single online. We have a few demos we’ve written that are experimental in sound and groove that will definitely show our growth as writers and musicians, which we will showcase on the next album for sure. But at the end of the day, it will always be rock ‘n’ roll.
JM: What upcoming events or projects are you working on that you’d like people to know about?
TM: I’ll let you answer this one, London.
TL: We just released our first full-length album, Whether You Like It Or Not, which at the moment is only available through our website, but you can also purchase some of the singles from the album on iTunes. We have generated a lot of major interest with the album, and that’s why we haven’t released it fully on digital outlets… yet. We’re playing regional dates in support of the album with some national acts, as well as our own headline shows. We are lining up a big NYC headline show for the end of the year, and we’re hoping to take the band cross-country soon, especially due to the fact that a lot of radio stations have recently started to spin the songs from the album.
A few of our songs have recently been picked up by the popular video game Tap Tap. As far as I know, we are the first unsigned band to be included in this game, so it’s a really big deal for us. Metallica, Lady Gaga, Green Day, and many others are included in the game, so I’d say that’s pretty good company. We have a lot of other things in the works that involve tour support slots, film, and television, but it’s too premature to discuss them just yet. But you can always find all the updates on everything that’s happening with us, from tour dates to news, on our facebook, twitter, and of course on our website.
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Tommy Mokas and Tommy London are both members of New York-based rock band The Dirty Pearls, whose first full-length album, Whether You Like It Or Not, was just released.
LINKS:
The Dirty Pearls Official Website
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Written and Edited by Jonathan Metzelaar
Photography by Coco Alexander
Design by Marie Havens
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Captions:
Pages 1-7:
The Dirty Pearls in NYC, 2012, Photography by Coco Alexander
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
ROCK-N-ROLL IN HER DNA: Talking with Rock Goddess BEBE BUELL
ROCK-N-ROLL IN HER DNA
Talking with Rock Goddess BEBE BUELLBy Lori Zimmer
Fall 2012
(As seen in PMc Magazine, October 2012)
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Bebe Buell is one of those people that makes it so you can’t help but smile when you have the luck to be in her company–and I’m not talking about her amazing rock-n-roll making, rock star dating, Liv Tyler parenting, Playboy modeling past. So incredibly grounded and humble, her lust and passion for rock music has made her a rock-n-roll missionary–the exact opposite of the groupie stereotype that the media has consistently pegged her as.
At first, I didn’t even want to mention the word “groupie,” as if its utterance would give it some sort of validation, but it is relevant since Bebe has been accused of being one for much of her life. Contrary to the “groupie” stereotype, Bebe’s life-long obsession has not been with rock stars, but with the music itself, with rock-n-roll. Yet the stigma has stuck, which after only a few moments with her, I found totally infuriating, and unfair. She speaks of her musical experiences with excitement and fervor, inviting others to join her enthusiasm rather than alienating them with elitism. She’s the kind of person you want to be around, first to hear her fascinating stories, but then because she just makes you somehow feel included in them.
Her involvement in rock-n-roll over the last forty-plus years was founded on a deep connection to music–even now she lives and breathes rock-n-roll with every breath. Her relationship with husband Jim Wallerstein is heavily steeped in music, the pair have been steadily making it together for over ten years, partnering in both love and art. The Bebe Buell Band continues to thrive; their latest album, Hard Love, kicked off with a video for the track “Devil You Know.” The track features Bebe’s signature raspy voice fused with powerful rock and an appearance by the Power Animals that climb and claw throughout the vid. The band continues to play the New York area, and headlined the CBGB’s fest at High Line Ballroom this summer.
The face that launched a thousand rock-n-roll ships, Bebe’s influence has helped inspire and shape friends and lovers like Todd Rundgren, Stiv Bators, Steven Tyler, Joey Ramone, Iggy Pop, John Taylor, Rod Stewart, amongst dozens of other rock-n-rollers that her life has touched. Her commitment to rock has been a force in its longevity, glamour and appeal. Rock-n-roll will never die as long as Bebe Buell is at the helm.
Lori Zimmer: You’ve been called a groupie, but anyone that really knows of you knows that even muse is an understatement, that you’re more of a rock-n-roll catalyst. Does this negative connotation of women who influence musicians bother you?
Bebe Buell: It has gone on since the beginning of time. I’ve just chosen to voice my distaste for labeling another person for their personal life experience. I’m more like Forrest Gump with a high IQ than a vixen. I don’t like getting called names period! The term “groupie” is not a job discription–it’s more of a taste description. But sadly it has gotten tarnished by those that drive the pop culture bus. It went from being something kind of cool and innocent to being something focusing on sexual exploits. I’m not very sexual–I’m more cerebral. I have sexual energy as an entertainer, but it comes from the music. I move the way the music makes me feel.
LZ: Being a musician yourself, do you think it is an unfair double standard?
BB: Again, that’s gone on since the beginning of time–but I have never let my sex get in the way of my dreams. I’ve had to work harder, prove myself a little more, but in the end, I am doing what I want to do. I’m the lead singer in a rock band. Double standards will always exist–it’s how you let it affect you that matters.
LZ: I don’t want to dwell too much on the past, but your life and experience with some of the world’s most iconic musicians is hard to entirely gloss over. When looking back, what spurred your heavy involvement in the rock-n-roll scene?
BB: Basically I’ve always just followed my heart, and my heart beats for music–all kinds of music. But rock-n-roll is in my DNA; I have a connection to that kind of music. I’ve kept the bloodline alive with the birth of my rock-n-roll love child. Birds of a feather flock together. In my life, I am ruled by chemistry. I go where I’m comfortable and where I belong. I feel blessed to have known so many talented, interesting people, and to still meet people every day that fascinate and elate me.
LZ: When did you realize that you’d made it beyond the average fan and into the inner circle?
BB: Probably around the same time anyone who comes to NYC at 17/18 years old and is accepted into the inner circle. I felt like I belonged almost instantly after getting here. I imagined all of it, visualized all of it, starting at around 10 years old. When I saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, I just knew those were my people, HA! We are rock people!
LZ: Do you remember when you first met Patrick McMullan?
BB: I could never pin down the day because I feel like he has been a constant in my life for the last four decades. He’s one of those people who has been an important part of the entertainment scene in NYC since the 60s. No one like him. I adore the guy!
LZ: How has raising a daughter changed your interaction with the music world / fame monster?
BB: I could never measure it because I was so young when Liv was born. She has always been part of my life and career. She’s in it. And I in her’s. It’s a legacy, a family business at this point. Look at my mother, she’s our matriarch.
LZ: In a world of egos, the impression you give off is a down to earth, breath of fresh air. Taking that ego into consideration for a moment, how have you managed to not only keep it at bay, but to encompass the humble yet confident way of life that you live?
BB: Spiritual practice–keeping myself in check with a higher power. Never letting pain stop you from loving. I try not to give haters power.
LZ: Your new video just debuted earlier this summer–how did you come up with the concept and working with the Power Animals?
BB: I saw them around NYC and in a clip somewhere. I knew I wanted to have them in there in some capacity. Aren’t they fabulous?!
LZ: You’ve been married to a musician (and collaborator) for the past ten years. Do you work together as a couple in the studio, or do you leave your love out of the workplace?
BB: It becomes second nature. Jim plays in my band, co-writes my music, produces me, helps get the bands together. He’s my musical partner. We have date nights and go on vacations to keep the romance alive, but basically music is our lives. Full-time. All the time.
LZ: You kicked off summer with a show honoring CBGBs, with your new music in tow, can we expect more shows this fall, or a tour?
BB: Touring is costly and of course we want to tour. We are seeking sponsorship as we speak. But we do play regionally and will play in NYC again before the end of 2012. As soon as the new Cutting Room opens, we will be doing a residency there. It’s been a long wait for this state-of-the-art new place, but it will be worth it in the end. The place is gorgeous and the stage is heavenly! Can’t wait to grace it. I’m also working on a one woman show. I will always consider NYC my home, the place I unveil my projects. I can’t wait to do a run here, a weekly thing. That’s what I’m working towards right now…so stay tuned…
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Bebe Buell is an American fashion model and rock star, not to mention Playboy magazine’s November 1974 Playmate of the Month.
LINKS:
Bebe Buell Band – Official Site
Bebe Buell Band – Twitter
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Written by Lori Zimmer
Edited by Tyler Malone
Photography by Jonathan Grassi
Makeup and Hair by Natalia López de Quintana (Twitter/instagram/Tumblr: duchessnatalia)
Style by Delvin Lugo
Stylist Assistance by Rasaan Wyzard
Male Modelling by Dan Morris
Design by Marie Havens
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Captions:
Pages 1-5:
Bebe Buell, 3 of Cups Lounge, New York City, July 7, 2012, Photography by Jonathan Grassi
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Clothing:
Look 1: (pie)
Jacket by Marc by Marc Jacobs
Blouse by Zara
Fishnet Glove by LaCrasia
Look 2:
Jacket by Calvin Klein
Tshirt by Bess NYC
Pants by Zara
Necklace by Alexis Bittar
Look 3: (on the bar)
Same as above
Pumps by Christian Louboutin
Look 4: (at the door)
Knit Bolero Jacket by Cheng
Pants by Zara
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