THE OUTLIER Deviating from the Mean with Actress PAULEY PERRETTE

THE OUTLIER

Deviating from the Mean with Actress PAULEY PERRETTE

By Jonathan Metzelaar
Spring 2013
(As seen in PMc Magazine, May 2013)   
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The fact that I knew who Pauley Perrette was despite never having watched the show NCIS is a testament to just how popular and, consequently, how recognizable a figure she’s become. According to her Q Score, which is used to measure the popularity of celebrities, television shows, and brands, Perrette is the most popular actress on American primetime television. This is in large part due to the cult-like following that has developed around the character she plays on NCIS, Abby Sciuto. The appeal of Abby is manifold, but a lot of it surely has to do with the fact that, in a television landscape that is sorely lacking layered, interesting characters, Abbey is an outlier.

In analytics, an outlier is defined as, “that which appears to deviate markedly from other members of the sample in which it occurs.” In other words, it’s something that stands out among the others because it’s different. It’s a term that Abby Sciuto would be familiar with, given her forensics background. But it’s also an apt description of the character Perrette is portraying through Abby. Every television crime drama has its own iteration of the forensic scientist. But all too often they seem to have been pushed through the same mold. Perrette broke new ground with Abby though, who’s a young, brilliant, female forensic scientist that loves tattoos, choker necklaces, loud music, and decorating her lab with dolls and stuffed animals. She’s a nice splash of color in a generally drab genre of television, and it’s in no small part because the woman playing her is as eccentric and interesting as she is. Pauley Perrette brings life to Abby in a way that’s hard to imagine anybody else even coming close to replicating, and fortunately I was able to talk a bit with her about both the fascinating character she is, and the fascinating character that she plays.
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Jonathan Metzelaar: Your character on NCIS, Abby Sciuto, is considered one of the most well-liked characters on television. What do you think it is about this character that is so identifiable? How much of Abby are the writers responsible for, and how much of her is a reflection of your own personality?

Pauley Perrette: Abby is one of those iconic TV characters that comes along every once in a while. By combining her role as a genius scientist with an alternative style, a genuine sense of self, and a great sense of humor–along with the fact that she has such a huge heart–she has become one of the most unique television characters ever.  Abby is adored by people of all ages all around the world.

She was an amazing character from the first time I read her in a script 11 years ago, and over the course of 230 episodes the writers, the wardrobe department, and myself have added even more flavor to this eccentric little being.

 

JM: Are there any ways in which you, as Pauley Perrette, ever feel confined by Abby Sciuto? Do you ever feel any pressure to live up to this big public persona that’s been created of you, whether in terms of your personality or your style?

PP: Abby is way more awesome than me. She’s very well put-together, very focused, and very neat–all characteristics I personally do not embody.  I have to remind people that I am not actually Abby; I’m just an actor with an awesome job. I am a huge Abby fan though. I love her. But I’m not her.

JM: You’ve got a tremendous following of passionate fans. In fact, during my interview with your friends Darren and Matthew over at Donna Bell’s Bake Shop, a group of your fans came in looking for you, and said they traveled all the way from Arkansas. Have you ever had any crazy encounters with a fan or group of fans? On the flip side, were there any particularly endearing moments you’ve shared with your fans?


PP: NCIS fans are the best. Abby fans are very passionate. Because Abby is such a big hugger, I often have fans just come throw their arms around me. One of the best things is getting my fans involved in the causes and charities that I support. They sponsor me for AIDS walks, we collect money to buy kevlar vests for police and military dogs–all kinds of things. My favorite fan is a young boy who saves his allowance all year then sends it to the animal rescue I work with.

JM: Speaking of Donna Bell’s, was cooking a big part of your life growing up? How has the experience of lending your mother’s name and likeness to the bake shop been for you so far? Do you offer any input to the guys with regard to future menu items or anything like that?

PP: My mom was always cooking and baking. She, my sister, and I were always baking and decorating cakes. It is wonderful having such an amazing homage to her in Donna Bell’s Bake Shop.
Ironically, I don’t eat sugar or white flour, so Matthew [co-owner of Donna Bell's] makes me awesome whole-wheat and fresh berry muffins. Yum!

JM: You’re probably best known for your acting, but you’re also a writer and a musician. Do any of these passions take precedent over each other, or do you enjoy them all equally? Have any of these artistic endeavors ever directly inspired one of the others, and if so, when?

PP: I love my job, and it’s super important to me that I do a great job at it every time I hit set. My job as Abby is my priority; they pay me for that. But my other little piece of heaven is in the music studio. It’s my happy place. I love writing and recording music. I’m not interested in performing live, just getting music out there.

JM: You’re featured on DMC’s song, “Attention Please.” How did that collaboration come about? Do you have any plans to collaborate on any other musical projects, or any plans to release any of your solo work?


PP: My awesome drummer Veronica Bellino wrote that DMC song, and they had this great idea for our collaboration. I adore DMC, and I love the track. We had a blast.

My new record is almost finished. I am so excited about people hearing it. I’m just trying to figure out how I want to distribute it and get it out there. I can’t wait.

 

JM: Do you have any projects coming up that you’d like people to know about?

PP: Just continuing to work with over 30 charities and non-profits. I’m also planning on getting this record out, as well as finishing my documentary, Citizen Lane, which is about the life of legendary civil rights attorney Mark Lane.

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Pauley Perrette is an actress, best known for her role as Abby Sciuto on the crime drama NCIS. She was also featured in Dawson’s Creek, 24, and the film Almost Famous, among other projects.

LINKS:
NCIS Official Website
Donna Bell’s Bake Shop Official Website
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Written and Edited by Jonathan Metzelaar
Photography by Patrick McMullan, Andreas Branch, David Crotty, Brian Lindensmith and Joe Schildhorn
Design by Lulu Vottero
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Captions:

Page 1/Cover:

Pauley Perrette, HEART TRUTH RED DRESS 2010 Collection, NY Public Library, NYC, February 11, 2010, Photography by Patrick McMullan for PatrickMcMullan.com

Page 2:
a. Pauley Perrette, 12th Annual Golden Heart Awards, Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills, Ca, May 7, 2012, Photography by Andreas Branch for PatrickMcMullan.com
b. Pauley Perrette, ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT EMMY After Party Vibiana, Los Angeles, Ca, August 29, 2010, Photography by David Crotty for PatrickMcMullan.com
c. Pauley Perrette, THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES celebrates the 2013 GENESIS AWARDS BENEFIT GALA, The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, CA, March 23, 2013, Photography by David Crotty for PatrickMcMullan.com
d. Pauley Perrette, HEART TRUTH RED DRESS 2010 Collection, NY Public Library, NYC, February 11, 2010, Photography by Joe Schildhorn for PatrickMcMullan.com
e.  Pauley Perrette, The 2011 ET Emmy Awards After Party, Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, September 18, 2011, Photography by Brian Lindensmith for PatrickMcMullan.com
f. Pauley Perrette, The Paley Center For Media’s PaleyFest 2013 Honoring THE BIG BANG THEORY, Saban Theater, Beverly Hills, CA, March 13, 2013, Photography by Andreas Branch for PatrickMcMullan.com
g.  Pauley Perrette, LA Zoo Elephants of Asia Under the Stars, Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, Ca, December 15, 2010, Photography by David Crotty for PatrickMcMullan.com

Page 3:
Pauley Perrette, HEART TRUTH RED DRESS 2010 Collection, NY Public Library, NYC, February 11, 2010, Photography by Patrick McMullan for PatrickMcMullan.com

Page 4:
Patrick McMullan and Pauley Perrette, Bryan Rabin Birthday Party, Chateau Marmont, LA, March 5, 2005, Photography by Patrick McMullan for PatrickMcMullan.com
Page 5:
Pauley Perrette, Club USA, New York City, 1990/91, Photography by Patrick McMullan for PatrickMcMullan.com
Pauley Perrette, HEART TRUTH RED DRESS 2010 Collection, NY Public Library, NYC, February 11, 2010, Photography by Joe Schildhorn for PatrickMcMullan.com

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 ELLISON
By 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.

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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
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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

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 PEARLS

By Jonathan Metzelaar
Fall 2012
(As seen in PMc Magazine, October 2012)     
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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

TEEMING WITH GORGEOUSNESS: A Conversation with LAINIE LOVE DALBY

TEEMING WITH GORGEOUSNESS

A Conversation with LAINIE LOVE DALBY
By Lori Zimmer
July / August 2012
(As seen in PMc Magazine, 2012)    
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Getting “blessed” in the middle of an art fair left me pretty apprehensive.  I finally met Reverend Lainie Love Dalby when visiting her booth at Scope Art Fair, which was curated by my friend Daria Brit Shapiro. The booth, a myriad of bright colors, tents, sparkles, mirrors, and trinkets, was just as lively as the aisles packed with people at the fair, so when Dalby asked me if I’d like to be blessed, I thought she was going to take me somewhere more secluded, and I began to take a step toward the booth’s smaller tent.

Instead, Dalby simply asked me to close my eyes. That was when my expectations fell flat, and since I was in plain view of everyone passing, I figured I was just part of some art performance, and that I would not be receiving an experience myself. But I was completely wrong. The art chaos around me totally dissipated, and I was at once surrounded by a circle of sage and citrus. The only sound I focused on was Dalby’s incredibly calming voice (I want her to read bedtime stories to me) and the tinkling of a bell. She gently placed a reassuring hand on my head, and asked me to focus on some suggested thoughts.  I couldn’t feel the busy gallery booths hawking art or the people walking around me in Dalby’s booth. I only felt this circle of sage and Dalby’s voice. I felt refreshed for the rest of the day, and my cynical self has now been given over to the power of art.

Aside from giving blessings, Lainie Love Dalby is a visual artist who stamps her colorful brand of creativity on everything she creates. Before she gave herself completely over to art just a few years ago, she lead multiple lives, managing many personas and careers for each. This need for diversity is evident in her work, as she expertly juggles performance, video, sculpture and interactive experiences to communicate her oeuvre. The certified reverend has reached a state of her own enlightenment, and is funneling her creativity and positive energy into her gorgeous art, which not only plugs the self-development of her viewers, but lets us use her art to get high.


Lori Zimmer: You’re a “Reverend.” How did you get into the business of blessing?
Lainie Love Dalby: For over 10 years, up until 2009, I lived as multiple personas, including as an internationally known dominatrix, a celebrity stylist, an avant-garde fashion maven, and a pop rapper, all constructed within my art practice and life. In moving between these shattered ego aspects of self, which I called “identity players,” I became a shell of myself. I was a full-blown hedonist and fame monster that was totally bankrupt financially, spiritually and emotionally. My life had become devoid of meaning, with a permanent flashing neon sign exclaiming “CLOSED,” and I had lost my personal anchor to what really mattered. I was in a full-blown premature midlife crisis that brought me to the precipice of misery and near suicide.  I wanted to die, straight up. In that moment, I chose to live, fully and vibrantly alive, to make a difference and to find my truth. I chose to redefine what living meant for me, to not accept life as it’s given and to create my own rules. Nicki Minaj said it best: Everybody dies, but not everybody lives.  My decision to let go of my old story was my first radical act of self-love and the beginning of my journey to come out of hiding. This decision led me fortuitously into a seat in the two-year Interfaith Seminary program at One Spirit Learning Alliance, from which I could help others drink from the well of courage, life, and ultimately freedom as Reverend Lainie Love Dalby. And the rest is history! For this, I am so grateful.

LZ: What can someone expect when they’re getting blessed by you?

LLD: When I’m blessing someone, we’re entering together into the here and now–dancing in the space of pure presence and the inherent potential of the present moment. We complete the work together. Because of this, I’m respectful that people are probably coming to the interaction with a little voice that’s saying something like, “Oh shit, what have I gotten myself into? Do I really trust this woman?” But I know once I share my unconditional love and act as a mirror for their greatness, the initial fear response passes, and they melt into the moment with me and receive a fleeting feeling of freedom, peace, aliveness, and the unexpected.
It is a respite from the overwhelming noise of our lives, a sort of moving meditation on their inner light and power. The focus is on getting people fully into their bodies, activating their 12 senses with the cleansing scent of sage and lemon, the melodic sound of the bells shaking to clear the energy, my soothing voice, the hand touching their forehead, and their heart creating an intimate trail of energy, spooling our fine heart threads into one united front. It’s like a spiritual elixir. You drink, feel fed, and desire more.


They begin to open up to something larger than themselves, and it gives them a flavor for more. In the best case, it leads them down a path to heightened depth of presence and many more deep breaths of pure life in the future.

LZ: You’ve been called the Lady Gaga of Consciousness and Spirituality. Do you think this is an accurate description?
LLD: I had been creating elaborate, wearable sculptures for over 15 years when Lady Gaga first came out on the scene. I was honestly unnerved at first when people would walk by me on the street and call me by her name based on my appearance. But that was only my ego feeling wounded. I didn’t want my personal brand of chutzpah to be unconsciously clumped into a pop phenomenon. But then I did a higher self-check and realized that we’re merely soul sisters united in spirit, pushing through our fears to live outside of the boxes of mediocrity, and helping others to do the same each day. We are quite possibly cut from the same monster cloth, if you will.

Together, along with Madonna, Eve Ensler, Toni Morrison, and countless other outspoken female artists throughout history, I am helping others to step out of society’s boxes, fight for social change, and show humankind how to live with authenticity and share our unique voices and imprints with the world. We are modern day Istha Devas (contemporary goddesses) that remind people to press their edge of becoming. The awakening of human consciousness is the overall goal, regardless of the form or title it takes. We are also helping to bring a greater sense of love, radical acceptance, and unity to a world so desperately in need of it.


I stand utterly grateful for the presence of not only Gaga, but all the incredible women on this earth, who have shared their gifts with the world as I hope we all can. I have no doubt that I will even be giving blessings to the Mother Monster & Madge one day soon!  For like attracts like, movements build upon movements, and more powerful women are banding together each day to help heal our wounded world.

LZ: Was performing in a commercial atmosphere like an art fair weird for you?
LLD: I cherish any opportunities to penetrate the pop culture stratosphere with compassion, courage, and big love. I especially relished pushing the boundaries of human interaction, commerce, and art-making in the context of such a contemporary art world tradition as SCOPE Art Fair. I am forever grateful that Daria Brit Shapiro provided me with a platform for my ‘Diamond Den’ project so I could serve up some serious spiritual elixir to the art world masses, while also creating a risky and unforgettable environment that truly made the space and participants come alive amidst the safe and expected etiquette of the majority of the gallery presentations. I was able to utilize my art as a modality of healing and expanding oneself in order to shift consciousness, raise awareness, and ultimately promote social change. I became a channel for divine healing power, an urban priestess of the moment. It was an ultimate merger of pop culture, the sacred, and the 12 senses, which is a founding principle of my work in the world. The best part is that it pushed my own boundaries as an artist and spiritual leader, taking me to the next evolution of my work, which I will be premiering later this year!


LZ: Tell me about TEEM Gorgeous (or Dalbyworld?)

LLD: TEEM Gorgeous is a multidimensional social sculpture involving installations, art works, self-development adventures, and more to generate massive personal and social change. Art is profoundly human by nature, and TG begins with the premise that every being is an artist in charge of their own transformation. Because of this, your greatest masterpiece is creating a life that you would totally love and feel alive in each day. I merely serve as the catalyst for courage and creativity in the process.

I love the dictionary definition of the word “teem”–which means to abound or swarm; to be prolific or fertile–because it supports this process. Its other, even juicier use is, “to be or become pregnant with.” As for “gorgeous,” though it is only used as an adjective in the English language, I see it more as a noun. I envision it as the quality present in an object, thing, or individual that provides indisputable splendor and joy to the mind, body, and soul.
TG is also phase one of a larger plan that I am rolling out this year, merging my art and ministry into one massive movement, and I’ve decided to give PMC the exclusive on the announcement!  I’m expanding my brand platform and will soon be launching DalbyWorld.com, an entrepreneurial endeavor that will manifest as an online immersive environment, serving to “level-up” your overall experience of life in the global village.

Get ready to be risky. Reclaim your inner life. Make something out of nothing. TEEM Gorgeous. And change the world.

LZ:  What other candy-coated goodies and performances do you have in store?
LLD: Other than masterminding my new movement, I’m currently in an evolutionary process involving many avenues of expression. I’m writing my first book, which is part memoir and part spiritual guide. I’m continuing my wearable sculpture and photography series, “The ARmaTures of Awareness.” I’m also creating an online TV show, participating in “Art in Odd Places” this October with the performance Blessings to Remember You, and planning some elaborate surprises for Art Basel Miami this year that I am currently seeking sponsorship for. The most exciting goodie, however, is my upcoming Art for Awareness Online Gallery to support Eve Ensler’s One Billion Rising, where the majority of the proceeds from the art sold will go to creating a local NYC event on February 14th, 2013 to fight violence against women and girls. Other artists can also donate works to the gallery. Visit www.LainieLoveDalby.com to find out more or participate. To keep abreast of the aliveness, sign up for my exclusive newsletter to stay in the loop on what’s coming next. Also, drop by and let me know what gets you feeling fully alive on Twitter and on Facebook. Be sure to use the hashtag #AlivenessAlert when tweeting! I can’t wait to give you all a blessing sometime soon!
—
Lainie Love Dalby is a New York-based artist. She is often called “The Lady Gaga of Consciousness and Spirituality.” She looks great in pink.

LINKS:
Lainie Love Dalby
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Written by Lori Zimmer
Edited by Jonathan Metzelaar

Photography by Jonathan Grassi
Design by Marie Havens
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Captions:
Pages 1-4:
Lainie Love Dalby in NYC, 2012, All Photography by Jonathan Grassi

ROCKING THE PARTY: A Chat with Actor and DJ TONY OKUNGBOWA

ROCKING THE PARTY

A Chat with Actor and DJ TONY OKUNGBOWA
By Jonathan Metzelaar
July/August 2012
(As seen in PMc Magazine, 2012)    
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Dancing is a way of letting loose, of shaking off self-consciousness and having a good time. It’s also a way of bonding. When you dance with others, with friends or with strangers on a dance floor, you feel more connected to them in some way. To dance with others is to share something with them.
Perhaps this is why music and dancing are incorporated into The Ellen DeGeneres Show so extensively. Ellen dances, the audience dances. Even the celebrity guests dance every now and then. It creates a sense of connection and familiarity among everybody there, which the viewers can sense even while watching it at home. It is what lays the foundation for the fun environment the show is known for.

Tony Okungbowa, resident DJ for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, is the man responsible for laying that foundation. His knack for choosing music that makes people want to move makes him an invaluable asset to the show, and it makes his solo DJ sets incredible to be a part of as well.

Jonathan Metzelaar: How did you get started? When did you realize you wanted to pursue a career in music?
Tony Okungbowa: I became a DJ for a couple of opposing reasons. The first reason was my passion and love for music, and the second reason was my lack of patience. I was learning to play bass guitar, but I was too impatient to learn the scales, so a friend showed me how to DJ and I was hooked.

JM: Who are some of your influences or people you admire in the industry?
TO: DJs that I admire include my brother, Leslie Love, Jojo Flores, Russell Peters, Masters At Work, King Britt, and Dimitri From Paris, to name a few.

JM: How did you initially get involved with Ellen DeGeneres?
TO: I met Ellen while DJing at a photo shoot. We hit it off when she told me a joke, and the rest is history.

JM: What are some of your goals as a DJ?
TO: Simply put, to rock the party.

JM: How do you approach a set as a DJ? Do you have a bunch of tracks picked out that you plan to use ahead of time, or do you adapt your song choices to the crowd and the mood?
TO: Doing a set takes a bit of planning out, but it’s also important to stay flexible and serve the crowd. You should always be prepared to adapt in case you read the crowd wrong.

JM: You’re also an actor, and have had roles in some pretty reputable television shows, including NYPD Blue and The X-Files. Which are you more passionate about, your acting or your music, and why?
TO: I am passionate about both. I feel they feed each other. When I work on a character, I try to see the music he would listen to, and when I am DJing, I try to play the role of a conductor of sorts.

JM: What advice could you give to aspiring DJs and/or actors?
TO: The best advice I can give to a young actor is to learn your craft so you can be well-rounded. To the aspiring DJs, be yourself, be an individual. Everyone has access to Top 40 music and other stuff nowadays. The only way you can stand out is by being the one thing you have control over, yourself.

JM: Do you have any projects coming up you’d like people to know about?
TO: We have a movie coming out this year called Ma George. There is also a DJ app in the works, as well as a TV project in development.
—
Tony Okungbowa is an actor and a DJ. His acting roles include appearances on NYPD Blue, The X-Files, and Law and Order. He is also resident DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Tony’s new CD, A Night To Remember, which he collaborated with DJ Jojo Flores on, was just launched by Unidisc Music Inc. It can be found in music stores and at Amazon, Itunes, and The Ellen Shop.
LINKS:
The Official Site of Tony Okungbowa
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Tony Okungbowa interviewed by Jonathan Metzelaar
Written and Edited by Jonathan Metzelaar
Photography by Tom Grizzle & Andrew Toth for PatrickMcMullan.com
Design by Marie Havens

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Captions:

Cover/Page 1:
Dj Tony Okungbowa, Sunglass Hut Miami Swim Shows, The Raleigh Hotel, Miami Beach, July 19, 2005, Photography by Tom Grizzle for PatrickMcMullan.com
Page 2:
Mick Rock, Lisa Raden, & Tony Okungbowa, “A Night To Remember” Launch party for Tony Okungbowa & Jojo Flores hosted by Unidisc, The Club Room, Soho Grand Hotel, NYC, June 19, 2012, Photography by Andrew Toth for PatrickMcMullan.com
Page 3:
Jojo Flores & Tony Okungbowa, “A Night To Remember” Launch party for Tony Okungbowa & Jojo Flores hosted by Unidisc, The Club Room, Soho Grand Hotel, NYC, June 19, 2012, Photography by Andrew Toth for PatrickMcMullan.com
Page 4:
TV Screenshot Grid, Special Thanks to The Ellen DeGeneres Show & YouTube