The Pop Culture of Gus Lequerica

Recently I had the chance to interview Memphis Indie Musician Andrecus “Gentrax” Boyle or as he’s known also AndrecusB; the interview was made in English and translated because  the publication I collaborate with it’s basically in Spanish but here is the interview in English; and I hope you enjoy.

The topic of the interview it’s basically e-marketing and how indie musicians can take advantage of youtube and social sites as Myspace to promote their message and art.

Q:  What do you think about the power of internet and networking sites like YouTube and MySpace give to new artist the opportunity to promote their arts?

A:  I think sites like Youtube and MySpace are tremendous tools, especially for independent artists like me because they allow us to reach places that we ordinarily wouldn’t or couldn’t be seen or heard. They help us get that exposure to the regions where we physically can’t be. So there are great asset.

Q:  How were your formative years as a musician (artist)?

A:  Well it all began for me in church, as a 5yr old singing beside my mother in our church choir! That was the beginning, the foundation! I come from a family rich in music history. My father and his brothers and sisters, when they were young used to sing and tour throughout the southern region, so music’s a part of who I am. As a youngster I was always doing something musically from singing in church, to joining my brother and 3 cousins in a local singing group! We did gigs everywhere we could, from church concerts, to school functions to parties! My passion for musicianship really grew during the time I spent as a trumpet player in my middle and high school bands. Also taking piano lessons along the way I started respect and became intrigued with the production side of the music! I’ve just been involved in and been around so many great musicians locally that those many different experiences have helped shape the musician I am today!

Q:  What difficulties have you found in the way as an independent musicians?

A:  Well, It’s difficult for independent artists because major label artists get designated marketing dollars for radio play, music placements in films, television shows, and commercials. They also get album promotion and etc. We as independent artists aren’t afforded such luxuries, so it’s that much harder for us to get our product or our brand to the masses. Also, as an independent artist, you are in control of your Marketing, and Accounting. You play the role of Manager, PR person, and Booking agent. You do it yourself, because you have to…It’s difficult, but I enjoy the challenge!

Q:  How did you get started in the music business?

A:  Well, the game was kind of given to me early. During high school I began working with FL Studio. I took me awhile to get my sound up to par! I used to sneak in and just watch my big cousin as he would produce his tracks, soaking in everything. I learned a lot of the game from him. There was a period of about 5 years, from 2001 to 2006, where I was producing for everyone and featuring on songs with everyone. Although I knew I could sing and had been doing so all my life, I didn’t have the confidence in myself as an artist. So I would write and produce for other artists, hoping that somebody would blow and I would be on my way! Eventually, it boiled down to me acknowledging that I had to get out here and make it happen. I locked myself in my room and submerged myself with music. Writing, producing, and recording, hit music. This when I really started to take myself and my craft seriously! This is when it became my career. GENtrax Productions, the business was spawned.    

Q:  What eStrategies (Virtual Strategies) do you use to promote your art?

A:  I try and have profiles on all social networking sites, music on all music sites, so fans can have access to my music. I make sure I establish a rapport with my fan base and build on the support of my fan base through video blogs and etc.

Q:  How do you finance your music?

A:  Honestly, I work a 9 to 5 job!  Right now the revenue from the music is now steady enough for me to rely solely on it. On the production side it comes and goes. Some weeks, months are better than others.

Q:  What are the styles and musicians that influenced your personal style?

A:  My style, artistically, is a mixture of many styles. From R&B, Neo Soul, and Hip Hop. I mean, I do it all. As far as influences go, the biggest musical influence on my music has been Timbaland! Dude is one of the best producer’s ever! But it’s bigger than that with him. He’s produced some great artists and hit songs. That’s me as a talking, but coming up Boyz II Men, Dru Hill, and Playa were huge influences. Now days I like multi-faceted artists like Keri Hilson, NeYo, PJ Morton, and Tank. People who vocally are gifted, but also work their magic behind the scenes. Writing, producing, and arranging vocals. They’re more than just one dimensional artists. I like to think of myself as I do them.

Q:  What advice can you give to young musicians today regarding the strategies they can use to develop their art and to promote it independently?

A:  I would encourage everyone to make sure your making quality music. Quality is better than quantity. There are millions of independent artists out there striving for the same goals as you are. What are you doing to stand out from the crowd?  You have resources out there! MySpace, YouTube, Reverbnation, just to name a few that can help get your music heard! Be true to yourself in your work. Be prepared to take risks! Someone once told me in order to get something you never had you have to do something you’ve never done. So be prepared to take some bumps and bruises. Be prepared to have set backs. There will be haters, but with discipline, a strong work ethic, and great music you can be successful!

Q:  How is the process of composing a song for you?

A:  Most cases, when I’m in a session by myself, it starts with a song concept. Usually an idea will pop in my head and then I’ll begin with a foundation for a beat, just enough to get the writing process flowing. Then as I write the song, I build the beat around the song. It’s a fairly simple process. This is normally how it works. When I’m collaborating with other artists it just depends on if they already have a concept and verses, then I listen to what they have and then that get my creative juices flowing! I enjoy writing music, and making music. The entire creative process is amazing!

Contact Info:

Andrecus B.

gengothits@gmail.com     

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/andrecusb

http://www.stereofame.com/andrecusb

http://www.memphisrap.com/andrecusb

It seems that Chris Pine will be teaming with director D.J. Caruso to an adaptation of the book “The Art of Making Money” a book by Jason Kersten about the life of American counterfeiter Arthur Williams. According to Variety, the movie will be released in an unspecific date next year (2010).

The script will be written by Frank Baldwin who has no relation to any other famous Baldwin, not even to Adam Baldwin or to the Baldwin brothers.

The story seems to be a biopic about Arthur Williams and how he counter-fitted the One Hundred Dollar and how he forged several bills so detailed that it was impossible to distinguish the fake ones between the originals; according to Variety there is not much information about the project nor if Chris Pine will be playing Arthur Williams in the biopic or another central character. 

Provocative, avant-garde and revolutionary against the status quo are one of the few words to describe one of the masterpieces of Paul Krassner, one of the first modern satirical artist of the counter culture of the 20 Century. The piece titled The Disneyland Orgy was revolutionary for it’s time as it’s right now because it’s a powerful critique to the Disney Empire World so far that the Disney Company didn’t sued when the caricature was published in The Realist because the knew they would lose the lawsuit as they would be violating the amendment of free expression and the caricature wasn’t a violation to the copyrights of the company.

Analyzing the piece isn’t quite difficult; first we have to explore a little of the background when it was made. The Memorial Orgy was drawn and published in 1966 the same year Walt Disney died to cancer and basically the cartoon is a response to other caricature called “God is Dead” only applied in a more realistic environment.

Because Disney tends to practice self-censorship, the company sometimes tend be mocked because of the lack of diversity of the characters, so far that in the year 2009 it was the first time that it was announced that a Disney movie will contain an African lead character but the cartoon was made 40 years prior the new Disney movie. When Walt died the counter culture didn’t wait to long before releasing several parodies about the lack of self consciousness of the mascots and totalitarian control of WDW to create an utopia in an imperfect world where at the end everyone looks and act the same, much like the regime of the Big Brother in the fictional novel of 1984.

When Walt died Paul Kassner started to imagine a more realistic response from the characters now that their God was dead and they were free to do whatever they want, so in the best spirits of the sexual revolution came The Disneyland Memorial Orgy where several of the key character of Disney explore their most profound desires and sexual fantasies now that they were free to find themselves beyond their 2.5 D reality. The characters find themselves in a series of sexual situation that go from pepping, orgies, fisting, bestiality and cropophilia where they seem to be happy giving themselves to the pleasures of the flesh but that happiness didn’t lasted to long because a new God came on board.

Truly fantastic and with a deep profound message that perfection at the end don’t exist but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a good time in one of the parks exploring their imaginary worlds.

The Hall Effect is a Colombian rock band that appeared in the mid of the summer of 2006; singing primary in English in a country where English is just a second language and Spanish is spoken by the majority but soon after their debut the voice started to run into different parts of the country and soon everyone was speaking about The Hall Effect as one of the best bands in the past 10 years of the country; but the new wave of indie bands in the country which is similar as the movement that was given in Seattle, Washington during the 90 which bands like Nirvana appeared in the music scene and probably the story it’s just repeating itself in a new country.

Here is the band biography taken from their Myspace :The Hall Effect exploded onto the Colombian rock scene in 2006. A four piece indie band, their compelling fusion of rocking riffs and sonic inventiveness, soon gained a fervent following amongst fans and key media.

The Hall Effect are:
Oscar - vocals
Charry - guitar
Douglas - bass
Andres - drums

The band, who sing in English, released their debut album, ‘Aim at Me’, in 2007, on their own independent label. The singles, ‘Become’, ‘Aim At Me’, ‘Unpure’ and ‘Trip Dog’ were heavily rotated at radio. MTV was an early supporter of The Hall Effect with the result that the video for ‘Aim At Me’ reached the number 1 spot in Latin America. Because of that although they sing in english, MTV nominated them in 2007 as BEST INDEPENDENT ARTIST.

The Hall Effect are widely hailed as one of the best live rock acts on the continent, and it was no great surprise that they were asked to support international superstars Muse and Gwen Stefani. The band have won numerous awards, “best rock band”, “best album”, “best video”, among many others….

The Hall Effect have international ambitions which has brought them to London. For the next 6 months they are working with Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera on their international debut album:

Phil Manzanera: “For the last 20 years I’ve been producing the cream of rock artists from Spain and South America, and so when I heard The Hall Effect I knew that they had something special. The fact that they sing in English, have great songs, and are brilliant musicians, made this project an exciting challenge. And of course there is the fact that they are from Colombia, myself being half Colombian!”

With all the political and social progress in Europe maybe Ukraine didn’t noticed that in almost the rest of the countries of Europe gay and lesbian can adopt but it seems Ukraine is one of the few exception because if you are gay and/or single and above 45 years old you can’t adopt so ask that to Sir Elton John who wanted to adopt an Ukrainian 2 years old boy named Levi who is HIV positive, which the singer met in a visit to the country a few months ago and was enchanted with the little champion.

But, Ukraine authorities as soon knew that Elton is a gay man decided to negate the adoption process because he is gay, above 45 and in Ukraine civil unions between to people of the same sex aren’t recognized at all thus by consequence they can’t adopt or have the same privileges they have in countries such as United Kingdom or the Netherlands and even an undeveloped country as Colombia in South America recognize same civil unions (under certain jurisdiction) so I guess at the end the Ukrainian Officers decided that it was better for an HIV positive boy to live and die in an orphanage rather to be place with a loving couple who could made his last years more easy and joyful only because the people that wanted to adopted him were two men. Shame on you Ukraine!.

La música hecha y creada por los jóvenes cartageneros, que alguna vez soñaron con cantar y se lanzaron a la aventura, hoy materializan el sueño y su talento es reconocido en los Premios de la Revista Shock 2009.

Siete grupos de la ciudad están nominados entre las 22 categorías que resalta a lo mejor de la música colombiana. Ellos son: Dragón y Caballero, Neotrópico, Jerau, Frankie Jazz, Rioba, David Milán y la cuota folclórica con Totó La Momposina.
Lo mejor es que ninguno compite entre sí. Cada artista o grupo está nominado en categorías diferentes, mostrando la variedad de la música que se hace en la ciudad.
Esta sería la octava entrega de los galardones a lo mejor de la música colombiana que se realizará el próximo siete de octubre en el Palacio de los Deportes de Bogotá.

El jurado será el propio público, pues desde el pasado fin de semana, a través de la página web www.premiosshock.com.co, podrán votar por sus artistas nominados favoritos.
Los Premios Shock no podían ser ajenos al reciente fallecimiento del Rey del Pop, Michael Jackson, por lo que el show central estará dedicado a él.

Dragón y Caballero están nominados en tres categorías: Mejor Artista o Agrupación Urban Style, Mejor Canción Radio por “Fruta Prohibida” y Mejor Álbum del Año con “Se siente bien”.

Neotrópico está nominado en la categoría Mejor Artista o Agrupación Pura Sabrosura con el primer álbum “El trópico nunca sonó igual”, que contiene éxitos como “Sube y baja”, “Candelilla” o “Pedacito de cielo”. “El simple hecho de la nominación ya es un triunfo”, expresa Roberto López, vocalista y compositor de la agrupación, quien no oculta su emoción porque este año los grupos y movimientos cartageneros están pisando fuerte en la música colombiana.

Gerardo Rodríguez “Jerau” también concursa en la categoría Mejor Artista o Agrupación Tropical Pop, mientras que la agrupación Rioba, compite en la categoría Mejor Artista o Agrupación vuelta a Rockombia.

En la categoría Mejor Artista o Agrupación Rock, el grupo Frankie Jazz es la cuota cartagenera, de la mano del vocalista José Vergara.

Como Mejor Nuevo Artista o Agrupación, el cartagenero David Milán ocupa una nominación con su álbum “Corazón a mil”. “Siempre es un honor estar nominado en los premios nacionales y más aún, cuando los premios son un reconocimiento del público”, expresa el cantante.

Totó La Momposina, oriunda de Talaigua, corregimiento de Mompox, está nominada en la categoría Mejor Disco de Folclor.

Entre los artistas nacionales nominados, la contienda está entre la música pop de la caleña Fanny Lu y el vallenato de Silvestre Dangond, con cuatro nominaciones cada uno.

Check out Adam Baranello single “One Night”; if you want to contact Adam you can do it to his myspace page and say hello to him; also Adam is releasing his new independent produced cd “A Simple Form of Expression ” Where the song One Night is included. One Night talks about a lover who made a mistake regarding his girl and he’s feeling regret about what he done and he only wants one night to see her again and try to make things up.

Another legend of Hollywood has passed away and a great writer  is now in the annals of history; at least Larry Gelbart death wasn’t surrounded in scandal or in any dubious situation, he died peaceful in his home in the morning of September 11 of 2009 after a long battle with an unspecified form of cancer. His wife of 53 years said ” they finished each other sentences” and they were a proof that a marriage can last in Hollywood more than a decade; but beside being a family man and a loved husband he was one of the main forces in the creation of M*A*S*H, the iconic television sitcom that gave a light portrait of the Korean War.

Truly he was one of the most prolific writers in television but also he was a prolific dramatist and a blogger; he wrote the iconic play City of Angels, Mastergate and other ones; he also was an active blogger until his last days to the Huffington Post, the popular blog that offers a wide range of information from Politics to Pop Culture. During his career as a writer he wrote many movies such as Dustin Hoffman movie Tootsie to the box office bomb Bedazzled with Elizabeth Hurley and Bredan Frasier.

New Colombian pop sensation VRIAN it’s going to be in the lineup EXPOSICIÓN ITINERANTE POR LOS CAMINOS DE MACONDO which is a series of concerts that have the objective to expose more the new musical talents of Santa Marta and also to follow the trail that was taken by Colombian Nobel Gabriel Garcia Marquez by visiting the different scenarios that the Nobel took to get the inspiration to write 100 years of Solitude which reflects much of the reality that the Nobel Winner lived in Magdalena during his youth and some of the time of his adolescence.

If you want to go and participate in the concerts you can reserve your place in the concert facebook webpage where also the different dates are given but you have to live in Colombia or visiting the place during the next few weeks. If you want to speak directly with VRIAN you can contact him through his myspace twitter (which is update almost every single hour) or his youtube channel .

Truly this woman is an inspiration and even if I love Grandma Lee and Kevin Skinner I have to say that Barbara is my favorite act so far of the entire series and today in the second semifinals she surpassed her last performance by singing Ave Maria of Schubert and definite it was the act of the night; and so far she has been the best act even beyond Terry Fator.

Below its Barbara presentation:

I rarely speak bad against my home city but at least the concert of Placido Domingo held in Cartagena went well but he was amazed by the city in fact he was amazed by the touristic zone and the old city, the classical facade when important people go to Cartagena de Indias they just see 1% of the city and not the real city which is immerse in an ocean of poverty and desperation for many people because they’ll see the same thing over and over and dreaming of becoming someone beyond their status is something that they can dream off but in reality is another story, is quite a complex story difficult to understand except if you have live it.

No doubt that Cartagena is magical, I miss the sunsets and I dream of the beaches, I dream of the stories that the city has to tell every night before I go to bed but the reality of the city is quite different from what it’s show in the media and I even compare it with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories because it has a few elements that you will see in the game and you wont think it you will see the elements in reality. Like the hegemony of the families in the politic circles, the mafia, the common criminality, the irrespective for your fellow men and woman and many more issues; I can keep all night long speaking about those pieces of information that are seen in the day of Cartagena because it could take me a while to finish them, but it’s true Cartageneros should learn to love more their city and accept the changes that could improve the city because there is potential but is a potential that goes wasted due the reason that the folk are happy with the status quo but at least some people like Confenalco Philarmonic, regional groups and anonymous individuals are trying to make a difference without doing violent acts.

At least Judith Pinedo (the actual mayor) showed Placido a more real side of the city and not the paradise that it’s shown on the travel brochures, he was mesmerized not because of the beauty of the old city or the fictitious beauty of the beach side, Placido was enchanted with the indomitable spirit of the younger generations of Cartageneros and that art isn’t lost in the city and it’s true the beauty of Cartagena de Indias doesn’t lay in the romanced stone it is in the smile and spirit of fight of her people.