Ain’t Baroque has been in existence for a good few months now, and while I’d hardly classify it as World’s Most Popular Lunchtime Reading, I think it’s starting to hit its stride. As such, I’m looking into some possibilities for expansion, both in terms of readership and what the blog covers.
One of the new features I’m working on is regular interviews with BSO musicians and guest soloists. Benevolent Dictator Jamie is sending out feelers regarding who might be available/willing. In the meantime, I’d like to take a moment to solicit some questions you might like to ask. Once I know who I’m interviewing I can post that for more specific queries, but is there anything overarching you would want to ask every musician ever? Maybe something about favorite composers, touring as a classical musician (as opposed to a rock star, I suppose), hopes, dreams, fears, nightmares, what they would want you to buy them at the bar, etc.?
Also, would you be more interested in a video or written format?
For the second installment in my interview series, I am fortunate to have Visconde Carlo Vergara, one of the country’s most talented writer/ illustrators and author of One Night in Purgatory and Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah, the latter one of my favorite graphic novels. Just just Filipino graphic novels, graphic novels, period.
Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah is about a gay man who comes a cross a mysterious stone that, when swallowed, turns him into a female superhero of Amazonian proportions. She then sets out to rid her town of various monsters, which include, among other things, a giant frog, an alien queen and zombies. I particularly liked how Carlo married Philippine gay culture and the annihilation of the undead. The graphic novel has been turned into a successful musical and a not so successful movie. And Carlo, if you’re reading this, I can’t wait for the sequel.
Here are his answers:
Do you believe in ghosts/ elementals? If yes, have you seen one (or more)? Can you tell us about it?
Allow me to share two.
1) It happened the night before the funeral of my first cousin, who passed away because of a brain tumor. (I was in elementary school then.) I woke up in the middle of the night and saw a veiled shadow standing beside my bed. The room was dark, and the shadowy figure was backlit by a faint light streaming through the window. But I knew it was my cousin. Then Murphy’s Law kicked in: The moment you need a blanket to cover yourself is the same moment no blanket can be found. So I closed my eyes instead, hoping I was just imagining things. But no, she was still there. I repeated this process about twice or thrice, only to confirm that there was, indeed, someone beside my bed. Later, while my eyes were closed, I heard the door open and the light click on. It was my mom, telling me to get up and get ready for the funeral.
2) Another elementary school encounter, though this is the audio kind. I woke up in the middle of the night, dark room and all. I heard music being played right outside the bedroom window, and it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard. It had a tinkly, flutey quality, and even at a young age, I knew that it was the kind of music that only duwendes (dwarves – ed.) could play. I wasn’t afraid–the music was so soothing that I couldn’t find it in me to be afraid. But I was prudent enough not to look outside the window. A couple of minutes later, the music stopped. I went back to sleep after trying to remember how it sounded. I couldn’t–it was as if it never happened. Until now, I wish I could hear it again.
What’s the scariest place you’ve been to? Why was it scary? Did you end up experiencing anything supernatural there? Do you plan to go back?
I generally feel anxious in places that have a “heavy” vibe, especially when I get the feeling that someone’s watching and not just passing by. Usually large, old houses. When I was working for Real Living magazine, I’ve had a share of goosebumps in a few of the houses we’ve shot.
What’s the scariest ghost story you’ve heard?
I forgot the details of the story, but it involved “something shaking the front gate, as if trying to get in.”
How has your supernatural experiences (even if they come in the form of secondhand stories) influenced your work?
If anything, supernatural experiences influence the way I explore possibilities in storycrafting. There are simply some things that happen, coming in from left field, that may or may not figure prominently in the plot, but happen nonetheless. But whether or not they affect the plot, they affect the story experience. Also, the supernatural experiences I’ve had opened me up more to the interconnectedness of things, or the causality that runs between the past and the present.
What advice would you give someone who comes face to face with a ghost/elemental?
Hmmm… welcome the fear. But be fascinated by the experience. Unless, well, said ghost/elemental is one nasty bugger, in which case you’re more than welcome to shriek and run.
David Stubbs interviews The Butthole Surfers, 2nd April 1988. Photos by Andy Catlin.
You can either read this for the outrageous Stubbsianisms that pepper this interview, cf. “Plunging in at the anus and excavating, tunnelling a giant point of exit at the sockets, they are one part giant surge of flesh, one part holy revelation.” or for Gibby’s quotes, which ironically, sound a lot like Stubbs alter-ego to be - “Hue and what? Fuck me…Humourless and Cry [more like!]“
Either way it’s worth reading. And if you’ve never heard of the Butthole Surfers then why not track down Locust Abortion Technician or Hairway to Steven
The power of twitter! Almost as soon as Armstrong arrived in Adelaide for the Tour Down Under, he made an announcemnet on Twitter of a community ride with him.
Estimates suggest around 5,000 cyclists joined in the ride from Glenelg to Semaphore and back.
Peter was in the pack and spoke to some of the cyclists before and after the ride…
Both JAMIE FOXX and TAMEKA FOSTER appear in next months issue of UPSCALE MAGAZINE for their “Love and Romance” issue…. Not sure if my first choice would be TAMEKA with love and relationships not being her strong point at the moment! On a good note, however, she looks absolutely amazing and JAMIE FOXX tells what he likes in a woman and what turns him on!
Since the US faces Honduras on January 23rd, TSG spent a few minutes with international hero Jonathan Bornstein at USMNT training camp yesterday. It was Johnny B’s header in the dying moments versus Costa Rica in the final World Cup qualifier that stunned the Ticos, capped an emotional come-from-behind draw for the US and propelled Honduras into the World Cup finals.
TSG was curious whether Bornstein thought he would get any special treatment from the Hondurans should he take the field versus Los Catrachos. Say, might they let him walk one into the goal at the start for all he did for their country?
After a chuckle the US defender said, “I don’t think so. There will be a positive reception but they are not going to give anything away in terms of on-the-field stuff. It will be more positive off-the-field.”
If the upcoming friendly had any importance, I’d have suggested to Bob Bradley that Bornstein be deployed further up the pitch just in case the Hondurans were keen on showing their admiration. Given Bornstein grew up playing forward he probably wouldn’t need much, if any “assistance” to put one in the back of the net. In fact, it was then Chivas USA coach and current USMNT head coach Bob Bradley that shifted the California native to left fullback in his first season in the MLS.
Bornstein has seen some time up the pitch for the USMNT but has mostly patrolled left back since his first cap and national team goal versus Denmark in January of 2007. For all the talk towards the end of 2009 that the US could benefit from having a more offensive-minded left back like Edgar Castillo, Bornstein would probably suggest that the US already has that on the roster…him. “[I] try to get forward as much as I can and use that attacking mentality as a left fullback.”
In addition to his up-the-field forays, Bornsteins’s experience at forward has impacted his approach to defending as well. Said Johnny B., “Now I am guarding against the player that I used to be. I think it gives me a little bit of an advantage knowing the mindset of where forwards want to go, how they want to play. So, I…just turn it the other way and get myself in spots that I think the forward will want to get.” Bornstein then went on to admit the aspect of his game that has needed the most work as a result of his transition to the back-line has been his one-on-one defending.
No doubt Bornstein’s 2009 performance for the USMNT had its highs and lows, but should he continue to progress in 2010, he’ll provide Coach Bradley with another good option across the back-line heading into the World Cup in South Africa.
And for all those wondering, Bornstein has no ambitions to pursue career in stand-up comedy now or in the future. “Definitely not,” said Bornstein with a laugh as he explained he has no plans to work on his routine. (see clip below)
Check out one of the highlights of 2009, my Dwarf interview with The View. Pete – funniest Scottish Lad ever! Had the best time and got some golden quotes. It could have been twice as long he was so forthcoming. http://www.thedwarf.com.au/nd/interviews/the_view_oh_what_a_view So Happy New Years Eve, Eve! Be safe, have fun, see you in 2010 with many more words about the things I love. with love, Belle xxx
