A Friday Night with The Wood Brothers

The Wood Brothers rocked Funk 'n' Waffles last Friday night

PREVIEW: VISIT The Wood Brothers’ Website
PHOTOS forthcoming!

The Friday night crowd wasted no time whooping and hollering during The Wood Brothers’ first song, a funky take on Steve Earle’s “Mystery Train Part II.”

“Feels like a Friday night,” guitarist Oliver Wood said, acknowledging the energetic crowd.

The brotherly duo treated the crowd to a night of personal, soulful, and bluesy songs.  The music was carried by Oliver Wood’s pitch-perfect trebly vocals and bassist Chris Wood’s eloquent and tasteful lines.   For this special show, they were joined by percussionist Jed Kosiner, who added rhythmic textures on his snare drum, cymbals, and pandeiro (a Latin, tambourine-like instrument).

Oliver later gave his appreciation for “The Wood Brothers dancers,” the smiling mini crowd of twirlers to his left the whole show.  You would have guessed they were a rock band by the way the crowd yelled during songs.

“The foundations of their music are spiritually inspiring.  If you look inside to the nature of yourself, you’ll see that that’s what they’re singing about.  The spirit,” said Funk ‘n’ Waffles co-owner Kyle Corea.

Chris Wood, also the bassist for Medeski, Martin, & Wood, brought his signature sound.  He took off on imaginative solos, making indescribable sounds with his upright bass we hadn’t heard anyone else make.  He didn’t need to watch his hands throughout his performance, and when he did it seems like he did for personal amusement.

Oliver Wood can hold his own as well.  He effortlessly threw in guitar licks in between his lush vocals lines, sometimes finger-picking a solo as Chris danced over the changes.  His guitar-work received notable applause during the blues jam “Spirit.”

And the two could harmonize.  Confident crooners.  Chris Wood sang soaring harmonies that blended organically with brother Oliver’s.   To the band’s delight, the crowd sang loud for a few choice tunes as well.

“If I die young / At least I got some chocolate on my tongue,” the room sang during “Chocolate on My Tongue.”

Before the show, Oliver Wood shared some insight on his approach to writing lyrics.  He said he writes a lot from personal experiences and likes that his songs have multiple interpretations.

Chris Wood said touring with his brother keeps things fresh for him, and it gives them time to catch up. He said the two do not spend much time together off the road.  When they come together, they play shows.

The Wood Brothers have new material they’ve been playing on the road and plan to put it on an album in the next two years.

Before ending the show with a danceable song, the two encored with “Luckiest Man,” the most requested song of the night, which erupted in a sing-a-long.

Oliver Wood complimented his vocal fans:  “You all sound great tonight!”

The 20-year resident of Georgia even shared some of his southern jokes.

“In Georgia, they say ‘Hey can you cut on the lights?’”

The crowd chuckled.

“You know what they mean, but why would you say it that way?”

– Gene Wexler

[Via http://20watts.wordpress.com]

Author Interview ~ Steph Bowe

It was a beautiful day in Twifty land, as some of us (uh, Race) experienced a light snowfall, Christmas music, baking, gift wrapping… and an awesome interview with an awesome author. The writer in us could not ask for more for Christmas. That is, unless the “more” was a guest post from the same awesome author.

Wait. Both?

That is right. The incredible Steph Bowe has granted TWFT a fantastic interview today. And soon she’ll be penning a guest post on what Race believes should be a fabulous probe into the publishing industry as applies to teen writers!

Visit her at www.heyteenager.blogspot.com and enjoy the interview!

TWFT: Describe your novel in a single sentence?

SB: When Jewel saves Sacha’s life, they are both forced to confront pasts they’ve so carefully concealed – a lost brother, an empty space where a mother should be, a debilitating illness, fractured families and buried secrets.

TWFT: Do you usually try to follow an outline? Any process you normally go through?

SB: I don’t follow an outline, I just write the novel without a plan, start to finish. It works pretty well for me, though there are a lot of things that have to be cleaned up in editing (stuff like character-arcs and getting rid of pointless scenes, which are things I might have avoided had I outlined).

TWFT: Do you consider yourself a writer or a story teller?

SB: I don’t really consider myself either (I just love to write). I do tell stories, but I think that’s what a writer does, anyway.

TWFT: Do you write what you know?

SB: I do, and I don’t. I think it’s the same for a lot of writers. I write the emotions that I know well, but I don’t write my own experiences. Writing allows me to explore things I haven’t experienced first hand, but also be introspective at the same time.

TWFT: How do you discover your characters? Or do they discover you?

SB: A bit of both. Sometimes I start with a name, sometimes with a trait (garden gnome thief, science genius), sometimes the whole character appears fully-formed in my head, with a story they deman be written. It really does vary from character to character, though they always come easily.

TWFT: Did you have a soundtrack for your novel, or any particular type of music you listened to while writing?

SB: Yes! I have a soundtrack for all my major writing projects. My soundtrack for the last novel was made up of songs by The Killers, Kings Of Leon, Regina Spektor, the Kinks and Aussie band Augie March (look up One Crowded Hour on YouTube - brilliant song).

TWFT: What first inspired you to become a writer? Career-wise, did you always want to be an author?

SB: Ever since I was very small I have loved writing, and since I was about seven, I’ve aspired to sell a book so that I could buy my family a house. This has not yet happened, but it will! Someday!

TWFT: Favorite novel or writer? Why?

SB: Can’t pick one! My favorite writers are John Green, Sarah Dessen and Melina Marchetta, and my favorite book right now is a tie between Everything Beautiful by Simmone Howell and Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson.

TWFT: Now, I know you have a the guest post coming up (We’re so excited!), and you will be discussing the industry and teens. But, in general, if you had a few words on your experiences with querying for the first time? Any advice for our readers?

SB: My experience of querying was very quick, but still incredibly stressful. My advice to writers querying for the first time is that they should try and keep a good sense of humor through the entire process, and not automatically accept if one agent offers (it’s a big decision, there’s no rush, and if one agent offers and there are others still reading fulls, you might get another offer).

TWFT: What annoys you about the perception of teen writers?

SB: That we can’t actually write and only get published because of the novelty of our age. The reality is that age is irrelevant: it’s all about your book. Don’t let the meanies get you down.

And TWFT’s official interview question – What is your favorite flavor of jelly bean?

SB: Buttered popcorn!

Now, you have to admit to the awesome.

Thanks, Steph!

TWFT

[Via http://teenswritingforteens.wordpress.com]

Jim Jones Get Complex

Jim Jones sat down with Complex Magazine to talk about his new mixtape, how he feels about the Jay-Z/50 back-and-forth, Cam’ron (of course), his relationship with Game, and Max B’s murder charge…

Complex: So the Ghost of Rich Porter mixtape—how long have you been working on it?

Jim Jones: Well it started as a mixtape for the street. I’ve been working on it probably for like two months now. I got over 40 songs, and we had to sit and break them shits down. It started becoming harder and harder, and there was an album there and people started offering me money for it. It went from something I was going to give away for free to something somebody was going to pay me to give away for free. So, in the end, I’m still going to give it away free.

Complex: Why did you choose to channel Rich Porter?

Jim Jones: When it comes to Rich Porter, he was a very instrumental person from Harlem as far as the days of hustling. He set the precedent for my generation coming up. Watching the hustlers, the fast cars, pretty girls, and the fast money and things like that. And the story that goes behind it as far as the love and the betrayal. This is Harlem history. So, you know for the Diplomats, me, Juelz, Zeke and Cam, coming up and being instrumental in Harlem right now, it’s like synonymous to the life we live. We do business and we’re rapping, but this is pretty much the fast life of the entertainment industry.

Complex: So when you performed at ThisIs50 Fest, I noticed you kept saying that 50 owes you a favor. What did you have in mind?

Jim Jones: [laughs] Oh yeah, he owe. Motherfucker, you owe, motherfucker! Nah, shouts to 50, he’s one of the smartest people in the game as far as strategy and the way he attacks it. So I spoke to him like, “You know, this one ain’t gonna go down that easy. You know, I charge a fee to get on stage.” He was like, “I respect you, sir.” I’ll see what happens.

Complex: Now him and Jay. He’s baiting the shit out of Jay.

Jim Jones: [Rapping 50's "So Disrespectful"] “Jay’s a big man, he too big to respond…” I was working out to that shit today, no homo. When you diss me, I’m so disrespectful. [In British accent] “I’m so disrespectful!” He caught that. He caught that song, word. “I’ve been gone so long that my accent changed.” [Laughs]. I’m still a fan of the music, so pardon me. I still listen to all the music, you might catch me boppin’ in the club to niggas I hate, but that has nothing to do with good music.

Peep The Rest Over @ Complex

[Via http://runnj.tv]

Week One: Ingrid Hartwin

Hey! Lizzie here and reporting for duty. My friend Izzy (get it? Izzy and Lizzie? Heh. Maybe not…) asked me to do some interviews, and so here’s the first one from a local owner of Rescued Pages, Ingrid Hartwin!

How long have you been living in Killamarsh?
Christ, what has it been now? Almost twelve years, I think. However I could be wrong… Oh no, I was right. It’s twelve. Almost twelve. I know it’s a horribly long time to be confined to one place. I’m content though. I don’t really have anywhere else to go, after all. It would be silly to just up and leave. I’ve sort of found my niche, you could say, and I plan to stay in it.

Who or what sparked your interest in books?
Who? I don’t… know? Myself probably. I spent the majority of my childhood trying to find ways to keep myself occupied. Mum didn’t approve of jumping on the furniture or attempting to make my own homemade recipes. Mess. She didn’t care for mess. Books aren’t messy, I wasn’t messy after reading them, mother was content. I was, and still am, attracted to the escapism that comes along with cracking open a good book. My childhood wasn’t particularly terrible, but it was definitely dull. So, it was rather simple for me to willingly slip into the exciting fantasy worlds or the just as dull lives of other little children.

Besides binding books, what other job could you see yourself doing or have you done?
Actually I was a teacher back in the day. Mainly eleventh year World History. Though I did drop down to the lower years. Terrifying little creatures, I tell you, the teenagers and younger children. I suppose you have to find the half way mark. I’ve never really considered doing anything else. Maybe some actual writing? Trust me, I’ve tried. I just lack the attention span needed to keep up on a continuous project.

If there was one interesting fact you wanted to share with everyone else, what would it be?
Uhh… I – I don’t know. What exactly qualifies as an interesting fact? You really should have called before hand and given me time to think about it. Then I’d have something really spectacular for you. I used to play the cello? Yeah, I suppose that’s interesting. I actually used to be able to read music. Super, huh?

If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not, living or dead, real or fictional, with whom would it be?
Oh, this one’s too easy. Joseph Stalin, of course! …What? Yeah, yeah, not necessarily appropriate, seeing as he led to the death of approximately twenty million people… BUT! Think about if for a minute. In that week I can be a man, a slaughterer, and a powerful dictator all in one day. I would get to experiment with everything I’ve ever wanted to, and some other things that I’ve probably never even thought of, without any of the repercussions. It’s excellent, really.
What three words would you use to describe yourself and why?
Oh gosh, another hard one. Yeesh. Um, I would have to say lovable, bookish, and dull. I love hugs and such, and enjoy a bit of cuddling here and there. Bookish… because, well, you know. The bookbinding and – yeah. Dull? Yes, of course. I’m terribly boring. I’m not really sure why you were so keen to interview me.

Finally, if you could go anywhere in the country right now, where would you go and why?
Home. No, really. I’ve been running around all day. It would be lovely to collapse onto my couch and take a quick nap. Maybe even a really long nap.

—

Stay tuned to our next edition of Masquerade and the next interviewee!

[Via http://zimonthly.wordpress.com]

Interview with Tom Marino- George Schrade fan and Push Button Knife Collector

Collector Tom Marino holding a New York Knife Co. display knife

Met a new collector friend at Parkers Show near Gatlinburg, Tn on Friday. As I roamed the isles, I passed Tom Marino’s table and couldn’t help but notice this huge New York Knife Co. display knife featured front and center. It was etched “Hammer Brand” and had bails on both ends so it could be hung.

Tom is a member of the Northeast Cutlery Collector Association and sets up at shows throughout the eastern-half of the country. As I admired his NYKC display knife, we got to talking. He is a huge George Schrade and Push Button Knife fan. The minute he started telling me about them, I recognized his passion immediately and pulled out my iPhone to record all the nuggets.

Allow me to introduce Tom Marino, as he shares his passion for the Push Button Knife and George Schrade, its inventor.

This interview is posted at the CutleryNewsJournal YouTube Channel.

[Via http://cutlerynewsjournal.com]

Interview with Erica Shine

The hardness of Within Temptation with a soft pop sound Erica Shine outshines the rest. Her album I Will Wait for You is in stores now. Let’s find more about this indie rock goddess:

1.) How did your music come about?

ES: My music started when I got a record deal with my twin sister, Lisa, in 2003. We weren’t happy with the song writer that the record company assigned to us so we started writing our own music. It was very challenging because we had to write not average songs but hits, and in three languages.

In 2008, five years later, I have gotten better and completed a 4-song EP.

2.) Asian artists like BoA and Utada Hikaru have caught a hard time in the American music market. Are you givien the same diffculties as these artists have faced?

ES: Well, first of all, thank you for comparing me with such successful artists as BoA and Utada. Second, my music doesn’t have any K/J-pop influence. I don’t really know K/J-pop artists as I don’t listen to them. I had only listened to BoA’s and Utada’s English albums but I thought, “I prefer Evanescence and Linkin Park .”

3.) You have a very unique blend of rock and pop. What gives you the drive to create this kind of music?

ES: Well, since I am “unsigned,” I have freedom of musical genre. I became what I liked. I am driven by the mixture of electric guitar, strings, and piano sound. Although I have done some acoustic songs, Evanescence music would describe perfectly as to what “I like” musically. Vocally, I like Kelly Clarkson style.

According to Jango airplay, most of my fans also like David Cook, Cold Play, Evanescence, Kelly Clarkson and the like.

I had been approached by Japanese record companies; they tried to convert my music to J-pop. When they gave me a few tracks to write with, I lost my passion for music since I didn’t like what I had to work with. I realized I was happy only when I had freedom  of musical art.

4.) Often I feel that the fans take musicians to be idols instead of people. What is one thing you would like for your to know about you outisde of your music?

ES: My friends know me as a dork. I tend to make people laugh all the time. I not only have an animated personality, but I can also play the “start-ass.”

I will give you an example. I would ask my camera guy to start rolling (without telling him what I was going to do) and take a piece of tissue out of my bra to blow my nose and fold the tissue to put it back to my bra while looking around to make sure no one saw me. J

When I was growing up, people preferred me telling stories because I made funny faces and exaggerated my voice tone.  I have little bit of Jack Black quality in me. J

5.) In 2008, you released Oxygen, which was my favorite song. Before that you were working with your twin sister and created the duo Fantasy Twins. What is the difference between Fantasy Twins and you as a solo artist?

ES: There is a difference in genre. Fantasy Twins was a DANCE-POP group where Erica Shine is a POP-ROCK solo-band.

6.) According to your website you have performed in different parts of the world. Do you feel that is different between the American and international audiences?

ES: Very much!! International audiences like the world cup whereas American audiences like the foot ball. Oh, we are not talking about the sports?

The international audiences were more open to “eclectic” of music whereas Americans are specific of their favorite genre. For example, in Europe, people who love urban music would also like rock.

7.) Any upcoming news and events you would like for you fans to know about?

ES: iTunes just added my album and I am finally on the market! So please support the indie musicians. J

8.) How can people get in touch with you?

ES: People can get in touch with me through my myspace page myspace.com/officialericashine

Or they can visit my website at www.ericashine.com and click on CONTACT.

Photo Credits: http://imgjam.com/albums/52288/covers/1.130.jpg

http://www.leicesterbangs.co.uk/ericashine3.jpg

[Via http://asianfuzion.wordpress.com]

Why is a Manhole Cover Round?

Why is a manhole cover round?

And more importantly, who cares?  And why do interviewers keep asking these sorts of questions?

Elaine from Meebo, an in-browser instant messaging service, wrote a blog post considering this question.  She explores the thesis “A product [or company] is the product of its hiring process.”  A company is only as good as its employees, and a product is only as good as the people who make it.

As such, its in the best interest of the company to hire only those who will do a good job in the role they’re hired for.  Why should potential employers ask questions that don’t relate to the job?  Does being able to figure out what part of the wheel the inventor should patent really indicate how well the candidate will be able to do the job in question?

If the applicant wants to be a patent lawyer, probably.  If the applicant wants to open her own bakery, unlikely.

Elaine explains how Meebo’s hiring process works.  While applying, applicants visit Meebo and participate in a simulation of the job they would actually be doing.  That way, Meebo can find out how successful the applicant would be in the job role … by testing directly how successful the applicant would in the job role.  Meebo does not guess how effective the applicant would be by asking them banal interview questions, but instead takes a logical, hands-on approach.

“For a candidate, an effective simulation is amazing. If you’re searching for your next career opportunity, you may have to wait weeks for feedback or phone calls. A three-hour simulation eliminates weeks of stressful sit-and-wait. Plus, you leave from the experience knowing what’s expected of you in your role, who your team members are, and whether you think it’s a good fit.”

Elaine also downplays the role of the GPA in the hiring process.  If the candidate is a good fit, and will help create a product or service that the customer loves, then why should the GPA matter?

The good news: Meebo is hiring.  The bad news: most companies are not going to spend three hours per candidate on a simulation.  So most of us will still have to come up with answers to the traditional interview questions.

And why is a manhole cover round?  Because, of course, if it was any other shape, it could fall through the hole.

[Via http://lisadonchak.wordpress.com]