What Makes Someone a True New Yorker?

Looking for a little writing inspiration so I went back into my journalism archives to find this commentary I did about NYC. In my opinion it's one of the best things I've written, and one of my favorite college memories. Check it out, let me know what you think!

What Makes Someone a True New Yorker?

The journey began at the Eltingville train station on Staten Island. Waiting for the train in the chilly morning air is always enough to fully awaken even the groggiest morning person. On the train were a collaboration of business suits and the bright uniformed sweaters of Monsignor Farrell students. The faces and the atmosphere told the story of monotony, as the train was quiet except with the sounds of newspaper pages turning. The operator came on after a delay and announced, “Due to fallen leaves on the tracks we are forced to ride slower today. We may still make the nine o’clock ferry.” The train became filled with the concerned and panicked moans of the patrons on board worried about being late for their obligations.

Worry turned into ease as the train arrived with five minutes to spare. The once flustered crowd settled into their standing room spots until the ferry doors opened. Then like before, it all turned into chaos as everyone rushed on board like there were no seats left. People disperse and the tourists stand on the outside in hopes of capturing a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty. They then line up to take a photograph of the incoming skyline of a noticeably empty Twin Towers. To the average person the skyline becomes routine, but perhaps for the true New Yorker it’s an act of trying to not bring back memories of that fateful day.

Pulling into the Manhattan terminal was like déjà vu. The boat empties, and there goes the rush of people moving with no regard to life except for their own to make the bus or train. Out the doors a few people stop to grab some fresh fruit or pastry from the little market upstairs. Beyond the fruit stands and escalators is a whole new world right through those doors. All around is a city of skyscrapers that descend up forever. To think just eight years ago, in what seems like an eternity and yesterday at the same time, these very streets were filled with confusion, destruction, and death. Not more than a few blocks away are the former sites of the World Trade Center. 

Known to the average person as ground zero, most considered it a piece of their home. Sadly at this juncture in time not much progress has been made to restore it back to its former glory. What was once filled with the hustle and bustle of workers, and the ca-ching of money being made through firms and businesses is now filled with the sounds of passing trucks and construction work. Cranes and caution tape cover a fence put up to obstruct any view of the crater that once was the World Trade Center. At the corner next to the tribute museum is a Burger King. In such a historic place the only scent is that of Whoppers and the dust of construction. The sacredness of the once thriving business capital of the world is gone. At least there is a consolation of hope in being between Liberty and Church Street, but what’s really in a name.

A trip on the Subway brings you to a new city. Gone are the monstrous buildings and traffic infested streets. Walking around W165th Street feels more like a quiet part of Brooklyn or even a small city in California. The people are classy looking and dressed casually sharp. Local eateries and fancy restaurants and cafés dominate the lining of the streets. In the middle of it all is Columbia University. Walking inside is kind of like walking into the European charter schools you see in the movies. The architecture resembles London with the high arching ceilings and old rustic textures of the buildings. Even the libraries look like grand churches or law buildings. Oddly enough walking the grounds is a bohemian and Cali kid population. Students are wearing flip-flops and shorts, and almost all but absent is a baseball cap. The girls are wearing hoodies, and most aren’t socializing but just trying to get to class. Passing through from one side of campus to the other transports you back to the quiet city experienced before. This stays intact until the East Side.

This is Harlem. From Columbia to Harlem is a rapid change of scenery. Harlem looks like a more built up Flushing Queens, but nevertheless is mostly run down. Graffiti infests the buildings, and the stores alternate between barely living, and brand-new. The air is filled with the chatter of what looks to be an active community with people everywhere doing something. Boom boxes are blaring old school rap, while even the old men walking by are dancing to the beat. The hip-hop scene is clearly evident in the Latino and African-American minority made majority in Harlem. While many of the brownstones were in shambles they still looked beautiful. A sense of pride for some residents was seen with fresh coats of paint and a manicured garden. These few bright spots provided a stark comparison between houses. 

The smells of culture ran loose from block to block. One moment you could smell chicken or fish being cooked, while the next moment you breathe in lamb or heavy incense. The streets seem to get progressively better looking as the Apollo Theater grew closer in radius. On one of the buildings surrounding the Apollo, was a huge mural expanding over two walls. The mural expressed the importance of themes like: love, self image, respect, and hope. This makes for a wonderful motif for Harlem. Better times are coming, keep persevering. 

The day was coming to a close, and yet in this small sampling of culture it’s not hard to see the ecliptic group of people calling this same place home. Though the lifestyles may vary, we are all New Yorkers in the same. What does it mean to be from New York? It means living your life the best way you can in an environment that caters to nearly every person imaginable. It means looking past stereotypes and being able to walk in the shoes of someone else and understand they are just like you in some way. It’s a privilege to be able to say, “I’m proud to be from New York.”

Journalism Final Project, Music Report on the Island

Final Interview by jsarachik

My initial focus of this project has changed a bit since its inception, but the overall focus is still intact. Originally the blog postings where going to be about the closing of Staten Island's the Cup. The one problem is that after closing on August 31st, it already reopened two weeks ago. Now for any new viewers reading this, the Cup was essential because it was the only place for young local bands to play on S.I. It's importance to the band scenes is tremendous, providing all the up and comers with their first chance to expose themselves to an audience and play live. Read about the final show at the Cup here.

My band mentors, EveryNight Drive

POF playing at the last show at the Cup by Scott Vollweiler of Broken Records

My new focus instead has changed to a series of questions: 1. How important was having a place like the Cup to play at? 2. What are you doing to further pursue music, and possibly get off of Staten Island. 3. Where do you see yourself in 3 to 5 years?

It was these questions that I have found garner the most interesting of answers. I gathered a few quotes from different personalities in the scene and this is what they had to say:

(On the importance of the Cup)

"I think it's quite healthy for the scene to have something like that [Cup] because when a local band wants to book a show and have a band come from out of state to play with them it's much easier because you don't have to pay to book a show. More venues should be like that because it comes with having a good reputation."

(Local bands looking outside of the Island)

"It doesn't have to just be the Island. Any local band needs to do research. That's the most important aspect of networking. Social Media is a huge contribution, but the best advice I can give is research bands on Myspace. It can really give you a scoop on other cities and their scenes."

-- Promoter/PR for EMC Records, Gerard Ucelli

(On the importance of the Cup)

"The Cup is an essential part of our little bubble of bands. It's where most of us got our start. For lesser known, straight out of the basement bands, the cup is invaluable. It's a great place to grow and get experience and meet other bands and even get a small following of kids that go to shows... However, there comes a point where the Cup runs out of things to offer a band. When that happens, bands tend to use the Cup as a crutch. I know I find myself playing shows with the same 5 bands to the same 20 kids. That's when it is time to seek other opportunities."

(On promoting yourself as a band)
"One word- CONTESTS. Contests are a great way to get off the Island. Since not many contests are offered on the Island, it forces you to play other places like Manhattan, Jersey, and Brooklyn. It's a great way to meet new bands and it's a great tool for perspective. You might be a hometown hero, but you get to a tri-state contest and all of a sudden, there's 30 bands that do better than you... Listen to the judges and the other bands when they give you feedback and criticisms... try out what they suggest. You never know, they might be right. If you would like to make a living playing music, be open minded."

-- Bass player for Spread the Rumor, Val Bond

I couldn't agree more with those statements. That's what my band, Process of Fusion and our friends in It's Not Over are doing. We are branching out to bigger venues, meeting bigger bands, and just trying to push the envelope whatever way we can. The audio clip at the beginning of the article is my band sounding off on similar questions. It appears everyone has the same ideas, it's the action part that most people aren't reacting on.

There are plenty of opportunities for bands to attempt to step in the right direction on the local level without using the reopened Cup as a crutch. Process of Fusion is trying to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. We have created our own shows, making them an experience and being different than something typical. We have also done free shows in attempts to draw more people out.


Promo Video for our November 5th Free show.

Also more bands could get free press by going to the college radio station WSIA. The station is always looking for new bands and will gladly listen your demo. Other things you can do, are charity events or spread the word through social media events. Facebook is a great tool for this.

WSIA soundboard by Justin Sarachik

The music scene on this Island is diverse, but somehow everyone needs to learn to work together. Whether the band is punk, metal, ska, or pop- everyone is the same place. Network and build a resume of sources and experience. In the countless bands I have interviewed, the more famous ones have attributed to success by connecting with that one important person. The right people mean everything in this business.

Rap group Freestyle Fam at WSIA for the Emilio Sparks Hip-Hop show by Justin Sarachik

Local start up groups are also starting to become prevalent on the Island as well. There is EMC Records, which is a company looking for bands to manage and do press work with. They have signed our friends in It's Not Over. Another company started by entrepreneur Scott Volweiler is, Broken Records, who currently publish a magazine, have band management (POF), photography, travel recording, and pretty soon a web show. I have been working with them very closely and this blog will be sponsored by them shortly.

Not to mention Backslash Bomb Productions who are working with Gerard Ucelli of EMC to produce a Staten Island music documentary called, the Others, highlighting some of the best acts on the Island.

In conclusion, the lesson I've learned the most during this whole project, is really just work hard. A little bit of hard work will make the difference in the long run. Don't be afraid to try something new and step out of the comfort zone. Like in the book Journalism 2.0 talks about, the world is changing and we have to adapt to the times. So move forward and complete the objective no matter who or what you do, whether journalist or musician. The industries are similar and the competition is just as hard, it's the few who step out the box that make it.


Staten Island Hip-Hop group the Higher Concept doing some pretty awesome things with their music video "Life's Good"

Jaime Scott of band Graffiti 6 by Justin Sarachik

Using Audio to Enhance a Story

In today's age journalism is easier than ever before. With that being said, it's also why it is harder than ever to break in. A person with a normal cell phone could become a reporter instantly even if they have no prior experience. For example: if you are at a crime scene- pull out your phone and record some video, or record the audio of someone speaking. Now that you have it, upload it to the web and anyone can see it. There you have it, you just became a "reporter".

And while that story does seem to hold truth in it, it's a little skewed. Obviously everyone knows a real reporter when they see one. Also if you took people in plain clothes, and secretly had some journalists mixed in, at the end of an interview you'd know the professional. But is that necessarily true? I'd say so for the most part, but on the other hand, technology allows us to do some amazing things.

A journalist has to be prepared at all costs for the simple fact that anyone can now do his job. With cell phones, iPhones, iPods, iPads, cameras, etc. there are so many ways to nab a story. Of course you can always distinguish the writer of the bunch, but even that is not necessary because many interviews are done live on camera.

So what is it that will make your written story more complete? The answer is anything! Anything that you put aside from the written work online is a bonus. Story enhancers can be anything from a cool snapshot, to an audio clip or video, or even a Tweet. These are the things that will distinguish the "men from the boys" (hate that term).

Last Tuesday I had an opportunity to interview UK pop/indie band Graffiti6. They performed live at Black Shack Burger in Manhattan, and I was there to record some video and record my interview. Unfortunately because of my lack of technology and a little confused preparation the interview on film did not come out so well. However the song came out well, so here it is-

This was a cool experience that could have been even better had I captured the interview on some good audio. I guess I've learned my lesson, and now know what I have to do. Funny thing is two days later, I had a chance to interview artists Noah, and Wu Tangs Killa Bees- Shyheim and Prodigal Sunn. This interview was amazing and I was able to capture it on audio and video mainly because the room was quiet.(This will be up later today).

So that's it for now, enjoy the video.

Reporting Plan for Journalism Project

Yes here we go again, back to my journalism project. I promise there are new stories coming, and I'll most likely put one up tonight.

Again, my project idea for my journalism class is to do a big investigative report about what bands are doing now that the Cup is gone. I want to find out which bands will still be there when the smoke clears... who wants it bad enough. It would be very easy to lay and die, or not venture out, But I believe you have to give everything a valid shot while you can.

My actual plan, is to interview and ask bands of different scenes, genres, and ages- what they do to help further themselves. Do they get shows off the island? Do they heavily promote their work? Do they care? I hope to answer these questions, and get a general sense on the how the Island feels about their music.

Another option I have is to talk to some of the fans and frequenters of the Cup and Staten Island bands. I can also rally the complaints of those who feel there is no places to play on the Island, and how everything is really dingy.

I plan on having actual sit down interviews, video commentary, pictures, and music. If it is very I can also show part of the Documentary that was made about the last show at the Cup. My main hope for this project is to invoke change and promote awareness. 

How Crowd Sourcing and Data Basing Can Help Your Projects

Crowd Sourcing is when a journalist or whoever gets the opinion of a large group by having them do the work. It's almost like a focus group. The example used in class today was related to music. For example, say Linkin Park was playing the Garden. A reporter who wants to crowd source would ask everyone who went to that show to send him pictures, or videos, or comments, etc. The reporter will then take all of these differing items and archive them in a database thus completely a story with many different views or angles.

Data basing is important because it allows you to store all of this information proficiently and efficiently. Take every source of manager, band, labels, studios, whatever, and put them in a spread sheet. have all the numbers, emails, names all set out. Keep yourself organized and it will take you a mile.

3 Story Pitches

Yet again I am writing for my journalism class. I have to take three of my story pitches and explain why I am doing them.

Local Music

The first story pitch I propose is the local music scene as stated previously. As far as an objective, it is to reach out to as many bands, artists, musicians, etc as I can. It is my hope that I can generate a buzz or some good press around these artists' and maybe they can return the favor.

My wish is to create a web of journalism connecting me to as much local music as I can. I want to be "the" guy when it comes to an authority of the Staten Island music scene. In that way I can "monopolize" myself of sorts. I enjoy what I'm doing and I've met some awesome and talented people along the way.

The news elements of this are:
1. It's local, and serves the community.
2. It can impact the music scene.
3. Music is important to a lot of people.

My reporting methods will stay the same. I do interviews either in person or through email. Sometimes I observe the band live, or just do a question and answer, and other times I make it a story.

This is obviously relevant to Online Journalism because I can reach people through a network of websites like: Facebook, Twitter, Email, and even on here.

Commentary Correlations Between Music and Journalism

Much like I did on my last couple posts, I compared the similarities between the two. I can continue to press on the issue of them being competitive fields, and the importance of making a brand.

The idea of making a brand out of yourself is very important if you plan to make it anywhere. Everyone needs to be an expert at their specific field in order to be taken serious. I am slowly working on my brand, and would go through the process of explaining it as I go.

The news elements of this are:

1. Its relevancy to the working world.

2. It is always timely because everyone is always looking for a job.

3. The impact could be great if enough people did the right things.

Reporting methods would be self evaluations and internet researches. I can interview people who have successfully created a brand for themselves. 

Online journalism would be prominent here because it is the way of the future. It is where everything is heading, and pretty soon it will be the only way to the communicate.

Being in a Band and the Band Perspective

This is pretty simple. I'll document what it's like being in a band, and maybe analyze performances or the mind set and process of being in a band.

I figure I could use my experiences as an artist performing for the last two years and provide insight on how it is to be in a band. It takes a lot of dedication, hard work, and sacrifice to get where you need to be, and I'm not even famous.

The news elements are perhaps it may be a cool human interest story. It could also have social context among people in my age group looking to aspire for something.

Reporting methods would be unconventional because it would come from me. Then again, this is a blog so that kind of reporting is allowed. I would have to figure out a way to make my opinion matter to people.

Why is Twitter important?

This is a question I used to struggle with. Twitter is so boring and dull, why does everyone need one? Why do people care what I am doing? Two answer both those questions: 1. Not everyone needs one. For example the people who Tweet their lives. "Just woke up... went to bathroom..." No one cares. 2. People don't care what I'm doing... sometimes.

To further explain, Twitter is essential for anybody trying to be a somebody. Look at celebrity Twitters, they have millions of followers. Why? Because people care about famous people. Everyone wants to be involved in someone else's business, and we all put it out there anyway.

So who needs a Twitter? If you are a journalist, writer, musician, painter, w.e.- Twitter can be something that jump starts your career. If you start to build a following, and people start spreading your Twitter, you may have caught fire. It is the perfect quick and easy way to plug your work whether it be article or new song. Just post a link, and say "check it out".

I thought Twitter was something to annoy me throughout the day seeing all these crazy good-for-nothing statuses, but now I see it as something better. I Tweet every article and Blog I write. I Tweet my band, and follow other people from Staten Island. My hope is that they check out the page, like what they see and follow back. Ultimately that is a quick and easy way to network. It's a link to your catalog of works, or links to something you have in common with your followers. It's a powerful tool if you use it wisely. Give it a shot.


Follow my band -http://twitter.com/POF_Band
Follow me- http://twitter.com/JSarachik_POF

Journalism and Music Vs. the Internet

Ah. the Internet and it's mighty expanses. When will it's powerful grip of everything we know cease to exist? The answer: never. I'm pretty sure it's here to stay, and it will only grow bigger by the day like the universe.

So what is today's topic? Well I posted it above, and yes it was brought about by my Online Journalism Class again. As usual I'm going to put my little musical twist on it and tie it all together.

The key thing to remember in all this is that the world is changing everyday, and with the changing of the world come the changing of technology. That is a lot of "changing" in one sentence, but it proves a point. With the advancement of the Internets role on our daily lives we see just how important or reliable it has become. What are some things we use it for? We use it to check our email, check our social networks, update us on the weather or the news, play games, and listen to and download music. The best thing about this is that it's mostly free! Why do we need anything else if it is in front of our fingertips in seconds and it's free? This is why so many "old style" media publications and organizations are going out of business. This is why a multi-million dollar band like Metallica has to sue Napster for copyright infringement. What do you think it feels like to pour your heart and soul and countless dollars into something and then watch it be given away for free to millions of people without you seeing a single penny? I'm just assuming here but, it must suck!

Journalism and the music industry are two of the hardest fields to break into. Lucky for me, they are the two career choices I chose and they are the only thing I'm good at... With that being said National newspapers that have been around for close to a century are flopping and cutting down on production. Journalists are being laid off left and right because now they once specialized field can be written about by a soccer mom. Also the expense to run a publication is forcing them to fire people as well. Newspaper and magazine sales are down and so is advertising. The little guy is completely cut out, and now editors are forced to work with three writers on staff who also dabble in other things. It's a little upsetting walk into the Advance on Monday morning and see more empty desks than ones being used to work on stories.

On the music front, from what I hear is there no longer is any money to be made in music unless you're a total superstar. How many CD's have you purchased this year as compared to the last couple of years? It's not even necessary anymore. You can download an album for free on Limewire, or buy a CD used off of Amazon. I've even listened to whole albums off of Youtube. Most artists now-a-days make a ton of money off of ringtones for the cellphone. I know back in 06, rapper Chamillionaire, became the all time top selling artist in ringtones with his one hit wonder song "Ridin' Dirty". I'm sure by now it has been passed. The point is, in both fields we are all guilty of succumbing to these methods. But don't feel bad about it, I don't have any money and love free things too! There has to be some way to come up with something to serve both the user and the creator a happy medium of a solution.

One thing I can do is try on my own. As a musician and a journalist, I know the competitiveness of both fields. I know in what ways they are struggling and the problems faced in both industries. The only immediate answer I have is to keep doing what I'm doing. By linking both of my passions together maybe one of them will get picked up first and drag the other along. You have to be proficient in many fields and all aspects of those fields. Be sure to be able to do a little bit of everything, and you can never go wrong.


On campus CSI interviews of students asking two questions:
1. Where do you get your news?
2. Do you think the Internet changes Journalism?

Jenna Lynn
1. I get my news from the USA news packet that gets sent to WSIA. I also occasionally read the Advance.
2. The Internet is free and easy, of course.

Antoinette
1. CNN on TV.
2. Online ruins everything. Email stopped letters from being written. Kindle stops books from being read and everything is on the computer. I won't be surprised to see if kids don't know what books are in the future.

Melinda Rhodes
1. The Daily Show and the Colbert Report.
2. I prefer the change. I don't read the paper. but I'll run through an article online and read it that way.

So that's it readers, I'll talk to you all soon!

Objective #5, Stay True to Your Goals and be Yourself

It is always important to set goals no matter what your endeavor may be. As a writer you should strive to always put out the best work possible. Most importantly write how you would want to read yourself. Put some confidence into your writing, and be sure to know what you are writing about. Reading a blog or an article littered with errors or no factual information makes you lose credibility. The worst thing to be is a joke.

On the music end, stick true to your guts. Don't "sell out" in the sense of making top 40 hit music unless that is your genre. If you are a metal band who sees Lady Gaga on TV, don't become a dance/pop group. Stay true to yourself. If you decide to sway into a different direction of music be sure to have something about it sound distinctly like you. If not, be prepared to explain yourself in detail. My bands new album coming out is very different from the first one, but when you hear it there is no doubt it's Process of Fusion.

I'm in a rock/rap band, we play rock/rap music. I write a music blog, so I write about music. Stick to your guns, and do what you love. Don't let anyone try to change you, and don't change because it's not popular.

This concludes my 5 part Journalism Project series. More interviews coming soon.

Objective #4, Be Different, Get Discovered

It sounds so easy, "Hey guys, lets get discovered!" Or how about, "Lets get a manager, then we'll really make it."

Both of these, as wishful as they may be, are not true. All serious jobs require hard work- music is no different. No matter what field, no matter where you live, there is always someone better or higher up than you. Everybody and everything is in a total competition. A lot of bands, as good as they might be, have it engrained in their minds that their music will get them fame. Just because you are the best band in your town, doesn't mean anyone outside of it will think that way. I have a friend who played High School basketball. He was the best player I have ever seen, and was never outmatched by anyone. When he made it to college he made the team, but he was the twelfth man on the bench. Yeah, my friend was upset, but he understood. There are so many people that can do what you do. Even if you apply yourself and work the hardest, unfortunately nothing could happen.

I know so far this sounds depressing, but don't worry I'll get to some light in a bit. For any musicians reading, do a test. Go to Myspace music search and type in the style of music you play. Now look at the thousands of bands that come up. Next click on where it says unsigned, and look at the thousands there. Talk about competition huh? Here is where you can take it to the next level. Click on a few of the top ones. Check them out, listen to their music, look at the page design. What do they have that you can do better? What do they have that you can't do better? Take some notes. What do you like, what don't you like? Bring these things to attention next time you meet with your band. Strive to beat it. How do you think we learn in the first place? We see someone else do it first. Take what you observe as the ground work of what you want to be.

I can equate the same thing to writing. To be a good writer you need to first read. Read about things that you are interested in writing about. To be a sports writer, read sports columns. To be a music reviewer, read reviews. And to be a blogger, read some blogs. Blogging and journalistic writing can be two different things. If I'm blogging, I'm having a conversation with using my speaking my voice. I can say "I" and "me" with no fear because this is a personal talk. When writing something for the Advance or if I'm reviewing a band, it has to be professional. You can't refer to yourself, or any past experience. You state the facts, and keep it to a formulaic pattern of: intro, body, closing.

Just like music, blogs have their fair share of competition, perhaps more too. Anybody can blog. You don't even have to know how to complete a sentence to log into here and start mashing buttons. What makes my blog different or better than anyone else's? For one, it's my target audience. I didn't have the goal of setting out to interview Linkin Park and Jay-Z. My goal was simple and small, lets do Staten Island. Go ahead, go Google search for blogs about Staten Island music. You will find mine and Ben Johnson's of the Advance. I don't have much to worry about. Start small and build a big reputation with that, and then see what big things come your way. Find something specific and home in on it like I talked about in post #2 on "Branding".

Recently I've been thinking about hosting events under the blog. I've also been trying to contact charities and organizations to get the band involved with them. If you could attach your name to something and do work for a good cause, that sets you off from a whole group of people. It's easy to garner community support if you support the community.

Be different, stand out, and always try your hardest whether an audience of one or ten thousand.



This has been part 4 of 5 for my online journalism class. 5 will be out tomorrow night to wrap up the series.

Objective #3, Leave Your Comfort Zone

If there's one thing I've learned interning at the Advance is sometimes you got to get uncomfortable. You can't be afraid to get your hands dirty. You have to claw and dig, and then claw and dig some more to draw the answers out. If you don't like making phone calls, too bad. If you are bad at interviews or a little scared, too bad. You have to learn to suck it up, or find a new profession. These are a few things that I still have a hard time with. It's like I'm petrofied of picking up the phone and calling someone. Usually once I get started it becomes easy. I relate this experience to the severe stage fright I used to have.

I used to be the kid who stood in the back of the choir during plays. I never had any speaking parts. When I became a musician I was a drummer, and was fine hanging out in the back. Then I got thrust to the front of the stage as a front man. This is a big difference. I was expected to sing or to rap, and most importantly convey a sense of confidence with my delivery. I can't go up there and look scared. I remember the first time up there I figured I had two choices: 1. Say nothing and look like a fool or 2. Get up there and say something. When the pressure was on, I'm glad I made the right choice.

Now what does this have to do with anything? What does this have to do with my previous posts? Well here it is- if you are trying to build a network or a brand, it's going to take some risk. Like I said the Cup closed (apparently it's re-opening which kills one of my ideas), my best shows were in that building. Why? It's because I had a familiar crowd, and familiar stage. The Cup was like home court for a sports team. Everybody plays better for their fans. What I wish is I can bring that same energy to an unknown place in front of people I have never seen before. It's a work in progress, but I believe with practice and a little courage, I can get there some day.

From a music journalist stand point, you can't be afraid to approach a band or artist. I'll email every band on this Island if I have to. You have to keep your options open, and you have to aggressively go after the info you want. If you are in a band and you are playing unfamiliar territory, make sure you go out after the show and shake a few hands. Introduce yourself, make a good impression. Make at least one person remember you for more than just your performance. Like I said last post, you keep bothering people until you bother the right one.

Someone asked me, "How do you get to interview so many bands?" My answer is simple, I ask. I send them an email or a message. Why wouldn't they want the free press? The only thing I ask in return is to help spread the word about the blog. Some cool bands or artists I've written about are: Stereofix, Elevaters, Analog Dive, Furthermore, and Carnival of Souls. Some of these have played in front of 10,000 people plus. Stereofix and Elevaters have been on HBO and MTV. Furthermore was on Tooth & Nail. And why did they get where they are, because they weren't afraid to step out their comfort zone.


This is part 3 out of 5 for my journalism project. Keep reading for part 4 tomorrow.

Objective #2, Networking and Making a Brand Out of Yourself

I can't stress enough the importance of building a network of opportunity for yourself. It's what the journalism world calls "branding". Don't worry it's not taking hot iron and marking cattle, it's a lot simpler. To brand yourself is to give other people expectations of what to expect from you. It's the expectation of anything, like Microsoft is known for computers. MTV is known for music and reality shows. Branding yourself will make you an authority or aficionado for what you do. My brand, or one I'm aiming for, is local music. Building on that foundation I'd like to add: a good interviewer, a trusted source for music information, and a writer who goes all out for a story. What is your brand? What are you doing to help yourself standout?

In the competitive world of music and journalism, it's important to have an edge. Now-a-days anything can be done online. There are thousands of music blogs, there are thousands of bands on Myspace. Why should anybody pay any mind to you?

This is something I've been learning in my classes and in trying to market my band and blog to a wider audience. You have to go above and beyond. To those of you reading this that are annoyed and hassled by my constant Facebook attack of links- I'm sorry. I am just trying to extend my reach.

A serious musician or writer has to have a grasp of every social network possible. You need a Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress/Blogger, Reverbnation account, email, etc. You have to be compatible to that medium just in case you can grab one extra person. I'm not saying it's easy because it's not. It actually is quite time consuming. But that's the price to pay if you want it bad enough, and honestly that still may not be enough.

The way I see it, as long as I can get my work out there and maybe help or encourage some along the way, I'll feel accomplished. But a good feeling is like a temporary high because it doesn't pay the bills. So for the time being I'll keep annoying my Facebook friends in hopes of bothering the right one.

This is part two in my journalism project. Part 3 will be out tomorrow. Let me know how you'll build your brand.

Objective #1, the Local Music Scene

My allegiance will always be to the hard working musicians and artists that unfortunately go unnoticed on this Island. I am in the same boat myself and have frequently tasted the frustration in performing to a crowd of ourselves. With that being said, it is more important than ever before to bring awareness to keep this from happening. In almost three years of performing live, and about a year interviewing and searching for bands, I've come to the conclusion that the only way to truly go above and beyond is with the help of friends.

By constantly interviewing and working to expand my network, I found the ability to make connections. For example: Gerard Ucelli, a promoter, got my band a photo shoot for a magazine called Broken Records Magazine. After the photo shoot I pitched the idea of writing a story about a local guy running a magazine out of S.I. to my editor at the Advance. He okayed the story, so I interviewed owner, Scott Vollweiler. Scott in turn was very grateful and in turn "owed" me a favor of sorts (not that I asked or expected one). Scott came to my bands show at the Greenbelt and "fell in love" with our music. He wanted to become our manager and sign us as the first band to his label "Broken Records Management". Now he's using his connects in the music industry to help us out.

That is the beauty of this business. Unfortunately it is difficult to get anywhere on your own anymore. It's all about who you know, so the only work you can do is just be nice. Lend a helping hand to a stranger and don't expect anything back. Unless they are total jerks, more than likely they will pay it forward.

So what does all this mean? It means THROW EVERYTHING AT ME! I'm here, I owe it to the scene. It is my way of giving back to all the bands that have supported me, and to "monopolize" or "brand" myself as an authority for local music. I am searching for the same goals as the hungry who want it. If we all do it together maybe one can get there. Then they can look back, and pay it forward...


This is part of my class blog for "Online Journalism". I'm trying my best to keep both relevant to each other. Give me a comment and let me know what you think. Part 2 will be out tomorrow "Networking".

A new project, and more posting

Hey everyone I know you're not used to postings on back to back days but I have another project. This blog was originally created for an online writing class that I took. I enjoyed maintaining the blog so much that I made it my hobby and something to hopefully jump start future endeavors. Now a semester later I'm in an online journalism class where we have to maintain a blog again. I'm going to use this blog as my project and keep the same themes going. One of my main focuses for the project will be on how bands handle the aftermath of losing a safe haven like the Cup which just closed on the 31st. (Read my previous post to find out the importance of a local "home court" type venue). I want to see if bands start to push their limits to venture out into a music world unfamiliar to them. Do these bands have what it takes? Will some of these bands die? I don't know yet, but that's what I intend to find out. I want to also continue my local music interviews and incorporate meaningful experiences about the project. In addition to these two ideas I'd like to see my non local interviews grow, and maybe I can ask them if they had their own "Cup" when they first started out. I'll add my own insight on things from time because I'm a musician as well as a music journalist, critic, etc. I can't wait to dive into this project, and see how I can possibly help put Staten Island on the map for something other than garbage and bad tans...