Interview with S.I. MC, Chris "CiG"

Music Interview with Staten Island MC, Chris “CiG” 

With over 13 years of rapping experience under his belt, Cig is finally looking to break through.

After almost getting signed to Warner Brother/Sony in the mid 2000’s with then group “Ghost Town”, CiG went on a brief hiatus, where he occasionally wrote songs, but never performed and sparingly recorded. Now that he is back; he’s gearing up for the 3 years in the making release of his new album “Back against the Wall”.

Band Guy- Where and how did you get your name?
CiG- “When I was younger I had a beard and looked older, so I would buy cigarettes for my friends who weren’t old enough. Another more personal name is “Cigathin”.”

BG- What sparked Hip-Hop in you, and what shaped your skills as an artist?
CiG- “I started in 97 making rap parodies of all my favorite songs. I wasn’t into music until Biggie died. My friends told me I was getting good, so I got more serious. In 2003 I formed Ghost Town with Yosh, Ceza, and J Forms. We started performing and recording and that’s when things took off.”

“My father passing away worked as an outlet to make me focus on music. I lost the feeling for a little while, and then when my mom passed I got re-inspired. I make music to be happy. We live in this iTunes society where we need music just to get through the day.”

BG- What’s the writing process like for “CiG”?
CiG- “Sometimes the beat speaks to me, so I write it down. I’m ready all day. I’m constantly writing, I keep a pen and a notebook at all times. It’s almost like a freestyle process; I go letter by letter and write words down. It also depends on what kind of mood I’m in. If I’m in a party mood I write a party song. If I’m in a serious mood, I write a serious song. I also tend to write in bunches where I’ll write 7 songs in a day. It all just depends.”

BG- How did you record some of your early music and what was the reception like?
CiG- “I recorded my earliest stuff on a PC with a mic, the quality was terrible. Since then I’ve traveled around different studios on the Island and in Jersey.”

“The response was great. I used to battle kids at school for lunch. They all wanted copies of my early demos. At the end of my senior year of High School, my grade wanted me to get up in front of the whole school and freestyle. It was my rock-star moment.”

BG- At what age was CiG at his best, has your style changed with age, and what’s your reputation?
CiG- “I'm better now because I’ve grown up, I have more life experience. My style now is more listener friendly. As I’ve grown, so have my listeners. I guess I have a “good” reputation. On “DatPiff.com I had over 25,000 plays. My friend the other day said “You can tell when it’s a CiG song,” whether that’s good or bad I don’t know, but it’s my style.”

BG- Did you enjoy rap battling and does it make you better or worse?
CiG- “It definitely makes you better. You always have to come bring it or go home.”

BG- Can you tell me a little about Ghost Town and 5th Boro?
CiG- “Ghost Town was what really got me started. We made 3 official albums hosted by some famous DJ’s. We put out a new CD every 4 months or so. We won a talent contest for Wayne Enterprise at the Pyramid near Harlem, and were featured on DVD’s and magazines. We were the only white kids in the whole competition, but we still got our props. Then we were being checked out by Warner Brothers/Sony, but that never fell through. We kind of went our own ways after that.”

“5th Boro was a group I was in with Black Caeza and Tony KZ. We did shows and recorded some stuff, but nothing too big happened.”

BG- What was your favorite and biggest show, and what was your worst moment?
CiG- “My favorite show was when we won the showcase. The biggest was Ghost Town with “the Dead End Kids” at X-Factor. We played in front of 600 people. This was at our peak in Staten Island, and an overall good time for local Hip-Hop.”

“My worst moment was when I choked during a freestyle competition at my first show when I was 14.”

BG- Who are your favorite rappers and what’s your favorite song you have written?
CiG- “Biggie, Pac, Jay-Z, Jadakiss, Fabolous, Joe Budden, and my favorite is Eminem. He raps real life situations. My favorite song I wrote has to be “Take a Look” which is about my father dying of cancer.”

BG- Here’s an important question: Pac or Biggie, Jay-Z or Nas, Eminem or Wayne?
CiG- “Pac but Biggie when I’m in a party. Jay-Z over Nas. Eminem of course wins, but Wayne has being holding it down lately.”

BG- Who are your fans and what can they expect from seeing CiG live?
CiG- “Anyone can be a fan. I make it universal: kids, adults, whatever. As far as performing you’ll enjoy the show and have a good time. There will be something for everyone, and hopefully I’ll beat your expectations.”

BG- Why is CiG different from every other rapper, and what’s the sickest rhyme you ever wrote?
CiG- “I’m versatile. I’m not afraid to talk about my flaws and strengths. I live what I say. I don’t know what my sickest rhyme is, so I guess it hasn’t been written yet.”

BG- Realistically, what are your goals in music and what do you hope to do with it?
CiG- “I want to make it. I want to touch people as well. Unfortunately record labels won’t take a chance on someone like me because I’m not like what’s out there. For now I hope everyone enjoys my music as much as me.”

CiG is truly an awesome dude with a passion for many things. He excels and strives for the best at everything he does. If you spent a few minutes with him you’d see how humble and helping of a person he is. CiG has had a tough life but makes the best out of everything and never gives up. Make sure you go out and support him when his CD “Back against the Wall” drops at the end of this month.

Listen to CiG at http://www.myspace.com/cigsiny

(Sucker Free Freestyle)

(Take a Look)

Finally Whole Again, A SPREAD THE RUMOR Interview

(Photo Credit: Alexa DiMaio)

Spread the Rumor is one of Staten Island's best and brightest upcoming bands in the scene, although it has taken them awhile to get there.

Consisting of five passionate and hardworking girls, STR is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with. The lineup goes as follows:

Sabrina Fracchiolla- lead guitar/vocals
Katie Fasulo- Rhythm guitar/vocals
Valerie Bond- Bass/vocals
Hilary Davies- Keyboard/vocals
Terri Caputo- Drums/vocals

The band started in early 2005, when Valerie and Hilary realized that music is what they wanted to do. They started jamming out, eventually adding members along the way. After about three years of shows and hard work, they have reached the place they want be. "It's a coincidence that we are all girls...We want to change everyone's perception on who can play music," says Valerie.

The name "Spread the Rumor" came from the mutual liking of the band "Socratic" who had a song and album titled Spread the Rumors. The band, liking the name, dropped the "s" and the rest is history. And speaking of liking, the band gets its influences from the same sources. Rarely is there ever a band that is so closely knit together. With this being said, STR draws their similar styles from bands like: Greenday, Relient K, Motion City Soundtrack, Paramore, Ben Folds, Evanescense, and even the Beatles.

As far as the song writing process goes, they ususally independently bring ideas to the table and work off each other. Lately however, they've been getting better results jamming as a band. "The newer stuff is more mature," said Hilary. Using their constant self motivation and persevering attitude, STR pushes themselves to the creative limit of their liking.

Although Spread the Rumor considers the fact they are all girls coincidence, there's no doubt that this effects them as a band. "It's like we always have to prove ourselves because people expect us to suck," said Terri. Valerie explains, "Guys with muscles always want to help carry our equipment. We make sure to do it ourselves like everyone else." Often times STR finds themselves blowing away a new audience and far exceeding expectations. They know what they have to offer as musicians, and at the end of the day "We want to please ourselves," as Valerie said. They combat any pressure by going out there and doing their thing.

So far the "exceeding expectations" part is paying off because they have caught the attention of two record producers: J.J. Appleton and Matt Powell. Appleton is a freelancer who has wrote songs for Kei$ha, and was signed in the UK. Powell is an independent producer who has recorded Ingrid Michaelson. In addition to this, Terri just became endorsed by Bess Heads Drums.

It's clear to see why Spread the Rumor would stand out among a crowd. For starters, they are girls doing a "boy" thing by being in a band. Two, well... they're just so good! With so many bands doing the "power pop/pop punk" thing, it's easy to get tired of the same thing. All the bands sound alike, and to be honest, most do not do it well. STR goes above and beyond the standard. "We are more vocally driven," said Katie. If you notice on top where the band is intro'd, you'll see all five members sing. This makes for some amazing harmonies, and an influx of different voices from song to song. Each vocalist adds their own flair to a song, and it's easy to tell how hard they work together to make it sound tight.

So what's on the horizon for this very driven quintet? "We want to finish recording an EP... We now have the lineup we want, and we're heading in the right direction," said Sabrina. In addition to playing more shores, they would love to get off the Island and make this their livelyhood. "In the future, I hope we're not on Staten Island," said Valerie. "I want to be signed by somebody. Any label that helps [its artists]," said Sabrina. Hilary wants to "see the country." While Katie wants "our music to continue to grow." Of course Terri, in all her rockstar glory wants to be "On an air conditioned bus with a hot tub filled with biddies."

Spread the Rumor has come a long way since their self-described "worst show ever" at the Art Cypher. But what else can you expect for a first show with an incomplete band? Now two years later they've got a number of big shows under their belts. They won the Battle of the Bands at Sullivan Hall in November of 2009 playing in front of over 2oo people. STR also made it through the first round of "the Break" contest at the Stony Pony, also playing in front of over 200 people. They've been interviewed for Bamboozle TV, and were also involved in a photoshoot and interview for "What's Good Magazine". Spread the Rumor has a number of shows coming up over the next few months so stop by their page and find out when!

Be sure to stay on the look out for this group of rising and talented individuals. Be sure to check their music out on (Myspace.com/spreadtherumormusic) and check out STR videos on SpreadtheRumorTV on Youtube.

Look them up on Facebook and Twitter, and for any questions email them at Spreadtherumormusic@gmail.com

Hip-Hop???

What can I say, I love Hip-Hop. Back in my teens (cause I'm so old now) I was what you would call a "punk" or "rocker". In my circle of friends rap was forbidden and frowned upon as it was not even considered music. Well the thing I never told my friends was that I secretly liked it and I could do a bit of it myself. Fast forward a few years to when I'm entering college, and my musical style along with clothing style, began to change. I wanted to experience more, and absorb all genres of music like a sponge. In my quest for doing so, I discovered my outward true love for hip-hop.

I actually started writing raps when I was a little kid, but gave that up once I began playing the drums and being in bands when I was thirteen. The first couple songs I wrote where kind of like raps because I knew nothing of song writing except "you have to rhyme" which of course is not true. I gave it up once I learned how to write songs within the punk rock/grunge style of music I was playing.

It wasn't until a friend of mine bought me the "Fort Minor" CD " the Rising Tied" that I really had a passion again. I grew up on early 90's rap, and that was sure outdated. I sounded like a member of the Beastie Boys every time I tried. But it was Fort Minor's Mike Shinoda (also rapper of Linkin Park) that really taught me about story telling and meaningful rap. I have that CD memorized and it's what began "Justin as the artist" I am today.

From Fort Minor I branched out to underground mid-west legends like the white boys holding it down on "Rhymesayers"- Mac Lethal, Brother Ali, and Atmosphere to name a few. These guys are among the best lyricists of all time.

Now what do I mean by "lyricist"? What's the difference between a "rapper" and a "lyricist"?

A rapper, really is anyone who can and to quote Pat Wakie, "Someone rapping rhythmically to a beat". You can be absolute garbage, but you throw some words over a beat and you're a "rapper" in the sense of it. Now-a-days there is so much trash on MTV and Hot97 and the like, that people are almost brainwashed into thinking what real hip-hop is. Rap is more than "Money, cars, clothes, and the hoes". It's more that just throwing money up, and popping bottles. This whole movement was started in the late 90's after Tupac and Biggie died. P.Diddy can really be called the Godfather of this kind of rap because he capitalized on what Biggie was about. Diddy was a producer not rapper. All he knew about was being rich, and that's what he did.

I know I'm going to catch beef for this, but hip-hop was ruined by Lil Wayne. He himself invented the phrase "bling-bling". He was eleven when he started rapping. What does an eleven year old dream about: fame, fortune, girls, money, etc. Now he's like twenty-five and still rapping about the same thing. Step your game up! Maybe when Wayne gets out of jail he can rap about, how drugs, money, and fame have ruined his life. But then again, he loves it, and most of you look up to him anyway...

I know it sounds like I'm being a hater but I have strong opinions on music. I'm not by any means an amazing rapper, but when someone can become a millionaire with a chorus that exclaims "Superman that hoe" I rest my case. I give "Soulja Boy" credit for capitalizing on the Internet and the masses for making him famous, go get it kid.

So anyway...

What's a lyricist?

A lyricist is a rapper with a conscience. A lyricist looks at the world around him, and thinks "what can I say about it, how can I change it, and what will it look like?" A philosopher of words and a thinker in rhythm, a lyricist is an atom bomb waiting to explode. These are the kind of rappers I aspired to learn from when I picked up the pen. These guys showed me how to turn poetry into a story, and a story in a poem. No matter the beat, fast a slow, none or low, a masters of the craft can get it done.

Common (Sense) is a Chicago born rapper, who is known for his commentaries on life while rapping. Him along with fellow "Blackstar" associates Talib Kweli and Mos Def, can take any topic and make it relavent and preach a message. To me these three are geniuses and never get the credit they deserve.

Mainstream artists are far and few when it comes to rapping like a "thinker", but a few manage to get away with it. Jay-Z and Eminem are probably the two greatest rappers who ever lived. I know people are yelling at me and saying they are ashamed of me, but hear me out as I break it down.

Jay-Z, aside from some of the corny stuff he does now, has a reputation that far exceeds anyone else. What other mainstream artist is as big and relevant at the age of forty as him. While "Hova" doesn't boast the sex appeal and fantasy rap of a Wayne, or the aggressive chops of a Nas, Jay does something quite different. He attacks every verse with a smooth flow, and a calm voice. Jay's problem is he's too good. When you listen to his raps, they seem to be lacking those "Ooooooo" moments that a lot of other great rappers have. In actuality they're there, and you missed it. His intelligence allows him to hide secret meanings and rhymes in every line. He builds on metaphors and clever word play to convey what he's meaning even if you don't notice. See for yourself. Go pick out a classic jigga song and pay attention.

Eminem, undoubtedly the most confused and tortured mind of them all, Em's insanity makes him a genius. Never in my life have I heard someone string along groups of words in patterns that actually have meaning like he does. Not counting his weird or offensive songs, Eminem can melt a dictionary with the way he raps on a song. He changes from serious to funny, from loving to hateful, from fast to slow, and normal voice to a thrown voice. To me, he is the greatest no doubt, and now that he's back and off the drugs and trying to get his life together, he can accomplish more.

The next generation of rappers are kind of scary. They are all carbon clones of whoever they role with. The "Cash Money Millionaires" of Lil Wayne, Drake, Nikki Minaj, and company, all have the same style. I remember getting Drake's first mixtape when he was seventeen and still on Degrassi. It was absolutely amazing. He had his own voice, he had the craft of storytelling and speaking the truth on every verse. Then something happened to him. He was discovered by Lil Wayne and became part of his crew (a great career choice). It appears Wayne has the Midas touch and everything he does turn to gold. Now what happened? Drake blew up, and is taking Wayne's place while he's in jail. But it appears while Drake is still good, he sold out a bit. He no longer has that raw and fresh voice. He no longer takes deep trips down memory lane and reflects on what life was like for him. He is slowly becoming like his peers around him. First the flow changed, then the voice, then the topics, and now the lifestyle. Come on Drake, come back!

Check out this song off of Drake's first Mixtape called "S.T.R.E.S.S." and see how he sounded.



Now listen to him "Over"


Even on the comments for "STRESS" people are saying what I'm saying.

Back in the 80's and early 90's it was all about being an individual. Back then an Emcee was about being a specialist in your kind of style. The pioneers like Grandmaster Flash, the Beastie Boys, Run DMC, knew how to captivate an audience by being unique. While Hip-Hop saw its groundbreaking revolution in the 90's with De La Soul, the Roots, WU-Tang, Nas, Common, Big L and the list goes on, it is now becoming very amateurish and the "in" thing to do. I wish rap would go back to the days of being great and having talent, but for now we'll just keep seeing the same things over and over. A good song to explain the evolution of Hip-Hop is Common's "I Used to Love H.E.R." And while dated to 94, the same thing was happening back then.




Here's my personal top ten just for fun. What are yours?
1. Eminem
2. Big L
3. Jay-Z
4. NAS
5. Lupe Fiasco
6. Mos Def
7. Atmosphere
8. Brother Ali
9. Mac Lethal
10. Kid Cudi

Check out my raps at Myspace.com/mcsikboi
Check out my band at Myspace.com/processoffusion

For info on any of these artists check them out on youtube.

Preview for Hip-Hop Show

Check the "Forever Remix" by CiG, Redeemed, SiK Boi, and Frisch, and get a taste of what you'll be seeing at June 22nd's Rap show at the Cup.
Myspace.com/mcsikboi

What's Coming...

Coming soon,
1. An article for the Advance about 3 local bands in 3 different Battle of the Bands.
2. Spread the Rumor Review
3. Annie Eve Preview
4. POF news
5. Hip-Hop show
6. Rapper CiG

1st Article for the Advance -WSIA Radio Station

1st reporting/article I did for the Advance. Mark Stein was the writer and I helped along with the interview, notes, and I got him the interview. Check it out!

http://www.silive.com/westshore/index.ssf/2010/06/hear_something_new_at_889_fm_c.html

The Cup That Everyone Will Drink From

(Cool play on words, but I didn't come up with it. Credit goes out to Gerard)

Hey, Let's play a show! Honestly what else is a band supposed to do on a Saturday night?

May 22nd at the Cup, what a surprise. (Is it a reoccurring rant that the disgruntled body of bands only plays at the Cup?) Nevertheless to quote Dylan Klein of my band, "It's just another day at the office". Well said Dylan. We are in a band and our job is to play. Just like the daily trek to work, the Cup has become the office. Our co-workers are the other bands playing, and the fans, well...they are the higherups, simply for the fact that we have to impress them, and hopefully move up in their favor. The more people you bring to the Cup is kind of like more publicity to the company. In turn, the more publicity, the more money there is to be made. That is also not to say that we are all in it for the money, because if that were the case we'd all have been fired.

So with that aside we perform really hard at work until one day we are recognized and moved to a better office a.k.a. Madison Square Garden...too much. I'll settle for one of the many non dancing ballrooms scatered about the tri-state area.

After work we all go out for happy hour (Colonade, Wendy's White Castle, A&W, etc.). We spend the money we don't have on over priced food despite the bounty of food possibly located in ones homes. Why do we do this? The easy answer is, I don't know. But if you dig a little further, it is because we are hungry right now, and there are friends near. (Sorry I have nothing inspirational to insert here). Sadly, this is where my analogy ends, and I'll actually talk about something relavent.

Local band promoter and contributor for Broken Records Magazine, Gerard Ucelli wanted to put together a special show.

"How many times have you guys been to the Cup to see a friends band, and you only see 40 people the max. Well let me say F*** That. This show will create a change in this music scene. Diversity means everything, and on top of that so does kicking a**. Your dealing with sub genres ranging from acoustic, punk, ska punk, metal, post hardcore, fusion/experimental, and alternative. I'm not making a penny off this show purposely. This is going all to the bands after the Cups' cut."

- Gerard Ucelli

(Thesibandguy is a family blog, naughty words and things you don't say around white grandma's will be not be tolerated).

Gerard is making a bold statement in the music scene, for he too has a passion just like I do. If all of us bands would just learn how to fight along side of each other, so to speak, we'd be a better scene. There is so much band drama, and musical prejudices that go on even in this small scale of an island. I have seen many good bands fall apart because of stupid things, or just overall lack of working together. I have also been to shows where every person has walked out on another band just because they don't "listen" to that genre without even giving them a chance to play. Give them a chance to suck before you jump to conclusions. Who knows, maybe you'll love them, and you just made a musical connection. And it is not just the fans, bands are guilty too. I'm guilty of it. My band has had it done to us before, and it sucks. Gerard I applaud you.

Seven bands were choosen to shake things up that night. Here they are:

IV Not Naken 6:45 http://www.myspace.com/ivnottaken
the Excitement 7:30 http://www.myspace.com/theexcitementband
Fridays Nightmare 8:15
Figurehead 9:00 http://www.myspace.com/burninside2009
Process of Fusion 9:45 http://www.myspace.com/processoffusion
Kick 10:30 http://www.myspace.com/kickrocknroll
Through the Year 11:15 http://www.myspace.com/throughtheyearsiny

Be sure to check out the links and give each of these bands a listen. I'm not going to give my commentary on the show because I was not able to get there at the beginning. I arrived shortly before my band had to go on. From what I saw there was a pretty good crowd, and a good amount of new faces which is always exciting.

Ok here's where I bring it home. We all as musicians are different and unique. We have our selective tastes and styles and for the most part live by them. But what do you say every once in a while we sit down at the same table and share in something together. At the Last Supper Jesus and the Disciples sat down for a last meal together, and all drank wine from the same chalice. It was to signify a bond and a friendship. May 22nd, we're at the table and the cups' being passed around. This is the cup that everyone will drink from, and I'm thirsty...(Most definetly the corniest thing I ever wrote, but it stays).

I leave you with some pictures from the night...

(All Photos by Alexa DiMaio)

Special shoutout to Dave Harris, who played his last show as drummer for Through the Year. Another shoutout to Terri Caputo who is moving out from behind the drums for Process of Fusion.

Sorry For the Little Break, I'm Going to be Updating on Some Going on's Really Soon

Friday Night BBQ's and Nasty Coke Cans... (Friends With Faces)

So about that title...I can't tell you yet, but I promise it will mean something sometime to someone. I didn't mention anyone by name in this post, so fill in the blank. Okay, let's have it.

Friends With Faces

It appears summer has come rather early this year. It's the least the weather can do for us after the crap March threw our way. Officially speaking, we have like a week or so of the spring we never really had. In any note, it appears that this will be a great summer.

As discussed in my previous blog post (if you didn't read it, you should), I finally realized the importance of friendship between fellow musicians. A lot of times we [musicians] play these shows and stick to ourselves, or the group of people there to see us. We say hello and goodbye to familiar faces, and sometimes we go out to eat at the end of the night. We always say, "Yeah, we'll get together and hang out", but those are just empty words. Unfortunately, it never happens. Well, for me, it finally happened, and a lot more came out of it than anticipated.

This last Friday, May 7th, I got together with a bunch of talented friends for my first BBQ of the summer. The night started off with burgers and hot dogs just like any other BBQ. From there, we all sat around wondering what to do. Then out came the acoustic guitars, best move of the night.

We started playing and singing along to some songs including our own (corny I know), but overall we were having a good time. Then the guitarists started experimenting with chords and riffs. I was half joking, half serious, when I said, "Hey let's all combine together and write a song." Much to my delight the others liked the idea. We pulled out three pens, and three pieces of paper. We picked a topic, and began to write independently from each other.

Slowly the parts fell into place. One of the girls started singing, while I laid a rap over it. The other singer's part sounded perfectly like a chorus. We came together to piece the lyrics and change some things. More guitar parts were added, and after we realized it was past 12am, we brought this jam session inside. While inside we continued to work on the song, except now we had a deadline. One of the girls had to be picked up to go home, and we only had about twenty minutes to finish. Don't worry we did, who knows what would have happened if we didn't...

Now it was time to release it to the world. So in the middle of the street, at 1:45am, to the girls mother, we decided to perform the song for the first time. It went amazing, and no one called the cops! I have to admit, the song came out great, and the response we got from the others hanging out and our audience of one, agreed.

It's moments like these that will never be forgotten. I have found the best songs I've ever been apart of have come spontaneously in strange situations. I guess it can be contributed as the "spark of an idea notion followed by chain reaction" (I think I made this up, but it sounds right). So I guess I'll explain my theory because it's quite simple. One person has a good idea, someone else agrees, and it goes down the line. As more people get involved, they begin to add their input. This takes the initial idea and transforms it into a melting pot of a vision. I think that's what happened Friday. We kept pushing until we reached the finish line of our idea. It really was amazing.

I find this especially cool because besides the people in my band, we all have never worked together on anything. We have all heard each others music, and we all have our different styles that "we thought" would never mesh. We were wrong. The song's drastically different from our regular sounds, and yet most definitely a piece of all of us in some way. There really is power in music. Music can transcend, translate, and touch anybody no matter language barrier or preference. When the right pieces are in place, and the right things are said, anything can occur.

These last two weeks for me have been eye openers not only as a musician, but also as a person. I have learned what real driven passion is. Last week, I learned the art of performing, and building reputations and friendships and it's importance for success. This week I learned what these friendships could do when you work along side of them. Sometimes you have to leave your comfort zone, and try something new. I've never rapped to an acoustic guitar before, and I'm sure most of them never sat down in a backyard at midnight and created a song in two hours based off a joked remark.

This yet again proves my point that music can change the world around us. I feel strongly about this. I also feel very strongly about artists collaborating to make something of themselves. The philosophy of "the more the better" applies directly to this. So to every musician out there reading this, get out of your regular regime. Don't take the cautious way, experiment. Don't be a carbon copy of everyone out there. Make the music you want to, and not what everyone else wants to hear. I assure you, you will never be disappointed in yourself. Take those people from the crowd and let them be more than just a "face". Let those people become your "Friends With Faces", and move on from there.

I Can Feel it, Calling in the Air Tonight...

(This post is a little different from my normal ones. It's kind of some stuff that has been on my mind. It is not edited perfectly or entirely professional, but it comes from the heart, so enjoy)

There's something to be said when you can play a show in front of a bunch of people you care dearly about, and watch their faces light up as you perform for them. Now you would think this is a standard reaction being you care for these people, so they care for you. This is not what I mean...

Playing in front of a bunch of people you don't know is undoubtedly scary. But playing in front of a bunch of people you know, is even scarier. The reasons behind this are simple:

1. You will always see these people, you know them personally.

2. They know all of your songs, or are at least are interested in seeing you.

3. When you mess up they know, when you create something new that sucks, they'll tell you.

4. You become stuck trying to impress people that may already be impressed.

This puts needless pressure on yourself. Instead of preaching to the converted, artists need to learn to perform as if everytime was their last chance to leave an impact. If I don't walk off the stage exhausted then I know I had a bad show. That is how I feel personally, you may not agree. The passion has to be there. Even on off nights, which do occur, if you give it your all, you'll get props for doing your thing.

On the flipside you know when you have a good show. There is a certain vibe to the crowd that lets you know it. You can feel it from their energy which in turn supplies you with the extra push to persevere. It's that certain applause after a good song, or that screamed out "hell yea" that lets you say to yourself, "Self, we did great tonight." Those feelings are obviously very hard to write down, but if you are reading this and you know the feeling, then subconsciously give me a thumbs up...(thanks).

One night that stuck out for me particulary, was a show Process of Fusion (my band), had a chance to play on April 30th. To be quite honest I don't know all the names of everyone who played, all I know is that the electricity in the room that night was buzzing. I want to focus on three acts that struck a chord with me in particular: Spread the Rumor, Nick DePalo, and my band (POF). (Sorry to anyone I don't mention. Everyone did their thing that night, but these gave me the wow factor).

It is not my business to go into detail, so here is the gist of it. Recently Spread the Rumor has had a few minor setbacks. They had to cancel some shows, and change the lineup around a bit, but they are coming back! I would like to consider STR to be one of the three bands that my band has grown up with. The others of course are It's Not Over and EveryNight Drive. It seems we are all destined to play the Cup together every weekend, and one day take over the world with our music etc. etc... Anyway, STR that night was different to me. Although they were short a drummer, they never seemed better. They were spot on, and I really admired their performance. I always knew what they brought to the table, and I always had "mad" love for them. But on April 30th, this time it was different. Hilary, Katie, Sabrina, and Valerie, you guys are fearless and amazing at what you do. Never stop ever! This is an order from your big loveable friend! I stood there and sang along like a champ to everything you threw our way. Thank you for putting on a lasting show.

Next, Nick DePalo, DUDE! You were the man that night. To quote Manny of END, or George of INO, or both at once "That was dope". Nick performed an acoustic set that was mostly interrupted by the chatter of his friends in which he made sure to return the dialogue. One of the things I liked most about his performance, was the intimacy of it. When he took a seat on stage, everyone gathered around him campfire style and just sat there all eyes on him. When Nick started playing everyone sang along, clapped, laughed, and had a great time. Nick did what we as muscians sometimes become afraid of doing, impressing your friends and not being so serious. He went up there and had a fun time. I remember running to Pat (bass player and singer of my band) and saying, "Dude, do you see how cool that is. Can we do an acoustic show tonight too!" Of course Pat and the rest of the band shot me down, but I'm glad it went that way anyway. Nick had the spotlight now. Nick if I could give you any advice as a friend, you need to do acoustic sessions and shows. It is a calling that not many can pursue.

Lastly, I want to talk about my bands performance, which wasn't perfect by the way. We had a couple screw ups along the way, but we did our thing. I was kind of nervous because we were playing two new songs, and one relatively new song. Only two songs from our album were being played. The second song we weren't sure of until the end, when the crowd picked it for us (very cool by the way). We were in a room filled with all of our closest band buddies, what would they think of the new songs? Would I remember my words? Could I nail my screaming parts, and not embarrass myself again? Would I mess up the keyboard part or knock it over like last time? Would Brain finally take over the world? I wasn't sure of any of these things, especially the last one.

We opened with the first new song "Moment of Clarity". I was tested in the beginning with screaming, I did it! I fumbled words here and there, but it was mostly good. The crowd gave a great response. Next was our "classic" "Mutiny". During this song is when I noticed this night was going to be one of those unforgettable nights. Because the crowd was a little smaller, maybe like thirty to forty people, it had the intimate setting. Even better, was those thirty to forty were our friends and knew the words. They sang along with us on every chorus, rap verse, bridge, you name it. I saw the video tonight, and watched my friend Manny hoist up my other friend George onto his shoulders just so he could do the rap part with me. It was awesome! Friends, family, bandmates, I love you guys, and thank you for giving me a rockstar moment. The next song was "Connections" followed by the new one "Lights in the Sky."This was the one I was nervous about. We had just finished it days before, and I was playing the keyboard. The beginning was rough as we made a few mistakes, there were some pitch problems throughout, and the ending was a bit sloppy. With all those things happening, the song still felt so right. The response after the song was positive, our friends didn't fail us. Of course we are going to work harder to perfect it, but thanks to everyone who saw it and applauded.

After all this, I guess what I'm trying to get at is, being in a band does not make you better than anyone. Whether you are the worst musician in the house, or the greatest on the planet, there is no hierarchy. We are all striving for the same goals show after show. We are all there to do our best, and put on a performance all the while doing something we love. It takes a lot of guts to get up on stage and pour your soul out in front of a group of people. I remember the huge amount of stage fright I had growing up, and to be on stage now is something I never thought would happen. Never stop reaching for your goals. Always strive to be the best whether you're the lead singer, the roadie, or the guy/girl who takes the tickets at the door. Do what you love, and never let anyone tell you that you can't. Music is: a gift, a curse, an art, a dream, a vision, a goal, a passion, and a life. You only get one of those things, so don't blow the opportunity.

Check out Nick DePalo's acoustic project "Meet Me In Montauk" at

http://www.myspace.com/mmimmusic

Check out "Spread the Rumor" at

http://www.myspace.com/spreadtherumormusic

Check out "Process of Fusion" at

http://www.myspace.com/processoffusion

Or hit us all up on Facebook!!!

POF's "Mutiny"