I had such an amazing response to the Punks On Vegetarianism & Veganism feature I posted last week! Thank you to everyone that took the time to read it, comment on it, sent me an email about it and that shared it. It has become one of the most widely read pieces on ConverstionsWithBianca.com. People from all across the globe sent me beautiful messages saying that after watching the videos of everyone’s experience and reasons for being vegetarian or vegan and reading my experience, that it inspired them to give it a go in their own life!

As readers of my blog know, I also have a huge love of hip hop, so I decided to collect videos of hip hop artists talking on vegetarianism and veganism. Also, check out Vegan Hip Hop Movement, a great source for info.

Sage Francis:

Common & Erykah Badu:

Russell Simmons:

KRS-One:

The Roots:

Chuck D:

K-OS:

Wu-Tang Clan’s Masta Killa:

DJ Qbert:

Have a day filled with loving-kindness,

I hope you’ve all been having a great weekend! This week’s Little Extras That Say A Lot is dedicated to my awesome friend Andy Mack. I first met Andy in the late 90s when my family had a skateboard store. Me, my brother and mum would make trips out to the Kwala Skateboards warehouse to pick up stock. Andy was the owner of Kwala, which is unfortunately no longer with the skate community—you can read Andy’s words on what happened in Slam Skateboarding Magazine Issue #185 – December / January 2012 – The Rise & Fall of Kwala. I honestly don’t believe that skateboarding in Australia would be what it is today without Andy. Over a decade ago I interviewed him for a zine I was doing at the time as I admired his positivity, strength, passion and determination to make things happen! From the archives:

Over a decade later, I still admire those qualities in him. Like me, Andy loves skateboarding, punk rock and art, his latest project: ¡CREEPER!, incorporates all three. He’s been making some awesome stencil art/grip tape art that features punk rockers (Joe Strummer, Duane Peters, John Lydon) and positive, inspirational, motivational slogans! Check it out:

*If you’re interested in Andy’s rad art drop me a line and I’ll put you in contact :)

Andy also did a spoken word at the Brisbane Powerhouse last year about his journey in skateboarding titled: Broken Boards, Broken Hearts And A Broken Mind – A Skateboarder’s Story. You can download the talk in two parts: Creeper #1 & Creeper #2. Thanks for the links Andrew Smith.

Dedication to Andy:

PMA all day!!

Tobi-lea is a musician originally from Western Australia now living in Tasmania. I find her story inspiring and her music honest and straight from the heart. Her story, in her own words: “I ran away from my hometown Tom Price (a small mining town in the Pilbra, Western Australia) with dreams of starting a punk band when I was 16. I ended up homeless in Perth and living in a hostel for six months and mostly survived off the kindness of strangers… I was turned away from shit loads of punk band auditions for either being too young or not having a dick – that was fun – so I did solo acoustic shows for a few years waiting to find my band.” After giving her everything to start band Aaagh Bats! only for it to dissolve, Tobi-lea found herself broken hearted and wondering what to do next? Now, relocated and reinspired she’s working on new music. “I’m inspired by assholes, I use their negative energy to write honest angry songs,” she told me.

How did you first discover music?

TOBI-LEA: I first discovered music when I was like 3. My favourite song was a Michael Jackson song called Remember The Time. It’s rather funny really, a 3 year old trying to experience extreme romantic nostalgia [laughs]. My early music experiences were all from my mum. She likes all kinds of great music. I grew up hearing Cyndi Lauper, Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath, Metallica, The Offspring, Jewel etc.

Who or what inspired you to want to become a musician?

T-L: I was inspired to become a musician by Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP (that my mum of all people told me to listen to). The truth of it all just felt so good to me and I knew I had to start writing songs. Hearing My Chemical Romance inspired me to get a punk band and I ran away from home within months of hearing their second album!

You ran away from home with dreams of starting a punk band when you were 16 and ended up homeless living in a hostel and surviving off the kindness of strangers, was punk rock a salvation for you in those challenging times? Tell me a little bit about this time in your life.

T-L: That time in my life… ahhhh it was actually the happiest I had ever been. I left home for a reason, my home life was shit, you couldn’t even call it a home. Leaving home I felt free living in a hostel on Burwick Street and continuing at school doing my TEE was the happiest I’ve ever been.

I’ve read that when you first tried to find a band you were turned away from a lot of punk band auditions in Perth for either being “too young or not having a dick” how did you deal with that disappointment?

T-L: I wanted a punk band but unfortunately no one would make a punk band with me because I was young and chick. I ended up making this kind of bratty pop-folk music which lyrically I think is all punk. I never knew many punk bands and still don’t. I wouldn’t say I find salvation from punk music—I find truth. I still don’t listen to many punk bands. I just think it’s the best medium for me to work with. I’m not one of these punk nazis. I kind of think of it like a religion; you don’t need to go to church to have the spirit in your heart. I would say rock n roll saved me definitely. I think punk rock is an attitude. Dealing with disappointment, f*ck, I knew that they thought I was talented because a few of the bands I auditioned for, who wouldn’t have me as a singer, asked if they could use my songs. I knew I was on the right track and that they were f*ckwits. I just kept looking man. When you want something you have to go for it, you can’t sit around and be a ‘sadhole’—I was having a band and nothing would stop me!

Have you ever experienced other instances of sexism within the music community?

T-L: Oh F*ck yeah! Read any Aaagh Bats! review, it spends more time talking about my ass or the fact there’s girls in the bands than talking about our actual music! It’s bullshit. Everyone knows when you’re a chick you have to be twice as good for half the recognition and that every guy is going to be calling you ‘crazy’ or a ‘slut’ behind your back because you wouldn’t sleep with them or take their shit. It’s ok though, because shitloads of the people who dissed me or said they couldn’t be in a band with me because I was a chick, later tried to write songs with me and start other bands with me after Aaagh Bats! showed to be successful.

What’s the Perth music community like?

T-L: The Perth scene has f*ck loads of good bands but unfortunately not enough people. I love Blazin Entrails and Chainsaw Hookers. They’re pretty much the only bands in Perth I would actually have a drink with after a show and chat to. There’s a lot of wanker-y in the scene but, there is in any scene. I think it has a lot going on in ways of talent, especially in song writing, unfortunately just not much attention.

You did solo acoustic shows for a few years while waiting to find a band, how do you feel you developed as a song writer in this time?

T-L: I hated doing solo acoustic shit! I fucking hated it and still do. I don’t like being alone on stage, I want a band with me, I want distortion. I did it because I needed to. I think that the way I write hasn’t changed since I was about 18, I found my feet by that time.

Do you find that there are reoccurring themes in your songs? Do you write mostly from personal experience?

T-L: I think I only write from personal experience. There are definitely a lot of reoccurring themes: usually lust and mistrust. A lot of songs deal with betrayal because I’ve been f*cked over a lot!

Until recently you finally had a band called Aaagh Bats! What significance did that band have to you? Why did it fall apart?

T-L: Why did the band fall apart? Oh shit! F*ck… I think the band was like a relationship that the rest of the band didn’t want to be in any more but didn’t have the balls to tell me, until I was away on holiday and stuff started getting serious for us. I think the band fell apart because we were all too different as people and musicians, which is strange because, that was also the best part of the band. That band was my baby, it took years of homelessness, time, money and effort and years of rejection and bullshit to even get the band off the ground. I managed the band and wrote the songs—it was everything to me. I was engaged and he cheated on me and honest to god, my band breaking up hurt more than my engagement breaking up! It broke me in a way I think I’ll always be angry about it. I tried so hard to keep things together and make us successful but the rest of the bands’ heart wasn’t in it. They weren’t in it for the long haul.

Now you’re working on your own music project Tobi-lea and the Wolves and have hired some of your favourite Perth musicians to session with you for it, how’s it going? What can you tell me about it?

T-L: I’m too scared to have a ‘real band’ again! I think I’ll always try session musos from now on. I’ve recently relocated to Tasmania to be near my grandparents and I’ve got a new band in the works. I’m using my favourite drummer Nathan Sproule from Perth (also in Chainsaw Hookers, my favourite band in Perth). He’s amazing, absolutely f*cking amazing! I much prefer session musos, they do their job and don’t give you any bullshit. No egos.

What do you do creatively when you’re not creating/playing music?

T-L: When I’m not playing music I love to draw. I’ve always drawn cartoons since I was a kid. I’ve been working on comics since I was 12. One day I’ll get off my ass and actually finish and release them. I recently started dress making, which I love, because of the long hours you can really tune out. I love drawing because you can create your own world.

What are some things that you feel really passionate about and that really matter to you?

T-L: The most important thing I think is just to have personal integrity, to have some balls to stick up for yourself and your rights. I don’t know enough people who I could say have balls or integrity; who stick up for themselves even though people might not like it or even stick up for the rights of others. Integrity is the most important thing anyone can have.

For more Tobi-Lea.

Follow your dreams!

*Photo: courtesy of Tobi’s Facebook and taken by her best friend Emily Watts!

In celebration of love, here are some thoughts on the subject from punk rockers I’ve chatted to over the years (mostly) taken from my

Conversations With Punx project.

“Maintaining a healthy self-image and really loving yourself is something that’s really important to me. People let life get to them too much and they get beaten down by it. They become cynical and jaded. It’s really important for me not to become like that. When I look back and say I want to love myself, it’s not because I’m running from my past, it’s because I’m learning to accept who I am with flaws. It is really hard to do sometimes in life if you weren’t raised that way. I wasn’t raised to speak up about anything or express anything that was upsetting. It was a quiet inner life. Feeling that my life is big and that I love it, is a big accomplishment.” Exene Cervenka, X

“Happiness is freedom. To be free in this life is very hard. You get moments of happiness. When you feel a triumph, that’s happiness and when you have the purity that’s around a little child and that mother-child unconditional love, that’s happiness.” Ari Up, The Slits

“Music symbolizes happiness. It’s not happiness inherently. When something moves you it is a simile and it says: this is what joy is like, this is what love is like and all these great things—where you’re moved to the point where you can barely contain yourself and you just want to hug yourself.” Ben Weasel, Screeching Weasel/The Riverdales

“Spirituality and love go hand in hand. It’s the same thing to me. Love is the foundation of all life. If we didn’t have that attraction and feeling, I don’t think there’d be anything.” Craig Fairbaugh, Mercy Killers

“Love god, love people, live in the moment and leave nothing behind.” Dan Jones, Ante Up/God So Loved The World

“Love. That’s something I forever and forever crave for. I am so a junkie for that. Music too. I get a natural high sometimes just hanging out, being around people and people smiling and having fun.” Efrem Schultz, Death By Stereo

“I don’t require my children to prove that they love me. I believe they do and it doesn’t really matter to the rest of the world whether they do or not. I am very motivated to do things that continue to nurture their love for me and I don’t expect anything from them—it is unconditional love. This is one example of something that doesn’t require science. It is faith and it applies to family and friends and interpersonal relationships in general. You could study it and theorize about it scientifically, but I think that is a fruitless pursuit of science because loving relationships come in such a variety that it is almost impossible to measure meaningfully.” Greg Graffin, Bad Religion

“Trust yourself. Whatever you’re doing, whatever you want to do, there comes a time when you have to ask yourself, why am I doing this? When you get to that point you have to do it for yourself, money, ambition and aspirations aside. You have to do it for the love of doing it. It’s where I am right now and I’m going to do my best.” Jason Cruz, Strung Out

“I believe that human love is a whole hell of a lot more important to spiritual development than I gave it credit for while I was living a monk-oriented lifestyle. Without human love, including romantic and erotic love – I notice that a lot of seekers tend to become obsessed with thoughts and words and ideas and become dried up a bit, wrinkled and twisted a bit.” Vic DiCara, 108

“Until you learn to love God you’re not going to be truly able to love other people. The ultimate reality is you learn to love God then you see God inside everybody else’s heart. Once you realise that we’re all coming from the same place you can truly have compassion for other people and try to help them.” Porcell, Shelter/Youth of Today

“It [love] is real important. It’s one of those things kind of like religion in a way: it fuels you when you don’t have it and it fuels you when you do have it. It’s a really cool thing. I’ve always just been built that way. I’ve always enjoyed having that connection with someone. It’s important to me as a person and the type of person that I am. I really enjoy having someone to pour all of my energies and emotion into. It’s awesome to have the respect from someone else and to have the respect in someone else.” Matt Caughthran, The Bronx

“I always wanted to have that feeling back of being a wide eyed kid looking at the trees, the sky or my mother. It sounds simple but it’s not. Part of the whole quest is to find a place within you that is comfortable and acknowledge that everything is connected. Whatever you feel that brings you closer to that place of pure love or consciousness, that’s what it’s about.” Robert Ehrenbrand, Boysetsfire

“I’m not going to get into all the hippie dippy shit but I love the animals and nature. My house – where I’ve moved from – if you walk out the door and turn right you go towards all the bars where all the bands play. Everyone jokes, “Tim always turns left towards the river. When everyone else goes out to go to shows he’s got a twelve pack of beer and is headed to the river.” [Laughs] That’s where I fall asleep.” Tim Barry, Avail

“It [love] is really important. When it’s there you can take it for granted easily but you really, really notice when it’s not there, once you’ve had love and it’s not there. When you’ve experienced something so deep and special and then the thought of it being gone kills you, I think that… it’s easier if you haven’t really felt that for somebody. For me, I have that. I’m married and I’m very happy and I couldn’t imagine not being with her. Before I met her I had no idea.” Mike Herrera, MxPx/Tumbledown

“I’m equally inspired by love and boredom and I’ve been a dramatic person all my life.” Brontez Purnell, The Younger Lovers

“Oh love is everything, it’s the motivating force. To me it means embracing fearlessness. The most important part of it, is knowing that it’s not about really being scared of what you might lose or what you’re almost on the verge of having; it’s this fearless acceptance of this is where I am and I’m really enjoying this moment or I’m not enjoying this moment but I’m here.” Lisa Kekaula, The Bellrays

Dedicated to the best person I’ve ever known:

I hope your day is filled with LOVE!

*Art: Jhonny Russell

Happy New Year lovelies! I know we’re already a week in but, I thought I’d take this moment to wish you all an AMAZING 2012! I hope everyone’s New Year has gotten off to a wonderful start, mine has.

Things in my world are starting to look brighter, better and more magical than they ever have before! There’s lots of interviews in the works with inspiring creative folk who are doing interesting and important work in the world including: Glen E Friedman, Kate Nash, Dave Catching, Ian Vanek from Japanther, the artist Sonny Kay &more! The next couple of weeks will also see in-depth interviews posted with some of my favourite people: designer Peggy Noland, Teri Gender Bender of Le Butcherettes, Drea Smith from PYYRAMIDS/He Say, She Say, photographer Harmony Nicholas… this year is going to be a big, big year!

Also, Issue #7 of my award-winning zine series Conversations With Punx is off to the printers this week too. Featuring in-depth interviews on spirituality, creativity and life with Duane Peters, Corey Parks, Lord Ezec, Russ Rankin, Brad Warner, Franklin Rhi & Ben Weasel.

Here’s some inspiration to help start your New Year right:

• Harnessing the Power of Intention for the New Year: “Intention is the starting point of every dream. It is the creative power that fulfills all of our needs, whether for money, relationships, spiritual awakening, or love. Everything that happens in the universe begins with intention.” What are your intentions for 2012?

• Want to know what the The No. 1 Habit of Highly Creative People is? Get your party of one on!

• How Do You Stay Creative? Inspiration to keep your creative juices flowing.

• Warhol Philosophies: “I think everybody should like everybody.” Inspiring prints.

• 28 steps to a positive & successful life. Tips to put you on the right track.

• Oprah and Eckhart Tolle discuss The Flowering of Human Consciousness and what it means to be present in each moment. I’ve recently starting watching this series and it’s seriously had a huge, positive effect on me. In fact, it really has blown my mind! Please watch it.

• How To Make Glitter Shoes! I was so excited to find this. Growing up my favourite shoes was a pair of silver glitter shoes my big sister owned, kind of like the ones Diana Ross wears in The Wiz! I know you can buy glittery shoes from a lot of places nowadays but being a big DIY fan and enjoying rockin’ unique pieces I prefer to make things myself. Can’t wait to try this on the weekend!

• How to Style Long Hair Short. Another inspiring post from my new favourite blog A Beautiful Mess. I’ve been thinking of cutting my hair but after finding this guide it’s inspired me to keep my hair long.

• Tips For Thrifting. As readers will know I’m a huge op shop/thrift store fan. Over half of my wardrobe consists of treasures found in unlikely places. If you’re new to thrifting you may find this little guide helpful. Expand your wardrobe without blowing your budget.

• Victorian Star Wars Portraits. Star Wars characters get classy.

• One of my favourite writer’s Paulo Coelho talks on writing. My friend Beck got me hooked on his books over a decade ago by introducing me to The Alchemist. He is one of the few authors I love where I have all his works in my library that I constantly find myself revisiting.

• Need More Culture In Your Life? Read These Books.

And lastly, I recently came across the band Indian Handcrafts that I’m really diggin’:

Dream big!! Create forever!

*Image (which is on my office wall as inspiration for 2012) source.

In the midst of all of the holiday hustle and bustle I’d just like to take a moment to breathe and to express gratitude—gratitude to my family, friends, all the wonderful readers of ConversationsWithBianca.com, all the wonderful artists and Creatives I’ve crossed paths with and chatted to this year, all the folks that have helped make this humble little site a destination for tens of thousands of unique visitors monthly!! This year CWB.com has had its best year yet! And it’s only going to get better with all of the exciting things I have in the works already for 2012! Thank you for all of the beautiful, supportive, insightful, kind, encouraging messages you have sent me this year (especially while I have been ill) and thanks for sharing your stories with me and letting me into your worlds. I feel so blessed and humbled that I know so many truly AMAZING individuals scattered all over the globe. CWB.com readers are the greatest!!!

Wishing you all the happiest of holidays!

Love & light,

I know a lot of extremely talented crafty, arty ladies and I’m a lover of beautiful, unique, make-you-stand-out things. I also love decorating my home with things that make me smile and images that evoke emotion, create mood and that make my home a little Shangri-La way from the world. I decided to put together a little list of things ( featuring such bright, beautiful items as the Wheel of Life art print by Team Kitten – pictured above) that have been rocking my world this year. While ‘having stuff’ and accumulating things isn’t very high on my priority list – I’ll choose awesome experiences any day over material possessions – I do love to surround myself with lovely quality pieces that outwardly expresses my personality and loves to the world. I love decorating myself and living space! I hope you enjoy it. Support independent businesses and artists!

 Rings by Lotus Medes

Sew-Your-Own Sugar Skull cushions by Hungry Designs (Check out my interview with HD’s Amanda Whitelaw)

 Handmade Candy Apple Red Blossom Bobbypin Set by Honey + Hive (Check out my interview with H+H’s Kaelah HoneyBee)

Earrings by Snatch N Feathers

Baby Blue Flowers with Lilac Accents Soft Cup Bra by Purrfect Pineapples (cruelty-free lingerie)

Latex Bows by Abigail Greydanus (Check out my interview with Abi)

The Sayang Purse from LoKoa (Check out my interview with LoKoa’s Brie)

Glimmer & Shimmer by Foxes Cosmetics (Check out my interview with Foxes creator Tina De La Celle)

Handmade Beauty by Diva Zappa Knit Art creations (Check out my interview with Diva)

Crystal Love Necklace by chase.dakota (Check out my interview with c.d creator Sammi)

Betsey Johnson Panther Watch

Woman with White Cross 2 Art by Heather Gabel

A is For Arsenic Taxidermia Collection necklace

Klub Kid Vintage Fanny Packs (Check out my interview with KKV’s Ramdasha)

Lady Alchemy Elektra Cuffs (Check out my interview with LA’s Erin Lee)

MYOB Rest In Peace Pyramid Earrings from Patricia Field

Velvet Pins Sweet Poncho (Check out my interview with VP co-creator Catherine Maddin)

 The Art of Carolina Echeverri (Check out my interview with Carolina)

 What treasures have been rocking your world this year?

 Wishing you all Happy Holidays! 

This year has been amazing for me in terms of discovering new (to me) music! All too often I hear people complain that there is no ‘good’ music around, that music was better back in the day, that there’s so much crap on the radio and on TV etc. etc. you get the idea. I am a big believer that great music is always being made somehow, somewhere—you just have to look for it! Actively seek it out! Don’t let radio, magazines, television, even your friends tell you what’s happening or who to listen to… experience music and artists for yourself. I decided to compile a Top 12 (one for every month of the year) list of music makers whose work has blown me away this year. And how lovely, they are ALL female! The talent and creativity of female artists that I have come across (and interviewed) this year has been incredibly inspiring and motivational to so many aspects of my life. These fierce ladies have made up the soundtrack to my year. These Creatives make me want to do better & be better!

Teri Gender Bender of Le Butcherettes

(pictured above) An interview with Teri will be posted on ConversationsWithBianca.com soon!

Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields/Lovage

An interview with Jennifer coming soon to CWB!

Drea Smith of PYYRAMIDS/He Say, She Say

Interview with Drea to be posted on CWB soon!

Noize Bunny

Check out my interview with Noize Bunny.

Brodie-Ann Wright of Felinedown

Check out my interview with Brodie-Ann.

Youka Snell of Killbot Kindergarten

Check out my interview with Youka.

CSS

Check out my interview with CSS’Luiza Sa.

Sugg Savage & Sloane Amelia of Akoko

Check out my interview with Akoko.

Tiffany Preston of Rainbow Arabia

An interview with Tiffany will be posted on CWB soon!

Miss Pussycat of Quintron & Miss Pussycat

Check out my interview with Miss Pussycat.

Catcall

Check out my interview with Catcall for Collapse Board & for CWB.

Designer Imposter

Check out my interview with Designer Imposter for Collapse Board.

Who have been your favourite music makers of 2011??

Other wonderful finds for me this year include Chantal Claret, Catherine Maddin, Carré Callaway, Isis Queen, Jelena Goluza, Kelly Riot, Sammy G, Skyler Stonestreet and V V Brown.  Plus I can’t forget Celeste Potter of Ouch My Face, one of my favourite guitarists (I saw her play last weekend and she totally ruled it!)

Create forever!

Thought for the day: There are good people out there! (Thanks David Knox for the reminder)

The world is a mess. We all know it and talk about in our private lives. It’s depressing and overwhelming at times to look at how much potential we have and yet we’re constantly bombarded by images and information that speaks to the lowest common denominator. We can do better. We can be better. I know it’s true. ~Oprah

Don’t let things or others bring you down… do better! Be better!

Gratitude & strength… PMA all day!

*Image Source.

This Little Extra That Says A Lot that I’ve decided was just too great not to share with you, was sent to me by the super-lovely Jelena Goluza from Australian hardcore band Outright who I recently interviewed (Outright’s Jelena Goluza: DIY, Confronting Sexist Behaviour & Baking Down The Walls). Attached was the little message ‘Because I know you will appreciate this as much as I did’ – I sure do! Thanks Jelena. I hope y’all appreciate this too.

Have a beautiful, thoughtful day!