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,

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!

The Week In Pictures is back, as you would have noticed I skipped a week or so as I’ve been recovering from my recent surgery. Slowly but surely getting back on track. When you get really sick it makes you stop and think about the things that are really important in life: loved ones, your health, having wonderful experiences rather than accumulating stuff, contributing positive things to the world rather than negative, being thankful for simply being alive. A big thank you to all my beautiful friends that have sent well wishes, new music to listen to, handwritten cards and letters, super fun packages that really brightened my day and kept me from feeling gloomy—I love you all so much! You make my world so much brighter!

(Pictured above) Drum roll please… da da da dum! My Golden Stapler Awards! They’re so sparkly! It was so lovely to be recognized for what I do. Unfortunately I couldn’t attend the awards at the This Is Not Art/National Young Writers’ Festival as I was too tender and sore to travel but they did ring me live from the event which was neat. They rang twice, first to tell me I’d one Best Zine Produced in Australia (as a series) for 2011 and a second time to let me know I’d won the Australian Zine Maker of the Year Award! Super thanks to Simon Gray and Format Collective for such a rad event, thanks to my Paper Cuts Collective co-founder Staples for bringing them home for me and to all that voted!

This Week: Golden Stapler Awards!; appreciating being alive in such a beautiful world; discovering amazing new music that I just know people will be soon buzzing about; meeting new truly inspiring, incredible creative people; surprise packages in the mail; and working on my health! 

My magic Interview Questions Notebook. I take this with me everywhere I go – the artwork was handpainted on by an artist from Mexico, I picked it up at a market stall a friend does called Rock City Zombie – it contains interview questions which I’ve used and which I’ve thought up throughout my years of interviewing. It’s one of my favourite things! I write everything down… maybe one day I’ll write a book ;)…you can see my skirt in the background, it’s tribal print – a favourite – I got it at an op shop; my ring is a Goddess Ring from Lotus Mendes; & my nails are done with Rimmel Green with Envy + Kit Cosmetics Move Up metallic tips! I love painting my nails.

Inspiration notebook. While I’ve been resting up I’ve had time to catch up on pasting all my favourite finds from magazines into my Inspiration notebook. I’ve had piles of clippings for months and months that I just never get around to organising. It’s so nice to have a handy reference when needing inspiration. I tend to group things in colours and shades a lot of the time. I’ve been loving black, blues and grey – which is unusual for me because it’s usually the louder and vibrant the better!

‘Unleashing my goddess’ with my Goddess Ring. I just adore this jewel! Its designer Victoria Cheatham sent it to me, she said she loved my ‘vision and passion’ for all that I do. It was such a beautiful gesture… every day when I wear it reminds me of all the positive work I’m doing here at ConversationsWithBianca.com and it reminds me of all the wonderful inspiring creative people that cross my path and come into my world every single day and that help make my site all that it is. Stay tuned for an upcoming interview with Victoria about Lotus Mendes and life as a jewelry designer soon! (FYI: in case you were wondering… I only ever write about, feature and support things I truly love… I always have and always will… I think that’s pretty evident though in how I have conducted myself throughout my 17-year-career doing what I do… just sayin’).

Another JR piece that brightens up the house. This one started life a little differently, he recently made a few changes. To see the transition check out his art blog: All Birds Must Die. I really love this pastel piece and this sketchpad piece too. Artparty all day every day!

Love = his + hers Deathset tees hanging on the line side by side! Love the palm trees in the background too, I LOVE living on the Gold Coast!

Homegrown food is the best! Look how amazing these tomatoes in my garden are! Can’t wait to make a spaghetti sauce with them… nom nom nom! Both Shawn Stern from Youth Brigade and Punk Planet magazine’s Dan Sinker have talked about the joys of homegrown tomatoes in interviews I’ve done with them.

A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose. I love nothing more than stopping to smell the roses in my garden. If the wind is blowing just right I get a rose scent throughout the house. It’s little things like this that make me so incredibly happy… no matter if I’m feeling a little blue, frustrated etc nature always makes me remember the beauty in this world.

 What’s making you happy this week?

Gratitude,

Today’s Insight:

Mexico is a very beautiful country full of traditions, gastronomy and enormous cultural diversity… without a doubt is a beautiful place to visit and learn. When I was a teenager hip hop began to come alive in Mexico, my first impression was positive…

The things that really matter to me are family, friends, my girlfriend – they are a fundamental part of my life – they are my counselors, my supporters, my critics. It make me very happy [to have] so many tokens of affection. I am very concerned that my brothers, my young cousins and my lil’ nephews get a good education, I would like them to avoid making the same mistakes I made before I realized what is truly important in life. I am very interested to make something with my music I hope it leaves messages that will serve and be heard for many generations. I would like people to continue to identify with something I did and serve them even though I no longer physically here…

Success to me is every time I have the opportunity to meet someone to share with them, to learn, to help; when I have goals, every minute of my life, every loss, every moment of sadness, every joy, each time I get to conquer a difficult challenge, every time I have not given up – even if i feel so bad – each time I noticed that one of the people I admire wins, that makes me very happy! When a person is not better today than yesterday they are lost. You should always think big positive…

~York Siddhartha (taken from my in-depth feature on worldwide underground hip hop I’m working on)

York Siddhartha is an emcee from Mexico City he is a part of the Revolt Motion Recordings familia. York’s new record “At The Gates of The Temple” drops this month.

Listen to a track featuring York alongside emcees Life Scientist, Omen Ra, Erks Orion and Kalki:

Cultivate an attitude of gratitude!

This issue is 75 pages, (currently) bound with shiny fuschia cord with a baby pink/silver star bow (this may change as I’m almost out) and has a blue cobweb paper pre-title page. It features conversations with: John Joseph from the Cro-Mags/Bloodclot; Noah Levine the author of Dharma Punx & Against the Stream; Mike Park owner of Asian Man Records; Robert Ehrenbrand from Boysetsfire (who I’m stoked are back together doing a few shows in Europe); Dr Know guitarist for Bad Brains; Louis Posen owner of Sub City/Hopeless Records; and Jonah Matranga solo artist and the man behind Onelinedrawing/Far/Gratitude/New End Original.

Here’s what it looks like:

Photography in this issue is by the following wonderful folks: Oliver Wilke (Germany) – www.oliverwilke.com; Hiro Tanaka (Japan) – www.flickr.com/photos/29615125@N03/; Kate Hiltz (US); Silvere Teutsch (France) – www.photostudio108.com; Jonah Matranga (US) – www.jonahmatranga.com

To order a copy contact me directly at: conversationswithbianca [at] gmail [dot] com. Remember they are limited edition. As of yesterday I sent out the last copies of Conversations with Punx #2/12 ‘Courage’. I only have a handful of CWP #1/12 ‘Truth’ and about 17 copies of CWP #3 ‘Love’. So make sure you get in early to avoid disappointment! :)

In other CWP news the Australian National Library (Australia’s largest reference library) recently got in contact and is purchasing the entire Conversations with Punx limited edition zine series for their collection! They ‘recognise them as an important part of contemporary culture both for their content and design’!

Also within the coming weeks copies of CWP will feature in Dharma Punx author, Noah Levine’s Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society lending library located on Melrose in Los Angeles! After working in libraries for so many years it’s such an honour that my work, along with the thoughts, ideas, words of some of my favourite punkers that have inspired me in life, as well as the art of photographer friends from around the world will be preserved in such an amazing collection for years to come. I’m super stoked, excited and proud.

Thank you for all the support, encouraging emails/correspondence, of sharing your stories with me and reaching out. Every day I feel like one of the luckiest people in the whole world!

Create Forever!

It’s almost time to retire CWP Zine One featuring: Ian MacKaye, Don Letts, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Johnny Siera, Greg Attonito and Shanti Wintergate. Thank you to everyone who ordered a copy, subscribed, came to the launch or wrote me saying they enjoy reading the site—your correspondence, feedback, encouragement, love & support is appreciated.

I thought I’d share with you some thoughtful correspondence I have received in relation to CWP Zine One:

 I got your zine yesterday and dived into it last night. You know how you stated all of those conversations happened at the right time in your life? Well this has arrived at the right time in my life when I needed such uplifting insight and positive brain food. You will help a lot of people with your words and your interviews and I’m really grateful. ~D.M

I’m similar to you I have at times found myself branching away from punk that meant so much to me growing up. Punk rock Is certainly still a big part of who I am, although amongst our exceedingly desensitized culture I found a large part of my punk fraternity were lacking interest or ability to relate or intrigue with their deeper side, making me all the more determined to go searching mine with other interests and genres. From folk to dub, dance and back again I’ve found some lack of feeling or ways for people to express their beliefs not a thing limited to the rougher genre. Music In its essence I suppose even if only subconsciously allows people to connect with deeper emotions and hopefully provokes thinking for these people like my fav punk lyricists instilled in me long ago. Tis refreshing to read these interviews from such intelligent artists I respect whom share similar views to each other and indeed myself but all have different ways of sharing or expressing how it works for them in their day to day lives. ~R.

Conversations With Punx Zine Two is almost done and will be available for order shortly. The line-up has been finalised. CWP Zine Two features:

Larry Livermore (Lookout Records, the Potatomen, the Lookouts)

Henry Rollins (Black Flag, the Rollins Band)

Dan Jones (God So Loved The World, Seraph’s Coal…)

Jason Cruz (Strung Out, Blackheart & the Pistoleros)

Porcell (Shelter, Youth of Today, Judge, Young Republicans, Violent Children)

Heidi Minx (Built On Respect, Punk Rock Domestics, Franky & Minx)

Ordering options for that particular issue will be available soon here at Conversations With Bianca. All of these conversations are some of my favourite yet! Subscriptions are available now here.

Photo: Dan Jones of God So Loved The World (one of my all-time favourite Australian hardcore punk bands) by Alex Newton.

Cover art by Jhonny Hobo for CWP Zine Two will be posted soon!

Create forever!

PS – If there are any conversations you’d like to see sooner rather than later in a upcoming issue, let me know :)

I am incredibly lucky to have some very strong, creative, forward thinking, beautiful, innovative, independent, inspiring women in my life. I decided that I wanted to help raise the Universal awareness of their awesomeness. They’re ruling their Universe one day at a time, they’re being them and they’re making a positive contribution to their communities, the world and others lives. Let me introduce the first rockin’ lady: Miss Heidi Minx!

You see so much bad stuff in the world, or so many stupid things in the press; banal things that don’t make a difference in the world except to fuel a gossip fire. I have had so many people reach out to me since starting this – offering their skills, wanting to come and work with me while I am there. People I have never met, but who have found out about the project because of people spreading the word virally. I like people stepping up, and saying, “I don’t have a lot of money, but I can build a website, or pitch a documentary movie.” It is a very amazing reminder that we are a global community, one that’s not always dictated by language or lines on a map. ~Heidi Minx, Built On Respect (book extract)

10 Reasons Why Heidi is Ruling It:

1) Built On Respect. As part of Built On Respect it’s Miss Minx goal to embrace the DIY mentality, to personally work to raise funds, and also to directly oversee their disbursement while documenting it, working side by side with different community organizations. The majority of her work has been done in India working with Tibetan communities in exile teaching them sustainable business practices, English and helping at a free art school which works to help keep Tibetan Traditional art alive. For more info check out BuiltOnRespect.com.

2) Punk Rock Domestics is Heidi getting her Martha Stewart on. On PRD she says: Feel more like a home wrecker than a home designer? Tired of 10,000 shows on the home and garden network that DON’T include decorating with spray paint, or vegan recipes? Only know the names of flowers from your tattoo artist? Then you’re in the right place. Never mind Martha Stewart, we’re here to share recipes, decorating tips, even how to make your clothing better!” Check it out for your dose of D.I.Y.

3) Franky & Minx. Heidi has ran and created her own fashion line Franky & Minx. Every lady’s dream! They have super cute handbags (as rocked by Davey Havok, he has a PVC clutch, Mei-Ling Koller has a pink one & Camilla ex-Horrorpops rocks tartan print)! And the clothes & accessories have been worn by members of Sick Of It All, Agnostic Front, H20, Madball and more!

4) Home Rockanomics is a book Heidi has recently released. I just got my copy from Amazon.com in the mail! It’s an extension of Punk rock Domestics. Filled with d.i.y projects and recipes from your favourite bands. For more info on the book click here.

5) Inked For a Cause. Heidi does a regular column for US tattoo/culture mag Inked. She chats with awesome people that do awesome things. Inked For a Cause specialises in promoting people that are inked and that help others.

6) Rumor has it that Miss Heidi is hard at work on a project about Tibetan tattoos/tattooing while on her latest visit to India. Another feather in the cap, another way to bring attention to the cause :)

7) I admire Heidi for using her success for good. She’s been interviewed countless times, wrote for various mags and appeared in magazine spreads. Despite her rising profile Heidi remains grounded and continues to go about her business as usual.

8) I think it’s wonderful that she’s a business woman. She does business without selling her soul. Heidi has a super work ethic—she’s always doing a million things at once and always ready for new opportunities that arise.

9) She sees the world while helping it. As well as working in Dharamsala, India Heidi has also contributed her time and effort working as a volunteer in Haiti. Recently I came across the book 500 Places Where You Can Make A Difference. It’s a travel while helping people, animals and the planet guide. You can serve communities while exploring them in a unique, connected way. Care for orphans in Delhi, India, teach English on the beaches of Salvador, Brazil, track dolphins in Oahu, Hawaii, help build a school in Madagascar, care for baby elephants in Sri Lanka, or teach swimming to kids in Fiji. There’s 500 ideas, surely one will resonate with you!

10) Last but not least, she has cultivated a great network and support group of friends to help her on her adventures. Heidi isn’t trying to sell something to people, she’s trying to connect with them and share information. Finally is you don’t believe me about Heidi’s awesomeness have a listen to what Heidi’s pals have to say:

My & Heidi’s pals The Bouncing Souls:

Heidi visiting Tamding in his studio to hear about his art (he’s a tattooist and musican), how he uses it to promote a Free Tibet, and how he came to live in exile:

Sick of It All Inked for a Casue:

If you know any awesome ladies doing awesome things let me know!

Meow for now,

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Dear Universe,

Just wanted to let you know how thankful I am that I get to converse and collaborate with inspiring, creative, innovative individuals every single day. I pinch myself over and over to make sure I’m not dreaming. Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to ask: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? I will be forever that inquisitive kid questioning and trying to understand the world, my place in the world and myself. Thought I’d share a mash-up of some of the punk rock wisdom and hip hop insight I’ve gained on my journey:

Art by Sodium Gum

Tim Armstrong’s greatest aspiration as an artist:

To keep playing music; that’s what we [Rancid] love, that’s what we do. I have new ideas, always new things. People always ask me ‘Is Operation Ivy gonna get back together?’ You know they’re my homies—Matt Freeman is my brother—but it’s like, ‘Nah man, I’m on to something new. I want to do new shit.’ …to live a good life and take care of myself and have my friends and family around me. I’m blessed to still have my family here. My dad and mum are still here and still been married after 50 years. My brother got back from Iraq. My other brother is one of the bookers at Gilman Street. As an artist I just want to keep doing new shit. I got some ideas, always! They never stop… I love playing music! That’s my number one thing. It’s all I have ever done.

Art by Satchoo

Del Tha Funkee Homosapien on success:

It’s achieving a goal that you set for yourself, that goal may not be money. For me, Eleventh Hour was a successful endeavour. It had a lot more to do with me and what was going on in my life than trying to sell the album for money. It wasn’t about that. It was about getting this knowledge in my head to work out everything I need to. It came out dope. On this album I was right there, concentrated and focused. I didn’t want this album to be scattered—that took a lot of work. After years of not focusing and just doing it… I’m used to just doing… after a while I figured that wasn’t enough. I felt like I had to put more effort into it. Realising that was successful to me. There was a lot of things around me that tried to stop me. I just kept going. Now I’m ready to go after more success. I’ve grown.

Art by Ktharsis

Glenn Danzig on what motivates & inspires him:

Anger [laughs] and frustration at how stupid people still are [laughs] but you know what? I read a lot of books from centuries ago and people were stupid then and then they’re still stupid now a hundred years later! They don’t learn. Only a select, I won’t say handful ’cause it’s more than that but, some people are just happy meandering through life and not having to think about anything or have any responsibility for their actions. They don’t want to know either. They just want to wander through life and get their pay check at the end of the week and that’s it. That’s fine but that shit just boogles my mind. I could never go through life like that.

Art by Juart Little

Pharoahe Monch on what it means to be an artist:

It means everything because I don’t think that you can use that term loosely in the art world period. I don’t think that everyone that calls themselves artists is that. You could be an act signed to a label but that definitely doesn’t define you as an artist to me. To me an artist is a person who is instrumental in being groundbreaking and trying to push the envelope and that are very instrumental in what they write and the music choices that they make – they can make you feel a certain way. They’re definitely not cookie cutter; they have a long shelf life.

Love you lots!
Much gratitude,

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“There is a prayer that I say every morning, it’s actually a long sequence of prayers. The one part of it that really sums up my theology goes something like—actually I know exactly what it is but I’ll take it out of the scriptural language—“Whoever you are you made this energy in me. Whatever it is that keeps my heart beating, whatever in this world is or isn’t, whatever is an illusion or whatever isn’t, we’re alive, whatever that means. While this energy is here and in me for as long as it is in me, thanks.”

~Jonah Matranga, singer-songwriter-guitarist-father- visionary-nice dude.

(excerpt from Conversations With Punx: A Spiritual Dialogue)

When Jonah told me the above, I thought it was one of the most beautiful and right on things I’ve heard anyone say. I believe that we are all energy and everything is energies and daily we come into contact with all types of energy that can affect our well being.

My pal Prue told me about ‘happy shields’ the other day. She was telling me how when you have your happy shield up you can deflect negative energy… ‘phew! phew! phew!’ that’s the sound of negative vibes deflecting off my happy shield! ha… ha.. ha! I definitely had mine up yesterday… in short it was one of those days where everything seemed to go wrong and all I heard was bad news. I put that happy shield up though and by the end of the evening I was back on track.

Waking up and giving thanks, giving gratitude, for our energy and being alive is the ultimate way to start the day.

Get those happy shields up!

PS – A great big Happy birthday must go to my dear, darling big sister Juanita de Valentino. I admire your strength, perseverance and positive outlook on life Juanita despite all the struggles you have endure. You inspire me incredibly by being you. I love you times a million and one and am thankful to have you in my Universe. Good luck with you film work this year Nita! xoxo

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If from reading the title you think this is a post about my lady lumps sorry to disappoint… however If you just groaned at reading ‘happy mid-week’ this post could be for you (ha,ha). It’s the time of the week where we’re half way from last weekend and halfway to our next weekend…

Live for the weekend, every night- Hardskin

I’ve heard many refer to this time of the week as the mid-week hump (or bump): by now some of you will be starting to feel tired (or bored) with your week and wish the working week was over, hence the importance of doing something you love for a living. My ma and pa, always told me that: If you do what you love with your days you’ll never feel you’re working a day in your life. And, when challenges arise you’ll rise to the occasion and rule it! I love my folks they’re so smart!

*Note: In the Urban Dictionary ‘mid-week hump’ is also a term for having sex on a Wednesday apparently. That’s something that could definitely work to cure the mid-week blues! He, he… ;)

Suggestions to help you reach the weekend:

Music. Listen to it! Make it! Share it! Go see it! Dance to it! No matter what my mood there’s always something in my record collection to suit. Music has never failed to cheer me up… perhaps the only constant in my life (but that’s a whole other story for another day).

When I need motivation out comes: Sick Of It All –Built To Last, Blackalicious – Blazing Arrow, Shelter – When 20 Summers Pass, Jay-Z – the Blueprint and Rancid – Indestructible, among oodles of others. What music kicks you in the butt when you need motivation? Please share, I’m always on the lookout for new tunes/artists to check out. One of my best friends in the entire world, Ant once told me that music can give us hope for a better tomorrow. My homie Efrem from Fullerton, Orange County also told me that, “I think writing songs is an attempt to be happy. It’s part of the pursuit of happiness.”

Check out what the planets are doing. After all, we are all connected—humans, animals, trees, the Sun, Moon, planets etc. My friend Vic shares some wonderful information on what the Universe is up to over at his Vedic Astrology site and his Astro-blog. You can check out what planet is ruling today! Vic did a reading for me about a year ago & seriously he was so spot on with so many things. The insight he gave me to where I’m at in my life cycle and where it’s headed helped me to better understand things in my life. I’ll be expanding on this idea more in future posts.

Practice gratitude. In my experience if you’re truly thankful for what you have you’re not worrying about the things you don’t have. It’s all a state of mindset. Did you wake up this morning? Do you have a roof over your head? Is there food in the cupboard? Clean water to drink? Are there people in your life that love you? If you answered ‘yes’ to the aforementioned let me tell ya, you’re a rich, rich person indeed, you have everything you need… all the other stuff is icing on top of the cupcake of your life. Maybe tomorrow morning when you first open your eyes ask yourself ‘what am I thankful for?’ I take the time to give gratitude for my wonderful life in the morning before I do my Morning Pages and/or meditation or at night. Why not every day think of just three things you’re thankful for. It’s not super hard and costs you nothing… give it a try!

A thought to carry into your day: Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful. ~Buddha

Do you guys do anything to help beat the mid-week hump? Please share…

A wonderful tune to inspire your day:

*(thanks Tizmond for introducing me to such an awesome band)

Up an early for the hope of a brand new day
See a homie you ain’t seen since back in the day
Fresh haircut fitted wit a fat ass fade
End of work, we chilling on a Saturday
How you felt when you first heard the Daddy Kane
Rakim, KRS hey I had that tape
Cooling out with ol’ girl on a fat ass date
Find a hundred dollar bill wow man that’s great
Get promoted at your job up to management
Plot a long time finally a plan has made it
Time I feel I wanna shout, man it’s real that way
Wanna think of things that make you feel that way
~Blackalicious

Wishing you greatness!

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