Tag Archive for 'music'

He[art].

Published on July 10, 2010 in He[art] and Music. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

I enjoy art. I enjoy creating. I enjoy creating art to give to my friends. The pieces above reside in the studio of my best friend Ant Aggs (Afro Dizzi Act/Resin Dogs/Gonzalez 3). I made the pieces when we lived together with Grover & Lua at the Teague Street Club House. I used to stay up at night writing and would listen to Ant’s beat making drift through the walls. The two pieces reflect our mutual love of music and creation–of building something.

They’re falling apart now… they’ve been well loved. Time to make something new methinks.

Sometimes we make music together:

Fly Away (Aggs/Rose) by Rosy B

This track is called Fly Away. Ant made the beat, I wrote the words/melody. We both sing. We have an albums worth of ambient electronica… hopefully one day we’ll get to share it.

Have a creative weekend!

PS: I Made This…

Published on July 7, 2010 in Music. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

To Be Or Not To Be by Los Angels (Rose/Reichelt) by Rosy B

A few years back I worked on a musical project with pal Reichelt. It started simply, he and I in a studio bouncing ideas back and forth on acoustic guitars, clear bodied electrics and acapella vocal melodies; a bunch of ideas scrawled in my notebook, too many coffees and snacks from the candy machine. We rehearsed sporadically and recorded a bunch–with the addition of Jeff Paton, drums-Scott Reid, guitars-Ant Aggs, keys–we ended up with an EPs worth of stuff, plus demos for an album. The above song is called ‘To Be Or Not To Be’. I dearly hope one day we’ll finish the album… the project/band is called Los Angels.

Singing makes me happy! Will post more jams soon…

Love,

Mi Inspiration #1 – Jhonny Hobo

Published on April 22, 2010 in Inspiration. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

In my line of work I meet a lot of creative, crazy-talented individuals on a daily basis. Once in a while someone comes along that really inspires me and whose work consistently blows me away. I often find that its the people closest to me that inspire me most. I decided that I wanted to pay tribute to these wonderful individuals with a series of posts titled ‘Mi Inspiration’… to kick things off I give you one of my all-time favourite artists, Jhonny Hobo…

What is art to you? How do you or don’t you define it personally for yourself?

I think art is a hard term to put into words, but basically most things that involve creating and expressing are art to me. I sort of think its best not to analyse these things too much. You start to think about it too much and it starts to mess with your creativity.

Is art cathartic for you?

No. I don’t really feel like I get any kind of release of pent-up emotions or anything from making art. Though I can see how creating things could be helpful in letting go or addressing issues bothering you. It’s more about just creating something that didn’t exist before rather than releasing emotions for me. I don’t really take much seriously.

What’s the feeling you get from drawing or making music?

To be honest, I don’t get any “feeling” from it myself. I mean, I really enjoy it, but I see it more as I try and think as little as possible about it, and just make what’s in my head in a sort of almost meditative state. I think it’s up to someone else viewing it to be thinking about the feeling they get from it.

How would you describe your art?

It’s always hard to describe for many reasons. For one, I do a lot of different things that come into that category. Painting, illustration, producing and performing music, sculpture, designing, photomontage. So, I’m not really sure I could describe my art. As Frank Zappa once said, “Talking about music is like dancing about architecture.” I think he’s pretty right. I don’t necessarily think art should be described or critiqued.

Is there a particular movement, period in art or artist that has greatly inspired or influenced your work?

I think Marcel Duchamp and a lot of ideas of the Dada artists really kicked me in the head and taught me alot. The rejection of any rules. Not doing what’s expected. As well as the satiric side of making fun of ‘serious’ art.

What were you like growing up?

I was a little skinny nerd. Nothing’s changed. I was totally obsessed with music and art.

Your brother is also an artist and you both have a band together, tell me about your relationship with him. What’s something important you’ve learnt from him?

Andy and I grew up discovering music and art together so obviously i can relate better to him than anyone, so he’s the perfect person for me to collaborate with. When I try to think of something I’ve learnt from him, there’s one moment in my life where one sentence changed my outlook forever.

I remember being about 8 years old and making something to eat, and turned to Andy and said “Do you think it’d be ok if I put this kind of sauce with this?” or something like that. He just smiled and said, “Dude, as long as YOU think it tastes ok, there’s no rules, do whatever you want.” Now, it probably sounds silly, but as a little kid, that blew me away. I applied that to a lot of things in my life, especially my art and music. Fuck music theory, just as long as you think it tastes ok.

Has art always been a really big part of your life?

Yes. I know alot of people are like, “Music is my life” and all that bullshit, but I really haven’t thought about much else since I was 7 or 8. Even when there’s no music playing, I find myself processing the noises from traffic, wind and birds and things as if it’s music. It’s hard to explain. But, yeah, it’s constantly on my mind.

What contemporary artists have inspired you lately? What is it about their work that you enjoy?

I find that the amazing quantity of really horrible stuff that gets made in the mainstream inspires me to do things almost more than things I like.

What’s your preferred medium of choice and why?

I don’t think I have a preferred medium. I would get really bored if I only did one all the time. But I’m most comfortable with just a lead pencil.

What are you working on right now?

I’ve been working on photomontage a lot. Two of the biggest artistic influences on my life are John Heartfield (german dada artist), and Winston Smith (who worked with Jello Biafra a lot). They were both photomontage artists. And I became obsessed recently with finding old 60′s and 70′s reference books, so I’ve been at ‘em with the exacto-knife. As well as combining them with spray paint and mixing it up.

I recently finished my 2nd solo CD and a new Hobo Obituaries EP, so have been having a break from music production. But will be back at it real soon to complete the 2nd part to the Future Champions EPs as well as a fairly orchestral-style instrumental solo disc and a collaborative EP between Californian musician Shmoe and Hobo Obituaries.


Photo by Mischa Photography

What have you found to be your greatest challenge as an artist?

Getting any kind of support is by far the hardest thing. I mean, you don’t ‘need’ it and that’s not what it’s about, but at the same time, when you get no support it’s very discouraging. Even if you aren’t out to impress people, you get the feeling of “why do I bother?” a lot…

What do you do to keep things fresh and interesting for you?

I rotate what I’m working on from drawing, to making music, to carving, to whatever, and back again. So if I get bored with one, I’ll do another for a while, and wait to be inspired to want to go back.

Who or what compels you to keep drawing?

I’m not sure. It’s always a struggle to stay inspired but I couldn’t imagine what I’d do otherwise. So I guess boredom is what compels me.

How, if at all, does living on the Gold Coast, Australia influence your work?

I really hate to say it, but if I was being honest I would have to say really negatively. There is absolutely no creative avenues here, and very little support for anyone doing anything interesting.

You’re also a musician. What is one of your first musical memories?

As a child the first two cassettes I got of my own choosing were a Paul McCartney double Greatest Hits and Big Audio Dynamite II’s The Globe cassingle. Both huge influences. I heard The Globe come on the TV just the other day and stopped to think about it, and it really has so many elements that make it the right starting point for what I do. It was mixing a traditional rock/pop band with sampling, electronics and some hip hop / techno sensibilities. Definitely an area I have dedicated myself to since.

What are your top 5 albums and why?

‘Faith No More – Angel Dust’
My forrae into alternative music was ‘the Real Thing’ LP but I remember anticipating this release and not being disappointed at all.

‘Ramones – Rocket To Russia’
The band that taught all of us “un-co losers” to play guitar.

‘Solex – Low Kick and Hard Bop’
I really appreciate DIY. And for that matter, one person who does it all is even better. Like Solex. The one woman sampling machine.

‘Ween – Pure Guava’
I could write an extremely long essay on why Ween are the best. Not the kind of band you can paraphrase here.

‘KRS One – a retrospective’
I remember taking a tab each and then everyone left to go paint trains.. I stayed behind and tripped balls on this disc alone in the dark.

The majority of your friends are artists and musicians, is there any people from that network that has really inspired you? How so?

The people who inspire me the most are the ones who do it themselves. And there’s a big difference between what I mean by doing it yourself and doing what most people do. I think too many local peeps concentrate on being “picked up” by a label or something, and what they do is to impress these people, rather than just doing it yourself, and that’s it. It’s like the “doing it yourself” part of it is a step to making it. Where I consider doing it yourself and making your own disc or whatever, you HAVE made it. You’re not making this to submit to labels and things, you’re making it and giving it to people to listen to. And that’s it.

Have you ever had a really life changing moment?

Ever since I could remember all I wanted to do was be a children’s book illustrator. But that all changed in a creepy instant. I was about 12 or 13 and on a school trip to Sydney. We were in the middle of the city and stopped for lunch. Me and 4 or so other kids broke from the group and went and got some burgers and fries. We were from a small town and were really sheltered little kids, so we had never really been exposed to homelessness before and there was a lot of people there who were in that situation. We ended up sitting down to eat and made friends with one of the hobos, Maurice. We gave him one of those old Maccas calendars with all the vouchers. He was super stoked on it. My friend Mitchell tried to
give him a bunch of money but he refused, so we hid some at the bottom of the chips we gave him. We were talking to him for a while and he was a really nice, smart dude. Then he started asking us all what we wanted to be when we grew up. We went round the group and all my friends were saying they wanted to be a doctor or lawyer and fancy things, and he was encouraging them and telling them “that’s great!” and to work hard. When it got to my turn, I told him I wanted to be a children’s book illustrator and he totally lost it. It seemed to really anger him, it was bizarre. He told me to give up and that it was a bad idea in a very serious tone. His demeanour totally changed and he wasn’t kidding. It freaked the hell out of me. I still feel really weird about it. So basically I gave up on that idea. I still secretly wish I could, but don’t tell Maurice.

You can find Jhonny at:

http://www.gcbands.com/profile/jhonnyhobo (there’s 50 different tracks to listen to!)

http://jhonnyhobo.deviantart.com/gallery/

http://www.youtube.com/user/JhonnyHobo

Who or what has been inspiring you lately?
Have a super productive day lovelies!

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Insight From MAdM [27 March 2010]

Published on March 27, 2010 in Inspiration. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

I had the pleasure of speaking with musician/artist Melissa Auf der Maur at the start of the week. The flame-haired innovative artist has launched her own multi-disciplinary production house/label. Her latest project Out Of Our Minds is made up of: record, short film & comic book. With other artists such as the inventive Devonté Hynes a.k.a Lightspeed Champion recently releasing his latest album Life’s Sweet! Nice To Meet You! with a book to coincide and my dear friend Amelia Arsenic with all her projects that run seamlessly in unison it seems more artists are working super hard to give us some awesome multifaceted art and entertainment. I hope you find some of the following Auf der Maur insights inspiring:

Listen to your dreams…

I listen to my dreams and often I let them give the guide. It’s about turning the mind off and going into the subconscious; it’s definitely the root of all that I do. When you turn your mind back on, and once the truth and the instinct of things come out, then you get the tools out fine tune it. It’s always about emptying the mind out and letting go and listening to your heart and gut and letting things roll out of you—that’s why I listen to my dreams so much; that’s where the good music stuff lies.

Music has power…

My mother used to put me to sleep in my cradle when I was two or three. She used to put me to sleep with epic Mozart, this really huge, classical, dramatic music—I very much remember that. When I reflect on the moments as I was growing up going to music school and I think about the moments that really changed my life in terms of my understanding of the power of music was in a children’s choir when I was twelve or thirteen. I had a Welsh choir teacher who was very ambitious. He got a 200 children choir to do Mozart’s Requiem with Montreal Symphony Orchestra! I have no idea how he trained us to do that but he did! I remember in the big performance of it, it was in one of those classical music venues and feeling the power of it—all the stringed instruments—I remember thinking that’s when I understood that there is nothing stronger than the power of music. I recently connected the dots of my mum putting me to sleep with classical music and of that moment.

Work out who you are & share it…

I’m just the luckiest girl in the world I can honestly say I believe that I was loved as much as anyone can be loved. I think that’s why I love to share my heart with people. I feel full of love. My parents are unbelievably supportive. If there was one lesson I’d take from them if I have a child of my own it would be: never tell the child who they are, just ask them who they are. That’s what my parents always did. When I said I loved photography and there wasn’t much money in the family my mum brought me a second-hand camera. When I said I loved music my father got me a second-hand bass. A child knows what makes them happy, that’s one of the most important things you can do for someone.

Love rules all…

If your foundation is coming from love you can do anything. My cat Isis has a song for her on the album called Isis Speaks. It’s based on this dream I had. I woke up and Isis was staring at me and I had this crazy out of body experience where I understood that Isis was teaching me the greatest lessons of eternal love!

For more on MAdM check out my feature in Rave Magazine next week!

Make today count!

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PS – I need your help guys! I’ve been working on a project and would be super appreciative is y’all could assist me by sharing your thoughts/insights on what ‘truth’ means to you? and what it means to you to be true to yourself? Much gratitude in advance :)

Hip Hop Insight #3 [16 March 2010]

Published on March 16, 2010 in Inspiration. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .


Pharrell by Guerillalove

“I’ve come to believe that nothing’s impossible if you can imagine it. There’s nothing new under the sun. When you’re moved, you’re moved, and you should seize the moment to express the feeling. It’s that moment of expression that I define as art.” ~Pharrell.

One of my fav hip hoppers and creators Skateboard P a.k.a Pharrell Williams has been flexing his creative muscles in the art world of late designing a line of chairs and candles. He has also launched an online art community ARTST Guild & Gallery. It’s billed as a “community where artists meet share work and collaborate”. I urge all of my camera wielding, music making, sculpting, writing, brush and pencil pushing, creative friends to check it out!


Artwork by Sanjai Bhana (a featured artist on ASTRT). Sanjai also has a blog crammed full of illustrative goodness. I especially like his Joey Ramone piece and Mr T tee.

For more info on ARTST Guild & Gallery check out an interview with Pharrell here.

Pharrell also recently spent some time at (one of my favourite photographers) David LaChapelle’s working on a collaboration. LaChapelle’s work is a kaleidescope of pop culture and art his images have featured some of my favourite artists: Debbie Harry, Courtney Love, Andre 3000 & Kelis (all Egyptian stylee), Chris Rock (contains nudity), Kanye West (as Jesus), Bjork, Gwen Stefani and (a naked) Moby (vs. robot)!

Thought for the day: Art is limitless (my Jhonny and his art remind me of this fact every single day).

Hope you all have a productive, creative day!

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Bibilophilia #1 [05 February 2010]

Published on February 5, 2010 in Inspiration. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Art by John.E

I LOVE books! I adore reading. I have several on the go at one time! I can’t help myself. I’ve worked in libraries for the greater part of a decade. I’m addicted to the smell of the pages, the feel of the different textured page paper (I also care about GSM! ha!), the quirky cover designs and the thrill I get from opening a package from Amazon.com and my frequent visits to Borders books. I’m currently in the midst of the following books:

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga by Deeprak Chopra (this is by far one of the best books on yoga I have ever read)

The Mastery of Music by Barry Green (this book has been blowing my mind with it’s approach to making music)

Tribes by Seth Godin (this guy is the marketing guru)

My reading wish list currently includes:

Gimme Something Better, A History of San Francisco Bay Area Punk Rock by Jack Boulware and Silke Tudor

Meat Is For Pussies by John Joseph

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith (an old classic with a new twist)

My pal Rob Fusco (Most Precious Blood) shares with us a book that’s made a difference to his world:

“I think the book Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse is extremely important. That book helped shift my paradigm. It helped me understand what spirituality means. The young Brahman in the book falls into materialistic practices. In his old age he becomes not religious, but spiritualised by his connection to the river. He works as a ferry man and that becomes his spirituality. The river becomes his religion. It’s an incredible book. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone. Even if you take nothing away from it except a good story, it’s still incredible. It’s a work of genius…

… If you’re doing something long enough, religiously enough—pun intended—then it kind of becomes your spiritual practice. It becomes your religion. It becomes what you’re about. Your heart and soul is in it and it’s what you do. Even the simplest practices become active prayers. There is a definite connection there. If you do something for long enough it’s going to smack of spirituality.” (extract from my book project)

Are there any books that have made a big difference in your life? I’m always on the look out for a new read… I read lots of different types of books so let me know what’s awesome that you’ve found so I can check it out.

RANDOM MISS B STORY: At a show one night in my hometown a young punk kid came up to me and said, “I never read anything but I read your zine from cover to cover and it made me really happy. You so get it. Thank you.” That kid’s comment made my whole night. Recalling it still makes me smile… a lot!

Get those pages turning & that mind expanding!

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How to Fight a Case of the Major Sads [27 January 2010]

Published on January 27, 2010 in Inspiration. 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .


Photo by Jaja

“Health is a holistic effect. It’s not just a matter of cutting calories or working out or meditating, but a whole range of factors that contribute to physical, mental and spiritual well-being. I teach my clients to listen to their body, thoughts, and emotions as indicators of overall health and refer them to a specialist if necessary.” ~Dan Jones (book extract)

We all feel sad from time to time, it’s a natural part of life however sometimes we feel a whole lot sadder than others and it’s in those times we need to stop and have a look at our way of life, our habits, our thought patterns. In these times it’s also good to share how you’re feeling with a close friend. Problems shared are problems halved after all :)

Depression is a very complicated and personal thing, depending on a myriad of factors including genes, environment, lifestyle, brain chemicals, psychology and personality it affects everyone differently. What may seem like a walk in the park for you could be a serious challenge for someone else. Please don’t discount others challenges as silly, trivial or childish. I know you’re only trying to help when you say ‘Don’t be silly, it’s not that hard!’ but seriously, you’re not helping.

Throughout my life I have suffered numerous strains and bouts of depression (and a little craziness… ha, ha) and one of the things that would make me mad is people telling me, ‘Get over it!’ Seriously, I wish it was as easy as that! One of my family’s doctors even went as far as to say that ‘Depression doesn’t exist, it’s just laziness’. I could have punched them when they said that (and I’m not even a violent lady!)

Also, something else that I’ve found that can happen when you’re in the depths of despair is that it can temporarily blind you to everything and start to numb you. When you’re majorly depressed sometimes it can feel that the only pain that exists is your own. You start to not care about anything or anyone; you push it all away and isolate yourself. Please promise me lovelies if you feel this way you’ll pick up the phone and call a friend (and no texting or emailing does not count… you need the human touch in these times… although if it’s all you have text and email is better than nothing). The simple act of talking to someone (you trust) can make you feel instantly better and their insight could give you a fresh perspective.

In the (US) summer of 2006, in transit to join the Resin Dogs’ Euro tour, I had breakfast in San Francisco with a good friend. We got talking about depression over pancakes and eggs. The topic came up because I noticed a gnarly scar on his forearm and asked, ‘What happened?’ (typical Bianca style to just blurt out a ‘why? what? How?’ question). He told me that when he was younger he became so numb from being depressed that he cut himself because he just wanted to feel something, anything! He shared with me intimate stories of his battles with depression—when his band called it a day, feeling trapped in a relationship with the love of his life, his daily self-loathing and frustrations with celebrity.

A thing that’s always stuck with me from that conversation is, here is this great, great man that has achieved so many things with his work, is a hero (to a lot) and brought so much joy to people’s lives yet in his own, he struggles with his happiness too. Depression doesn’t discriminate; it doesn’t care if you’re black, white, brown, male, female, whatever. You can (to others) seemingly have it together and have it all on the surface when in fact your business is as messy as everyone else’s.

If you’re been feeling blue or know someone else that’s been down let me share with you some helpful things that helped get me on track. None of the below is ‘rocket science’ and I’m sure it’s all been said before by someone somewhere but it’s nice to be reminded. My greatest wish is that you (or your pal) will get something from this and get back on track and reach the Possibility City limits.


Photo by Allison Fahmie (my homegirl from the Jersey Shore)

Get Moving! Notice I didn’t use the dreaded ‘e’ word ‘exercise!’ ha, ha… throughout my life my attitudes to working out have ebbed and flowed, changed and evolved. I usually get super into something for a while and then find myself getting bored and my enthusiasm dwindles. I was the kid at school with the note for every physical education/gym class reading ‘Please excuse Bianca from class today, she’s unwell’. My teacher would make me observe the classes and write a report on what they were doing (which I actually won school awards for! ha, ha).

So why is daily movement helpful? It is essential to keeping everything in working order; it helps relieve stress, helps your organs to function properly, and boosts your energy levels and your mood! Physical activity alters brain chemistry, the serotonin levels, which can lead to feelings of wellbeing. My disco biscuit eating buds know all about serotonin (lol!)—it contributes to a range of functions like appetite, libido, sleep & wake cycles and mood.

When choosing physical activity to engage in the best advice I can give you is: Choose something fun! If it’s fun it won’t feel like exercise. I adore walking, swimming, yoga, hula hooping (my friend Jow makes awesome hoops for her company Circle of Light), skateboarding, riding bikes, surfing, dancing and making sweet, sweet love! ;) If you’re in the New York, Chicago, Miami areas, David Barton Gyms are totally insane. The decor makes them look like art installations!

Laugh! It’s free! Free! Free! And it’s the ultimate mood lifter. I’ve often heard it called ‘the elixir of life’. I am so thankful for all of the hilarious people I have in my life. More often than not you can find me grinning like a Cheshire Cat because I’m so amused by the antics and quotes from my pals.

As a sidenote, I thought I might mention that being amusing and funny does not involve making fun of or putting down other people that just = lame and boring and says more about you than the person in your firing line. Thankfully I have no people in my life like that anymore! Anyways, laughing is a great tonic for the sads ‘cause when you’re laughing you can’t exactly be crying, or at least if you are crying they’re happy tears. Join a laughing club, rent a comedy, engage in laughter yoga (watch the vid below), watch Bill Hicks, Tim & Eric Awesome Show Great Job (I love Spaghett!) or Sealab 2020.

UK funny man John Cleese talks to the Laughter Yoga founder:

Tommy De Vito (in Goodfellas): Let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it’s me, I’m a little f*cked up maybe, but I’m funny how? I mean funny like I’m a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh; I’m here to f*ckin’ amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny? …Like funny ha,ha funny?

Smile! Lily Allen sings about it and it’s a well known fact it takes more effort to frown then it does smile. For all the sceptics out there even science says it’s good for you. When I don’t feel like smiling I still try to smile anyway. I’ve found that if I start smiling the floodgates can crack open. A friend, Aflah from Ghana does this little ritual most mornings where he looks at himself in the bathroom mirror, makes funny faces, smiles and laughs at himself. Having the courage to laugh at yourself makes you not take everything so seriously, it can help to put everything into perspective. It can be the first step towards becoming your own best friend.

“You grow up the day you have your first real laugh, at yourself.” ~Ethel Barrymore

Get your creative on! Everyone is creative; despite the common societal view of creativity being an art thing. I’ve learnt being creative isn’t necessarily all about music, art, film, writing and the like. I’ve seen my pal CJ work creatively with numbers. I’ve seen my buds Zsolt and Andrew work creatively in their business dealings. When you engage in ‘creative’ tasks I find your mind has no time to be sad because you’re having such a good time. Being creative can make you feel awake and ready for new possibilities.


Photo by Woodley Wonder Works

Other notable mentions: Music! I’ve talked a bunch about the benefits of it here and here. Using essential oils. I’m a huge advocate of aromatherapy. After trying it for myself and reaping the benefits I wholeheartedly recommend you give it a try (don’t worry I won’t tell all your punk, hardcore & hip hop friends you’re a secret hippie!) I think that the effect smell has on your mood is super underrated. Green tea, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, citrus and chamomile are known for their mood lifting properties. Positive affirmations can be helpful as can stroking your puppy or kitty friend can be. Spending time with your animals friends can help calm you and can promote happiness. Organisation! When you’re organised you feel in control, when you feel in control the world doesn’t feel as daunting and overwhelming. And last but certainly not least practice gratitude! Fight depression with gratitude, there’s no room for sadness when you’re thankful.

Much gratitude goes to the following bright lights in my world that have helped me when I’ve been down and out, feed me when I’ve had no money, housed me when I’ve had no place to go, listened to me when I talk in circles, encouraged me to keep going, to keep bettering myself, to believe in me and ultimately, to live again (man I’m crying as I type this, talk about emo! Ha!): Ant, Jhonny & Andy, Grover, Dannii, Sophia, Civi, Kieran, Prue, Miss Amy, Franklin, Z, James Thomas, Brian & Lisa I love you all beyond words. Your love, kindness, compassion and guidance mean the world to me. From my whole heart, I thank you.

*A big part of what compelled me to write this piece is the fact that I know a lot of people that suffer from depression at one point or another and it’s often a subject that people in general don’t want to talk about, discuss in the open or confront. For some, it’s apparently not cool to talk about the rough times; you just deal with it and get on with things.

Sometimes it’s simply not that easy. When I suffered my last serious bout of depression I had people tell me that they didn’t want me around because I was ‘bringing down their good time’. Those comments really hurt. It’s funny because when I’m ruling it and working on exciting projects those people are the first to brag to their pals that we’re such good friends, yet in my greatest hour of need they didn’t want anything to do with me. Please friends, be there for your friends in the tough times as well as the good times. Anyone can be there for party time! It takes real love to be there when there’s intermission.

Fight the good fight & derail the Desperation Train I’m waiting for you here in Possibility City!

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Hip Hop Insight #1 [26 January 2010]

Published on January 26, 2010 in Inspiration. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Art by Anenea Studio

?uestlove on getting his inspiration on:

Sometimes I’ll just stare at the wall! If my awards or gold plaques intimidate me I’ll just turn them around and look elsewhere [laughs]. Most of the time I’ll just sit and listen to music—my studio and record library are connected to each other—I’ll just listen to records and something may hit me then. I don’t force it. If it doesn’t come I just say, ‘Let’s go bowling!’ Then we go bowling and at the end of the night I may have something and I’ll run back to the studio. I don’t believe in creating any type of music under duress. It has to come from in here [taps chest]. Me and my manager always beg to differ, I say, ‘Well I don’t have to do this you know.’ They look at my bills and they’re like, ‘Yeah you do, yeah mother f*cker you have to do this!’ [laughs].

Thought for the day: Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. ~Lao Tzu


PS- ?uestlove extract from my next book project in process… details soon!

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Miss B’s Guide to Brisbane [25 January 2010]

Published on January 25, 2010 in Inspiration. 8 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .


*taken by my dear friend Chris Iselin

I have a lot of friends that come through Brisbane (my hometown) on tour with their band throughout the year. I get the question ‘what is there for us to do on our off day Bianca?’ a lot.

I decided to put together a little guide of my beautiful city of birth for those of you who find yourself Down Under and in my neck of the woods. It’s for those of you that may live here but may have missed something and are unaware of some of the awesomeness that is right on your door step and it’s for those that are just plan curious to explore somewhere else other than where you’re currently at.

If you have anything else noteworthy or worthwhile to add, please comment and leave a link. I find that whatever city you find yourself in it’s always nice to have some insider local knowledge. The most interesting things are usually found a little off the beaten track. I hope this is helpful!


Brisbane by Cyron

Brisbane by Burning Image All other photos by David Jackmanson

Here goes:

Brisbane we go hard, we go hard / Brisbane we go hard, we go hard / We on the lookout for the advantage, we work hard / And if we seem to rough it up a bit / We broke but we’re rich at heart / Pull ourselves up now we won’t choke / It’s our time, put the lights on us -*Santigold lyrics with a slight adjustment ‘Brisbane’ instead of the original lyric ‘Brooklyn’

Eat, drink, be merry at…

Kuan Yin Tea-House – (I think) this is pretty much one of the greatest vegan/vegetarian places in the entire Universe! Kuan Yin’s owner Michael is one of the loveliest human beings I’ve ever met. The veggie treats are prepared with the upmost care and love plus its super crazy cheap. If dumplings (boiled & fried), noodle & rice dishes, veggie calamari, tofu salad, set meals (with veggie chicken, fish, pork etc), soups, bubble tea and crazy desserts with shaved ice, and hidden jelly treats (thanks for splitting one with me Greg) are your thang this is the place for you. You can pretty much spend under $10 and walk (or roll from all your food consumption) away content and full. Tip: If you bring your own containers for take-away you get a 10% discount.

Black Star Coffee – West End’s home of fair trade single-origin coffee! Coffee is definitely an art form and the folks at Black Star have it down pat. You can even put your order in online and pick it up, no more waiting! I find that a lot of my US buddies are obsessed with Starbucks coffee, let me tell ya this is so much better, it’s a no contest—very worth your while. The staff are super friendly and smilely plus they have the most amazing iced coffee (on both regular & soy) that they make fresh on the premises and bottle to keep in the fridge… it’s a taste sensation! Black Star also has acoustic live acts play.

Happy High Herbs, West End.

Pearl Cafe – French Country is the theme, amazing breakfasts are their specialty. There food is often described as ‘cheeky classic’. The menu changes with the seasons but I can highly recommend their toasted muesli with berries and their ‘eggs your way’ with sides of mushrooms, spinach & roasted tomatoes put my tastebuds into full swing. Say ‘hi’ to their barista Miss Kelly she rules & brews a damn fine coffee. The cakes are without equal as are the Brownies and Blondies. There’s also lots of fun shops to look at nearby if you’re in the market for antiques or quirky interesting pieces check out Pearl’s neighbours such as Miss Mouse.

Cupcakes from…
The Cup Cake Parlour – cupcakes! Do I need to say more? Decadent, hand iced, made daily for your pleasure. They make incredible vegan cupcakes too! Passionfruit Power, Fluffy Bunny, Mocha Motion, Mango Frangipanni the list of treats goes on and on… so yum!

The Forest – is your place for organic vegan wholefood meals. Kick ass veggie burgers, curries, lasagne and salads.

Govinda’s & Krishna’s Cafe – Hare Krishna eats! They hold a all-you-can-eat buffet daily for lunch and in the evening for dinner. At $10 it’s a bargain. I can rarely get through my first helping! I always manage to have room for halva. On Sunday they also hold a feast with chanting and a whole lotta Krishna love.

Tibetan Kitchen – eats from the roof of the world. Specialising in Tibetan, Nepalese and Sherpa cuisine. I highly recommend the vegetarian platter! When my best friend lived around the corner from this place we ate there like every week!

El Torito – what kind of eats list would it be without a killer Mexican restaurant. The chef is from South America and totally on it when it comes to preparing traditional Mexican eats (I included this one for you Brooks, I know you love your Mexican! Actually most So-Cal dwellers do ha, ha!)

Shop & consume at…

Butterbeats – it’s the home of hard to find records & CDs. The Butterbeats crew are purveyors of the finest urban literature, collectables and clothing. For all your graff to hip-hop to trance to reggae to rock to funk needs, Butter Beats got yo’ back. They have three stores: Brisbane City, Fortitude Valley and the Gold Coast. Tip: Don’t be afraid to ask questions while in store the friendly staff are there to help, educate and facilitate!

Trash Video – Australia’a largest cult video store.Over 12,000 handpicked rare movies.

It’s Vintage Darling – owned by the lovely Holly and Emily this is a cute little store that has great vintage clothing and decor finds. It’s a treasure trove of goodness. They serve great coffee and soy chai while you browse the racks and listen to retro tunes.

Comics Etc – if you’re a comic nerd like me this place is your mecca. I always seem to find hard to get things here. These guys have helped me expand my ever-evolving Marvel comic collection. If you’re also in Brisbane at the right time of year there’s the Supernova Comic Convention (Lou you may want to plan SOIA’s next Australian tour around convention time… lol! We can go comic trawling!)


Kill the Music – Brisbane’s only punk and hardcore music specialist. The only place in Brisbane worth going for punk & hc. It’s co-owned by one of the raddest people ever Paul Voge he also plays in The Paper & The Plane and has a blog here.

Rocking Horse Records – is Queensland’s largest and oldest independent record store. They also have a rad collection of music related books and zines that I love to browse and geek out over.

Bent Books – for quality rare and 2nd-hand books. These guys stocked my fanzine years ago!

Bare Bones Barbershop – is the place for the closest shave in town. Rockers, Greasers, Punkers you’ll love this place. They have a blog.

Places to get inked…

All Star Tattoo – Get in quick All Star will be (unfortunately) closing its doors 28 February 2010. All Star’s owner Link (Bossman!) is responsible for the art work that takes up a large portion of my back, he also did one of my hip tattoos. As of 12 March 2010 my pal Link will be tattooing at Preachers & Fools in Hollywood. Link is the man, go get inked by him and tell him Bianca sent you!

Black Throne Tattoo – members of the All Star family branching off and doing their own thing. Rachi Brains and Clint Steele are the artists in residence. Rachi’s the lady responsible for my beautiful side pieces, mi familia dedication.

True Love Tattoo – my homegirl Pip works here.

Mimsy’s Trailer Trash Tattoo – this lady has laid ink in the skin of a large percentage of my friends. I’m yet to get a piece from her but I’ve seen her in action inking one of my dearest friends. She’s a dream come true for all lovers of 50′s kitsch, operating out of a trailer decked out in theme. With over 10 years experience in the industry this lady rocks it!

Westside Tattoo – has seen a roster of great artists through its doors in its time. You can check out the work of one of the Westside crew Loz here.

Music…

Joe Malone Audio – this place is a muso’s dream! Joe has some of the rockin’ custom pre amps and monitors. His creations have been used by the likes of Wolfmother and Silverchair.

Tym Guitars – is an independent guitar shop like no other in Australia. They offer the best range of vintage to affordable second hand guitars, amps and effects pedals, and ship all over the world. They make a very limited number of hand crafted custom guitars, basses, amps and effects pedals (the way they should be made – completely by hand). They also do guitar repairs, restoration and refinishing. If it’s broken or not playing like it should, they’ll fix it. Clients have included J Mascis, The Hellacopters, My Chemical Romance, Backyard Babies, The Streets, Trail of Dead, as well as local legends Magic Dirt, The Nation Blue, Butterfly Effect, Powderfinger, Grinspoon, Screamfeeder and many more.

The Drum Cartel – customers have included everyone from The Mars Volta to Unwritten Law, Bullet For My Valentine, Fishbone, Suicidal Tendencies and The Dillinger Escape Plan. If you need drum equipment and a drum tech that knows there stuff look no further.


Hobo Obituaries, 4ZZZfm car park before a live to air performance

4ZZZfm – with a motto of AGITATE, EDUCATE, ORGANISE you just have to love Brisbane’s community radio station. They are a music formatted station with no playlists! Their presenters are genuinely interested in what they play. Have a listen to the live stream and find some new (Australian) bands.

The Troubadour – is a good hole-in-the-wall venue ran by good people. The decor makes me feel like I’m sitting in my eccentric grandma’s pad. I saw one of my favourite local acts, Jackie Marshall & the Black Elles Band here live towards the end of the year.


Jackie Marshall by Pete Wild.

Ahimsa House – The Evens featuring Ian MacKaye & Amy Farina have played there, its a little d.i.y. ran operation, grassroots, good intentions.

The Zoo – live music since 1992. I’ve seen Dresden Dolls, the BellRays, Bouncing Souls, The Real McKenzies, The Herd & more.

Rhythm Collision Sound System – Feeling Ire? Wanting to lively up yourself? I love conscious roots, reggae, dub, and dancehall! Basmati & Co deliver the goods here.

The Ark – is a studio and recording community based in Brisbane. It has a colourful range of friends and contributors in the form of Musicians, Producers, Photographers, the odd net nerd and whoever is around at the time. The Ark began when a group of like minded friends decided to pool their gear to make great recordings without the pressure and time restraints of a commercial studio. They have amazing vintage instruments and there’s (pretty much) two of everything, hence the name ‘the ark’.

Tip: Check out Brisbane Street press Rave Magazine (I’ve been writing for them for 13+ years) for live gig guides, info on local music and culture. Plus there is Gossip for cheap drinks & great music on Saturday nights. Tell resident DJ Polar Bear ‘hi’ for me.

You all know I love music a whole bunch here’s a short list of some Brisbane bands that have rocked my world over the years or that continue to rock my world today.

On the…

…punk rock tip we have: The Saints, The BlackMarket, Bad Day Down, The Disables, Mouthguard, Plan Of Attack, The Quickening, Knaw, Steve Towson, Lookout Mountain…

The BlackMarket

…hc bands: Against, Just Say Go!, Wish For Wings, B.A. Baracus & more…

…hip hop-wise it’s all about: Mad Occupants, Impossible Odds, Resin Dogs, MC DNO, MC Lazy Grey, Brothers Stoney…

Mad Occupants

…then there’s the undefinables (Brisbane has a looong history of producing bands that are super diverse) : Pangaea, Felinedown, Regurgitator, Jackie Marshall, Afro Dizzi Act, Golden Sounds, Sunflower (I love these guys!), Pink Bullet, Green Thief, Laneous & the Family Yeah, Butterfingers…


Felinedown

Sunflower

If you’re in Brisbane in the first half of the year it’s festival time! Check out: Big Day Out, Splendour In The Grass, East Coast Blues & Roots, Good Vibrations, Future Music Festival, Soundwave, Woodford Folk Festival and more…

Also there’s the Big Sound Music conference in Brisbane every year. There’s three days of panels, workshops and artist showcases for local, national and international music industry peeps. The forums and workshops are usually quite interesting it’s definitely worth checking out.

Things to do…

Roller Derby with Sunstate Roller Girls – SSRG are a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to developing and promoting the sport of women’s Flat Track Roller Derby. They facilitate the development of athletic ability, sportswomanship and goodwill among league members. SSRG aspire to create a community of skaters that advances the sport of women’s Roller Derby and expands opportunities for all women to participate. They promote the empowerment of women in a safe and organised environment that fosters the health, well-being and personal growth of the ladies. They honour diversity and encourage self-expression and are committed to building a network of friendship and support. Very punk rock indeed! Bottom line is it’s all about fun!

Mana Bar – a new ‘gaming’ bar were you & your friends can get your Wii on and be Rock Star Guitar Heroes! It’s opening in February. It’s the first place of its kind in Oz.

Strike Bowling Bar – (this one’s for you Ahmir! he he) Ten Pin Bowling & Karaoke! Go get your bowl on under the neon lights while sipping your cocktails or cola.

Zen Hot Yoga – my favourite place in Brisbane for yoga. It’s the 1st FIR studio in Australia. This place transformed my life. Renae, Will and Louie’s classes are best!

Southbank Cinemas – As far as catching a flick in Brisbane these cinemas are best. They cost between $6.50 and $8.50 for a ticket depending on the day of the week. They also have a large curved floating screen in one theatre.

As in most major cities around the world we have our Museum and the Queensland Gallery of Modern Artfor your exploration, historical fix.

Bleeding Heart Gallery – use their powers for good not evil, showcasing the works of upcoming artists. At the end of last year my manfriend was featured in one of their art showcases.

Nine Lives – is a gallery space in the heart of Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. They feature local, interstate and the odd international artist – all of whom have provided an assorted array of visual pleasures. Nice space.

New Farm Park – a nice place to get away from it all. There’s a delightful rose garden, picnic tables & chairs, the Brisbane river snakes around a majority of the park. You can find all types of group meeting there: laughing clubs, meditation groups, tai chi and more. It also home to…

The Brisbane Powerhouse – a contemporary multi-arts, dining venue. There’s also a farmer’s markets there on the weekends plus travelling art exhibits and performances.

Once a year I go there to see the Gyuto monks of Tibet. They do workshops over the course of the week, chanting and the creation of a sand mandala. At the week’s end there’s a ceremony and the sand mandala is cut, scooped up and taken out to the river—it’s to remind us that everything is impermanent. I remember one year I asked one of the monks why their robes are always orange? He told me it was because back in the day orange was an unfashionable colour and the monks usually went against the grain so embraced orange.

Fortitude Valley Markets – 2nd hand and vintage clothes, locally made fashion, crystals, homewares, quirky bits & pieces. Worth a look in.

For all your skateboard/skatepark locating needs try here. If you really wanna skate some awesome secret spots email me and I’ll put you in contact with those in the know.

Lone Pine Kola Sanctuary – a favourite with my o/seas friends. This is where you get to pat koalas and have your photo taken cuddling one. There’s a wall of photos of various artists that have toured and their furry new friends.

Oh, and another link that may be of use to some, if you’re in need of a little support on the road ;).

And if you still want more of what my ‘hood has to offer another great source of information about Brisbane is Four Thousand billed as the definite cultural guide to Brisbane it doesn’t disappoint!

So, welcome to my fair city! Can’t wait for you to visit! Brizzy represent! Boom!

Wishing you safe travels & rad days my friends…

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Music Has Power [23 January 2010]

Published on January 23, 2010 in Inspiration. 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .


Art by Ben Doukakis

In my magical rock n roll adventures over the years I have witnessed music change lives, my life, my friends’ lives and the lives of total strangers.

A little story…

My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s several years ago. While western medicine has been able to help my mum to a point, during her most recent appointment her doctor told us ‘Unfortunately we’ve exhausted all the possibilities (his possibilities meaning medications) and there isn’t really anything else we can do for her so don’t worry about booking another appointment with me. I can’t really help her unless something else becomes available.’ Hearing this made me livid! I went through anger, sadness, and anger again. I decided to look for something else to help my mum. I just knew there had to be something out there to help or at least make things more comfortable, and her days brighter. I decided to seek out ‘alternative’ therapies to try to help.

I looked into colour therapy and sound therapy among a million other things. In my quest I came across a not-for-profit agency called The Institute for Music & Neurologic Function (or the IMNF). The IMNF combine music and science to promote healing and wellness. Its mission is:

… dedicated to restoring, maintaining and improving people’s physical, emotional and neurological function through the systematic use of music. The IMNF furthers its mission through treatment, research and education.

The IMNF is supported by the likes of the ever-lovely Moby, the B-52s, Beastie Boys, Coldplay and more!

Let Moby give you a heads up:

To learn more about music therapy check out Musictherapy.org or experience it first hand for yourself by taking a journey through your record (MP3 or CD) collection, noticing your moods, how you’re feeling etc. when you listen to your tunes.

A lot of importance has been put on the perception and performance of music over the years, it’s refreshing to see individuals such as Moby and the Beasties support a different aspect of music.

While my mum’s condition is still deteriorating rapidly, I’ve found music makes things better, if only temporarily. When my mum listens to her Billie Holiday or Reba McEntire CDs she grins like the biggest kid, from ear to ear. And for me, those little golden moments are priceless.

Make some noise today!

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