The Charismatic Lisa Bianco

by Alysia Stern

Lisa Bianco is a New Hyde Park native who divinely possesses a varied musical career and a wide vocal range. “Her songs are evocative and inventive.”  Not only does Lisa write her own music, she is quickly taking over as a charismatic front woman, lead vocalist, and guitarist, who has gone on to blaze a trail through out the Tri State Area.

Lisa began her unbelievable music career at a very young age. Her father played the accordion and wanted his children to experience a creative skill. He taught Lisa and her older brother Frank to play the piano. A few years later, in the third grade, she engaged in flute lessons at school. Lisa played and splendidly performed in the school’s concert band and orchestra straight through her senior year of High School.

Lisa often fantasized about becoming an illustrious rock star. Her older brother Frank played guitar and he would practice rigorously in his bedroom. For years she would listen to him bewitchingly play music by The Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin. He inspired her. But it was not until Lisa’s friend Rob Spina took some time to teach her the guitar that the reality of becoming a rock star would seize her thoughts. She quickly immersed herself in music and carried on to make this majestic dream a reality.

During college Lisa’s ambitions were growing stronger. She stated, “I began placing ads on Craigslist and in the Village Voice to find people to perform with me. I was so confident that I would book studio hours before I even had people to jam with. I would never place my female gender in any of the ads I took out, so when men would reply or call, there was always a moment of silence on the other end of the phone when they would realize a female had placed the ad for rock band members.”

Eventually, Lisa started a band named Red Jacket. But after a break up, she began to perform solo. She assertively sang in bars and restaurants in Queens. Lisa now performs with Ari Sadowitz as her bass player, Ben Nynum as her drummer, and Paul Vitolins as her “fill in” drummer. Her new CD is entitled “Momentum” and is available on ITunes. The physical CD can be purchased at the following link:  http://lisabianco.storenvy.com

Lisa exclaimed the song “Erase You” is probably her favorite song on the CD. “It is the one and only song I wrote which was derived from my own personal experience.”

Lisa recently played at SUNY Old Westbury and has been heard on the radio station WSBU in New Jersey. “Lisa Bianco and The Fury” have some future show dates emerging. These engagements can be found her on her Official Website:  www.lisabianco.com

You can see “Lisa Bianco and The Fury, Friday February 24th at Maxwell’s in Hoboken,NJ  9:45 PM

 and Friday May 4th at Webster Hall-The Studio NY 6:30 Doors Open/ 7 PM Set time

Lisa confided she would love to play at Westbury Music Fair or Madison Square Garden in New York City.  Lisa also said,” I would not mind dabbling in acting if the right opportunity presented itself.”  She dreams of traveling the world, sharing her love for music with all. She has a very awarding and unselfish heart. Lisa stated, “If I make it to the top, I have plans to help those I love with numerous avenues in their life.”

You can find Lisa at the following links:

 Facebook:  www.facebook.com/lisabiancomusic

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/lisabianco

You Tube:  www.youtube.com/bianxnyc

Singer, Actor and Undercover Agent Larry Costa

by Alysia Stern

Larry Costa is a singer, actor, author, chemist, business owner, instructor at Columbia University, a former secret agent and a fashion and beauty expert who has worked with celebrities such as Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Estee Lauder and Donald Trump. He has been featured on the hit television series, “What Not to Wear.” Not only is Larry extremely talented, he is a skillful professional of numerous trades with an incredible outlook on life. He views the world in an extremely optimistic way and is always consenting to accept the next challenge with a smile on his face.

Larry was raised in a very small, rural town in Florida named Homosassa Springs. In his later teen years, he longed for excitement, passion and more opportunity, so he relocated north to the New York Area. A few years later, in his early twenties, Larry became a secret agent. His assignment was to become a confidential informative lounge singer. He was rigorously inculcated on how to extol his voice. His job entailed singing in bars, cabarets and lounges. Not only did he perform for entertainment, but he was employed as a singer to relay code words (which were found in the lyrics of each song) to undercover officials needing top secret information. He traveled the world putting his life on the line to solve investigations and high profile crimes. One year he was asked to sing at a bar to relay a mysterious message when Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels were stolen.

During his time home, Larry is also an author. He published his first book in 2003 entitled “Massage, Mind, and Body” and his second book, “Reversing the Invisible Person Complex”, was published a few years later.

Larry loves life and rejuvenating circumstances which is why he is drawn to wanting other people to feel adored. He instructs a class at Columbia University for the “Go Ask Alice” mental health program. He has owned a few spas in NYC. His first spa was called “Life is Beautiful”. It was located in SOHO. He was on the Regis and Kathy Show for a full hour promoting Mother’s Day Makeovers the first few weeks the spa was open. Today Larry owns Spa Lab in New York City. It is a hybrid spa and lab combination which intermingles luxurious spa treatments with a highly modernized chemistry lab. Larry is a chemist. He works onsite making all his own products by hand. As we speak, Larry creates and produces a topical botox from snake venom. He is the first in the United States to execute, use, and infinitively venture forward with this product. The Spa Lab is located at 40 West 36th Street in NYC. http://spalabnyc.com/

As a man of numerous talents, Larry is also an actor. He recently completed the filming of a television series called “Facejacker” which airs in February on Channel 4 in the UK. Larry has also spent the past few months on Long Island perfecting his role as the “Devil” in the horror movie “Purification” which is set to hit theatres on February 6th. In the past he has been featured with the Oprah Network on a show called “Infidelity” and he will be seen in a documentary on Lady Gaga which will air live at the 2012 Grammy Awards.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnuqrk_http-purification-themovie-com_shortfilms

http://purification-themovie.com/

The Bill Cunningham Show is broadcast in New York on WPIX- Channel 11 at 1pm. The show recently exposed a segment with Larry, where he sang a few songs. Bill and Larry together received 35,000 emails from fans and Larry was asked to return to the show for a second performance. Larry is passionately attached to music. He has a voice which has been compared to Frank Sinatra and Harry Connick Junior. Currently Larry performs in New York City. He is collaborating with Ashley Ward from Starfish Management Group to produce an incredible, original 10 song CD.

 Larry has several astonishing up and coming performances.

 February 6th Larry will be performing at The Broadway Comedy Club.

He will be in Costa Rica for a week in February performing at 5 Star establishments

March 1st and 2cd he will be performing in “Cranky Cabaret” at The Joria Black Box Theatre

March 29th he has a solo hour and a half concert at Nightingale Lounge in NYC.

Here are lists of places you can find this amazingly talented man:

 Website: http:www.larrycosta.net

You Tube Link http://www.youtube.com/user/larrycostanyc

 larrycosta.net for email list /fans

reverbnation.com/larrycosta

Twitter @larrycostanyc

Facebook is Larry Costa

http://gothamradio.com/Evie.html (episode 16 radio interview)

I heard through the grapevine Larry Costa may be trying to produce a screen play or movie based on his own productive life. I wonder what he will do next……..

Interview with Le$

by Jason Pollak

Le$ was born in New Orleans and grew up in Houston. He started rapping at an early age and began to take it seriously as he got older. He is now part of Slim Thug’s Boss Hog Outlawz group and has currently released “Settle 4 Les Vol. II”.

Jason: When and where you born?

LES:  I was born in New Orleans, LA. 1985. Eastside.

Jason:  How did you get started rapping? Who did you look up to?

LES:  I mean, I started in school. I used to just mess around with it, but my friends were like “You’re good. Keep working at it.” So I just kept at it and started taking it seriously when I got to college. We had a couple mics set up and we would record on that.

Jason:  So in the beginning, were you more of a freestyler, or did you write?

LES:  Yea at the beginning it was just freestyling over people’s beats…it was basically like fun and games. Eventually, as you get more serious with it, you start thinking more about songs and all that. That’s when I started writing more and really thinking out my lines.

Jason:  How do you think you’ve improved your music talent over the years? You got a real nice flow and rhythm to your music.

LES:  The key to that is a lot of practice and repetition. That’s the key to being good at anything. Like basketball players shoot thousands of shots a day. When I listen to my songs, ya know, I start picking out what sounds good and what doesn’t. I begin tweaking it and I try to work on different things. You begin to see what you can and can’t do, but I always like trying new things. It’s really just trial and error.

Jason:  What’s it like coming from these music rich areas? You were born in New Orleans, grew up in Houston. How has that affected you?

LES:  It’s real inspiring to have a background like that. Especially New Orleans, there’s jazz, an indie rock scene. It’s very diverse. Houston’s the same. You got your underground hip-hop scene, rock too. Ya know, just a whole bunch of music. There’s probably more music than people think going on down here in Texas. Most importantly though, it keeps me from being one dimensional. I hear all of these sounds and I want to incorporate them into my music.

Jason:  Yea definitely. So, I also saw you were part of the legendary St. Augustine marching band.

LES:  Yessir. I played snare. I started out on symbols in the 8th grade. From there, I made my way to snare. That was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It was like boot camp. They’re, real, real strict. We worked out harder than the football team.

Jason:  Did you partake in any drumline battles?

LES:  Yea, it’s kinda like the movie, although they made it seem a little corny in the film. Ya know, Drumline with Nick Cannon. But it was really like that. It was real competitive. People don’t believe it, but there are fights and everything. It can get kinda crazy.

Jason:  Haha, yea I bet it can.

LES:  Haha, yea. I mean one time we had this big battle in the McDonald’s parking lot. We weren’t even supposed to be there. We just grabbed our equipment and went. All you could hear is a bunch of drums coming from the McDonald’s parking lot. We all got in trouble, but it was cool.

Jason:  No Petey Pablo appearances though, I hope.

LES:  Hahah, no, no. No Petey Pablo.

Jason:  Do you think playing the snare drum has helped with your rap career?

LES:  Being in a band and around music, it helps you learn a lot of different things about music. It helps you broaden your horizons. Ya know, in the studio we search through the crates for all types of music that no one has used yet. It really helps with the ear…it makes for better music. Like, sometimes people just make this loud, rambunctious music. And it’s hot for the moment, but the music that lasts has that smooth melody. So it helps with that.

Jason:  Yea, especially like in your song “Story To Tell”. It’s got a real laid back vibe to it.

LES:  Yea, you look at certain artists like a Jay-Z and Nas. Most of their music is pretty mellow. It’s hard to tell a story over something loud. Like you can’t really tell a story over a Lil John beat (laughs). Like there are records for the club, but I prefer the song’s that are meant to be listened to. It’s also easier to turn those songs into a live performance with a band. Ya know, you can see it turn into a whole show. If you just have like 808’s and synth’s, you can’t really get a band to play it. But with instruments and samples, it’s a lot easier to do that.

Jason:  Yea, and you have seen a lot of rappers lately coming up from the Southern Region, such as New Orleans and Houston.

LES:  Yea, it’s cool, cuz you see everybody doing it. It wasn’t just a magic trick. These kids are all working hard. It just shows you, you gotta work hard too and it can happen.

Jason:  Yea man. So when did you and Slim Thug come together? You’re part of the Boss Hog Outlawz correct?

LES:  Yea, what happened was, I was just out here in Houston, passing around my music and trying to get noticed. Slim Thug’s DJ actually heard of me and we did a mixtape together. After that, it caught on locally and blew up on the internet in the hip-hop community. When that happened, Slim’s brother, who runs the label, saw I was working hard and invited me to come sit down to see what we can do. From there, I started working with Slim a lot in the studio and things started moving pretty fast.

Jason:  What’s it like working with Slim Thug in the studio?

LES:  He’s a hard worker. He helped my work ethic out a lot. Like, even if we were running around all day doing errands, we still make the time to get in the studio. Even if it’s one song, that’s cool. Some nights you can do more. Sometimes I’ll finish a song and I’ll be like, aright lets keep going. I’ll be there til like 5 in the morning. It’s always good to be prepared and have a lot of work in your portfolio.

Jason:  Yea absolutely. I also saw you were talking a bit about the persona of some rappers and smoking weed. Could you shed a little more light on that?

LES:  Yea, I noticed a trend that seemed to be going around. I think “the weed rapper” has become a label that some rappers get. Like now you have Wiz and Currency. Their kind of labeled as that. It’s kind of just the world we live in. For example, Ice Cube is labeled a gangster rapper, yet some of his best songs fall in the genre of social commentary. So that’s kinda what I mean. Rappers are getting pushed into a label they might not necessarily want. Like, if your music is laid back, your automatically being labeled a weed rapper. Some dudes want that, others don’t. Plus, you also have the guys that don’t live that lifestyle, but are rapping about it, trying to make some money from it. So that also contributes to the problem. New artists like Kendrick Lamar, he’s getting labeled a concert rapper. I just think people have the need to put a label on everything. Like, it can’t just be what it is. It has to be this specific thing. Ya know, they’ll say he sounds like such and such, it’s just the world we live in like I said before.

Jason:  Yea I feel you. I’ve also noticed through listening to your music that you have taken an introspective approach to your music. You come from a similar background like most other rappers, but instead of yelling and screaming about the problems you see in life, you try to explain them and make the listener feel it.

LES:  Yea, I mean, I just try to approach my music from a human perspective. I don’t want anybody to think I’m better than them. I want you to listen, I want you to relate. I don’t want to be over anybodies head. I just want us to feel like we’re having a conversation. It’s hard to be different these days in rap, so you just have to stay true to who you are, cuz no one lives your life but you. The song, “Story to Tell”, it comes from my life, but I know it’s something other people have seen before. So basically I just draw from my experiences and hopefully we can all relate.

Jason:  Yea that’s definitely a great way to go about creating music. So, just my last question, what’s currently out there for your fans and what else can we expect?

LES:  We just dropped “Settle for Les Vol. II”. It’s doin real well right now. It’s got Chamillionaire on there, Bun B, Paul Wall. Just a whole bunch of people from Houston. Ya know, they gave me the co-sign and they just lookin out. I got a track with Mac Miller coming. We are just trying to network. People are reaching out and liking the music. I just keep pushing and working hard. We are trying to do some more videos. I got one with Paul Wall. You can just go on www.Settle4Les.com. Anything I do will be up there. I drop new stuff every week. That’s kinda the game right now. You can find me on Twitter @Settle4Les. Thanx and be good.

Be sure to check out all of his mixtape’s and albums on his website- http://www.SETTLE4LES.com

Lindenhurst Rapper Prophet

by Jason Pollak

Sean Werner, aka Prophet, is a young up and coming rapper from Lindenhurst, NY. In a time where Long Island is missing a true, original sound, Prophet hopes to be that voice. Thus far, Prophet has graced the stages of legendary clubs and venues such as BB Kings in NYC. He has also opened up for the legendary Big Daddy Kane and soon will be opening up for Too Short at the Knitting Factory early next year. 

He has been featured on a multitude of tracks and mixtapes such as “Genesis” and “Overrated Underachievers” with his group High Street. Prophet is now embarking on his solo career as well and has released his own mixtape called “The Gate Keeper”. Now, it’s Prophet’s time to drop his debut album, set to come out in the up coming weeks. As of now, you can check out his debut single  “Forest Of Lies”.

Jason: When and where were you born?

Prophet: I was born in Boca Raton, Florida. My mom grew up in Lindenhurst, NY, so we moved back here when I was five. I’ve been living here since.

Jason: Cool. What kind of music did you listen to growing up?

Prophet: I was heavily influenced by classic rock. I grew up on Back Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Guns N Roses, etc. My mom was a big influence in that, she was really into all types of music. As far as hip hop, my brother, DJ Labrat got me into that. When I was a kid he would play me 2 Pac and Biggie.

Jason: Who inspired you to begin rapping?

Prophet: I would say Eminem was the one. His first album got me into hip hop heavy. My brother is responsible for me initially getting into it, but Em was the one who made me want to do it. I remember ever since his first album in ‘99, my friends and I would emulate him when we were young.

Jason: Have you been in any rap battles yourself?

Prophet: Some, but mostly I just did like cyphers with my friends. We just did some friendly rap battles. That’s how I met Chance and Knockie from USB. They’re from Brooklyn. We began cyphering together. Sometimes we’d start cyphering at a party in a circle like you’d see in the movies. We’d just chill together and kick rhymes.

Jason: Do you practice freestyling a lot?

Prophet: That’s something my brother always gets on me for. I’m more of a writer, always have been. I respect the guys that can freestyle, takes a lot of practice.

Jason: True. So how’s it been memorizing all these lines. You’ve been performing a lot lately.

Prophet: I wind up memorizing them as I’m recording. I’m constantly practicing, so I wind up just memorizing them as I go along. Gets ingrained in your head. I do go back and change lines throughout the process. I like to think out what I’m writing. Like the single off my album, “Forest of Lies”, took a month to make. Ya know, the whole process from thought to finish. So, some songs can take that long. Some get done quicker.

Jason: Do you have a name for the album yet?

Prophet: No not yet, we’re still kicking around a couple of titles. One of the titles ended up becoming the name of the last track. It’s called “Roses on a Battlefield”. It kind of sums up what the whole album is about.

Jason: Could you tell me a little more about the album?

Prophet: Well I basically like to write about whatever is going on around me at the current time. Some of the tracks in the past have been darker, or there were some songs about relationships. This album is more about me trying to pinpoint certain emotions. The topics can be about anything from world issues to events taking place such as Occupy Wall Street. My song “Forest of Lies”, that’s about how the world is ran on greed. There’s also some records with a battle vibe. One of those records is called “Break it Down”. It’s just got an old school vibe to it. It’s pretty much me showing off my MC skills. Some crazy scratching is on there. Lots of stuff on the album. Something for everybody. Basically, anything I heard while growing up. I’m trying to take all those ideas and sounds and incorporate it into my music. It’s definitely got a more 90’s rap feel to it. But we have incorporated the newer style as well. My favorite artists were like Mobb Deep, Tupac, LL Cool J, Atmosphere, Joe Budden, Eminem. They were all big influences to me and the way my record sounds.

Jason: You’ve also begun the process of building your kind of own “at home” studio as well. Can you tell me a little about that?

Prophet: Yea, we had been recording in New York City at this place called No Mystery Studios. There are a couple of earlier records on the album that were recorded there. We thought it was smart, if we could, to invest in a small level studio at my place. We were able to pull it off, fortunately, and it’s starting to sound really good. We’re gonna finish up the rest of the album here. And most importantly, having a mic and studio equipment set up down stairs, makes it that much easier to perfect your craft. You don’t have to worry about paying $50 for an extra hour of studio time.

Jason: That’s definitely true. You’re also a part of the group High Street, correct?

Prophet: Yea, that’s how I really got started. I wrote a lot of rhymes when I was younger. I really started writing songs when I was 15. So, that was in 10th grade. My friends Chris, Rich and Gaffney; we all rapped together. We practiced at Mizzy’s house which was on High Street, so that’s how we got the name. We had a mic and would make our own mixtapes. That practice helped a lot. It’s funny cuz I still go back to that now and see how all of our voices have changed; ideas too. We’ve all gotten older and wiser. They all definitely helped out a lot with my songwriting. We still work together too. They’ll all be on the album, plus we perform at each other’s shows. So it was nothing like a break-up, we are kind of more like a label. We’re all doing our own thing, but still working together.

Jason: Who are some of your favorite artists doing it today?

Prophet: I’m very influenced by a lot of music as I said before. Me and my brother get into arguments all the time about hip hop. We are both big fans of old school hip hop. I’m also a fan some of the new school artists such as Drake and J.Cole though. Slaughterhouse is awesome. Yelawolf is really tight. I like the real artists. Guys like Yelawolf aren’t fabricated and just put out by the label. I like to listen to artists that I could feel and vibe with.

Jason: Yea, and for a while, there weren’t too many of those artists.

Prophet: Yea, I agree with you. I think in the mid 2000’s everyone was about making that club song as opposed to personifying with fans.

Jason: Yea, you can even say Eminem got caught up in that as well.

Prophet: Yea, definitely. He even realized it too. Then he came out with Recovery and that’s what the fans wanted. It was more like his older material. I think that’s what the core of hip-hop fans really wanted. There’s a lot of stuff out there, that I think is garbage, but there’s also some really great material as well.

Jason: So, I also gotta ask you about some of your performances. You recently opened up for Big Daddy Kane that must have been special.

Prophet: Oh, yea, that was an honor. That was a crazy show because that was my first major show. I had done some stuff before, but this was the biggest one. It was also at BB King’s, which is a legendary place to perform. So many talented artists have played there. I remember I saw Joe Budden performing there and I was only 20 years old when I played there. That’s pretty crazy. It also was just total support. There were about 500 people there, about a 100 from my core of fans. It’s really hard to describe being up there on stage. It’s just a great feeling. It’s like nervousness mixed with excitement. I tried shouting out Long Island and Lindenhurst as much as possible. We don’t really have a voice out here and I want to build up a credible name for the rappers from the neighborhood and Island. I would like to be that voice for us.

Jason: You get a chance to chat with Big Daddy Kane?

Prophet: Yea I did. He’s a very down to earth guy. I only gotta to talk to him for a little, took a picture with him. Basically just told him that he helped paved the way. He should be given the utmost respect. If it wasn’t for him, a lot of people wouldn’t be where they are today. All of those old school artists deserve a lot of credit for bolstering hip-hop and keeping it alive. It’s crazy for me to think where I came from. I haven’t made it by any means, but you can’t take away anything from what I have accomplished so far.

Jason: Yea true true. You also have a show coming up with Too Short, correct?

Prophet: Yea, I also just did a show December 3rd at Mulcahy’s. I did about a 45 minute opening set. I performed some of the new records. But the big show is January 27 at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, with Too Short. I’ll be going on at 9:30. Too Short is another legend from the West Coast, so that’s a big deal.

Jason: So when’s the album coming out and anything else coming from you?

Prophet: I would like to say before the New Year. I would like to have it pressed and ready to go before the Too Short concert, but we’ll see how things go. Sometimes things can take longer to complete than you thought, but I’m not too worried about it. Right now I’m still my own boss, so it’s not like there has to be a specific date for it to drop, but we’re working hard to get it out as soon as possible. Ya know, it’s a steady process. This is my first big offering, so I want to make sure it comes out the right way for my fans. You can also find me on Youtube at NYC Prophet. You can find me on Twitter @Prophet_NYC. Just search Prophet on Facebook to find me. Ya know, we’re just trying to make good records and hopefully good things come out of it.

New Cash Money- Chris Richardson

by Jason Pollak

Chris Richardson is a 27 year old musician from Virginia signed to Cash Money Records and their affiliate Young Money records. Currently, Richardson is cooking it up in Miami with the YMCMB crew, honing his sound while also creating smash records for the rest of his music family. Previously a top 5 finisher on American Idol, he is now looking to establish himself as one of today’s hottest solo artists. He just came off of tour with his good friend and collaborator, Tyga, busy pushing their hit single, “Far Away”. Already a veteran in the music business and having worked with living legends such as Timbaland, it is only a matter of time before Chris’s debut single hits the airways…with Weezy of course. Keep looking out for it!!

Jason
Hey how’s it going?
Chris
Not too bad. just getting ready to start the day. Watch some football.

Jason
Oh yea. Who’s your team?
Chris
The Bronco’s. I am pro-Tebow. (laughing)

Jason
Haha, yea. Me too.
Chris
I think he’s a winner. He’s not the most fundamental guy, but in NFL, they take their job very seriously…with the amount of money they’re being paid. He’s a very dedicated player. It’d be nice if he got a little more graceful throwing ball, but that’s not even my concern. We just need the whole team behind him. It’s cool to have that dynamic. Who’s your team?

Jason
I’m from New York, so Giants, Mets.
Chris
Oh yea I like the Mets, my buddy actually plays for the Mets, David Wright. We went to the same school together. I also am good friends with the Uptons (Justin & B.J.). Mike Cuddyer too, he’s on the Twins. We all sorta grew up together, going to the gym. I’ve played sports my whole life. I was kind of one of those, jack-of-all trades guy. I played short stop and third base. I had a knack for short stop. I also played football and basketball. I wound up playing some D-III football. I was going to go to either the University of Virginia or Virginia Tech, but my grades weren’t high enough. They wanted a 4.1 and I had a 3.8. So they were gonna scout me and I was going to transfer to one of those schools my sophomore year.

Jason
What happened after that?
Chris
Well after my first year I came back home and began working in Hooters. Little did I know I would be working there for the next four years (laughs). But anyway, I was performing at this talent show and Teddy Riley picked me up. He’s produced songs for Michael Jackson, Blackstreet. I was with him for about a year and then I ended up working with a different producer when Riley moved to LA. Through my new producer, I met Timbaland and began working for him.

Jason
What was it like working with Timbaland? Around what time was this?
Chris
It was great. I actually didn’t know, but Timbaland’s home was basically right around the corner from me (laughs), so that was cool. It was around the time that Justin Timberlake was working on his FutureSex/LoveSounds album and Nelly Furtado was working on her Promiscuous girl material. I was pretty much trying to get signed as a producer/songwriter/artist…basically, sign me as anything (laughing), I didn’t care. That’s also how you kind of make it in the music business. You have to be pretty diverse.

Jason
Yea, that’s true. So where did it go from there?
Chris
Yea, so while that was going on, I had decided I wanted to try out for American Idol again, this was my third time. I had tried out twice before, but didn’t make. I’m a third time’s a charm type of guy, so I felt I had to go do it. However, pretty much at the same time, Timbaland asked me if I wanted to be on his Shock Value album, which was a huge deal. I was a huge fan of his (laughs). So I went up to New York and actually wound up making the cut for Hollywood on Idol. When I came back home and told Timbaland, he basically told me I had a decision to make. He was moving from Virginia back to Miami where he lived and I had the choice of either flying down to Miami or going to Hollywood. I already had a record with Timbaland, he just had to finish it up. He wanted me to join his group and push me as an artist. Ultimately I made the decision to go on American Idol and go that route. He already had Ryan Tetter from One Republic and Keri Hilson. That was before Keri came out. Timbaland was still looking for a way to release her.

Jason
That’s awesome. I remember when she was blowing up and that song with her and Wayne where he goes– “Miss Keri Babyy”.
Chris
Haha, yea that was a great song. Once she finally came out, she really defined her own style. They were worried she had too similar of a sound to Beyonce. I remember talking with her about all of that before she came out and when she finally did I was like, “See you’re nothing like Beyonce at all. You have your own unique style.” And yea, that song with Wayne, it just shows you the crazy power he has. Almost everyone on YMCMB has a track with Wayne as sort of a validation. Sometimes he jumps on so he can push his new artist. They have their own methods and the Wayne method has seems to work pretty well. He’s crazy.

Jason
Yea it definitely has. So back to American Idol for a second. What was the whole American Idol experience like?
Chris
It was really great. They give you the opportunity to become a star, but it’s all about what you make of it. That’s why you see so many of these Idol star’s, kind of stalling in their careers. You still have to work very hard in order to build success after the show. The show is basically a great platform. They show you what life is like as a celebrity and musician. It’s just a taste. You know, we do the concert shows once the season ends and they are all sold out. We did sixty something shows and every single show is sold out. It’s crazy.

Jason
It seems like a great learning experience.
Chris
Yea, but the fame can go away as quickly as it comes. You know, one day I walk outside and I can’t move. There are girls and fans everywhere. Then, once it’s over, so is that. The four years in between doing Idol and being signed to Cash Money was kind of weird because you go from being so popular, back to being a nobody sorta. It’s kind of a reality check. It made me question whether or not I’d ever make it. Like after all of that and still no record deal. But I just kept working extremely hard, performing every chance I got- I don’t think there’s a single place in VA that I haven’t performed in- and I eventually got what I had been working so hard for. And the fame isn’t necessarily what I wanted. I wanted an everlasting career. The show isn’t meant for that. It’s a seasonal thing. If you don’t work hard to maintain your music career after the show, it’ll never happen.

Jason So now you’re signed to Cash Money. You guys are pretty much directly affiliated with Young Money, correct?
Chris
Yea, like when people ask who I’m signed to, I say YMCMB. It’s basically the same thing. It’s just like, you rep the squad. Only difference is that Slim and Baby sign artists to Cash Money and Lil Wayne handles the signing of his artists to Young Money. It’s really great to be signed to a label like this. On the Cash Money side there’s myself, Kevin Rudolph, Jay Sean and a few other artists, but we’re all like a family. I don’t think I see too many labels travel around together the way they do. Ya know, there’s a family camaraderie. Things are a bit different with us because we are a more in house record label. We roll through award shows together, do shows and events together. We just held the turkey give-a-way in New Orleans. It’s almost like a high school clique. It’s great to have the whole crew there, supporting you at all these events as opposed to just your inner circle or publicist. It can get boring that way. There is an age difference amongst some of us, but as long as we keep that medium of making great music together, age doesn’t really get in the way.

Jason
What was it like before you signed to Cash Money and were looking for a label?
Chris
It was a bit difficult because labels wanted to sign me to a production deal where I would just do songs for other artists. They wanted to buy the music I had made for other artists and all the catalogs I had organized and kept together. I had been writing so much I had like a catalog for Rihanna, a catalog for Justin, a folder for Wayne. And that just isn’t what I wanted. I wanted someone to push my own music too. So I went back to Virginia for a little while and I signed to a manager who didn’t have my best interests in mind. Then I met my current manager Josh Berkman. We were just out one night and I played him some music. He liked it and he invited me down to Miami where everyone else was. I chilled there for 6 months, just getting to know everybody.

Jason
So how do you go about making music? What are some of your methods?
Chris
I like to stay late. Sometimes till after Wayne even leaves. My whole theory was that if I consume myself with just music, I will make the best music. So I usually get into the studio around 7 AM, and leave at 8 o’clock the next morning. After I make my first album or two, I’ll take a break then. I make it an effort because you see all of these other people that are successful using these methods. It’s a little different for me because they do rap, I’m in different genre of music. I’m in there cutting 30 sets of vocals while they cut 4 records in that amount of time. I’m only recording two lines at a time and stacking harmonies on top of it. (laughs) It’s a longer process. Also, with my music, I want to do it in different ways. I want to kinda be all out there. You know, instead of getting your typical guest feature, I want to get Flee from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to play bass.

Jason
Yea that’s funny because I was thinking the same thing the other day. It’d be great to feature Anthony Kiedis or someone like Slash on a record.
Chris
Man, haha, that’s weird stuff. Yea, I completely agree because the way I am looking at it, music now and just in general, everyone is always featured on everyone else’s records.
Jason
Right, and it’s almost become a universal sound, where everyone can collaborate together.
Chris
Yea, exactly. The consensus is you team up with other great talents in the music industry and everyone does songs together. You know, I see it all the time. All the big people from Cash Money, all the big artists from other labels out there- their always teaming up, well, because they make money.

Jason
You guys also recently signed Busta Rhymes as well.
Chris
Yea, I knew about Busta. He is always in the studio working heavy with us. He’s always around talking to us and Baby.

Jason
So, I gotta ask, what’s it like working with Wayne in the studio?
Chris
With Wayne, it’s really just an inspiration to witness him and how he works. There are also some similarities between himself and myself, which is cool. It might be an age thing, but I don’t know, I feel like I’ve become wiser over the last two years. Wayne and I think in the realm of being persistent and consuming yourself in it. You make the most out of it and when you’re finished, make sure you have enough to take care of yourself. But plain and simple, he’s just a humbling person. He’s just a great person to be around. It’s the same with everyone that is there all the time. Baby’s always there, Slim’s always there. We have certain in-house producers that are always there such as Detail. We’re keeping it family, so that’s cool to me because you can always just call them right up. There’s almost no need to go searching when you have such a team environment around. It’s just a different way of doing it. It’s unorthodox the way they do it sometimes and I think the Young Money Cash Money fans really like that. There’s a good vibe here. I definitely wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Jason
So what is Slim like? You really never hear too much about him.
Chris
Yea, well both Birdman and Slim are really intelligent people. Ya know Baby tells me everyday (imitates Baby’s voice), “You’re gonna be a star Chris. You’re gonna be a star”. (laughing) So that’s always good to hear. You don’t see Slim too much because he is mostly behind the scenes. Slim’s a mastermind, ya know. He’s the guy that analyzes everything and is making sure everything is put together and going out. He’s the one that fills the voids and picks the records. He picked “Lollipop” because no one at Universal liked it. That’s how Slim bases his choices. If they don’t like it at Universal, that’s the record he picks. If they do like it, he goes back and picks another that they didn’t. A lot of the records you hear on the radio came about that way. (laughing) He’s crazy. He’s also always reading books. He’s very smart. Slim’s basically a mastermind of strategy. He applies that to building this mega-mogul company. And behind the scenes, is kinda more of his thing, but he’s there every night at the studio. I’ll be working upstairs and he’ll be downstairs working with everyone.

Jason
What about the rest of the Young Money crew? How is it working with them?
Chris
It’s great because I can just bounce around from studio to studio seeing if anyone wants to catch a vibe. Like I’ll help them out if they need a hook or some production work done for their mixtape. It’s really all about building an opportunity. I think that was the point of me kind of being this freelance writer/musician within the camp. I think I have gained a lot of respect amongst them without really having a smash #1 single out at the moment. It also shows that I have the ability to work on any genre of music, while my own album. I’m really trying to shake the whole American Idol thing and have people appreciate me for my own music. And now that I’m signed, when it happens, it happens.

Jason
Has there been anybody in particular you have gravitated towards more?
Chris
Yea, me and Tyga got pretty close. We have the single out called “Far Away”. I got to perform that with him when he was opening for Chris Brown on the Fame Tour. We did about 20 shows in arenas and fairs, all sold out. I’m a bit used to the whole arena concert scene mostly because I had the experience of American Idol and those sixty shows under my belt. Like when we walked into the Staples center it was reminiscent of Idol and everything. It was pretty cool, so I wasn’t too overwhelmed by it, but it still was a terrific experience. There was a different dynamic about it. Instead of singing cover songs, I’m singing my own songs. That’s something the show doesn’t allow you to do too much, so that was really great.

Jason
How did that song come about with Tyga?
Chris
It’s the first song off his album “Careless World”. It came together in a cool way. His producer was in LA and he was like we should work together. And Tyga, not only is he a great rapper, but he’s great song writer and musician. I feel inside every rapper, they want to be a singer. He’s even admitted it (laughing). But he’s written a lot of songs for artists that sing. He puts together the melody, words and everything. So basically his manager said he had a record for me. It was a rough record, kind of unfinished. I really liked it though and I took it back to my condo and laid down the hook. Wayne initially didn’t want it to be the single. He wanted more of a street sounding type of song, but Tyga didn’t come with one, so we went with this and it’s done really well. They pushed it to more rhythmic and urban radio before they pushed it to more of the pop sorta radios. So they were a little confused as to how to push it at first, because it wasn’t as hardcore as the other songs they play. But it did great. That’s also part of being an artist. You can’t just make songs and be like, “Okay, now tell me what to do.” You have to pay attention to the radio charts and how to promote yourself as an artist as well.

Jason
What do you think is important to building a long, successful career?
Chris
I think being established. If you look at the success’ from the label, they all have a strong foundation. Nicki, Drake, they built that bottom layer to further build off of. If an artist is established, the label will make more money. You will get more endorsement’s and more feature’s. That’s definitely one of the things they have figured out here. They let their artists grow and develop. Like I said before, it’s a unique label. It is almost like freelance music making. You show up and kind of do whatever your feeling. The studio is your office. Through that, you get stronger and make songs that will eventually carry your career. And here at Cash Money, you know, they just got that edge. They’re hustlers. They grind like no other and their almost billionaire’s by now. It’s still the same, hasn’t changed.

Jason
How do you think you have matured over the last couple years?
Chris
Well I’ve been working my ass off to get into this business. It has become more of a goal now than it was when I was younger. You see all the glamour and fame that come along with it. Now that I’m older, I see it’s more about the business. Now it’s like- How do I maintain this and build a career so I can take care of my family. When you’re younger, it’s like, “Lets go party!” (laughs) Now my mindset is different. I have my hands in a lot of baskets. I want to make my own label, production company, I have my own publishing company. I want to make hats and clothes.

Jason
Do you have a name yet for your clothing line?
Chris
Yea it’s called Stateline. My publishing company has the same name. We started with hats. We do snapbacks, trucker hats, fedoras, fitteds. We have some of that have a militant vibe. A lot of them are in prototype stages. We are going to try to get into the extreme sports scene. Pretty much anything X-Games oriented. Being from VA, I have always been riding bikes around and stuff like that. We want to spread it out to any demographic that pretty much wears hats. Once I get established, I can begin to ask my friends in other business’s to help rep the line.

Jason
Yea, maybe you should call up David Wright, have him throw a hat on during a press conference.
Chris
(laughing) Yea I know right, but he’s the type of person that would do it. He’s a really nice guy. A lot of people from VA have a good upbringing and are genuine, humble people. And it’s funny because a lot of people from Cash Money remind me of people from VA. They’re from the South too. When I met them, I was like, this is a done deal. They were very similar to my friends and family back home.

Jason
So that brings us to my last question. What’s coming in the future? Can you tell me a little bit more about your album and any other projects?
Chris
Yea, well he had the debut single for my album about seven times now (laughs). We have the song and we’re like, “This is it!” Then it isn’t (laughing) and I’ll do another record and their like, “That’s the one!” Haha, so it’s pretty much been like that, but I’m completely okay with that. I’ll make a whole album worth of singles (laughing). These days you can make a lot of money from singles. I think Drake is a pretty big reason for that. We all remember “Best I Ever Had” and his numerous other singles. He was already making good money and establishing himself way before “Thank Me Later” even came out. But we’re really looking for that one track for Wayne to jump on. When we finally got it, that’ll be it. That’ll be the one. But you know, I’m happy doing what I’m doing now. Like I said before, there’s a method, and it works. I’ve seen how successful Nikki and Drake have become and it’s awesome watching their careers develop. Wayne basically took them in and taught them the whole music business. He really molded them. Anyone that says they would have had this success at other labels…just really isn’t right. They would have had their success, but Wayne gave them that foundation. What they didn’t know about the music business, he was basically like, “Here ya go,” and it’s been really inspirational to watch them take off like they have. I can’t wait to drop my own single and album. I am extremely happy to have found Cash Money. They’re the only label that wanted to push me as an artist and thought I was a different. Ya know, there are millions of white dudes that can sing, it’s now my job to add my own twist. So, as I mentioned before, I want to add unique features and create a nice vibe on my album. We already have Travie McCoy, I would like to get Tyga, I would love Flee. Slash would be awesome. I am actually friends with Slash through Ellen DeGeneres. I met Ellen through Idol and we became friends, so she invites me to her birthday party every year. That’s where I met Slash and that’s how you make those weird connections. It’s through these random events and people you know. So that’d be great if I can get some of them. I also like searching through the vast amount of talent in the industry. There are tons of producers that out there, that are really good, it doesn’t always have to be a big name. But yea, that’s pretty much it and I guess keep your ears peeled for my debut single and album!

Introducing Singer/Songwriter VINCENT POAG

by Mick Du Russel

Sometimes in life, a man has dreams that often get’s put on the back burner as education and a career demand full attention. For most, these dreams remain just what they are…dreams. For others, it comes to life down the road when the time is right. Vincent Poag is that person. A singer/songwriter, he has just put out his first CD aptly named “Circling Back” and his love of music shines through on this brilliant debut CD. Crafty lyrics, flowing melodic music and a voice that sounds very Dylanesque with a hint of Tom Waits, this is a CD that deserves more than just one listen to. I spoke to Vincent recently as his CD is starting to create a stir in the music industry….

MICK: You are originally from Long Island Vincent?
VINCENT: Yes, I grew up in Massapequa. I lived there until I went to college and now I’ve been living in Manhattan for quite a long time now. My whole family was from Long Island. I only have fond memories! I love Long Island! My father and his brothers had a hardware store in town and I kind of grew up in that store.

MICK: Does your family still live out here?
VINCENT: I do have some family that still lives on the Island but now we are kind of spread out. I come from a pretty large family. I still go out there quite a bit. On a beautiful day, it’s a beautiful as anywhere in the world!

MICK: When did you write your first song?
VINCENT: A long time ago! I’m a 60 year old guy now! I started as a teenager writing songs.

MICK: After starting out as a musician, you left that behind to enter the business world. What type of career did you go into?
VINCENT: I always considered myself a pretty good song writer and that’s the part of the music that I loved and had the most talent in. But I wasn’t the most proficient musician so I couldn’t really make a living as a studio musician or playing dates as a musician. So growing up in a business where my family always worked for themselves, eventually I knew I would just work for myself. I went into commercial real estate. I got tired of starving and used my creativity in a different way. It’s worked out real well for me. But there was this part that I left behind musically. Once you move into the business side, it becomes harder to have that freedom to create as an artist.

MICK: While you were in that career, did you play or write at all?
VINCENT: I kept involved to a certain degree but kept it limited to family functions and things of that nature. I did write songs along the way. I’ve always loved music and all kinds of artists. I’ve always continued to appreciate the music. I felt that I left a piece of me behind and that it was something I should have continued.

MICK: In 2008, you did get back into music again. How did that come about?
VINCENT: My wife was insightful enough to get me guitar lessons with a local rocker by the name of Aric Carroll (who also records under the name Slim Francis). One thing led to another and I felt that I should start recording a lot of the songs that I’ve written or they were going to go with me! Aric set up a home studio and I recorded 15-20 songs over a couple of days. He suggested I bring in some musicians and this started to really percolate my creative juices in terms of what I could do with these songs. I’ve always been the kind of person that can’t do things halfway. I have to give it my all or it’s not worth doing. So musicians were brought in and I decided to see how much further I could take this. I eventually hooked up with arranger by the name of Cathy Sommer, who is a conductor and we started to explore all kinds of orchestrations.

MICK: How did you hook up with Cathy?
VINCENT: My wife had a friend who had been involved with Broadway and had worked with her. I got her name and hooked up with her. It ended up being a very wonderful collaboration. She took me to places that I never thought I would go. For me to explore full orchestrations and make decisions around all kinds of instrumentation was wonderful. I’m really glad I had that opportunity and I’m very proud of the end result. The Christmas song is being played now. It’s one of my favorites on the CD. It’s a contemporary Christmas song and I think it has a poignant message. I hoping more people will listen to it! “The Stress Song” is another song that’s a fun song. The song was actually written by Phil Stubbs from the Bahamas. He’s a guy who has devoted his whole life to music. He has an incredible body of music. I happened to hear this song ten years ago out on Long Island being played by a Caribbean group. This was way before I ever planned to record a CD. I rewrote the song for one of my birthday parties, played it and had fun with it. It’s one of my favorite songs so when I wanted to make my CD, I went down to the Bahamas to meet Phil and get permission to use the song with my changes to the lyrics. We ended up becoming very close friends. He’s very famous down there and he’s handcuffed by the limitations of the Bahamas. I kept his basic chorus but I changed the verses and the music to some degree. It’s a fun song with a great message. The song got up to number 5 on the FM QB charts so I’m very pleased!

MICK: What inspires you?
VINCENT: I love being able to create a song from scratch. It comes painfully! Sometimes it just flows but other times it comes hard with the right words and the right music. But when you finish and you listen, it is so all inspiring! It’s very hard to land sometimes particularly with the different arrangements but when you do, when you finish a song and you feel good about it, it inspires me and I hope it does other people as well.

MICK: Does it typically take you long to write a song?
VINCENT: It varies. Sometimes it’s easier than others. At this stage in my life, I’m involved with so many things. I run a business and that takes up a lot of my time. Just being able to devote myself to the songs and focus is sometimes difficult. But I’ve learned to be patient. I’ve learned to trust myself and I don’t settle. Unless I’m happy with it, I just keep going. I can’t do things halfway and I won’t release anything until it’s to my liking and my satisfaction. I consider myself a songwriter and a singer by default because at this stage in the game, if I didn’t sing my own songs, they weren’t going to get done. I’m glad that I did finish the first album and I’m working on the second one now. I have a lot of great new songs that I’m very excited with!

We are very excited too!
To find more on Vincent, please go to: http://vincentpoag.com/
Vincent Poag – Circling Back
Buy the CD at CDBaby.com
Buy MP3′s on iTunes!

The Nico Blues Heat Up The Vibe Lounge

by Nicole DiGiose

The Nico Blues, an alternative rock band from New Jersey, heated up the Vibe Lounge in Rockville Centre Friday night. They pulled in a crowd of a variety of ages.

The band is made up of Eric Goldberg and Evan Campbell, both vocalists, guitarists, and bassists, Reed Adler, guitarist and bassist, Skylar Adler, drummer and recording engineer, and Dan Goldberg, guitarist. The guys rotate instruments depending on which song they play. The band was founded in 2009, but they have been sharing and writing music with each other for years. Growing up in the same neighborhood, the five of them were friends by the time they were six and seven years old.

The Nico Blues played six of their songs Friday night, opening with “Mugshot In Princeton,” which is on their upcoming EP, followed by “Living Proof,” which the band considers to be their most successful song. The video for “Living Proof” was picked up by MTVU. The audience rocked their bodies and tossed their heads to the intense harmony, wearing stickers on their clothing the band handed out before the show.

Influenced by rock, folk, and punk bands, The Nico Blues are inspired by every band in the book, “Our Band Could Be Your Life” by Michael Azzerad. What keeps the band going strong is their dedication to their supportive fans.

“We don’t really think twice about spending all of our time, money and resources on being a band,” said guitarist and bassist, Reed Adler. “It’s just what we do and what we really enjoy.”

Visit The Nico Blues on the web at http://thenicoblues.com/

CINDY FOX- The NAKED COWGIRL

by Mick Du Russel

The Naked Cowboy has been a New York City institution for many years. Now there is a sexy and feminine version of the cowboy and she is CINDY FOX, also known as The Naked Cowgirl! Cindy is quickly becoming very well known herself and you will be hearing much more from her in the very near future! I had the great pleasure to speak with Cindy recently…

MICK: How did it all begin for you as the Naked Cowgirl?
CINDY: Since I was in high school, I was a fitness trainer and personal trainer. I went to school to become a gym teacher. I got married, had three kids. When I got separated, I needed something to support myself. I went back to school for two years to become an X-Ray tech. At that point, I didn’t know anything about a Naked Cowboy or anything like that. All I had time to do was go to school, study, training clients, teaching classes and taking care of three little kids. About eight years ago, I was working in a gym in Secaucus, NJ (which is where I grew up). I was on an elliptical machine with one of my clients and in between us was Robert Burck, who is the Naked Cowboy. At that point, I had never heard of him. She introduced us. We started to see each other often at the gym when we worked out and became friends. I eventually started dating him. I still had no idea what exactly he did by playing guitar in his underwear. I started asking people and went to Times Square to see what he did. I thought is was his way of getting attention to himself to become famous or become a rock star or something like that. We lived just thirteen minutes outside of New York City so I assumed only people from NYC and Secaucus knew who he was. After five months, I went to the Mardi Gras with him. We went down to Bourbon Street and he started doing his thing in his underwear. He was getting mobbed by people down there! That’s when it hit me that he was famous! It was overwhelming to the magnitude of his celebrity. While we were there, I was wearing jeans and bought a cowboy hat. People would see me with him and say “How come you’re not in underwear too?” or “Is this your Naked Cowgirl?” He would get hired to appear at places all over the world and I started wearing outfits that were cowgirlish. Not a bikini but little skirts or little tops. That started around seven years ago but only when we were out of the area. My children were young and my oldest son, who was 15 at the time, had a hard time dealing with me dating The Naked Cowboy. The people in my town loved Robert and they thought it was the coolest thing. My youngest son thought it was great. His friends thought it was cool. Robert always gave him money for stuff. My daughter thought it was cool just because her friends did. So the idea of doing anything remotely close to home was totally out of the question. I would only do it when we were out of state or out of the country. Eventually when we were in Tokyo, Japan, he was making an appearance for Japan’s Match.com and while we were there, I asked him to teach me to play the guitar. So he showed me some chords. But it took a long time to learn. I was busy going to school, working all these jobs. There was a part of me that wanted to do it but it just wasn’t realistic at that time. I was also involved with my fitness work, producing videos, choreographing, being featured in the videos. From Robert, I learned a lot about networking and marketing. Prior to me becoming the Naked Cowgirl, there were two others before me. There was this young free spirited girl who decided she would be the Cowgirl. She knew how to play the guitar and would be there in the summer. She got a ton of publicity and articles as the first Naked Cowgirl. But she would leave for the winter and come back in the summer. She got caught up in the whole party life in NYC and disappeared for two years. Then Sandy Kane, the second Naked Cowgirl, came into the picture. This all got me kind of angry because they knew I was out on the road as the Naked Cowgirl with the Naked Cowboy. Because The Naked Cowboy is trademarked, Robert’s manager said the Naked Cowgirls would have to sign a licensing agreement if they wanted to make money with that.
Finally, I decided if I did this in Times Square, this would give me the publicity and recognition to help me with my fitness programs too. I would be the first, officially licensed Cowgirl. I knew I’d get a lot of heat from my kids. It was a slow start but that’s how it all began.

MICK: Are you out there in the winter too?
CINDY: When I started going out there in Times Square last year, people would often ask me that. Sure enough, when winter came, the other girls were long gone as soon as the temperature dropped below 60. I wanted to prove this to people that I could do it, even if it was only for a brief time out in the cold. I would do this a few times a month throughout the winter. When we had that huge blizzard last year at Christmas time, I was sick as dog that whole day. I was just starting to feel a little better and we decided to go to Times Square for a few minutes and get a few pictures. Robert’s manager and his wife were visiting NYC from Nashville and we told them to meet us in Times Square with a camera. Visibility was very bad as we drove in from New Jersey. We got there and it was brutal outside. Robert warned me because he’s been out in that kind of weather. I went out there and they started taking the pictures. My fingers were frozen and I couldn’t even hold the guitar pick. After about 13 minutes, which seemed like forever, I walked back to the garage. We got some great photos!

MICK: I saw you on CBS with the Pro Football picks. You did great!
CINDY: That was beginners luck! I stayed up cramming the night before like it was a final exam, trying to figure out who has injuries and what their stats were. I didn’t want to look stupid going in there! So I just said what I knew and gave my own opinion. I got all of my picks right! That was amazing!

MICK: You have the new single out “Ride It Like A Cowgirl”. It definitely sounds great! What kind of response are you getting from it so far?
CINDY: My manager Lori Michaels wrote and produced my song along with Giuseppe D. of “Hothead Productions”. In the beginning, it wasn’t doing that great because we only did a soft release on it. Lori wanted to make the Cowgirl dance a new sensation, something you will hear at weddings and other parties. Lori’s choreographer, Courtney Lynch, put the whole dance together. It’s very upbeat and hip- hoppish! I think my biggest fans right now are little kids because they just love the beat!
It was a slow year but like starting a business, it takes time and starts to snowball. I’m finally now at the point where everything is coming in with people wanting to come take photos, do interviews, a lot of charity events (which I’m all about doing). It’s all great and fun!

MICK: Please tell me about Cindy Fox Fitness!
CINDY: It’s my own company officially called Cindy Fox LLC. It’s personal fitness training, whether it be in person or on videos. I have my own trademark which is a fox logo. I have that on tee shirts and different products. I work out of several gyms with my fitness training. I go to people’s houses if it’s worth it for me and not too far away. I do so many things that I try to schedule them back to back.

MICK: Do you and Robert work out together still?
CINDY: We do sometimes. My schedule is crazy and his is less crazy. He has more time in the day than anybody I know actually so he goes when he wants to. I teach the fitness classes and still work at the hospital so I go when I can.

MICK: What has been your biggest thrill so far as the Naked Cowgirl?
CINDY: Just being out there in a busy crowd is a rush. There are days where I’ve taught a class, went to the bank, cleaned my house and then head into the city. I could be so not in the mood to do this and feel like just staying home to relax. But by the time I leave the parking garage and walk to Times Square and the crowd starts coming around, I’m smiling for all of the photographs being taken and I’m in a great mood! You totally forget that you weren’t in a good mood just before! One particular big moment happened with someone I did some networking with. He wanted to come to the city to meet me and get some photos with his family. He said his little daughter actually loved my song! He said his daughter was 3 years old and I forgot how much a small child is capable of knowing things. So when the day came, I was out there playing and they came up. It was him, his wife, a baby in the carriage and little Michelle. She was very shy and I started talking to her. I started singing my Cowgirl song to her and she really lightened up. She was in awe! Her dad said “You don’t understand. She has about five songs on her CD player and you’re song is one of them. You’re right up there with Lady Gaga! She knows every single word to your song and plays it over and over!” My own kids don’t even know my song! That moment is up there!

MICK: How long do you think you will be doing this?
CINDY: I don’t know. There’s a lot of possibilities with this. Robert has been doing it for 15 years now. There’s been many times when he hasn’t felt like being out there but he is consistent, no matter what weather. He prides himself on that. He gets booked for all kinds of appearances and they use his image for advertisements. He now has Naked Cowboy Oysters that’s put out by Blue Island Shellfish Farms out on Long Island. So now most of the oysters pulled from the Long Island Sound are called Naked Cowboy Oysters. They are in restaurants all over the United States. That’s just one example of residual income. The name will carry on.

“RIDE IT LIKE A COWGIRL” now on iTunes
www.nakedcowgirlfox.com
www.twitter.com/nakedcowgirlfox

Chatting with Original Pussycat Doll Kaya Jones 

by Drew Snyder

I had the opportunity to speak with singer Kaya Jones whose popularity soared as one of the original members of the Pussycat Dolls. Since then she has set on her sights on a solo career which has spawned the most recent single “Every 7 Seconds” off the Release EP (Available on iTunes now). Be sure to check her out as she will be performing live at the Dublin Pub on Long Island December 3rd.

Drew: First, who were your influences in the very beginning?

Kaya: Madonna and Michael Jackson. But I really fell in love with Nina Simone early on when I was like six years old.

Drew: How did this solo project come to be? And what are some of the biggest changes you’ve made since your days with the Pussycat Dolls?

Kaya: Well the solo process came to be after I left the Pussycat Dolls. I kind of wanted to take a break from music for a little bit so I moved to New York to model. I had dyed my hair black and had all these tattoos. I felt like the blonde was too girly and I just wanted some edge. So the solo project actually happened when I got back to Los Angeles and was finished with my angst and a lot of my music friends suggested I start singing again. So in 2009 I started the process of recording and kind of finding my sound as an artist so now that I have my sound we’re ready for the LP launch in the New Year. The process was definitely a journey of finding my sound as an artist and being authentic to the work so the difference is that I’m on my own label, which I’ve started because I wanted to have creative control, which is something I didn’t have in the Pussycat Dolls. So I think that the biggest difference is that it’s genuine to me as an artist and I think you should be honest to your audience because they can sense that sense of not being yourself. I’m really happy with where I am as an artist today because I’m involved in every aspect of my career now.

Drew:In the past, you’ve worked with some big stars including Eminem and Mick Jagger. What was that like and did you learn anything from them?

Kaya: I did! I actually met Eminem when I was thirteen with D12. Proof from D12 was actually who connected me with R. Kelly when I first started so when I worked with D12 and Eminem seven years later it was kind of funny and we were joking about it on set. Eminem is a really talented individual. I think he has a bad stigma around him but he’s actually really professional. Mick Jagger was very different but we’re talking about someone who is so gifted. When I first met him it was random, I got a phone call from David Stewart from the Eurythmics and he says, “Can you come down to the studio?” so I went down and there was Mick Jagger in a booth and I was like “Oh my god.” He didn’t tell me what I was doing; he just said to come down. But Mick was really great. He was really sweet and professional. Just a genuine human being whose very grounded in who he is. At the time it was Katy Perry and I doing vocals and she hadn’t launched her record yet so it was an incredible experience to not only work with Katy but to do the same with Mick. He was very genuine. I don’t think people would assume that somebody on that level of talent and longevity would be so sweet. It was an honor to work with not only a legend but someone who was just a real human being and not someone with a big head who thought the were so amazing.

Drew: What kind of stuff have you been listening to while on tour? If you could pick one ideal person or group to perform with in the future, who would it be?

Kaya: I’ve been listening to a lot of LMFAO. I also love Skrillex. I’m a big Skrilex fan. I just think he’s such a genius and it’s incredible what he’s doing with that sound right now. I listen to a lot of DJs. Some DJs who produce as well can open your horizons to different things. I also listen to a lot of older artists like Dusty Springfield, Janis Joplin, Dinah Washington, Billie Holliday, and Elvis. I kind of have a very eclectic repertoire of things I listen to.

I would definitely say Kanye West. I met Kanye when I was with the Pussycat Dolls in 2005 and he was on his horizon and fairly big but not the magnitude he is now. I said “Oh my god I would love to work with you!” and he was all for it. Some people over there weren’t feeling my idea so that never happened. He was so gifted back then. So I would pick him because he’s such a visionary who gravitates to doing things that are outside the box. I also would pick John Mayer who’s great or Bruno Mars. If it were a female it would probably be Ciara or someone that has a different sound than me or a sound that compliments mine.

Drew: Since you’ll be playing the Dublin Pub on Long Island, how do you like performing live in New York? How does it compare to playing in other places?

Kaya: All over the world it’s very different. When I was performing in China they kind of just stare but sometimes they get really excited and scream. During the song they just watch you but once it’s over they’re very happy. American crowds are very involved and engaging. They let you know when they like it or don’t like it or how they’re feeling. But anytime I’m in New York I love it. Long Island is great. I love going to some of the smaller cities. A lot of artists don’t get to travel to the small cities as much. It’s a lot more personal. People are really warm and genuine and it’s just a good interaction with your audience.

Drew: Lately it seems like a lot of female artists such as yourself and Lady Gaga have been very vocal when it comes to LGBT issues. How have you helped out that community and when did this begin?

Kaya: The journey began because I had a lot of friends in the community and they suggested I do a show. I was asked to do “Pride” and that’s where it started for me. When San Diego Pride and Los Angeles Pride asked me be part of the movement and become involved in the show. So I connected with GLAAD and working with them and being on the committee was amazing. The issue that started it was when my cousin came out. That was a big deal for my family and they had a hard time with it. Now they’ve come through his journey with him so it’s in a good place. But my friends as well. Working in the entertainment industry I’ve had a lot of friends who have dealt with the lack of understanding so it was personal for me. When I realized there were areas where I could help out like with marriage equality I wanted to get involved. We’re doing an equality tour and I’m really happy to lend a voice to the community but it isn’t on the spectrum of being someone who’s a lesbian or gay, it’s just that they are my friends and family and I’d like to speak out for them.

Drew: In 2010, you spent two weeks in Iraq performing for our troops as part of a USO tour. What kind of feedback did you get from our men and women in uniform and what was your experience like as a whole?

Kaya: I mean I keep saying it was very real because that’s the only way I can explain it. It was heavy and incredible. I had moments with each one of the soldiers I met over there and I’m in touch with a lot of them via Twitter and Facebook, which has been awesome. It was amazing and it was something I’ve always wanted to do from being a little girl and seeing old footage of all the Hollywood stars that have gone over like Ann-Margret and Marilyn Monroe. So it was really amazing to be with them and support our men and women. That was kind another part of why I became active in the LGBT community. I was doing so much with our troops and seeing how they come home and all the rights and issues that our women and women are dealing with so I started going down to the VA hospitals and it became very aware that our Gay and Lesbian community were part of our Military and these people who defend my freedom don’t have many rights. I wake up in this wonderful country and have this freedom because of them and that’s not fair that they are fighting and dying for our country and don’t have their rights. I not only wanted to work with the USO but be part of the equality movement.

Drew: Give us some insight into your latest EP entitled Release. Which track would you say you’re most proud of and why?

Kaya: That’s so hard! They’re actually all my babies. Because you spend so much time perfecting each one. The EP is actually a snippet of the new LP, which is coming out in the New Year. I’m really excited about the LP because it’s a full motif of sounds but the EP is a teaser of what to expect. “Release the Energy” is about your inner light, finding your inner strength and releasing it. It’s about knowing what that is and being proud of what you have to offer this world. So it’s a very empowering song. We release our energy in a positive way whether it’s at work or with or family or friends. We do something wonderful for this earth and for ourselves. “Boyfriend” is about being dumped for a man, which actually happened to me. But the remix of that is a completely different take on it. “Like U” is a mid-tempo ballad, which will be included on the full LP and that for me, is a sweet song. There’s that statistic where men think about sex every seven seconds and that was my take on the idea that women do too. So men aren’t the only ones and it’s kind of empowering to say, “Hey, we do too.” I can’t say I have a favorite. They’re all my favorites.

Drew: This year you shot a music video for the single “Take It Off.” How much input did you have in the making of it and what was the process like?

Kaya: “Take It Off” was a lot of fun. We went out to the desert to this junkyard. The input I kind of threw in was when they had me in front of a car and I was like “Can they have me working on the car?” and they were like “OK.” So I had this wild idea to cover myself in real car oil, which isn’t the smartest thing to do because it doesn’t come off easy. It takes this special liquid that you have to use in order to get it off your body so we were shooting it and the next day I was in the tub at 1 AM scrubbing. It felt like someone took a Brillo pad to my skin so that wasn’t the smartest idea. Plus it was very windy in the desert. It looked so nice but we were all sweaty and dirty. But I love that video. Working with Regi was awesome.

Drew: Finally, where do you see Kaya Jones in 5 years?

Kaya: Oh wow. Well we have the LP coming out. I’m going to be back in the studio and recording my next record. It will be a double disk in case you like two albums in one. After that we’re doing a Christmas album. I see many more albums, focusing on building my brand, and going into film. It’s something that I’d love to do as well and I take it very seriously. Sitting with my coach and making sure I’m ready for all of that. Working with my clothing line and label, which is my focus. Any endeavors I have are through my label so looking for new talent and new artists to sign onto my label. So I see myself in 5 years helping out my artists and being part of that artistic process because I know what it’s like to not be heard so I definitely want to listen to the ones we sign and make sure they are fully involved in what they want to do and say. Making sure they have artistic freedom.

Kaya Jones will be performing live on Saturday, December 3^rd at the Dublin Pub in New Hyde Park.

Lethill Weapon and Mobb Deep at BB King’s

by Jason Pollak

Last Tuesday night the Lindenhurst rap group, Lethill Weapon, opened up for Mobb Deep at BB King’s. It was a packed house as local supporters and hip-hop heads piled in to get a good spot on the concert floor. The excitement could be felt throughout the backstage area as Lethill Weapon was gearing up to open up for one of New York’s most legendary rap groups. It was most certainly going to be a big night.

J.J. Jones, manager and rapper of Lethill Weapon, was ecstatic over the star treatment they were receiving. “This just goes to show, you have to follow your dreams,” he said while admiring the surroundings in the main dressing room back stage.

He went on to say about opening for Mobb Deep, “It’s pretty exciting. You get your own dressing room and everything. (laughs) All that hard work we have put in is now finally paying off. This is just a taste of what it could be like.”  That statement definitely holds true as Lethill Weapon has been producing and creating a number of records for years. The group first formed when J.J. Jones met fellow MC’s R.A.M and Terrance (G-La) playing basketball together. Ever since then, according to the three rappers, they have been like family. Their first album came out in 1999 and was called “Who We Be”.

Rapper R.A.M., which is his birth name, but later changed to stand for the acronym Real Art Manifested, said about their earlier days, “J.J. was the one who helped me put my first album out. I try to take what I hear and put my own spin on it. J.J. has definitely helped me grow over the years.”  However as J.J. stated, “It was really over the last three year period that we started taking this seriously and started to do a lot of shows. This is our third time back here at BB King’s. We always love playing here. Now it’s time. Terrance has got some real talent. He’s way over due.”

Although there was little success for the group in its beginning stages, it still was an important growing experience for them.
Terrance or G-La, also an Army veteran, said about the earlier days, “Yea you know, I had one of those old Casio keyboards. After the Army I spent some time in California and that was where I really began to take an interest in music. Once I met J.J. and R.A.M., we have been producing tracks ever since”  G-La went on to say about the special night, “It’s crazy to be doing a show with Mobb Deep. I remember bumpin’ their music way back in the day when we used to ball. I looked up to those guys a lot”

After chillin’ back stage for an hour or so, the show really began to kick off. Lethill Weapon’s DJ took the stage and began riling up the crowd. It was also around this time that Prodigy and Havoc of Mobb Deep showed up. Needless to say, that was an exciting moment.In the midst of all this craziness, it was time for Lethill Weapon to get the show started for the anxious crowd. As they took the stage, it all seemed natural. They dove right into their first song, each taking turns spitting on their own respective mic. It really does take a close knit group of rappers to perform in the way they do. It can be quite difficult to coordinate which person will say which line, but they had their strategy down pat.Terrance (G-La) said about performing, “We have been doing this so long. When we get up there, we know how to shut it down. It’s over once we’re up there.”

It was nice to see a rap group without any ego’s. Many times at a rap concert, there are numerous people clamoring to be in the center of the stage. This wasn’t the case for them at all. They were each more than happy to share the spot light when it was time for their respective verse’s. When one was spitting, the other two would take their turns riling up the crowd and adding in ad-libs here and there.

“Our slogan is “Beyond the Music”. We are all family. Our lives and music goes in one,” as J.J. pointed out the groups philosophy.

Also, in a rare occurrence at a rap concert, each member took turns performing one of their own solo songs. It was nice to see, as each member presented a different style to audience. R.A.M. riddled off crazy bars at the drop of a pin, while Terrence hit the crowd with a lyrical masterpiece of his own. They really do know how to work a crowd from every angle.

That’s no accident either.

“We work to blend our different personalities so we get a sound that is good for our listeners,” J.J. said earlier.

Terrence added, “We inspire each other. No one wants to make the group look bad. We try to mesh all of our sounds together to create a great experience. It really isn’t a competition; we just want to put out good music.”

After Lethill Weapon killed it, it was time for the Infamous Mobb Deep. They came on with the applause one would expect rap legends of New York City to receive. They came on as if it was still 1995 and immediately dove into their infamous hardcore sound. It seemed like a subway burst through the speakers as Prodigy started to spit and the hard base rocked the vast, but packed BB King’s theatre.

It was my first time seeing the great duo perform and it was a great honor to see. They showed why they are still the true kings of the New York hardcore sound and perhaps New York hip-hop period. They really are everything you would expect legends to be. Prodigy seemed as though he didn’t lose a step in his performance and rapping abilities since being released from jail. Havoc was in top form as well, reeling off bars and hooks like he was still twenty years old.

It was a great show overall and believe me, you haven’t experienced a rap concert until you have seen “Shook One’s Part II” performed. It really is one of those songs that define hip-hop. Be sure to check out both Lethill Weapon and Mobb Deep on Facebook and Twitter. Lethill Weapon will be dropping “Danger Zone Vol III” before next year arrives. Keep ya heads up.

www.LethillWeapon.com