Sadistik [Interview]

Cody Foster, better known to his loyal following of fans as Sadistik, is artistically indefinable by any means.  He’s the sort of lyricist that other famed lyricists would do right to emulate, or at the very least, learn some shit from.  He’s been around the world on endless tours and has spit more verses than you’ve shared bong hits with your “cool Aunt”.  The pride of Seattle (not Minneapolis as so many believe), this indie hop hopper has conquered the land, and has developed a loyal following unlike anything the music industry could imagine.  And he’s done it all on his own.  On his own, but with a whole lot of help, to complete juxtapose my previous statement, with the likes of other amazing artists like Kristoff Kane, Eyedea, Kid Called Computer, Lotte Kestner, Louis Logic, Bodi, Mac Lethal, and so many more.

And while I absolutely adore Mr. Foster’s work, when the opportunity to swap words with the this indie hip hop sensation, I could think of no one better to help me think of some ideas for conversation than my old friend and part time musician, barista, and long time college attendee, Christina Hess.  She resides in Minneapolis (again, not home to Sadistik) where we all know just might be the Mecca of indie hip hop, being the home to the now legendary Rhymesayers Entertainment.  Christina has definitely been my go to girl when it comes to all things dealing with the subject matter, and she had some great things to ask the mad hatter of hip hop.

So check out this wonderful conversation with one of today’s greatest hip hop artists and read as we discuss his future, Edgar Allen Poe, loss of friends, and G.G. Allin’s infamous enemas.  Enjoy!

Ron Trembath: What can fans expect from your upcoming Whiskey Note Speaker Tour with Louis Logic?  Any new material?

You can definitely expect some new material on this upcoming tour with Louis Logic. I’m finally going to start unveiling some of these new songs from Flowers for My Father, but I’ll still be mixing in some of my older music as well. I also am planning on improvising during my sets more and seeing how the crowds digest it. We’ll see how it goes.  (Note to reader: We are well aware that this tour is not “upcoming” anymore, and that Sadistik recently had to to bow out of the last couple remaining shows.  Some time elapsed between the interview and this session.  We just wanted to keep his response, because, well, in the Train Wreck’d Society, Cody Foster shits gold plated diamonds and can do no wrong.  So we want every word he will give us.  Please continue….)

Christina Hess: In your opinion, what is the best thing since sliced bread?

I would have to say Jameson being readily available. Shout out to whoever made that possible.

CH: If we looked in your refrigerator, what would we find?

Basically a lot of beer and sandwich ingredients. I go out to eat pretty often so my refrigerator wouldn’t impress you.

RT: Who do you consider to be the best female vocalist out there today?

Well, best and favorite are two very different things. I would say my favorite is my friend Anna-Lynne Williams. She goes by the moniker of Lotte Kestner and I absolutely love her sound. In fact, she will be appearing on my new record a few times. Some other female vocalists I’ve been listening to lately are Phantogram, Warpaint, and Blonde Redhead.

CH: Who are some of your non-musical influences?  Why?

I have a ton of non-music influences. I think if you listen to my music closely it’s pretty evident actually since most of my references are from film or books. I’m a huge movie buff, especially horror films and foreign, and I would say that is probably my biggest influence outside of personal experiences and relationships I’ve had. I’m also becoming quite an avid reader these days as well. I’ve definitely learned that everything I experience, watch, read, hear, etc. makes its way into my art in one way or another.

RT: It’s been said that you are quite the film buff….let’s do the whole desert island thing, and grant the fact that you had a TV and DVD player with magical electricity on this island….What 5 films would you not want to be stranded without?

Ah, speaking of the devil. That’s tough, but here’s what comes to mind:

1. A Clockwork Orange

2. Oldboy

3. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

4. Suspiria

5. Eraserhead

CH: What are some of your other creative outlets?

This is something I’ve actually been exploring more lately. I’ve kind of come to grips that I need creative outlets in order to avoid feeling crazy inside my head at times, but sometimes I just don’t feel like writing or I don’t feel as confident in the words I put together so I need other outlets. I’ve been slowly learning some basics of guitar and I’m also working on a poetry book. I also wrote and directed that “Higher Brain” video with Kristoff Krane and I really loved that experience. I absolutely love film and would love to direct at some point in my life. Maybe I could make some cool creepy short films or something eventually, I don’t know. That’s one thing I love about having full creative freedom with my projects is that I get to be involved in other mediums such as album artwork and music videos.

RT: If you were sent before the supreme court to defend hip hop music as being a “truly artistic” genre, what would you say?

People have been arguing over what’s art and what isn’t forever. I think that as human beings, we have this curious need to compartmentalize everything and try to squeeze it into a box just to see if it will fit. To answer your question though, of course rap is art; it’s people expressing themselves. Now, is it good art, or relevant art or innovative art? That’s a different discussion. Genres are such a broad term to me. I personally see rap artists like Sage Francis or El-P in a different artistic light than someone like Gucci Mane or Lil’ B, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t art. I mean, Jason Pollack dripped paint on a canvas, Andy Warhol hired people to replicate his paintings to claim as his own, and G.G. Allin would give himself enemas on stage. Are they artists? Obviously, those are drastically different examples but I personally believe it is all art, some of it just happens to speak to me louder and clearer than others.

CH: How do you separate yourself from other rappers (in your genre, as well as others)?

That’s a good question and it’s something that I’ve thought about pretty often lately. Since music is so accessible to make these days, there are thousands upon thousands of rappers all vying for the same goals and the thought of fitting into a crowd has never really appealed to me. I work really, really hard on trying to get better at my craft and I hope it shows in the final products and that people will find a reason to want to hear what I make. I mean, I’ve never met anybody that is exactly like me, so I don’t think I should be a replication of anybody else artistically. I certainly am influenced by a lot of other rappers and admire some of their work very much, but I hope that at the end of the day people can say I have my own sound in some way or another.

RT: Our mutual pal Alex, a.k.a. Bodi, wrote about his experiences with the late Michael “Eyedea” Larsen in a little book called Children of Mercy: Tales and Teachings From The World of Independent Music.  You were also friends with, and worked alongside Eyedea before he passed (The book was also dedicated to his memory.  How did Michael influence you?  And how much of him is in your own art?

Micheal has influenced me even more drastically than I think I’ve fully realized. I find myself thinking of him and missing him on a daily basis. I actually made a song about him and shot a video for it in Minneapolis with his friends and family recently. The goal of the song wasn’t to say how great of an artist he was, I think that’s been pretty obvious, but how good of a friend he was to me.  He also was the connection that brought Kristoff Krane and I together, whom I consider to be one of my best friends and favorite artists. The fact that Mike believed in my music in one way or another will always be one of my proudest achievements and I don’t really have an accurate way to describe how I miss him.

RT: If you could perform for any historical figure, alive or dead, who do you think would most understand your work?  Why?

I’m going to cheat and give an answer for each. The first person who comes to mind as a dead historical figure who I think would understand my work would be Edgar Allan Poe. I feel like he obviously wrote very dark material but the closer you inspect it the more you can see the craftsmanship and details he put into his work. He also had a pretty difficult time dealing with certain obstacles in his life that I think would relate to my material in some way. As for a living person, I would say David Lynch. I admire him for many reasons, but I really love how Lynch doesn’t give a shit about answering concrete questions in his films, but instead he is much more concerned about painting the mood and tone that he wants you to feel. Oftentimes in his movies you can’t really recall all the details of the plot like in most movies, but you can remember the way it made you felt long after it is finished. I feel like I aim for that in my music at times.

CH: Do you believe that Minneapolis could be considered the epicenter (a.k.a. the Compton of the early 90’s) for indie hip hop?  Why or why not?

Is this why people always seem to think I’m from Minneapolis these days? Haha, anyways, I guess that would seem like a fair statement to me. I mean, the Rhymesayers guys have really built the business model for indie rap in a lot of ways. I have a lot of respect for their work-ethic and feel like they deserve every bit of their success. Beyond the bigger acts in the Twin Cities, I feel like there’s a ton of talent out there too. Kristoff Krane, No Bird Sing, Kill The Vultures, Ecid, etc. are all great acts that are below a lot of people’s radar.

RT: What was the last thing that made you smile?

My girlfriend just gave me a home made birthday card. That made me smile.

To learn more about Sadistik and his current and past releases, upcoming tours, and all the what have you that you could ever want to know, head over to his website, sadistikmusic.com.  And you can find him on that new social media site called Facebook.

Zia McCabe [Interview]

The Dandy Warhols are a peculiar bunch to say the least.  For some of us, they are a household name as common as any other indie rock band of the last few decades.  For others, they might not ring a bell.  For independent film fanatics, Ondi Timoner may have introduced these fun-loving hipsters (before there was such a thing) to us in the Sundance favored documentary, Dig! which chronicled over a decade’s worth of footage between the Dandys and another cult favorite Brian Jonestown Massacre.  Some may simply hear any given track from these now electronic-indie rock messiahs and ponder….are these the guys from the Mythbusters theme song? (Yes, yes they are.).  They are also the brain children of Beat The World Records, which houses the mythical yet relatively unknown band of youngsters known as 1776 that deserve to be world-renowned.  And for some of us, they may be the centerpiece of every tree decorating event come holiday season with their amazing adaptation of the greatest Christmas song ever made, “The Little Drummer Boy” (Okay, this one might be mostly personal.)
No matter how you know them, or don’t, these geniuses in their own right are veterans and have consistently proven themselves as a staple in the indie rock world through pure and raw talent and intuition of what it takes to create beautifully crafted indie rock in a world where any sort of indie rock could please the masses.  And nobody (not even front man Courtney two last names), accentuates such beautifully crafted charisma as the band’s keyboardist and masterwoman Zia McCabe.

Zia has been a staple in the Portland community, as well as the first lady of one of the finest indie rock acts of the now.  She has been around since the beginning, and her influence has been obvious as the band has progressed over the last few years into a legendary act that has moved beyond a simple cult following.  I was fortunate enough to steal a few digitally infused words with Zia where we discuss The Warhol’s 9th (or 10th?  You decide…) album, her country music side project, her controversial pregnancy photo shoot for Suicidegirls.com, and how being a mom and a rocker is absolutely awesome, and can lead to amazing causes and opportunities.

Your band, The Dandy Warhols are officially releasing your ninth full length album, This Machine, in April.  What can fans and new listeners expect to here from this venture?

Ha, I thought it was our tenth… I have a really hard time when it comes to describing our albums. I can say there’s more writing collaborations than we’ve ever had which I think gives the album an eclectic sound in a different way than previous albums. We also took a simpler approach when it came to tracking, as in we each kept our tracking to a minimum rather than layer on as many tracks as we fancy. This made it easier to create tracks that sound like we do in real life.

Tell us a bit about Brush Prairie.  What influences such a transition in music genres?

I grew up in a  log cabin in Battle Ground, Washington (not far from Brush Prairie, Washington where I was born) listening to Willie Nelson and the like.

Vintage country and psychedelic R&R are equally my roots, so now I’m finally getting to entertain both sides of my musical coin. Plus I LOVE getting to be the lead singer dolled up in vintage western outfits. Beyond that I’m interested in fronting a band with a vintage soul sound and/or blending all these genres together.

You’re Dandy band mate Brent Deboe has also ventured into the folk and country scene as well.  Any chance of a collaboration?  Tour?

Yes, we already talk about covering each other’s tunes and touring together and all those fun things, I’m sure we’ll end up writing together on the road.  Since his band is based out of Australia, we’ve discussed me getting a backing band over there and doing some shows together as our first item of business. Good times!

Can you tell us a bit about your involvement with Rock N Roll Mamas, and what your involvement has been in this movement?

Jackie is a local film maker and mother who got me involved as a subject for her Rock Mamas film several years ago. It’s shaping up to be a great film about the life of woman who have a passion for their music and in no way are willing to leave their children behind. I’ve also made some small music pieces for Jackie to use in the film.

You are notoriously known for being a hard working and rocking mom.  As the years keep passing, does it get easier or harder over the years to handle the stress?  (Explain)

As any parent knows, it doesn’t get easier it just keeps changing. There are always new dangers to prepare for and challenges to face as we do our best to raise intelligent, inspiring humans. Of course having a baby on the road was a massive challenge that I still look back on and wonder how I ever pulled it all off. However, I am very much looking forward to getting Matilda back on the road with me this summer since her being in school has kept her at home the last couple years. It will be fun to have a more independent, lower maintenance kid on the road and one who can better enjoy and learn from the unique experience of rock and roll tour.

You are officially a Suicide Girl after you posed nude for SuicideGirls.com while you were pregnant.  How was this experience?  Was it enlightening in some way? (Explain)

It was 103 degrees  outside and I had a migraine but I didn’t want to miss the chance to document that time in my life and be the only pregnant suicide girl. I’m glad I did it but wouldn’t consider it enlightening. I think they mislead viewers with the image of a sexy website ran by the chicks but as far as I can tell it’s still got some sleazy dude running the show.  I think my set turned out tasteful and displayed the beauty of a heavily pregnant woman with class. I also like the controversy it caused with the suicide girl fans.

What exactly has made you continue to call Portland home after all of these years?  What intrigues you about the city, if anything?

I love that this town was founded by pioneers and pirates. (my family was part of the Lewis & Clarke expedition) Portland has taken pride in being creative, diverse, independent, rebellious and a leader in all things environmental and subjects culturally edgy. Besides that, Portland is nestled between a majestic mountain, dripping rain forest, wild coast line and a unique desert. I love this part of the world!  As much as I love traveling, this will always be my home.

What does 2012 have in store for Zia McCabe?

Lot’s of touring in support of This Machine for one thing. I’ve also invested some important time in the field of self-improvement and life reorganizing. I’d like to complete Brush Prairie’s first full length album, build up my commercial music business and maybe even witness the end of the world as we know it.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

My daughter. She gives me a thousand reasons to smile every day. Yes, a few frowns in there too, but sooooooo worth it!

Count Gore De Vol [Interview]

The legendary Count Gore De Vol has been a household name in the world of Horror for longer than most of you Trainwreckers have probably even been alive.  He’s been at it for over 40 years, starting as a host in and around the Washington D.C. area, right up until today where he hosts the longest running on line Horror Show, at his own website.  He started The Dungeon back in 1998 (did most of you even know the internet was really a “thing” back then.), and has hosted over 600 shows in that time, and has featured some of the horror businesses greatest stars.  He was a shoe-in for the nomination and induction into the Horror Host Hall of Fame.  And even with all this success behind him, he is a vamp master who is always looking forward, and continuing to do some amazing work.  I was fortunate enough to score a few words with the legend himself, where I get the inside scoop on how it feels on top of the game, what he thinks about the Twilight Saga, and his very own brand of entrancement.  Enjoy!
How does it feel to be a legend in the horror world?

Actually…pretty good. It’s nice to be recognized for your work, but after being a horror host for over 40 years, there’s always that lingering questions, “Is this fame because of good work or just longevity?”  I really think it’s a combination of both and accept it as such.

You’ve recently been inducted into the Horror Host Hall of Fame.  How does it feel to be among one of the best?

Elated, humbled, excited, thrilled and a few other mixed emotions. It’s something I never considered. It was never my goal and I’m truly grateful. My only disappointment is the realization that I would never get to meet many of  these other members, because they’ve passed on. However, last year I did manage to spend some quality time with Zacherley, fulfilling a life long dream.

What do you believe it is that makes your website show popular, and in such high demand?

I have to believe it’s the mix of good content that’s regularly and reliably updated weekly. I’ve always felt that content is king and with the web program, I can do more for fans than I ever could with just a weekly show on TV. Of course, I couldn’t do any of it without the great contributors I have now and I’ve had for almost 14 years. These people put in a lot of time and effort for no compensation, just for the love of the genre!

Bela or Boris?  Your choice?

O come on. Just looking at me, do you really have to ask that questions? Bela, of course!  I took my look, my accent and my love of humans for dinner from Bela. As to why, Bela established the role of vampire as a truly romantic character. A dramatic change from Nosferatu. And since I’m a romantic at heart, it resonated with me.

That being said, I truly admire Boris, particularly for his much greater range and flexibility as an actor.

What are your thoughts on the new age of horror?  Does the Twilight Saga just piss you off?

Twilight doesn’t really upset me, because it’s not important to me. It’s just another take on vampire mythology, created for a new generation. I think there’s room for a lot of variation. I personally have not been impressed with the films, but there’s an audience that loves them and why should they be denied?  As to the new age of horror, I think it’s the same as the old age. A lot of retelling of already established stories using new actors that a new audience can relate to and using new production techniques that in some cases adds to the tale. A good example was the new “Fright Night.” For me the telling of the story is the most important aspect. Is the new version of the story compelling? Does it really scare me, or it is determined to just gross me out.

What is the most important aspect you look for when choosing a Creature Feature?

Is it in the public domain?  Let’s face it, with no advertising dollars supporting the purchase of film rights, I am, like so many other horror hosts, stuck with a limited pool of PD films. From within that pool I try to mix up the types so the presentations aren’t boring or predictable. Then the last factor is, “How much fun can I have with the film title or story?”

You are also an esteemed hypnotist.  How does it feel to take control of someone’s psyche for a bit?

Ah, a hypnotist controls…nothing. I can’t make a person do anything they don’t want to do. Of course it is a powerful feeling when you watch people accept suggestions that alter their reality and then have them act upon those suggestions. It’s also still a bit scary knowing that you are manipulating circumstances and in reality playing with people’s minds. I also find the shows intense and very draining . There’s a whole lot of responsibility that goes with being a good stage hypnotist.

Have you thought about getting back on television?

If someone made me an offer to back on TV that I couldn’t refuse, I wouldn’t. But TV could never be a replacement for the web program. It’s so 20th century!  In 1998, when I became the first horror host on the Internet, I really saw the day when most, if not all home entertainment would merge into some sort of web based delivery system that we would watch and interact with through a TV like device. It’s taken a while and there’s still a long way to go before the various competing platform battle it out of supremacy, but it really is beginning to happen. With my Roku Box, my internet capable Plasma TV and disc players, I now can access a world of video entertainment in my viewing room…anytime I want! Heck, I am on TV when I watch my web program on a glories 50″ wide screen HD set.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Last night taping session. We talked to the last Mayan calendar maker about the end of the world, by way of my crystal ball and the improv between myself and my guest actor, Eric Krasner was just fantastic. I couldn’t help but smile.

Bill Carter [Interview]

If there were only one problem with this world (although we know there are many), a dire issue would be that there aren’t more people like Bill Carter around.  Of course this would take away from the magnitude and honorable reverence of the man himself, but damn we would be some do-gooding fools in a great state of being.

If you aren’t aware of Bill Carter, you’re going to want to be.  In 1993, Bill Carter made the equivalent of having “We Are The World” played on YouTube to impoverished Eskimos in Antarctica.  He occupied before it was a movement.  He sprung into action before revolutions were started in 130 characters or less.  And through it all, he came clean as an unsung hero to so many, with little to no credit given in his own name.

Carter became a figure of historical importance during the Bosnian war when he selflessly went upon a journey into a war-torn society that was particularly of very little interest to western society.  And through a strategic attempts, and a little help from some friends in both Sarajevo and Irish rock star land (i.e. U2…yes, that U2), Carter organized a series of satellite feeds (i.e. Skype, in the 90’s) that broadcasted the horror that they people he spent so much time with in hell to hundreds of thousands of concert goers.  In turn he managed to bring a new light to a region of the land that needed attention in a terrible way.  He documents the entire story in his beautifully written memoir, Fools Rush In as well in his intriguing and heart string pulling documentary Miss Sarajevo.  Bill Carter has, without a single strand of doubt, created one of the most important books of the last twenty years with Fools Rush In.

And the adventures don’t stop there!  Carter’s second memoir, Red Summer, documents his days in the commercial fishing world of Alaska (again, BEFORE we were fascinated by the “deadliest catch”) and even more importantly, the plight of American industry, especially in the world of fishing.  Basically, there really isn’t much this man can’t do, and has done.  He remains as charitable as ever, and as awe striking as you could ever imagine.  I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to exchange a few words with this overall incredible human being in one of the best interviews I think I will ever release.  Check it out as we discuss death, love, salmon fishing, and how awesome Bono really can be.

How often do people read “Fools Rush In” and say to you, “What the hell were you thinking!?”, and what do you say to them?

Some people have that reaction, but I know that is in the context of them just finishing an epic journey, one that is hard to imagine.  For me, while I was living it, never thought of it like that. I was doing what I was doing. I was just living my life. Somehow it all made sense for me to be there during that period. In retrospect, sure it sounds crazy to live in Sarajevo during the longest siege in human history,but it seemed like exactly the right thing to do at the time.

How has your experience in war shaped your views of mankind?

Strangely enough it has had a slightly polarizing effect. On one hand, the evil we do to one another seems to have no bounds. What neighbors did to their neighbors in Bosnia. What husbands did to their wives. This was a genocide perpetrated on the most intimate level. This is evil. On the other hand what I experienced in Bosnia was also what I consider the pinnacle of mankind. The kindness, the compassion, the grace of so many people living in such extraordinary conditions was overwhelming. Not a day goes by where I am not reminded on small incident where a human gave all he had to another. It reminds me of Kris Kristofferson’s song, “Here Comes That Rainbow Again.”

In your experienced opinion, is there any similarities with Syria and the former Yugoslavia?

Sure. Enclaves of Syria are under full siege. They are cut off, there are no medical supplies. Soon, food, water, and sewer will become a problem. Also it is the government that is doing it. Killing their own people. That is the same. The only thing that is different is the ability of technology to give us a small window to the inside of that siege.  Sarajevians were completely cut off from the outside world. The other difference is time. The full assault in Syria has been going on for only a month. Sarajevo went on four years.

You have witnessed so much death and destruction first hand.  What are your spiritual beliefs and/or thoughts after seeing death so close? 

I believe in humanity. I believe in love. I believe that is what we must give energy to in order to survive. I believe in telling the story. I believe in the power of story, music, love. In the connection between people. I believe there is so much magic in life, if we take the time to see it.

It’s safe to say that you were at least kind of driven by the loss of love.  If you could be guaranteed to have never suffered such a loss, would you trade in everything you have experienced and the esteem you have been given as a journalist, writer, filmmaker? 

Yes. And no. Yes, I would never have traded that loss for that experience. Never. Love is what matters most. But, now I have a new love, my wife and two daughters. To say I would do it differently means I have to image never having them in my life. Perhaps this is why we are given choices in life, but not the ability to rewind.

You seem to be in a much better state than in the 90’s.  What drives you these days?

My kids, my family, my desire to share stories. I enjoy life very much. I like to run in the forest, spend evenings with close friends and drink wine. I enjoy strangers and the thought tomorrow I will experience something I never knew or thought of.

Tell us a bit about Red Summer, if you will.

Red Summer is about hard work, nature verse man, and people that live very close to rawness of being alive. It was a fantastic time of my life. I met the most amazing people. My love for Alaska and the wild that it means for the world stuns me.

Can you tell us a bit about your work in helping to save the wild salmon in Bristol Bay?

Pebble Mine is a project that will be located 14 miles from the largest incubator for sockeye salmon on earth. The fishing industry in Bristol Bay brings in $500 million a year and employs over 10,000 people. And all we have to do is be there for the fish. We don’t have to anything but do what man has been doing for thousands of years. Fish. Our job, our responsibility is to not screw it up. That is all. Just be good stewards and reap the rewards. Why threaten that?

Alaska or Bosnia.  Which do you prefer?  

Both.

Is Bono as cool in person as he tends to be on stage?

Much cooler off stage. The thing about Bono that is so alluring and attractive off stage is that he is just a good person. A friend, a mentor. He is never in a hurry and listens. He has four kids and is saving the world but always finds a way to be funny and humble, or at least self-deprecating at the same time. I met him almost 20 years ago in Verona, on a crazy night that is well documented in Fools Rush In and other books. It has been wonderful to watch him thrive ever since.

When can we expect another book?  And what will it be about?

I  just completed my third book: Boom, Bust, Boom: A Story of Copper, the Metal That Runs the World. Both Pebble mine and living in a copper mining town made me want to learn more about copper and what it means to the world and to us, as residents who live near mines. While we need copper to run our modern society, we also must realize we are responsible for making choices on how that metal is mined and processed.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Putting my two-year old to bed tonight. She whispered “Daddy I love you.”

For anyone fortunate enough to be in the Pacific Northwest in the coming week, you can easily run into Bill Carter at a few events in the region.  Bill will be appearing at the 15th Annual Fisher Poets Gathering in Astoria, Oregon at Clemente’s  Restaurant.  This event is geared to spread awareness on the dangers of the proposed Pebble Mine planned to be erected, and how the fishing industry will suffer.  Bill goes on at 9 p.m. on February 25th.

On February 27th, you can catch Bill at Clarke College where he will be screening Miss Sarajevo at 11 a.m.  And catch him later on that evening as part of the Whitely Lecture series at Pacific University for another screening at 7 p.m.

For more information on these events, check out the details at The Neo Com Group website.  Also check out Bill’s own website for other events, how to pick up copies of his books and films you desperately need to have.

Pick up copies of the book as well at indiebound.com (Fools Rush In & Red Summer).

Timmy Williams [Interview]

I was recently fortunate enough to come in contact with the (soon to be) comedic legend Timmy Williams.  You know him best as an extremely lovable and talented member of the comedy troupe Whitest Kids U Know.  Whether you’ve seen them live on the summer festival circuit, had their show relentlessly hold space on your DVR, or dig through YouTube trying to find the best video to discuss with your religious co-worker two cubicles down from you about, you have probably seen our friend Timmy.  Sometimes he places the far too nice punching bag of the group.  But, die hard WKUK fans will always hold the likes of “Timmy Dance” and the recently hilarious “Baked Beans” as just a couple of the finest moments in the show’s history.  And that just wouldn’t be without the brilliance of Timmy Williams.  Fresh of the farms of South Dakota, Timmy has seen the early stages of his comedy career turn into some great success.  And the future can only look brighter and brighter for this rising talent.

Melanie Martinez [Interview]

 Parents and children alike knew Melanie Martinez as the official tour guide to bedtime on PBS Sprout’s “The Good Night Show”.  Melanie sat every night on cable television alongside a lovable stuffed star, cleverly named, Star between airings of popular children’s cartoons.  With a warm smile and even warmer heart, Martinez guided our children off to sleep in a magical way.

And then all hell broke loose.

The story of how Melanie Martinez was unsightly canned by the folks at PBS for starring in a hilarious viral video years before taking the job at PBS has been clearly documented within the realms of newspapers, on line gossip rags, and late night comedy shows alike.  And honestly, I don’t want to talk about.  If you want the details, Check out Blogger Michael Getler’s piece for the PBS Ombudsman entitled, “A Tale of Two Actresses”.

No, I am more interested in the amazing things Melanie has been accomplishing since her departure.  Especially an amazing new animated short she has been working on with her husband, director/musician Mark Newell, entitled Slap Back Jack:  The High Five Master.  With all the hype mostly dead and gone, it’s time to see what our former heroine of a child’s night has been doing.  So I decided to ask her a few questions about her latest ventures.  But beware, more amazing controversy is sure to arise.  And it to make it all better…..it involves Shaun Cassidy.  Enjoy!

It’s been a while since PBS pulled a fast one on you and pulled your slot on Sprout’s “The Good Night Show”. But, is it safe to say that you have recovered nicely from the whole ordeal?
Perfectly recovered, thank you for asking. Although, the experience did throw me for a loop when it happened, I was fortunate to be offered roles right away and continued to be a working actor. The one thing that constantly surprises me is the support I receive from Sprout fans. I still get emails from parents who watched me as “Melanie,” with their children. It is very kind and lovely to be thought of. Very humbling.

You seem to have swayed into a behind the scenes sort of “behind the scenes” character, alongside your active acting career.  What made you transition to a spot behind the camera?
Yes. I am a producer, as well. It is a skill I acquired as a struggling actress that I love. There is a time early on in most actor’s careers, when we had to have day jobs. Right out of college, I   tried to wait tables to make extra money like my other friends. It didn’t work. I was very bad at it, but I was a downtown theatre actress and needed to pay the rent. I started working for Deborah Feingold, the legendary celebrity photographer, and ended up producing huge shoots for her. I dove in and found I really enjoyed   it.  As I started to get more acting work, I was lucky enough not to have to supplement my income anymore, but knew I would produce again if I got the chance. I’m a big picture person and I like telling   people what to do!

 For those unfamiliar with the award-winning animated short you produced, Slap Back Jack, could you give us a brief synopsis on what the film is about?
Slap Back Jack: High Five Master is a kid-friendly 11 minute stop motion animated short film narrated in rhyme. It tells the tale of how a star baseball player loses his mojo after returning to home plate and cannot manage his high-fives with his teammates. His coach advises him to see Slap Back Jack, the legendary high-five   guru. It is a fun positive story of self-esteem, friendship, and hope. With some amazing banjo to score it! The children who see it always clap along.

How did you become associated with the short’s director and animator, Mark Newell?
Mark Newell is a talented Production Designer for Commercials. He does those hilarious Sports Center spots, among many other popular campaigns. I met Mark back in my struggling acting days. The salad years. He was an artist and in a rock band at the time. I became a fan right away. He is one of those people that can do anything and you root for. I married him 15 years ago and never looked back.  Together, we are unstoppable!

Where did the idea of a “High Five Master” as a hero originate from?
When our son was about 4, Mark desperately wanted him to share his love for baseball. He had grown up playing every single kind of sport, but baseball was a passion. He needed him to love the game but, Jasper was not interested, until Derek Jeter hit a homer, got to home plate and gave his mate a special high five. Jasper’s head  whipped around and he was glued to the screen. He was hooked. As a song writer, Mark began jotting down this epic tale with a happy man named Jack. He read me some of the song/story and I immediately   thought it should be a
children’s book, so I encouraged him to continue. My focus at the time was to get it published, but then Mark came home from his art studio with this little clay head…

Is it difficult trying to promote an independently produced animated feature in the overtly Disney/Pixar saturated business that is children’s entertainment?
Of course, it is. Which is why we made a short and not a feature. We have been so fortunate with Slap Back Jack on the film festival circuit, receiving recognition for the story, character, and
music. It doesn’t get any better than that. Recently, we got a golden stamp of approval from NAPPA (National Parenting Publication Awards) and a wonderful endorsement from Kid’s First.  For children’s programming, that goes a long way.  We also took Jack to the Baseball Film Festival at the National Baseball Hall of Fame this summer. It was a very proud moment. A dream come true.
The short has definitely received great praise within the realm of animation, and has even spawned a second episode.  So, what can we expect to see next?
Our second shorter short, White Gloves Willy, was an experiment to see if we could gently move Jack away from sports to broaden our topics. Willy is a traffic cop. It works. Cartoon Brew picked it as a focus and BAMkids Film Festival just asked if they could include it in their festival this year. We are in the process of expanding Jack’s world for a television series and are creating the pitch book for it now. He has a house band, a neighbor, etc.  Music is being written as I type! It is a very exciting time. I also see the book, game apps, and a feature-length film on the horizon. Mark and I work so well together and speak in a short hand that is very helpful during such a tedious process. We are having a ball with this project.
According to your website’s Bio section, you “choreographed” complex roller skating routines to Shaun Cassidy songs”.  Personally, I find this absolutely amazing.  Do you still know any of these routines, and how quickly can you get them on YouTube?
Ron, four wheels are unicorns and rainbows for me!  We have a weekend country house in upstate NY and in the “big town” there is the most incredible roller rink. It is my paradise. If I start YouTube-ing my routines, I may not give you credit, but know you had a part, okay?
And, of course we have to ask, what does the future hold for Melanie Martinez?
In the near future, I will continue to sell you products like cell phones and bank accounts in 30 second spots, as a commercial actress. I will produce an incredible show about a clay high-five master for the whole family to watch. Using YouTube, I will create a hilarious roller skating character who dances out her feelings to songs like, hmm…”Fire” by The Pointer Sisters? I’ve
always wanted to be a viral sensation. Oh wait…

Now, what might be the most important question of all….What was the last thing that made you smile?
Well, I smile every day, but on Tuesday, Mark and I had a parent/teacher conference at noon.  We heard how wonderful our son is doing in school-he is a voracious reader, encourages others, excels in math, etc. Then at seven, we watched him walk the red carpet with Tilda Swinton and Lynne Ramsay for his new movie, We Need To Talk About Kevin.  It was a really good day.

To learn more about Melanie Martinez, check out her official website.  And find exclusive information on Slap Back Jack: High Five Master at the films website as well.

Rob Benedict [Interview]

6 years ago a campy independent comedy came out that probably made everyone who saw it, be just a bit nicer to the employees of your favorite middle class oriented restaurant.  You know which one I am talking about.  It Was Waiting…  And if you’re like me, you can’t look at raw chicken and not see Luiz Guzman’s balls.  And, that if Dane Cook is only limited to a couple of tacky one liners, he can be at least tolerable.  But, what got me the most, was sweet, dear, lovable, Calvin.  The man who developed the inability to urinate in public because of the dreaded “guy in the other stall looking at him too hard”.  He was also the pathetic doe eyed man covering a double shift for a woman he loved, who in turn had no interest him whatsoever.  I just wanted to hug this guy, and tell him everything was going to be okay.  As awkward as he was, he was the only real character in the film.  Well, the kid from Freaks and Geeks who hasn’t seemed to grow out of his awkward phase yet was there too, sad, and doe eyed as well.

But, the man behind Calvin is somebody entirely different.  He is the great Rob Benedict!  And, I despise the fact that I felt the need to give a brief synopsis on Waiting to make sure people know this amazing actor.  I remember him from shows like the now defunct Head Case, and more so for his reoccurring role in Felicity.  You remember Felicity!  It was the chick show you secretly loved to watch with your girlfriend, but always pretended to hate because of your infectiously masochistic stamina in life.  Shame on you!  But, most recently I caught Benedict again in 2010’s A Little Help.  Here we found Rob, still playing a funny and lovable character, sad even.  But, this time it was serious.  He had real issues.  His character was moving, awe-inspiring even.  It was amazing to see this obviously talented actor take on a somewhat more serious role as a pot smoking dad who desperately wants to support his son, although his wife won’t let him, all the while having a full-fledged crush on his sister-in-law that has lasted over twenty years.  This is the sort of stuff that indie gems are made of.  And Rob Benedict was more spot on with this role than anyone I have ever seen anyone perform….ever!

I decided to do a bit of research, and soon came to grips with the fact that I knew Rob elsewhere…..as the front man for the L.A. based indie rock band Louden Swain.  An amazing group that always seemed to turn up in talking circles somewhere, but I never truly dove into their music as a package.  But when I did just a few days ago, I fell in love.  And with a new album, Eskimo, coming out this December, I thought it would be nice to exchange a few words with Rob Benedict himself to tell us a bit about what it is like to be a character from a cult film, where he’s headed, learn a bit about Louden Swain, and, obviously, what it was like kissing Jenna Fischer!

Rob Benedict is an amazingly nice and talented person.  You are in for a treat.  Let’s go:

Let’s start with saying this….if IMDB is correct, you turned 41 years old this year.  Yet you still appear to be easily in your twenties?  What the hell is your secret?  Carrot juice?

I did??  Man, no one told ME that.  Maybe that’s my secret.   I don’t know, I work out, I meditate, I maintain a pretty naive and energetic approach to life.   That probably helps.  ….that, and truckloads of carrot juice.
 

Are you recognized often for your role as the nervous Calvin in Waiting?  Is it getting old?

It’s only awkward when it happens in bathrooms!  What with Calvin’s  fear of peeing in public restrooms and all.  I fear people recognizing me while I’m at a urinal.  No, it doesn’t get old– we had such a blast making that movie and at the time we weren’t sure how it would be received or if it would be received at all.  The fact that it has this little cult following is awesome.

How about when pesky interviewers ask if it get’s old….is this getting old?

Not yet.  I’m still stuck on the fact that IMDB outed my age.

In 2010 we seemed to see a slightly more mature recreation of your roles in Felicity.  Can we expect even more serious roles in the future?

It’s hard to say what the future holds……the kind of actor I am, it’s hard to predict.  Coming up, I have two fairly straight roles in an episode of Psych, and then an episode of Shameless.  But then I’ve also recently wrapped a mockumentary shot for the DVD/Blu-ray of Hangover Pt 2, that is all comedy.  I think I tend to be most comfortable somewhere in the middle– where I can shove a little comedy into an otherwise dramatic turn.   I will say that the role I played in A Little Help was especially gratifying because it was so close to who I really am.  You know minus all the extra marital stuff.  But I would like to continue to play roles like that, and explore that genre more too.

Not to be too invasive….but when you were kissing Jenna Fischer, did you feel like Jim Halpert for a couple of seconds?

Jenna’s a sweetheart– it was definitely not difficult  play someone with a crush on her.

If you could, tell us a bit about this new short you wrote and starred in, Lifetripper?  How did this come to light?

The film’s director, Graeme Joyce, was introduced to me through a mutual friend.  He had this idea of doing a short about a guy who was a mechanic, who on his bus rides to and from work, would light up the bus with stand up comedy, and then he is finally persuaded to actually go onstage and perform.   I used to do stand-up back in the day, and Graeme and I got together and poured over all my old stand up tapes and put together what became this little movie.  I  was thrilled with how it came out.  It’s a sweet little film.   It should hit festivals later this year.

Now, like any real actor, you are also a musician.  Tell us a bit about Loudon Swain.  What is your role in the band?

My role is that of lead singer and rhythm guitar player.  We started playing about 10 plus years ago but in the past five years, things have really picked up for us.  We’ve just completed our fourth full length CD, and returned from a tour in Europe.  The fans have been amazing, and really have developed this online following.  We also had a song in my movie, A Little Help  earlier this year which was a trip.

The new album, Eskimo, sounds phenomenal.  Are there any plans for a tour in support of its official release in December?

Thanks– yeah, we’re putting together a press package and setting up some US tour dates now.  Most likely we’ll be doing press in December, and then it’s actually released in the US (and on iTunes) in January.  We’ll have a big blowout gig here, and then hit the road for a series of mini tours.

What is the inspiration behind the songs you and Loudon Swain write?

So many different things, really.  Usually I bring in a song I’ve written on an acoustic guitar and the band will work its magic and we’ll mold something together.  In terms of what my inspiration is when I write– it kind of depends on the mood I’m in– happy, depressed, goofy, whatever, and it finds its way into the lyrics.  Sometimes its about me, sometimes I’ve made someone up.  In Eskimo, a lot of the lyrics tended to drift toward a feeling of isolation, and coming to terms with who you are amidst your surroundings– in the song “Eskimo” there is the lyric “it’s like teaching architecture to an Eskimo/you can show him everything you know/he’s still gonna build it out of snow”.  And that kind of became the theme of the album.  We’d originally envisioned the picture of an init wearing a huge fur parka standing in the middle of the desert.  The idea that you can take the man out of his surroundings but you can’t take the surroundings out of the man sort of thing.  In terms of the feel of the song, a lot of it depends on who we’ve been listening to.  We all bring a wide range of influences to the table.  For the Eskimo album, there was a lot of Wilco and My Morning Jacket being batted about.  I think that found its way into a lot of the songs.  But then there’s stuff from our past that creeps in as well.  Borja (Mike Borja, our bassist) and I were always big REM fans, and that tends to sneak in.  We’re all also big classic rock fans and there’s always a hint of that as well.

Finally, what was the last thing that made you smile?

This question itself kind of makes me smile….Man– I tell you  when  we were in Europe just now playing these shows, I was grinning ear to ear every night.  We played for about 100 people on the last night of the tour, in London, and you have all these people singing along to the songs– it doesn’t get much better than that.  We’ve worked really hard as a band and it was such a nice payoff for all the work we’ve put in. I was talking to a friend about this the other night, and I think this applies to my acting career as well–just to tie the whole interview together here– But there are some things you experience as you get older, that you are able to enjoy and even DO better– things you might not have been able to pull off 5 years ago.   But you get to a certain point where opportunities come your way, and it’s all so much more gratifying because of all the time and work you’ve put in leading up to this point…you’re ready for it.  That idea makes me smile too.

To learn more about Rob Benedict, check out his website, robbenedict.com .  And for more information about Louden Swain, and to pre-order Eskimo today, check out loudenswain.com

Thomas Pridgen [Interview]

Prodigies.  They are obviously a rare sort.  Often confused with a “natural”.  Natural would induce the thought that a person never really had to work at perfecting their ability.  But even those born with the ability to do something amazing have to work their ass off to achieve near perfection.  Perfection being an obvious impossiblity, considering nobody can really even know if they have reached such a mythological idealism without being around after a rapture or the complete extinction of mankind (whichever might be an actual outcome).  But somewhere between naturalistic abilities and prodigal abilities, we find the occasional human who holds the ability to do something so fucking well, it can make us sick with envy.  Envy being the highest form of flattery, of course.  And in the world of drumming, Thomas Pridgen is an obvious node to look towards when considering the best of the best of the best.  So, is there really a difference between a prodigy and a natural.  Beethoven could be considered a natural since he couldn’t hear the shit he was producing.  Mozart might be a prodigy because he had no reason to be good at what he did.  In the end, who gives two unheard, or unwarranted,  shits?

The Memorials

I love the music, I like that we are creating. If people like it or don’t like it, we’re still throwing the paint around and as artist that’s living. Testing your works on the world. I also like what we represent: hard hitting music/musicians. We’re not out here selling out and we’re not over here trying to recreate anyone else’s sound. We’re focusing on how we wanna sound, how we wanna look and how we want this music to feel. I’m not down with being extra corny to sell a download.

If you could play drums for any historical figure’s spoken word album, who would it be?

Jess Walter [Interview]