30-Day Music Challenge: Day Five

Back at it again. This seems to be going pretty swimmingly...

Today's prompt is "a song that needs to be played loud".

Well, shxt--that's like my entire iPod, LOL...but I'll choose one that I tend to turn up every time I hear it.






Talking Heads-- "Pulled Up".

I heard this on Pandora one day and I was hooked, so I downloaded it. It had to be the live version, too. The energy is so frenetic.

30-Day Music Challenge: Day One

Hey, minna-san.
So in another attempt to kickstart blogging and end the year with a bang, I'm doing another music challenge. It's been awhile.

Day One: a song you like with a colour in the title.

Well, DUH:

Prince-- "Purple Rain".
First thing I thought of.

Adventures In Finding a New Unison Phunk Regime Recruit

::sigh::
Good Lord...talk about a laborious undertaking.
We used to have a pretty great relationship with a dancer who was young and funny and rather skilled. I like to treat the dancers like family--not as an accessory. He was like a younger brother...and he up and moved to Florida, because NJ wasn't treating him very well, to nutshell it. He's doing much better in Florida, and we're very proud of him.
But that left me with no dancer... for nearly a year. This didn't help my confidence in the act much at all. So I stopped looking and got really bummed about it. I was starting to wonder if the position was jinxed like the Defence Against the Dark Arts teaching position of Harry Potter lore.

See? Like that.

So recently, we aggressively recruited for a show that fell into my lap, promising pay. Of course, all of the sudden people we'd asked before-- and who gave no real response-- were eager to comply.

Okay, maybe it wasn't this serious.

Now we have our pick, but it's still not easy. Schedules, lives, work, everything. Wondering if they'll be a good fit. Wondering if they take this as seriously as we do. Hoping against hope that they can actually dance and that they won't bxtch and moan about having to hear my stuff over and over again (yes... this actually happened once). Praying that they'll do the work.

I remember the kid I mentioned earlier admitted, months after he got the gig, that he actually showed up to the audition smashed. On Everclear, of all things. We couldn't tell! I asked why he felt he had to show up like that, and he said he was afraid I'd be a taskmaster, like Debbie Allen in Fame or something.

He was right on part of that, in that I do tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, but, to be fair, he hadn't even met me yet before the audition, so that struck me as some serious foresight on his part.

But I digress...

The process of finding the right person is annoying. At one point I was getting resumes from dancers that were waaay out of the spectrum in which I was searching. These people had credits like you wouldn't believe! All I wanted was a good-looking dude with a good personality who could keep up with Peace, wear the clothes, do the work, be professional, and come to rehearsal regularly. Not Grand Jete UberDanser of the New York City UberDansers.

And then I was getting the odd person who wanted to dance because they went to the club and someone told them they were good, and they send a video and they look like

Oy.

Then it was I'd find someone who might be awesome for the role, and they hear what they're potentially getting into, and never respond again. Well, eff you, too, LOL.

As I write this, I'm already in a panic because the person we chose so far is flaking, and I don't take to flakes kindly. People who know me know this. I will cut you off completely if I find you are a flake, and at this point in my life, I have dispensed with my usual three-strike rule. You flake once, yer out.

I'll just move on to the next on the list if I have to.

Yup. We're done.

I have faith that someday, we'll find the right fit. Until then, I'll keep looking and working with who the universe brings me.

Filmed a Video; Show Juggling; Upcoming Birthday

Well, we FINALLY did the video, and I must say, everything up until that day was so fxcking stressful. I could not believe our bad fortune. But, here at Tha Cat Lair, one thing we do and do well is make a dollar out of fifteen cents. So, we took what we had and made the best of it. I'm not expecting my exact vision, but some semblance of it. Money is a powerful tool...I probably would have had exactly what I wanted if I had a decent budget.
In spite of that, we got to meet some really awesome people, folx I hope to work with again. The director was sort of a geek, like we are, so he knew what I was going for...I trust that he will make it look fun and lighthearted like I wanted it to. I would like to do another version that's all dance, but it's hard to get people together for that.

Above are some of those great people I was talking about. We filmed it it two parts; one for the intro and one for the big shoot. Here's me below lounging and dancing and stuff like that there:

3 Miles was super supportive of the shoot and I was soooooooo grateful for that!

I have two shows in one day, within an hour and some change of each other. I'm nervous, because one is pretty big, and the promoter's rep is on the line (he fought for me and one other artist, AAEHH's Orikl), so I CANNOT SUCK.  I'm trying to not take the fact that they misspelled my name on the site as a bad sign, LOL...MercRetro just hasn't been letting go, has it? Go away! You're supposed to be turning direct!!

 The other is less formal and more of a block party, so it should be fun. Last year, the block party was NOT trying to cancel in spite of the fact that Hurricane Irene was bearing down on us. So, that was pretty interesting!

And yes...my freakin' birthday is coming up...AGAIN.....I'm hoping for sushi and dancing and debauchery. Pirate stuff. I'm sure something interesting might happen this year. It can't be boring every year!

Also....I got some messages I really needed to hear...I will heed and keep moving forward...and continue to give two middle fingers to the haters.

Meow-ho-ho!

Random Pic: Fashionmusicality

There was an event called Fashionmusicality done by Majesty Loft, a great place in Newark that I've mentioned before. The City of Newark had left it to the Loft's owners to handle this new and different addition to their annual African-American Heritage Festival. Everything seemed like it was going swimmingly, and we took promo shots for the showcase. Below is one of those shots that didn't get used (as far as I know).

Photo Credit: Orikl As-Salaam

I'm not even gonna get into how odd this shoot was for me. I think I freaked the guys on the right out. It was fun, though.

Unfortunately, Fashionmusicality was fraught with challenges, and not everyone got to perform as scheduled. I firmly believe this was because of sabotage, owing to the fact that some probably didn't want it to be successful, and I'm not the only one who saw it that way.

Months later, their Second Annual House Music Festival goes on seemingly without incident. Which just figures: Newark loves its house, because that is familiar to them. God forbid something different should happen around here.

Slacking Off....

Not really. I've actually been kinda busy.
Between trying to save my brand, stay afloat, help run a small label, do a gig here and there, fight off haters, raise cubs, nurture b/f, and find a new dancer...plus write new material and cast for a video, it's been pretty hectic.
I'm sure there's folx out there that were really REALLY hoping I would just fall off the face of the earth, or had actually fallen off the face of the earth. But, frankly--and in the case of a few particular people, I mean this--where, then, would they be? I'm sure they don't know. Besides, people are starting to see the pattern...
Anyway...

GATA City is being re-released next month. Funny how it's a year later and we're still trying to break this to the masses. Hopefully, our deal with Brainmuscle Media will be successful. I have heard anything from "Why isn't this on the radio?" to "This deserves to be heard!" Well, let's hope.
I'm in the process of casting for my first video. I can't wait to start shooting. It should be fun.

We have finally found a new dancer. His name's 3D. He reminds us a tonne of the last guy, but he's got waaayyyy more humility and respect going on in his favour so far.

I was working on a manga I really wanted to release along with the CD last year, but got distracted by life, as per usual. I've begun working on it again in earnest, so hopefully I'll have something going there soon.

I also have been working on The Alliance a lot, too, trying to get that up and going, still looking for crazy folx. We have more musical artists than visual or dancers, but I'm hoping that will indeed change and we can become a bit more structured. Right now it's a loose alliance than anything else. But everyone is game. There's nothing else out there like it as far as I know, w/the exceptions of maybe the Afro-punk movement and the Black Rock Coalition. Of course, they're more regimented and structured. We're not big enough to worry about that just yet.

I had quite a few gigs, nothing like, gargantuan (I so rarely get to use that word in a sentence, LOL), but nonetheless fun! I loved performing at the BareNaked Bake Sale event. They are such a fun crowd. They accepted me in all my Cheshire Cat glory.

Photo Cred: Andrew Levengood Photography

So...that's it...

Random Pic of the...Whenever

...since it seems I can't be consistent with this shxt!
I recently did a short local gig at a place called Majesty Loft. They had a small fashion event called Cat Fight (how apropos), and asked me to do a few ditties...
I like this one because it really captures both the intimacy and the energy of the place and what we did there. Catherine is a damned good photographer.
Till next time, GNOtaku.

Photo Credit: Catherine Payne

Random Weekly Pic....9-5-11

Fxck-- I'm so bad with these. I'm super late, LOL
Well, I'll put up three again...

Those are all random shots of our pre-Irene performance at the Palm Street Block Association's annual block party. It was raining like crazy most of the day, but they are hardcore about their block parties, LOL

Random Weekly Pic: 8-15-11

Okay-- I know I'm late with this so I'll give you THREE  pics this week (sorry about that)...

This is me at the ORNG Ink Inkalicious Art Party. You can bet I had the most interesting gear there.

Self-portrait, just before it was time to go on.

This is a shot of where ORNG Ink operates. I love the space.

For more info about ORNG Ink check their site.

Side commentary: It's really sad that you can't even get respect or common decency from other acts at a freakin' BLOCK PARTY.  It's not that serious, guys. That's all I'm gonna say about that here. That and, karma's a bxtch.

Pressing On Despite Haters and Lack of Faith/Support...

Wow.
If you know me you know it takes a lot for me to express frustration. But I have to say it is really hard to get people to support a cause. I mean, I have fans but I barely know it...most of you, when called upon...don't respond. It makes me wonder if anyone actually is into what I'm doing. Part of building a fanbase is word of mouth. I'm really pushing the gig thing this year. But how on earth can anyone tell their buddies "GATA had an awesome gig" or "GATA's gig really sucked, but I liked it anyway" (LOL)  if they're not even there to see it? How can you post pictures, or video--how can you hate on it if you haven't even seen it?

I think that, because of how I performed last year at the Newark Gay Pride thingy, people are prolly put off a bit, and don't want to come out again (not that they came out in droves for the first one). I mean, if you were there, it prolly looked crazy, but some people were responding...add to that the fact that Newark acts as if it's too cule for the room sometimes. They don't respond to anything they don't get, and even if they do get it, it takes a lot for them to express anything. I've seen them literally just stand there and zombie stare at all the acts in a show, save the people who may have known the act that was on stage at any given time. It's like it's too much to ask for some positive energy! Even when WWE was here, they gave no love...and that's WWE! WTF did you buy a ticket for? But I digress...

My performance wasn't...as good as I'd hoped it'd be. I even tell you in the video that I'm having some issues w/sound and a fit of the giggles...thanx to my grrl cub kicking me and these two people in the front who were giving sooo much energy doing these 80s dances, LOL. It could have been much better. I had fun, tho'. I thought I was gonna end up in the damned emergency room/labour and delivery when it was over, N4N!
I look at the video often to study myself and remember what not to do.

I am hoping that May's gig will be better. I'm certainly putting a lot into it. I'm an emcee, but I'm kinda from the old school when people rhymed about nearly anything and could get away w/it, when dance was still an important part of the culture, when people weren't trying to look like they were hardened criminals and obsessed w/"keepin' it real". I'll keep it real, alright, but my "real" is waaaayyy different than their "real". Real for me is expressing myself thru my art and my music, which includes my appearance. I mean even by old-school standards, I'm a different breed. I prolly would've been the weirdest of the Native Tongues if I was part of that crew, to give you some perspective on that.

My show is different from what you'd expect a hip-hop act to be...so you can't go in expecting hardcore ghetto attitude. That's not to say I won't write hardcore, cuz I have some sinister shxt going on in my head sometimes. I explore a range of feelings when I write. Right now, I am focused on trying to have fxckin' fun. Where's the fun @ in hip-hop, guys? Does it always have to be about "bxtches", how much collateral you supposedly have, how many people you fxcked, how much money you have, how you'll cap somebody for no apparent reason, to be "real"? I mean, even when the Beasties wrote "License to Ill", they were doing it tongue-in-cheek! C'mon, yawl...

Expect actual choreography this time. Expect more songs besides what you see on the video. Expect me to look really crazy--as usual. Expect an overall better show.

In light of this I am trying to gather a street team. I need visual support, I need to get the asses in the seats, as it were, LOL. The outside world has to know who I am and what I'm about. If you appreciate what I do, if you think I should meet the world, I humbly ask for any help you might be able to give. I do give incentives, for those asking, "What's in it for me?" Get recruited and find out!

GATA @ Bar East; ReverbNation

Hey, guys... so I gotta show coming up next month! I'm totally excited. NYC/NJ GNOtaku please PLEASE come out and support! Promo cards will be handed out, and they might just snag you a lil something...if you want one, just lemme know and I'll get it out to you!
The show is at Bar East, 1733 1st Avenue (between 89th and 90th) in NYC @ the basement level, on May 22nd, 2010. Go time is 8pm.

I would really appreciate it if you could join my mailing list at ReverbNation. Just click the little widget up top left corner. I want to compile a good list so that I can send yawl some bulletins and stuff exclusive to you-- the fans. Stuff NOBODY ELSE GETS! LOL...For instance, if you sign up, you'll be the first to get an exclusive download of the PoppaRazi remix of "Come Show Me". It WILL make you dance!
I'll keep ya posted...have rehearsals today, so I gotta get going!