It's shaping up to be a very busy week for former Blink-182 frontman Tom DeLonge. On the upside, he just celebrated the debut of a documentary DVD chronicling his transition from the seminal teen punk act Blink-182 to his current band, Angels & Airwaves [ tickets ].Released earlier this week, the film, entitled "Start the Machine," focuses on the process of producing Angels & Airwaves' first project, "We Don't Need to Whisper." Delonge is also on the cusp of heading out for a summerlong jaunt headlining Van's Warped Tour, which commences June 20 in Pomona, CA.On the down side, DeLonge has reaffirmed news that all Blink fans hated to hear--there will be no reunion. And he's made a few headlines in the UK defending his cohorts in My Chemical Romance after a flurry in the press about a 13-year-old British girl, who was a devotee of MCR and other Emo acts, committed suicide in 2007.In a widely circulated statement in the UK press, the singer is quoted as saying that although band members may tend to blame themselves in situations like this high profile suicide, it's wrong to do so when there is no direct fan-to-band connection."You have no idea who these people are," DeLonge said. "And My Chemical Romance, they spend a lot of time singing about coming together. There's ingredients of rebellion and angst, but what band doesn't have that when they're young?"Switching to his recent comment about a rumored Blink reunion, DeLonge states: "I really cannot see any possible way that Blink would get back together, nor do I have any desire for it. It was a really amazing, magical time for me when I was young, but now I'm older, I'm doing things that reflect my life now. It would be a lie to myself to go and sing about first dates and girls at the rock show."Clearly these are separate but similar sentiments from a man who is fully in touch with not only where he has gone, but where he is going. In advance of his Warped Tour duties, DeLonge sat down with LiveDaily to talk about his own demons; the process behind Angels & Airwaves' second offering, "I, Empire"; and his other entrepreneurial activities, including ModLife.LiveDaily: Your newer material seems to come from a really progressive standpoint. Your Angels & Airwaves material has been compared with Queen, Rush and Yes, and I hope you don't take offense to this, but I hear shades of Flock of Seagulls mixed in there as well. Tom DeLonge: No offense at all, I love Flock of Seagulls. You know, I grew up in the alternative rock scene. I was a little punk rocker listening to new wave and classic rock bands like the ones you mentioned. These were all the great bands we grew up with. As we were putting together the new project we were saying, "Wouldn't it be great if we could get the conceptual depth of a Pink Floyd, or the epic landscapes of U2?" It's funny, every time we crank up the guitar, we end up sounding like we borrowed something from "Tom Sawyer" or some other Rush song. We really wanted Angels & Airwaves to showcase 30 or 40 years of the bands we thought were great. We try and derive our influences from all those bands we liked, and then we put a modern take on it.When it came to writing and producing for the new band, were you consciously drawing from deeper or more classic influences, or was the writing and production process purely organic?When we start the recording of a song, a lot of time we will do it with a muse--a movie, a book, an image or a song. And, more often than not, once it gets rolling, it is a very organic thing that takes shape. We've learned that no matter how you go in to record the song, it will never end up as good as if you let it go in the direction it needs to go. Like, if you go in with the idea that it will have this gigantic roaring guitar sound, but then, once you lay down the track you realize that it's not the best thing for the song. So we end up in a very organic place. Once we start laying down the song, we don't reference the muse anymore. We always want to do songs that will create an appeal, where it can be a foundation of a larger message--the way the band wants to bring people together, with a positive outlook on life.Besides being a bit older, and coming to the project with a totally secure concept of what the band was capable of, what was different about the process of creating "I-Empire" than "We Don't Need to Whisper?"The imagery of the first project was the juxtaposition of war and space. The space was reflecting this infinite realm with infinite possibilities. The war was reflective of the war within one's own life--metaphorically speaking. For me, it was the breakup of my last band, losing my closest friends and starting out on this new life. Largely, the first record was an autobiographical experience. Making the new album was a little more grounded and happy. We still had a few of those ethereal moments, like when the music lifted you off the ground and made you soar. But, we know who we are now, and we're excited to be where we are at instead of searching it out anymore.So you're rooted in reality instead of altered reality?That's totally right.The new album reflects significantly more adventure and diversity in the instrumentation, especially in the rhythms. Was "I-Empire" a lot more fun to do, and did Atom, Dave and Matt play greater roles in what we hear as the finished product?It really was a lot more fun. I know a lot of people out there think this is a Tom DeLonge project, and that I call all the shots. But when I put the band together, it was very much knowing that I wanted this to be one of the greatest bands of all time. I don't write all the drum parts, and I don't write all the bass parts, I don't pick all the album artwork. I consider myself an amateur captain of sorts. I can get the boat to the dock, but there's no way I'm pushing it out in the water myself. These guys are great--they work all the time. The cool thing was when I was getting off painkillers, there were, like, three weeks when I couldn't do anything at all. Well, they were still in the studio doing all the drums and arrangements--they didn't miss a beat. So, when it says all the songs are written and performed by the band--you know it's not my thing anymore.Where does ModLife come into play? This dual life you have between the music business and your entrepreneurial pursuits is pretty intriguing.Before I ever started selling records, right when online stuff was taking off, I pretty much decided to start this thing called LoserKids.com, because I never thought we were going to make it in the music business. Well, we started selling records, and since we were one of the first places to start selling skate fashions, it started taking off, too. Then we came up with a concept called ModLife, which is an operating system that allows people to make money off themselves digitally. It's a series of tools that work cohesively together that allows a band or a person to broadcast themselves in movies or videos, to sell their music through broadcasts, webcams or podcasts. It really helped us spearhead Angels & Airwaves as more of a fine-arts project than a band--doing films, documentaries, coffee table books, and other licensed products. It also helps us get real connectivity with our fans--it helps keep the business alive while pushing it forward, changing expectations about the ways people can showcase their art.You and the band really seem to have set out to make a difference in 2008, and I have to believe one way you can literally help save lives is talking about your experiences related to pain-killer addiction. You know, it's one thing to hear about it from your parents, or teachers, but coming from someone like you, I know any words of warning will actually fall on receptive ears.You know, when you have your life together as a teenager, you never see yourself as a drug addict. You never think you're that guy. You're fine--you hang with your friends, you play your sport. But the one thing that was really enlightening to me was learning no matter how strong you are, and how well your life is put together, these painkillers are a chemical that is exactly like super glue. No matter how strong you are, you can't not glue your fingers together. The chemical has nothing to do with how smart you are, or how happy you are, or how many friends you have. No matter what, once you take it, it starts super gluing your system. It's a massively dangerous drug because it will connect to you in a way that makes it ruin everything it touches. And the saddest thing when I was taking the stuff, is it was clouding my inhibition. You start making really horrible decisions, and you start doing things that bring parts of you out you didn't even know existed. You feel so good all the time, and before you know it, you're in so deep you can't function. It scares me to know there are kids out there that are into it--because once you start taking it, you bump up really quickly. Once you're taking that Oxycontin and stuff, you need some serious, serious help getting off. I mean, it's as strong as any drug that exists on earth. So I think you really need to learn to be happy with yourself and the world around you. I remember being scared that I would never feel as good once I stopped taking the stuff. But that's a total lie--a complete and total lie.
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Sunday, 15 June 2008
Ivan Fischer/Budapest Festival Orch.
Artist: Ivan Fischer/Budapest Festival Orch.
Genre(s):
Classical
Discography:
Brahms - Hungarian Dances
Year:
Tracks: 21
New York Dolls
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
Grammy Award winner Mark S. Doss to star in a William Walton classical rendition at Opera Theatre of St. Louis
ST. LOUIS, MO, June 5 - Mark S. Doss, international opera
star and Grammy Award winner, is set to perform at the Opera Theatre of St.
Louis in the timeless tragedy, Troilus and Cressida, with performances on
June 19, 21, 25, 27 and 29, 2008.
In St. Louis, Doss takes on the role of Diomede, Greek Prince of Argos,
in a classical rendition of the production, which originally debuted in
1954 at Covent Garden, London. Troilus and Cressida is the first of two
operas composed by William Walton and took approximately seven years to
complete.
New York may witness "first hand" the extraordinary resurgence of Doss'
bass-baritone when he arrives at the Metropolitan Opera in the heart of New
York City this September through mid-October. Doss will cover his
critically acclaimed role of Jochanaan (John the Baptist) in Salome. A
recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinal review applauded his performance in this
role, saying, "Mark S. Doss' potent and steadfast bass-baritone sound and
imposing physical presence made him a worthy foil for (Erika) Sunnegardh.
The opera found its pace and substance in their early duet, in which he
held firm against her seductions and epithets." Last season, Mr. Doss
performed this same role at Milan's legendary Teatro alla Scala (La Scala),
where he has been welcomed for six different roles since 2004.
In December, Doss returns once again to Milan to star as Baron Jaroslav
Prus in the three-act opera The Makropulos Case. This will be Doss' seventh
principal role at La Scala.
This past March, Doss made his Pittsburgh Opera debut as Amonasro in
Verdi's Aida. Mr. Doss is featured in the same role on a recently released
Aida DVD, recorded live at the Theatre de la Monnaie in Brussels. Reviewers
applauded his work, recognizing "another fine performance...from the
powerful American bass(-baritone), Mark (S.) Doss (Amonasro)," who was able
to "subtly break free of the 'stand and deliver' directions and create a
huge amount of emotion in his face and voice," (Reviewer Ltd., UK).
In other news, Doss has earned high praise for his portrayal of
Mephistopheles in productions around the world. He is featured in the
recently released CD of Mefistofele recorded live with Oper Frankfurt on
the hr-musik.de label. The magazine Opernwelt applauds his performance and
in a 2007 edition said, "Mark S. Doss can exist beside great predecessors
such as Nazzareno de Angeles or Samuel Ramey with luster."
ABOUT MARK S. DOSS:
Mark S. Doss is a celebrated bass-baritone whose accomplishments
include a Grammy Award (1993) for his work on the recording of Semele
(Handel). The Cleveland-born star began his musical studies to aid in his
ambitions to become a Catholic priest, but was seduced by the opera world
and has since emerged as one of the world's leading singers.
CONTACT: AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS: Christine Payne or Amy Aravantinos,
Publicity office for Mark S. Doss, (416) 489-0092, cpayne29@cogeco.ca or
aaravantinos@primorisgroup.com; Mark S. Doss, (847) 826-4530,
MSDoss57@aol.com
See Also
star and Grammy Award winner, is set to perform at the Opera Theatre of St.
Louis in the timeless tragedy, Troilus and Cressida, with performances on
June 19, 21, 25, 27 and 29, 2008.
In St. Louis, Doss takes on the role of Diomede, Greek Prince of Argos,
in a classical rendition of the production, which originally debuted in
1954 at Covent Garden, London. Troilus and Cressida is the first of two
operas composed by William Walton and took approximately seven years to
complete.
New York may witness "first hand" the extraordinary resurgence of Doss'
bass-baritone when he arrives at the Metropolitan Opera in the heart of New
York City this September through mid-October. Doss will cover his
critically acclaimed role of Jochanaan (John the Baptist) in Salome. A
recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinal review applauded his performance in this
role, saying, "Mark S. Doss' potent and steadfast bass-baritone sound and
imposing physical presence made him a worthy foil for (Erika) Sunnegardh.
The opera found its pace and substance in their early duet, in which he
held firm against her seductions and epithets." Last season, Mr. Doss
performed this same role at Milan's legendary Teatro alla Scala (La Scala),
where he has been welcomed for six different roles since 2004.
In December, Doss returns once again to Milan to star as Baron Jaroslav
Prus in the three-act opera The Makropulos Case. This will be Doss' seventh
principal role at La Scala.
This past March, Doss made his Pittsburgh Opera debut as Amonasro in
Verdi's Aida. Mr. Doss is featured in the same role on a recently released
Aida DVD, recorded live at the Theatre de la Monnaie in Brussels. Reviewers
applauded his work, recognizing "another fine performance...from the
powerful American bass(-baritone), Mark (S.) Doss (Amonasro)," who was able
to "subtly break free of the 'stand and deliver' directions and create a
huge amount of emotion in his face and voice," (Reviewer Ltd., UK).
In other news, Doss has earned high praise for his portrayal of
Mephistopheles in productions around the world. He is featured in the
recently released CD of Mefistofele recorded live with Oper Frankfurt on
the hr-musik.de label. The magazine Opernwelt applauds his performance and
in a 2007 edition said, "Mark S. Doss can exist beside great predecessors
such as Nazzareno de Angeles or Samuel Ramey with luster."
ABOUT MARK S. DOSS:
Mark S. Doss is a celebrated bass-baritone whose accomplishments
include a Grammy Award (1993) for his work on the recording of Semele
(Handel). The Cleveland-born star began his musical studies to aid in his
ambitions to become a Catholic priest, but was seduced by the opera world
and has since emerged as one of the world's leading singers.
CONTACT: AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS: Christine Payne or Amy Aravantinos,
Publicity office for Mark S. Doss, (416) 489-0092, cpayne29@cogeco.ca or
aaravantinos@primorisgroup.com; Mark S. Doss, (847) 826-4530,
MSDoss57@aol.com
See Also
Kiss - The Things They Say 8557
"It's PAUL's fault - he didn't have to marry her... A wife will never ever say how much she will want after a divorce. If she did, no man would marry her." Never-married KISS star GENE SIMMONS has no sympathy for SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY, who was forced to pay ex-wife HEATHER MILLS a hefty settlement in their divorce battle.
See Also
Babyshambles - Babyshambles Deny Guitarist Split
BABYSHAMBLES have dismissed a story which claimed guitarist Mick Whitnall is about to leave the band.
The band are about to begin work on the follow-up to their third album Shotter's Nation, so a media report that the guitarist was about to walk came as a surprise to the band themselves.
A report in the Sun claimed guitarist Mick Whitnall was about to quit BABYSHAMBLES in order to join Amy Winehouse's touring band, after it emerged he has been writing for the singer in his spare time.
NME reports that Babyshambles' drummer Adam Ficek rubbished such reports, however, by branding the story "a load of b******s", adding that "it made me laugh though".
In related news, Pete Doherty has revealed that he is worried about BABYSHAMBLES' financial situation.
He told MTV.co.uk: "We've got a few concerns at the moment over issues with management, where the money has been going and distribution of wealth."
11/06/2008 14:11:43
See Also
Mariza
Artist: Mariza
Genre(s):
Folk
Pop
Latin
Discography:
Transparente A Pirata (20050427)
Year: 2005
Tracks: 8
Transparente
Year: 2005
Tracks: 14
Fado em Mim
Year: 2002
Tracks: 13
From the Digg files: fun with plane dissection
Click the drawing at left to watch.
See Also
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