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Showing posts with label artist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label artist. Show all posts
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Robert Nix: A simple walk can change your point of view
Maintaining a grounded sense of self in a world that can overwhelm the majority of us, Canadian-born solo artist Robert Nix creates intense pieces of music that speak to humanity in ways that can feel subtle but pack a powerful bunch. When he takes hold of an instrument and starts to sing, his quirky, yet catchy melodies and song style really grab hold to the listener. With a nostalgic feel of the synth era and a mixture of other genres, Robert has launched his newest album “Walk Down The Street.”
Below, I had the chance to correspond with Robert Nix to delve a little deeper into what makes him stand out from the rest of the crowd. Enjoy!
Melissa Arditti: The first time I listened to “Walk Down The Street” I immediately thought of Bauhaus/Peter Murphy. Do you find there’s a bit of them in your vocals?
Robert Nix: No one has ever mentioned Bauhaus but I've heard Michael Stipe, Ringo Starr, Jim Morrison, Ian Astbury, and I think that's it.
M.A: In your Number 9 track, "It's an Ode to Karen" I feel like I'm being transported into a symphony of sound. Who is Karen?
R.N: “Karen” is a girl I met close to 10 years ago. I still have regrets about not asking her out. I’m not sure where she is today...
M.A: Watching the video to "Walk down the street" is there an underlying message you want to convey to your audience?
R.N: The song is about 'self-realization' ('as you're walking down the street') I know I often ponder my own existence while walking down the street and then other elements fall into place as you're walking down the street-i.e. “you don't know who'll you'll meet” and then the idea that maybe in the end we're all just “nowhere men and women” (Beatle song: 'Nowhere Man') which fits into the ending lyric and disintegration scene(“or are you just another person walking down the street” disintegrating into nothingness)
M.A: You have quite the array of talents, playing keyboards, guitars and also singing. What other special gifts do you have?
R.N: In addition to music, I have some athletic gifts. I won a gold medal at age 13 for being in the fastest 400 meter relay team in the city of Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens
M.A: Being a Canadian, how do you feel about the Canadian music scene in general?
R.N: With the exception for the band Rush (I am a big fan and have several of their albums!) I don't really follow the Canadian music scene or any other musical scene either. I know that sounds bad but I just seem to be a little too locked into composing my own stuff.
M.A: I read in your bio that you are an environmental advocate. How does your music bring awareness to causes that you care deeply about?
R.N: Yes I am an environmentalist and I'm for animal rights too. I went vegan 8 years ago, which is actually a win/win situation for both categories.
As far as my music bringing awareness-track 10 is entitled “Don't Eat The Animals” which puts forth the idea that people should at least checkout what goes on behind the scenes if they're going to eat meat, that's what I did. I made a conscious decision to dump all meat and fish, and in time, replaced dairy with soy milk/soy cheese.
I also currently have a petition on my Youtube site against the live skinning of animals in China
M.A. Thanks Robert for the enlightening interview! Best of luck with your music and humanitarian efforts!
You can check out more of Robert’s work at: https://www.robertnixcomposer.com/
Emmy-nominated T.O.N.E.-z gets Justified!
With an incredible 4.2 million viewers in its opening season, Justified had its highest debut on FX. Now in 2012, it has remained the top television drama series on the FX channel, (for Canadians; Super Channel) with several Emmy nominations, especially for well-known rap-artist T.O.N.E.-z, who created the hard-hitting theme song “Long Hard Times To Come” which truly showcased the essence of the show.
After his guest appearance on Justified, I had the pleasure to interview T.O.N.E-z and learn what it’s like to go from being a rapper to an actor!
Melissa Arditti: Justified has become such a popular series on the FX series channel, and now going into its 3rd season, how did you feel when you got the news that you would be on the show?
T.O.N.E-z: OMG!!! I felt like I was smacked in the head by Tyson, (in his early years) Derek Jeter & 18 angry in-mates!! Seriously, I flipped out! I was and actually still am extremely happy!
M.A: You were quoted as saying that “the whole cast and crew are the best people to work with and the coolest people period!” Did you feel that moment of being “star-struck” working with any of the cast members?
T: Oh I was completely star-struck! Here I was standing next to Mykelti Williamson! I told him “I love your work!” and he replied back with “your music is amazing!” Everyone was so kool. Timothy Olyphant is a fan of my music and told me that I am amazing. The whole cast showed me so much love.
M.A: Justified is quite an intense show, not just in its storylines but also with the characters. How did you prepare emotionally for the role of “Barnes?”
T: Simple: I just looked, listened and learned!
M.A: For a talented artist like yourself, memorizing lyrics must come as second nature to you. However, with acting, did you find there was a difference in how you were able to remember your lines?
T: It’s just as easy, if not easier.
M.A: Some artists get stereotyped into certain roles when they make the crossover to acting. What role would you like to embrace someday that you know would completely knock your fans on their feet?
T: If I could play a role like “V” from the movie V for Vendetta, I know that i’d wow the world! You know, that role was so intense. It embodied pain, sorrow, anger, vengeance, tears, laughter and compassion.
M.A: What went through your mind when you found out that the theme song “Long Hard Times to Come” was being nominated for an Emmy?
T: I thought to myself “damn it took me 20 minutes to do the lyrics in my head and less than 7 to lay them down and look what just happened… AN EMMY NOMINATION!
M.A: It’s addictive getting bitten by the acting bug! Is this is the last fans have seen of T.O.N.E-z on tv or should we expect more appearances?
T: Oh hell (to the) nah! I am already pursuing new projects as I typed this, so the world will see more appearances of me in tv and some feature films are in the works.
M.A: I’m sure you’re itching to get back into the studio after having such a wonderful experience on Justified. With the sky being the limit on opportunities that seem to be coming your way, what’s next musically for you?
T: My new album “High Voltage” is out now and available on Itunes. It contains a new song called “Trapped” that was inspired by Season 3 of Justified. (fyi: you might just hear it on the show!) :)
Thanks to T.O.N.E.-z for taking time out of his insanely busy schedule to make this interview possible!
After his guest appearance on Justified, I had the pleasure to interview T.O.N.E-z and learn what it’s like to go from being a rapper to an actor!
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| T.O.N.E-z |
Enjoy the interview below.
Melissa Arditti: Justified has become such a popular series on the FX series channel, and now going into its 3rd season, how did you feel when you got the news that you would be on the show?
T.O.N.E-z: OMG!!! I felt like I was smacked in the head by Tyson, (in his early years) Derek Jeter & 18 angry in-mates!! Seriously, I flipped out! I was and actually still am extremely happy!
M.A: You were quoted as saying that “the whole cast and crew are the best people to work with and the coolest people period!” Did you feel that moment of being “star-struck” working with any of the cast members?
T: Oh I was completely star-struck! Here I was standing next to Mykelti Williamson! I told him “I love your work!” and he replied back with “your music is amazing!” Everyone was so kool. Timothy Olyphant is a fan of my music and told me that I am amazing. The whole cast showed me so much love.
M.A: Justified is quite an intense show, not just in its storylines but also with the characters. How did you prepare emotionally for the role of “Barnes?”
T: Simple: I just looked, listened and learned!
M.A: For a talented artist like yourself, memorizing lyrics must come as second nature to you. However, with acting, did you find there was a difference in how you were able to remember your lines?
T: It’s just as easy, if not easier.
M.A: Some artists get stereotyped into certain roles when they make the crossover to acting. What role would you like to embrace someday that you know would completely knock your fans on their feet?
T: If I could play a role like “V” from the movie V for Vendetta, I know that i’d wow the world! You know, that role was so intense. It embodied pain, sorrow, anger, vengeance, tears, laughter and compassion.
M.A: What went through your mind when you found out that the theme song “Long Hard Times to Come” was being nominated for an Emmy?
T: I thought to myself “damn it took me 20 minutes to do the lyrics in my head and less than 7 to lay them down and look what just happened… AN EMMY NOMINATION!
M.A: It’s addictive getting bitten by the acting bug! Is this is the last fans have seen of T.O.N.E-z on tv or should we expect more appearances?
T: Oh hell (to the) nah! I am already pursuing new projects as I typed this, so the world will see more appearances of me in tv and some feature films are in the works.
M.A: I’m sure you’re itching to get back into the studio after having such a wonderful experience on Justified. With the sky being the limit on opportunities that seem to be coming your way, what’s next musically for you?
T: My new album “High Voltage” is out now and available on Itunes. It contains a new song called “Trapped” that was inspired by Season 3 of Justified. (fyi: you might just hear it on the show!) :)
Thanks to T.O.N.E.-z for taking time out of his insanely busy schedule to make this interview possible!
DJ Jounce is ready to bounce!!
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| DJ Jounce |
My reviews are becoming rather varied especially when I find something exciting to write about. This time I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have an up-close and personal (well on a virtual scale since he’s living in L.A. and I’m all the way in Windsor!) glimpse into the challenging yet exciting career of Dj Jounce, who is anything but just a disc-jockey. He is also a talented artist, musician, songwriter and producer!
Creating a fusion of sounds that are addictive to the eardrums and energizing to the spirit, DJ Jounce ditches the path of ordinary to produce music that could only be described as extraordinary. Embracing his own groove and sharing his passion of what he was destined to do, DJ Jounce’s style is a comforting realization that music is truly the one element in life that brings us all together.
Below you can also read my interview with Dj Jounce:
Melissa Arditti: Thanks for taking time out of your insanely busy schedule to sit down and do this interview for me, I sincerely appreciate it!
Dj Jounce:
Hi Melissa! No problem. It’s my pleasure. Thanks for having me.
M.A: From your recent live-air phone interview on ArtistFirst World Radio, which I listened to, you said you were born and raised on the East Coast. Let me ask, how has small town life kept you grounded for the drastic change and excitement of LA living?
Dj Jounce:
LA definitely has a lot more going on than where I grew up … haha. Some things were …. and still are tempting … and potentially dangerous, but I guess having grown up without those things helped me know that I can still live without them. More importantly, I’m fortunate for my friends who do a good job of keeping me in check.
M.A: So I’m sure many people have inquired but I am really curious to know how you came up with the name DJ Jounce?
Dj Jounce: Oh yeah, great question. A lot of people think it’s just some silly name to rhyme with “bounce”, but it’s actually a real word. Call me a nerd, but I actually got “Jounce” from a physics term. Basically, it refers to the rate of change of a jerk over time. That jerk would be me [grin].
M.A: You’re obviously a musician at heart, being trained at such an early age to learn guitar, piano and other instruments. How do you feel that your musical style evolved since the start of your career, especially with the constant changes in technology?
Dj Jounce: I’ve tried to embrace the changes, and to take advantage of them whenever it’s been helpful. For example, instead of playing a regular piano, the keys on a keyboard can now play something totally different through the computer. So while I started off with traditional acoustic instruments, I’m now in the deep end with electronic music. The old boundaries have been erased, so everyone can write something new. And I’m trying to write new stuff all the time.
M.A: Since you are not only a DJ but also focus a lot of creative energy on actual songwriting, I heard that you sing in the shower for inspiration. How else do you create meaningful lyrics?
Dj Jounce: Haha … I sing anywhere and anytime! Music’s just always on my mind. I’ve belted it out at the top of my lungs in my car only to find people in the next car staring at me cause my window was down. Anything in life can inspire lyrics for me. And it can come at anytime. It's good to have phones these days where we can just type lyrics in or record a little melody before you lose it. I’ve got pages of random ideas and thoughts. Most of them just need to be organized into lyrics for a song.
M.A: In 2010, Homeless Volume 1 was never formally released, but what an incredible cd! I must say that I am truly in awe with the track “A Memory Of.” It invoked so many emotions in me and so what was your inspiration behind making this song?
Dj Jounce: Thanks, it really is a personal track for me. It was inspired by the death of someone close to me. But I don’t want the track to be a downer. It’s really more about celebrating the good memories with that person or anyone the listener can relate to. The ending piano lines are like a conversation back-and-forth because I can still hear the voice.
M.A: The photos I saw were smokin’ for the promo that you did last year for CK’s Brand X Clothing Line. Have you ever thought about collaborating with other fashion stylists and perhaps using your music for runway shows?
Dj Jounce: Oh, wow … thanks! Actually, it’s funny you should ask because I recently DJ’d and MC’d a major fashion show here in LA. I had several singers that I was collaborating with come in and perform songs we wrote together. It turned out really well. And yes, I hope to work with some fashion stylists, especially because I’m going to be performing a lot more over the coming months to promote my upcoming CD.
M.A: ColdPlay a top artist in the music industry has to brush his teeth before a concert and the purple one – Prince, he needs his popcorn fix before going on stage. Artists have some quirky pre-concert rituals. Do you have anything special or even unusual that you like to do before you’re ready to perform in front of a crowd?
Dj Jounce: Hmmm, I wish I had something really cool and funny to tell. Honestly, I don’t have any set rituals but I do find myself getting pretty quiet and calm. I don’t want to say I meditate, but I do get very relaxed yet focused because I do want to put on a great performance and sometimes I just need to clear out everything on my mind and think about the show. That’s the calm before the storm cause when I get on stage, I’ll start jumping around before the curtain goes up.
M.A: We’ve had Tiesto and David Guetta, two of your heroes, play here in our club-hopping town of Windsor, Ontario, where I’m living. I would hope that somehow we could get you to do a show or two here someday. I’d love to see a DJ Jounce show live. I’ve heard that it is quite a memorable and surreal experience.
Dj Jounce:Yes, I’d love to do a show in your area! And I’m adding even more to my stage show. I’m working out a lot of new lighting and video screen effects that’ll be in sync with the music, so it’ll be a visual extravaganza as well as an auditory one. As you know, I have the CD coming out and we will announce some upcoming show dates soon. So stay tuned and I will definitely let you know when I get up to Ontario!
M.A: Well it was a pleasure to interview you, and best of luck in all your creative pursuits! Once last thing, I imagine you’re totally computer-savvy, and hooked up to all the social networking sites. So where can we find you on the net?
Dj Jounce: Sure! My web site is http://www.djjounce.com/ and most of the common web sites for me are just “dot com slash DJ Jounce”
YouTube.com/DjJounce
By the way, Room Trip Music is my production company & label.
Thanks again for having me, Melissa.
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