Stephanie's World
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 calm This week's feature is a double-treat for me. Not only do I get to showcase a kick-ass singer / songwriter, but I get to help promote a fellow Canadian. Mandi Perkins is a Toronto native who cut her teeth on singing and songwriting from an early age. Working locally in children's musical theatre, Mandi always knew what her career had to be. By sixteen she was singing the National Anthem at the Skydome, and winning a Canada-wide talent competition, and when high school ended she headed out to hone her craft.  That started with a degree in English Literature at UC Berkeley, and I think that all will listen to her music will appreciate the lyrical structures that this background has helped her create, and in her ability to convey the material. Singing from personal emotion, she is also extremely varied in the subject matter that she tackles in her songs. And she approaches the subjects from different angles that add surprising nuance to them. Then, of course, there is that voice. I have been wracking my brain to try and come up with someone to compare it to, but I can't. And that is a good thing in my book as it stands out as something uniquely hers. Able to present herself to you with soft, warm strains like Jewel or Joni Mitchell, and then digging deep and ripping it out like Alanis. But always definitely herself.  Now, a great voice needs great accompaniment, and she has found a talented group of musicians to surround herself with to present her songs. They play well off of each other and provide a stable, lively, rocking backdrop for featuring her voice and her sheer personal energy. And the music is as impossible to simply pigeonhole as her voice. It is strong and melodic, and it has all the right sharp edges in all the right places. And when you package it all together, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Some of the music you can immediately picture tearing up the charts on popular radio, and other songs are definitely less commercial but equally captivating to enjoy.  Asked to describe her music in her own words, Mandi had this to say: "I like to convey my thoughts as sincerely as I possibly can because I want people to relate to my songs. The music and lyrics combine to form a powerful combination of stability with an ever present contradictory notion of change. The music is familiar on many levels and I hope that my music reminds people of a familiar place. But I also want to be able to introduce new ideas into this comfortable atmosphere. The subject matter and mood of the music is sometimes intrusive on this comfort zone and I like how it constantly surprises the listener." Mandi more than delivers on what she is trying to do with her music. And I hope that everyone enjoys this week's feature as much as I do.  Mandi also has a really professional flash website with all the bells and whistles. I encourage you to check it out.  I wanted to thank Mandi for being my feature this week! Thanks Mandi!  | ||||||||||
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 loved Z's feature of the week. Z? Who is this person? And what is he doing in Stephanie's Space? Simple. I'm Steph's husband. And to whoever was scheduled for this week - sorry, but you've been preempted. You see, my wife is the sort of woman who will give her shirt off her back to people she feels need it. Fortunately for her Ontario has liberal public nudity laws, but the fact is that she dedicates her life to doing things for others to the extent that sometimes she forgets to do things for herself.  And that's where I come in. You see, besides her children and stunningly hot Canadian men, well - and me too, Steph has two passions. One is obvious: Music. And if she feels that she doesn't have the talent to make a career out of it herself, she can't help but feel a drive to help others achieve their dreams. That's what she does here, and it gives her great joy doing it. If we are ever driving down the road and any of the people she features shows up on the radio, there will be no one happier than she.   Her other passion is politics, and it was one of the things that originally drew us together. She grew up around politics as one of her uncles was a speech writer for multiple Canadian Prime Ministers. And if you were to ask her about her childhood, one of the things that she would talk about was watching political talk shows with her father and discussing the issues of the day. Being the youngest of four kids who were similarly engaged into politics, it was a part of family life for as long as she can remember. That passion has never left, from her studies through her working on several campaigns at both the Provincial and Federal election level - it has remained a centerpiece of her life's work.   Now, my wife has many amazing attributes. She is warm, loving, positive, giving, and dedicated. A beautiful woman in every way. She can also talk. Oh boy can she talk! So, what does a political junkie with the gift of the gab do for a hobby? In the past she has been involved in online debating forums. She has had a journal and message board largely dedicated to current events. She has been willing to share her knowledge and opinions with anyone who cares to listen. Including being on local radio and TV! But it gets tiring online fighting through the people who can't get past repeating partisan talking points. And the fact is that some people can simply communicate better verbally than in writing, and I think that this is true for Steph. It can be hard to write with the passion that flows so clearly from her voice. and it can be almost impossible to have good interactive repartee on a message board. So, enter BZoO Internet Radio. And enter Stephanie's vehicle for satisfying her political bent. Stephanie has her own weekly political talk show - "Politically Sound." The show features the fabulous Stephanie and a guest discussing current issues from the point of view of the average person. No partisan hackery. No spin. No regurgitated talking point. No bullshit. Just the world as she sees it each week. And as her viewship numbers climb, she is looking to include a live call-in segment in the future. And through this new vehicle she also extends her work here into a new venue - promoting independent artists during the shows by introducing their music to a new audience. Hey, it beats the hell out of commercials and we all have to pee sometimes!  So, if you like a little politics with your music. If you appreciate all that Stephanie is trying to do here to support others and want to help support her in return, go give Politically Sound a listen. New shows premier each Monday and get repeated through the week. It is also available via podcast. And if you have any feedback about the show, she'd love to hear it. So, Stephanie is my feature of the week. Not to mention my personal feature of the month, year, decade, and forever. What can I say - I'm a lucky guy. But she can have her MySpace back next week and get on with the business of promoting others. I just wanted to make sure that she didn't forget to promote herself too. I guess she'll just end up playing whatever music she likes this week on her space. So I'll go ahead and pick her first song. (I picked one I know she loves!)  Love you baby! Now and forever.  | ||||||||||
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 tired If everything old is new again, then Daniel Maitland is working on being very, very new. Daniel has made his career thus far working with other acts such as All Saints, the RSC, and the legendary Geno Washington, but is only now looking to release a serious effort of his own. And it is a definite case of getting back to basics. Clean and simple recordings of music unfettered by samples, loops, and all of the other digital bells and whistles used to flesh out the sound in must modern popular music - often, to my mind, mostly as a means to try and mask musical mediocrity. No, there is none of that here. Dan is even going so far as to threaten to release his music on vinyl! Well, I don't know that I really WANT to go on a quest to find a new needle for my old turntable, but I do know that I am enjoying what I have heard so far. There is a folk/rock feel to much of Dan's music that reminds me of some of my favourite bands of the 60's and 70's. It is comfortable to listen to, in the warm and unassuming way of an old friend come to visit. Lyrically? Well, Dan isn't always what we might call "work safe" if we were browsing images. And while normally that isn't my style, he delivers it with such a soothing sound that it doesn't come across as being for shock value as is often the case in such instances. Besides his performing, Dan also helps mentoring the next generation of musicians through the New Deal for Musicians program, and is also an accomplished poet - being published in several UK magazines and featured on Sky twice. I had a chance to speak with Daniel this past week and he agreed to answer a few questions for this feature. I have to admit, he had some rather strong political opnions I had not expected.  An Interview With Daniel Maitland 1) As a child, did you grow up in a household with any musical or artistic background? Not really. My dad was an English and drama teacher was the only thing. 2) When did you discover that you had musical talent? I wrote my first song when I was about 5 - changing the lyric to a popular children's song and making it about the Irish Political situation...I know - weird. 3) At what age did you start to take your music seriously? 17. I joined my first band as a singer. I couldn't play any instruments then. 4) Did you have support from your family & friends when it came to your music? Yes. My parents liked the artistic idea - they encouraged me to be in bands - vicarious living I think. 5) What is your best memory or story about playing music? Being on tour with the soul singer Geno Washington, and , having travelled for many hours across a freezing crystal clear Scottish highland day, arriving at a tiny hamlet on the edge of a Loch where we were going to play that night and seeing the whole vista spread below us as we crested the hill, whilst the last track of Tom waits Blue Valentine died away on the car stereo. There are many actual transcendent musical experiences whilst playing on stage - but because you lose yourself in the moment its hard to pick them out of the memory individually.  6) I have to ask, why did you depart from what appears to be your style to write and sing "Oh Joe" ? Well, I had a riff i was messing with, I had a chorus which was sort of OH OH and i realized that it sounded like a Joe Jackson riff - and so I went further in that direction than In otherwise maybe would have done and made a sort of tribute - name checking him in the chorus as a background to a true story of my first attempt to lose my virginity - in this way I think there is a lot there that is typical of my style - just a borrowed groove. Also myspace has a lot of quite acoustic stuff as that is more finished now - but there are a loot of upbeat - band tunes also in my catalogue - think Neil young versus crazy horse... Phew - long answer. good question. 7) Which aspect of your musical talent would you say is your strongest ability ( vocals, songwriter, guitar, bass, piano, organ, sax, sound engineer) ? I get most work as a sax player and a singer. I am most proud of my songwriting. 8) If you were granted one wish, what would it be? I would have the world go back 7 years and not rig the American election and have a Democratic environmentalist in the white house who would sign the Kyoto accord, and in fact be leading the world to sanity - as opposed to the evil fucking moron that America has now. I could also do with the extra time - ie. seven years to finish and promote my work - as I am getting old too fast. 9) Do you have any current projects on the go that we can look forward to? Yes. I am self releasing an album before summer. I am finishing some mixes now. I have a number of titles: A Bad night for automobiles; Better, quicker; Slags 'n'B itches; Look who thinks he's nothing!...I think I like better quicker - its the newest. I have also started getting some gig offers which is nice - and so am setting up a full time band of multi-instrumentalists to rehearse and tour - as opposed to the session muso friends I have used so far . I'm using a very good website called musofinder.com. Also one of my myspace friends wants to fix some gigs for me in New York and I hopefully will go out there and play my stuff with some local musicians - I have never been to America!! I also have a friend publishing a book of my poems - which is a long labour of love - to we, being equally useless, are stalled on the cover.  10) I ask all my features this question. Given the state of turmoil in the world today, do you have any thoughts or beliefs that you would be willing to share with us? See my above Al Gore rant! I think we are in deep deep trouble. And we are all lazy fat lemmings walking towards the cliffs. I think our leaders are at best bumbling and powerless and at worst - such as yours - deluded and malign. I think the religious resurgence is the worst thing that could have happened. People, having been failed by earthly leaders, instead of turning off their TVs and taking to the streets are going to look to the fucking sky for divine help and we are gonna spend the end of our amazing civilization blowing each other up over which interpretation of god we believe in and whose got the water.We must stop having so many children now! We must stop the consumer culture now! We must turn off huge amounts of power now! We must open all borders now. We must all, particularly Americans, agree to be massively poorer, and you know what, no-one will be any unhappier. 11) Is there anything that I may have not asked you that you'd like to add? Good for you, and people like you x Daniel also has a lot of info about him at sonicbids.com it can be found here;  I wanted to thank Daniel for being my feature this week! Thanks Daniel!  | ||||||||||
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 cheerful Scott Docherty  Artistic talents come in many flavours, and some people are blessed with a great variety to draw from. Take Scott Docherty for example. A natural musician gifted with the ability to excel on multiple instruments. A talented songwriter and lyricist. A poet. A graphic artist and web designer. With so much to draw from, it is little wonder that Scott's career in the arts has also cut a wide path. Honing his musical skills since childhood, Scott had his first song published in 1982 and since then he has worked with many notable names in the industry as a songwriter, collaberator, and musician across styles that have ranged from country through various flavours of rock and pop to opera. The result of all of this experience are songs that are beautiful and inspirational to listen to, and that draw on the emotions and experiences of a life well lived. Currently Scott is working hard collaberating with Paul Zollo on writing songs for their upcoming CDs. And perhaps that collaberation is part of the key to why Scott and his music touch me. It is not a selfish pursuit for Scott, but rather an ingrained desire to share his talents with the world through all means - including through his constant help and support of fellow artists. I can't wait to hear the finished results. This sharing of self does not stop at music either as Scott actively champions causes near to his heart. The music aside, this alone would be enough to endear him to me as there never seem to be enough people in this world willing to do more than just give lip service to causes that we all know need to be addressed if we want our world to reach it's true potential. For all of this, he has my utmost respect.  I had a chance to talk with Scott this week and he agreed to answer some questions for this week's feature. 1) Scott, many musicians describe growing up in a musical atmosphere. Was that the case for you? Well, my mother was a nurse and my dad was a police officer. Not much music. My folks were into Montovani and Frante and Teicher and Perry Como. I was mercilessly picked on in school. Red short hair, cop for a father, didn't want to fight - you get the picture. So I would lose myself in AM soul and pop music from the early 70s. My best, and only friends were my radio and my hamsters. I remember, when I was really little, probably around 1970 or so, I would take my tape recorder, record from the AM radio and play DJ in between the songs, then dance around listening to my early "Mix" tapes! I was a pioneer and didn't even know it! God, I wish I had those now! Or, maybe not ... 2) When did you first realize that you wanted to play music? My brother was taking piano lessons when I was about 6. I remember he tried so hard but just couldn't get this one song the teacher was teaching him - The Theme to Exodus. One day, my mom was so excited to hear the song finally being played perfectly from the other room. She ran in, only to find me playing it! I figured it out by ear, and just kept it up from there. Unfortunately, my parents got me a teacher who had no patience for my inability to read music (she would play an example, and I would just instantly know how to play it) that she told my folks that I couldn't be taught. So there ended piano lessons. Then, a couple years later, I learned guitar to play in one of the first guitar masses in L.A. I added drums to the mix, and up through junior high and high school played the drums. Piano came back into the picture when I was about 15 and began writing songs.I think I just wanted people to love me, and I figured early on that people love music makers. So that was my first motivation - especially since I loved music so much myself. 3) When did you know that music was what you wanted to do on a full time basis? By 16, I knew I wanted to write and play music for a living. I debuted at a songwriter's showcase at the Improvisation in Hollywood and I was hooked! I would daydream about being on stage all the time. I spent all my time outside of school (and often in school!) thinking music, listening to music and playing music. Through the years, I've done a lot of interresting things for money - commercial fishing, small business, sales, etc. - but always come back to the decision that I am meant to write and/or play music. I have had a couple of deep religious experiences which led to feeling pulled toward ministry, only to eventually come to the realization that my music IS my ministry. Not necessarily in a religious sense of the word. I mean, I am compelled and, you could say, called, to play. 4) What is your best memory or story from your musical career thus far? I have dozens of great stories! Some funny, some pathetic - ha! The best memory I have of playing was in 1997 through 1998 when I played in Kate Miner's band - Kate Miner being an unbelievably talented and passionate writer and performer, along with her husband, David Miner, who played with Leon Russell and produced one of Elvis Costello's records. During that same period, I played in the band that became Lifehouse. Jason Wade, then a mere 17 years old was amazing. Playing with him generated some of the most electrifying musical moments I've ever had on stage. I knew he would become a star. And he did.  6) What artists/bands do you think influenced your music the most? First and lastingly, Elton John. The early years, that is - the original Elton John band though about 1974. The Beatles, of course, established my love of melody and conscious lyric. I am influenced by a pretty wide span from Pink Floyd, Zep, Dead, Steely Dan and Yes to Barry Manilow and Billy Joel! I love a long list of diverse artists. I love Bowie, especially for his ability to reinvent as he ages. As a player, I want to be Elton John. As a rocker, I want to be Rick Wakeman. As a writer, I want to be Bruce Cockburn. On second thought, I think I just want to be me! 7) I've noticed on Myspace that you and your father are very close. Has he always supported your music? Hahaha! I laugh, because he is my best friend and he is the most supportive person in my life. Even though, when I was a tike, banging on everything in site with my drumsticks, he once angrily shouted "Stop it! You'll never be a musician!" Sometimes I think I've spent a lifetime trying to prove him wrong and he's spent that same lifetime trying to make up for it! I dunno - he never meant it. He always encouraged me to follow my heart and truly believed in my talent. He still does.Pretty hip of him, being on MySpace, eh?! 8) How would you say your music has evolved over the years? I think, as a player, I have grown by playing with great players. I think my songwriting has evolved too. When I started, my goal was to write hits. I went to classes and expos and workshops to learn how to write a hit song. Then, as a result of my long-time friendship with the great Paul Zollo, who has interviewed the greatest songwriters of our time, and written some incredible music himself, I have grown to want to write great songs, which aren't always necessarily hit songs. I thought I wanted to be a hit writer by the age of 21. And there are some artists - many, actually, who can do just that. But I guess I am a slow learner. I think it has taken over 30 years to really have a grasp on what I need to say with my music. I have been through a very hard life in some ways, and even surviving so much life gives me a great wealth of experience to draw from. Now, I want to make a living from my music, but more importantly, I want to touch whomever listens. 9) Are you currently working on any new projects that we could look forward to? Yes, I am writing again for the first time in several years. I have been a side musician for a long time, and have enjoyed that, but started feeling the pull to leave that aside and get back to creating. Zollo and I have reunited to write a bunch of new songs for our upcoming CDs. I am currently shopping the songs that I have on MySpace, and have a few bites, but nothing solid as of yet. I am really excited about the new stuff we're coming up with. I have a really good feeling about the future - especially this year. MySpace is facilitating a lot of this hope. I have met so many amazingly talented people on here in such a short time. And more people are listening to my stuff than ever. And I am getting really great and encouraging responses. For all the negative things that can be (rightly) said about MySpace, I think it is the most powerful thing to bring people together than I have ever seen.  10) Given the state of turmoil in the world today, do you have any opinions that you would like to share with us? Turmoil indeed. I guess I could spend hours ranting about the state of things. The war really troubles me. Bush really troubles me. Greed really troubles me. Meanness and violence troubles me. Cancer troubles me. We have to tend to our own backyards, though, I think. I mean, I can only do what I can do. There are two issues that I believe I can do something about. I can join my voice with those attempting to end AIDS and poverty in Africa. I actively support The ONE Campaign We're so wealthy in this country, and spend our money on such frivolous things, that we can cetainly afford an additional 1% in aid, as well as forgiving debts. Yeah, I know it's complicated politically, but if we can put a man on the moon, we shouldn't allow entire generations to waste away to starvation and disease. In America, we have the resourses and I believe we have the love. We just need to take the action. The other thing is animal abuse. My fiancee has over 30 animals, many of which were rescued from shelters. I am working very hard to not only support her, but also to end the terrible fur trade in China. It is a problem around the globe, including here in the U.S. But China is producing clothing and toys made from Dog, Cat and other captive animal fur at an astounding rate. And the methods are nothing short of cruel and inhumane. I feel we must raise awareness of this epidemic, boycott products from China until enough pressure is brought to end this horror. I want to believe that people are basically good and loving. I just think we need to be reminded of that sometimes. 11) Is there anything else I might have forgot to ask you that you'd like to add? I would just like to say that I love independent music! The music industry and their formulas have set them on a path away from an unbelievable well of gifted singers, songwriters and musicians. I am thankful for people like BZoO Homegrown Radio who present podcasts 24/7 of indie artists at no cost to the listener or the artist. I am thankful for anyone who supports art for art's sake - like yourself! Thank you for the opportunity for me to share some of my life and music with yourself and all of your viewers. Scott also has a really cool website with over a 1000 pics and lots of other stuff for you to check out. His site can be found here.   Scott even has his own store were you can pick up products to help support all that Scott does, in music and in art. Scott's Store Scott also has many causes that are near and dear to his heart, those links can be found on his Myspace page. I wanted to thank Scott for allowing me to feature him this week. Thanks Scott! Peace - Stephanie  | ||||||||||
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 determined Over forty years ago, the British Invasion swept ashore - bringing back to North America a new twist on the R&B music it had exported just a few years before. Well, all I can say is that the invasion hasn't let up as this week's feature clearly indicates. Kelly Mueller is a gifted artist who blends an intriguing mixture of R&B, Soul, Pop, and classical influences into rich musical tapestries. Just when you think you might have her style pinned down into one category, the next song takes you for a pleasantly unexpected detour. The only common thread is that they come loaded with lyrical substance, and beautifully arranged performances.  Kelly is no newcomer to music. Her first performance of original material was at age 7 at a local library. By nine she was winning local competitions, and by 11 was performing solo at the Birmingham Symphony Hall. She has been performing ever since in orchestras, bands and solo as organist, pianist, keyboard player, guitarist, bassist, backing vocalist and main vocalist. She has gained in her experience performing around the world touring Spain, France, Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt, Austria, China and S.Africa and she is now branching out internationally through the Internet. Indeed, her world-wide invasion continues as she heads back to China for another tour this week. She is a graduate of the renowned Leeds College of Music, where she gained her acceptance for admission a year early and won the John Coates award for outstanding musicianship in 2003. This was followed by further accolades from the London Urban Awards. And as if that pedigree wasn't enough, wait until you get to hear her voice. Indeed, her range of musical talents is well matched by her 4 1/2 octave vocal range. A voice that will seduce your ears with sweet, pure tones that sometimes seem to emanate from a different, more ethereal plane of existence.  Throw musical talent, perfect pitch, and a talent for songwriting together, and you have a package that puts it all together. Her songs themselves talk about life. They are written from the emotions of what Kelly is living through at that moment rather than the formulaic fluff of most popular music. Ballads are her self-proclaimed stock in trade, but her up-tempo pieces don't disappoint either. Indeed, the only thing that surprises me now is that she remains unsigned to a record deal, although I doubt very much that this will be the case for too long as she is actively promoting herself and her new material to the industry. Kelly also has a very well designed website that can be found here.  I want to thank Kelly for allowing me to feature her this week. I hope she's having fun in China! Thanks Kelly!  | ||||||||||
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 lethargic Peter Kearns is a multi-instrumentalist producer/arranger/songwriter from New Zealand who has spent two decades cutting his teeth, not only as a producer, but as sideman to New Zealand acts such as Shona Laing. In recent years he has expanded operations to include overseeing recording projects as far afield as Europe, Canada and the United States, contributing production duties to acts such as Norway's 'Gazpacho' and the solo work of Klaatu member 'Dee Long' from Canada, among others. His forthcoming solo debut 'No Such Thing As Time' has been culled from two decades worth of material. I had a chance to talk with Peter this week and he agreed to answer a few questions.  An Interview With Peter Kearns What was your childhood like? Did you grow up around music? Certainly did. I was the youngest of six and they were all working musicians except for my sister, so music was everywhere. Christchurch, New Zealand was/is a pretty easy place to grow up without distraction. We had a piano and a stereo and that was really all I needed. Still is. My childhood was conventional I guess. 1967 I was born, so I'm talking 70s. It's interesting but not surprising how many people I meet in the world who haven't even heard of New Zealand let alone Christchurch. The town's most famous export was probably the author Ngaio Marsh, and the movie 'Heavenly Creatures' was filmed and set here and based on events that occurred here. So you can watch that and get a good idea of the place. The movie is set in the 50s but Chch is still kind of living back there anyway. Ha. When did you know that music would forever be part of your life? It was pretty much a given really. Surrounded by musicians, I was actively playing piano at the age of four. That kind of thing. There were always instruments in the house. The trajectory was probably unavoidable.  Is music for you a calling or would you say it's always been a work in progress or both? A bit of both maybe. I don't know about a 'calling' as such. I've certainly always wanted to do it. I can't recall a time when I didn't. I do believe that some other people just have this natural thing that leaves everyone else in their smoke, like Mozart or McCartney or something. But even so, you have to work at it. It's one of those things you devote yourself to. Half-hearted doesn't work. Where/when did you get your first break? There was never a question I'd be doing it for a living due to the in I had with my older siblings. At 15 I automatically began working as a keyboard player and was earning really good money etc. The surname was known here in NZ so I just walked in really. I was spoilt. That's dangerous stuff for a spotty kid. So yeah I guess that was a break and made it easy. But it was Christchurch as opposed to London or Los Angeles so it was meaningless in a way and was a very finite thing unless you left. What is your most memorable recollection about playing music? There's been many over the years. Everything from pianos collapsing underneath me to a murder in the audience. You know, all the standard stuff. Ha. It's the peripheral things that you remember. One musical thing sticks out as humorous from last year. I'm known as a singing keyboard player mainly. I'm not really the guy you'd covet to play guitar, and definitely not drums. But in Feb 2005 I was doing a session in a recording studio in LA. It was a mellow kind of jazz tune I'd laid some piano onto. We decided to add brushes and I was the guy. So here I am out in the room playing jazz drums with makeshift brushes and laughing to myself. The jazz drummers in Christchurch that would've killed to be doing it! It was hilarious and completely ridiculous. It's things like that that you just 'arrive' at and go "What the hell" that can be the most fun and they usually work. The track sounded great. Would you say that any one or two artists influenced you and the type of music that you play or gravitate to? Well, as a child I guess it literally was people like Elton John, Billy Joel etc. The Beatles of course. But even as young as 9 or 10 I started thinking more in terms of albums than actual acts. I was obsessed with how they worked - The flow from one song to another - Why were they in a certain order - Why did some fade and not others. That kind of thing. My taste was always very eclectic so it took me years and years to discover what kind of musical direction or style might identify me, if indeed it has happened at all. I don't give it too much thought, but there is always this inner battle going on with pop, rock and orchestral on one side, and to a lesser extent, jazz and r&b on the other.  With all the work you've done with other bands, is there one that stands out for you? Even after years of recording I still feel like I'm at the beginning of it really in terms of what could be achieved. Specially when you consider that no one knows who I am! Haha. One highlight was contributing as mixer and bass player to the Dee Long 'Outside Of Time And Space' dvd. He was the guitarist from Klaatu whose first two albums from the 70s were already desert island discs for me. He worked for George Martin at Air Studios for years, so to think my work was deemed good enough was a huge compliment. And to have my name alongside a legendary engineer like Terry Brown, was humbling. Are you currently working on any projects and if so, when can your fans expect to see your next piece of work? I've nearly finished a collection of my own songs which will be called 'No Such Thing As Time'. One song 'Same Here' is available already at www.peterkearns.net. The songs may just be available as downloads with artwork etc. I've yet to determine the format. Most of the people that are following what I'm doing are in other countries, and shipping cds from here is more expensive than manufacturing them and I'm doing all this myself. Mp3s make sense, but cd audio sounds much better. We'll see.  Otherwise, the next thing coming will probably be the Carrie Wade album. She's a brilliant folk singer-songwriter from LA. I arranged much of the material here and worked on it a little in LA last year. It's being completed up there now. That album will be a co-production. What is your favourite part you play in music? Is it to produce, write, arrange or work with other musicians or do your own stuff? All I ever wanted was to be buried away in a studio forever. It's still the same. There's no buzz like recording music. I'm happy whether it's for me or someone else. The latter is often more of a learning experience because it forces you to step outside of yourself and you glean benefits that you may not have arrived at on your own. Given the state of the world we live in, do you have any views on world affairs or any projects that you would love to lend your talents to, to help I'm not a very political creature at all. But I have many opinions about the state of music today re the Internet and the proliferation of people doing it etc. Probably beyond the scope of this. Suffice it to say that the picture is askew when for example, someone like Imogen Heap has to mortgage her home so she can make a record as breathtaking and radio-worthy as 'Speak For Yourself'. The scales are tipped these days. Hopefully it'll balance out. Peter also has a website where you can find out more information on what he's up to. It can be found here; www.peterkearns.net I wanted to thank Peter for allowing me to feature him this week! Thanks Peter! Peace - Stephanie.  | ||||||||||
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 creativeGetting to the top in music requires a certain mix of talent, drive, and sometimes a bit of luck. This weeks feature, Tova, has an abundance of talent, an excess of drive, and I'm sure subscribes to Lucille Ball's statement on luck "Luck? I don't know anything about luck. I've never banked on it, and I'm afraid of people who do. Luck to me is something else: Hard work -- and realizing what is opportunity and what isn't."  That being the case, this up and coming artist seems poised to fulfill her dreams based on that credo of hard work and finding opportunities to succeed. Tova, and yes that is her real name, is a SoCal native who grew up on the seaside in Israel. Whether that diverse cultural background helped impact her artistry, I am not sure, except that in my experience those who have learned to express themselves in multiple languages and to multiple cultural groups are often the most adept at finding multiple ways to express themselves musically also. And diversity has been the hallmark of her writing as she has written everything from death metal to radio-Disney and everything in between.  Her personal musical style tends towards pop-rock, but this is not just more fluff delivered by an attractive young lady looking to get by on her looks. No, it is packaged with a lyrical depth that is generally lacking in what gets delivered to us on the radio these days. Indeed, what she writes has substance that is uncommon in a young lady just entering her second decade of life. And it's not just her lyrics that draw you in. She also has the pipes to deliver it. Blessed with a rich, strong, and versatile voice, she has honed her four-octave range by working with some of the best vocal coaches available in Los Angeles, and by maintaining a busy performing schedule to hone her craft. And she strives to be the complete package. A talented musical artist who provides a compelling show for her fans. To that end, her current stage show has been choreographed under the instruction of choreographer Darrien Henning of the Millennium Dance Complex in North Hollywood. I wish I could make it to Whiskey-a-Go-Go to check it out! I mean, can any show that Billy Idol says "kicked ass" be bad?  No, Tova is certainly no casual performer. Music seems to be the oxygen that flows through her blood, infusing all parts of her daily life with its magic. And that energy has already got her noticed in the jungle of LA's music scene. She has had the pleasure of working with a significant group of A-list writers and producers, recording at some of the best studios, and had her performances featured on ABC News, CBS News, FOX 11, and in the LA Times. Driven to succeed in this industry, she also balances her life by involving herself in things that matter to her. To that end she has donated her artistry to the support of many charitable causes and also cares for seven cats, several of whom she has rescued from death row. No, Tova doesn't need luck to make it in music. Lucille had it right. And I have no doubt that Tova will make it on her own. It won't be long until I'll be hearing her on the radio in my car, and in the meantime her music is just a Click Away Give it a listen. Tova also has a jam packed website where you could surf for hours. I encourage you to do that! It can be found here,  I want to thank TOVA for allowing me to feature her this week! Thanks Tova. :) Peace - Stephanie.  | ||||||||||
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peaceful There is a story behind every record and every song, and many artists will tell you that the songs that they get told resonated so well with others were ones written at moments of the deepest emotion in their own lives. Where they pour an extra bit of themselves into what they are writing.  We've all had good times in our lives. We've all had bad. And for many of us, some of the worst moments come during the ending of a relationship. As Dave puts it: "I figure everyone goes through at least one horrible break-up, so maybe someone will get a bit of comfort from my little cd. Or maybe not. who knows. Everything happens for a reason, even when it's not apparent to us at the time." The music selection this week comes from Dave Gibbs - a.k.a. Kid Lightning. A name he came up with to perform at open mics around LA along with his friends Tom Morellu (the Nightwatchman) and Nina Gordon(The Little Acorns). Originally from the east coast, he played guitar with the Boston-based and RCA-signed Gigolo Aunts during the heyday of Grunge. And after a few years of writing, recording and touring with the band he eventually settled into LA life in '99. The songs featured here were written after the end of a long-term relationship where he channeled his emotions into his writing, eventually having enough to compile a CD that he recorded with his friend Tom Caffe over the course of a couple of rainy nights. Performed mostly live, they are raw but yet with a lush sound, and you can feel the melancholy of that time of his life from every song. They are filled with rich chords and vocal harmonies that can't help but remind me of some of the haunting Beatles ballads of the mid-sixties. The CD was been picked up for release in Spain in '04 by Bittersweet Records, but has not been released in the US and Dave plays shows rarely these days. A shame if you ask me. I'd be there in a heartbeat if he were playing nearby, The stories he tells in his songs touch on universal feelings, and he tells them beautifully. There is mournfullness in his words, and also there is hope.  And, for myself, I hope to hear much more from Dave in the future. Thanks for being my feature this week Dave! :) Peace - Stephanie  | ||||||||||
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 energetic I wanted to bring in the New Year with a band that I felt reflected some of the things in the world that could use a little bit of changing.This band to me is that reflection of how I hope and dream that the world could maybe start to effect that change in 2006. I mean we have to start some where. While I don't believe we shall see world peace in 2006 sadly, it doesn't mean we still can't hope. I wish every one a very HAPPY NEW YEAR and hope that all your dreams and desires come true for you in 2006. This past week I had a chance to talk to Bard of Ely and he agreed to answer a few questions for me for this feature. So this weeks feature will be a little bit different than past features as I will let Bard of Ely say it in his own words. He is in my opinion about as original as they come. His talents are too many to list. Mostly now he is a song writer, musician and poet. However he has been many things in his life. A life that I have come to understand as one that he wasted no time in. A life full of never being afraid to take a risk, one of living every moment to the fullest. I find him to be nothing less than an inspiration to me and hope you will feel the same after you read his words and check out his site.  An Interview With Bard of Ely When did you first know that music was a calling? I think when I was about 16 when I made my first efforts to write poems/lyrics and thought about being a singer/songwriter. Bob Dylan was an inspiration and so were the Rolling Stones, but also all the other great singer/songwriters like Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, Roy Harper, Joni Mitchell, Donovan and many more. As a young man I was far more excited by the words and their content as well as the personal connection of the songs rather than the hard rock element, although that was another side of me and where the Stones come into the equation. Because of this duality I could fully appreciate and understand why Dylan went electric and have always loved Neil Young’s rock and acoustic performances. I also had the idea that being a poet, singer and musician would improve my chances of getting girlfriends! What was your first gig and how old were you? My first big gig that I attended was the Bath Festival with the last performance of Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green. I was 16 at the time. Other bands I can remember there were Juicy Lucy, Quintessence and Wishbone Ash. It was very exciting for me and I was feeling that I was part of some new alternative culture that was emerging and that would change the world. After that I went to many other festivals including 2 at the Isle of Wight where I saw Dylan, Hendrix, the Doors, Jethro Tull, Sly and the Family Stone, Joni Mitchell and many other legendary names. The act that I remember best though was Leonard Cohen. I was going to gigs in South Wales where I lived and saw a lot of the bands and acts that were touring in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. The first gig I played I think was at Chapter Arts Centre’s Heresy Folk Club, where I became a regular and that started when I was about 18. I remember it as a very drunken and rowdy sort of audience and in retrospect a good training ground for an entertainer. It taught me to ad-lib and to cover when things went wrong. Once I was playing a cover of Dylan’s A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall and 2 strings broke making it hard for me to play so I said actually this is the Bryan Ferry version and did an impression of his vocal style and raised a lot of laughs. It is something I have had to learn over the years that entertainment is just as important as the music. You have to be a good entertainer as well as a singer, writer and musician. A tip I picked up from Roy Harper was to talk to the audience between songs. It makes it all much more personal and acts as a two-way flow of communication when you react to the feedback of the crowd you are playing to. Did you go into music to be a star or was it something deeper? Yes, I am sure I went into music with youthful dreams of being rich and famous and to live as a star but also because I felt it was something I could do and should do. It was a calling and a talent I had and a way to express myself. I found I could write lyrics and poetry and I liked the idea of following in the footsteps of Dylan and the other singer/songwriters I admired, much as Dylan had done himself with his inspiration from and admiration for Woody Guthrie. What are your accomplishments? This is a hard one to answer because there are so many in many different fields of creativity and entertainment and yet none that have managed to secure that elusive “big break.” At various times I have had my songs released on vinyl, cassette and CD on a variety of labels and have had some success with getting songs used for TV shows and airplay on FM radio. I suppose the most noteworthy examples are as follows: Sound of One was used for several episodes of Channel 5’s soap Family Affairs, Rubber Ducky was in the soundtrack for Y Ty (The House), a Welsh drama series on S4C and again used by In Full View on BBC Choice, King Arthur’s Coming got played in a Meridian TV documentary about eccentrics and also by ZDF (German TV) in a programme about King Arthur, and I got to play the song live of The Slate on BBC Wales. My song You’re a Liar, Nicky Wire was played on BBC R1 and featured on the website after being rave reviewed in the NME singles page. This song fronts the Taffia EP on Crai Records, which is the Welsh label where Catatonia started their career. Way back in 1989, Jungle Love was picked to go on the vinyl compilation LP Meltdown the Album on Chariot Records and got praised by Paul Davies in Q as a “notable highlight” of the record. And Ralf Friel who runs the German Pink Lemon Records released a limited edition plum-coloured vinyl EP with this song and others and Gruff Rhys from the Super Furry Animals bought a copy. I used to have various cassette albums on sale on Mick Magic’s Music and Elsewhere underground label and 1 of these called Dive in Deep was a regular best-seller and at the top of Mick’s published charts. Back at that time in the ‘90s I was often featured and reviewed in many fanzines too. My most important live performances have been Glastonbury Festival (several times and I have been the compere there for the Avalon Stage in 2002 and 2003) and the Green Man Festival (twice, and I am on the Green Man Festival CD). As a writer I had a book published in America by Loompanics entitled Herbs of the Northern Shaman, and Howard “Mr Nice” Marks called it “excellent” and offered to sell it along with his own books. Sadly that never happened because I couldn’t afford to pay the shipping costs to get the books over from America to the UK and the book is now out-of-print. I had a regular column for 2 years in Big Issue Cymru, a magazine to raise money for the homeless, and it was this publication that dubbed me Bard of Ely. For the last year I have been writing for Tenerife News, Living Tenerife magazine, and The Tenerife Sun and just recently have had my first feature on foraging in winter published by Permaculture Magazine. Other articles for spring, summer and autumn will follow.  I have been written about in depth in books by C.J. Stone in Fierce Dancing – Adventures in the Underground (Faber), Last of the Hippies (Faber) and Housing Benefit Hill (AK Press), in Lionel and Patricia Fanthorpe’s The World’s Most Mysterious People (Hounslow), in The Trials of Arthur (Element) by Christopher James Stone and Arthur Pendragon, and in Real Cardiff (Seren) by Peter Finch. C.J. Stone also featured me in his columns for The Guardian, The Independent and The Big Issue. All those books were published over a period of several years when authors wanted to write about me but that period seems to have ended now unless someone else wants to feature me in a new one! I had a budding TV career too and co-presented 2 series of In Full View, a weekly magazine that went out on BBC Choice (digital). What was the best moment you can remember about playing music? There is more than one such moment. If I have to single it down to one performance though I will choose Glastonbury Festival ’98, and I was playing the Wise Crone stage. It was one of the very wet years and despite being covered in mud and lacking in sleep I gave a 45-minute show with just my semi-acoustic guitar that resulted in an encore and people taking photos. I remember thinking if I can manage this then I don’t need a band and can function well as a solo act just like my heroes Dylan and Neil Young can do. Why do you play music? Because it is such a big part of my life and because I feel it is what I am supposed to do. It is one of my roles in life to be a singer, poet and musician. At the same time music has always been my companion and a source of great pleasure and emotional comfort. Is there any message or thoughts you have on the world we live in? My answer to your final question regarding if I have any message or thoughts I feel are important came my way in the way of an alert from a bb where I had posted a thread entitled: If animals don´t need religions why do we? I am about to post it again in my blog but it sums up my feelings: I often end up thinking that all organised religions are control systems and all can, and are, used to justify oppression and inequality. They are all based around some form of hierarchy and ideas of what is good and bad, and all give rewards and punishments. They are used to justify wars too. I look at the world of animals and plants and I see that all these forms of life just get on with what they are supposed to be doing, or in other words living their lives. They do not endanger the planet and other lifeforms in a serious way, as humans do, they do not suffer from guilt and self hate and addictions to help ease the pain. I reflect on these things and think that animals and plants have purer lives and are in tune with how they were created. I look around the human world and see the complete opposite! Now some believe that humans are more intelligent, more spiritual and more evolved than animals (I don't!) but if that is the case why do we need 'holy' books to tell us what to do and religious and political leaders? Personally I have no need for either and I can understand where John Lennon was coming from when he wrote 'Imagine.'  I wanted to thank Bard of Ely for allowing me to feature him this week as we bring in the New Year. Thanks Bard! Peace - Stephanie. | ||||||||||
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 annoyedAs Told By My Pal Foamy! Peace, Stephanie. | ||||||||||
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artistic I have been really looking forward to featuring Robbie Gennet, his music to me reminds me of a cross between The Beatles during their Sgt. Pepper stage, with vocals that remind me of Pink Floyd and throw in a little bit of Queen for the highs and lows in which his music takes. This can be found especially in his song "Swimming In The Fire" However, make no mistake, Robbie Gennet is truly original. I'm not sure you can really compare his range to anyone. He is a very accomplished musician and his accomplishments certainly speak for themselves. Robbie Gennet is known as a piano player, a songwriter, and an entertainer, amongst other things. Now settled in LA, Robbie has accumulated quite a list of bands and albums that he's been involved with. From the utter insanity of touring with the legendary SAIGON KICK to his own acidpop ROBBIE GENNET BAND; from the clubs and rock festivals with 7MARY3 to the ever-funky vibe of RUDY; and most recently in LA with RABBITHEAD and nationwide with EVERCLEAR, Robbie has made a name for himself onstage and off. He has released 7 CD's and 6 cassettes along the way, yet a majority of his song catalog has yet to go on record. A prolific writer, Robbie has accumulated a sizeable body of music that tends to defy easy categorization; indeed, Robbie has no desire to compare himself to anyone. But do listen for yourself; in the words of Joe Perry of Aerosmith, "let the music do the talking".  Robbie has won numerous awards for his playing, including Best Keyboardist in Florida two years in a row in the statewide Jammy Awards and Best Male Vocalist in the local Readers Choice Awards. The Robbie Gennet Band was voted Best New Band statewide and Best Rock and Roll Band by Readers Choice, and Rudy was voted best Funk/Soul band statewide as well. He's recently released an instructional piano DVD with Hal Leonard, and has been writing for major music magazines including Musician, Gig, Guitar Player and Keyboard Magazine, at which he is a contributing editor and a long time columnist. Robbie is endorsed by Kawai pianos, Cakewalk software and Moog Keyboards, and has been creating and licensing music to film and television. Recently, Robbie has worked with artists as diverse as Fishbone and Wayne Kramer (MC5), as well as doing his own Heavy Metal Happy Hour all over Los Angeles. Robbie can also be seen as M.C. G-Nutz rockin the mic and boogieing down. He is hard at work on his next album, and can't wait for you to hear it.  Robbie has a great website that can be found EVERY WHERE on his pictures..lol but in case you missed it, take a look here; Some of the pages on his site I really recommend you take a look at is his; It will keep you updated on all that Robbie is doing. CD's   I wanted to thank Robbie for allowing me to feature him this week! Thanks Robbie! Peace - Stephanie. | ||||||||||
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 accomplished DESERT HEAT’s song writing style and sound is truly unique, influenced by the rural isolation but rich cultural history of their home. Their music could best be described as a blend of traditional country music, folk, bluegrass, pop and driving rock. The lyrical content is image-rich story telling with a simple sentimental voice and street-smart, fun-loving sensibility. DESERT HEAT’s debut CD (which was co-produced by Wayne Warner) on the B-Venturous record label, “ Recently, DESERT HEAT was the one of the opening acts for The With over 1000 professional live performances under their belt, DESERT HEAT knows how to put on an explosive and dynamic show. In the early years they won numerous back-to-back regional battle of the bands competitions. In 1996, the group landed a gig with Canadian broadcasting giant, CBC. Kenny King (CBC Senior Manager, Eastern Sales for CBC Media Sales & Marketing) claims, “ DESERT HEAT was a major high light of CBC’s 1997 Fall Launch event in Montreal…They were so well received that they were booked for four more subsequent CBC events in ‘97, ‘98 and ’99. Simply put, the ‘Heat rules!” The release of their first album, Desert Heat has a lot to offer in way of interesting stories taken from the road in their section called Desert Heat Also has their own piece of the web, you can find their site at;  Band Members include; Trevor Brunton (Vocals), Tim Brunton (Guitar/Back vocals), Jarrod P. Tetreault (Guitar/Back vocals), and Robin Wilkinson (Bass/Back vocals). Recent new members include Terry Joe Rodrigues (Banjo, Mandolin, Guitar, Harmonica, and Back vocals) from Montreal, and Scott "Mookie" Foster (Drums/Back vocals) from Nashville. Their site is a really well done site too I might add! Their CD has now been released and is for sale. You can buy it at their online I have given but a small taste to you of this band. I highly recommend you take a look at their site as it has so much more to offer. Pictures of past and present. Pictures on stage. Stories, bios, news, their history plus more. They even have their own forum! I can assure you they're a very interactive band. They appreciate their fans support and never take long to reply to a question. Truly a hands on band. | ||||||||||
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 anxiousGood morning. A minority Parliament means the opposition can force an election whenever it chooses. In this case, I believe ambition has overwhelmed common sense. I know most of us don’t want a campaign over the holiday season. However, the Conservatives and the separatist Bloc, working with the NDP, have decided we’ll have one – as is their right. They have decided that forcing an election now is more important than establishing benchmarks to reduce wait times in health care, more important than making sure Canadians receive the full benefits of the tax cuts announced by the finance minister. Therefore, I have just met with the Governor-General, and she has agreed to dissolve the 38th Parliament. A general election, one forced over the holidays by the three opposition parties, will be held on Monday, January 23. I do not believe the last several weeks of manoeuvring and strategic cynicism among the opposition leaders has been consistent with the clear message of a year and a half ago – when Canadians sent a minority Parliament to Ottawa and asked the parties to make it work: to choose co-operation over conflict, progress over partisanship. We tried to do our part. My government worked in a spirit of collaboration to pass a budget for a stronger Canada. At the same time, I pledged in a televised address that I would call an election within 30 days of receiving the final report of Judge Gomery – so that my government would be accountable to Canadians. Most people found that reasonable and fair. But the opposition still spent the spring and then the fall trying to force an election. It was their obsession. In this election, my government will go before Canadians with a record of achievement – a record of promises kept – and with a clear and comprehensive plan to continue to achieve progress for all. We have worked to strengthen our public system of health care – investing $41-billion over 10 years to ensure Canadians get to see a doctor when they need one, where they need one. We have worked to create a national program of early learning and child care, reaching agreements with all 10 provinces and investing in affordable, quality care and teaching -- to make sure future generations of Canadians will have the best possible chance to succeed. We have worked to implement our New Deal for cities and communities, to date reaching agreements with eight provinces and all three territories and investing to help ensure our municipalities are great places to live, work and raise a family. We have worked with the provinces, territories and national Aboriginal groups to create a detailed plan to help improve the lives of First Nation, Inuit and Métis people. And we have brought forth a plan to reduce taxes for Canadians – some $30-billion in tax cuts that will contribute to our collective prosperity. Under a Liberal government, Canada has gone from pauper to powerhouse. Deficits are history – we’ve had eight surpluses in a row now, helping to keep our economy strong. Under a Liberal government, Canada has paid down more than $60-billion in debt – ensuring we won’t burden the next generation of Canadians. Under a Liberal government, interest rates are low. Inflation is low. More than 400,000 new jobs have been created across our land since the beginning of last year alone – sending unemployment to its lowest rate in 30 years. Eight straight surpluses. $60-billion less debt. 400,000 new jobs. I’m proud of these numbers, and you’ll hear me talk about them throughout this campaign. But it’s not really about the numbers – it’s about what those numbers represent. They represent the fact that today it is easier for Canadians to find work, to pay the bills, to afford a home. And they represent freedom -- the hard-won freedom to make our own choices, not those dictated to us by creditors. The freedom to build the society we want. To succeed in building Canada. I want that society to be progressive and generous, concerned not only with economic prosperity but with fairness and social justice. A society that will never stray from the values on which it was built: respect for each other, equality of opportunity, a shared commitment to helping all Canadians seize their potential. The other leaders hold very different views of what our country should be. Jack Layton thinks government should do everything, even if it puts at risk the nation’s finances. Stephen Harper sees no role for government and would turn his back on our investments in early learning, in cities and communities, in helping immigrants adapt to their new lives in Canada. Gilles Duceppe has but one imperative: to divide us at a time when there is so much we can achieve together, when a proud and ambitious Quebec is contributing to making our country stronger. The Bloc wants only for us to go through the turbulence of another referendum. But they should be asked: will the world wait for us throughout that turbulence? Our competitors are not within our borders, they are outside them. Together we must confront them. Together we will succeed. And so I say to Canadians today: You have a stake in this. Your vote will make a difference in this election. And, in turn, the result of this election will make a difference in your life and in the life of our country. When you cast a vote for a Liberal government, you vote to protect a strong economy and the lowest unemployment since 1975. You vote to continue the best fiscal performance in our nation’s history. You vote for standing proud in the world – meeting our responsibilities while speaking with an independent voice. You vote for standing up to the United States on softwood lumber. When you cast your vote for a Liberal government, you vote for better health care, for early learning to help children thrive, for more vibrant and liveable cities and communities. You vote for a Canada defined by respect, generosity and fairness, a Canada that seeks to extend equality of opportunity to all, a Canada that strives to be the standard by which other nations judge themselves. There is such potential in our nation, such promise in the years ahead. If we choose to, together we will fulfill that potential. If we choose to, together we will achieve that promise. On January 23rd, that choice will be yours. 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tiredThere are those times that you find those songs that are truly timeless. I believe "Lives In The Balance" to be one of them. It speaks as loudly now as it did when it was written. It speaks truisms of today as it did back in the days of the Nuclear backlash and the Karen Silkwood case. Back to when Nixon lied and so did LBJ. It speaks to the mindless sheep that to all evidence to the contrary they still support the sinking ship. This is truly one of my favourite songs. Not just because I love Jackson Browne in general (But I do) but because it speaks to a larger issue of what we choose to turn a blind eye to. Americans are finally waking up.. the slumber seems to be over. The siege mentality that approve of whatever G.W.Bush does because he stood with a bullhorn on a rock with a fireman after 9/11. It's a song that goes right down to the core of what we as the free world will tolerate and what we should never tolerate and the mess it has become. Most importantly, it speaks to me. It says a lot of what we here in the western culture take for granted. Freedom is not free. But lies are not an acceptable way to achieve your goal either. The ends do not justify the means. I didn't have a lot of hope the last few years, I've always seen the Americans as the good guys. This image I must admit has been tarnished in my eyes. However, it doesn't have to stay that way. I am seeing the shift now, as I'm sure many of you are. I have hope again. Feel free to download this amazingly timeless song from my site. It may take a few minutes to load. Okay, maybe even five minutes on cable and perhaps longer on dial up. But if you're still using dial up, you deserve to wait..lol. Actually probably the fastest way is to right click and "Save Target As" and just download it to your own machine. | ||||||||||
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 cynicalA: None. There is nothing wrong with the light bulb; its conditions are improving every day. Any reports of its lack of incandescence are a delusional spin from the liberal media. That light bulb has served honorably, and anything you say undermines the lighting effect. Why do you hate freedom? Sound familiar? I thought so.... :rolleyes: | ||||||||||
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anxious"Go ahead - knock us down! C'mon you wusses - either stand up for what you are saying are your principles - or shut the hell up! *cluck-cluck-cluck* C'mon chickens! *cluck-cluck-cluck*" The opposition standing around posing like tough guys going "You first. No you first. Nope, after you - I insist!" At issue? Timing. ( Enter only if cuss words and comedy about Canadian politics amuses you. ) | ||||||||||
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amused(insert loud applause here) Today's contestant has a tough choice. Two of her favourites. Should she have the cheese? Or should she have the Cheerios? (croud gasps) Yes....it's a doozy! (insert contemplative theme music)
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contentPeace, Stephanie.
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cheerfulHe sleeps like a rock, so after he was a sleep last night, my husband sneaked into his room and decorated his bed and the walls. I think he was a little confused when he first opened his eyes..lol. As noted in this picture taken this morning.  We will have a little "family" party for him tonight when he gets home from school. However the BIG party is on Saturday. Lots of hyper and loud children for a few hours. Hard on us, but as long as he enjoys it, it will be well worth the effort. Peace, Stephanie. | ||||||||||
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cheerfulEaster is upon us and the Easter Bunny will not disappoint the two kids :) Things just couldn't be going better. I'm happy, my kids are happy, my husband is happy. Life is good. I grabbed this test off of one of Mike's journal friends and took it. It was surprisingly accurate.
Happy Easter! Peace, Stephanie. | ||||||||||
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