Interview With Fernando Ribeiro - Moonspell

With: Fernando Ribeiro Conducted by: FreakyMarge Published: 14.07.2009 Band profile: Moonspell

Hot weather, nice venue with swimming pool: no doubt, we were in Toulouse, France, in one of the best venue of the country to do a nice interview with Fernando Ribeiro form Moonspell. The French Author Sire Cédric (who writes excellents and creepy novels with alternatives and metal culture inspirations) was with me, and we’ve spend a real good time with a deep, funny, charming and very interesting guy. Hope you will do as well while reading this!

- Marge: So, what do you think of the new Bikini (club)?

Magnifique! It’s wonderful. The bikini is a club with a really good charisma because of its owner and other stuff. I remember coming here and he stopped the sound check to lay a table for all of us to eat together, so it was quite a very familiar thing, it’s like what we do in Portugal. He gained our sympathy immediately.

And I knew about the “chemical plan”, the blow out (referring to the destruction of the old Bikini) and it took a while to rebuild a new bikini but I think it’s perfect: professional but also familiar. That feels very good when you’re on the road and safer than playing in suburbs infested by rats. (laugh)

- Marge: How does it feel to be on tour with Cradle Of Filth again?

We met Cradle in 1984, we’re both from the same generations we had the same influences, the same way of think things, we’ve lived into the underground golden times…Eventually on the road we’ll become even more closer. There’s no protocol on this tour, it’s not strict. And we keep the quality of conversation, not only about beers…But about life you know, we’re over thirty. So it’s great it’s like touring with friends.

- Cédric: You guys covered many songs. Would you ever consider covering a Cradle Of Filth song?

Why not?! We never thought about it. It’s such a close band to us and when you think about covering you always think about covering bands that don’t even exist anymore or very old songs…But I think it could work yeah. I’m really into what Cradle’s doing nowadays, like “Nymphetamine”, it’s a great song, I love this song, I envy this song, even the title! I think the difference is that Moonspell has very simple songs compare to Cradle. Cradle has very different structures. I’m always saying to Paul (Allender) that if we pick up one Cradle song we’ll make a Moonspell album. So if we could get that together it could be interesting to do something…The challenge would be how to sounds different from the original because Cradle’s very distinctive. You put Cradle into a stereo and you recognize it immediately. Paul played with us yesterday so he’ll probably join Moonspell on stage… it’s always a nice feature for the crowd.

But yeah we could do that, we covered so many bands it would be a challenge to cover Cradle, specially the vocals (laugh), coz I can’t do those screech. Only Daniel can do it!

- Marge: What represent the fact of being on stage for you? Is it the best part for a musician?

Well it’s different. Music for me is a kind of inner thing so obviously it depends on the context, but you can be anywhere doing music and feeling that. So, from all the parts of you can be, the stage is where energies are concentrated. It’s not theatre, because we’re not fully representing characters but it has the same principal of gathering energies. I write the lyrics, and speaking or singing them, it was like I have a script and all the band follows along.

Of course the Bikini is an awesome place but you don’t get these places everyday. Most of the days it’s like 23 hours for one hour of what’s really about and I think that the live thing, nowadays especially on those times of crisis is the best way the people can connect with the band. Nowadays there are too many middlemen between the band and the fan: there’s Myspace, Facebook…I’m using that myself but I recognise it’s a kind of a plague because people get to know a vision about the band very quickly, and it gets very strong and when they see them live it’s like “well it’s not what I expected”. It happens many times to that so called Myspace generation bands. And to put up a show, like we do and Cradle does and most of the other bands like Turisas and Dead Shape Figure it something that shows me…and I’m every time surprised by the commitment that the people from rock or metal have especially when they get older. I’ve see Cradle so committed and having such a great time on stage and the same for Moonspell. I think the road is not the best place to be sometimes but a live show separates the men from the boys, if you know what I mean. A good live show shows you can pass something to people in the way of a communion, I think it’s very interesting and when you form a band you don’t expect to have this, you are shy, like you are. I was, many years ago, but in the end you have to have a sense of show, because nobody comes to a show to be bored, there’s enough stuff to be bored already at home. And it’s a more comfortable bored to be watching a show standing.

I see all of this with enthusiasm, really, and I still haven’t’ lost it, even though a Moonspell tour is almost non stop like 6 month…We play every year at least 80 to 100 shows and then of course I like to be in a studio because it’s quieter…it’s a different exceptive, totally different world . But I don’t like to mix both worlds. I mean I can write on the road coz I can pick note book or a computer and I write but we never set up a studio inside the backstage. Backstage is to receive guests and to drink and whatever.

- Marge: You have already played at Hellfest two years ago and you’ll be there this year…did you keep a good memory of you gig?

Very good! Everything was very fast, we were planned for 40 minutes but I was great because it was very intense. I mean obviously Moonspell could play for two hours…

- Cédric: You should!

Yeah…we did that, our longest gig was two hours and 20 minutes in Lisbon! I think even the crowd was like “are we ever get the end of this”. But sometimes a shorter set like we played with Dimmu Borgir and Danzig in the states and we had 25 minutes and we felt like having a shot of a very fine drink. People were enthusiastic; we were not boring them because people go to see Dimmu and we get the best response ever, even in the States. It happened the same with the Hellfest, we got to pick a really…

- Marge: Straight?

Straight set, and it’s really good about it. For me Hellfest is the best bill in Europe.

- Marge: That’s good to hear!

It is. Better than Wacken. But Wacken has a kind of different vibes; it is already like going to Metal Land. The bands met up but not as much as the festival if you know what I mean. People go there for a vacation, it’s sold out. Headlines are not as strong as Hellfest. The Hellfest is really about the bands, and I’m proud to play with my favourites bands like Cathedral and some other bands I want to see. I’m thinking if I have time to fly for the “Crue Fest” (the Friday), coz I really like the new Motley Crue album, I think it’s brilliant and I would like to see it live…
So I have good memories and expectations are good because if everything goes right…now we have a different visual show. We’ve worked with a Portuguese artist that makes video, and it’s absolutely crazy, very good in my opinion, a lots of work, you’ll can see tonight and we’ll bring it to a larger crowd in the Hellfest and I think we’ll have a good response. We have to work hard for that response but I’m confident. We’re not playing at a lot of festivals this year, because I think we have 25 dates in the summer and it’s like flying everywhere. Once we’re playing in Norway, the other day we’re playing in Greece, the next day in Portugal, get in the van to another show…So this summer we are keeping it cool because we’re working on new material. We have a South and North American tour coming up and probably a European tour. But I don’t know, we’re still thinking about it.

- Marge: How can you explain the chemistry between the members?

It’s all based on drugs, and alcohol (laugh).What can I say, it’s like speaking about your own family in a way. We are four, plus Aires, which is a session member. Friendship is not enough to describes this, because I’m friends with someone else outside the band and it’s not the same feeling. I think we’re all grown men, and we know to respect and when to step in, and when to step out. And the stepping out is as important as the stepping in as this friendship can be intrusive, so we’re quite good at feeling this.

And I couldn’t see the band without anyone of us because it would not make a lot of sense. People sometimes center the band in me, but I can’t write music! So with my words, I could probably do books or something like I do, but I couldn’t do write anything else and music is more, for my opinion complete…we all depend on each other in a way, and it’s good to depend. It’s not so good to be totally free; otherwise we have our personality or freedom I think. So the chemistry…is not an erotic chemistry (laugh)…sometimes, but it’s great yeah! I don’t like to use the words like brothers, or family…we are a little bit of everything: friends, foes, brothers, cousins…sometimes we have to take the other guy to bed totally drunk like your mummy, you have to clean the puke. All of that is true!

- Marge: How would you describe the place of the band in your own life?

It’s hard to distinguish…obviously Moonspell is…my life. It’s what I do, it’s what I like to do. For me it’s not “you have to be professional, you have to do things with quality” We always try to do things with quality, but for me it’s much more of a passion than really work. I have passion for other things and music is on the top of them. It’s not only about being in a band, it’s about listening to music everyday, not only metal or gothic. Knowing what you are…the self discovery is really important and it’s a very long process. I couldn’t see myself without Moonspell even though it’s a scenario that obviously I don’t want to be seventy on stage, there would be meaningless. I think there many ways into music. I really like the songwriter stuff like Nick Cave, Cohen, Bonnie Prince Billy all of this. I think music have a future on that thing which is still dark and melodic, which I love…

Sometimes people say that I live for music but always forget that we live to music as well. That’s exactly what Moonspell does. We always try to be ahead of what we did in the past because I think it’s quite important. We’re not the kind of band that likes to find a formula, because in the end of the day it doesn’t’ exist. We’re just doing the right music and people are opening up to it. I don’t have really a logical perspective about being in the band because it is not logical. For me it was something that happened, like completely out of the blue. I wanted to be a teacher, I wanted to be connected to the academic life, which it very boring…but I like the teaching stuff, it is kind of a stage as well, transmitting something to people.

- Cédric: That brings me to another question though, you talked about growing up, and maturity…In the past every Moonspell album has been very different from one to another as you’re experimenting new things every time. For the last two albums, you look like you found your kind of identity…do you think you’ve found your style now (even though it was there) or at least what can we expect for the upcoming album? A new evolution?

Well, I think in arts, music, literature, whatever, there’s always two needs: you need to represent yourself, and you need to wear a mask, if you get my train of thoughts. For Moonspell, as we listening to lot of kinds of music and connected with other forms of arts, almost all my friend are practically from the art business, not necessarily music but theatre, literature…and I learn a lot from them. And I think seeing a butterfly effect was coming exactly all the time we wanted to wear a mask. Obviously this is a point of view of within side, as an artist. The point of view of the audience is sort of completely different. When I create music I’m one person, when I listening to music I’m another person. Obviously, it’s contaminated because sometimes I understand when a band is trying to go somewhere else: sometimes they succeed and sometimes they don’t convince me but in the end it’s not important, I respect the band, they always have a room for progress.

Like after “Memorial” I think with “Antidote” we shaping up our sound because we always wanted something that was heavy and dark because I don’t like gothic metal that was smiling on stage. For me that is not gothic metal, that’s probably something else. When I smile I don’t refer to the Gathering coz Anneke, she can smile on stage because she is like a light. For me, gothic has to be heavy, so we have the heavy parts coming from “Antidote”, coming up from “Darkest Hope”.

Then with “Memorial”, we said like we’re going to do a real metal album because we were listening to a lot of metal. We were turning back into being like teens again, listening to those old bands we used to listen to. For this album, “Night Eternal”, I think there was always room for progression because there was discussion within the band. The other guys wanted to do a blacker album, faster…I understand why because they play, and live is more impressive but I wanted melodic songs, I don’t want to go in a way that is totally metal because for me metal is just one of the parts of Moonspell. So I insisted a lot for songs like “Scorpion’s Flower”, “Dreamless”, “Spring Of Rage” because I wanted to mix stuff around. I think there will always be this wearing a mask feeling for Moonspell, but since “Antidote” we’re definitely more concentrated in being ourselves. There’s always a place for being progressive, for progression, but we are more considerate of being ourselves and I think Night Eternal is already more a fight: song like “Shadow Sun” for instance, it’s very advanced for Moonspell. Listen to that I say, this is something that a fan would listen, you would challenge them in a way, and it’s one of everybody’s favourite songs in Night Eternal.

- Marge: What could be the greatest compliments you would hear about Moonspell and what are the things you would never want to hear?

Well, the things you don’t want to hear you definitely hear those. People talk too much and act too little; I always said that about metal, especially when it comes to the forums and all that crap. It’s not going anywhere really. But that’s quite residual: they make a lot of noise but my question to them is always “well, why don’t you form a band yourself”? “What don’t you do a Moonspell like the way you have it in your head?” and obviously the part of thinking into working is a very long path, and nobody is willing to take it, really.

The good things, the positive vibes and for me the best compliment is when someone comes to me and says “Moonspell has changed my life.” In any way, whatever…”I met my girlfriend, I had sex with my girlfriend” has happened so many times, I should earn some royalties…People getting married, people cutting themselves…Music has a lot of influence, it happens a lot that people finding Moonspell discover other stuff like books through us. A lot of experiences, places, and the true fans want to go a little bit further; they want to understand what the band is about.

I didn’t came to music to change lives, I came to music without a goal, let’s see what happens. But the bands I like and the bands I’m mostly into otherwise they changed my life, like Type O Negative, when I’ve heard “Bloody Kisses” I have a different vision of love and pain. When I hear Bathory I have a different vision of culture and black metal. So it’s good when you have your own band and people react like this. I couldn’t think of something better. I can but…not in music.(laugh)

- Marge: In your opinion, what is the position of music compared to other forms of arts?

Music is very open. It has good parts and bad parts. The goods parts it’s that’s it’s probably the most democratic form of expression. A Moonspell show in Portugal is quite mainstream so there are people who have lots of money and there are poor kids. They just came from the suburbs and probably stole a wallet to come to the Moonspell show and I like that mixing because that’s reality in a way. Music has this.

The down part is that except for erudite and classical music, people always consider music as entertainment while I think rock and metal and gothic are definitely a culture. They have their own codes and their own lexicon and subcultures but I don’t like to sound like a sociologist talking. I hate this shit.

The others arts…it’s hard to get into them because they’re very seIective. In Portugal for instance, music is not sponsored by the government. But everything else is: cinema, literature here and there, especially theatre. So they are closed in their creative ballet and they forget there’s a crowd to see them. So sometimes they’re very snobbish, very academic and very elitist. I go to all kinds of shows and I’m welcomed there because they know I’m important and I’m in a metal band, something like that, but I don’t like the way they deal with it.

My girlfriend is an actress, and she’s not like this obviously, but sometimes we talk about it. So I think that music is definitely…when you want to reach someone, like fully, is through music, definitely. It’s much more powerful. Because it has the good parts of literature: the words, the codes, the message and it has the emotional things about the sound, the music itself. I prefer sometimes to read than to listen to music because it’s not so full information, you can put more of yourself in a book than in a record but its different kinds of stuff. You cannot really pick up a book and headbang. It wouldn’t be good (laugh).

- Marge: And how does it feel to inspire other artists, and authors like Cedric?

It feels great!

- Cédric: Seriously, you’ve changed my life. And you influence what I do when I write.

I don’t want to feel too proud about it because I think when people find a craft and find a way for that craft like Cedric is doing is because he has talent. And they could manage their influences as well. That’s what I think about Moonspell. If people go about our music they will find a lot of Bathory, Celtic Frost, Root, Katatonia and Type O Negative. I’ve done it not to copy or even to tribute those bands but to have our own vibes. But I think… if you don’t want to influence you’re not doing music.

Personally I don’t like those “oh I don’t take myself seriously, it’s all a joke” because it is! It’s just a form of the artist protecting himself. Obviously we are here to influence, and to create. Sometimes when it’s a negative thing we call it vicious circle but I think this one is a virtuous circle because it goes and keeps us alive. The fact that we know that we’re not preaching to the fishes or in the desert, there’s actually some people that listen to it. You know that hundred people or two hundred people will pick that very to the heart and ten people will make work of art themselves. People always think of a big picture with music but I think the small picture is what counts. That’s what keeps the bands like us or Cradle on the road, with ups and downs but constantly making good music and good shows. It’s the fact that we know about the big picture but the small picture like the guy that really takes it to his heart is the one that matters.

There is always bullshit about black metal and underground but they forget this thing, this very basic underground principle which is about the thousand people we expose and maybe one who’ll be a very true fan. It’s like…you know the film “The Perfume”, you know he kills a lot of people to pick drops of perfume and the very sense, I think that’s quite important for music and that’s also a very good reward for musicians. And for fans. For everyone.

- Marge: Night Eternal was released about one year ago now, what opinion do you have of it now, what are the qualities and weaknesses?

I’m really happy with Night Eternal! Honestly I think it was an album that we set ourselves to do songs. And Moonspell is about songs. Memorial was an album that was more like an album; you have to listen to it fully, it’s hard to explain but it works more as an album. With Night Eternal I worked very hard to make very special songs, and I think that we’ve done it, in my opinion. Night Eternal, Scorpion’s Flower, Shadow Sun… they’re all very distinctive songs. For me personally it’s one of the albums that come closest to the picture we have, really. With Memorial it was likewise. In this album I think there is the more enthusiasm but it has the songs as well. Obviously I’m happy with Night Eternal, I think it’s a very fresh album, with a very fresh sound, I really like the production on it. I can pick up stuff that we could had done differently but we’ve worked so hard and so detailed on the songs to be frustrated. We really did this work, very fine and clear work.

Obviously, we got to move on, even though Night Eternal probably is a biggest, I want to go to another place. I don’t know which, I’ve got it on my mind in a way but it’s hard to explain because it’s very fresh but lyrically I already have the layout for the album, and the concept, and the title. I think it will be, I don’t know…stronger than Night Eternal, I want to make a stronger album, very good guitar riffing and metal influences. It’s hard to say because it’s going to be a Moonspell album. The lyrics are already a step forward, very different from almost everything I wrote so far, more direct. I have been listening to a little bit of punk music, but I’m not doing social lyrics, I’m doing vampire lyrics with attitude. (Laugh)

From left to right: Moocher, Cédric, Marge and Fernando

- Marge: When you begin the recording of an album, do you have a very precise image of the final result are does the album follows is own path in a way?

Every time we got a more of a final picture. Every time it’s different. We don’t like to spend two month in a studio. That spoils the spontaneous feeling of the album, so two or three weeks is enough for us. Obviously we have to record in a very tight schedule and very fast but what we do nowadays is that…inspiration can come anytime so we’re always writing stuff, eventually after touring we’re just put things together and it’s a very cool period because I tend to name the songs, and then the songs are completely different. When you have a name to a song, the song changes completely into a song! It’s like giving a name to someone you know, it becomes a person or whatever (laugh). It’s the same with songs.

For Moonspell there is no trick but we do pre-production. A, B, C and D, and then we can have a bit of C, and D, and create a little bridge, that kind of composition that’s done with the producer one the pre-production and then what we do is make a set list and we play like it was a live show. We play it so we can get the feeling of the band, because then we will separate again to record, but when you get the feeling of the band, you already have it because we have played with each other. It’s not mechanical it’s human so…sometimes mike up, and I’m behind and all this is really cool because it makes the music more human.

And then we go to the studio, feeling great, having the spirit to record, relax and it’s much more about putting on tape or the hard disk and all of this feeling and not to think about the composition anymore, but to give your best anaemically and technically.

For a singer it’s different. I already recorded with some candles and incense but then fuck this, that’s bullshit, the inside it what counts. Nowadays I put all my lyrics on the window, so the window by the end of the session is covered with paper (laugh) and nothing else.

And probably I’ll record my vocals in Portugal because it doesn’t matter nowadays. When you are a kid “oh I want to record my vocals in a vocal studio” you can record in any place with the same quality, no need to go to Germany. You can spend more time home with your cat. (laughs)

- Marge: What can we expect for the show tonight?

A shit show (laughs).

Actually a very good show, visually the videos we’re using are meaningful. All the videos were seIected not taking into account what looks great to the eye but what make sense in the head, too. Around this culture, with the skulls and the pentagrams properly done…and the band is in shape which is good, and the set list is very good I think because it has the aggressive Moonspell and then it has the songs of Moonspell that we never get to play that much in France, so it’s going to be romantic…sick (laugh) and hopefully good.

And now I go for a swim.

[Via http://behdabra.wordpress.com]

Darko Milicic Interview!

Although the Detroit Pistons did end up winning the NBA Championship in the 2003-2004 season, the 2003 NBA Draft is still haunting them to this day.

With the second pick in the draft, the Pistons selected Serbia’s own Darko Milicic passing on elite players such as Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh! Not only did Milicic not play in Detroit, he has been nothing more than a journeyman throughout his six-year career. Playing for the Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, and currently the New York Knicks after his time in the D, his best statistical season came in 2007-2008 when he averaged 8.0 points and 5.5 assists with the Magic.

Not bad huh? Well, terrible when you put that in perspective of the guys he was drafted ahead of including Wade and Anthony who in their worst seasons haven’t done that bad. On the eve of announcing that he would return back overseas after the season saying that “The NBA for me is not the way that I want to be,” I caught up with Darko. He sat in the visitor’s locker room at the Palace of Auburn Hills with me to talk about his time as a Bad Boy.

Eric Woodyard: Obviously you’re coming back to the Palace, are there any hard feelings with the team or anything like that?

Darko Milicic: No. That’s the past. I didn’t play and they didn’t want me to play and I dont understand why they took me with the second pick if they were not gonna play me. I didnt get it but that’s the past and it’s behind me. So that’s it.

EW: Is it pretty emotional? Do you feel like you ever have something to prove?

DM: No, it was different for me the first couple of games because I used to be here as a home game and then the first couple of games to come here as the opposite tables it was kinda different so it was a different feeling. But right now it’s a different team and they have a different team and I already changed like 3 teams so for me coming here…I know I used to be here but it’s nothing like special or anything.

EW: Do you ever get mad when people say that they wasted a pick when they could’ve got Dwyane Wade or…

DM: They did! No, they did waste a pick you know why did they take me. Who knows if I really had a chance to play like these players that play like Dwyane Wade or Carmelo, those guys are incredible players. So for me, being a second pick, I dont get why they didnt play me at all and secondly they did waste you know? Why did they take me? You should take someone that they really think was gonna play right away because just taking someone to sit on the bench you waste a pick and you waste the guy’s time. You wasted my time for three years not playing so you f*** up a player and you f*** up yourself and I just didnt get it. So I just didnt get it, I guess they thought they were gonna be champions forever I dont know?

EW: So what was like your favorite memory here? Obviously yall won a championship here but do you have any good memories?

DM: Really, I didnt have any favorite memories of playing here. Like I said, I didnt have no fun on the court.

EW: Was it any one situation?

DM: I cant really remember. Nah. All those times that I did play, I played in the last couple of minutes in the game when they was 20 up or 20 down so I dont think that’s any fun for anyone. Not for me, I dont know for other people but I got a couple times I got to play in the pre-season but that’s it. In the Miami game, in one game that I got in, I had that dunk but didnt much come on the court.

*This post can also be viewed at SLAMonline.com!

[Via http://eric32woodyard.wordpress.com]

Happy New Year...

I feel bad for leaving you guys for so long, coming back and promising to return, and then still having a huge gap in between posts. My last post was in December and it is now a new year! I’m going to try to fill you all in and share some sentiments of my life when I was MIA but, I honestly don’t know where to start. Over the next few days I’ll contemplate on the best highlights…

Anywho, as far as this new year I’m excited. I never make any new year’s resolutions but, I always set goals for myself. I still have not sat down and made it exactly clear what my goals for 2010 are but, I have a few things in mind. As far as 2009 so many people deemed 2009 to be one of the worst years ever but, I beg to differ. 2009 was a great year for me. Yes, we lost a lot of celebrities. Yes. I even lost a handful of family members due to death but, death is the only thing certain in life. I look at it that way.  The truth of the matter is we all will continue to lose people but, how will we continue to live our lives? Will we honestly cherish them and live them how we want?

For me 2009 was a year where I wanted to do things and I did them. Somewhat, like Nike. For that I am proud of myself because there was a time where I wanted to do things and if a particular person or people weren’t on board I wouldn’t go forward. Well there is no more of that with me.

7 out of the 12 months in 2009 I visited a different state. The end of 2008 and beginning (Jan) of 2009 I was in NYC. In March I visited  Raleigh, NC and received my first award for my other blog, The Fembassy. In April I trotted down to Atlanta to help my God-sister celebrate her birthday. In May I visited DC to experience their Black Pride. In June I visited Chicago and NYC. In July it was Myrtle Beach for a family trip and the whole month of November I spent in NYC with my love. I’m not stating this to brag but, I feel truly blessed to have been able to visit all of those places in one year. There are some people who don’t make it off of their block or outside of their cities let alone visit 6 different cities and visit one of them 3 times. I won’t even mention how I managed to take all of these trips being that my last name is not Hilton. I honestly am a struggling/starving writer so I don’t know how I managed to rub two nickels together. I guess that’s 1 lesson that I did learn in 2009: you don’t have to be rich in order to take trips. There is always a way and Priceline.com (their option to state your price on a hotel is the bomb).

Besides the traveling that I did in 2009 I was honored to be able to interview some of my favorite artists. In actuality I was able to interview and touch basis with about 75% of my favorite folks so I’m thrilled and I’m still in awe about a few people. I can also say that in 2009 I had a chance to cultivate new business relationships. Some of the interviews that I did have opened up doors for me to interview others and work on other projects as well. I can honestly say that I am no where near where I want to be as far as my writing career but, I know that I am making strides.

On a more personal level in 2009 I came out to my mother, she met my girlfriend for the first time, and strides are still being made as far as my family accepting my sexuality. I figure this year it can only get better. As I type this I’m coming into realization that I think I’m on the brink of fully forgiving my father for everything that he hasn’t done and everything that he’s did. I feel like with this new year and me relocating I just don’t have time nor do I want to carry around anger for things that I can not change. It’s unhealthy and I have other things to focus on. I just feel like it is what it is.

So with all of that being said again 2009 was a great year for me. I can’t remember anything awful happening to me last year. I hope that other people can say the same.

[Via http://glennishamorgan.wordpress.com]

I guess not...

Despite the fact that I’ve never had such an easy and casual interview, the school has decided to go with a different couple (boo).  Oh well, the search continues. The worst part about it was that they didn’t even bother to tell us this, so we sat around waiting (and emailing) for weeks. They never returned our emails so I finally emailed footprints, who told us that the hired someone else. Again, why don’t you tell us these things???? It’s there job to find us a job, so don’t you think that once we’ve been turned down for a job, they go back to looking??? That makes sense to me… Good one, footprints…

Anyway… We have inquired about another job just outside of Seoul that wants a couple. We haven’t heard back yet… sound familiar? Ugh! Why are things always so slow??

In addition though, I got an email from an International School in Shanghai that I applied to before going to Huizhen. At the time they weren’t hiring for anything that I might qualify for (not an education major) but apparently they are now hiring for preschool. I talked about this school last year, if anyone remembers. It is an amazing school. They are inside the Shanghai Zoo and seem to have a wonderfully integrated Science and Environmental education program, complete with an organic garden, worm farm(!), and greenhouse all tended by students. So, I got an email from the principal asking if I was interested in teaching a preschool class (yes!) and we will have a skype interview some time this week.

[Via http://je88ica.wordpress.com]

The Great Interview Experiment

Sometimes, I like to pretend that if I surround myself with enough talented and super cool people I will then be able ,through osmosis, to move up a few rungs on the ladder of what is right and good in this world. As if by hanging from the pant leg or grabbing the well hemmed skirts of those that rock, their greatness might waft over me and lift me out of this pit I’m usually mired in.
Well folks, guess what? IT WORKS! The method may prove ineffective for those slightly more pathetic than me, but I’ve deluded myself into thinking that basking in the glow of those that are truly talented makes me great too! Now take off your rose-colored glasses and get ready to see that people who matter really do have something to do with me.
I recently received the VERY good news that I would be interviewing  Ryan “Ry”  M. Sal for the great interview experiment (www.citizenofthemonth.com/tag/great-interview-experiment) . Her blog www.forthebirdsblog.com  is one of my all time favorites and I think with better breeding, more talent and a few more years of education I could have actually BEEN her. Just kidding. This gal is one of a kind and I was HONORED to be able to pose some questions of my own to her. And, by the way, she actually took time out of her VERY busy schedule and answered me without calling security!

So strap yourselves in, here  it is………………………..

Are you ever creeped out by the level of interest that anonymous strangers have in you? I mean, these could all be Dexter type mouth breathers shut away in a scary basement posing as upstanding citizens, or happy bloggers.

Can you hold on a sec? I am just deleting my online presence.

No really, it has occurred to me, but I don’t think I care. But I do care… but I don’t. But yes I do. I guess it will really hit home when the mouth breather shows up on my doorstep – and that’s not an invitation.  

 Oops, too late. We are already on our way. Honestly, I don’t ever breathe out of my mouth.

I think that you and like 4 other people read For the Birds – come on over.

Let’s say the world economy has collapsed and we’ve reverted to the barter system until things start looking up. What is your new primitive occupation and why?

Umm.. I thought that already happened and that’s why I started blogging for fractions of pennies.

Wait, you can get paid for this? For the record you should know that my new occupation is going to be “Blacksmith”. It sounds more important when I put it in quotes.

“Parent” sounds better with quotes too.

Bad boy rocker, brooding intellectual or sweet but slightly befuddled jock. Who do you choose and for what reason?

Can I mash them all into one? Because I’ve tested them out and each character type alone annoys the daylights out of me… Combined, however, you get the perfect mix of crazy, smart and sporty… just enough to counterbalance the wasteoid, intellectual snob, and blockheadedness. 

  Huh. The combination of all three never even occurred to me, but you are completely right.  Are you aware that you have inadvertedly created the perfect man? Frankenboyfriend. No bolts though.

UGH—oh well. Perfection annoys me too.

Your house is engulfed in flames (thank you David Sedaris). All family, friends and pets are safely outside. A brave firefighter has offered to go back and retrieve one item. What is it, and where is it located. (By the way I would NEVER want for this to happen)

And, YES, that would be me watching the blaze with that crazed Cheshire Cat smile on my face. BURN BURN BURN! I guess if it has to be one thing… my computer system’s backup backup server… it has a lifetime of work, scanned and digital family pics… but it’s upstairs and hard to get to.

 Wait, why are you smiling in this case scenario again?

I’ve always been envious about the sudden loss of everything material. My stuff hates me.

You can put down roots anywhere in the world and your travel and moving expenses will be covered by the imaginary “man”. Where would you go and why?

Putting roots down is a tough one for me. I get the itch to move every 7 years or so… I’ve been in my current location longer than that which is making me slightly nutty. I would probably stick to the East Coast… stay in the US of A, because anything foreign would require too much reevaluation of everything. Oh, and it has to be on the water… like the ocean. A big lake won’t cut it. Savannah, maybe – coastal, coolness, warmth… southern accents… arty.  

 I can say without a doubt that I can imagine you (and I have to imagine you because I have never met the “physical” you) residing and thriving in Savannah. You also probably need to start an alternative rock band while there. Not sure why.

I have so many responses to this… I don’t know where to start…

What would YOU have done to Tiger Woods? (Don’t hold back, we know there is nothing like a NY style smack down. Sweden’s got nothing on us)

In the immortal words of Miss Amanda Jones (Some Kind of Wonderful) “I can’t do anything to him that he hasn’t already done to himself.”

I would have taken his 9-Iron and chased after him in his skivvies at 2AM – eventually busting out the back windows of his SUV… but I would have called TMZ first and had them camped out on the lawn…. Then I would go into seclusion whilst draining his bank accounts… watching as popular culture slowly rips his limbs off one by one. I’d say Sweden’s doin’ alright for herself about now. 

 I think I may have underestimated Sweden.

Let’s say Pixar is developing a new computer animated masterpiece and they want your input on a female character.  John Lasseter says she should have some of your physical attributes and many of your more outstanding personality traits. What does she look like and what are her strengths and weaknesses?

She’s a complete bitch.

And super hot too.

When I read your All About page it immediately freaked me out since you have some serious professional experience. Now that I’m intimidated by you, I have to ask about what you are most proud of professionally? (You’ve got some serious chops. All I’ve ever produced is offspring)

Ha.

Don’t be fooled by the shiny veneer…

Someone should have taken away my license to work the day I picked up my first paper route in 7th grade. Workaholic I define… But unfortunately, my professional ego has gotten me into more fixes than I count.  I am most proud of my ability to design under pressure and remain creative in the face of great insanity, corrupt business partner(s), gangsters and lunatics that have tried to ruin my life. Offspring are far more impressive.

 Insanity, corruption and gangsters? That’s like a movie plot, I knew you were hardcore!

It’s unbelievably insane… I’m sure I’ll BLOG about it eventually.

1.  

Picture the ultimate vacation. Now, where are you and how long are you staying?

Oh at a resort… Somewhere warm and practically deserted—aside from the staff. The staff that checks in on us occasionally and holds no grudge against our simple demands…  With clean beaches where my son can play and shaded areas where my dog can nap and calm waters where my husband can fly fish… while I finally toss my iphone into the water and relax… for two weeks.

Your blog makes me feel like I’m reading the musings of a close friend while wrapped in a snuggie   sipping hot cocoa. What blogs do you enjoy on a daily basis, and would you recommend them to other readers?

You have a Snuggie?

I wish I had more time to read blogs, but I don’t—And there is so much great stuff out there! I started off focusing on design and art blogs, which was the initial intention of For the Birds, but once I started getting into the more personal stuff I realized that there is an enormous amount STUFF going on. It’s all very exciting and I’m waiting for some sort of pinnacle in the evolution.

Honestly, if you read my blog, I dedicate myself to subscribing and reading yours. 

 My Snuggie is my secret shame. Don’t judge me.

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they look back and wonder if they made the right choice during a pivotal moment. Do you have one of those life altering points in time that potentially changed the course of your life? If so, are you happy with the path you ended up on?

Deciding to become my own boss. It was the best and worst thing that I could have done to my family and myself. It was, and still is, unbelievably selfish while at the same time opened us up to free time management and new experiences—Although when I look back, I could have saved a huge amount of money and time if I had just remained an employee.   

 No, no, no. Live free or die! You make me want to start a revolution and work for the worst boss in the entire world. Myself.

 

Let’s say you are doing some top-secret research for the government and you are accidentally hit with a super gamma ray thereby exposing you to large doses of superpower creating energy. By some strange twist of fate you have three minutes to choose the three powers you will now possess.  You can also choose your new superhero moniker and your costume. What do you look like and what kind of cool things can you do?

1. Time Travel as well as Distance Travel by wishing where I (and whomever is holding my hand) want to be.
2. Produce money by clicking my heels
3. Heal sick, dying and allergic conditions – including mental illnesses and addictions by simply wishing it so.

 

I can do without the moniker and costume so that I remain anonymous … I’m also a complete bitch. And super hot too.

Excluding family, friends and pets, what is the one thing on earth you would have a really hard time living without?

Oxygen

 

What is your all time favorite movie?

The Thomas Crown Affair

Do you have a band or song that you secretly love, but would never publicly admit to even knowing about? (just to help you along on this one, I have an encyclopedic knowledge of all things Duran Duran and do a little “white man’s overbite” type of dance every time I hear them even thought I pretend they are horrible)

I really like T-Pain. No – there really aren’t any music secrets with me… I’m a huge geek and tend to listen to whatevs without questioning who or what. I used to be nutty about bands and would go to as many shows as possible… our CD collection has everything you can imagine.

 Ooohh, I bet you would have made an even better groupie than me. We love the music!

If you are going out for the evening do you typically go for the jeans and sweater ensemble or are you the type who heads right for the clothes that “hurt” (heels, itchy pointy fabrics, tight fitting, must be dry cleaned)?

Jeans & sweater with heels.

I haven’t felt my feet for years.

 Meow girl. Nice combo of comfort & pain.

Yeah, well, I’m Catholic.

[Via http://dufmanno.wordpress.com]

80s Metal Rockstar Interviews

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[Via http://80smusicvideo.wordpress.com]

The Social Penguins Meet Friendly Local SM Users

After we had the amazing opportunity to run some questions by Shel Israel yesterday, we thought it would be a good idea to quiz some local social media and digital marketing fans with regards to the year that has passed and what they expect in 2010. These are people who use social media for business and in their personal lives, truly immersing themselves in the field. Read on for some great mini interviews!

Name – Glenn Le Santo

Twitter Tag – @lesanto

Penguins – Can you please describe what you do in 140 characters?

Glenn – I’ve spent over ten years as a writer and journalist but now I’m also a tweep for hire – I’m a tweetgun – I handle various clients’ twitter accounts.

Penguins – What was your favourite Social Media story/moment of 2009?

Glenn – I hate to blow my own trumpet (honest) but it has to be the day I managed to start a top trend. I thought up #whyitweet which hit the number one worldwide trend slot in less than an hour and stayed there for more than 24 hours. This happened very early in my Twitter ‘career’ and was very exciting. I felt the power of Twitter first hand.

Penguins – What digital marketing resource helped you the most in 2009?

Glenn – It has to be the 2009 Media140 conferences and blog -  excellent every inch of the way. Knowledge, contacts and inspiration- all there in abundance.

Penguins – What innovation would you like to see in 2010?

Glenn – Something so innovative that I have no way of guessing what it might be. But failing that, longer lasting device batteries would be handy.

Penguins – What brands would you class as ‘one to watch’ in terms of social media strategy in 2010?

Glenn – Am I allowed to say – Any that have asked me to help with their strategies? Apart from them, I find Rentokil  very interesting. This massive and often slow moving mega-corp manages to run a friendly engaging Twitter account (in the UK). Other brands take note.

Penguins – What smartphone app would you fail to survive without?(this can be from personal life or business!)

An engaging personality is the best ‘app’ anyone can have in their toolbox. I survived many years without a smartphone, let alone apps. I’ll get by even if you take them all away but please let me keep my personality.

Thanks Glenn, interesting to hear from a Twitter ‘Gun for Hire’! All the best for 2010 for you and your brands.

Name – Becca Sibley

Twitter Tag – @beccaspeaks

 Penguins – Can you please describe what you do in 140 characters?

 Becca – Look for people talking about my company and talk to them. Help them if I can. Tweet. a lot! (Note from Penguins – Becca works as the main Twitter resource for a large multinational customer facing company)

Penguins – What was your favourite Social Media story/moment of 2009?

Becca – Personally – It was a moment I wasn’t there for! A friend @darenbbc gave a speech on serendipity at #140conf and I inspired the speech with my choice of songs! I got mentioned onstage at the Indigo at the O2 arena, I technically shared a stage with Stephen Fry, sort of! Otherwise I guess seeing social media become so mainstream, and being a part of it has been pretty cool.  The RATM Christmas number one was pretty special, despite only really seeing it on the periphery; I think it’s pretty amazing that such a relatively small group of people made such a loud noise over something quite trivial(And, no, I didn’t buy either!)

Penguins – What digital marketing resource helped you the most in 2009?

Becca – Not a “resource” in the traditional sense of the word, but probably the best one you can have, is the people.  There are so many people out there who really know their stuff, and will happily debate and discuss whatever you need!

Penguins – What smartphone app would you fail to survive without? (This can be from personal life or business!)

Becca – I don’t use a smartphone for work so it’s personal, but I think without echofon (my twitter weapon of choice!) I’d be lost. I’ve yet to migrate to hootsuite for the iphone, though that is next on my list. When I travel in London I’m heavily reliant on tube deluxe too.

Penguins – What innovation would you like to see in 2010?

Becca – Oooh, this is a hard one! I think, despite being involved in digital marketing myself, I’d like to see a way of filtering out the noise of social media.  I’d like to see digital marketers get clever, and ask their audience what they want rather than bombarding them with noise!

Penguins – What brands would you class as ‘one to watch’ in terms of social media strategy in 2010?

Becca – I can’t think of one that is really standing out for me off the top of my head.  I’ve got a feeling the real winners in 2010 will be the ones who are just starting out.  I’d also be interested how the banks take on social media.

Thanks to Becca for her time! Very interesting point re the brands that are just starting out in SM and their potentials to be winners in the space. Hopefully they have been listening and working hard on a strategy!

Name – Jamie Sterling

Twitter Tag – @jamie_sterling

Penguins – Can you please describe what you do in 140 characters?

Jamie – I wish I knew some days! Look after online channels/technical stuff/design for Boudiche working with a great in-house team.

Penguins – What was your favourite Social Media story/moment of 2009?

Jamie – Reckon it would be Michael Jackson’s death – the speed at which this broke and spread I feel was a big turning point for many people with social media, realising it as a quick, accessible and useful channel. From here the massive #iranelection campaign, Rage Against the Machine for number 1 and viral flashmobs/croud sourcing have all shaped our feelings and brand desires as part of being a more engaged population.

Penguins – What digital marketing resource helped you the most in 2009?

Jamie - Twitter – there was nothing better for getting up to the minute news and idea/success sharing from different industries and methods of thinking.

Penguins – What innovation would you like to see in 2010?

Jamie – More brands using social media properly to interact with their customers – I can tend to rant a bit but very few companies pick up on it, or might and choose to ignore it. The personal touch really matters. And for a gadget innovation, I’d quite fancy an eBook reader which would play nicely with Google Reader/RSS feeds.

Penguins – What smartphone app would you fail to survive without? (This can be from personal life or business!)

Jamie – Facebook, BlackBerry Messenger, UberTwitter and Spotify all get regular use for keeping in touch and staying up to date.

Penguins – What brands would you class as ‘one to watch’ in terms of social media strategy in 2010?

Jamie – I can’t wait to see how the big brands such as Zappos who already using it well really push boundaries; plus seeing what Pepsi etc who are now using it as their main advertising strategy do. However, I’m much more interested in smaller companies really making the most of the opportunity and using it to create real interest about themselves and their products – but I’m yet to see one that’s really impressed me, so here’s hoping 2010 offers up plenty.

Great insight there Jamie thanks very much! Very interesting to hear from a SM user within a small and fairly niche local business. Penelope Penguin is after some fancy knickers, I will send her your way!

Name – Andrew Weir

Twitter Tag – @theWeir

 Penguins – Can you please describe what you do in 140 characters?

Andrew – tell stories with words, sounds & pictures, make connections, and consider what’s coming, be a husband and a dad.

Penguins – What was your favourite Social Media story/moment of 2009?

Andrew – I think it was “United Broke my Guitar”. I’d like it to be something more positive, like seeing “find out more” straps on material from Wetherspoons – that’s when SMM moved into the *everyday* category. But the impact of — name — campaign was clear for all to see.

Penguins – What digital marketing resource helped you the most in 2009?

Andrew - I still think my best resource is Google. From simple (!) searches and complex analytics to the news brought to me by Reader – it’s where things come together. Evernote  is a close second though…

Penguins – What innovation would you like to see in 2010?

Andrew - 2010 will see greater levels of data integration. What you know and what your friends know overlayed to give a clearer picture of collective intelligence. A single panel showing all your interactions & touchpoints.

Penguins – What brands would you class as ‘one to watch’ in terms of social media strategy in 2010?

Andrew – In the UK, BT for sure, the support received from @BTCare as they started to interact with customers on twitter – and make a difference, but they’re still working it out. I’d hope that Virgin start to do more too. They’re the kind of brand that could make a significant impact.  The BBC has started to try cool things with crowd sourcing & collective creativity, it’ll be good to see this taken further in 2010. I guess the biggest thing for me will be about the rise of local business – harnessing the channel to make an impact on their markets.  Not to change (or take over) the world on their own, but to deliver excellence in their field & in their locality.

 Thanks very much to Andrew for his time! We agree that crowd sourcing will become way more apparent in 2010 as brands really start to see the value of it.

Well we hope you found this of interest! One thing that is clear from these responses is that no matter how advanced the tech gets, Social Media will also have it’s foundations in good people.

Stay tuned for more insight from social media fans in the New Year. Happy New Year!!!

[Via http://socialmediamike.wordpress.com]