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]

7 Phone Interview Tips

In some cases, telephone interviews are a way for employers to “pre-screen” possible job candidates before they are granted an in-person interview. In other cases, employers will conduct the full interview over the phone. Whether you are required to go through a pre-screening or have already been given the interview, you must be more prepared than you would be for an in-person interview, even if you are allowed to interview in your PJ’s. Below are some telephone interview tips to keep in mind so your next phone interview is a success.

Telephone Interview Tips

1. Use a landline. You don’t want to risk having problems with cell phone service. It is irritating for employers to conduct interviews if the call breaks up frequently or is dropped completely. If you don’t have a land line at home, just make sure you are in an area with as much cell phone service as possible. Do what you can so the process runs as smooth as possible.

2. Keep your materials handy. In fact, lay everything out in front of you. This includes your resume, notes about your career objective (even if it isn’t included in your original cover letter, it’s a good idea to have this out depending on the questions he will ask you), a pen and pad of paper for note-taking and anything else you think may be helpful during your interview. Because you won’t have to schlep into an office, you can have anything out in front of you to aid with your success.

3. Steer clear of distractions. Find a quiet place to interview and stay there! There shouldn’t be any noise in the background to distract you or your potential employer. However, it is understandable that this can be tricky if you have young children at home who need your attention. When you set up your interview appointment, try to schedule it for as precise a time or window as possible. That way, you are able to avoid possible distractions (ex.: your phone interview is between 4 and 4:30, so no one can have company over during that time, the kids are fed and occupied or a sitter will watch them, if need be.)

4. Speak slowly and clearly. When you speak to people face-to-face, you are able to understand what they are saying more clearly because you can see their mouth move. So in a way, you are reading their lips! Neither you nor your potential employer will be able to do this over the phone of course, so speak clearly and a little bit more slowly than you would if you were talking to this person in person. If you can’t hear him, drop hints that he isn’t speaking clearly or loud enough by politely asking him to repeat himself. If this makes you uncomfortable at all you can always blame it on your phone: “I’m really sorry, it’s hard to hear you, the volume on my phone just won’t go up!”

5. Remember – you can’t be seen. That means that anything you say cannot be interpreted by your body language. Beware of jokes or sarcastic remarks that would have been harmless had he seen your facial expression. Maintain your professionalism; stay on target with the interview topics and focus on the key information about you that will get you hired.

6. No eating, drinking or chewing gum! This is self-explanatory. But, we humans are creatures of habit and might pop a potato chip in our mouths at just the wrong moment. However, when I say no eating or drinking I mean during the phone interview. You should eat beforehand to get your brain going so you can focus.

7. Prepare questions ahead of time. Just like in a face-to-face interview, prepare a few questions to ask your potential employer at the end of your phone interview. Some examples are:
“What does a typical day look like for an employee with this job?”

“What are some skills I would need to develop in order to excel in the position I’m applying for?”

“What software/equipment would I be using?”

Remember – do not ask about salary or benefits until the employer has brought it up.

Fortunately, it can be less intimidating interviewing over the phone with these telephone interview tips and you may even feel more confident that you’ll do well. Great! As long as you are fully prepared and take the necessary precautions, there is no reason why you shouldn’t have a successful phone interview.

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

Remember Your Anniversary: Elana Stone

Despite their pop-jazz roots, Elana Stone maintains that she and her musical cronies still “rock the gigs pretty hard”. And how.

Elana and Co. have just released Your Anniversary, an eleven-track pastiche of pop, rock and jazz/lounge. Elana tells us about the process…

“Long!” the lady exclaims. “It was a three-year process; it was not planned that way, it just turned out that we had to decide to go to Europe and tour in 2006 rather than record, which was the right decision at the time. At the end of all that, a couple of members actually got married, I ended up briefly moving to Melbourne, I actually thought the band wouldn’t continue…there was some inter-band conflict, I was in Melbourne for eight months, I moved back up and finished the album. We started and everyone was keen, I was happy. It was fun”

“We’re academically trained musos; a couple of us are dropouts [laughs]” Elana explains, on the origians of her musical companions, “but we all went to music school; we’re all big jazz heads but grunge and rock and pop get a look in as well. We’re all really into music; we end up with a mixed pot of music, which is hard sometimes, because we’re impossible to market to people. We straddle a couple of different universes”

So how did the songwriting of Your Anniversary come to be, in all its loveliness?

“Generally, I’m not a consistent songwriter; I find it have to get to a point where I feel pressure. I have something happen or I’m just in a gray mood and wanna write and feel musical, or I have some musical idea I wanna put words to, it comes from an idea where writing is a cathartic outlet, when I don’t have anything to write out, when I’m happy or well-adjusted, it can be a lot harder”

“I’ve written a song on this album which is more about my sister than me and her experience with her partner, and there’s another song I’ve written from another singer- songwriter’s perspective…you just have to pick an idea that’s strong and make it fit with the idea of the music; sometimes it can come from nothing, sometimes it can come from the bottom of your heart. It is an important skill to hone. I don’t think of myself of lyricist, I just do it but I do really enjoy it”

Though there are no shows at the minute (which, being the festive season, is understandable), Elana promises a real rip-snorter when the gigs come around.

“It’s a pretty involved kind of show; our shows are basically centred around ourselves as people; a showcase of all the shit we love to do; rock, jazz, I do a bit of Janis shriek stuff, some croony Joni stuff, it’s a varying show. It can be an emotional rollercoaster ride, but we also we like to dress up and have fun.”

Your Anniversary is out now independently.

http://www.myspace.com/elanastoneband

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

Dobbs Dudes

Nestled next to the Hudson River in Westchester County, just north of Yonkers and a bit south of the Tappan Zee Bridge, lies Dobbs Ferry.  It’s a picturesque river town, with cute restaurants, some great schools, and a budding population of musicians.  My friend and collaborator Marlon “Moshe” Sobol has lived there for a few years now with his wife and two daughters, and works nearby in White Plains teaching music therapy as a music therapist at the Schnurmacher Center nursing home.  I’ve sat in on his music therapy sessions before with the elderly, and they are loads of fun and very inspiring too.  He’s doing amazing things over there.  Recently he was recognized in the Journal News for his innovative music therapy work.  Check the link to the article below…

Journal News Lifestyles Section: The Power of Music

I paid Moshe a visit last week to get a behind the scenes look at how he runs his sessions.  We could not film the residents, so Moshe gave us a simulated session of sorts, pulling out a ton of instruments, and showing us first hand his music therapy style.  Here’s the two part video.  Enjoy…

Thanks so much Moshe and keep up the good work!!!!!

JSWISS is another one of my dudes out of Dobbs Ferry.  I first met JSWISS when he performed at River Ciphers this past summer, an event Moshe and I co-hosted in Dobbs Ferry at The Rec Room (a local clothing store shout out to Bahr).  JSWISS came through and ripped a really nice old school type song called “Mammoth” over a slow drum beat that Moshe hooked up for him, and it was kinda ill.  Turns out the two knew each other from playing one on one at the park one day, and I guess the story goes that Moshe got schooled.  Ha!  Check out the performance…

I.M.R.O.B.O.T. is the first mixtape from JSWISS (see cover above), and it features original production as well as him rapping over a bunch of different old school and new era beats.  It’s a cool mixtape.  Here’s an interview I did with him last week.  Give it a read to find out more about him and his music…

IP:  For those who don’t know you, where in Westchester did you grow up?  And you’re a freshman in college now right?

JS:  I grew up in the tiny village of Dobbs Ferry. I lived there from age 5 up until now after I moved from Yonkers. And yeah right now I’m at THE UNC-Chapel Hill, home of the national champs in basketball and I found pretty much every other sport too. I’m definitely hyped that I’ve been able to find lots of ill MCs and producers here, which is what got me motivated to do the tape.

IP:  I heard you’re nice at ball.  Moshe said you schooled him in one on one.

JS:  Haha yeah I can’t deny it. It’s funny cuz I knew I recognized him at the River Ciphers! But yeah, basketball was my first love before music and still is. It’s been something that’s given me my highest highs and also my lowest lows, but that’s what happens with something you love that much. Right now I’m playing club basketball at UNC and I’m trying to move up  and by the time my four years is up you’ll see me with the Carolina blue on TV!

IP:  Nice.  So the mixtape is definitely dope.  I see you made some of the beats on there yourself.  What type of equipment/programs do you use to produce?

JS:  I used the fruity loops demo. Meaning I gotta download it again everytime I wanna make a new beat! Actually I gotta step back and say that “Mindframe” was the first beat I made when I got to college, and I did that on my suitemates Garageband before I looked into downloading fruity loops. So, I produced four songs on the mixtape, one was produced by Jae Monee, and the rest were from songs already out there. And I do have to give a shoutout to the four track tape recorder and 15+ year old drum machine and keyboard I used to use back home!

IP:  You’ve got some skillful rhymes.  The one where you go through the entire alphabet bar by bar is particularly impressive.  Where do you write most of your stuff?  Or do you even write rhymes?  People seem to be typing verses now more than ever, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

JS:  I used to write only in notebooks but now that I’ve had my new iPhone for about 6 months, I mix it up and write on that sometimes if I’m out and something hits me or I’m in the studio with with no pen and book.  The “Alphabet Aerobics” one was written over a year ago so that was handwritten, and believe it or not that super long final track was too even though I had the iPhone at my disposal. I know people have made fun of Drake for his incident, me included, but that’s because it was
hyped up as a freestyle so…

IP:  Tell me about that last track.  It’s over sixteen minutes long, with you flowing over a bunch of classic beats.

JS:  Yeaaa. When I rap I always try and be creative. So on “18 Years of Greatness” I decided to rhyme straight through a beat from every year of my life, 1991-2009, with no chorus. And yea it wound up being over 16 minutes and 350 bars, and it was the most fufilling and frustrating thing I’ve done musically. I first had to download each instrumental and piece them together cohesively before I even started writing, and that took forever. The frustration of never seeming to finish writing it didn’t take away from the quality though cuz I won’t allow that, but just as the lines were coming I could tell the song was gonna be so nice, but I just had to wait and wait until I finished the whole thing. But it came out just how I wanted, it’s one of my favorites, and now I can bang out a 16 like it’s nothin!

IP:  Just from listening to your mixtape, I can tell that you are a student of hip hop.  I mean, not many dudes your age know about Camp Lo and stuff like that.  I grew up in that early 90’s era, but I know what it’s like to dig back in time looking for music.  Do you spend a lot of your time doing that?  What are you listening to right now?

JS:  Man I pride myself on knowing my hip hop history, that’s another reason why the “18 Years of Greatness” track fit me. I’ll go back to the ’80s with you and I know some stuff from before that too! I’d have to say that before the past year, when I’ve been hipped on some of the blogs where you can discover lesser known artists out now, I rarely listened to stuff out currently. I stayed alive having A Tribe, and The Roots and some of them Big Daddy Kane songs to listen to on the computer or iPod. Now though, I like Lupe, Blu and Pac Div and U-N-I on the west coast and some others, Nas still rapping. But believe that I got a huge old school rap playlist that never ceases to satisfy.

IP:  Okay, top five albums of all time.  Go.

JS:  Hip Hop? In no particular order: Illmatic (Nas), Midnight Marauders (ATCQ), Do You Want More?!!!?! (The Roots), People Instinctive Travels…(ATCQ), Desire (Pharoahe Monch).  Overall? No order: Illmatic, Midnight Marauders, Action Figure Party
(Action Figure Party), Emergency on Planet Earth (Jamiroquai), The Brand New Heavies (The Brand New Heavies).

IP:  Okay!  Got some classics in there.  What’s your goal with this mixtape?  Do you have one?

JS:  I don’t have a clear goal. It’s free, so I’m not trying to make money.  I see a lot rappers get recognized when I know I bring more to the table as an MC, so I’d like to get noticed as someone who’s really doing real hip hop, and if I do get well-known off it, take the other MCs I’ve been working with and that have supported me with me. But honestly I probably would have made this tape if only me and my parents listened to it.

IP:  What’s next for JSWISS?  Will we see you at the next River Ciphers?  We’re hoping to have one at the start of the new year.

JS:  What’s next for JSWISS has already begun, and that’s just continuing to make music, and getting better at it. I’ve already started planning out new stuff from myself and working with other MCs who you will hear about. And I’ve been asking about the River Ciphers to make sure that it goes down when I’m home from NC! When I first did it I really had no quality songs, just a lot of separate verses, but I’ve got work to share now so let’s do it!

IP:  Where can we find out more about you online?  Let the people know son!

JS:  Ah I get to plug myself haha. I have a facebook fan page for “JSWISS” which I love to get fans on who aren’t already my facebook friends. I also have a myspace page, the url is myspace.com/jswissmammoth, and my
youtube acount is youtube.com/mammoth365. Love to get those views and feedback. And check out Stan Ipcus’ “Young Professional”, and support that Westcheddar hip hop!  Peace.

FREE DOWNLOAD JSWISS I.M.R.O.B.O.T. MIXTAPE

[Via http://westcheddar.com]

Gibson Empathizes with Obama: 'Holy God, What a Weight that Is on Your Shoulders'

Bye, Bye, Charles Gibson, oh, bye, bye and again, bye,bye.
From Newsbusters;

In his swan song interview with President Barack Obama, which consumed more than ten minutes of World News, ABC’s Charles Gibson couldn’t have provided a friendlier or more empathetic platform to Obama on the “weight” of sending troops to war and how “devilishly difficult” it’s become to pass health care plan because of a few rogue Senators. Gibson, set to retire Friday, teased his last Wednesday newscast:

The Uncooperative Radio Show Host and I call these people “Morons” all the time on our Radio Show, we call these morons; the “Lame Stream Media”, but now I think, that, that is too nice a term for this verman.
Technorati Tags: ABC news, Charles Gibson, White House, President Obama, main stream media, politics, news

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