INTERVIEW: Gordon Michael Woolvett and the Aha! Blogolicious! Media Awards

Canadian-born actor, Gordon Michael Woolvett, inspires creative innovation award


Who knew a spoof could turn into reality? Canadian-born actor, Gordon Michael Woolvett, inadvertently inspires an award for up and coming musicians, dancers and other artists.

In January of 2007, the first ever Aha! Blogolicious! Media Innovation Awards were given out for year 2006 by Seattle/Federal Way, Washington based Little Dogs Media which authors an online blog of the same name. The focus of this award is to illuminate and recognize little known or previously unknown emerging talent in all the creative fields, including but not limited to music, dance, theatre, art, filmmaking and writing.

The 2006 awards included musical groups out of Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, Washington, Exeter, England and New York City, New York as well as a short filmmaker out of Vancouver, B.C. in addition to Hamilton-born, Vancouver/Toronto based actor, Gordon Michael Woolvett.

Recipients are selected based on their showcased work on a MySpace page and are eligible only if they have been previously reviewed on the Aha! Blogolicious! Blogsite. Having a MySpace page is required and is partly an homage to the impressive impact that MySpace has had on showcasing new talent and allowing artists to reach millions of potential fans that they might otherwise never touch.

Yet the reason the awards were started in the first place is much more amusing and one of those stranger than fiction stories. The blog typically did more spoof (humor) articles prior to that time, alternating with music and art reviews of MySpace artists.

One spoof article was about Hamilton-born, Canadian actor Gordon Michael Woolvett, currently working in Vancouver, B.C., Canada and best known for his roles as Harper in Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda as well as the teen horror film, Bride of Chucky.

The article discussed a fictional Aha! Blogolicious! MediaMaker Award and the current "undead" nominee, Mr. Woolvett, poking fun at the often strange and sometimes suspicious award nomination processes common to Hollywood as well as many other major award groups.

As it turned out, several fans of Mr. Woolvett didn't realize the award was a spoof--and were understandably disappointed. It also highlighted the fact that MySpace in particular has become a welcome Mecca for music fans, as well as filmmakers, with YouTube becoming more of an influence in the short film venue as well.

The blog author, CG Anderson, was also finding many talented yet unknown musicians, dancers and other artists on MySpace and wanted to do something more than simply write about them on a weekly blog. Hence, the awards were born and a special award (with the same name as the spoof award) was given to Gordon Michael Woolvett. Unlike the Media Innovator awards, which are the ones awarded to the promising up and comers, it is the only one of the group that does not require a MySpace page.

The 2006 winners of the Aha! Blogolicious! Media Innovator Awards were the following: Summit Avenue (band, Seattle/LA), Marianas Trench (band, Vancouver, B.C.), Westcott & Rodway (musical duo, Exeter, England), Karen Nielsen (Blue Finn Productions, Vancouver, B.C.) for her short film Perceptions and Three Second Delay (band, New York City.)

Mr. Woolvett was awarded the 2006 Aha! Blogolicious! MediaMaker Lifetime Achievement Nominee Award.

Mr. Woolvett was gracious enough to grant an interview in which he discusses his career, his plans for the future and his personal take on the industry, both online and offline. The interview, after months of waiting, finally happened.

Full transcript (unaltered, except where noted, so any misspells are left in...) of interview with Gordon Michael Woolvett:

CGA: You've had a very successful acting career as well as a good start as a writer, director and producer. What do you feel your work (overall) is about? (Both at the surface, then deeper and even personally...) I know it's a bit philosophical, but I'm trying to get at what drives you in this field.

Gordon: ...Great question! Mi mind instantly jumps back to grade 10 English, studying the basis of all conflict in fiction or drama. The root of all conflict can be traced back to one of three scenarios: man against man, man against nature, man against himself / herself (please excuse my using "man" instead of "person;" that is just how it was presented back then.) For some reason I always gravitate -- whether directing, acting or writing-- toward 'man against himself'. I am fascinated by inner demons that people have to overcome and the silent struggles we don't even know are going on all around us. In Abridging the Devil's Divide Harper had to struggle with desire and power. These battles, waged against our darkest selves, are always the juiciest to me.

CGA: Where do you want to go as an artist? If you just want to be successful and buy matching mansions for you and your mum, that's ok. It's just that most artists I've met usually also have other, deeper goals for what they want to do with their work and what effects they have on the world.

Gordon: It is such a tough road and business if you truly think of yourself as an artist. There is so much involved that has nothing to do with art; and yet without all that business you wouldn't have a chance to exercise your craft. Where do I want to go? I have a number of projects that I am trying to get going. Ultimately directing-- with writing a close second-- is where my heart lies.

CGA: How did you get started? Did you always know that this was what you wanted to do?

Gordon: I started very young, around the age of 8, in theatre. I went to a theatre summer school program for a few years in a row and branched out from there. I loved it. It was such a blast. Some of my friends were like "you have to go to summer school?" But as the regular school year wound down I would be counting down the days for theatre school to start. It was so much fun!

CGA: What is your inspiration for your work? How do you stay inspired in such a tough business?

Gordon: It is tough to say where my inspiration comes from. I find more and more my respect grows for all those actors that I know and meet at auditions or functions etc. whom I can attest are brilliant; and whom struggle year after year chasing the acting dream. It is a horrible business and for every one actor you can name, there are about 1,000 you have never heard of who are probably ten times better than the one you named... just maybe not as pretty or tall or whatever. Most of the actors who have truly inspired me are ones I have worked with or met and who have achieved very little or no fame at all.

CGA: You have obvious talents in comedy, but also great dramatic appeal. You may not remember this movie, but one of my favorite scenes from you came in a little known movie called Elvis Meets Nixon. The movie itself didn't do much for me, but your short scene as a Vietnam soldier almost broke my heart--it was so quiet, clean, vulnerable, perfectly done and powerful that I never forgot it. So it begs the question, what is your favorite genre and type of work?

Gordon: My favourite genre has always been camp. I know its not a genre, but anything that has an element of camp to it really turns my crank. Favourite movie? Army of Darkness. No wait... Paper Moon. No wait... Sin City. No wait... better yet, ask me in ten minutes. I'll change my mind again.

CGA: On a related note, if you could have any part (TV, Film, Theater) past or present or future, what would it be? Or what would they be? And why? If you have a favorite actor or director or writer that you want to emulate (or exceed), then this is a good place for that, too.

Gordon: I would love to play Elric of Melnibone from the Eternal Champion series by Michael Moorcock. Actually, I heard they are making the Sword of Shannarah into a movie. I would play anything they gave me in that. Are you listening Terry Brooks? Are you an Andromeda fan?

CGA: Who are you? Who do you want to be? Who are you afraid to be? Why?

Gordon: Who am I? Um... Gordon Michael Woolvett....? Who do I want to be?...But I just want to be me! Who am I afraid to be? Um... a mime. I would be afraid to be a mime. Or maybe Lindsay Lohan.

CGA: What do you want out of life? Out of your industry? Perhaps not even just for yourself, but something that you want, in general, to happen.

Gordon: I want Canadians to go see Canadian movies. I want Canadian distributors to distribute Canadian movies so Canadians have Canadian movies to go see. And I want the government of Canada to friggin do something to make Canadian exhibitors show Canadian movies so Canadian distributors have a reason to distribute Canadian movies and Canadians have Canadian movies to go see. Then maybe I'll get to make my movie.

CGA: What are you planning next? More of a focus on acting, writing, directing or producing--and why? A focus on traditional film/TV storytelling, a particular genre or type of work, or something more radical?

Gordon: Definitely radical. I want to get my films off the ground and I want to reach people. So I am trying to take an aggressive approach. I think maybe I have an attitude problem and so I think that comes out in my writing and directing. I made a short film and I am very proud of it; but short films do not create opportunities for producers to make money, so your masterpiece rarely gets to reach a big audience. Right now I have a comedy and a very dark surf film with some serious radical action.

CGA: Anything you want to say to your fans about anything, this award, your work, anything?

Gordon: Thank you very blog-much for my blogalicious award. I am sorry I took so long to address this. But anyone who has spent anytime on my board will tell you I am at least being true to form. I don't get much time to log on. Also, to my fans: "live long and prosper!" Wait... that wasn't my line... oh here it is: "Nanoo-nanoo!" ...No that was Mork... um.... Oh yeah: "By the power of Grapthars hammer, I will avenge you!!".... um no... Trust in the hooper? Trust in the hopper? Now what was it again....

CGA: Anything else you might want to say...completely open here.

Gordon: I answer your question with another question: what is the difference between a rock? Oh yeah... I'm going to Dragoncon in Atlanta this August (the end of the month). I think Kevin and I might be hosting some late night naughty costume contest?? Don't miss it!!

CGA: OK, what is the deal with Fab Filippo and the film Canadian Bacon? At first, I thought that Fab was an alias actor name used whenever someone didn't want a credit, but now I find out he's real. Yet you were the male candy striper in the film? (Nice tan in that movie, by the way.)

Gordon: Did he get my credit?? That weasel. That downright weasel. Now that explains a very weird experience I had with a casting director years ago. She asked me about some script I was writing (which I wasn't) with some guy who I had never heard of and she kept calling me Fab. I have to admit I was quite fab back then but I had no idea what she was talking about! ;)

CGA: Optional question, do not answer if you think it might cause you problems in the industry...It seems the internet offers a lot of new opportunities for filmmakers and musicians, from having MySpace showcase your work (and be searchable by 100s of millions of people) to helping the thousands of film festivals for budding filmmakers find them, and visa versa. The only real closed option still seems to be for writers (books or film/TV)...where even the idea of self-publishing (book) is still condemned by the community (which is unlike online film work or putting your music online, where it seems to be accepted as good practice) and getting a foot in the door in the film/TV writing (scriptwriting) world is just as difficult as book publishing with few alternatives for getting material in front of audiences.

(Clarification post Gordon's response: It's easier for filmmakers and musicians to get their work in front of fans, than it is for writers, because of the nature of the work and the acceptance of alternatives like online and self-CD/DVD-publishing. Or at least that seems to be the case. There is less prejudice for self-publishing in music and film and more options for those that do, than for those involved purely in writing.)

You've been involved in the industry in a number of roles, and also use the internet as a platform for your work, what is your take on the situation--from musicians, to filmmakers, to writers?

Gordon: I am not exactly sure what you are asking but I will say this: barring obvious exceptions like disease and misfortune etc., on average God gave us each around 70 years to do whatever it is we want to do on this little ol' planet here. If you want to be a musician, if you want to be a writer, if you want to be a filmmaker... just do it. If you have an idea and you want to self publish it. Do it. If you want to make a short and upload it on you tube; do it. Because sooner or later you're going to die and you'll regret not having tried. And bigger schmucks have tried and succeeded... so why can't you?

CGA: As you may or may not know, I spend a great deal of time looking for new musical talent (and other artists, like dance groups) to review on my blog. I just recently saw on YouTube a short clip of you riffing on the guitar and improvising a song...I was surprised, you are quite good (and obviously a quick wit.) So are you a musician as well? What is your musical focus, favorites, influences?

Gordon: Man oh man. When I started acting my plan was just to use it as a way to pay for my instruments. I always wanted to be a rock star first. Then I just wanted to compose, but I kept getting work so here I am. I start ed on piano at around 4 years old. In high school I branched out to all the band instruments and now pretty much limit myself to my acoustic Dobro copy ( a steel guitar). I play a lot of slide in blues. That's the one in the clip there. I write a lot of music. I have a few synthesizers and guitars, used to have drums, etc. Sometimes I set up a little studio and write (not so often now with the kidlets around). I wrote and performed most of the music for my short, Fracture (I titled mine before the movie).

CGA: What other surprising talents might you be hiding? (Uh, remember is this a PG rated blog!) ;)

Gordon: I can rotate my tongue all the way upside down (twisting). Insert lewd joke here.

CGA: I thought about asking a silly, inane type question at the end, like what color shoes do you buy or what type of tree are you, but decided...not. ; )

Gordon: Don't worry, instead I provided silly and inane answers! ;)

Thank you again, Gordon, for this interview and without realizing it, for inspiring the creation of the Aha! Blogolicious! Media Innovation Awards. Best luck in the future, to not just you, but to all who endeavor to create and entertain, in spite of the odds.

HUMOR: The Diary of the Dog and the Cat, plus a photo of Aha! Blogolicious! Media Innovator Award Winners, Westcott & Rodway

No music review this week, but there will be next week. I've found some more great bands--mostly alternative/rock this time.

However, I promised some humor a while back and now I'm delivering. With the news recently, I think everyone could use a light humor chuckle right about now.

I'm also including a new photo of Westcott & Rodway, one of the groups that won the 2006 Aha! Blogolicious! Media Award for Innovation. They are a musical duo that does an incredibly beautiful and compelling jazz/classical/flamenco fusion. Recently, they sent me a photo showing them holding the award--it helps ease my mind that the award made it all the way to Exeter, England without breakage--and it's nice to see the winner actually holding the award, too. Karen Nielsen, who also won for her short film, Perceptions, also sent in her photo and it was included in her recent profile and interview. Westcott and Rodway were profiled/interviewed a couple months ago before they received the trophy, so I'm only now getting a photo. Just search for their names on this blog to see the interview and check out their myspace page to hear their music (or to see Karen's film, Perceptions.)

The other winners included Summit Avenue, an amazing band that unfortunately broke up recently, so I'm still trying to figure out who gets the award in that situation (the leader of the band or the band's label...stay tuned.) Marianas Trench and Three Second Delay also won, but it's unlikely they'll get a profile/interview here, since they never responded query messages and missed all the deadlines, no matter how lenient. A pity, but they are nevertheless great bands and you should still give their music a listen.

The final winner, in a different category entirely, and the one whose award is actually responsible for inspiring me to create the Aha! Blogolicious! Media Awards in the first place, Gordon Michael Woolvett, is still very likely to get profiled/interviewed in the near future. No promises, since schedules and situations can always change, but I'm hopeful.

So on to the humor...

I got this humor about 10th hand, so have been unable to determine the original author. I'd like to credit him or her, if possible, so if any readers have any clues, please let me know at my public email address of cganders1@yahoo.com. Thanks.

CG
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The Diary of Cats and Dogs
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

- - - THE DOG - - -

8:00 AM Dog food! My favorite thing!!

9:30 AM A car ride! My favorite thing!!

9:40 AM A walk in the park! My favorite thing!!

10:30 AM Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!!

12:00 PM Milk bones!! My favorite thing!!

1:00 PM Played in the yard! My favorite thing!!

3:00 PM Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!!

5:00 PM Dinner! My favorite thing!!

7:00 PM Got to play ball! My favorite thing!!

8:00 PM Wow! Watched TV with my people! My favorite thing!!


- - - THE CAT - - -

Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.

They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. Bastards!!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies". I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches.

The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released, and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird must be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell so he is safe.

More later.
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Having had cats...and dogs (currently) and a noisy bird (currently), this humor had me in stiches!
Hope you enjoyed it!
Have a good weekend!

CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media

Image of the Aha! Blogolicious! Media Awards themselves

Many thanks and kudos to Greg Knoyle and Custom Trophy & Engraving (CTE) Awards of Missoula, Montana for doing such an outstanding, quick and error free job on the awards.

REVIEW: The Evergreen Effect, The Cheat and Perceptions. Maybe it’s time we all stopped worshipping meanness.

REVIEW: The Evergreen Effect, The Cheat and Perceptions. Maybe it’s time we all stopped worshipping meanness.

Two great bands and one wonderful short film and my personal experiences which lead me to the question: Don’t you ever get tired of paying attention to the Negative-Pushers?

I’ve been accused of doing a thinly disguised promo for a short film I mentioned in the last review. The person writing this untrue statement made it clear that they were an expert and absolutely positive of their facts. Must be nice to be sure you're always right. (If you can’t tell, I’m being very sarcastic. I've never had the luxury of being sure of myself, and I doubt that the person censuring me really feels that way either. That person was simply basing their criticism on, in my opinion, a more common tendency these days to rush to judgement of others and assume the worst. Mainly, it just got me to thinking about the whole situation.) The fact is that no, I don’t do thinly disguised promos, as this person was so certain of…unless you consider even TALKING about another’s work as a promo. Heaven forbid that we talk about the work of others and how we like it. Obviously, we are in someone’s pocket if we say something nice about someone else. (Yes, more sarcasm for the sarcastic-impaired.)

One of their criticisms (and why they were so sure it was an obvious promo) was the fact that I only did a general take on the site, just a few “vague” lines about it being pretty cool and worth a look. I didn’t write about it at length, tell them the plot, talk about its merits and demerits—in other words, do a full critical critique. One or two lines didn’t make it a review but a shameless promo, at least in their book. They were assuming that the whole review article would be about this movie, and apparently didn’t bother to read anything else—or even check out the site in question (or they would have known, as I’d already said, that I hadn’t seen the movie. They didn’t actually read what I said apparently that closely either.) I do often do short acknowledgments of other works. I don’t always do long, detailed reviews –especially if there isn’t a lot to work with. But does that mean that it’s just thinly disguised promotion—i.e. something bad since THAT really was this person’s intent?

It got me to thinking about how people now perceive that just saying something positive with a pointer to help someone out is considered “bad,” while tearing someone apart with criticism, even to the point these days of cruel attacks, is considered acceptable or even “good.”

Is my stand against doing negative reviews considered “bad?” It seems I get more people telling me (and flaming me) saying that…… than I get people telling me that they want to read more positive pointers and quick reviews. Does it somehow lack credibility if you don’t tear people apart to show that you were really doing an honest critique? What exactly is an honest critique? How honest are those guys on TV or the magazines/newspapers? They’re trying to sell newspapers and get ratings. Which sells more? Being controversial and mean, or being positive and supportive? Which does the public respond to more—and why therefore, would anyone, knowning that, ever consider what they are saying an “honest” critique?

Critique at its base is opinion and nothing more. The only honest critique you can really give is to give your honest opinion—and not expect much of anything in return, though even then, you expect something, else you wouldn’t be bothering with the workload of listening to hundreds of bands via their pages and looking at hundreds of sites over the course of a month (my average is about 30-60 a week—bands, artists, sites all mixed up together.)

(Another reason it’s so frustrating to me that my MySpace ability to send messages or make friend requests is still broken—there are so many bands and groups and people out there that I’d like to send a message to or request as a friend. And I can’t…I can only hope that they find me. The wonders and perils of technology, I guess. It let’s me find you but doesn’t let me talk to you.)

I’ve always tried to emphasize that it’s just my opinion and nothing more when you get down to brass tacks. You need to be true to yourself and not let me or anyone else tell you what to think or what to like.

Yet why do so many (and I do mean MANY) persist in listening only to the negative, while ignoring all the positive messages? I do the same thing. I get much more upset than I should at a negative message—even when I received twenty positive ones. Down deep, I know it shouldn’t get to me. I know I should ignore it. I know that not everyone will like what I have to say and I know that some people just like to tear others down to make themselves feel better, more superior—and that this is just self-delusion since it only proves how little they are when they need to belittle others. Yet, I still get upset and focus on the negative. Why?

It’s sad and maddening that this is the world we now find ourselves living in—a world where the negative comments we hear around us are the ones we pay attention to, so much so that we are afraid of saying something against the negativity. We have created a culture where being mean and negative is worshipped rather than condemned. Look at how negative political campaigns have become. I was watching the results in my own state and the press was interviewing the loser in a race. He was saying how “at least he ran a clean, positive campaign about the issues” and other such rot. I saw his commercials. He was slinging mud and innuendo and even arrogant, ugly Americanisms in every one. Does he really believe that he ran a clean, positive issue driven campaign? Is that how skewed his perspectives have become that that is what he thinks of as clean? Or positive?

Or is he so arrogant that he thinks that the public will buy it as clean and positive?

Maybe he’s right. Perhaps too many people are buying that kind of unabashed, base, vile self-serving promotion as the “norm” and “natural” way now. Look at how often we trash people that are nice and glorify even worship people who are saying and acting like horrible scum. Look at the incredibly mean-spirited things that American Idol Judge Simon Cowell says (and no, he doesn’t always say horrible cruel things, but he certainly doesn’t try to think about others feelings either.) What happened when the show premiered? Lots of people hated him but look how many suddenly LOVED him and WORSHIPPED him and wanted to have him as their boyfriend. They justified their and his actions by saying that he was just being truthful, and he was telling it like it was.

No, he wasn’t. He was being cruel and vindictive and whether he’s really like that in real life or not doesn’t matter—he does it to get attention and expects (knows) that people will listen to the negative, foul-spewing commentators over the ones that try to be intelligent and thoughtful and kind. He knows it sells and people will listen to him if he says nasty things about others. Howard Stern knows that, too—he doesn’t just say four-letter words and spew hate to cause shock, he also spews cruelty. (And then he tries to say “but I’m really a nice person in real life…that’s my public persona.” I say “tough,” this is your real personality. This is what you show us. It must come from somewhere real within you or you wouldn’t be able to show this public side so easily or so convincingly. You like debasing people to make yourself feel better.) People like that know it will get them attention and that it really is them inside, else they wouldn’t do it. Else, they wouldn’t be able to hurt other people, other careers, other’s hopes like that. It sells and foolishly we watch and give them the ratings and the attention they crave. (Then again, me trashing them is doing the same thing, isn't it? I'm making assumptions about who they are by what they say--that's a given, we all do that, but even so, I shouldn't trash them just because they trash others. It just breeds more of the same. sigh. You just can't win, can you? Either way I go on this, I lose.)

The network knows it, too, and probably encourages it. Every other network tries to copy it—look at all the mean spirited shows on television now and in the movies. They are there because we put up with them, just as we put up with mudslinging, selfish, corrupt politicians. We created this monster.

So, no, I don’t do thinly disguised promos—implying that I’m trying to pull something off on the public. I see a group or a person and I like their work. I publish that. My agenda is that I want them noticed, just as I hope people will notice me—and not because I’m being cruel or mean-spirited. Not because my self-esteem is so low that I need to hurt and condemn others so that everyone will think I’m superior.

I’ve met way too many people like that—not just in the arts but in every walk of life, especially in tech positions and especially on the Internet. Politicians and Media still reign supreme as the place where the most insecure and afraid (and therefore willing to do anything to be seen as superior) still reside, but it's always the same across the board with these types.

They tend to be arrogant and come off as know-it-alls and they also tend to put down other people at every opportunity, laughing and acting like they are being funny by being condescending and mean. Then they will look at you, looking at them aghast, and claim that you are the freak, if you “take it too seriously” or “c’mon, it’s just a joke…don’t make any big issue of it.” Or “where’s your sense of humor…everybody does it.”

Maybe that’s the problem—too many people have bought into that and join in now. I don’t want a world where everybody does it. I also don’t want a world where the people that disagree with these lowlife losers are too afraid to speak up and tell them to shut up. They’re afraid because they think that “everybody does it” and that they’ll be the one to be attacked next because they just “take it too seriously.” It’s too easy to attack other people, either in the comfort of anonymous cyberspace or in your office or even your home. Do you have supportive friends and family and coworkers? Or have you chosen to surround yourself with leaches and losers and hatemongers?

My biggest wish is that people start speaking up against this type of behavior and tell these negative-pushers to be quiet—that their “bullying, I’m superior” tactics aren’t going to work anymore. I wish it for cyberspace and I wish it for real life. I want people to seek out and find new things and people to talk positively about—and not just people on PBS! I want people to be Reviewers rather than Critics (as in criticizers, thinking that’s what Critics do…the best don’t criticize, at least not destructively, they review and make you think. But do they get attention these days? Perhaps not.)

For all of you out there that agree with me, that you want there to be less bullying and negative tactics and flaming, please try to be brave and stand up and start talking. I know it’s scary and tough to put yourself out there—but I’m hoping and believing that there are more of us out there than them—speaking up and out is the only way to fight these people. They’re bullies, plain and simple. If we don’t want being a bully to become the norm forever, as it’s been gradually becoming, then we have to start shouting back. Shouting to the bullies and the bully-promoters. Telling them, that we don’t want them spewing their hate messages around us anymore, nor on the television, nor on film, nor in politics (as much as that’s possible…but it used be the case…or at least in better check than it is today.)

So think about that when you read about the groups and people that I write about. Think about how brave they are for putting themselves and their work out there, knowing that there are too TOO many bullies out here just waiting to say nasty things about them and try to tear down any inner confidence they have. Are you countering that negativity at all? Are you sending out positive messages to them and to me or even to your friends? What kind of message are you sending out? And I don’t care what your profession is or whether you think it matters what you think. I care about what you think. So do others. You don’t have to be an artist or a musician or a publisher or an agent or a record company. You don’t have to be a Network BigWig or a Politician. You don’t have to be an Internet God or even an Internet Troll. Your age doesn’t matter, nor does your skin color, nor your sex, nor your ethnic background, nor your income—you and just you matter, what and who you are inside. What you THINK and FEEL matters here—nothing else. Stop letting others try to change that—make you feel bad about yourself or tell you how you should look, be, think and what should you like, hate and do. Or are YOU the one trying to make others feel bad about themselves? Even unconsciously?

What you SAY matters. Your message matters and affects so many other people, including people you will never meet. You can hurt or you can help—that choice is always up to you, just as how you choose to react when someone tries to hurt you is also up to you, as well.

So what kind of message are you sending? What kind of effect are you having on the world? And what are you going to do about it?

Which brings me to some stand-up artists that do risk censure by putting themselves out there. This first group even emailed me and asked me to come to their show. They deprecated their message by symbolically shrugging and calling it a little “shameless self-promotion.” I responded positively. It wasn’t arrogant, it wasn’t condescending. They weren’t demanding that I see them or saying that they would deign to let me interview them. (I rarely do interviews by the way. It takes a special case for me to do that.) They simply recognized that they needed to self promote themselves and were asking if I would look them over.

They were taking a huge risk. What if I were one of those types that likes to tear people apart as a way to show that I’m a worthy critic? Luckily, I’m not. If I don’t like a group, I simply assume that the group is not to my taste. I don’t assume that they are bad and as a result I don’t write about them. That’s what I mean about not doing negative reviews. If I do write about you, then I like you. More than that, it means I heard or saw something in you that touched me, sometimes compelled me, to write about you and your work.

In The Evergreen Effect’s case, I had no qualms about reviewing them. Unfortunately, I missed their recent show this past weekend at Pyramid Brewery (Seattle, WA, USA) but I do mean “unfortunately.” The weather here has been unnerving and I was just too tired to fight my way through the hydroplaning and the winds to get there. (I’ve slid off an embankment before in bad weather, so my paranoia tends to be a bit high in bad weather. And so no, I’m not that brave in bad weather, especially when you add city traffic, crazy drivers who don’t know enough to be cautious and blacker than black night on top of it.)

So I missed the show and I do admit I have a soft spot for local area bands, the Pacific Northwest and the West Coast & Western Territories (since I include Canada always in the West coast!) There is a lot of raw talent up here among the evergreens! So I regret that I missed my chance to see them this time round, especially since there are so many bands that aren’t local that I would dearly love to see in person but know how unlikely it will be. Still, if you’re local, they have other gigs coming up as well. Hopefully, the weather won’t scare you as much as it does me!

Happily, they have four tracks on their MySpace site, four fun tracks, I might add. I’m not exactly sure how to classify them. They list themselves as acoustic, funk and rock. I’d almost put them into the folk rock category, myself, but in a totally positive way, yet at other times, I can hear traces of funk and definite rock vibes throughout their music. The lyrics are simple yet honest and sometimes hint at deeper emotional and human relationship depths. The musicality is right on target and blends perfectly with the lyrics and Chase’s wonderful tonality and rawness (at times.) He has a great voice, and knows how to use it to best effect—and he knows how to feel the music and deliver the lyrics in an honest, compelling manner. The emotional impact is there but always with a bit of humor and lightness—fun, if you will—to the overall effect, especially in the lyrics. It’s an acoustic sound but yet, it also seems to feel like a rock band, full of the power and demanding beats that you’d expect to find in a bigger, louder orchestration.

My favorites of the four offerings was Young and Stupid. I loved the playful lyrics and was totally taken by surprise by the mid-song twist, followed by a building power that completely enraptures you and holds you until the finish. The introspective yet powerful Cold Flame and the almost folk-like On the Right Track were close seconds. This group says one of its influences was Creedence Clearwater, one of my all time favorite bands. I can feel it in them. They do have a vintage rock feel but with a driving energy and enthusiasm that feels very young and upbeat. I think they are a band to watch and some intrepid label should sign them up fast before the bigger players discover them.

Yet down in LA, The Cheat has already been discovered by many and has an Indie label to prove it. This alternative/rock band may give Panic at the Disco some competition to worry about. The lyrics are disturbingly funny and eerie. They make you think and look over your shoulder at the same time. The lead vocals are powerful and strong, compelling and demanding. You have to listen. The musicality is complex and almost overwhelming at times. There is depth upon depth and layer hidden behind layer. Questions are asked and probed within the lyrics and within the composition with a juxtaposition between singer and song, beat and counter beat. Their range is impressive as are the many flavors of the vocals. In most cases, the harmonies are just that, harmonies. Only in the biting social commentary-focused Sooner or Later did those harmonies have a truly uncomfortable jarring feeling—perhaps that was intentional, especially since even with that, I loved Sooner or Later, but it was hard to pick a favorite given the three choices. The chaotic, cheeky, mocking Diet Coke at the Gap and the heart-wrenching vocals and lyrics of Not So Bad were just as compelling, each with its own distinctive features yet still fitting together perfectly as a compilation should. No Cheat here—well, worth a visit and a listen.

Finally, a quick nod to another movie and with the risk of me being told I’m doing a thinly veiled promotion once more. Perceptions is a film out of Canada that I have seen., I think. I’ve seen the short version posted on the film’s myspace site--which may be the entire film, I'm not sure--it seems complete. So I'm going to assume that it is the entire film--a short film up on their site. It’s dance oriented, which I like. I like dance movies—from The Company to Center Stage to Step Up and even High School Musical. So in this case, I just give the film’s particulars—shamelessly copied from their site.

Synopsis: A woman is thrust into an alternative reality during a drug induced high where she is dancing in a world of her own. The woman’s perceptions are shaken as her two realities collide. As the intensity heightens and her confusion escalates, she is forced to choose between her two loves.
Written, Directed & Produced by Karen Nielsen
Starring Heather Dotto, Joel Sturrock, Stephen Agisilaou
Choreographer Josh Beamish (Move: The Company)
Director of Photography Tony Mirza
Editor Jim Norman
Original Music 'Steel to Sky' Kubilay Uner

Vote for Perceptions (Audience Choice Award) Now by emailing vote@cinematiccd.com with the subject Perceptions (and nothing else) or visit http://www.cinematiccd.com/voteperceptions/ to vote! (Before November 26 to count!)

There, how’s that for shameless promotion, just not self-promotion, since I don’t have anything to do with the movie? If you want to see the 5 minute short and have the bandwidth to view films over the Internet, then you can go to their myspace site. In all honesty, the film is a beautiful piece of work (and short enough so it is possible to view it as a download.) The evocative, fluid, sometimes disturbing contemporary dance sequence is the counterpoint to the harsh reality of a young woman’s ugly and ultimately tragic drug overdose. The music is haunting and evocative as well—images of opium dens dance in your head even as the lithe bodies of the dancers pay homage to a torn young woman’s confused perspectives and heartbreaking choices.

Worth seeing—even if I do get accused again of a thinly disguised promotion because of my liking it.

The Evergreen Effect can be found at http://www.myspace.com/laddehlinger and http://www.evergreeneffect.com/

The Cheat can be found at www.myspace.com/thecheatband

Perceptions, (The Movie) can be found at www.myspace.com/perceptionsthemovie

Check them out. If you liked the review, you’ll probably love the bands or movie. If you hated the review, then who knows, maybe you still will anyway. Point being—check them out and make up your own mind.

This article may be copied in whole or in part, as long as fair use rules are observed, no parts are modified from the original and credit is given when quoted or reposted.

CG Anderson is a 10 year new media provocateur involved in media, art, technology and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!

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