Writing is Fighting

On Kanye West

(I started writing this two weeks ago and then temporarily abandoned it because I knew I was too busy and couldn’t get it up in a timely manner. However, today  I was reading an article on Chief Keef in the latest Rolling Stone and it compelled me to finish this off). 

On May 17^th, Kanye West premiered the video for “New Slaves” off of his upcoming album, Yeezus, (out June 18^th ) by projecting the video off of building in 66 different locations, including a projection off of one of the glass crystals of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.

Let’s face it: Despite his glaring personality deficiencies, West is a genius. Not only by announcing the video premiere on Twitter, but the cool yet sparse interactive map that has temporarily replaced his website, letting fans know where to view it, was pretty damn cool. Click on one of those little red buttons and not only did the city come up, but a detailed map on how to get there. Unfortunately for those who are not following West on Twitter, we didn’t really find out until his performance on the season finale of Saturday Night Live where he performed New Slaves and another track, “Black Skinhead.”

 

HMPC Conference and WAYDH NYC Book Launch

The last month has been a blur. 

In addition to the two events, I went to SXSW Music festival and realized that I've been to Austin for either the Music or Interactive portion about 6 times. Yeesh.

Was it fun? It was okay. Even though I've been happy with the book's response, real life has crept in and in theory, I could have had a better time if my mind hadn't been in other places. The last year has in some ways been great, as I've been able to accomplish a lot, but in other ways, it has been extremely hard. I hung out with some friends in Austin, spoke on a couple of panels and did a book signing, shared a hotel room with MilitiA Vox (pictured above) and had an amazing time developing a solid friendship with her, but again, life is rough, yo. 

After SXSW, I flew to Detroit to attend the Black Women Rock concert, which was a blast. Was it "rock" relation to what I write about? No. Rock, in this sense, meant alternative R&B, soul and funk musicians who had a different viewpoint in how they approach music. Was it inspiring? Yes it was. After my sojourn to Austin, being around these incredible black women was just what I needed to get my mind back on track. The panel discussion which happened the next day, was bizarre, as all of the panelists (me included) shed tears of pain, exhaustion and a bit of greatfulness at the opportunity to be with people who understood who we were and what we were trying to accomplish with our careers. 

SXSW, Women in Rock, Popular Music Conference and NYC Book Launch

The next month is going to be cray-cray! First up: I'm leaving for SXSW in Austin next week and its going to be a jam-packed few days. 

On Thursday, March 14th I'll be part of a panel presentation for Black Women IN Rock at 3:30 - 4:30. 

On Friday, March 15  there are some amazing showcases that I will try to see, but at 3:35 I'll be doing a book signing.

At 5:00 - 6:00 I'll be participating in a panel presentation for Women in Metal: Why is this still an issue in 2013?

On Saturday, March 16th I'll be leaving Austin for Detroit to cover the Black Women Rock concert that evening, and on the 17th, I'll be taking part in a community discussion and doing a book signing.

 

I then have a two week break and then I'm off to the BGSU Heavy Metal and Popular Culture International Conference in Bowling Green, Ohio where I'll be doing a book signing on Friday April 5th and doing a keynote lecture on Saturday April 6th. 

"Black in Metal" T-Shirts and More!

I've just set up a store...there's not really a "name" per se, but the website is Blackinmetal. As T-shirts are a staple in the metal, hardcore and punk communities, I asked G. Therese Lanz from Mares of Thrace to help me design a couple of logos, hoping that people will wear them during the festival season. I've also got some mugs and book totes too. If there is an item you think is missing, let me know. We'll see how it works out! 

What Are You Doing Here? YouTube and Spotify Playlists

Last week, Bazillion Points posted a playlist consisting of some of the women musicians mentioned and /or interviewed in What Are You Doing Here? Ones that are missing weren't available, but I'll update when I can.

I also want to give a special shout out to MilitiA, as outside of her position as the frontwoman for Judas Priestess, is also a solo artist and frontwoman for Swear On Your Life, as she has just uploaded some new tracks onto her website. I listened to them this morning and was blown away! You can access the Spotify playlist here  and below is the YouTube playist. Enjoy! 

 

Random Thoughts and Musings Pt. 30: The Atlantic, NPR, Invisible Oranges and More!

The last week has been busy, 'yall. Here are the latest interviews and reviews posted on What Are You Doing Here? 

NPR's Morning Edition: This interview was great, and the response has been overwhelming.

The Atlantic:  A total surprise! 

The Amsterdam News: I was really happy about this, as the response from black-centric news outlets on the book has been a bit shaky. 

Invisible Oranges: I wrote a post that was on something that intrigued me: How many of my black friends and aquaintences loved Pantera, but were not fans of metal. I always wondered if it was because of the groove in the music, and whether the African-American music influences found within certian metal styles could get black folks over their resistance to checking out the music. Maybe I'm totally off the mark, but the old arguments about racial idenity and music, and whether people should listen to music made by artists who have reputations for being racists were raised. And no, I don't have a definitive answer to that! anyway, enjoy. The comments are pretty cool on this post.

Radio Interview on WNYC's Soundcheck

I was in NYC recently and did this interview with Soundcheck on What Are You Doing Here? Check it!

 

Happy New Year! Favourite Photos of 2012

First, I hope y'all had a good holiday.  Today I finally feel energized  enough to update and get on with the realization that this is going to (hopefully) be a crazy yet exciting year. 

A couple of things: did you know that my book is out? You should be able to find it at your local bookstore, or order it online via ebook or in print. Amazon has it, or you can order it through Bazillion Points. For reviews, interviews and other updates, check out my website: What Are You Doing Here?

Also, PopMatters picked What Are You Doing Here? as one of their best music books of 2012. Yippee!

 

Favourite Photos of 2012 

I didn't go crazy with the camera as much as I did in 2011. It also seems like I didn't go to too many shows. I did go see the Steve Miller Band in Windsor, ON on the 28th, and despite being sick as hell, it was a really great show.  I hope to shoot more this year.....Anyway I put together a bunch of photos - please note there were a few shows that I went to where I didn't shoot, or I didn't like the shots that much, so they weren't included. I think that I improved my skills in 2012, but still have a ways to go (if would help if I wasn't so lazy, but whatever......Enjoy! 

Film Review: Booker's Place

In preparation in (or while debating whether I am going to) see(ing) Django Unchained  in the next week or so, I decided to watch this amazing documentary Booker's Place: A Mississippi Story, which interweaves three stories: The first is about Booker Wright, a former waiter and bar owner whom in 1966 had a small portion in  a film documenting the Civil Rights struggle in Mississippi. The second portion is about Director Frank De Felitta, who had travelled to Greenwood, MS and made a fateful decision in choose to include Wright's sentiments about his experience working in an all-white, high-end restaurant in his film, which could have led to his demise. The third story was about the city itself and the methods used to disguise the racial segregation and the involvement of the Klu Klux Klan to the filmmakers, as they were desperate to show a different light to the mainstream audience (NBC produced the original film. 

The center of the film is directed on Wright. He was a man who had lost a lot: While he raised his three daughters in the city and despite holding down a serving position, he was also a business owner and later, bought a school bus to ensure that poor black kids could get to school and more importantly, an education, something that he had never received. His mother was a sharecropper and when her boss moved, she was told that her infant son could not go with her but she could send for him when her boss had settled in. While Wright, whom never saw his mother again until he had children of his own, thought that she had abandoned him, the real truth was that she was essentially blackmailed - when she had returned to Greenwood to get him, the family that took him in told her that she had to pay to get him back. Without money and despite making several attempts, she never could afford to.

(My) Top 20 Metal Albums of 2012

I was thinking of doing this later in the month, but peer pressure! All the major mainstream pubs have started posting theirs so I thought I would get this over with.

I don't like doing these lists - not this blog, but for other publications I write for. I was telling a friend today that I beleive that a lot of these lists are submitted based on peer pressure. People list albums because they think that other people are going to post them and they do not want the blowback if their list is not somewhat similar to others. And trust me, there is a reason for that paranoia. Commenter's / trolls will call them not "true metalheads" and question their metal credibility. Inevitably, I always submit something and then regret it minutes later: Should I have moved Converge down a bit lower? They /we /I  are afraid that their peers will discredit them/ us/me.

However, the older I get the less I fucking care about what others think.

At least that's what I try and convince myself.........

BUT there is a reason for posting this list this year. This was a great year for music. I have not added any of the re-issues, but man, there were some great ones. My most cherished is High on Fire's The Art of Self Defence , because I was actually looking to buy this for years but couldn't find a copy that wasn't imported and would cost me a lot of money. Another great reissue was the remastered Souls at Zero, the 1993 album by Neurosis. I also enjoyed the reissues of the Witchcraft catalogue and Electric Wizard's Witchcult Today. 

There were some albums that I listened to that I couldn't bring myself to add to this list. The main one being the new Baroness, Yellow and Green, which was technically a great album, but it didn't resonate with me. The vocals were superb, the production smooth, the lyrics, meh but I found that the songs were meandering and I found my mind wandering. I loved Car Bomb's  W^W^^W^W but I couldn't bring myself to add it and honestly, I don't know why. I think that it is an album that you can only listen to at specific time: at the gym, speeding in a stolen car, or perhaps getting ready to stab someone in the throat...really, its a amped-up, kick-ass album.

So here is my list: