One Day We Need To Have A Conversation About How The Majority Of HR Professionals Are White Women And

The Adored Ones

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8z2M_hpoPwk

Sex Pistols- God Save The Queen

Today’s Sunday.

 Montreal, QC // September 18th // #TurnBlue

Interview: Nick Dewar, Lions Among Us

Hello. So I conducted an email interview with vocalist Nick Dewar, from the Christian Post-Hardcore band Lions Among Us. I asked him about his music and his influences, and here is what he said.

1. How did you get your start in music?

Nick: Well, I started playing music in 4th grade. My mom is a musician and a music teacher so it has always been around. I played in the school band and all of that as well. Then, I started taking lessons along with teaching myself. I started playing in bands when I was 15 or 16 and haven’t really stopped since.

2. What influences the music you make?

Nick: Literally everything influences us. We take inspiration from everything. My biggest inspiration is actually the pain I see around me. I know this might sound a little weird but let me explain. I have seen some very dark places in life. I never want to go back to feeling that way. And I see so many other people hurting and dying. They are the reason that I do this. It is my mission to help them get out of those situations. We are a band to show people that there is hope and there is love in the world. They are my biggest influence and reason that I do this.

3. How did you all meet, and how did the formation of the band occur? Nick: I was in a band before this one. We ended up breaking up for numerous reasons. So, I went into the studio and the engineer and I wrote and recorded the first EP. I then started putting together the right guys to fill the spots in the rest of the band. I met Nick (guitar) on craigslist actually. And through mutual other friends in bands or other bands that had broken up etc., the rest of us joined up.

4. Who are your inspirations, music-wise?

Nick: Musically, we all listen to very many different groups, everything ranging from Jazz and orchestral to pop and punk to hardcore and metal. So we bring a lot to the table honestly. We pull inspiration from many different kinds of music so it is hard to nail down just a few.

5. Have you experienced any difficulties or obstacles in your music career? If so, could you name some?

Nick: Yes. The music industry is FULL of difficulties and obstacles that most people don’t realize or know. There are the obstacles that you face from the musical band standpoint. The biggest one being money. Just to record a solid record costs thousands and thousands of dollars not to mention the hundreds of hours that are put into writing and perfecting it. Then after all is said and done, you only make a few dollars per record sold. Sometimes, you never even break even let alone make money on a release. Especially with how easily one can download music for free, many bands never make money on music alone. That also doesn’t count the cost of printing merchandise etc. as well. Which to make quality merch, is expensive. Then you think about the difficulties while on the road. Many of those include money issues as well. Van payments/repairs, insurance, food and other travel costs (which many bands members live on $10 a day for food or less). There are also the issues that many bands are on the road for 300 days a year. This means that they are away from home for birthdays, holidays weddings, not to mention deaths, funerals, hospital visits. I was 600 miles away when I got the call that my mom was diagnosed with cancer. Then there are the internal struggles like fights among band members or even finding the perfect band members to fit the band. You will be trapped in a van with them for hours and hours a day for 300 days a year; tensions will rise. It is not the glamorous life that many think it is. It is a very hard life. But there is nothing I would rather do.

6. Do you have any interesting encounters or stories of experiences that you have had while on the road?

Nick:There are so many crazy things that have happened on tour. Honestly though, the most amazing encounters we have on the road are with our fans. I know it might sound cliche or something but it is the truth. The fans are the reason we do this and it is awesome to meet them, talk with them and hang out. It truly is.

7. What are your plans for the future, music-wise? Do you have any particular direction that you plan to take your music?

Nick: The future honestly looks very bright. We have a ton of plans and really cool things in the works. We are writing a new record as we speak and hopefully that will be out this summer. The direction will be a mix of what we have done in the past and more. Our first record was quite electronic and pop like then our second record was much heavier and did not have much of an electronic element. This next record is going to be a mix of both and more. We will be releasing more information about all of this very soon!

50 likes!

Artist Spotlight: Sex Pistols

They say that John Lyndon, nicknamed "Johnny Rotten" first came to the Sex Pistols wearing a homemade "I Hate Pink Floyd" t-shirt and had green hair, and after playing with them, he joined the band, and their career officially took off. With new clothing designed by band member Malcolm McLaren's clothing store the Sex, the band began attracting all sorts of followers, many of which who went to start their own bands.  After performing at Saint Martins College, where member John Matlock was attending school, and after that, the band began playing gigs alt other colleges and art schools. Their career was taking off.

The Sex Pistols were creating a national stir as their violence and general outrageousness creating a big stir.  One of their better known incidents was dubbed "The Grundy Incident", where the drunk Sex Pistols members went on air on  Thames Television's Today program, where their swore and bantered with the host, Bill Grundy.  The group was looked down upon by the British government and higher ups, especially the queen.  But this also marked a turning point in the band. In 1977, John Matlock left the band, and was replaced by John Beverly, nicknamed "Sid Vicious".  He had no experience with the guitar, but had a reputation in the punk scene. He brought the already anarchist, anti-christ band to a new level, with their release "God Save the Queen" in 1977. This release really pushed the Sex Pistols to fame and lead to their arrest by police during their mockery of the Queen's procession on a boat. They were dropped by their record label, A&M, and yet still continued to release songs on their own. The band went on tour soon after, and then the violent attacks against the band and punk fans began to be more widespread. Their final official album, Never Mind the Bollocks: Here Come the Sex Pistols, was released October 1977, and then they went on their final tour, the US Tour.  Rotten and the band began becoming disgsted with Vicious and his outrageous behavior. Vicious was addicted to heroin, and was being, essentially, brought to his heroin addict girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, who the band had tried to get rid of for fear of Vicious's health, but had stuck around. The band began becoming more and more distant, and after Malcolm and the band abandoned Rotten in California, who was sick, with no money or transportation, the band's break-up was announced January 18, 1978.  The band never reunited, and Sid Vicious died of a drug overdose.  

This band was very influential in the punk rock movement, and popularized the idea of independent, underground producing and music.  They paved the way for other bands, such as Black Flag, to go on the path of punk rock, and shock people beyond belief. The band also popularized punk rock lifestyle and clothing, and left a mark still evident today.

gritty both capturing the zeitgeist as usual AND educating me on the availability of free flow butter at american cinemas

In Melbourne/Naarm this Wednesday ...

'Stop genocide in Gaza now!

Protest Zim Shipping Line

5.30pm, Wednesday 8.11, 78 Webb Dock Drive

Protest to say: Block the boat

No Israeli ships in Port Melbourne

Hosted by Trade Unionists for Palestine'

kolektiva.social

slackbastard (@slackbastard@kolektiva.social)

Attached: 1 image In Melbourne/Naarm this Wednesday ... 'Stop genocide in Gaza now! Protest Zim Shipping Line 5.30pm, Wednesday 8.11, 78 W

via @slackbastard

@antifainternational @anarchistmemecollective @kropotkindersurprise @radicalgraff

Rock Opera: Jesus Christ Superstar

Everything's Alright in this famous rock opera.  With the music written by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics written by Tim Rice, this was one of the most well-known plays of its time. It follows the story of Jesus and his disciples on the last week of Jesus's life. This play was originally just a recording released in 1970, but developed into a play in 1971, and eventually a movie in 1973.  The play has been performed over 50 times from even before it was authorized to be performed in 1971.  It has won many awards over its span, including the Drama Desk award for Most Promising Composer in 1972, and was nominated for even more awards, including a Tony for Best Original Score. This play has been seen by people all over the world, and continues to remain a favorite in many people's hearts today.