Published: June 12, 2008 11:40 AM EST By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA Edited by: Tina D Leggett, BBA (Juniorscave.com)
JC Interview Exclusive: Brian Peeler
Brian Peeler
Junior’s Cave prides itself on interviewing the followers of the indie
culture. For those who are unfamiliar with this term, Wikipedia.com
describes indie culture as an avant-garde lifestyle which follows
social trends that consciously deviate from the mainstream. The
uniqueness of its followers is appreciated here at Junior’s Cave and
from time to time, we are privileged to interview one who feels as we
do; Brian Peeler, BRAVO’S WORKOUT, recently honored us with a phone
interview, and I quickly came to realize that while he too appreciates
the indie culture, he’s really just a good old North Carolina boy.
I immediately noticed that Brian was personable, with oodles
of southern hospitality and charm. As I began the process of dissecting
Brian’s background, he allowed the questions to flow naturally since he
provided high energy responses to my queries. I quickly learned that
Brian grew up in a small North Carolina town that boasts a population
of about 2,600 people; growing up in this small community is the main
reason for allowing him to remain grounded. This close knit community
provided the foundation that continues to shape Brian’s family values,
beliefs, and opinions so that he is able to bring his special brand of
small town attitude to America and eventually the world.
In fact, Brian Peeler is the vintage family man. He makes time
for his family by travelling at least twice a year to North Carolina
even though he now lives in Los Angeles. One of the interesting
elements to our conversation was when Brian revealed that he spent 9
months as a Flight Attendant; he left just before 911. Also, Brian
moved to Miami to get into acting and modeling. Although he had some
success with modeling and acting, Brian knew that real contenders in
this particular profession needed to live in pr near what he calls, the
“Television Fitness Mecca”, Los Angeles.
Brian describes Los Angeles as a place where one could never
get bored. Furthermore, Brian as a heterosexual male is an advocate of
the gay community. Living in Los Angeles in fact supports his
passionate belief that respect and dignity is for everyone no matter
one’s sexual proclivity, race, gender etc. As a matter of fact, Brian
carries this belief back to his home town whenever he visits. He wants
to make the people of his hometown aware of the negative and hostile
attitudes that many have against the LBGT community.
As a personal trainer on a hit reality show on Bravo, Brian
has remained grounded as a person. He doesn’t let his star status
influence him in a negative way. He realizes that in order to help
people one cannot be above them emotionally or mentally. This drive has
prompted Brian to pitch for a new show that he has stated will focus
primarily on fitness and about truly helping people. He does not want a
show whose primary focus is say sex. As far as reality series goes,
Brian knows if his show is picked up some drama will follow; that is a
part of television.
When asked about whether WORKOUT is scripted, Brian exclaims that,
“what you see is what you get”. The disagreement one sees on the show
is all real. When asked about the possible pitfalls that he has
encountered while being on a reality series, Brian explains that a
series like WORKOUT requires a lot of one’s time.
Brian also revealed that being on the television show has
not per se garnered him additional clients. The truth of the matter is
that Brian has received a few more star clients but with his scheduling
and their schedules don’t always meet.
To switch the mood of the conversation, I asked Brian what
type of lady would catch his eye. Brian attempts to laugh this off but
he eventually reveals that she has to be pretty, a great
conversationalist, have aspirations and finally she needs to be able to
love him for him. One of the most pivotal moments in Brian’s life was
the passing of his best friend Doug . Brian’s biggest pain consisted of
having to relive it three times: one time when it happened, another
time when the episode aired, and a finally time when people would offer
their condolences. Brian says Doug will always be with him and he knows
that Doug is watching over him.
In closing, I asked Brian to provide a final statement about the
current state of fitness in America. Brian’s personal philosophy as
follows:
“If you do not take care of your body which is your home, then where are you going to live?”-
Brian Peeler
These are wise words from a very intelligent, handsome, yet down to earth person.
Published: May 24, 2008 5:31 PM EST By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
ROCK LIVES
If you thought Rock was a dying genre, then Katya is going to prove you
wrong. The Rock –n- Roll Rock Goddess is the perfect package. Not only
does the singer songwriter plays piano, keyboard, rhythm and lead
guitar she has under her belt an amazing 300 songs. One of her
strongest points includes her powerful vocals and kick **** lyrics.
One interesting fact about the first generation American-born Russian
Freedom Rocker is that she was born on the same day as Janis Joplin.
Even more interesting is that Katya’s debut album ROCK LIVES is a
mammoth rock legend. Katya clearly illustrates her enormous talent with
this CD especially showcasing her fierce electrifying guitar skills,
commanding vocals, and all around bad **** rocker attitude.
What makes ROCK LIVES especially rewarding is that Katya makes
listening to rock music fun. She is definitely in her element with this
type of music and it shows with ROCK LIVES. Overall, if you are a true
fan of classic rock like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, or many of the
iconic rock legends, then you will enjoy ROCK LIVES.
Overall, ROCK LIVES gets a solid A from the team of Junior’s Cave.
Published: May 3, 2008 11:21 PM EST By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
Rosey cover for "luckiest Girl" photo by Troy Jensen
Perhaps one of the most distinctive sounds in the music industry this
talented female entertainer is making a name for herself as she is
proving that she has real star power and music comes in all shapes and
sizes. It is our pleasure to introduce to the readers of Junior’s Cave
something new, something unique, something refreshing, and something
irresistible.
Isaac: Briefly elaborate on why being an entertainer for you is important?
Rosey: It helps me to find some clarity in a world where people’s heads
are full of muck. I like to pull that mess out, smooth it about, and
put it in a sweet soft melody and language that soothe and help to
begin the cleansing. I think that’s all songs are...new mantras to
distract and help to change the programming a bit, if we're lucky...
Isaac: Expound on your rise to being a solo female artist and a little about your background:
Rosey: I am the child of two singers. There was always lots of
fighting in our household, but music was something we all loved and
agreed upon. My parents turned me onto every kind of music, from
classical to show tunes to the blues and 60's hippy folk songs, jazz
& rock. I was writing songs in my head as a tiny little girl. I
picked up a guitar for the first time at 22 and began to write a song
right away. At that moment, I knew I had found my path, and I’ve been
walking on it ever since.
Isaac: One of the biggest draws to your music for our
magazine is your overall unique style of music? What have been some
feedbacks you have received from others?
Rosey: People often call my records eclectic, sometimes to a
fault. I can never seem to make all the songs sound the same. But maybe
that's not such a bad thing... as an artist, I guess you get all kinds
of feedback. I look at all of it as constructive criticisms, so I can
sleep at night. The best feedback I got lately that I can remember
clearly was from an older man who told me that my new record made him
feel like it was all right to love again. I guess he had been in some
pain for a while before that. Words like those make me feel like I’m on
the right track. Hallelujah!!
Isaac: Another aspect to your music is your incorporation of various
musical styles? Which one has been your biggest influence and why?
Rosey: The blues has had its grip on me forever. Those singers
have been my greatest teachers. The emotion they feel is
unmistakable...it's so real, and so alive. I’ve always wanted to be
like that, open and bleeding. It’s helped to keep me honest and free
& that’s' all I want really...
Isaac: What is the most rewarding aspect to making music currently for you as an individual musician?
Rosey: A really strong chorus is always very exciting to me….
Isaac: What has discouraged you the most about making music?
Rosey: Bad producers who try to turn every song into a crappy of the moment sounding pop song….
Isaac: How do you handle musical disagreement between you and your managers and production team?
Rosey:
A little compromising is necessary in all parts of life I guess.
Luckily, I haven’t run into much of a need for that in my professional
life, as I’ve only surrounded myself in the last few years with really
lovely, positive and creative people who seem to get me and help to
push me & let me push them. I produced Luckiest Girl myself, so I
had no one to fight with in the studio...it was painless &
wonderful. I didn’t sleep for weeks, and I did the best I could. That’s
all I could hope for.
Isaac: What does being a female entertainer in today's industry dominated at time by groups mean to you?
Rosey: I seem to care less and less about what’s popular and
trendy. That’s probably part of the reason I started making jazz
records. Just when you buy into a trend it tends to change, and then
where are you…? I’d rather focus on being creative, and then I can be
happy with whatever I do in life.
Isaac: When you are performing live in front of an audience, what are the thoughts that are running through you head?
Rosey: Let go- let go- let go- let go!!!! And don’t forget the words!!
Isaac: Why is being an independent musician important to you?
Rosey: Because being tied to a big hulking major label sucks…
I’d much rather be free to put out different projects on different
little labels (that pay less money) and have a chance to get more music
out there, than to be on a major label & live with the possibility
that my record may never see the light of day, as that is truly
heartbreaking.
Isaac: Do you think the Internet has altered the path of music as an industry? If so, how?
Rosey: Well, these days anybody can have a band and play their music
online. This bugs a lot of people, but not me. Crappy music will always
find its way into the mainstream, just as real talents will always come
through to find an audience. So I guess there’s something out there for
everybody right?
Isaac: Any advice for other musicians out there when it comes to using
the Internet as a medium for getting their music heard to the m****?
Rosey: Never sleep. Just stay up all night posting, posting, posting…
Isaac: What kind of recording software do you use and why do you prefer using it?
Rosey: I use protocols, cause it’s really easy…
Isaac: I know that everybody has his or her idea of a dream artist,
someone whom for whatever reasons that person would just love to listen
to and admire. As an entertainer yourself, if you could play with one
of your "dream" musicians, anyone at all, who would it be and why?
Rosey: Willie Nelson. He’s seen it all and done it all and is still killin it out there!!
Isaac: What are you hoping to gain from your experience of being a musician and making music?
Rosey: A deeper understanding of the moment and how to stay in it for the entire 60 seconds that makes it up…
Isaac: What are you hopes for your music in the year 2008/2009?
Rosey: Just to keep writing and touring and making enough money to keep writing & touring…
Isaac: This is our Shout Out time. Please give props to anyone and everyone that matters the most to you.
Rosey: Everybody matters to me. So people please be kind to one another, and stop driving like such maniacs!! ;)
Isaac: This is Shameless Plug time: Give us some updates on new releases and other projects in the works.
Rosey: There are some great remixes in the works for Luckiest Girl
which will be available for download on iTunes soon. I’m such a huge
fan of remixes!!
My electronic/trip hop band Lal Meri has a record coming out in January of 09 on Six Degrees. You can check that out at Myspace.com/lalmeri
& I’m currently making a blues record with my friend Tschanz which is so much fun!!! Myspace.com/roseyntschanz
Isaac: Final thoughts:
Rosey: There's no business like show business...it can suck the life right out of you. But, i wouldn’t trade it for the world.
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Junior's Cave Online Magazine/JC Internet Radio Staff Team,
Published: May 23, 2008 9:58 PM EST By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
Mike Zito
If you enjoyed our recent spotlight with Rosey of Miles High
Productions, then you will fall head over heels for Mike Zito from the
same company. Zito, the Texan singer, songwriter, and guitarist, has
created a masterpiece with his latest effort. His lyrics and soulful
vocals are some of the strong points which make him enjoyable to listen
to anytime of the day. Even more telling is how he has incorporated a
blues overtone in his music to delivery a powerful southern roots
punch.
A native of St. Louis Zito quickly captured the city’s soulful sound
that carries on with his music today. One of my favorite covers that he
does on his CD is Prince’s Little Red Corvette.
He gives the popular classic his own southern rock spin that works for
Zito. It also demonstrates that soulful side of him too. Another of the
popular tracks from his CD entitled TODAY is Slow it Down which explodes with southern rock with soul. This CD is a solid performer and one not to be missed album.
Please check it out and buy this CD. You will not be disappointed; I know I wasn’t.
Published: May 12, 2008 10:59 PM EST By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
Beware Fashionable Women
From their fun name to their unique brand of music, the four man band,
Beware Fashionable Women, is going to make a music lover out of your
with their pulsating sounds and catchy rock tunes. Check out this
recent interview that the magazine completed with the band. And if you
would like to more about the band, check out their MySpace and
Sonicbids.com accounts [links listed below].
Isaac: Briefly describe how you entered into the music industry.
Beware Fashionable Women: Who says we’re really in it?! We’ve all been
playing in different outfits for a while in many regions. We wouldn’t
say we’re “in the music industry”. It’d be more appropriate to say
we’re trying to work with the music industry to get our music out to
people.
Isaac: What is the most rewarding aspect to making music currently for you?
Beware Fashionable Women: When people, whom you’ve never met, discover
your music and say how much they enjoy it. That’s really why anyone who
cares about music makes music: to have it connect with others.
Isaac: What has discouraged you the most about making music?
Beware Fashionable Women: That’s a good question. Unfortunately there
is so much to discourage musicians from continuing and usually not much
external motivation, at least in the beginning. Harsh criticism and
lack of interest can be quite discouraging. It seems people want their
music to come from famous people. There’s this mindset that if you’re
not already well known you can’t possibly be making anything worth
listening to. There’s also internal struggles of making sure everyone
feels fulfilled in making the music and are able to balance those
responsibilities with their own priorities.
Isaac: Do you have a personal philosophy about music? If so, what is it?
Beware Fashionable Women: All music has an audience. It’s not a
question of whether your music is “good” or “bad”, but whether or not
you’re finding the right type of people who will appreciate it.
Isaac: When you are performing live in front of an audience, what are the thoughts that are running through you head?
Beware Fashionable Women: There’s usually a lot to think about
on-stage. You have to listen to yourself and the band to play as well
as you can. Remembering lyrics also requires thought. After playing a
song for the nth time, you’re usually not experiencing it on an
emotional level anymore. You’re really just trying to put it out to the
audience in a way that will connect with them at that moment.
Isaac: Why is being an independent musician important to you?
Beware Fashionable Women: Well, there are two parts to that
question. Being a musician is important because this is what we love to
do! There are certainly easier things to do in life, but we all chose
this for a reason. As far as being independent, we’re really only
independent from the major labels. But we rely on many other resources
that would be impossible to write, play, and record without. Everyone
needs partnerships, business and personal, and we’re no exception.
Isaac: Do you think the Internet has altered the path of music as an industry? If so, how?
Beware Fashionable Women: The past ten years have answered that
question in the affirmative. Physical CD sales have decreased,
mainstream record sales are low. Individuals have to sift through the
massive amount of music that’s available on the Internet to decide for
themselves what they want. People still rely on the press to help them
make that decision though. The Internet has become the great equalizer
of music. Everyone has a MySpace page or a website, so you actually
have to listen to their music to hear if they’re any good. Bands have
gotten really good at marketing, design, and self-promotion thanks to
all the resources online that have helped them get there. It means
there’s a lot of crap that’s flooding the market too, but there’s also
a lot of great music that would have been almost impossible to find
without the Internet.
Isaac: Any advice for other musicians out there when it comes to using
the Internet as a medium for getting their music heard to the m****?
Beware Fashionable Women: Put your name, image, and music on
as many sites as possible. It can only benefit you. Give a lot of music
away for free, but no too much. People will think your music has no
value if you give it all away for free.
Isaac: What kind of recording software do you use?
Beware Fashionable Women: We use Steinberg Cubase to record. Users of
Nuendo will be familiar with it as they are almost identical for audio
use.
Isaac: I know that everybody has his or her idea of a dream artist,
someone who for whatever reasons that person would just love to listen
to and admire. As an entertainer yourself, if you could play with one
of your "dream" musicians, anyone at all, who would it be and why?
Beware Fashionable Women: Mr. E from the Eels would be awesome to have
as a producer. The Eels have never put out a bad album and their
production is always great. Rumors abound that he has prickly
personality though. Some dreams are better left as such.
Isaac: What are you hoping to gain from your experience of being a musician and making music?
Beware
Fashionable Women: We’re all hoping that what we’re putting out there
affects people in the same way as the music we listen to does us.
There’d be no greater accomplishment artistically than becoming the
soundtrack to someone else’s life.
Isaac: What are you hopes for your music in the year 2008?
Beware Fashionable Women: Our goal is to have as many people as
possible know, Beware Fashionable Women. We want to increase our
visibility and connect with people and resources in person and on the
Internet. Everyone can help us: just add us as a friend on MySpace and
tell a friend!
Isaac: This is our Shout Out time. Please give props to anyone and everyone that matters the most to you.
Beware
Fashionable Women: Thanks to Jo Rae Di Menno at Hard Pressed Publicity
for taking the time to help us out! Also thanks to all the publications
that have been kind enough to cover us in their publications, including
Juniors Cave!
Isaac: This is Shameless Plug time: Give us some updates on new releases and other projects in the works.
Beware Fashionable Women: Look out for the debut self-titled
album from Beware Fashionable Women out this summer 2008! The album
will be available to listen to on MySpace and Sonicbids and will be
available for purchase online as well.
Isaac: Final Thoughts:
Beware Fashionable Women: Please email us on MySpace! We reply to every email guaranteed. Thanks!
