6AM I'm up too early to my liking awakened by the unappealling sound of one of our four cats yakking somewhere in the dark. walking with barefeet to the bathroom was like trying not to step on a landmine in the desert.
I prepared myself yesterday morning to go out to Lisa wake. Losing a friend is always hard. Last year was a tough one but truth be told, some of the friends I lost lived extreme and lives on the edge and though it was unexpected it is one of the dangers you face everyday you entertain that lifestyle. Lisa was different and I think you all know that by what you've read over the last few months.
Brigette lost four relatives recently as well and 3 of them were young and due to accidents, so for both of us to experience these occurrences really gives me and I can only speak for myself a new appreciation for life and loved ones and a new perspective on lifestyle. The last week has been a real awakening for me that is a continuation of a recent revaluation I came upon alone.
I picked up Marc Osorno downtown shortly after 2. (Marc was in a band with Paul called Monkeys with Handguns, and he and his ex wife were friends with Paul and Lisa) And as I suspected I - 55 going toward Joliet no matter what time of what year you travel it whether you're going out of or into town is one long parking lot. In a way it was good in that we turned off the music of Hanoi Rocks and KISS and had time to talk and reflect and laugh about good times.
We finally arrived at the funeral home where Lisa and Paul's family had the most beautiful memorial I have ever seen. 2 video screens displayed images of Lisa's vivacious life and her long term relationship with Paul. And if anything it made you realize that their time together was a lifetime in comparison to the institution of modern day marriage. And this wake celebrated life as it should. You couldn't help but smile watching the thee beautiful display of a person smiling and experiencing and living and most of all contributing to life.
And when we said our farewells to our friend Paul it wasn't with the sadness I had anticipated, but I realized this: Paul and Lisa had the chance and got to experience a thing that most people either take for granted or never have the chance to know. And for my feeling is that the two of them shared a lifetime of love, and experiences. And from what I know they never wasted time or took life or each other for granted. They lived, loved, worked, created and went through a lifetime together. And there is nothing sad about that.
Death and funerals are a harsh reality for me and part of what we occasionally go through in lving. It is still hard on me and makes me uncomfortable. I never know what to say and never feel quite right. But I came away yesterday afternoon with one conviction.
In a world so wonderful with so many possibilities to, feel, do and experience. It's a shame some people choose to simply exist rather than to live.
So as Marc and I drove into the city against rush hour traffic a 98 mile round trip took me over four hours due to traffic we discussed the music biz and importance of publicity. I talked about Greg's success with the promotion of his new album Sunwheel Psychedelic and how he is getting some good worldwide press because of it. I was a little surprised that Fashion Bomb hadn't been seeking PR. Being that after forming a band and establishing and image and creating a sound (or vice versa) it is the second and most important step. Perhaps being in the media for almost 15 years it is a no-brainer for me. Greg retained my services to find PR/Media Relations for him. In turn, it worked out for him. There is no way to collect a stack of live and recording reviews other than to hire a publicist to send your product out to the worlds press to listen to and to come and see your band. The press isn't going to come out of curiosity. They need to be prompted that there is a story there. Those are the people who over the years send me to over 100 concerts a year and send me thousands of CD's and videos in the mail. The music business simply cannot function nor can the bands find success without PR. So hopfully he walked away from our drive together with that information.
I certainly have never just stumbled across a band. It all begins every when a publicists sends me a CD, calls me to insure I listen to it and sends me off to interview the subject. If I or any other member of the press likes the band then the band gets in the magazine or if their so lucky on the cover.
All of you aspiring rock stars should take note of this unless you want to keep playing in the same bars week after week. It's easy to be a big fish in a small pond. In time even that gets old.
After dropping of rock star Marc in Little Mexico I went downtown to get my overworked doll and we went to the Streetside Cafe where we met Yvette Lera for a drink and I had the best burger I've had in ages. Yvette just returned from LA where she met up with some old friends who happen to be pretty famous in the rock n roll world. She is trying hard to get her band Razor baby rolling but is having the same problems Greg is having when it comes to recruiting band members. Nobody seems to want to follow the leader. And that is a whole different story.
But I will say this. Yvette Lera and Greg Miner have each attained some sort of success in the entertainment world. Yvette has appeared in a handful of movies, videos and commercials as well as formed one of the Hollywood Strips most in your face bands, Cuntagious that once featured Megan of MY RUIN and Jessica of Jack Of Jill. Grego was part of a band who had a pretty good selling album, as far as Industrial bands go, composed and appeared on a MINISTRY tribute album and toured the country opening for bands like Type O Negative and The Genitorturers in decent sized venues, and headlined a lot of other shows with his former band. For people to not want to join ranks with either because they feel they have a better artistic vision insults me. Why not become PART of something that has a proven track record and has a foot in the door and a better shot at a future than a pipe dream. I just do not understand it. Be realistic and look at how trends develop and fade. This Nu Metal fad won't be around much longer. If you are up and coming now, by the time you are established it will be over. Sad but it's true. The secret is to find how to maintain longevity. And rock n roll and sex will never fade away, and there will always be a market for it.
If anyone reading this is an or knows an aspiring musician who wants to cut out the bullshit and take a chance with an established unit should contact me in order to get in touch with either Yvette or Grego. Both projects are in immediate need of a bass player and drummer.
Live long and strong! - AZ
Posted by Alex Zander at February 14, 2004 08:22 AM