This IS a Status Update.

I promise...will be back up and running. For now enjoy my state of confusion. Things are changing around here, trying to do a little bit more of everything: art, music, life, love, and the funny tid bits of the everyday life of a gay guy. For now enjoy this...it's a little dark and not to circuit party sounding, sorry. xo

Music Monday: Son of Dave

The one-man-band, Son of Dave, needs no introduction. Just hit play and enjoy. You should check out the Youtube video of the Roberto Cavalli show with Son of Dave, he made the show happen.

Music Monday: Lana Del Rey, the new obsession

Ever since the song/video collage, Video Games came out, I have been hooked. Hooked, ok that is an understatement (especially because the CD is in my car and plays on repeat), more like obsessed. As we know I tend to do that with many things, socks, white t-shirts, shoes...ok well yeah, I am a gay man, it happens. Music is one of those things that makes or breaks my day. It can put me in a feel good mood or a manic depressive I don't have love mood, so I am going to listen to every sappy love song. Followed by downing a bottle of wine and sinking into a hot bath.

In comes Lana Del Rey. It's simple in sound, but lyrically deep. She sings about love found and lost, whether metaphorically through death or the much sung about break up. Sure, you can listen to Adele and get the same...but there is something about Lana Del Rey. There is this dark ambiance to the songs, and her voice...no frills, just this voice. She is a poet/lyrical gangster (white girl version of course). Self proclaimed Nancy Sinatra gangster, she definitely delivers, and hits you hard...in the heart.

I recommend getting the whole album and finding on Youtube some of her unreleased music also through her real name Lizzie Grant...but to me she WILL be Lana Del Rey.

Madonna: the art of being reductive

Maybe I don't turn on the radio too much anymore, but I am not thrilled by the new Madonna song. Now, I heard it and watched it on the SuperBowl...yeah I know right, I watched the SuperBowl (like most gay guys, that means I watched the half time show only, and then sipped a martini while discussing the players tight pants).  Anyhow, out she comes on her throne, whether it be a dis to all the supposed pop princesses/queens/monsters out there or a bringing together of all faiths (as was stated by herself), I just wasn't thrilled or moved to dance by the song.

Then an attempt to stay current, she enlists the likes of Nicki Minaj (whom I actually like) and M.I.A. (which I totally love). Two females who say what they want and do what they want (and if offered A LOT of money make a song with Madonna)...something Madonna used to do. Come on, I am not hating, I am not saying Madonna hasn't contributed to the pop-sphere...she has. She has influenced more women singers than our generation has seen. But at what point do you just become a part of the cliche world you sang against and spoke up against? All of a sudden you got married, went away to Europe, got an accent, and have become all lady like. Bravo, you have grown up. So your music should reflect it...not sound like a 12 year old put the lyrics together. Oh, and you shouldn't degrade the people who look up to you either, can we say reductive. Oh and last time I checked, most of and if not ALL, pop music is reductive...watered down versions of what is actually happening in the underground scenes in order for mass media and conglomerates to make money (oh you know, Vogue, remember Madonna, that song you sang...which was about the underground ballrooms, and then claimed as your own, but not giving reference to any of the diva queens that allowed you put it together aka Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, and Kevin Aviance)...can we say reductive. And aliens totally exist.

Note to self: don't make a statement and then put out a reductive song yourself...in order to stay current with today's generation, which you frankly aren't a part of, and appease gay men everywhere (this gay man...not appeased).

Such is the music industry, always changing, which is great. Stay true to what you love...and don't worry I would date you even if you LOVED the new Madonna song.

*Press PLAY, "L-U-V Madonna, Y-O-U You wanna* oops, how did that get on my iPod.

Music Monday: JA Mixter, the man behind the sound

JA Mixter

You hit power, and turn up the volume. You rock out, dance, whatever you please when you listen to your favorite song. It fills you with this feeling, elevating you to another level...trying to find that ultimate release. Music can fill a space in our lives, or help us recollect times of old. Whatever it is, music causes something inside of us to happen that alters our mental state and way of being.

But do you ever stop and wonder, what exactly was the creator/composer of that song you love thinking? What was there past influences that brought this sound into being? I had the privilege to probe the mind of an electronic musician (someone's work whom I also currently have been obsessing about) and find out what exactly makes him tick.

Meet JA Mixter, electronic composer, and your new obsession.

Boymeetsboyblog: Tell me a bit about yourself. Where are you originally from? Or, did you grow up in San Francisco?

JA: I'm originally from Michigan where my first appreciation of music came when I played trumpet in band. Later I joined a drum & bugle corps and started to travel around the country. This led me to want to move to California and I've been here since I was 19.



BMBB: As a kid, what style of music did you listen to? Who was your favorite band?

JA: As a kid there was Motown because I lived near Detroit and that was the sound we listened to.  When I moved to San Francisco I started listening to The Smiths, Depeche Mode, Billy Idol, the Cure, and that whole British invasion.

BMBB: What got you into electronic music?

JA: I first came upon electronic music in Amsterdam. I was traveling and started to hear these compilations from Cafe del Mare and then I started to follow the musicians on these CDs. When I had gotten a new iMac it had this program, "Garageband" on it and I started to play with it. I hadn't touched on playing with music in years and here was this program that let me mix loops, create tracks and explore a side of me that I hadn't thought of doing without a studio. Brian Eno's ambient albums like "Music For Airports" is probably my earliest influence in electronic music.

BMBB: How long have you been creating electronic music? Has your past musical likings influenced the way you create music today?

JA: I've been creating electronic music for about 8 years now. I can see some of my past understanding of music structure influence me on how I approach a new track. I've been into "house" music since the 90's and that has had an influence. I like downtempo, lounge, drum & bass, deep house, ambient, and chill soundz.

BMBB: The music scene is always changing, new genres popping up, or old genres recreated and becoming popular. It has only been a few years, that electronic and dance became popular/mainstream. What are your feelings about this?

JA: There are too many genres happening, I can't keep up with them but I understand musicians want to distinguish themselves and so a new genre is born. It's not really important what it's called to me. I'm surprised it's taken so long for electronic/dance to become more mainstream and I don't think it's really become something top 40 yet. At least not the music I listen to.



BMBB: Who is your favorite electronic musician?

JA: Early on it has to be Brian Eno. Lately some of my favorite musicians have been Gold Panda, Washed Out, Lone, Darius, Morgan Packard, Paul Kalkbrenner, Teams, and Scuba.

BMBB: What influences you to write and make music?

JA: It can start with a single loop. After that I just build on it. I never have a plan when I put together a track. It just starts to direct me and I become the editor. I look back some times on my tracks and I ask myself "where did that come from?" It just happens.

BMBB: What is your one piece of advice to the budding musician out there?

JA: I'm not one to give advice on the business of music. I make music because I love it and it's something I do without any expectations of financial gain. It's an art form that's mine and I love to share it with anyone who wants to listen.



Feel free to share and dowload JA Mixter's work over at Soundcloud.