film interview - INsite Magazine

Transcription

The
WNBA
Hits the
ATL
May 2008REE
F
Vol. 16, No. 9
rtainment Monthly
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Atl
tlanta.com
www.insitea
Martin Scorsese
Jermaine Dupri
Forest Whitaker
Carlene Carter
EMC
The
Employment
Issue
and ng
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u
n
i
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n
Co
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a
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Ed
Guide
The Original
CONTENTS • MAY 2008 • VOLUME 16.9
INTERVIEWS
OPEN FOR LUNCH!
4505 Ashford Dunwoody Rd. 678.205.5862
764 Miami Circle 404.846.0449
www.eclipsediluna.com
PSYCHO SISTERS
10
12
13
14
15
18
19
23
25
26
27
29
34
35
MARTIN SCORSESE
SMART PEOPLE FILM
SON OF RAMBOW FILM
FOREST WHITAKER
THE VISITOR FILM
CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER
MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS FILM
TEGAN QUIN
THE BODEANS
ATMOSPHERE & EMC
JERMAINE DUPRI
CARLENE CARTER
MASI OKA
HERSCHEL WALKER
10
27
FEATURES
BUY
©
©
SELL
LITTLE FIVE POINTS TRADE SANDY SPRINGS
428 Moreland Ave.
404-523-0100
for guys
5964 Roswell Rd.
and girls
psycho-sisters.com
404-255-5578
11
30
36
37
TAPAS
EDUCATION GUIDE
BERMUDA TRAVEL
WNBA IN ATLANTA
COLUMNS
05
06
07
07
08
16
19
20
22
22
23
24
38
UNDER THE LIGHTS
ON TAP
BOOKS
WANTON DISTRACTION
AROUND TOWN
MOVIE REVIEWS
VIDIOTS
CONCERT CALENDAR
ROAD WARRIORS
WE GOT NEXT
SON OF SPITE
ALBUM REVIEWS
FANATIC
29
34
www.insiteatlanta.com
STAFF LISTING
Publisher
Stephen Miller
[email protected]
National Managing Editor
Bret Love
[email protected]
Art Director
Michael T.
[email protected]
Film Editor
Matt Goldberg
[email protected]
Local News Editor
Glenn LaFollette
[email protected]
Local Events Editor
Rav Mansfield
[email protected]
Sports Editor
DeMarco Williams
[email protected]
Web Design Kalico Productions
[email protected]
PG 4 • insiteatlanta.com • May 2008
Contributing Writers / Interns:
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Fisher, Zena Scott, Margo Aaron, Andrea Hatter, Kim
Guelcher, Richard Marsh, Tracy Gould, Mark Fitten,
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Check out our Education
Guide on page 30!
THEATER
Under
The
Lights
Theatrical Performances in May
Sweeney Todd
May 27- June 1 The Fox Theatre
404-817-8700 www.ticketmaster.com
Riverdance
May 13 - 18
The Fox Theatre
www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com
404-817-8700
RIVERDANCE, the thunderous celebration of
Irish music, song and dance that has tapped its
way onto the world stage thrilling millions of
people around the globe, will play eight farewell
performances at The Fabulous Fox Theatre from
May 13 - 18. RIVERDANCE is an innovative and
exciting blend of dance, music and song. RIVERDANCE draws on Irish traditions and the combined talents of the performers in propelling
Irish dancing and music to the present day while
capturing the imagination of audiences across all
ages and cultures.
What began as a seven-minute dance segment
on the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest (televised
to over 300 million people in Europe) and then
quickly turning into a full-scale production has
become much more than an international theatrical success. RIVERDANCE became Ireland's
greatest ambassador. To date, RIVERDANCE
has played over 10,000 performances, been seen
live by more than 21 million people in over 300
venues throughout 32 countries across 4 continents.
SWEENEY TODD, The Demon Barber of Fleet
Street, will make its Atlanta premiere at The
Fabulous Fox Theatre for a limited one-week
engagement beginning May 27 through June 1.
This exciting and innovative new production
features a multi-talented ensemble of ten talented actor/musicians, five from the 2006 Tony
Award winning company. The Wall Street
Journal says, "The greatest musical of the past
half-century has returned in a staging of the
utmost force and originality!"
SWEENEY TODD is based on the 19th century
legend of a London barber driven to a life of
crime after a malevolent judge takes his wife and
child from him. Sweeney's plan for revenge
includes a cutthroat partnership with Mrs.
Lovett-an enterprising businesswoman and creator of the the tastiest meat pies in London.
Directed by John Doyle, who won the 2006 Tony
Award for this production, SWEENEY TODD
features the music
and lyrics by
S t e p h e n
Sondheim. Doyle's
production
of
SWEENEY TODD
opened
on
Broadway in 2005
to universal critical acclaim after
arriving from a
highly successful
London engagement.
“ONE HELLUVA
SHOW!
Thrilling and
ferociously
inventive.”
-The New York Times
ON SALE NOW!
May 27 – June 1
The Fox Theatre
Purchase tickets through authorized agents only.
Ticketmaster outlets
ticketmaster.com
404.817.8700
Group discounts for
15 or more call 404.881.2000
BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com
sweeneytoddtour.com
Chin Chin... OnTap for May
LOCAL EVENTS
A Window Into Hong Kong.
EMAIL EVENTS TO [email protected]
May 12 - 18: TPC Sugarloaf
“Most Memorable Meal Award”
40TH ANNUAL AT&T CLASSIC
1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
– Where Magazine
The AT&T Classic, Atlanta's annual stop on the PGA TOUR
will take place at the TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia during
May 12 thru May 18. The AT&T Classic features golfs top
names including 2007 champion Zach Johnson(pictured). A
broad variety of ticket packages are available including a weekly
badge for $60 as well as individual day tickets. They, along with
special corporate ticket packages, can be purchased by calling
(770) 951-8777, by accessing the tournament web site at
www.attclassic.com or at the gate.
“Mouthwatering Chin Chin
spices things up”
– The Atlanta Journal Constitution
“Best Chinese” 2002–2007
– INsite Magazine
“Best Chinese” 1998–2007
– Creative Loafing
May 16 - 18: Downtown Atlanta
DOWNTOWN FESTIVAL & TOUR
3887 Peachtree Rd | Buckhead / Brookhaven | 404-816-2229
2800 Spring Rd | Cobb Parkway | 770-319-8331
1715 Howell Mill Rd. | Howell Mill | 404-609-5618
617 Johnson Ferry Rd. | East Cobb | 678-560-5550
3370 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd. | Suwanee | 770-831-3233
270 Rocker Rd. | Alpharetta | 770-569-9883
3495 Peachtree Pkwy. | Suwanee | 770-844-0133
...and other locations
OPEN EVERY DAY!
www.chinchinonline.com
In
Stores
May
20th!
The Atlanta Downtown Festival will take place May 16 - 18, in
the historic Fairlie-Poplar district. The festival is free and open
to the public and will operate simultaneously with the
Downtown Tour. Walton, Broad, Poplar and Luckie Streets will
feature live entertainment, an artist's market, and other activities designed to showcase Downtown living. The tour will
include lofts, condos, live-work spaces and historical sites on a
walking tour in and around Downtown. The home tour will
once again feature restaurant tastings participants can sample
freshly prepared foods by Downtown chefs. Festival times: Fri.,
8-11 (music) Sat. 11-7, Sun. 12-6. Tours: Sat. 11-6, Sun. 12–5.
www.atlantadna.org/festival
May 24 & 25: Decatur Square
DECATUR ARTS FESTIVAL
The City of Decatur invites you to be a part of the 120th annual
Decatur Arts Festival set for Memorial Day weekend, May 2425. A number of festival events will take place throughout the
month of May leading up to the final weekend. This interactive,
inclusive arts extravaganza includes art and artists from all disciplines and features hands-on participatory art as well as
demonstrating and performing arts. Scheduled events include:
Outdoor Artists Market (May 24-25), Fine Arts Exhibition (May
20, 5-7pm), ArtWalk (May 23, 5-10pm), Children’s Festival, and
Film Festival. All events are free. Call 404.371.9583 or go to
www.DecaturArtsFestival.org.
May 24-26: Woodruff Park
ATLANTA JAZZ FESTIVAL
Celebrating 31 years and spanning 31 days the Atlanta Jazz
Festival is back for another year of legendary performances,
fine dining and eclectic jazz events all over the city. For 2008
the Atlanta Jazz Festival is introducing a new format and new
venues. This year's festivities will be held throughout the
month of May in four Atlanta neighborhoods over four consecutive weekends culminating over Memorial Day Weekend,
May 24th -26th, in downtown Atlanta at Robert W. Woodruff
Park. The majority of events are FREE and open to the public.
For more information visit: www.atlantafestivals.com
May 28: Philips Arena
ALICIA KEYS
HIRING WEB DESIGNER
Looking for experienced individual to
re-design and maintain INsite website.
Seeking creative ways to increase traffic to
the site including: Page Design, Indexing
of pages, Listings on search engines,
Updating and maintaining blogs, creating
banner ads and online promotions.
E-mail Resume and Inquires:
Subject: WEB DESIGNER POSITION
Attention: STEVE MILLER
Email: [email protected]
Nine time Grammy Award winning artist Alicia Keys brings
her As I Am tour to Philips Arena May 28th with guest
appearances by Ne-Yo and Jordan Sparks. Her first studio
album since the critically-acclaimed 2003’s The Diary of Alicia
Keys, Alicia showcases her songwriting and producing talents
in As I Am. She is one of the few artists who can capture an
old-school vibe and make it feel refreshingly new. Tickets
available at Philips box office and all ticketmaster outlets.
Order by phone 404.249.6400 or online at ticketmaster.com
May 30 - 6/1: Emory University
SPECIAL OLYMPICS GEORGIA
More than 2,000 athletes and coaches from all over
Georgia will compete in Special Olympics Georgia
Summer Games at Emory University on Friday May
30th through Sunday June 1st. Athletes will compete
in athletics, aquatics, soccer, badminton, volleyball,
table tennis, tennis, and gymnastics. The games are
free and open to the public. For more information on
the event or to volunteer call 770.414.9390 or online
at www.specialolympicsga.org.
Book Review
HISTORIC PHOTOS OF
GENERAL GEORGE PATTON
Author: Russ Rodgers
BY MARK MILLER
From a Confederate military family legacy to
his role in both the First and Second World Wars,
General George Patton is known in American
history as a powerful and stirring commander
who served in the United States Army during
pivotal and tumultuous times. While scores
of books have been written by the man many
consider America’s greatest combat general,
there are few books that provide an extensive
photographic look at his life.
With fact-filled photo captions and chapter
introductions by Russ Rodgers, Historic Photos
of General George Patton rediscovers the
fascinating exploits of “Old Blood and Guts”
through nearly 200 rare photographs culled from
the Library of Congress, the Patton Museum of
Cavalry and Armor, and Russ Rodgers’ Collection.
These exceptional photos are showcased with
exceptional clarity and beauty in this 10 x 10 inch
glossy bound book.
In scenes of events from cavalry exercises to
parades, hunting parties to the War Department
Polo Team, the 1912 Olympics to the Casablanca
Conference in World War II, and much more,
Patton’s life and career shines through the
decades in glorious black-and-white photography,
displayed along with informative description.
“Patton is a central figure in American military
history,” explains Rodgers, “and there needed to
be a good overview of photographs of his life
and achievements. Moreover, these photographs
demonstrate, as Patton himself knew too well,
that military greatness is a team effort. History
tells us where we have come from, and provides
perspective into the future. Without a working
knowledge of history, one is condemned to
repeat the failures of others.” Grade: B
CELEBRITY CORNER
Wanton
Distraction
Skewed Views on Entertainment News
BY MATT GOLDBERG
��JUSTIN MARKS is hot shit in the world of adapting
projects no one really wants to see or their emotional
maturity is so stunted that they’ll be following these
projects like they should be following something
that actually matters. He’s behind “Super
Max” (the Green Arrow/prison-flick that does
actually sound good), “Voltron”, “Street Fighter:
The Legend of Chun-Li”, “The Masters of the
Universe”, and “He-Man”. Just remember, kids:
if you watch enough Saturday morning cartoons,
you too can be a successful screenwriter! His
latest project is “Hack/Slash”, a based on a comic
by Tim Seeley and Stefano Caselli which follows
Cassie Hack (dear Christ), “a young woman
who travels the country and takes on homicidal
maniacs and serial killers along the way.” Todd
Lincoln will direct the film and is produced by
Adrian Askarieh and Daniel Alter who just did
a bang-up job with “Hitman” (“Let’s make an
action film without any action!”).
�� DOLPH LUNDGREN escape
hipster irony and Internet infamy and Chuck
Norris did not? Dolph Lundgren is way more
worthy of attention. Yeah, they both know martial
arts, but does Chuck Norris know five languages
or have a master’s degree in chemical engineering?
Dolph Lundgren does. And those are real facts,
not bullshit ones made up by losers who need irony
like real people need oxygen. But that doesn’t mean
that Mr. Lundgren is beyond mockery. NO ONE IS
BEYOND MOCKERY. Lundgren will direct and star
in “Command Performance” which he co-wrote with
Stave Latshaw. The Hollywood Reporter describes
it thusly: Lundgren describes “Command” as “’Die
Hard’ at a rock concert,” with the story focusing on
AUTOMOBILES
FAST LANE
BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS
2008 MAZDA CX-7
GRAND TOURING
Tested Price – $29,455
Engine – 2.3-liter inline-4, 6-speed auto
Gas – 17 city/ 22 highway
Warranty – 36-month/36,000 miles bumperto-bumper
to be found once the door’s ajar. The layout of the
dash is relatively clean, if a bit mild. And though
the third-row seating comes off snug, you can
miraculously get four adults and three kids in the
SUV. Trust us, we tried.
The other good news about the vehicle is that
for every inch of sleekness on the outside there’s
equal attention placed on under-the-hood details,
too. The mostly-memorable ride is due to a
number of qualities, none more important than
the sports car-like independent suspension and
the super-responsive Drivetrain system, delivering near-effortless acceleration. 0-to-60 mph in
less than eight seconds ain’t half bad for a midsize
SUV.
Nonetheless, critics will probably argue that
none of the aforementioned features make the
CX-7 exactly off-road friendly. Clark Howard
might even wince at the crossover’s marginal fuel
efficiency. Truth be told, both may have valid
points. But for the weekender who stays on I-20
more than dirt roads, the stylish Mazda CX-7
should park near the top of his wish list.
It’s baffling how whenever the top car makers
are named, Mazda rarely cracks anyone’s list. But
we bet if pollsters were to get Toyota and Honda’s
thoughts, they’d have some kind words for the
Japanese brand. The Mazda 626 was popular in
the 90s. The Tribute, Miata and Mazda 6 have all
seen respectable sales in the 00s. With this ’08
CX-7, the brand is not only posturing for room
in the “crossover” fray with the Honda CRV and
Nissan Murano; Mazda’s on the verge of taking
complete control of it.
Visually, the vehicle is
the most perplexing thing
your eyes have ever come
THE OTHER GOOD NEWS ABOUT
THE VEHICLE IS THAT FOR
across on the car lot.
EVERY INCH OF SLEEKNESS ON
From certain angles the
THE OUTSIDE THERE’S EQUAL
ride looks like a soupedATTENTION PLACED ON UNDERup Volvo wagon. From
THE-HOOD DETAILS, TOO.
others it reminds you
of a Porsche Cayenne.
Rounded to no end, the
fashionable CX-7 wears
its curves better than
Tyra Banks. (The CX-9, of
course, is even more profoundly round.) Though
the cool design doesn’t
particularly translate
inside, there is some good
a drummer for the warm-up band of a big American
performer giving a concert for the Russian premier.
Naturally, the bad guys break up the show. And just
as naturally, the drummer is an ex-Marine. When
attempting humor, this is what’s called a “freebie”.
Chuck Norris is awesome!
�� FRANK DARABONT (“The
Shawshank Redemption”) told MTV that Tom Hanks
will no longer play the role of protagonist Guy Montag
in the adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”.
Darabont explains, “I was really looking forward to
working with him again but his other commitments
just precluded it. He had to take a step back.” Yeah,
I’ll tell you what the commitment was: Hanks had to
do “Angels & Demons”, the prequel to “The Da Vinci
Code” that’s actually worse. I’ve actually read “Angels
& Demons” and that will forever stand as one of the
most shameful things I’ve ever done in my life. I once
kicked a baby in the face and I still feel worse about
reading “Angels & Demons”. Reading it, you can tell
that Dan Brown is having a tiny orgasm every time
he gets to use the word “hassansin” because it’s the
etymology of the word “assassin”. So instead of doing
one of the greatest works of science fiction, Hanks will
do a movie where the character seeks out words that
can be read both rightside-up and upside-down (I shit
you not; that’s what he’s seeking). He will be deathly
serious in this search and have no fun whatsoever.
Some books deserved to be burned.
�� OLIVER STONE’S
upcoming biopic “W” seem more and more like
some joke where someone does fantasy casting
but with no real intention to make a movie. Well,
Stone didn’t get the memo and continues to cast
according to resemblance and the assumption
that audiences will buy the people of the Bush
administration looking like the movie stars.
Here’s the cast thus far:
��
President of All-Time (eat it, Harding!)
��
Lady who killed a guy in her youth!
��
grandmother figure who thought that being
homeless and living in the Superdome was a
step-up for Katrina victims!
��
figure who was destroyed by Homer Simpson.
��
Security Director who doesn’t want the smoking gun
to become a mushroom cloud!
��
Minister who becomes Bush’s loyal sidekick!
Now add to their ranks Rob Corddry as Ari
Fleischer, the first in a long line of Press Secretaries
who had to embarrass themselves on a daily basis as
they spewed lies and misdirection and wished that
Helen Thomas didn’t have a front row seat in the Press
Briefing Room.
.
.
.
X
T
I
E
S
N
E
WHMES TO
IGNORANCE IS
CO
DEFINITELY NOT
BLISS
At the Feminist Women’s Health Center’s brand
new clinic, we provide all the FACTS you need to
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404-728-7900
www.feministcenter.org
Surgi-Center License 044-287
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LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT
The ATL Stage Scene: Is Atlanta the New Off-Broadway?
BY BRET LOVE
W
ITH THE TV ADAPTATION OF
director Kenny Leon’s A Raisin
in the Sun revival and the recent
announcement that rocker John Mellencamp and
author Stephen King would be unveiling the world
premiere of their new stage musical (titled Ghost
Brothers of Darkland County) there next year, the
Alliance Theatre continues to thrust Atlanta into the
national theatre spotlight. But while the original home
of Elton John’s Aida may host the city’s highest profile
productions, there are dozens of other companies
helping to make Atlanta one of the hottest spots for
theatre this side of Broadway. Here are a few of the
most noteworthy:
ACTOR’S EXPRESS
887 W. Marietta St. Suite J-107 | 404-607-SHOW
One of the city’s most dynamic theatre companies,
Actor’s Express is known for edgy fare ranging from
nationally known productions such as Tracy Letts’ Bug
to world premieres from Atlanta-based playwrights like
Lauren Gunderson and Steve Yockey. Up this month:
Ever-popular rock opera Hedwig & the Angry Inch,
running June 19 through July 19, which will close out
the theatre’s 20th anniversary season.
www.actors-express.com
CENTER FOR PUPPETRY ARTS
1404 Spring St. NW | 404-873-3391
Now in its 30th year, the nation’s largest puppetry
theatre recently unveiled plans to open a wing devoted
to the legacy of Muppets mastermind Jim Henson.
They also feature dozens of homegrown and touring
productions for audiences of all ages, from the adultsonly Xperimental Puppetry Theatre to Artistic Director
Jon Ludwig’s family-friendly Cinderella della Circus,
which runs through June 22. www.puppet.org
DAD’S GARAGE THEATRE
280 Elizabeth Street | 404-523-3141
Though best known for their improv comedy, critics
have also named Dad’s Garage Atlanta’s best theatre
company three out of the last four years. Their bread
and butter is irreverent Off Broadway productions such
as Reefer Madness and A Very Merry Unauthorized
Children’s Scientology, as well as original in-house
productions such as the zombie love story musical,
Song Of The Living Dead, running June 5-July 6.
www.dadsgarage.com
HORIZON THEATRE COMPANY
Little 5 Points Community Center,
1083 Austin Ave. | 404-584-7450
A staple of the Little 5 Points community for 25 years,
this theatre specializes in the contemporary works of
playwrights like Wendy Wasserstein, David Hare and
Terrence McNally. They also develop new talents with
their annual New South Young Playwrights Festival,
where they invite 15-20 students for a weeklong
residency filled with workshops, seminars and readings
with professional actors and directors.
www.horizontheatre.com
OUT OF HAND THEATER
508 Flat Shoals Ave | 404-312-9871
Named “[one of] a dozen young American companies
you need to know” by American Theatre Magazine,
ultra-hip Out of Hand draws the bulk of its audience
from the under-30 set via engaging, interactive
productions. From the self-help movement parody of
HELP to the drug culture critique of MEDS, the offbeat
ensemble aims to alter the way people experience live
theatre. www.outofhandtheater.com
PUSH PUSH THEATER
Decatur Station, 121 New St, #4 | 404-377-6332
With its mantra of “pushing theatrical boundaries,”
Push Push is garnering acclaim for its innovative
productions, which range from the puppetry of Haverty
Marionettes and long-form improv of the Doug
Dank Project to groundbreaking theatrical works. It’s
also home to Dailies, a filmmaking collective whose
quarterly challenges led to the creation of The Signal, a
horror film that sold at Sundance for $2 million.
www.pushpushtheater.com
7 STAGES THEATRE
1105 Euclid Ave. | 404-523-7647
Atlanta’s home for high-brow theatrical fare by
celebrated playwrights such as Beckett, Brecht and
David Mamet, 7 Stages opened its doors in 1979,
eventually renovating a 1920s movie house that
includes a main stage and a flexible seating black
box. In addition to their own productions, 7 Stages
regularly features productions from Essential Theatre,
Synchronicity Performance Group, Theatre du Reve
and others. www.7stages.org
TRUE COLORS THEATRE COMPANY
Studioplex, 659 Auburn Avenue, Suite 257
404-588-0308
The city’s newest major theatre, True Colors was
co-founded in 2002 by former Alliance Theatre
Artistic Director Kenny Leon, whose mission was to
create culturally diverse theatre grounded in AfricanAmerican classics and the development of new voices.
This year they hope to acquire their own dedicated
theatre, and within two years plan to be the anchor
for a multi-cultural visual and performing arts center.
www.truecolorstheatrecompany.com
OTP Culture: Theater in the Burbs
AURORA THEATRE
128 Pike St, Lawrenceville
678-226-6222
From timeless musicals and
British comedies to children’s
productions, this family-friendly
theatre is a Lawrenceville favorite.
www.auroratheatre.com
GEORGIA ENSEMBLE
THEATRE
Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950
Forrest St, Roswell | 770-641-1260
Attracting a decidedly older
crowd than most in-town
theatres, this 15-year-old
company offers a mature slate
largely comprised of theatrical
classics. www.get.org
KUDZU PLAYHOUSE
10743 Alpharetta Hwy, Roswell
770-594-1020
Despite a solid lineup of classic
adult productions, this Roswell
theatre is best known for its
prodigious children’s fare.
www.kudzuplayhouse.org
STAGE DOOR PLAYERS
North DeKalb Cultural Center,
5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Rd,
Dunwoody | 770-396-1726
Founded in 1974 as a Community
Improvement Project, SDP offers
a mixture of crowd-pleasing
favorites and old-time musical
revues. www.stagedoorplayers.net
THEATRE IN THE SQUARE
11 Whitlock Avenue, Marietta
770-422-8369
One of Atlanta’s most respected
theatres, this gutsy company’s
smart production choices have
made it a surprisingly edgy haven
of suburban culture.
www.theatreinthesquare.com.
UGA Alumni Career Fair
From new graduates to
experienced professionals,
ALL UGA alumni are invited to
attend this FREE event. Meet with
nearly 100 employers actively
Register Today!
recruiting bulldog talent!
Bring copies of your resume.
Professional attire.
Cobb Galleria, Atlanta
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
11:00am–3:00pm
Call 404-495-1977 or go
online to www.career.uga.edu
and click on “Alumni Career Services.”
FILM INTERVIEW
MARTIN SCORSESE
Still Edgy After All These Years
BY BRET LOVE
W
ITH EIGHT OSCAR
nominations over the past 27 years,
few directors have enjoyed more
critical acclaim over the course of their careers than Martin Scorsese. Born in Queens,
NY in 1942, Scorsese emerged as a maverick
filmmaker during the same ‘70s Hollywood
heyday that produced George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, with early works such as Taxi
Driver and Raging Bull becoming cultural
touchstones for generations to come.
But perhaps what’s most impressive is the
fact that the diminutive Italian doesn’t seem
to be getting any
softer with age.
Inspired by his
ongoing creative
partnership with
Leonardo DiCaprio,
Scorsese’s last three
films have earned a
combined 26 Oscar
nominations, while
documentaries such
as No Direction
Home: Bob Dylan
and the Rolling
Stones’ Shine A
Light gave him even
more aging hipster
cred. And with
four films listed in
development on
the Internet Movie
Database, Scorsese
doesn’t appear to be
in danger of slowing down any time soon.
We recently spoke with the esteemed film
legend on subjects ranging from his early
career and working with Robert DeNiro to
finally winning an Oscar for The Departed
and his place in the annals of film history.
You’ve made numerous films about the
criminal underworld over the course of your
career. How did you originally become fascinated with the subject?
My father was born in 1913 in the New
York tenements, and he became acutely
aware of the struggles of being an Italian immigrant. He worked for Con-Edison digging
ditches until he got his own grocery store,
trying to provide for his working class family.
But he knew there were organized crime
elements around him, and it permeated the
world in which he lived. It affected the lives of
everyone in my family because they weren’t
educated, so they had to live with this element.
Have you ever had any concern that the extreme violence at the heart of many of your
films might ultimately limit your audience?
Not really. That’s why we have an R rating.
In some cases I’ve trimmed more of the
violence to get the film the way I want it
AFTER getting an R rating. But when you’re
depicting a violent world, you have to be true
to it, though in recent years I’ve tried to do it
less graphically [than in the past]. I can certainly look at the movies I’ve made and know
that I don’t have to prove I can do violence.
(Laughs) Now I try to do most of it through
editing, sound effects and the implication of
violence so that you never see it graphically. I
don’t know, maybe it might put some people
off from seeing my films, but I hope it doesn’t.
You made some of your best films with
Robert DeNiro. What was it about him that
made the two of you such a great team?
Back in the ‘70s, we found that we shared
a similar sensibility. Not only about work,
but about life and about people. That just
made it easier to work with him. We had the
same taste, not so much in movies, but in
the result. We never discussed these things
directly. We always talked more about the
truthfulness of what we were trying to get in
a scene. In the ‘70s, the combination of him
as an actor and myself as the director made it
possible for us to get
that I grew up on– were Irish filmmakers. We
Italians felt very close to the family culture of
the Irish. There were some differences when
they first moved into the same neighborhood,
but Irish literature is very important to me.
The poetry of the Irish is extraordinary, and
the Irish sense of Catholicism is a very interesting contrast to the Italian sense of Catholicism. Those are just my personal reasons.
Major studios seem to be taking more
chances on edgy young filmmakers. How do
you feel about today’s crop of maverick directors, and do you see any similarities with
your generation?
I certainly do, but I’d like see more people
like Wes
Anderson,
Paul Thomas
Anderson and
Spike Jonze
getting the
backing of
a studio for
a personal
vision. You
have to cater
to the box
office, because
you gotta let
people know
what’s there,
and to let
people know
what’s there
it’s usually
good to get
a big movie star. They’re the vessel in front
of the lens, and you have to live the movie
through the persona of the actors. That’s
great, but the danger is that you need actors
who are not afraid to take chances. If they’re
making too much money and you get a young
director who wants to make a film with some
edge to it, the actor may have a say in that,
which could dilute the final product. In the
‘70s, there was no dilution. We all took a lot
of chances with a lot of money, and hopefully that’ll be the next step for these young
filmmakers.
IF THE CAMERA DOESN’T
HAVE TO MOVE, DON’T MOVE
IT. THAT SIMPLICITY IS WHAT
I’M LEARNING NOW. FROM
THE SIZE OF THE FRAME
AND THE CLOSE-UPS TO THE
ENERGY AND PACING OF THE
EDITING, IT’S ALMOST AS
IF MY ENTIRE SLATE HAS
BEEN WIPED CLEAN AND I’M
STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN.
risky films like Taxi
Driver and Raging Bull made. I don’t know if
I could’ve gotten Taxi Driver made without
him, and I certainly wouldn’t have been
involved with Raging Bull, because that came
from him. After King Of comedy we stopped,
because we felt we’d gone as far as we could.
Now it seems you’ve got that same sort of
partnership with Leonardo DiCaprio, with
Shutter Island filming now and the Teddy
Roosevelt project after that.
I feel a great emotional and intellectual
connection with Leo’s sensitivity as an actor,
and we work well together to find the truth of
how a character would react to a situation. It’s
funny, because I’m in my sixties now and have
had the luck to team up with actors like DeNiro and Daniel Day Lewis. So it was extraordinary to come across an actor like Leo, who
has similar drive, a similar sense of honesty,
likes my pictures, likes the same movies I like
and totally gets them. I can show him a film
like The Bicycle Thief and it knocks his socks
off. To find that again in a young person and
be able to do multiple pictures with him, and
get that dedication and new energy in front of
the lens is a real fortunate event.
With films like Gangs of New York and The
Departed, you seem to be focusing more on
Irish storytelling than Italian in the last few
years.
That’s an interesting point. I’ve always felt a
close affinity for the Irish, particularly coming
out of the same area of New York City, even
though by the 1920s-1930s most of the Irish
had moved out of that neighborhood. I have
a very strong love for Hollywood cinema, and
some of the greatest filmmakers that have
come out of Hollywood– some of the films
Did getting robbed of numerous Best Director Oscars over the years give your win for
The Departed a feeling of vindication?
I don’t know, it probably is better that I
didn’t win in the ‘70s or ‘80s. When you’re
young and do five or six pictures in a row
that tell the stories you want to tell, you
think maybe you should have won the Oscar.
But after Raging Bull I never had a problem
with the trade-off. I didn’t win any Oscars,
but I got to work with interesting actors and
producers and make some really interesting
films. I felt like I got away with something!
(Laughs)
As a respected film historian, are you able
to step outside yourself to judge your place
in the pantheon of great filmmakers?
That’s a good question. I consider myself
more a film lover than a film historian. I like
films too much to be a critic of them. But as
the years go by, when people say, “Oh Marty,
this is an extraordinary work!” I say, “You
haven’t seen as many films as I have.” I know
where the levels are, and as far as I’m concerned I just do the best I can. When I gauge
myself in my mind against the filmmakers I
admire, there’s no way I can compete.
Do you feel like you’ve gotten any less edgy
with age?
I’m a somewhat different person, but still
basically the same. If I took every second of
the day to be incensed or get riled up like I
used to, I wouldn’t make it through. I do still
feel the same passion for the craft, but the
question is, what am I to learn from the craft
now? It’s a real challenge, because I don’t
wanna get bored doing the same things I’ve
always done. But on the other hand, why turn
the camera upside down when every director
can do that? If the camera doesn’t have to
move, don’t move it. That simplicity is what
I’m learning now. From the size of the frame
and the close-ups to the energy and pacing
of the editing, it’s almost as if my entire slate
has been wiped clean and I’m starting all over
again. It’s really a scary proposition, because
you don’t know if you have it anymore. How
to tell a story with pictures is frighteningly
challenging.
Taste of the Month-Tapas
Beleza
905 Juniper St. 678.904.4582
www.belezarestaurant.com
Beleza, "natural foods, exotic cocktails with a
Brazilian accent," is Riccardo Ullio's newest
addition to Midtown. Portuguese for "beauty,"
Beleza has burst onto the culinary scene as a
celebration of the body, nature, and indulgence
since its opening. The menu is composed of a
variety of small-plate options, including crudo
and ceviche, artful and satisfying main-course
salads, lightly poached fish and delicious, inventive dishes featuring local vegetables and heirloom grains. Inviting Beleza inspirations
include: Tuna Ceviche served with pineapple
salsa, Spicy Bigeye Tuna with watermelon,
habanero coulis and cilantro oil, and Lobster
Salad with papaya, cucumber, basil and soursop-aji puree. They also offer small plates of
grain dishes like Organic Quinoa and
Buckwheat Noodles. Deserts are offered in an
assortment of tropical fruits and chocolates that
are indigenous to the region. Beleza is open
Tuesday - Saturday 5:30 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. and
Sunday: 5:30 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.
Cuerno
905 Juniper St.
678.904.4582
cuernorestaurant.com
New to Midtown,
Cuerno brings
authentic flavorful
Spanish cuisine.
Dishes like saffroninfused Paella,
Mariscos alla
Plancha and
Pimientos del Patron
are paired with a progressive, all-Spanish wine
list in chef / owner Riccardo Ullio’s latest venture. They offer a variety of tapas including
Panache de Verduras (stewed bell peppers,
zuchini and eggplant), Ham Croquette, Tortilla
de Patatas Y Esparrago (potato and asparagus
tortilla) and Fabada Asturiana (chorizo, morcilla, chistorra, and judeon gigante beans).
Cuerno is open Monday - Thursday 5:30 p.m.
to 12:00 a.m.; Friday-Saturday: 5:30 p.m. to 1:00
a.m. and Sunday : 5:30 to 10:00pm
DINING
Pimientos Rellenos con Queso de Cabra which
is a herbed goat cheese tomato sauce in crispy
piquillo peppers. Eclipse features two chicken
Tapas including the Pollo a la Parilla, a chicken
breast grilled and marinated with red pepper
salad and avocado. The Pollo al Ajillo is a
braised garlic chicken in its own broth. On the
beef side, The Brocheta de Bistee is a red wine
marinated skirt steak skewered with chimichurri. Also try the Bocadillos de Carne is a shredded beef sandwich with sweet & sour onions.
There are several seafood dishes to choose from
including the Gambas al Ajillo which is sautéed
shrimp & garlic with calabes pepper. For mussels fans, try the Mejillones en Salsa Roja served
in a spicy tomato broth with plum tomatoes.
Eclipse di Luna has won several awards including “Best Appetizers”, “Atlanta’s Top 100
Restaurants” and “Best Tapas”.
100 Tequilas
Lime Optional.
Mezza
2751 Lavista Rd. Decatur, GA 30033
404.633.8833 www.mezzabistro.com
Mezza...A Lebanese Bistro and Dar offers one
of the most characteristic elements of Lebanese
cuisine. Much like tapas, Mezza is an array of
small hot and cold appetizers.
At Mezza you will find the most authentic
homemade Lebanese tapas, great wines and
enjoy belly dancing and hookahs in their newly
expanded Dar (lounge) on weekends.
Located just a few miles from Emory campus,
Mezza has become a neighborhood favorite.
The restaurant offers the largest Lebanese tapas
menu in the city. The menu has a large variety
of vegetarian dishes, some of which are vegan,
in addition to a large variety of meat, chicken
and seafood offerings.
Over the years Mezza has garnered great
reviews from the city’s food critics. They were
voted Best Mediterranean/Middle Eastern
Restaurant in 2007 by Creative Loafing and
Insite Magazine and Best Mediterranean
Restaurant in 2006 by The Sunday Paper.
Mezza ranks as the top Lebanese Restaurant in
Zagat’s Survey and Atlanta Magazine Top 100.
The Launch Pad for
Atlanta Night Life
Sweet Devil Moon
980 Piedmont Ave. 404.347.3600
www.sdmaatlanta.com
Eclipse di Luna
764 Miami Circle 404.846.0449
4505 Ashford Dunwoody 678.205.5862
www.eclipsediluna.com
Upon opening in1997, Eclipse di Luna set the
trend in Tapas style restaurants in Atlanta.
With over two dozen Tapas to choose from,
there is something to please any taste. The
Tapas is priced affordable, mostly between $3.95
and $4.95, to encourage multiple sampling.
They offer several that are cheese based.
These include the Quesos Espanoles, a tasting
of Spanish cheeses with assorted accompaniments. The Tortilla Espanola is a Spanish style
omelet with potatoes, wild mushrooms &
onions in a roasted garlic cream. And the
Sweet Devil Moon located in the heart of
Midtown has recently re-opended under new
management. The restaurant underwent a
three month restoration and is better than ever!
Sweet Devil Moon offers a great enclosed patio
to enjoy the view of the bustling Midtown
scene. They serve Latin Tapas and other
regional fare. On Monday and Tuesday nights
they offer $3 tapas from 5:30 - 7:30pm. Some of
the great tapas offered includes: Empalmadas,
Pouch Pear Brie, Salmon Brochetta and Pollo en
Mole. Be sure to check out their Paraiso
International Wednesday nights starting at
7PM. It is free to enter and offers a variety of
Salsa, Samba, Euro House and Merengue. They
will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo every day in
May through the 5th. Also during the month
they are offering a Mother’s Day celebration,
nightly drink specials, and 5 new tapas dishes!
PHIPPS PLAZA • BUCKHEAD • 404.814.9640
OPEN DAILY • PRIORITY SEATING AVAILABLE
www.TheTavernAtPhipps.com
FILM INTERVIEW
SMART PEOPLE
Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Thomas
Haden Church On Their Sundance-Friendly Indie
BY MATT GOLDBERG
S
ITTING ACROSS FROM DENNIS QUAID, SARAH
Jessica Parker, and Thomas Haden Church, I can’t
help but be a little bemused that even though they
have the potential blockbusters “G.I. Joe”, “Sex and the City”,
and “NowhereLand” all on the horizon, we’re speaking
them today for their little independent flim, “Smart People”.
Co-starring Ellen Page (“Juno”), “Smart People” follows a
morose English professor (Quaid), his charming-but-unreliable adopted brother (Church), and an ER doctor (Parker)
who had her love of English literature destroyed by Quaid
when she was an undergraduate. We spoke to them about
the differences between working on an indie and the major
projects they have coming up. But first, the most important
questions: facial hair.
No more crazy moustache!
Thomas Haden Church: No, no.
Was that real?
THC: Yeah, it was real. I grew it.
It was amazing.
Dennis Quaid: It
was good, wasn’t it?
You wanted to look
like—who isn’t you
wanted to look like?
THC: Elliot Gould
in MASH. That was
my mark.
and I knew she was from Nova Scotia. She was nineteen
when we shot the movie. I said, “Oh really, when did you
live in Toronto?” and she said, “Well I was emancipated and
living alone when I was fifteen and in Toronto I was going
to school…” And I was like, “That’s…fucking…great. I had
a lawn-moving business when I was fifteen. Trying to steal
pot from my older sister,” I mean she was just so focused
but so young. And I have made comparisons even though
I don’t personally know him, but I know people that know
him, have made comparisons to what they think Leonardo
DiCaprio was probably like at that age. When Sarah Jessica
Parker was that age! And starring on Broadway! In Annie!
I’m amazed and a little bewildered by that early focus; that
laser intensity.
Sarah, how did you get involved with the project?
Sarah Jessica Parker: I had very little time with the script
but I had worked with Michael London, who produced The
Family Stone, and he just asked and I just said yes because
it was a great script and he has really great taste.
The film was made over a year and a half ago, but was
picked up by Miramax on the basis of ten minutes of foot-
You had a beard,
what was it like
having a beard?
DQ: It was okay
for a while but I
prefer not to have a
beard.
Dennis, can you
talk about the
physical aspects of
this role, from the
beard to the way
you walk, there
seems to be so much
more going on for
you than just what
your character says.
DQ: Yeah, I wanted him to have a look that was very
sedentary. Someone who was very emotionally dead in a
way and for quite some time. Unkempt. I didn’t have time
to gain the weight so I just put on a fat-suit everyday. And
putting it on is like having the weight. It’s hard on the
back; changes the way you walk. The beard is just kind of a
protective defense in the sense that you can hide from the
world.
Did you have any professors that influenced your character?
DQ: No, not really. I just really went to the script.
[Screenwriter] Mark [Poirier] wrote such a great script and
drew such a great character that it was just a great springboard for me.
Thomas, can you talk about working with Ellen?
THC: I spent a lot of time with Ellen when we were
shooting the picture. I was absolutely as impressed with
her off-camera as I was with anything we did in front of the
camera. She’s just so self-possessed but in a positive way.
Beyond confident. She understands where she is walking
the Earth. I think it comes from excellent parenting, a real
focus on academics when she was young. One night we
were talking, and it was informed by nothing, but one night
we were shooting and she talked about living in Toronto
age. How are you hoping it will be received by the general
public?
THC: Well these movies are very difficult to market. I
remember when “Little Miss Sunshine” was going around, I
read it and I met with the directors and they were like “We
can’t do this without you,” and Steve Carell hadn’t broken
and I’d already been cast in Spider-Man, but you’re always
wondering “What’s going to happen? What’s going to happen?” Little Miss Sunshine kind of inspired me a bit because
it’s like ,“Oh God, if it doesn’t get a distributor…” Then
sometimes, the quality of the picture—it has no reference
point. It’s like “Oh, it failed because no one saw it!” That
doesn’t make it a failure. And failed by whose abacus?
Sarah, what’s the difference between acting in a small,
independent film like Smart People as opposed to working
on a film like Sex and the City where you’re not only acting but producing as well?
DQ: Your trailer is a little bigger. [Laughter]
SJP: The difference is a disadvantage I personally like.
We had a less-than-luxurious schedule on this picture (I
think it was 29 days), and I actually do like that kind of
speed. You know, big movies have very generous schedules
and generous budgets and you end up doing things in four
days that you know could be done in an afternoon. You
just think of all the money flying out the window and all
the energy that dissipates over the day while you wait. And
then just producing responsibilities, they just change your
burden on the set. I love the burden of producing. I love it.
But I’m one of eight kids so it’s very much like the chaos of
my life. But it’s also very nice to be a hired-actor and have
no responsibilities. I like both very, very much. But I will
say that I like working on a movie with a schedule that has
restraints on it, financially, because you just keep movie.
And actually, Sex and the City’s budget wouldn’t really amortize out to what would be a big budget. It’s actually pretty
small compared to what we knew would be necessary.
The director told us that you three didn’t get a lot of rehearsal time together and time to prepare. Did that lend
itself to some more spontaneous and unexpected moments
on set?
SJP: I didn’t get very much time with [Dennis]. He’s really, really quick and has a gift for true improvisation; not
what’s tossed around today by those that don’t have the gift.
You’ve probably witnessed this in the room and on many
other occasions, that he’s extremely fast and it’s very inspiring to try and keep up. And honestly, what I really loved
about Dennis is that he’s just been doing it for so long and
he’s so present and happy to be there and never dragging
his feet and never
seems like he’s
punching in and
doing perfunctory
work. He’s working
on it and asking
questions and never
does something
twice the same
way and it’s just
so exciting to see
that at this point in
his career because
I’ve been on sets
with people who
have been around
as long and they’re
simply not happy
to be there. It’s
mercenary or some
kind of pressure
and I was so happy
to be someone
like himself. He’s
working hard and
he cares.
What do you guys having come up next?
THC: I have a movie coming up with Sandra Bullock. I
don’t know what it’s going to be called in September. When
we shot it was called “All About Steve”.
Are you Steve?
THC: I am not Steve.
SJP: Is she Steve?
THC: No, no. An actor named Bradley Cooper is Steve.
He was in Sex and the City, wasn’t he? He was Jake the
Downtown Smoker or something.
SJP: Yeah, yeah! He’s really sweet.
DQ: Um, I have a movie called “The Express” coming out.
It’s in competition with [Thomas’] film coming out in the
fall.
THC: Oh, nice!
SJP: It’s a smackdown!
THC: And we’re both going to be clawing for theatres
after the monstrous Sex and the City run throughout the
Summer.
What can you tell us about the Sex and the City movie?
SJP: It comes out May 30th. We’re working on it as we
speak. And it’s our standard weekend because as you know
the show used to always premiere the first week of June. So
we’ll see…
FILM INTERVIEW
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To RamboHammer & Tongs On The Year’s
Coolest Independent Sleeper
BY MATT GOLDBERG
T
HE TEAM OF HAMMER &
Tongs– AKA Garth Jennings and Nick
Goldsmith-- are the minds behind
not only one of my favorite music videos of all
time (Blur’s “Coffee & TV”) and the underrated Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but
also one of my favorite films of this year, Son of
Rambow. I recently talked to the duo about how
it compared to their experience on Hitchhiker’s
Guide and why they chose John Rambo over the
other action heroes of the ‘80s.
Hitchhiker’s was a big-budget film, while this
is more of an independent feature. What was
the difference between the two in your personal experience?
Nick Goldsmith: It’s a bit weird, really Part
of the reason we got Hitchhiker’s is we said we
could make it for half the money they thought
it was going to cost, so we already had in-built
restriction because we were trying to make
something bigger than the money allowed. We
were really lucky. We had a wonderful experience making Hitchhiker’s. When Disney gave
us the go-ahead to make the film, they said,
“Look, you guys seem to know what you’re talking about and seem to understand this project;
go away, make it, and come back afterwards
and bring us the final film,” It was like an import. They were saying, “Look, we can’t do this
ourselves here,” And all credit to them, it was a
very brave move to make. So in a way, we had a
sort of independent-way of actually making the
film. They didn’t get involved in the edit. We
pretty much got to make the films ourselves.
As for how it differs from Son of Rambow, well,
with Son of Rambow we had a lot less money,
obviously. But we had the same problems of
not having enough money, or “that didn’t work
so we need another way of doing it.” So it was
sort of the same.
Garth Jennings: They both have their own
slightly different rewards, being that Son of
Rambow was something we generated ourselves
whereas with Hitchhiker’s we came in and did
the job. But they balance each other out because the experiences were so rich and fulfilling
and just as important. You still feel that same
sort of pressure on set and that same sort of
elation.
NG: I guess the great thing about a studio
film is that you don’t… financing Son of Rambow was a nightmare. We had to get money
from everywhere to do it, and it took ages!
And it’s not guaranteed that anyone is going to
pick it up for distribution. We were very lucky.
Sundance went incredibly well and Paramount
Vantage picked it up world-wide. But that
doesn’t always happen. So from our experience
of doing one studio and one independent…the
studio pictures have a lot of bonuses, if they go
well. You’re financed. You’ve got distribution.
It’s all there. It’s all done. You can get on with
making the film. But again, you hear nightmare
stories of making studio films. We were lucky.
��
How did you come to choose First Blood as the
flick the kids would use for the basis of their
film?
GJ: Well, it was based on my own experiences
of having seen it when I was young. I thought
it was so amazing and made my own little
home movie with my friends; not exactly about
Rambo, but a Rambo-esque kind of film. So
you’ve got the problem of having that kind of
epiphany, and the experience of having watched
a certain film so that it’s very hard to see anything else. And also, no other film had the same
qualities that First Blood had, because that first
Rambo movie is brilliant. It’s just one guy with
a stick and a knife, and he takes on 200 men.
He only kills one of them. That was by throwing
a rock at a helicopter, and he fell out so it’s his
own fault anyway. He’s being hunted and being
resourceful, and that’s very, very different than
those other movies where it’s like, “How many
bullets ya got?” We were bullish and naïve in
many ways and we’re like, “We’ll just make it.
We’ll do it and not worry about there being a
back-up,” Because once you start thinking about
Steven Seagal or Jean-Claude Van Damme or
even Schwarzenegger, they’re good…but it’s not
the same thing. It didn’t mean the same thing
to us, and it’s very hard to write it when you
don’t believe it. So that’s what we did. Luckily,
after a bit of negotiations, it’s come through.
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I heard that when you first started on the film,
no one was even thinking about doing a fourth
Rambo film.
GJ: (Laughs) It’s incredible! Eight years ago,
when we first started talking about this idea,
we said, “What about the probability of a new
Rambo film?” “Nah, he’s not going to do any
more!” But there he is!
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And when you heard about Rambo 4, what
was your reaction?
NG: The initial way when we first heard
it was a worry about how it would affect us.
Before it was just the film from 20 years ago
and we just had to clear licenses. Then it was
like, “Uh oh. Are they worried that we’re going
to try and profit off their name and ride on the
back of the Rambo movies?” Which clearly we
weren’t; it’s part of the reason we but a “w” on
the end.” But then it was like, “Wow…they’re
making another Rambo film… That’s amazing.”
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FILM INTERVIEW
IRONY MAN
A Funny Thing
Happened to
Forest Whitaker
on the Way to the
Set One Day: He
Became One of
Hollywood’s Most
Unfailing Actors
BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS
F
OREST WHITAKER DOESN’T JUST ACT.
The man transcends. With your own eyes you’ve
seen him re-position the camera on himself and tell
his co-stars Okay, I got it from here, guys. Whether the
project had a healthy budget (Vantage Point, Street Kings)
or no budget (The Crying Game), an iconic character
(jazzman Charlie Parker in Bird) or cult figure (Ghost
Dog), Forest put a memorable spin on it all. But the odd
thing about the 46-year-old who got his big breaks in 80s
hits Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Platoon is that it’s
only been the last decade that he says he’s gotten a real
hang of acting. With a Best Actor Oscar from Last King of
Scotland in his possession and the Hurricane Katrina-centered sports drama Patriots and the eagerly-awaited Where
the Wild Things Are on the horizon, Whitaker seems to
have hit a stride only a select group ever feels. We recently
caught up with the talented Texan to see how the ride was
going.
Was Street Kings the first thing you did after Last King of
Scotland?
No. With Last King of Scotland, there was a lot of
time before it came out. One of the first things I did was
Vantage Point. There was another movie called The Air I
Breath. Then I think I did [Street Kings].
Did you think about your experience on
The Shield while filming the movie?
I did, but you know, it’s interesting
because the character on The Shield has a
hard time because when he finally crosses
the line, it destroys him. He’s almost like an
arch angel; he can only work one way. That
line destroys him. When he tries to [cross
it], his character falls. He has to admit it
and can’t handle it. With this character,
he’s clean, clear and on the other side. To
me, they’re two different people.
Did the great work on The Shield create
an itch for more small-screen stuff?
I did have a good time working that
character ‘cuz it’s kind of cool to get to do a character that
long. You get to build it. You have enough time to develop
it and change. You say, “This is what we’re gonna do and
you have a half a year to do it.” I like that. I wanted to do a
character where you didn’t always know what was going to
happen. I couldn’t plan so meticulously. I could only root
him in what he thought and what he believed. That was
kind of cool. And then, right after that, I did ER for five
episodes. I don’t know when [I’ll return to television]. I’m
not saying I won’t though. If it’s the right character, I’ll do
it.
Have you started Patriots yet?
No. I was with the director (Tim Story) yesterday. I met
with the Westchester coach. I’m gonna go watch the USC
team practice with [head coach Tim] Floyd. I’m going to
work with the team a lil’ bit here and then I’m going to go
work with the kids in New Orleans. Basketball wasn’t the
sport I really played, so I gotta go learn it.
Is their a role in a movie you’ve played
that you wish you would have had that
kind of time to explore?
One time I stepped into a movie where
I played a hitman for two, three days. But
I think it was the right thing to do in a
way. [The roles] always work out. In that
case, I just went to Philly and met with this
guy and he dressed me, told me what he
thought and how he lived his life. In two
days, I was able to understand. It depends.
Now that you’ve won an Oscar, do you
think about roles that could get that kind
of recognition again?
I think that Patriots has a lot to say. I
think it’s a populist movie, too. It talks
about hope and it talks about people not
being left behind and being disenfranchised and people believing in themselves.
I don’t know if it’s an Academy [Award
winner]. I don’t really think about it that
way.
Does winning one whet your appetite for
winning more awards?
I think I’m just trying to play great
parts. I’ve been trying to play great parts
my whole career. I’ve got a chance to play
some really interesting characters. That’s
what I’m gonna keep doing. It’s about
growing and learning and stuff. Nobody
can say whether this character will [lead to
anything]. That’s not the way to go.
Are you developing an interest in directing?
I’ve been trying to get Craig Howard
to work on this project based on Children’s Soldiers. It’s
really about a journalist who’s interviewing this guy who
handles these children soldiers. He’s like a messiah-like
character who’s in this war. The writer goes into this war
and decides when to step in and when to not. When you
do step in, did you really help or did you harm? That’s the
movie I’ve been working on to direct. There’s no script
really.
Will Geer asks him, “What’s going to happen at the end of
time? I know you’ve seen it.” Ultimately, he has to leave a
certain time. Something about the movie I liked as a kid.
When did you first know you wanted to be an actor?
In college I started acting. I didn’t act in high school or
anything. Honestly, around Ghost Dog I was like, “Oh,
okay. I think I’ve figured this out. I might be able to do
this. I think I’m gonna be able to do the kind of work that
will make me feel comfortable being an actor.”
Something changed inside of me. I started
to understand something different. Up until
that time, I was feeling uncomfortable about
my characters. Even though people would say,
“That doesn’t mean it’s the character…” For me,
it wasn’t exactly what it should be. Something happened where that started to change.
Bird taught me something. Ghost Dog taught
me more. Last King was when I was able to
bring some things together I had been trying
to figure out in my career. I’m not saying my
[earlier] parts were bad. I’m just saying that,
for me, I could have always gone and done
something else.
I THINK I’M JUST TRYING TO
PLAY GREAT PARTS. I’VE BEEN
TRYING TO PLAY GREAT PARTS
MY WHOLE CAREER. I’VE GOT
A CHANCE TO PLAY
SOME REALLY INTERESTING
CHARACTERS. THAT’S WHAT
I’M GONNA KEEP DOING.
Was there an early movie that got you to realize how
powerful they could be?
As a kid, I don’t think I was thinking in those terms. I
think I was just impressed by certain movies. I was impressed when I saw Sidney Poitier or something starring
in a movie. I had no thought of being an actor. As a kid,
it wouldn’t have been conceivable that it was something I
could do and make a career of. It was hardly anyone else
doing it. There were movies that made impression on me,
but more in my soul than how it impacted the world.
What was one of those?
I liked the movie Brother John. It’s a movie with Sidney
Poitier. I don’t know why I liked it so much, but he was a
guy that was traveling all over the world and then he goes
back to this town. It’s a very mystical movie. He’s supposed
to return on a certain day. He comes back with the wind.
How do you go about choosing new projects?
The goal’s been the same. The goal’s been to get inside of
these characters and find that spark that kind of connects
me with them. I understand more about them and really
understand more about myself by exploring that character.
That’s really what my journey is. Whatever ways that get
me to that understanding is what my goal is. I know what
my real goal is.
Any other historical characters out there you’d like to
play some day?
I don’t have any characters like that. I’d be cool to play
Hannibal.
What was it like making Where the Wild Things Are?
It was great. I’m just wondering when the movie’s coming
out. I don’t know what’s going on with the movie. It was
supposed to come out later this year, but I don’t think it’s
coming out til next year now.
FILM INTERVIEW
Tom McCarthy and
Haaz Sleiman Bring
The Visitor To The
Atlanta Film Festival
BY JOHN C. SNIDER
A
ACTOR/WRITER/DIRECTOR
Tom McCarthy made a splash in
2003 with his indie hit The Station
Agent. McCarthy has appeared in films like
Michael Clayton and Syriana, and TV shows
like The Wire and Boston Public. His latest
writing/directing project is The Visitor, starring Richard Jenkins as Walter, a jaded economist who befriends Tarek (Haaz Sleiman), an
illegal immigrant under threat of deportation
back to Syria. Newcomer Danai Gurira stars
as Tarek’s girlfriend Zainab. Israeli Arab
actress Hiam Abbass plays Tarek’s distraught
mother. We spoke to McCarthy and Sleiman
during the Atlanta Film Festival.
Station Agent was a critical and popular
success. Did you worry about the sophomore jinx?
McCarthy: It didn’t really occur to me until
everybody started writing about it in their
reviews of The Visitor. Luckily most of them
thought I avoided that, which was nice to
hear. I was more concerned with trying to
tell an original
story; something to challenge myself.
Haaz, public
perception
is that for
Middle Eastern actors,
there are two
kinds of roles:
terrorists and
corrupt oil
sheiks. Do
you find this
to be the case?
Sleiman:
Listen, there
are a lot of
terrorist roles
out there.
That’s a reality of where
we are now.
Unfortunately
a lot of studios
feel like that’s
where the
money is. It’s
often uninspiring that that’s the case, but
they’re also opportunities that wouldn’t have
been available otherwise. But there are roles
out there that aren’t political. Middle Easterners are blending in - they are Americans.
No actor wants to be stereotyped. Even white
actors can be pigeonholed.
How did you prepare for the role of Tarek
(who is neither a terrorist nor a sheik)?
Sleiman: There were a lot of similarities between me and Tarek. We have similar pasts
and experiences. He came from Syria to
Michigan to New York. I did the same thing
but I came from Lebanon. I had to work on
the Syrian dialect, which is different; I spoke
to a lot of Syrians over in Lebanon.
Richard Jenkins is fascinating to watch as
the terse Walter.
McCarthy: Walter’s a guy who only speaks
when he has to. He’s trying not to become
too involved with anything or anybody.
Richard is a very experienced actor. He found
out who Walter was, physically and emotionally. You can see it happening, even when
he’s not talking. Some of his best moments, I
think, are when he’s silent.
The music of the late Nigerian musician
Fela Kuti figures prominently in The Visitor.
McCarthy: I discovered his music while I
was writing this movie. There was something
I found immediately appealing about it. If
you talk about Afro-beat music, Fela Kuti is
The Beatles of Africa. The man was a genius
and incredibly prolific. I liked the idea of
Walter sitting in his quiet Connecticut house
and cranking Fela.
Sleiman: I had never heard of him so I had
to do a lot of research. He was quite amazing. He’s a pop icon [in Africa]. He was politically active and voiced his opinions against
corruption in government, so he was always a
target. I watched a documentary about him,
in which he was
smoking weed
and rehearsing
in his briefs with
this twentyperson band.
That’s when I
called Tom and
said “You know,
I think Tarek
rehearses in his
underwear!”
be like “What? I’m not dialing…” But
that was rare – she speaks like five languages,
so our little English bumps were nothing.
This is Danai Gurira’s first film role, one
that demanded an intense romantic relationship with Tarek.
Sleiman: You should see what we did offscreen. [Laughs]
McCarthy: And on screen. We just didn’t
use it. The lost love scenes…
Sleiman: Yeah. Don’t remind me. She was so
diligent and dedicated. She works very hard.
She’s a playwright, too. She’s very talented.
She’s got it goin’ on.
The Visitor is uplifting, but also has a somewhat “down” ending. Was it difficult for you
to sell the movie as-is?
McCarthy: No. Besides, I wouldn’t make a
movie with people who are more concerned
with making an audience happy as opposed
to telling an honest story. In my experience
audiences appreciate a story where they’re
moved. This isn’t a totally depressing movie.
I think a lot of audiences find it hopeful and
optimistic. But…there was no happy ending
to this. There was none in sight.
Any possibility of a sequel?
McCarthy: Probably not. I had a similar
experience with The Station Agent, where
people wanted to know happened the next
day. I think it’s a credit to the actors that
people are genuinely concerned and want to
know what happens to these characters. I
like to pick up stories at a certain moment in
time and leave the rest up to the audience to
think about.
You actually
learned to play
African drum
for this film.
Sleiman:
Yeah, I learned
from scratch. I
practiced three
hours a day for
a month and a
half. It was a lot
of work, but it
was really exciting. I learned
from a man
named Mohammed Ali in New
York and a Senegalese gentleman in L.A.
Those guys were so great. They let me share
their food and meet their families. There
was something really lovely about that that I
wanted to bring to Tarek.
Hiam Abbass is a veteran actress but new to
American audiences. She plays a vulnerable
character who nonetheless has great screen
presence.
McCarthy: She has a lot of integrity.
There’s a power and depth to her that can
be…intimidating is not a bad word for it. She
comes into the movie late, so I needed an actress who could command the audience’s attention. We connected very quickly, although
once in a blue moon I’d say something in English that she didn’t quite understand. I’d say
“We need to dial that down a bit” and she’d
FILM
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S T A R T S F R I D AY, M AY 2
CHECK THE MOVIE DIRECTORY FOR THEATRE AND SHOWTIME INFORMATION.
FOR GROUP TICKET SALES INFORMATION CALL: 1-877-PAR-GRP5
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENTS – NO PASSES OR DISCOUNT TICKETS ACCEPTED
Text IRON to 33287 for showtimes and mobile content. Standard messaging rates apply.
COMPLIMENTARY PASSES
Insite Magazine
Thurs 5/1
1/4Pg
AlliedDc RL
&
Invite You and
a Guest to
a special
advance
screening of
on May 15 at
AMC Phipps
Plaza at 7:30pm
To receive a complimentary pass, simply visit
Chicago Nancy’s Pizza in midtown.
265 Ponce De Leon • Midtown
404-885-9199
Passes May be Picked up Tues–Thur from 2–6PM
No purchase necessary. One pass per person, each pass admits two. Tickets are limited and
available on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. Employees of all promotional
partners and their agencies are not eligible. Rated PG-13 for some violence and reckless behavior.
Opening in Atlanta on May 16!
FILM INTERVIEW
Veteran funnyman Cedric the Entertainer
starts taking his career seriously.
BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS
T
HERE’S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT THIS
guy. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly if it’s Cedric the
Entertainer’s wide grin or cuddly good looks that win
most over. For the writers in the Missouri comic’s immediate
proximity, it’s the colorful ensemble he’s wearing. Looking like
someone coming fresh from his first Easter pageant, Ced approaches the table in a pastel vest, shirt and tie that’s so clean,
so debonair, we can’t help but smile. Ceddie just has that kind
of effect on you. Clearly, casting directors feel the same way.
It doesn’t matter if Hollywood is working a gritty cop drama
(Street Kings), a family laugher (Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa)
or a cult classic remake (Back to School), Ced knows entertaining. When INsite sits the comedian down to talk movies, standup and kung-fu dancing, he’s still got it. And we still haven’t
stopped smiling…
Street Kings was a real dramatic role. Were you excited to get
it?
I definitely looked forward to being in that movie, especially
with so many great actors. You got the feel of it reading this
script. Also, it was this grimy, L.A. crime drama. Cops were bad.
I was like, “Ah, this would be a good look for me. This would be
something that’s a lil’ different and kinda unexpected.” To play
the street hustler dude, I thought was a fun role to do. And I got
killed in the movie.
Can you get used to a dramatic set?
Definitely. I’m doing Cadillac Records right now with Jeffrey
Wright and Adrien Brody. These guys are very [intense]. They
know their character’s history. In between, they’ll be talking
about it. They’ll be like, “You know, in 1949…” I’ll be like, “Yeah,
that’s good.” I kinda studied my character and get the nuances I
want to play. Then I’m like, “I’m done.” These guys are dot to dot:
“The hair is all wrong!” Jeffrey will be like, “Until I change my
hair, I’m not doing the scene!” You wonder why these guys are so
dope when you see them in the movie. I think it’s important for
me to learn this, especially with the opportunity of doing more
dramatic roles and stuff. I’m just kinda watching how these guys
work. With each stroke, they try to figure out what their characters are going through, just fine-lining it. On film it shows up. It
really does. The most minute thing will show up and you’re like,
“Whoa, that was perfect.” You gotta give that some props.
Aren’t you working on Ice Age 3?
No, I’m doing Madagascar 2. That sounds funny, right?
We’re doing Cadillac Records right now, too. I’m having fun directing my first movie. It’s an independent
comedy called Chicago Pulaski Jones. It’s a dance
movie mixed with kung-fu. It’s crazy. I’ve got
Kel Mitchell. He’s the lead. I got a lil’ cameo
in it. I got a lot of cool, young actors and
we’re having fun with it. It’s basically about
this guy who’s a hip hop dancer from
Chicago. They have their own special
kind of dance called juking. This guy
comes to a fictional Hollywood called
Hollybank to avenge his uncle’s death
from this crazy gang, villain dude that’s
taking over the city. He can’t fight unless he hears music. He creates this thing
called dance-fu. We’re having a great time with it.
It’s just some stuff that’s totally out the box. With the success of
all these dance movies, it parodies all the Step Up and Bringin’
Down the House movies. We dancin’ and fightin’ and doin’ flips.
I got some cool stunt choreography.
You’re also attached to a remake of Back to School. Where is
that?
It’s still a lil’ bit away. It’s a movie that was with the old MGM,
before they sold to Sony and took it back. They started developing a script for it. It was moving in the right direction. And
then, that [merger] process happened and it was put on the
backburner. It’s not really moving forward at this point. I got a
call on it. A couple of producers are thinking about picking it up
and figuring out how to get it made. Right now, it’s more or less
on the backburner.
Are you nervous about recreating a movie that so many people
grew up on?
It’s one of those films that people love. It’s got this cult following. It is what it is. And it seems like with remakes lately,
they just don’t win out. I think you either have to take a totally
different idea and try to do it in the spirit of that movie and
create something totally different or if you just try to do a
modern version, it just hasn’t been working out, film-wise. I feel
that way with The Honeymooners. I feel it was a good movie
but we missed trying to capture [everything]. I’m not real sure
about it. I thought we had a real good take on [Back to School].
It was fun. It was modern. I was a guy who owned a store with
commodes and stuff and, basically, turned it into like a Home
Depot. I became successful, but my son didn’t really want to be
in the business. He goes to school. It was this whole self-made
millionaire situation.
He was one of the success stories. As he matured, he was able
to understand about his publishings a lil’ before he died. He
knew that he couldn’t just say that he wanted to keep his own
publishing so he told the record company that he owed [money]
to these gangsters and he made up this name. He made up this
publishing company and let his record label think these gangsters owned him. They never challenged it.
That’s pretty slick.
Yeah, it was. They just weren’t letting people keep their
records. Mos Def is playing Chuck Berry. Chuck Berry was the
other one that came on to this record label and changed the
music landscape again for these guys. Jeffrey Wright is playing
Muddy Waters. Adrien Brody is Leonard Chess. Beyonce is in
the movie as Etta James. We’re having a great time with it, too.
Did he play delta blues?
He played bass, the upright bass. That was his thing. He did
stuff like “Hoochie Coochie Man” and “Backdoor Man” and…
“I’m a Man.” You had a lot to prove back then. All right, brutha.
Ced, who are some of the younger comedians
that excite you right now?
I mean, obviously, Katt Williams is hot. It’s a
few people. I mean, the young cat who opens
up for me. His name is JJ, Jeremiah Williamson.
He’s out of Mississippi but he lives in Atlanta.
He’s very funny guy. Rodney Perry [is funny].
There are a few guys that got some pop, some
flair, and they’re trying to make a name for
themselves. It’s definitely different, even watching this season of Def Comedy Jam. I think comedy has changed so much that it feels the same,
like with the subject matter and what people are
talking about. Even if they have a fresh take on
it, you don’t really see someone with what you’d call breakout
potential. With that being said, there are still a lot of people that
are really good and are funny to watch on stage.
I DEFINITELY CONSIDER (THE STAGE) A
YOUNG MAN’S SPORT. I’M GETTING READY
TO GO OUT AND DO SOME CLUB WORK AND
TRY TO WRITE SOME NEW MATERIAL
TO AT LEAST BE READY IF THE
DEAL COMES DOWN. I GOTTA BE
READY TO THROW SOME BOMBS
OUT THERE, YOU KNOW?
What’s going on with Cadillac
Records?
I play a guy named Willie Dixon. He was a bass player, and
he wrote a lot of those big blues songs. He was actually one of
the main guys. At the end of his career, they sued the record
label and got a lot of his publishing back. A lot of those songs
like “The Rolling Stones” -which The Rolling Stones named
themselves after- and a lot of those songs that big bands had
remade, [he got recouped for them so] he ended up dying a
pretty rich man. But because they were Mississippi men doing
the blues early in their career, they were paid in Cadillacs. That’s
the whole thing. The guy would give them a lil’ bit of money and
buy them new Cadillacs. As long as you looked good and had
a couple of thousand dollars in your pocket, that’s what they
wanted. Blues was rock ‘n roll but country—with harmonicas.
You still like to get on stage?
I still do it. I definitely consider it a young man’s sport. It’s
some talk of us doing a Kings of Comedy 2. I’m getting ready to
go out and do some club work and try to write some new material to at least be ready if the deal comes down. I gotta be ready
to throw some bombs out there, you know? I’mma start in April,
doing some club dates around the country. I call them “the gym.”
I gotta get back in the gym, throw some punches. I’ll go to Columbus, Ohio and if it don’t work out, nobody will hear about it.
People in Columbus will be like, “He didn’t do that good here.”
Folks be like, “Nobody believe y’all. Shut up!”
Vidiots
This month’s DVD
& VHS Releases
CASSANDRA’S DREAM – Brothers Ian (Ewan
McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell) are normal men
who come into dire circumstances. In past Allen films
it was women, but this time around it’s money. Their
rich uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) has a proposition for them: kill an innocent man so he can’t testify
against Howard and, in turn, he’ll grant them happy
futures. Thus the conflict we’ve seen before: is your
life worth more than another’s? And if you’ve seen the
previous two Woody Allen films using this plot, you
already know how the morality play will turn out. Grade
D MG
CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR – Charlie Wilson (Tom
Hanks) was a real-life congressman who, when he
learned of the mujahadeen fighting the Russians in Afghanistan, saw a way to help by covertly supplying them
with weapons. His resolve is strengthened when he visits the war-ravaged country and realizes this isn’t just
some nebulous fight of Capitalism versus Communism,
but a war hurting innocent people. With the help of a
powerful neo-conservative Texan (Julia Roberts) and a
no-bullshit CIA agent (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) he
starts a chain of events that lead to the fall of the USSR.
For Aaron Sorkin fans, Charlie Wilson’s War is a must–
a highly enjoyable movie that proves you don’t have to
appeal to the lowest common denominator to engage
everyone’s hearts and minds. Grade B+ MG
PICKS OF THE MONTH
THE DIVING BELL &
THE BUTTERFLY
It’s safe to say there’s never been
another film quite like director
Julian Schnabel’s adaptation
of former French ELLE editor
Jean-Dominique Bauby’s memoir. After suffering a stroke and
being paralyzed by “locked in
syndrome” at age 43, Bauby
(Mathieu Amalric) could only
communicate by blinking his
eye, dictating his story to a
string of gorgeous women. Using first-person perspective
and the genius cinematography
of Janusz Kaminski, Schnabel
captures the wonderland inside
Bauby’s mind, where dreams
and consciousness blur and collide and past and present merge,
all of narrated by Bauby’s lifeaffirming monologues. Don’t let
the subtitles scare you away! BL
THE GREAT DEBATERS – Denzel Washington’s heartwarming directorial follow-up to Antwone Fisher, The
Great Debaters treks deep into Marshall, Texas, and
finds the true story of the Wiley College debate team
coach (Washington) and his three courageous black
students, played by Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett and
Denzel Whitaker. With the stench of racial injustice
rampant in 1935, the pupils stand up to oratory challenges from the likes of Harvard. Some will discount
this family drama as a mere follow-up to Glory Road,
Pride or other predictable period pictures, but we haven’t
ached so hard for characters to overcome obstacles and
emerge victorious in years. Grade A- DW
MAD MONEY – Bridget Cardigan (Diane Keaton), the
wife of a once-successful businessman (Ted Danson), is
a flat-broke socialite trying to keep her family together after hubby loses his job. Nina (Queen Latifah) is a
hard-working single mom, while Jackie (Katie Holmes)
is a free-spirited woman up for anything. When money
woes relegate Bridget to being a janitor at the Federal
Reserve in Kansas City, their partnership in crime begins. Bridget’s ploy to rob the joint of used-up bills the
government was going to shred has more holes in it than
the Chiefs’ offensive line, but the movie ultimately finds
a way to make it work. Grade C+ DW
I’M NOT THERE
The biopic needed writer/director Todd Haynes to come
along with I’m Not There,
slap it across the face, and say,
“Hey! You want to show some
respect? Watch and learn.”
Haynes realized with his study
of Bob Dylan that it’s not necessarily about improvisation,
but internalization. And with
a man as rich and complex as
Dylan, you need six actors and
six stories to honestly explore
the depths of a man known as a
radical, poet, joker, thief, drifter, outlaw and more (or less).
Even if Haynes’ experiment
hadn’t paid off, it was an effort
worthy of Dylan. MG
NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS – Benjamin
(Nicolas Cage) and Patrick (Jon Voight) Gates are giving
a friendly lecture about their ancestor when Ed Harris
tells everyone he has proof that Thomas Gates was possibly the mastermind of the Lincoln assassination. The
hunt to clear Ben’s great-grandfather’s name produces a
chain of clues leading to a city of gold. While its history
may never be 100% true and there’s a sickening amount
of product placement, everyone is clearly having a lot of
fun (they could give Helen Mirren, as Ben’s mom, more
to do) and comic relief Justin Bartha once again steals
scenes as the lovable Riley Poole. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Jon Turtletaub know exactly what
makes this franchise work, and there’s a clear set-up for
a third movie. It may not be better than the other two,
but when the films are this fun, it doesn’t have to be.
Grade B MG
OVER HER DEAD BODY – Kate (Eva Longoria) and
Henry (Paul Rudd) are about to be married, but on their
wedding day Kate is crushed by an ice sculpture of an
angel. One year later, Henry still isn’t over the loss, so
his sister Chloe (Lindsay Sloane) decides to take him to
a psychic in an attempt to help Henry move on with his
life. The psychic, Ashley (Lake Bell), ends up falling for
Henry, much to the chagrin of ghost-Kate, who proceeds
to torment Ashley in an attempt to “protect” Henry. It’s
not that Over Her Dead Body is a bad movie: Eva Longoria is funny and Paul Rudd is, as always, the greatest.
Unfortunately, while you and your significant other may
be amused during the movie, you’ll forget what you just
saw the moment the DVD stops spinning. Grade D MG
FILM INTERVIEW
BLUEBERRY THRILL- Director Wong Kar Wai On Norah Jones,
Music and His English-Langauge Debut
BY MATT GOLDBERG
W
RITER/DIRECTOR WONG KAR
Wai is a giant of Hong Kong cinema with his films creating a loyal
following of cineastes who are entranced by
his brilliant meditations on love and loneliness
conveyed by nuanced performances, signature
music and singular visuals. We spoke with Mr.
Wong about his American debut, My Blueberry
Nights, and the challenges and opportunities in
presenting his storytelling to a wider audience
and a different culture.
What is it about the themes of love, loneliness
and betrayal that keep bringing you back to
explore them?
I think with My Blueberry Nights it’s a story of
letting go. The whole film is to show that we, at
certain points in our lives, have to cross off an
event that’s happened in the past but isn’t working anymore. It applies not only to relationships
but to obsessions.
With this film you have three Oscar nominees,
but you also have Norah Jones making her
debut. How did you settle on her to lead this
ensemble?
The process was quite straightforward. The
ideas of this film first started when I had a meeting with Norah in New York. We were talking
about making a film together and this project
is something neither of us had done before.
For her, it was acting and for me it was my first
English-language film. And from there, I have
to find her three partners. It’s like a song. Norah is one tune and this cast is another tune, and
the question is how to bring the harmony out.
This isn’t only your first English-language film,
but you go across America, from New York to
Memphis to Reno. What was your experience
in capturing these different places?
Because this was my first film shot in America
and we all know that wherever we go there
are always different American cultures in our
minds, I think the job is to revisit these fragments and pay and homage to it. So one of the
reasons I shot in Memphis is because the piece
generated and it’s the hometown of Tennessee
Williams and we can see all these references
to his plays like A Streetcar Named Desire and
the great plays took place in this town. And so
the reason I shot in Memphis is to pay homage
to this place. And also in New York, which is
the most familiar station I know in the United
States, you can see big references and the diner
basically reminds me of the painting Nighthawks and the West Coast with Nevada and
Vegas remind me of different things. So during
this journey, you have so many references and
I think America, the country actually, is the
best showcase for American cultures. It’s just
so steeped in history and it’s a very hard choice
when you see the potential of which references
to keep.
You have such a great ear for music, and I was
wondering how you choose songs for your films.
Norah played a very important part in this.
Before shooting I took three trips across the
country; me, my DP, and my location managers,
would just get a car and drove like fifteen hours
a day. And before that, we knew we had noth-
ing to do in a car so I asked Norah if there was
any music you might want to recommend and
so she recommend Cat Power and Frankie Williams and during the trips the soundtrack of this
film was already decided. Like we come to these
cities and they have their own collective music
genre and then for the film, this music gives a
very good reference to the place.
When putting the cast together, did you test
the music to see if played well with their scenes
and interactions?
I’m not worried if the instrument sounds right
because these actors are the best in generations
but as a director, we have to figure out how to
put them in the right harmony. And so that’s
why I spoke with Jude [Law] because he was the
first one we started with and he’s like a musician
so he knew how to go with the rhythm and the
backing. But at the same time, it’s new elements
because when you’re working with actors for the
first time, there’s no reference and they bring
new energies, actors like Jude and Natalie [Portman]. And at the end, I’m really happy about it.
What was the experience like of making an
English-language film as opposed to your
previous work?
At first I thought it was a vacation. The
production is very schedule. I thought it’s going
to be a piece of cake but it’s not. But I have to
know everything from scratch with new systems
and a brand new crew. It was an exciting experience.
What did you take away from this experience?
I think it’s in the film. In a way this film is
almost a personal documentary of myself. Each
character represents certain aspects of my
personal status.
CONCERT
CALENDER
��
�� Zoso
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�� Anna Kramer & the Lost Cause
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�� The NEC, Double Dynamite
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�� Trotline
�� 500 Songs for Kids (100-51)
�� Gringo Star
�� Faubli Brothers
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��
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�� Aclarion
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�� Caroline Aiken
�� Larry Griffith
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�� Era of Diversion
�� Curiosity Shoppe
�� 500 Songs for Kids (50-1)
�� Bishop Don, Novah
�� Mindless Self Indulgence
�� The Party Kings
��
�� Van Halen
�� The Cave Singers
�� The Lovell Sisters
�� T Bone Smith
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�� Francisco Vidal & Friends
��
�� Ski Club
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�� Uh Huh Her
Tues & Thurs: Trivia 8pm
Wednesdays: Texas Hold ‘em
KanYe West @��(5-4)
��
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�� Chicken & Pigs
�� 500 Songs for Kids (350-301)
�� Little Feat, Hot Tuna
LIVE MUSIC TUES–SUN
Every Wednesday
THE MIKE VEAL BAND
Every Sunday
THE FRANSISCO VIDAL BAND
Thursday, May 8
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Friday, May 9
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Saturday, May 10
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W/ LIVE MUSIC FEAT THE PARTY KINGS
Thursday, May 15
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Friday, May 16
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Saturday, May 17
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Friday, May 23
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Saturday, May 24
BRIAN WILTSEY & GARETH ASHER
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�� Morning State
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��
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�� Hipnotic Unplugged
�� Langhorne Slim
�� I Nine
�� Crosstown Allstars
�� Open Mic Jam
�� As Blood Runs Black
�� 500 Songs for Kids (250-201)
�� Stereo Type
�� Mason Jennings
��
�� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam
�� Club of Rome
�� Edie Carey
�� Frankie’s Blues Mission
�� Alyse Black
�� Rocket to Ruin
�� DJ Tubby Style
�� 500 Songs for Kids (200-151)
�� Riddle of Steel
�� Mike Veal Band
�� Big Time Entertainment
��
�� Philharmonic Jazz
�� Blood on the Wall
�� Ferron w/ Bitch
�� Open Mic Jam
�� God Forbid, Death Angel
�� Airspace
�� The Flying Oatsmen
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��
�� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam�
�� The Dead Science
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�� My Life w/ the Trill Kill Kult
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��
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EAGLES
STEVE MILLER BAND
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CELEBRATION
TOM PETTY & THE
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Joe Cocker
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June
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~
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�� Hatebreed & Type O NegativeJuly 12 ~ 8:00pm
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Robert Spano, conductor
��
Charlie
June
11 ~Louvin
8:00pm
Robert McDuffie, violin
�� The Radio Ramblers
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July 20 ~ 8:00pm
The Sam
YahelofOrgan
Trio States of America
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Presidents
the United
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JuneMcHugh
21 ~ 6:30pm
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July 22 ~ 8:00pm
Keller Williams
�� Sean McConnell
STEVIE NICKS
ALL TCHAIKOVSKY
STEELY DAN
moe.
FOREIGNER
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RUSH
PUCCINI’S
LA BOHEME
STEVE MILLER BAND
Joe Cocker
June 21 ~ 6:30pm
Keller Williams
July 22 ~ 8:00pm
June 28 ~ 8:00pm
RUSH
BEETHOVEN’S BEST
July 26 ~ 8:00pm
August 16 ~ 8:00pm
TURNER CLASSIC
MOVIES
with host Robert Osborne
Richard Kaufman, conductor
August 17 ~ 8:00pm
BOSTON/STYX
PUCCINI’S
LA BOHEME
Dejan Lazic, piano
ROD STEWART
More shows to be announced
Tickets for moe. also available M-F at the Variety Playhouse (1099 Euclid Avenue) without service charge.
vzwamp.com
Amphitheatre is conveniently located off GA-400 in Alpharetta.
SINGLE
TICKETS
ON SALE
MAY 12TH!
featuring
PAULA COLE
Saturday, June 14
Wednesday, June 18
Wednesday, July 16
MELISSA
ETHERIDGE
Friday, June 20
with ASO
A Tribute to the Music of
Nat King Cole
EARL KLUGH
with ASO
SOUL ASYLUM/
GIN BLOSSOMS
Wednesday, July 9
Reserved Seating. No Tables, No Coolers or Carry Ins.
THE BEACH BOYS
with ASO
Wednesday, August 13
G. LOVE &
SPECIAL SAUCE
THE JON BUTLER TRIO
Friday, July 25
Friday, August 22
JILL SCOTT
SAM BUSH
Wednesday, July 2
Saturday, August 9
BOYZ II MEN/
MORRIS DAY &
THE TIME
SISTER HAZEL
Wednesday, July 30
Friday, June 27
BOZ SCAGGS
An Evening with
Saturday, July 19
KENNY G
with ASO
plus special guest
Saturday, June 28
COREY SMITH
GIPSY KINGS
Saturday, June 21
featuring
JACK BRUCE of Cream,
ERIC BURDON &
THE ANIMALS,
THE TURTLES featuring
Flo & Eddie, MELANIE,
BADFINGER featuring
Joey Molland,
JONATHAN EDWARDS
Friday, August 8
RHETT AKINS
BRANTLEY GILBERT
GEORGE BENSON
HIPPIEFEST
IDINA MENZEL
Friday, July 18
August 16 ~ 8:00pm
Saturday, July 12
MICHAEL
MCDONALD/
AL GREEN
FRANKIE VALLI &
THE FOUR SEASONS
EDWIN McCAIN
BAND
THE TEMPTATIONS/
THE FOUR TOPS
with ASO
Saturday, August 23
HOOTIE &
THE BLOWFISH
REGENERATION
TOUR
DREW DAVIS BAND
Friday, August 1
featuring
THE HUMAN LEAGUE,
BELINDA CARLISLE, ABC,
A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS,
NAKED EYES
CROSBY, STILLS
& NASH
Saturday, August 2
THE KICKIN’
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PARTY
Friday, August 29
INDIGO GIRLS
Saturday, September 13
TRACE ADKINS
featuring MARTY STUART,
DEL McCOURY BAND,
DOYLE LAWSON
404.733.4848
Friday, July 11
Wednesday, August 6
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RONNIE MILSAP
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An Evening with
R
August 27 ~ 8:00pm
CHRIS BOTTI
JUNE
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July 20 ~ 8:00pm
moe.
Garrick Ohlsson, piano
ROD STEWART
AN EVENING OF
ROMANCE
Robert McDuffie, violin
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August 8 ~ 8:00pm
ALL TCHAIKOVSKY
The Sam Yahel Organ Trio
AN EVENING OF
ROMANCE
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July 12 ~ 8:00pm
STEELY DAN
EMMYLOU HARRIS
August 17 ~ 8:00pm
August 4 ~ 8:00pm
TOM PETTY & THE
HEARTBREAKERS
June 11 ~ 8:00pm
ON SALE
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Julie Andrews, host
July 9 ~ 8:00pm
June 10 ~ 8:00pm
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August 8 ~ 8:00pm
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JULIE ANDREWS “THE GIFT OF MUSIC”
Steve Winwood
Wednesday, June 25
with host Robert Osborne
ALL-AMERICAN
CELEBRATION
T
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presents
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June 28 ~ 8:00pm
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July 26 ~ 8:00pm
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August 27 ~ 8:00pm
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Stand
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conductor
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More shows to be announced
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vzwamp.com
Amphitheatre is conveniently located off GA-400 in Alpharetta.
BEETHOVEN’S BEST
97.1 The River
JULIE ANDREWS “THE GIFT OF MUSIC”
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August 2 ~ 8:00pm
AUGUST
MAY 10
July 4 ~ 6:00pm
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��
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CELEBRATE
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| 8pm
Saturday,
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Join the Atlanta
Symphony Orchestra at its �� SWEAT
Marcus Roberts Trio
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Dying Fetus
Brewer, soprano
INAUGURAL
CONCERT at the new
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DJ Tubby Style
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Slim & the
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Elizabeth
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Verizon
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Praff Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park in
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Veal Band Opening Night features the ASO,
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The spectacular
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Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra and Chorus
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& Hellmouth
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Malone
guests
and an incredible finale with over 750 musicians!
Atlanta Symphony
Youth Orchestra
�� Rough Draft
Join the Pre-Concert Party at 5:15pm.
Alpharetta and Milton
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High Marching Bands
$25 includes hors d’oeuvres & drinks!
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July 4 ~ ��
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20 ~ 8:00pm
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May 26 ~ 8:00pm
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August
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14
16
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Christine Brewer, soprano
Elizabeth Bishop, mezzo-soprano
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Gordon Hawkins, baritone
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Atlanta Symphony
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May
May
May
May
��
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Join the Pre-Concert Party at 5:15pm.
��
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�� Open Mic Jam
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��
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�� Augustana
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INAUGURAL CONCERT at the new
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The spectacular Opening Night features the ASO, acclaimed
guests and an incredible finale with over 750 musicians!
��
�� Fred Eaglesmith
�� Nine Inch Neils
Radiohead @��(5-8)
��
�� Laura Veins
�� Bain Mattox
�� T Bone Smith
�� Osmose
�� Objec, Loose Cannon
GRAND OPENING!
JULY
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�� The Working Title
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�� Brian Wiltsey, Hank Barbee
SEPT.
��
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�� The Bonaventure Quartet
�� T Bone Smith
�� Wade in the Rythm
�� Francine Reed
AUGUST
ath Angel
�� Brian Wiltsey & Gareth Asher
�� Asleep at the Wheel
�� Stokeswood
�� Joe Nichols
JULY
y Concert
�� Paramore, Meese
�� Az Izz
�� Ancient Harmony
�� The Clutters
�� Educators
�� School of Rock – The Wall
Groups of 15 or more
CALL
��
Tickets also available at the Woodruff Arts Center box office, 404.733.5000. Concerts take place rain or shine. Artists and schedules are subject to change. All sales final. No exchanges or refunds.
Delta Classic Chastain Concerts at Chastain Park Amphitheater brought to you by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Promoter.
Delta
Road
Warriors
This Month’s Hottest Shows
BY JOHN DAVIDSON
BON JOVI
MIKE NESS
(May 1, Philips
Arena)
If the previous
night of
suburban
throwdown at
Philips didn’t
shake your
faith in the
taste of your parents, then surely this event
will. There’s no doubting the relevance or
even the importance of Bon Jovi circa 1986;
it’s just the rest of the next 20 years that we
have a hard time grasping. And that’s why we
hope that this Jersey crew will stick to the
core of Slippery When Wet.
RADIOHEAD
(5/8, Lakewood Amphitheatre)
If you were
one of the
lucky ones
who snatched
tickets to this
show before
it sold out in
an hour, then
you already
know that
Radiohead’s electronic fiddlings a la Kid A
hardly prevents this band from being one
of the best touring acts of the summer.
Plus, with solid songs from last year’s
In Rainbows, Radiohead seems open to
reinvigorating their rock roots.
(5/9, Variety Playhouse)
It’s been a long time since Ness was in town
but this weathered troubadour is always a
welcome guest. Though lacking the fury
of his band Social Distortion, Ness is an
entertaining songwriter who’s survived a
very memorable punk lifestyle and morphed
well into rough-hewn country and blues.
He’s Waylon Jennings with street cred and
twice the attitude.
THE HIVES
(5/15, Center
Stage)
A product
of their own
hype, the
Hives have
turned into
nobodies and
underscored
the fickle
nature of the
Internet. Not really sure why, as the new
album The Black And White Album is a
bomb-chucker like the rest of the work in
their catalog. But this band has clearly lost
momentum with fans and favor with critics;
maybe their cocksure attitude finally did
them in. Their fifteen minutes are long over.
MIRANDA LAMBERT W/DIERKS
BENTLEY
(5/16, Lakewood Amphitheatre)
We smelled it coming last year, but with the
enormous amount of music festivals clogging
the concert calendar, it appears that this
year marketers have finally gone overboard
in their desperation to revive the concert
business. Lambert and Bentley, two rising
country stars whose excellent work warrants
their platinum selling status, hit this Friday
night event with more stars to follow on
the weekend. But how many more packaged
weekends like this, what with abbreviated
setlists and shed seating and parking hassles,
can the concert-going public stomach?d
ERYKAH BADU W/THE ROOTS
(5/23, Fox
Theatre)
Erykah Badu
and The Roots
continue
to make
ambitious
statements
of artistic
value long
after their
commercial appeal has become less obvious.
More than a decade into her career, Badu
has shrugged off most of the Billie Holliday
comparisons and settled well into a jazz
influenced R&B sound; the Roots have
survived twice that long despite numerous
lineup changes, solo efforts, and a shifting
musical landscape that doesn’t seem to
reward creativity like it used to. Put these
two in the Fox and you have yourself a great
night out.
THE CLINIC
(5/25, The
Earl)
Clinic’s buzz-originally
tapped when
they opened
for Radiohead
a half-dozen
years ago-has abated
and now they’re just another elliptical
art-rock band who can’t shake their affinity
for loopy beats and jagged guitars. The
WE GOT NEXT
AGAINST
ME!
GAINST ME! IS NOT YOUR
typical Top 40 punk band. They write
songs about international injustice, not
bitter high school breakups. They don’t share an
eyeliner pencil backstage, and it’s hard to imagine a
single band member squeezing into a pair of ladies’
jeans. Though they’re clearly not afraid of melodies,
the band doesn’t write traditional radio-friendly
jams either
So it was more than sweet justice to see their
latest record, ”New Wave,” take over the world last
ALICIA KEYS
(5/28, Philips Arena)
Music
Industry
legend Clive
Davis signed
this big talent
in the infancy
of his vanity
record label
and spent
millions to
promote Keys.
It all paid off, and in the end Songs In the
Key of Life was a pretty deserving album, at
least as far as the Grammy Awards go. The
odd part is that while Keys is a child of the
hip hop generation, her music seems more
fresh to middle brow adults—the music she
makes seems pretty tame given what most
people her age listen to. Better safe than
sorry, indeed.
THE
KILLS
(5/28, The
Earl)
The White
Stripes not
only inspired
a garage
blues revival,
they’ve also
proven that a duo is a marketable touring
act concept. Like a smaller version of Royal
Trux, the Kills pillage the gutter of rock with
loud abandon and an abrasive sneer that sort
of dares you not to like them. This year’s
Midnight Boom is like a big slug of Wild
Turkey--hard to swallow but worth the buzz.
Artists on the verge
of making it big
Latest Project:
New Wave (Sire)
Why You Should Care: Because they write songs with intelligent sociopolitical themes
instead of moaning about high school crushes and breakups.
For Fans of:
Billy Bragg, Bad Religion, O’Pioneers!!!
BY JOHN B. MOORE
W
new album Do It! is basically more of the
same, or in this case, more of doing things
outside the mainstream. A decade in, they’ve
not abandoned their formula or creative
pursuits but they seem to be stuck looking
for something that the Velvet Underground
never found either: commercial acceptance.
December. From the Billboard charts to year-end
critics’ lists, Against Me! let the rest of the world in
on one of the best kept secrets in punk-rock. The
band is back in town May 17, headlining the SoCo
Music Experience at Centennial Olympic Park, and
frontman Tom Gabel spoke with us recently about
the upcoming show, being on the road and politics.
the year. Then we’ll take a break.
Anything you do to keep from going insane after
being on the road for so long?
I read a lot. I also write. When I need to let off
some steam, I’ll have a drink.
Is there a different vibe playing big outdoor festivals versus the traditional club or theater shows?
Of course there’s a different vibe. It’s two totally
different things. Completely different circumstances
and a completely different environment. With a
club or theatre show, it’s your show, with your fans
attending. Festival shows can be hundreds of bands,
each drawing their own type of fan. A lot of the time
with festivals you’re playing on a rented backline and
you don’t get a sound check, so there’s a lot more
chances for things to go wrong. At the same time it’s
a chance for you to play for people who may never
have heard of you before, and I think people are
more accepting of things going wrong at a festival.
Obviously some of the songs on the last couple of
records have dealt with the Bush administration
and the war in Iraq. As a songwriter, do you think
there will be less fodder if a democrat gets elected
in Nov.?
Personally I see a Democrat getting elected as the
lesser of two evils. I’m not a Democrat. I think that
regardless of which party is in power, there are huge
problems with the current system we have. I don’t
really look at the Bush administration as “fodder”
for songwriting. I write about things that make me
happy, I write about things that make angry. The
Bush administration has done many things that have
made me angry. I’ve used songwriting as an outlet to
vent that frustration.
What other festivals are you playing this summer?
We’re playing Bonnaroo and the Warped Tour.
We’re also playing the Summer Sonic Festival in
Japan, and Rock In Ring, Rock In Park, which are
two German fests.
Does it bother you to be called a political band?
It doesn’t bother me, but it’s not something that
I would be upset about if we weren’t referred to as
either. I just see the title as a result of people having
the need to endlessly categorize things.
Seems like you’ve been on the road forever. When
will you get some time off from touring?
We’ll be done touring for this record by the end of
Are you, as a band, doing anything to get voters to
the polls to vote this year?
We recorded a PSA for the Rock The Vote
Organization. It will be broadcast on TV stations
nation wide, and the Internet. We’ve put a link on
our website to Rock The Vote encouraging people to
vote. Hopefully we’ll be doing other stuff as well the
closer we get to the election.
Is there a candidate you’re supporting?
We’re not supporting McCain.
Have you started writing songs for the next record
yet?
I’m always writing.
As you’ve gotten bigger as a band, do you get a lot
of kids handing you their record at the shows? Are
you impressed by what you get?
We definitely get handed a lot of CDs. More and
more these days though it seems like the trend is
for people to send e-mails asking you to check out
their band via MySpace. We’re usually more likely to
listen to a CD then take the time to go to someone’s
MySpace page. Most of the time we’re not that impressed, but every once in a while there’s a gem.
Any advice to bands who are just now starting out?
Don’t be concerned what other bands think about
your own. Don’t be concerned with what anyone
else thinks, period. Be sure on your own that you’re
excited about what you’re doing, then pursue it.
Never take no for an answer. Be willing to play
anywhere, anytime, for anyone, under any circumstances. The most important thing you can do is
enjoy what you’re doing.
POP CULTURE
SON OF SPITE!
MUSIC INTERVIEW
©™ Weighing the Pros and ‘The
BY AT RISK TEEN (AKA LA
SEXORCISTO, AKA BLUE SULLIVAN)
H
ELLO, AGAIN! HOW HAVE YOU
been? A little greyer around the temples,
perhaps, but you look good. Great to see
you, thanks for coming out.
That gets the niceties out of the way for the two or
three of you who may remember this column in its
original incarnation, about two thousand years ago.
Actually it’s a little more than a decade since Spite! ©™
graced these hallowed pages, but in pop culture terms
it might as well have preceded the birth of Christ.
To put in perspective
just how long ago it was,
consider the following:
1) When Spite! began,
“the kids” were still getting
their music at cryptic
ancient monoliths known
as “record stores.”
2) Radiohead was only
known as that band who
made the song “Creep.”
3) Spin magazine was still
rating their albums on a 3
color system. (This, coincidentally, was the last time
the magazine was relevant.)
4) Rolling Stone was
championing a hot new
sound fusing “rock” & “rap.”
5) People still used the
term, “rap” (that’s what they called “hip hop” in the
olden days, kids!)
6) “The Real World” was in the single digits (ah,
those halcyon days of yore!) & people still complained
about MTV not playing as much music anymore.
Anyway, after a long, hazy sabbatical in Los Angeles,
Spite! returns a little older, a parsec wiser, and still
soaked to the bone in bile, disbelief & righteous anger.
Thus begins the new purification of demons, as we
hold a finger in the wind & take stock of what you
whippersnappers are “into” these days, starting with
a half-hazard cross section of the “singles” of the year
2007, as disseminated by the few members of the
critical zeitgeist (NME, Pitchfork) I can be bothered to
read in my old age.
Trax, yo:
THE TEENAGERS  “HOMECOMING”
The third best single of the year! This, according to
the once reliable NME’s list for 2007, is the sound of
Now. If true, then this is the Rapture (see: the biblical holocaust signaling the end times, not the band
of indie-disco fossils that everyone “loved” for 20
minutes in 2002). Yes, the hipsters have inherited the
earth, and this is their anthem. Bearing the noxious
aftertaste of cocaine & that special brand of French
self-satisfaction, “Homecoming” details a he-said/
she-said post-mortem
of a summer fling
between a feckless
American sorority
MIA
queen & the most punchable Frenchman in recorded
history. She details the sweeping majesty of a London
romance with a “sexy rocker in stove pipe jeans.”
While he sniggers about how “I fucked an American
cunt.” Lovely stuff, played out over “push this key on
Ableton Live” indie beats and feeling every bit like
the death of the soul in 3 minutes. Conceptually, this
was a cute idea 5 years ago when the Onion did an
identical point-counterpoint Op-ed in its magazine. But that was five years ago & had the benefit
of novelty, piquant insight & the caustic brilliance of
great satire. This is a depressing compendium of the
worst instincts of hipster
scum everywhere (see: toxic
THE TEENAGERS misogyny, America-bashing
& the full-bore fellatio of the
worst cliches about women,
Americans & anything else
related to love & sex in our
new century.) It may sound
like an overstatement, but
I cannot fathom a more
contemptible “novelty”
track coming out in the
next millenium, much less
century. Still haven’t gotten
the picture? Then imagine
Eli Roth’s soundtrack for a
ketamine-fueled rape of a
Vegas call girl, while a million dead-eyed scenesters
snigger their approval. In
stove-pipe jeans.
BATTLES  “ATLAS”
This was Pitchfork’s second best single of the year,
and as much as I want to revolt against that ‘zine’s
parade of indie onanism, this song has the “fuck me,
what was that?!!?” quality that all great futurist pop
songs have (see Missy Elliott, “Work It” or Squarepusher’s “My Red Hot Car”). Electro but not dance,
indie but not precious, this imagines what “Mexican
Radio” might sound like as remade by M.I.A. (see
single review below) or Aphex Twin. In other words,
absolutely f*cking ace.
BE YOUR OWN PET  “FIRE DEPARTMENT”
(or any other BYOP, frankly…)
It’s noisy, it’s shouty, it’s got plenty of energy & f*ck
if I know why I should care. There are lovely indie
girls out there right now, all sexy & reasonable people
I am sure, that would no doubt tear my eyes out and
set them on fire for saying this, but: (sing a long if you
know the words) Over. Rated. These kids look great
& talk a swell game. And the songs are nice enough, I
guess--just not nice enough to ever get me to hit “repeat.” Considering that I didn’t even pay for the sh*t
(soulseek makes me a more conscientious shopper!),
that isn’t much of an endorsement. But it’s as much as
I imagine BYOP will ever earn. Then again, the staff at
American Apparel have to listen to something, right?
MIA  “BOYZ” / SAUL WILLIAMS  “LIST OF
DEMANDS”
Two more for the FMWWT (see above review for
Battles) school of pop genius. The first is the standout
track on the most recent untouchable collection of
standout tracks by MIA (or as I have endearingly
dubbed her, Missy Rascal). The second is that song in
the “my better is better than your better” Nike ad that
has been inescapable during
March Madness. Both prove
that pop is better with really
f*cked up samples, murderous bass & evil heat. Put
these on your car stereo no
matter where you live, and
instantly your hometown is
12% less sh*t than you thought it
was. Now smile, as you’ve done
a good thing today. Next, give
this article to four people you
love, or eight people you despise. Finally, see Spite! again in
30 days for further instruction.*
Con’: An Interview with Tegan
Quin of Tegan and Sara
BY JON LATHAM
W
ITH THE RELEASE OF LAST
year’s dark-themed album, The Con,
Canadian-born duo Tegan and Sara
have evolved into a true force to be reckoned with on
the indie scene. Having friends like Neil Young and
the New Pornographers in their corner doesn’t hurt,
either. This summer, Tegan and Sara have been invited
to join Cyndi Lauper’s ever-growing True Colors
tour, adding a touch of youth to a mature line-up of
mainstream talent. As Tegan Quin discusses, be it in
her music or the tour, there is always somewhere that
you can find individuality and hope.
Listening to The Con, it sounds like there was a
conscious breakaway from the polished sound of So
Jealous. Was there an effort on your part to do so or
was that the way the sound of the album naturally
progressed?
Sara and I did all of our [demos] prior to the record
and mapped out what we wanted in terms of parts
and what we wanted to sound like. Chris Walla [the
producer] was really influenced by our demos, as well.
After spending a couple of weeks [listening to] them,
he said he wanted to stay as close as possible to [the
sound of the demos]. We kind of liked the more “indie”
feel to it all. In the past our demos were so rough, we
were going into [the studio] with our own clean slate,
and the record just transformed as we recorded it.
Seeing how well the end product turned out, and, of
course with his Death Cab for Cutie duties still going
strong, is collaborating with Chris Walla something
you would both look at doing again?
Absolutely! We’ve already questioned Chris about
his availability for the next record. I love working with
[the same] producers a couple times in a row. Working
with Chris again would be amazing, because even with
the stuff that Sara and I are recording now is sounding
like [material] that he would want to work with. He is a
great producer because he is not just slapping his gloss
all over everything.
Lyrically, The Con is overall melancholy in its assessment of love. Is it safe to say that this is one of the
most brutally honest albums you have made?
In this case, I was in a very happy relationship for a
long time [that had just ended]. I was writing about
my anxiety and the anxiety of other people around
me, so it was the first time that I really tried to write
in the present tense. I was alone for the first time in
five years, living in this big house [with] a year off, and
I didn’t really know what to do with myself. I just felt
like I wasn’t making really good choices at the time, so
I had a lot of material to write from. Sara was writing
about the relation ship that she is in now. We also suffered from the loss of our grandmother while we were
out touring for ‘So Jealous’. She was like a second mom
to us, so it was a huge loss that we felt we didn’t have
time to properly grieve over. There are a lot of melancholy themes on the record, but I think the record
also has a lot of hope. Songs like “Call It Off” speak of
change, and change is always a positive thing, I think.
Does the sound of Tegan and Sara find influences
from other artists in the indie scene?
I think the most exciting thing, at this moment, is
that over the past few years, I have been more inspired
by us. It’s getting to the point where I don’t necessarily go to other artists or music to get inspired like I
used to. I used to need that inspiration; I used to need
that record to love and turn into my own inspiration,
whereas now I’m inspired when Sara sends me a new
song that she has written. I think it is giving us our
own sound; we are beginning to sound like us, instead
of sounding like a bunch of records [we’ve heard].
This year, you’ve joined the lineup for the second
annual True Colors tour, along with Cyndi Lauper,
the B-52’s and the Indigo Girls. There are so many
aspects of this tour in regards not only to the lineup’s
diversity, but to the cause as well. What are you looking forward to going into this tour and the continuing
accomplishments in the fight for human rights?
I think there is so much attention brought upon
gay rights when we talk about moving forward and
change. Marriage is important but it’s not just about
[gay marriage]. It’s about [the process] of adoption and
partners’ rights. Personally, I’m not looking to get married, but I do want the same rights as my heterosexual
friends who are living comfortably with their partner.
[This tour] sheds light on a demographic; our audience, for the most part, is a little younger and is a little
more progressive. With the True Colors tour, there
is a chance to [be exposed] to an older audience, past
generations that may have not had the same perspective or insight as to how things should be.
Is there inspiration drawn from the fact that the fight
for human rights is taking center stage in what will
certainly be an important election year in the U.S.?
Absolutely. Even as Canadians, the election is
extremely important. It is time for change in the U.S.,
[as it has been] for a long time. [The election] is upon
us now, and it is [important] that people know what
needs to change. What is great about this True Colors
tour is that it sheds light on so many important things.
There are so many important issues, [beyond gay
rights]. This tour [heralds] a season of change and artists talking about what they believe, which is exciting.
MUSIC
��
By B. Love, DeMarco Williams, John Davidson, John B. Moore, Matt Goldberg & Jon Latham
THE ROOTS – RISING DOWN (Def Jam) & ATMOSPHERE
– WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, YOU PAINT THAT
SHIT GOLD (Rhymesayers)
Will progressive rap for food
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WILLIE NELSON – ONE HELL OF A RIDE (Columbia/
Legacy)
Willie finally gets the boxed set treatment
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CENTRO-MATIC/SOUTH SAN GABRIEL – DUAL HAWKS
(Misra)
The split-single format gets super-sized
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THE T4 PROJECT – STORY-BASED CONCEPT ALBUM
(Mental)
Punk rock supergroup
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REM – ACCELERATE (Warner Bros.)
The original college rockers return for further THE REPLACEMENTS – SORRY MA, FORGOT TO TAKE OUT
THE TRASH/STINK/HOOTENANNY/LET IT BE (Rhino)
‘Reckoning’
The best in power trash
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BILLY BRAGG – MR. LOVE & JUSTICE (Anti-)
Working class punk anthems
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ESTELLE – SHINE (Homeschool/Atlantic) & ALGEBRA
– PURPOSE (Kedar Entertainment Group)
An ocean apart, two sistahs still sing from the heart
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THE CHAPIN SISTERS – LAKE BOTTOM (Plain)
Folk music in three-part harmony
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JIMMY EAT WORLD – BLEED AMERICAN Deluxe Edition
(Interscope)
Resurrection
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ALKALINE TRIO – GODDAMNIT [Remastered] (Asian
Man)
Punk-goth trio gets the reissue treatment
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THE BONAVENTURE QUARTET – THE SECRET SEDUCTION
OF THE GRAND POMPADOUR (Self Released)
Continental jazz with warmth and reverence
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MUSIC INTERVIEW
THE RETURN OF THE BODEANS
BY JOHN B. MOORE
F
OR MORE THAN TWO DECADES NOW, KURT
Neumann and Sam Llanas have been shouldering their
guitars from town to town, bringing bar rock to the
masses and never once being swayed by the sound of the moment.
Their commitment to straight -head rock, reminiscent of everyone from Springsteen to the Byrds,
has brought them some mainstream
attention over the years, most notably
when their song “Closer to Free” was
picked up as the theme song to the
popular TV show Party of Five. But
more importantly, their laid-back, nofrills sound has brought the band fans
in just about every corner of the world.
Though they no longer vie for magazine covers, the BoDeans continue
to release stellar albums. Their latest, Still, is no exception.
We recently spoke with Neumann and Llanas about the new
record, their long-time relationship with Burnett and staying
relevant after more than 20 years together.
You’ve been together now for 25 years, while most bands
can’t keep it together for five. What’s the secret to your
longevity?
Distance. It sounds funny, but the distance between Sam and
I helps us tolerate our differences. Yeah, different states.
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A
PLACE FOR GOOD MUSIC. IF
YOU’RE IN IT JUST TO GET
RICH THEN THAT’S THE
WRONG REASON.
Congratulations on the new record. It sounds great. Did you
work with T-Bone Burnett again on this one?
Yes, we did.
You guys have a long relationship with him. I assume he’s
pretty easy to work with?
Absolutely. He brings a real positive energy to everything, so
everything just flows.
At this point, does it get easier or harder to write a new record in comparison with when you were first getting started?
I think it’s about the same. It’s really about songwriting.
Sometimes you have a lot, and sometimes you don’t.
Have you ever worked on sideprojects without each other, or been
tempted to?
Sam and I both have released solo
projects. You can find them on our
website, www.bodeans.com.
Along with Still, you also have a new live album coming out
soon. This will be your second live record. Can you talk a
little about that record?
We actually have three live records out: “Joe Dirt Car,”
“Homebrewed” and “Live at the Fox Theatre in Boulder, CO.”
We are also going to release a live acoustic record later this
summer. We love the live records. We feel it’s what we do best.
And all the records, live or studio, are available at our website
if you can’t find them elsewhere.
I read that Bob Griffin officially left
the band not too long ago. Who is on
bass now?
We have been working with different players on bass for the last couple of years. I’m not sure
who will be with us on bass for the tour.
Is it hard adding in a new personality after working with the
same group of individuals for so long?
No, Sam and I started the band and have been the core for
all these years. You couldn’t have BoDeans without the two of
us.
The music business has obviously changed a lot since the
band first got together. Do you think that’s for the best or do
you think it will be harder for bands just now starting?
There will always be a place for good music. If you’re in it
just to get rich then that’s the wrong reason.
There seems to be less value placed on music now days. I
think it will cycle back around though. Music touches the
soul. It’s important for our culture.
MUSIC INTERVIEW
Instead of Treated, Indie Hip-Hop Champs EMC and Atmosphere Kept Getting Kicked.
With Two Amazing New Albums, the Crews Throw Some Return Punches.
that groove, that niche and our personalities really
clicked. It made that process that much easier.
BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS
E
MC’S THE SHOW IS ONE OF RAP’S
finest ‘08 entries for a host of reasons, the
main one being that its four crafty members
(Masta Ace, Wordsworth, Stricklin and Punchline)
spit like bored major leaguers in the dugout. (That’s
a good thing.) But another good thing about the
NYC supergroup’s super CD is that the underlying
theme –a workhorse rap group has to deal with a
shiesty concert promoter holding out on travel, per
diems and all the perks- played out in periodic little
skits never really gets old. (That’s a great thing.)
Atmosphere, the esteemed indie collective of rapper Slug and producer Ant, could have easily served
as the inspiration for the playful vignettes. Long
respected in the underground, the group has had
its share of broken industry promises and unfulfilled dreams. Hell, its new album ain’t called When
Life Gives You Lemons for nuthin’. Slug and EMC
(especially the battle-tested Masta Ace) will tell you:
This music stuff isn’t for the feint of heart. You’ve
gotta have talent. You’ve gotta have resilience. And
most importantly, you’ve gotta have some quality,
un-shiesty people working in your corner.
EMC
What are your thoughts
on the term “supergroup?”
Wordsworth: I like the
word because it gives
a sense of recognition,
integrity that we have with what we’ve been doing
musically. The people have been recognizing that we
put a lot of effort and energy into the lyrics and into
making a creative record and great songs as opposed
to just being four lyricists that got together. We’re
actually people that got together and have a concern
and pride in what we do.
Is it that pride that makes you four work out?
Wordsworth: What it is about us four is that we’re
more than just doing music together. We’re not four
MCs that met on the road and decided to do an album together. We toured with Ace on the road and
actually had to live with each other on the road for
a month or so. It becomes more than a rap group;
it’s like a brotherhood. As far as getting stuff done,
everybody gives you shit and discuss way more than
music. We talk about everything from sports to
family life. It’s really that brotherhood that keeps us
together.
Strick, would you echo those same thoughts?
Strick: I would definitely echo Words. We’ve had
so much experience together over the years. The fact
that we’re kinda on the same page when it comes
to music, the way we live our life, we pretty much
view life the same way. It just works. We found
Are things better or worse for independent artists
today compared to a few years back?
Strick: It definitely works to our advantage. I won’t
say if it’s better or worse. For smaller type groups
such as us and smaller labels like the one Ace started
–we won’t call him the label head ‘cuz he don’t really
like that- we all pitch in and do our own share to
make sure the label functions. As small as we are,
the internet is definitely a friend to us. We’re able
to reach our fans in Poland, Switzerland, Austria
and all over the world because of the internet, so
we can’t really turn our backs on it. It does have its
downfall, like as soon as we sent the album to our
publicist, a day later it was on the net. Those kinds
of things are unfortunate but it also kinda proves
that the people wanted the music. For us, it was kind
of a good thing. It’s bittersweet. We were kinda upset at first. How could somebody do that? But once
we got responses from the people, it worked towards our favor. As a whole, for independent groups
like ourselves it’s definitely better than worse.
Punchline: To add on to what Strick was saying, as
a artist, it doesn’t really affect us—especially coming
from the level that I’m at. I can’t say I received a
bunch of checks or anything from record companies
for record sales or anything like that. More or less,
it affects the business side. The downloading helps
with our shows and stuff. People get to know the
record and come out to shows. It gives you more
insight to what’s going on with the project. They get
to see Youtube stuff and video footage. It just helps
the artist, as far as getting his project out there and
cuttin’ through the BS and stuff like that.
How frustrating is it as artists seeing menial,
surface stuff getting most of the mainstream attention?
Wordsworth: I don’t really see nothing too wrong
with it. It’s just not a fair playing field. 106 & Park
is more aimed at the young kids in the junior high
schools and high schools, so some of those songs are
just pertaining to them. The thing that I see that I
do think is wrong is that most of the songs deal with
telling a woman to dance a certain way. I think it’s
too oversaturated with just telling a woman to shake
something. Every single deals with telling a woman
to do something instead of just being a record more
creative than that. It be like five videos in a row on
the same subject matter. I think it could be a lil’
more diversity and give people more of a chance.
Punchline: To add on to that, I think it’s wrong
that we pick a BET and a 106 & Park to depict what
hip hop is supposed to be. That’s just one avenue.
Let’s say The Show had Mariah Carey money
behind it. How would you promote it?
Masta Ace: Wow, that’s a great question. The marketing would start at a very serious street level to
the major cities in the U.S. to really cultivate it from
the hood up. The way I see hip hop music as far as
its ability to be commercially successful is that the
rest of the world kinda comes to you. You promote
the record to the people that are your core and everything else kinda happens for itself. I would all the
major cities in the U.S., hit those hoods, the liquor
stores, the barbershops and the hair salons. Just
heavy, heavy, heavy promotion, spending marketing
dollars there. If we have success there, the rest of it
will kinda happen.
Strick: I think it would be ugly if we could put
the money behind some incredible videos, maybe
attack the video outlets harder than what we’re able
to do financially. We’d actually bring the visuals to
the music. We did the “What It Stands For” video,
which turned out kinda dope. I just think with a lil’
more money behind it, we could make the videos a
lot better and a lot more interesting.
Wordsworth: Maybe when we did our shows, we’d
have a lot more props, backgrounds and things of
that nature. It’s the things that enhance the show on
stage overall.
ATMOSPHERE
What’s been the most fun part with doing this
professionally?
Ah, man. I really love touring. I really love knowing
I’m a part of a thing that’s creating energy with kids.
I really appreciate that we got this thing going that
makes people happy. I hate disappointing people. I
like making people happy. I kinda grew up as an attention whore. I wanted people’s attention. I wanted
people to notice me. I get a lot of self-validation out
of that. Just on some personal, selfish shit –as if that
wasn’t personal and selfish enough- making music
[is great]. Hanging out with Ant for 12 hours at a
time and coming up with four songs in that 12-hour
span makes me crazy. There’s nothing like that.
I guess it’s like those rare times when I know I put
together a good story.
Yeah, especially when you know you’ve nailed
it. When you know you nailed it, sometimes you
don’t even need other people to like it. Me and Ant
have made some shit we know will never play for
anybody ‘cuz we know it’s not tight in the aesthetic
sense for people to hear it, but we know we nailed
what we were trying to nail. I don’t even know how
to describe it. If I could make four babies in one day,
that would probably be the closest thing to making
four joints in a day that all made me happy, know
what I mean?
On the flip side of the touring, can’t all of it get
really tiring?
I’ve been doing this long enough now that I’ve
learned a few tricks, as far as trying to keep it fun.
I really feel that if you keep shit fun, you can do
anything, man. Back in the day, when I was still
just blue-collaring it, going to work would be hard.
Getting up and getting your ass out the door to get
somewhere by six in the morning so you can lift
cinder blocks, you’d come up with ways to kill time
while you’re working, whether it be telling stupid
jokes, rapping or whatever. You just make it fun.
With touring, I keep myself surrounded with a dope
family. My unit is the shit. All the guys and all the
girls on my team are all on the same page. We’re
all good people and we have a good time with each
other. On the bus we play poker. We bust out the
Scrabble and Mastermind. You just do what you
gotta do to keep things kinda fun, so nobody slips in
their head and starts missing their home.
And I’m guessing once you get to the venue and
hear all the fans reciting your words, it makes it all
worthwhile.
It is. It’s also intimidating because sometimes
you slip in your head and start going, “Man, I’m
just a dude from South Minneapolis. How did this
happen?” But yeah, it makes it all worthwhile. It’s
validating. Plus, I was an ugly kid. I was an ugly
child. So, for this to have happened makes up for the
fact that girls didn’t like me when I was little.
Give me a couple of names of artists you’d pay to
see right now.
Rakim. KRS-One. Public Enemy. X-Clan. Brand
Nubian. Scarface. All of the people that made an impact on me did it before 1992. After ’92, everybody
was just everybody to me. I’ll go peep people just to
go study their shit but the biggest impact on me was
between the ages of 15 and 19. After that, it was like,
“Aiight, I gotta peep what dudes are doing.” There
are records that I love, but nobody really made the
same impact on me. Those are the dudes I’d pay to
go see. Everybody else, I’m trying to scam my way
on the guest list.
Anybody outside of hip hop?
I’d go see Tom Waits. I’d pay up to $50 to see him.
Besides him? Right now, I don’t even know who else
I’d throw in the mix. Willie Nelson. I actually paid
to see him and Bob Dylan play. I left during Bob
Dylan’s set, but it was the shit ‘cuz [Willie] came
out and made everybody smile and he told stories. I
stole ideas. I was like, “Okay, I see how you do this.
You’re making this crowd smile. I gotta learn that.”
In what ways have you had to change your approach in order to make money?
I mean, really, we started getting into this after
all of that started its cycle. For me, it’s just been
a constant adaptation. Really I don’t think we’ve
had to change any of our approaches because our
initial approach was already being manipulated by
that issue. Making money for me, to be real, is all
about merchandising. It never really was about the
retail aspect for me. When we first came in, stores
weren’t fuckin’ with us. I had to come to your city
for you to fuck with me. Nowadays stores fuck with
us big time, but there’s not a lot of money comin’
back from retail. I’m still focusing on coming to
your city to get you to fuck with me. Touring has
always been what paid the bills. The records that get
sold in the stores are almost like flyers for the show,
ya know?
When Life Gives You Lemons is the perfect album
for what kind of music lover?
For me, I think people who might be on the same
page as me [will like it]. Anybody can relate to this.
You don’t have to be a rapper from the Midwest.
You’re learning how to make your life better by
learning how to make better life decisions for
yourself. A lot of us look at the situations we’ve
been thrust in and we have our opinions and our
complaints and all that. You can do that all day, but
it ain’t gonna help you. If you don’t do something to
fuckin’ help yourself, you’re gonna be stuck there. I
saw this bumper stick once and I’ll never forget it.
It said Insanity is repeating the same thing over and
over expecting a different result. That’s what’s up.
A lot of us got griefs and complaints, but if we ain’t
doing nothing to help ourselves, how the fuck we
gonna get mad at anybody else for not helpin’ us.
MUSIC INTERVIEW
JERMAINE DUPRI
��
and in the streets, remaining as vital as anyone else
out there. It puts me in the strange position of being
a boss amongst other bosses who don’t act like me,
which can make it hard to function as effectively
as I want to. But I came into this business believing
in handling myself a certain way, and nobody has
shown me a better way so far.
BY B. LOVE
J
ERMAINE DUPRI HAS ALWAYS HAD
a few big steps up on his hip-hop competition.
At the age of 14, when most aspiring artists are
still cribbing notes from their creative influences, JD
was already producing Sylk Tymes Leather and getting them signed to a record deal. Two years later he
started his own label, So So Def, signing and producing successful artists such as Kris Kross, Xscape and
Da Brat. By the time he was 25, Dupri had already
produced multi-platinum albums for urban music
icons such as TLC, Mariah Carey and Usher, not to
mention releasing his own successful solo album just
to prove he could.
Though much has changed in the music industry
over the past 10 years, JD’s success rate remains
remarkably consistent in the face of universally
de4clining sales figures. In the last two years alone,
Dupri has worked with artists ranging from Dem
Franchise Boyz and Jay-Z to Mariah and his longtime
girlfriend, Janet Jackson. Currently at work producing Usher’s follow-up to their 2004 collabo, Confessions, JD recently announced that he was stepping
down from his position as President of Island
Records to over see Island Def Jam’s new label, TAG
Records, which was launched in conjunction with
Proctor & Gamble’s TAG brand.
Dupri recently sat down with us to discuss his
influential career, and how this new venture will
change the music industry game for the better.
I read that your first big performance was dancing
with Diana Ross when you were 9 years old. How
crazy was that?
Yeah, I guess that’s what people wanna call my first
big performance, but it wasn’t planned so I don’t
look at it like that. It was like my discovery of what
I wanted to do in life. It was my first taste of what
stardom would be like, because I went onstage and
the Omni was packed. When I danced, the audience
went crazy, so hearing people cheer for me was like,
“I think I like this!”
As a producer you’ve obviously influenced a lot of
hip-hop artists. Who were the artists who inspired
you to get into music in the first place?
There were no artists; it was mostly producers. I
was very intrigued by what Teddy Riley and Herbie
Luv Bug were doing before me, and those were
the guys that actually got me into it and put me in
the position of wanting to have a crew to create an
album with. I learned the craft of sound through
Teddy Riley, and I learned how to create a crew
through Herbie, who had Kid ‘n’ Play and Kwame on
his team of artists. I created what’s now called So So
Def based on the model of what he did.
You got your first big break when you were just 14.
What advice would you give today’s young people
hoping to make it in the music business?
First I’d let them know that it’s not everything it
seems to be, and second I’d tell them to let the love
of music be their motivating factor. If money is your
motivating factor, the music business isn’t the place
you wanna be. If anything besides the music is motivating you, this business will destroy you. If you’re
young and really in focus, you need to be willing to
do things without getting paid. It’s one of the hardest
tests of being in this business, and only the strong
survive it. When I first started I wasn’t even thinking amount money or trying to pay a bill, I was just
doing my thing. If you’re not prepared to work hard,
you should do something else, and that’s a hard thing
for young people to hear.
By the time you turned 20, you’d already produced
several multi-platinum artists, not to mention
starting your own successful label. What were the
best and worst things about achieving that kind of
success so early in life?
The worst thing is still the same today: I’m still
the youngest label CEO/Preisdent in the music
business, and there’s still people who don’t wanna
listen to me even though I’ve made all these hits and
all that. There’s always people who wanna challenge
you based on the fact that you’re still a young dude.
I don’t carry myself like these old-ass men out here
who think you only get a chance to see them once
you make it big. I’m still out there in the strip clubs
As one of the early architects of the ATL’s urban
music scene, how do you feel about the state of the
Dirty South sound today?
I think it’s still incredible today, but a lot of these
younger artists are only in it for the quick dollar.
They need to understand that they’ve gotta create
artists, whether within themselves or with the people
they work with. You can’t have a record as big as
“Party Like a Rock Star” and not have people remember the group’s name [Shop Boyz]. If we’re gonna
keep leading the way in music, we have to change
and create artists, not one-hit wonders. People
blame me for putting out Snap music with Dem
Franchise Boys, but I broke that sound and expected
that people would take it and make it bigger and
better. But they didn’t: They just kept doing what I
was doing, and it became stagnant. For me, it feels
like that’s where we are right now, with a lot of artists
having potential they’re not really living up to yet. In
order for Atlanta to remain a music mecca, we’ve got
to prove that we’re more than bubblegum music. We
need more Outkasts.
You’ve obviously had your frustrations with the
major label game in recent years, and spoke out
pretty strongly about the way Janet’s labels failed to
promote her projects properly. Do you think urban
music has less respect for veteran artists than rock
does for bands like the Rolling Stones?
Yeah, totally, and I’m still trying to figure out why.
I think it’s the people who are guiding the ships who
aren’t paying attention to the veterans. I blame the
label presidents, because they don’t treat [urban
music legends] like they treat the Rolling Stones. The
Rolling Stones’ last record didn’t sell shit, but they’re
still treated like royalty, while Michael Jackson can’t
even get a record deal right now. Prince isn’t really
signed to a record company right now. The people
that owned these companies back in the day had
more love for music than the people who run them
today.
What do you think major labels need to do in order
to adapt to the changes facing the music industry
IF YOU’RE YOUNG AND REALLY
IN FOCUS, YOU NEED TO BE
WILLING TO DO THINGS WITHOUT
GETTING PAID. IT’S ONE OF THE
HARDEST TESTS OF BEING IN
THIS BUSINESS, AND ONLY THE
STRONG SURVIVE IT.
today?
Let younger people run ‘em!
What’s your overall mission for the TAG Records
label?
My mission is to use this platform in the right
way, to create artists with the potential to have at
least three or four hit albums under their belt. That’s
first and foremost. Secondly, I want to create music
that people really like, and I’ve never had too much
trouble doing that. (Laughs) But most importantly,
I want to create a stable of artists that the fans truly
like, because every other record that comes out,
people are mad at the artists. Like when I put out
this new artist, Rocko, nine times out of ten the blogs
that I read were calling him fake and cheesy. So I’m
trying to find that artist that people are gonna connect with. People feel like rap music is just the same
ol’ thing over and over again, and they’re tired of all
the hustlers. We’re all looking for the next Biggies
and Tupacs instead of acknowledging that incredible
artists like that just don’t get discovered every day.
That’s why there’s only one Biggie, one Tupac, one
Jay-Z. We gotta get the idea of finding artists like that
out of our minds and focus on BUILDING incredible
artists. Fans are impatient: If Outkast came out with
Southernplayalisticadillacmusik today, do you think
audiences would even give them a chance?
No way.
They’d tear them down before they even got an
opportunity to create Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.
What Soulja Boy did was incredible– he wrote all
his lyrics, produced his own album and created his
own hype at the age of 16, got a record deal, sold a
Platinum album and a shitload of ringtones in today’s
market. He created a positive and lucrative movement, but people still say his music is crap and talk
shit about him! Give the kid an opportunity to turn
into somebody! It was his first album! He’s 16! Let’s
give him a chance and see what he turns into, not
knock him down before he even gets an opportunity
to prove himself.
What advantage does teaming with a company like
TAG provide to the artists who sign with you, as
opposed to a traditional label?
Well, I have a marketing budget like nobody’s ever
had. That’s the craziest thing. Artists are always looking for sponsorship, but with this they’re automatically coming out of the box with sponsorship, so
you’ll see that artist in commercials, hear them on
radio spots, basically whatever TAG Body Spray does
to promote their product.
How do you think this, and Jay-Z’s new deal with
Live Nation, are emblematic of the ways artists
can benefit from the new music industry business
model?
What this deal does for me personally is to create
excitement within the music industry. The industry
has lost that sense of excitement. That’s what I liked
about going to Island Def Jam– the label itself was
newsworthy and people were always writing about
what was going on at the label and who was gonna be
the next president. That creates excitement. When I
announced the TAG deal, it was a little overwhelming to me because I didn’t think people were gonna
get hyped up like that. But now people are excited to
see what I do with this music and where I take this
label, because hopefully it’s gonna be the stepping
stone for the next era. Apple keeps the computer
business exciting every time they put out new products, and I think me and Jay-Z have pumped some
freshness into the music business.
Carlene Carter
STILL SO AMAZING
BY JON LATHAM
A
Carlene Carter grew up the child
of June Carter and stepdaughter
to Johnny Cash. With mother and
father figures that shared the mantle of
American music royalty and the foundation
of country music outlaws, it is no surprise
that Carlene emerged as a wild child in the
late ‘70s, promising to put “the cunt back in
country”.
The ‘90s brought Carlene a string of mainstream success with hits like “I Fell in Love”
and “Every Little Thing,” but the latter part
of the decade saw her fall under the radar
amidst personal problems and encounters
with the law. As Carter regained her footing,
tragedies and loss came in waves, with the
loss of June, Johnny, longtime partner Howie
Epstein and her sister, Rosey.
With her new Yep Roc Records release,
Stronger, Carter has woven a tapestry of hope
and life that shines as one of her best albums
to date. The new album goes to show that, at
almost 100 years of legacy, the Carter family’s
musical treasure is still with us today.
Stronger is the first album you’ve released
since Little Acts of Treason over a decade
ago. There was a lot of ground covered in
your personal life in the downtime between
these two releases. Was there a longing to do
another album, or did you feel like you were
done with music?
When I decided to come off the road and
take a time-out, I was working on getting my
life back together. My life had [gone] haywire,
but it didn’t dawn on me that it would take
me so long to come back. I’ve taken breaks
[between records] before, but never quite this
long. After my mom died, John died, and my
sister died, I was really so fragile, emotionally,
that it just hurt too much to sing. The last
thing I had done in studio was with Momma
for her last album, and so I didn’t really feel
up to it. The first thing I did was the play
about [the Carter Family], ‘Wildwood Flowers’, and that got me back to being in front
of an audience and singing again. I also had
[no] time to process anything that was happening, so it took me a while to write about
that period of time and put together a group
of songs that were complimentary of each
other. [These songs] were from my heart and
not just made-up ditties. I was really ready
to come back this time instead of being pressured; it was totally my own motivation.
Was the head-on approach of your personal
losses a cathartic process?
Absolutely, [as it is with] anything I write. I
tended to draw from things from the past, not
just the past few years, but also ten fifteen
years ago. It’s like therapy for me in a lot of
ways.
Was the re-recording of “I’m So Cool” a nod
to the old fans or has it become a whole new
statement to you?
It was a new statement of “I’m fifty, and
I’m fabulous.” [laugh] My little brother had
something to do with that. He had come to
I’M CELEBRATING THIRTY YEARS SINCE MY FIRST
ALBUM WAS RELEASED WITH THE RUMOUR.
PEOPLE CHANGE AND PEOPLE GROW, AND I’D
LIKE TO THINK, IN THIRTY YEARS, I’VE GROWN
AS AN ARTIST. I HAD A LOT MORE CLARITY ON
THIS RECORD; THERE WAS NOBODY TELLING ME,
“DO THIS,” OR, “WE DON’T HEAR A SINGLE OR
ANY OF THAT RECORD COMPANY CRAP.
Was the underlying theme of hope and love
conceptualized from the beginning for this
record?
The fact that I started writing again had a
lot of hope in it. It wasn’t like I was thinking,
“What’s the point?” or anything like that. I
just had all of this stuff in me that needed to
come out. [Inspiration] just kept coming, like
a moving thing that I couldn’t control. Even
if I had decided I didn’t want to do it, I don’t
think I could have stopped myself.
see me play live, and I always open the show
with “I’m So Cool”. He loved it. He’s quite
younger than I am, only two years older than
my daughter, and he said, “I think that, after
25 years, you can re-record that song.”
You have always had a foot in rock and roll,
and the other in country. Do you feel you
have remained somewhat connected even
to your early albums cut in Europe with the
Rumour and Rockpile?
I’m celebrating thirty years since my first
MUSIC INTERVIEW
album was released with the Rumour. People
change and people grow, and I’d like to think,
in thirty years, I’ve grown as an artist. I had
a lot more clarity on this record; there was
nobody telling me, “Do this,” or, “We don’t
hear a single or any of that record company
crap. That was a struggle that I had all along,
back in the day. They didn’t know what to do
with me in Nashville which is partly why I
went to London. I didn’t fit in country or rock
and roll. The oddest thing is in 1990, when ‘I
Fell in Love’ came out, all I did was go [back]
to Nashville and say, “Okay, I’m country now.”
[Laughs] I didn’t really change anything. They
were a little more open to the mini-skirted
Carlene than they were in the ‘70’s. I have always enjoyed albums that showed all aspects
of the music. I’m still that way as a performer.
I’m not jumping into the crowds or anything
these days.
Stronger was produced by John McFee, the
former Doobie Brother who also played guitar on Elvis Costello’s My Aim is True. Has
this been a long-standing friendship considering the similar circles you both ran in?
We’ve had a thirty-year friendship; he’s
like my brother. He’s so dear to my heart
and probably the most talented guy I’ve ever
worked with. That’s not putting anything
down on the albums I made with Howie [Epstein] or Nick. When it came time to do this
record, I called him and said, “I’ve got these
songs; you’ve got to hear them.” It’s almost
like he’s in my brain, just a one-stop, fix-all
machine. I just trusted him so much, most of
the album was recorded without either of us
being in the same room at the same time; he
usually nailed it immediately.
You’ve remained rather established as an
artist in Europe. Will that cross over the
pond to some shows in the U.S.?
You bet. For the first time in over thirty
years I am playing acoustic shows. I’m playing
with Elvis Costello for a couple of dates in
Tennessee at the Ryman. Elvis is [another] old
friend; he was coming up with this warm-up
tour for his tour with the Police, so he invited
me [to join him]. I’m real excited by that. I’ve
got McFee with me for a few shows in L.A.;
it’s like a big cherry on top of the sundae to
get to do a show with him again. We haven’t
been on stage together in a long time. I’m trying to do a little bit of everything. It’s kind of
the beauty of being an old fart.
FEATURE
SUMMEREDUCATIONGUIDE
SUMMEREDUCATIONGUIDE
Our Summer Education Guide profiles a diverse group of schools
offering a variety of courses in different fields. Enjoy your search
in continuing your education this summer!
Our Summer
Education
Guide profiles Advanced
a diverse group
of schools
America’s
Real Estate
Career
Training
offering aAcademy,
variety of courses
in
different
fields.
Enjoy
your
search
877-286-5451
Inc.
in continuing your education this summer!www.infofromACT.com
770-591-5552
America’s Real Estate
Advanced Career Training
www.education-area-ga.com
877-286-5451
Academy, Inc.
Want to earn more this year? Atlanta's resiwww.infofromACT.com
770-591-5552
dential market
data reflects over $700 million
www.education-area-ga.com
earned in commissions and an extra $22 million
in appraisal and home inspection income.
Want to earn more this year? Atlanta's resiAtlanta's market may have slowed some but do
dential market data reflects over $700 million
you want to earn your share of those fees?
earned in commissions and an extra $22 million
profesin Successful
appraisal and
home inspection income.
sionals know
themay have slowed some but do
market
Atlanta's
benefit
you
wantoftoearning
earn your share of those fees?
In today's tough economy, job seekers with
multiple state
Successful
profestraining have an advantage over those who do
licenses
and the
sionals
know
not. Employers are increasingly seeking qualiAmerica's
Real
benefit
of earning
fied
applicants
who
are ready
hit the with
ground
In today's
tough
economy,
jobtoseekers
Estate Academy,
multiple
state
running.have an advantage over those who do
training
Inc. (AREA)
licenses
and can
Advanced
Career
Training (ACT)
in Atlanta
not.
Employers
are increasingly
seeking
qualihelp you Real
get startAmerica's
can applicants
provide that
career-focused
ACT
fied
who
are ready to training.
hit the ground
ed! AREA's
Real
Estate
Academy,
prepares students for rewarding new careers in
running.
Estate
Dual can
Inc.
(AREA)
Advanced
Career
Training (ACT)
in Atlanta
some
of today's
fastest-growing
industries.
help
you get startCurriculum
can
provide
career-focused
training.
ACT
ACT
offersthat
a number
of programs
that are
in
ed!
AREA'snow
Real
Program
prepares
students
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high demand,
including
Businessnew
Office
Estate
saves Dual
you time and money.
some
of today's fastest-growing
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Administration,
Dental Assistant,
Massage
Curriculum
Sales, appraisal, and home inspection positions
ACT offers
a number
of programs
that are in
Therapy*,
Assistant,
and Medical
Medical
Program
offer younow
potential unlimited income with rela- high
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Business Office
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and
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saves
and money.
tivelyyou
lowtime
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AREA is an accredited
Administration,
The school hasDental
flexibleAssistant,
schedulesMassage
so working
Sales,
appraisal,
and home
inspection
positions
offering
students
exceptional
edustate school
Therapy*,
Assistant,
and Medical
Medical
adults can fit learning a new career
into their
offer
you
potential
unlimited
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relacation and training and FREE course credits
Billing
and Students
Insurancecan
Coding.
busy lives.
choose to take day or
tively
low
investment.
AREA
is
an
accredited
The school
hasto
flexible
schedules
so working
with the new Dual Curriculum. Improved and
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classes
accommodate
their
lifestyle.
offering
students
exceptional
edustate
school
adults
can fit learning
a newwith
career
into theirin
more
practical
education
make
licensees more
And
students
can
graduate
a
certificate
cation and training and FREE course credits
busy
lives.
Students
can
choose
to
take
day or
valuable to clients, hiring brokers, appraisers,
as little as 8 months.
with the new Dual Curriculum. Improved and
classes to accommodate their lifestyle.
home inspectors, and more successful as entre- evening
If you don't have a high school diploma or
more practical education make licensees more
And students can graduate with a certificate in
"I've taken
preneurs.
recenthiring
student
stated appraisers,
GED,
still get you into one of their
valuable
to A
clients,
brokers,
as littleACT
as 8 can
months.
courses
elsewhere
butmore
aftersuccessful
benefittingasfrom
career
programs**.
candiploma
take advantage
home
inspectors,
and
entreIf
you
don't
have
a Students
high school
or
AREA's curriculum,
professionalism,
suptaken
preneurs.
A recent student
stated "I'veand
of
their
job
placement
services.
ACT
can
help
GED, ACT can still get you into one of
their
be
back
for
all
my
education
needs
and
port
I'll
FOR YOUR FREE CAREER
courses elsewhere but after benefitting from
with resume
and cover
lettercan
preparation,
and
career
programs**.
Students
take
advantage
bring all
my associates.
Thank you!!"and supSUCCESS KIT!
AREA's
curriculum,
professionalism,
interviewing
techniques
to all graduates.
of
their
job
placement
services.
ACT
can
help
Instructors
arefor
professionals
who teach
all my education
needswhile
and
port
I'll be back
Forresume
more information
aboutpreparation,
ACT, call 1-877with
and cover letter
and
� Courses in Business, Criminal Justice,
conducting
successful appraisal,
home inspecbring
all my associates.
Thank you!!"
286-5451 or visit
them online.
ACT has 2
interviewing
techniques
to all graduates.
tion,
and/or
real
estate
sales
businesses
merging
Design, Healthcare and Technology.
Instructors are professionals who teach while
Atlanta-area
locations atabout
2 Executive
Park
West,
For more information
ACT, call
1-877Atlanta Northlake Campus
the real world
have
into your
instruction.
conducting
successful
appraisal,
homeThey
inspecSuite 100,orAtlanta,
GA online.
30329 and
Southlake
286-5451
visit them
ACT
has 2
2309 Parklake Drive
� More than 20,000 graduates.
succeeded
assist
a student's
entry
into
tion,
and/or and
real can
estate
sales
businesses
merging
Festival Shopping
Southlake
Center,
Atlanta-area
locations
at 21564
Executive
Park West,
thereal
business.
In addition
to state mandated
the
They have
world into
your instruction.
Atlanta, GA 30345
Suite
100, Morrow,
Atlanta, GA 30329
30260. and Southlake
Parkway,
� Hands-on education.
succeeded
and can receive
assist a superior
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entry into
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Festival
1564
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*MassageShopping
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the
business.
In
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to
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that
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with
essential
reports
Atlanta Midtown Campus
GA 30260.
Parkway,
**MassageMorrow,
a HS diploma or GED.
Therapy requires
� Seasoned, industry-savvy instructors.
training,
students receive
superior
industry
proven terminology
to guide
them getting
started. *Massage
is a 9-month
program
Financial Therapy
aid is available
for those
who qualify
1100 Spring Street, Suite 102
thatreceive
they can
utilize
with essential
reports
Students
useful
business,
marketing
**Massage Therapy requires a HS diploma or GED.
� Job and career services.
Atlanta, GA 30309
proven
terminology
to guide
getting
tools and
tips to assist
themthem
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newstarted.
Financial aid is available for those who qualify
Students
receivetouseful
business,
marketing
careers, access
professional
membernational
Brown College
tools
and
tips
to assist
them inattheir
new AREA
ships,
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supplies
discounts.
DESIGN
JUSTICE
HEALTHCARE
TECHNOLOGY
BUSINESS
of
Court
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careers,
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to
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professional
memberBrown
Collegeand
supports students beyond the classroom and into
ships,
and
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supplies
at
discounts.
AREA
Medical
Transcription
the real world, including: offering an Appraisal
of Court Reporting and
thehold
classroom
and into
supports
Mentor students
Program,beyond
ability to
sales licenses,
(404)
876-1227
(800) 849-0703
Medical
Transcription
the real world, including: offering an Appraisal
business and technology training and courses, all
www.browncollege.com
Mentor Program, ability to hold sales licenses,
(404)
876-1227
(800)
849-0703
to give AREA students a competitive edge.
business and technology training and courses, all
services
the entire
Metro andedge.
surrounding
There is an insatiable demand nationwide for
toAREA
give AREA
students
a competitive
Atlantaservices
area. Check
schedules
for
Not all programs available at all campuses. Westwood College - Atlanta Midtown (Atlanta, GA) is a branch of Westwood College people
skills,
and the for
with
reporting
AREA
the entire
Metroand
andregister
surrounding
There
is
an court
insatiable
demand
nationwide
DuPage (Woodridge, IL).Westwood College - Atlanta Northlake (Atlanta, GA) is a branch of Westwood College – O’Hare Airport (Chicago,
classesarea.
now Check
by visiting
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Atlanta
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register
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theearnIL). Accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS).
ing 770-591-5552.
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Theyhours,
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ingFacebook
potential,groups
flexibleyou
work
securemay not
join.hours,
Employers
shouldn't assume that this advice only applies to college grads
7. Be aware of the
who areassume
lookingthat
for full
jobs.
Employers
now commonyour same
of humor
or aware
of the
irony. may not
7.have
Be aware
of thesense
Facebook
shouldn't
thistime
advice
only
applies toare
college
grads
groups
you join.
Employers
both full have
ly doing
on-linefor
searches
prior
toEmployers
making jobare
offers
who
are looking
full time
jobs.
nowfor
commonyour
same sense
of cell
humor
or aware
8. Pay
attention
to your
phone's
caller of
IDthe
andirony.
only answer
part
time jobs.
ly and
doing
on-line
searches prior to making job offers for both full
unknown
numbers
when caller
you'reID
in and
an appropriate
8.calls
Payfrom
attention
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cell phone's
only answer
some
andHere
part are
time
jobs.tips to make sure you present yourself as profes- calls
placefrom
to talk
withoutnumbers when you're in an appropriate
unknown
Here
are as
some
tips to make sure you present yourself as profes- place
sionally
possible:
to talk without
distraction.
sionally
as sure
possible:
1. Make
you never post any controversial photos of yourself distraction.
9. If you list a home
BY KIMBERLY GUELCHER
1. in
Make
sure
you profile.
never post
controversial
yourself
your on-line
Evenany
if you
take them photos
off yourofown
site,
9.phone
If younumber,
list a home
make
BY ALUMNI
KIMBERLY
GUELCHER
CAREER
SERVICES
inthey
yourstill
on-line
profile.
Even if you take them off your own site,
live on
in cyberspace.
phone
number,
make
sure
anyone
who
lives
ALUMNI
CAREER
SERVICES
they still live on in cyberspace.
GEORGIA
STATE
UNIVERSITY
sure
anyone
who
lives
at your
home
(room2. Steer clear of the camera if your friend is taking photos that
GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY
2. could
Steer be
clear
of the cameraififtaken
yourout
friend
is takingYou
photos
atmates,
your home
(roommisunderstood
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don'tthat
want
younger
siblings)
It won't be long before college and high school students dust off could be misunderstood if taken out of context. You don't want
mates,
younger
siblings)
on
your
friend's
profile
page.
to
end
up
tagged
in
a
photo
posted
understands
the
imporIt their
won'tgrown-up
be long before
college
and
high
school
students
dust
off
clothes to go off in search of a summer job.
to end up tagged in a photo posted on your friend's profile page.
understands
thecomimportance
of
taking
their
grown-up
clothes
to
go
off
in
search
of
a
summer
job.
Avoid listing hobbies or interests related to politics, religion,
Armed with a nice resume and a good pen to fill out the many job 3. 3.
tance
taking comAvoid
hobbies or
interests
politics,
religion,
plete of
messages
when
Armed
with a nice
resume
and a good
pen off
to fill
thestart.
many job
or
otherlisting
controversial
topics.
Don'trelated
set up to
RSS
feeds in
your
applications
you'll
be completing,
you're
to aout
good
plete
messages
orprofile
other controversial
topics.
Don't
set
up
RSS
feeds
in
your
you're
away
andwhen
desigapplications
you'll
be
completing,
you're
off
to
a
good
start.
that link to controversial blogs.
Make sure that you also take advantage of any connections that profile that
away
and
desigyou're
link to controversial blogs.
nate a central place
for
Make sure that you also take advantage of any connections that
a central place for
your parents, neighbors, friends, and others close to you may
4. Change your outgoing message on your cell phone voice mail nate
your messages.
your parents, neighbors, friends, and others close to you may
4. Change your outgoing message on your cell phone voice mail
your
messages.
you
begin
networking
to
identify
potential
opportunities.
have,
as
so that it sounds professional. Never use cute sayings, religious
have, as you begin networking to identify potential opportunities.
so that it sounds professional. Never use cute sayings, religious
10.ItItshould
shouldbe
beobviobviThere's
other
thing
is often
over-looked
students.
blessingsororbackground
backgroundmusic.
music.
10.
There's
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other
thing
thatthat
is often
over-looked
byby
students.
blessings
never,
ever
ous,
but
the
need
to
do
a
little
spring
cleaning.
I'm
not
talking
That's
ous, but never, ever
That's the need to do a little spring cleaning. I'm not talking
5.
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signupupforforthe
theanswer
answertones
tonesthat
thatyour
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cellphone
phoneservservDon't
answeryour
yourphone
phoneor
or
cleaning
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or washing
windows.
talking
about
clean- 5. ice
answer
cleaning
your
room
or washing
windows.
I'mI'm
talking
about
cleanoffers.
Employers
do
not
want
to
hear
your
favorite
song
or
ice
offers.
Employers
do
not
want
to
hear
your
favorite
song
or
send
texts
during
an
your
digital
polishing
your
professional
image.
send texts during an
inging
up up
your
digital
dirtdirt
andand
polishing
upup
your
professional
image.
joke
whenthey
theycall.
call.Use
Usea anormal
normalring.
ring.
joke
when
interview.Turn
Turnyour
your
We've
all heard
about
how
information
you
have
posted
interview.
We've
all heard
about
how
thethe
information
you
have
posted
6.
Always
list
a
professional
email
address
on
your
resume
and
phone
off
before
you
6.
Always
list
a
professional
email
address
on
your
resume
and
phone off before you
on-line
detrimental
your
search,
students
on-line
cancan
be be
detrimental
to to
your
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search,
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students
check
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emaildaily
dailywhen
whenyou're
you'reinina ajob
jobsearch.
search.
interview.
walkinto
intothe
theinterview.
check
your
walk
ANYONE CAN
GET A JOB.
WE’LL GIVE
YOU A CAREER.
CALL
888.887.6511
Read the signs.
A degree is your ticket.
1.888.887.6511
www.westwood.edu
SpringCleaning
Cleaning
Spring
yourSummer
SummerJob
JobSearch
Search
forforyour
employment, even travel options. To meet this
demand, Brown College of Court Reporting
and Medical Transcription prepares students
for rewarding careers as court reporters, broadcast captioners, CART reporters and medical
transcriptionists.
Court or judicial reporters are central in
America's judicial system as guardians of the
record. They take down sworn testimony in trials and depositions, and use realtime technology to produce written transcripts quickly. They
work in courthouses, conference rooms, congressional chambers, anywhere events must be
written down precisely in a readable format.
According to the NCRA, average income is
$60,000, with experienced, productive
reporters earning a great deal more.
Broadcast Captioners or Realtime Reporters
are also in great demand because of FCC
requirements for TV broadcasts be captioned,
which means tens of thousands of hours of TV
programs such as CNN, the Weather Channel,
NFL Football, presidential speeches, C-Span,
the Academy Awards, emergency warnings,
etc. CART Reporters also provide realtime captioning, but specifically for hearing impaired
individuals. They accompany deaf clients to
classes, business meetings, medical appointments, workshops, or other venues where
translation is required.
Medical Transcriptionists (MTs) are highly
skilled medical language specialists who transcribe dictation and voice recognition files
from healthcare professionals including doctors, surgeons, and medical specialists. MTs
interpret and edit the information to create
medical records which are essential to good
healthcare.
The future for Brown College graduates is
bright with national employment trends predicting continued strong demand and unlimited opportunities for their specialized skills.
Brown College is nationally accredited, is
enjoying a 36 year history and a 95% placement
rate for their graduates. Financial aid is available to those who qualify.
1740 Peachtree Street, Atlanta GA 30309,
(404) 876-1227
Fred Astaire Dance Studios
Atlanta (404)-897-5555
Duluth (678) -417-7444
www.fredastaireatlanta.com
The Fred Astaire Dance Studio began in 1947
when Mr. Astaire, considered the greatest multitalented dancer of all time, personally developed a practical, interrelated dance curriculum
for the first Fred Astaire Dance Studio on New
York City's Park Avenue. Today, the Fred
Astaire Dance Studio team is comprised of
dance champions, registered adjudicators, and
highly certified instructors who study and
review our curriculum to ensure that the dance
programs and instruction are the finest and
most up-to-date for the novice, intermediate,
and advance dancers.
Atlanta has been learning to dance at Fred
Astaire Dance Studio for over 40 years. Many
awards for both business and competition
dancing adorn our walls. In 2008, the Atlanta
Fred Astaire Dance Studio was again one of the
top studios in North America and continues to
receive recognition for good dancing and good
business!
At Fred Astaire Dance Studios of Atlanta, they
make learning fun. In the very first lesson you
will learn the basic elements on which all dance
patterns are based. The American-style curriculum consists of 14 basic dances that will
allow you to dance anywhere, with anyone, on
any occasion! The most common Americanstyle dances are Fox Trot, Waltz, Tango,
Rumba, Cha-Cha, and Eastern Swing, with
Samba, Mambo, Merengue, Western Swing,
Texas Two-Step, Bolero, Viennese Waltz, and
Paso-Doble available by request. Within hours
you will be ready to go out dancing at a nightclub, parties, weddings, or any social occasion.
Classes are offered during the day Monday
through Friday between 2Pm and 10PM.
Lessons range from beginners to advance. Both
singles and couples are welcome. Students can
visit any of the Fred Astaire Studios around the
world. Two Atlanta locations: King Plow Art
Center,887 West Marietta St. Suite 105,
Atlanta, GA 30318 (404) 897-5555 and 4317
Abbotts Bridge Rd., Suite #2, Duluth, GA 30097
(678) 417-7444. Look for career opportunities
on page 33.
Flying
Start
Georgia Perimeter College
(678) 891-4125
www.gpc.edu
Georgia Perimeter College is among the
nation's fastest growing metropolitan two-year
colleges. With more than 21,500 students, GPC
is the third largest institution in the University
System of
Georgia.
Georgia
Perimeter
College is
affordable and
accessible, with
full service
campuses in
Dunwoody,
Clarkston,
Decatur and
the eight county service area
surrounding
Newton, with Clarkston Campus
sites in
Alpharetta, Lawrenceville and Rockdale. GPC
serves traditional students as well as nontraditional and foreign students.
Georgia Perimeter College enrolls more freshman, has more students transferring to other
colleges and universities, has more high school
Joint Enrollment students and offers more
online courses than any other institution in
Georgia. Academic excellence, championship
athletic programs and student success are hallmarks of GPC. We also provide a nurturing
environment with small classes.
Their Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
program ensures GPC students, who qualify,
entrance into some of the best four year institutions in Georgia after completing 60 hours.
Click onto www.gpc.edu/TAG for more information.
Their students are success driven and are
taught by dedicated, award-winning faculty.
GPC is dedicated to success for our students,
graduates who head straight into the workforce
and those who choose to continue their education at a senior institution. Current cost of
tuition and fees for full time, in state students is
less than $2,200.
For more information contact them at 678891-4125 or www.gpc.edu
Get a jump on college with summer courses!
GPC offers affordable tuition, flexible
schedules, online options, accessible locations,
small classes, and award-winning instructors.
Apply now and you can register for summer
and fall at GPC, or have your summer credits
sent to the college you plan to attend in the
fall. Check out our expanded course schedule
in Alpharetta, and register at gpc.edu/hsgrad
Two Years That Will Change Your Life
International School
of Skin & Nailcare
(404) 843-1005
www.skin-nails.com
The International School of Skin & Nail Care
(ISSN) is celebrating 23 years as a school and
day spa in Sandy Springs. ISSN is where all the
people get trained that work in Spas, Salons,
Network TV, Doctors, Cruise Ships and manufacturing companies. Anywhere skin care
treatments are given or nail care beauty is performed. Courses from Classic Facials to
Microdermbrasion Facials, to waxing, make-
SUMMER EDUCATIONGUIDE
Continued From Page 31
up, to manicures and nail art are taught at the
renowned International School of Skin and
Nail Care (ISSN).
Our job placement is excellent and has
remained near 100-percent for over a decade no other school is close. Our long experience
and being known in the Industry insures the
graduate of a good job upon graduation. Over
320 active employers depend on ISSN for
Esthetician and Nail Technician staffing. Our
programs start monthly for the convenience of
today's student. We have morning, afternoon,
or evening class in the Esthetician program and
day or evening classes in the Nail Technician
program. Massage Training Classes have been
recently added.
We are conveniently located
in the Prado,
5600 Roswell
Road at I-295.
We are an
accredited
school and
approved by the
Georgia State
Board of
Cosmetology. A
quick call to our
Admission's office can answer all of your questions. When you call ask for a tour of the
school. Call us today: Local 404-843-1005 or
email us [email protected]
Janke Studios is Atlanta's premier
Glassblowing Studio and Functional Art Glass
Gallery. Celebrating 11 years in the metro area
the Janke team continues to offer a variety of
classes that will fit perfectly into your schedule.
Courses are project based and designed for all
from the novice to experienced glass craftsman
and artist.
Try a three hour paperweight workshop to get
a feel for
the process
or if you
are more
adventurous, but
short on
time take a
two day
weekend
workshop.
During this workshop you will experience all
the basic skills and glassblowing floor environment. Create your own paperweight, check out
the process and meet new people. For the
enthusiast, nurture your skills in an extensive
five week class or host a Remote; hot glass on
your site for demos, classes or educational purposes. Janke Studios is located at StudioPlex at
Janke Studios
770-426-2884
www.LIFE.com
404-584-0305
www.jankestudios.com
If you have marveled at the beautiful free-form
and controlled works of Dale Chihuly or
watched a glassblowing documentary, you
should know that there is a thriving glass blowing community heating up in Atlanta!
659 Auburn Avenue. For information on
upcoming classes call 404-584-0305 or go to
www.jankestudios.com
Life University
Life University was founded as a school of
chiropractic in 1974 with a first class of 22
students. Today, with more than 14,000 alumni,
Life University, under the leadership of
President Guy F. Riekeman and a fully committed Board of Trustees, the college has expanded to a complete university that provides 2
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came to Life for the quality of the technique
instruction. It's also a beautiful, walkable campus that offers a quiet and kind of quaint environment within a large and vibrant metropolitan area," commented Adam Schwarz, chiropractic student from Port Huron, MI.
Students in all of the 13 degree programs,
enjoy the benefit of a highly supportive
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1564 Southlake Parkway, Morrow, GA 30260
SAE Atlanta
404-526-9366
www.sae-atl.com
Continuing the tradition established in 1976,
SAE Atlanta educates students for careers in the
entertainment industry with the focus of handson training. Students gain invaluable experience
working on real-world projects every day.
SAE Atlanta currently offers two programs:
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SAE's belief is that in order for students to be
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Students have access to over 30 studios and
workstations while studying at SAE Atlanta.
Included are analog and digital mix-down stations by Mackie and Yamaha, FX stations, and
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atmosphere where students work together,
often in team and group experiences, with
highly qualified, caring faculty and supportive
peers. From the president to every employee
within the University, Life University is committed to creating a student centered learning
environment, boasting a student-faculty ratio
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associate degrees, 9 undergraduate degrees, a
master's degree and a Doctor of Chiropractic
degree. Life University attracts student from 50
states and 27 countries. Life University's
College Undergraduate Studies, with 500 students, offers two associate degrees in computer
information management and life coaching;
nine bachelor degrees in business administration, computer information management,
biology, exercise science, nutrition, dietetics,
psychology, and biopsychology; and a master's
degree in sport health science. Life University
also offers a Doctor of Chiropractic degree
through its College of Chiropractic. The
College of Chiropractic boasts a current enrollment of almost 1,400 students a doubling in
the number of students in just the past three
years. This program features practice management courses which train students on how to
run a successful practice and also gives students valuable "hands on" experience in the
university's clinic system, including clinics
overseas.
"Life offers a philosophic underpinning to all
of its students, chiropractic, graduate and
undergraduate, in a way that's not found anywhere else. For me, as a chiropractic student, I
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1740 Peachtree St. N.W. | Atlanta | 30309
and NEVE VR60 analog consoles.
All graduates are provided job placement assistance and are eligible to become members of
SAE's international Alumni Association. Financial
assistance is available for those who quality and
both full and part time classes are available.
For more information please contact our
Admissions Department at 404-526-9366 or
visit our web site at www.sae-atl.com. SAE
Atlanta is located at 215 Peachtree Street Suite
300, Atlanta GA 30303
Westwood College
888-887-6511
www.westwood.edu
The Westwood College Midtown campus is at
the center of the business and commercial districts. The campus prides itself on its professional atmosphere and on enabling students to
develop career-focused abilities. Westwood
College - Atlanta Midtown is easily accessible; it
is located on Train and Bus lines and is directly
accessible from the main interstate highway.
This location enables students to get the maximum benefit from professional opportunities
and organizations as well as cultural and sports
destinations in the area.
Our Atlanta Midtown campus is conveniently
located on the Marta bus line, close to the
Midtown & Art Center train stops, off Spring
Street. For students who drive, we are conveniently situated on the cross-streets of Spring
and 12th, with easy access from the I-75/I-85
Interstate.
Midtown Campus
There are plenty of places for students to grab
a bite to eat around campus, with Checkers,
Subway, Einstein's, & Carolyn's food right near
by. Other area attractions include the Fox theater, Georgia Aquarium, Turner Field, and
Georgia Dome. Many students enjoy the
Atlantic Station dining and entertainment district nearby after classes. There are also two
large housing units exclusive to Westwood
College students within walking distance from
campus, along with several rental opportunities.
The Atlanta Midtown campus offers Bachelor's
and Associates degrees in Business, Design,
Healthcare, Justice and Technology. The
Midtown campus is accredited by the
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges
and Schools (ACICS). 1100 Spring Street
Suite 102 Atlanta, GA 30309 (404)745-9096
The Northlake campus is located just inside I285 between LaVista Road and Northlake
Parkway, northeast of downtown Atlanta. The
LaVista area is practically a city in itself, with
plenty of great housing opportunities and
everything you need to live, shop, and learn
- all within walking distance.
The Atlanta Northlake campus prides itself on
small student groups which aid in professional
student development and help students build
the desire to launch successful careers. The
campus is easily accessible; it is located within
walking distance of MARTA and Bus lines, and
for students who drive there is direct access to
campus from the main interstate highway.
Transportation options are plentiful, as campus is conveniently located on the Marta bus
line, directly on the 125 route from the
Avondale Train Station. Another option is the
30 bus route from the Lindbergh Station. Both
of these buses bring students directly across the
street from the campus.
The Atlanta Northlake campus offers
Bachelor's and Associates degrees in Business,
Design, Healthcare, Justice and Technology. The
International
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ISSN Provides Modern
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Northlake Campus
LEARN BY DOING
Northlake campus is accredited by the
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges
and Schools (ACICS). 2309 Parklake Drive
Atlanta, GA 30345 (404) 962-2999
��
Fred Astaire Dance Studios
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and recieve comprehensive training to become
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share the experience of a lifetime. There's no
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404-843-1005 x1
5600 Roswell Rd, NE
Atlanta, GA 30342
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Janke Studios
Hand Blown Glass
Founded in 1996
STUDIOPLEX
Conveniently located
between Inman Park &
the King Birth Home
659 Auburn Ave.
Studio G-9
Atlanta, GA 30312
404-584-0305
REGISTER
NOW FOR
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Professional Audio Education Since 1976
www.sae.edu
International Recognition
Individual Studio Time
Day and Evening Classes
Financial Assistance To Those Who Qualify
Call Now and Start Your New Career!
404-526-9388 or www.sae.edu
SAE Institute Of Technology Atlanta
-
215 Peachtree St. Suite 300, Atlanta GA 30303
Get Smarter
MASI OKA’S PLAN FOR
WORLD DOMINATION
FILM INTERVIEW
BY B. LOVE
A
S HEROES’ TIMETRAVELING
samurai Hiro Nakamura, Tokyoborn Masi Oka has already
earned Emmy and Golden Globe Award
nominations for his talents. Now, with a
hilarious role as Steve Carell’s sidekick in
the new Get Smart film adaptation, the
33-year-old former CGI expert has his
sights set on a Hollywood breakthrough.
We recently caught up with Oka to discuss
his whirlwind career.
You were on the cover of Time Magazine
at the age of 12 in an issue about “AsianAmerican Whiz Kids.” How did that
initial taste of fame affect your life?
I was very shy as a boy, and still am, so
I kinda freaked out when I saw myself
on the cover. But my grandparents were
very proud, so they bought like 100 copies
and wherever we went they would give
them out. It was kind of embarrassing,
and made me realize I didn’t want to be
famous.
book archetypes. Tim created this amazing world with so much possibility, and
when we started making it we knew we
had something special. But while I knew
it would attract the Comic Con and sci-fi,
I never expected it to get the mainstream
reception that it got. That was a surprise
to me.
Science fiction and fantasy fans can be
fairly fanatical. What’s the most unusual
Heroes fan encounter you’ve had thus
far?
Every one is unique in its own way. I’ve
gotten marriage proposals, people chasing
me down the street, people dressing up in
drag and stalking me at Comic Con, fainting when meeting me. That’s always like,
“Whoa!”
Tim Kring has acknowledged the show
lost its way a bit, but your time travel
storyline got a lot of screen time. How did
you feel about the second season overall?
Well, the first season was absolutely
magical, and it set such a high bar that
there was no way that any season could
really top it. It was perfect, and as a result
I think the writers were very bold in doing
something completely different and taking
it in a different direction. I give them a lot
of respect for that, and I think when the
second season started out they had a lot of
great ideas. It just didn’t click, and there
was a little bit of confusion about whether
we wanted to reset and try to bring in new
characters and attract a new audience so
they wouldn’t feel like they’re missing out
on anything. But in doing that we kind
of patronized our fans from season one.
So I think it was a nice wake-up call for
everyone. They tried something different
You graduated from Brown University
with degrees in Math and Computer
Science and a minor in Theatre. Was a
career in show business your primary
goal at that time?
I never though of show business as
something I’d be doing, especially not
as an actor, but when I found out about
the job opportunity at Industrial Light &
Magic I got really excited. I love computer
graphics and I do like movies, but I didn’t
realize there was a job where you could
do that. Slowly, doors just started opening
for me.
When you initially read the script for
Heroes, did you have any clue what a pop
culture phenomenon the show would be?
Actually, I had no idea. When I first
read the script, I thought it was absolutely
amazing, because the characters were so
well defined and 3-dimensional for comic
You’ve actually studied Japanese swordfighting, right?
Yeah, and I love all that samurai stuff.
But when you see a Western, you want to
see a gunfight, but we put off the battle
for five weeks. We finally got to do one big
swordfight at the end, but the great thing
about that era is the fights, so I would’ve
liked to see more of them.
If you could write Hiro Nakamura’s storyline for season 3, what would it be?
I don’t know, what made great the first
season was his child-like sense of wonder.
He was very much the comic relief, but I
also want to see him grow. There’s something about the promise in the dichotomy– the juxtaposition of future Hiro and
present Hiro– and I’d like to see him go a
little bit to the dark side. Either he needs
to start to make that journey or else he
needs to go back to being a true goofball.
Get Smart is obviously your biggest film
role to date. What was it like working
with comedic heavyweights such as Steve
Carell, Alan Arkin and Bill Murray?
It was unbelievable! I grew up worshipping these guys, because they came out of
Second City, which is where I trained. So
at first I was very nervous coming into it,
because I knew I was gonna be improvising with these guys, and what happens if
they don’t laugh? Comedy is more harsh
because you get that immediate response,
and if you’re funny people are gonna laugh
and if you aren’t then they won’t. The first
day I felt like the new kid on the block, so
I kinda tread lightly, but from the second
day on they give us a chance to improvise,
and we hit it out of the park. If you can
make Steve Carell and Alan Arkin laugh so
hard they ruin their take, it’s like, “Yes!”
What did you learn about the art of filmmaking while working as a CGI artist?
I learned a lot about the behind-thescenes stuff. There are like 50 people
working to render 80 frames, and it takes
them a month just to create three seconds
of magic. It’s absolutely unreal how grandiose everything is, and it teaches you to
appreciate the work these people do. The
stars might be the face of the project, but
the real action happens behind the scenes.
How did you make the move from working behind the scenes to becoming an
actor?
Well, I got the acting bug in college, and
I figured I’d try it just once so I’d have stories to tell my grandchildren. Some people
drive cross-country when they’re young,
some people smoke weed, but I wanted to
give acting a try and figured since I had
no responsibilities to anyone but myself,
this would be the time to do it. So after I
finished working on my first big movie [as
a CGI artist], The Perfect Storm, I had this
big break where I decided I could enjoy
doing for the rest of my life. I got my SAG
card, and the rest is history.
and they recognized the challenges before
them, but it fell a little flat. Personally, I
would’ve loved to see more fighting…
SOME PEOPLE DRIVE
CROSS-COUNTRY WHEN
THEY’RE YOUNG, SOME
PEOPLE SMOKE WEED,
BUT I WANTED TO GIVE
ACTING A TRY AND
FIGURED SINCE I HAD NO
RESPONSIBILITIES TO
ANYONE BUT MYSELF,
THIS WOULD BE THE
TIME TO DO IT.
What’s the story behind this direct-toDVD spin-off, Get Bruce & Lloyd?
If Get Smart is Hamlet, then Get Bruce
& Lloyd is Rosencrantz & Guildenstern
Are Dead [the Tom Stoppard play based
on minor characters from Shakespeare’s
Hamlet]. We shot an entirely separate feature that follows the same timeline as the
theatrical film, but from the perspective of
our characters. You’ll see a couple of the
same scenes that are in Get Smart. It’s a
different approach to marketing, because
it comes out just 10 days after the film hits
theaters, so hopefully people will go back
and forth from one to the other.
Your career has really taken off these
past few years. Where would you like to
see it go from here?
Onwards and upwards! There’s a lot of
great stuff out there, and not just in the
TV and film markets. I’m interested in
new media, such as the gaming market.
I’m interested in creating a lot of the content, not just as an actor but as a producer,
writer and possibly director. I’m trying to
do it all, but it’s a constant learning process, so I’m slowly expanding and doing as
much as I can.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Herchel Walker on His
Book & His Shocking Secret
BY DAVE COHEN
M
AYBE THE MOST BELOVED
Bulldog of all time, Herschel Walker has
been regarded as one of college football’s
greatest running backs. He helped lead the University
of Georgia to victory in the 1980 Sugar Bowl and the
NCAA Championship and in 1982 he was awarded the
coveted Heisman Trophy. In 1999 he was elected to the
College Football Hall of Fame. He played professionally
in the short-lived USFL and then spent the next twelve
seasons in the NFL with the Cowboys, Vikings, Eagles
and Giants. What you may not know about Walker is
that according to his recently published book, he suffers
from Dissociative Identity Disorder (D.I.D). It’s a condition in which a single person displays multiple distinct
identities or personalities. Walker spoke with Dave
Cohen.
Herschel, do you remember the first time you thought
something might
be wrong or not of
the norm?
I do. It was the
incident that happened in the book
where I spoke
about a guy that
did something
with a car, not
delivering it on
time, how just
that something so
small registered so
large on the anger
scale of mine and that, at the time, Cindy (now former
wife) started telling me things that I was doing that I was
really not aware I was doing and I knew I needed help
then. It is hard sometimes for a man to say he needs help
but, you know, I think having a family that makes you be
accountable for yourself, I knew I needed to go get help
and that’s when I started trying to research to find out
what was going on.
Why not live a full and healthy life than a life in pain, a
life in the shadows.
So many people have this pre-conceived image of who
Herschel Walker is. You’ve been a high profile athlete
since high school. It’s apparent that you are less concerned with what people might think and more in tune
with being able to help people?
Well, that’s exactly right because God doesn’t really care
about this football thing. I don’t think he has a favorite
team. He’s not going to bless one team over another but
what he does care about is what are you going to do for
someone else? I had an opportunity to watch a lot of this
YouTube stuff, which is sad when I watch girls beating up
other girls and you have crowds standing around or guys
beating other guys and crowds standing around doing
nothing. To me they’re just as guilty. So, if I had not
written this book I’d have been just as guilty as not saying
anything when I have the opportunity to help someone.
Was this book, the
process of writing it,
in some way a form
of therapy for you?
You’re totally right.
When I first stated
writing, that’s exactly
why I was writing. I
was just writing this
for therapy. Now
I have over fifteen
hundred pages. It
was not going to be
a book. Someone
happened to get it and read it and they decided that they
wanted to do a book. They said, “Herschel, you’ve got to
turn this into a book.” It was strange because I didn’t even
hesitate. The first thing I said was, “If this is helping me
then maybe it can help someone else.”
WHY WOULD I WRITE IT TRYING
TO MAKE MONEY? I DON’T
NEED MONEY. I COULD HAVE
WRITTEN A FOOTBALL BOOK
TO MAKE MONEY. THIS IS WHAT
I WANT TO DO BECAUSE THIS
MEANS SOMETHING.
For those who may not be familiar with Dissociative
Identity Disorder (D.I.D), can you explain in more
detail what it is.
Dissociative Identity Disorder is really a coping mechanism. A lot of people in the medical world have said that
it’s trauma that somebody has suffered. I think that term
may be a little bit loose because I think it’s trauma that
anyone has suffered. I think they have a coping mechanism. They have what they call an “alter” that comes in to
endure the pain or the suffering or maybe anything. For
people to understand it, it’s like kids who have imaginary
friends where those imaginary friends are really a coping
mechanism for them to overcome things. This is that
imaginary friend to its fullest extent.
You’ve been up front with regards to the fact that D.I.D
is not really like what was seen in the movies Sybil or
the Three Faces of Eve, which is what most people first
think of.
Well, it’s totally different and
that’s what I try and tell people.
The movie Sybil or Three Faces
of Eve, that was entertainment.
This is something totally different
and this is something that is real.
There are people in the medical
field that say around 14 percent of
people suffer from it. I’m saying
that’s totally wrong. I think more
people suffer from it. I’m talking
about people that are in pain,
people that have problems that
they’re hiding. And I’m saying,
“Guys, there’s no shame in my
game.” If I’ve got a problem I’m
going to correct that problem
because I want to be a better man.
There’s no question that you’re helping to bring to light
a condition that not a lot of people are familiar with.
Has that , in any way, brought you some personal satisfaction in that you may be helping quite a few people?
That’s the key for me. There’s no doubt there’s going
to be ridicule and people that are going to disagree with
it but my thing is “so what.” The thing is is that I want
to help people. People question whether it’s real or not.
That’s not the question. The question is whether it’s going
to get people to get help. For me, I’m not going to change.
The things I’ve done on the football field are not going
to change. The things I’ve done in my business world are
not going to change. But what I could change is change
lives. I could change my life because I know that if I had
not gotten help I would be dead or I would be in prison
or I would have done something that may have harmed
someone else and I don’t think I could have ever lived
with that.
So now that the book has been written, what is your
next objective?
Well, the next step is I’m in the process of opening
some treatment centers. I’ve
already started one in Denton,
Texas and I’m starting one in El
Paso. I just bought the real estate
for one in San Francisco. To me
this is real and I don’t care what
anyone tells me. I’ve seen it for
myself. I’ve experienced it. It’s
got nothing to do with money.
I tell people, why would I write
something like this for attention?
You know, nobody wants this type
of attention. Why would I write
it trying to make money? I don’t
need money. I could have written
a football book to make money.
This is what I want to do because
this means something.
TRAVEL
Paradise
Found
Bermuda is as Beautiful as it Ever Was. Pack Some
Shorts and Knee Socks and See for Yourself.
BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS
T
HE BERMUDAN IMAGE IS ALMOST
surreal. At once there are clouds hovering above you as well as some beneath
you. The scene is so mind-boggling, so beyond
anything you’ve seen. You’ll ask your friendly
cabbie to pull over so you can capture the moment with your digital camera. There’s no way
anybody back home is gonna believe me! But
before you can exit the taxi for the shot, your
driver saves you from further embarrassment.
While the periodic dots of white in the sky are
indeed clouds, those at the bottom aren’t.
All the white is actually polished limestone
atop the roofs on the island. Why the limestone? Because the island offers no freshwater
lakes, Bermudans must collect the rainwater
for sustenance. The white limestone roofs purify the water and filter it into a cistern for each
house. It’s both an engineering and aesthetic
work of beauty.
Of course, it’s nothing new that the words
“Bermuda” and ‘beauty” run together. What is
a bit of news, however, is that tourism dollars
have seemingly gotten lost in the Bermuda
Triangle the past few decades. The English
territory’s board of tourism’s main objective
is finding them. Through various promotions,
the majestic isle of about 21 miles is creating
ripples in the travel industry with a campaign
essentially saying, “We are here! We are welcoming! We are open—even when it’s not time
for the Bermuda Music Festival!” The following
headlines should also do the trick in grabbing
the attention of anyone looking for somewhere
new for splendid sand, sensational sun and
Swizzle sips this summer.
WELCOME TO PRESERVATION ISLAND
We have nothing against Jamaica, the Bahamas and popular locales like that. They all do
certain things like frozen drinks and 75 degree
temperatures pretty well. But in terms of a
not-so-far-off island (Bermuda is roughly 400
miles east of North Carolina) keeping most
of its native culture thriving, few places in the
Caribbean can compare to Bermuda. With only
one fast food stop (a KFC locals say “snuck in”)
and no Jimmy Buffet-like novelty clubs in the
capitol city of Hamilton, the isle rings familiar
without ever crossing into a tacky t-shirt tourist
trap. That government ordinances also prohibit
buildings from being over a certain height is
another thing keeping traditional integrity
sound. You have to wonder if privateers knew
the basic laws they laid about the place upon
settling it in the 1600s would still be applicable
in the 21st century.
A REST BY ANY OTHER NAME JUST
ISN’T THE SAME
Sadly, the flip side to saying no to McDonald’s, Hard Rock Café and Holiday Inn is that
you’re probably saying yes to companies with
higher price tags. But rather than accommodations and other aspects of vacationing being
labeled expensive, Bermuda would rather
tourists view it all as investments in superior
service and quality. Examples of both can
certainly be found at the relaxing cottages of
Elbow Beach and Cambridge Beaches.
Still, the crown of the Bermudan lodging
crown is the Fairmont Southampton (doubles
from $259; 800-441-1414). Beyond superb
attention to customer service, the resort also
thrives off its natural beauty. There’s a spectacular golf course and a private cove only a trolley
ride away. A calming ferry trip –gorgeous views
of the limestone-topped homes included!- can
take you from the hotel to the Southampton’s
sister resort, the Fairmont Hamilton Princess,
into the active downtown area.
FOOOORE ALL YOUR
SPORTS NEEDS
Though the island has struggled with lagging
tourism dollars since the 80s, two markets keep
coming back for more—golfers and honeymooners. Surprising to many, bedroom games
and greens (The PGA Grand Slam of Golf will
take place Oct. 13-15) aren’t the only sports native to the island. Tennis, biking, water sports
and, of course, soccer are a huge deal. Running,
which is highlighted by the Bermuda International Race Weekend in January, is also taken
seriously. But if you come to the island in the
fall and winter, you must catch a harness race,
a horsing event that’ll feel like a scene from
Gladiator, if for only a few hours.
FISH CHOWDER: MMM,
MMM GOOD
Actor Michael Douglas and wife Catherine
Zeta-Jones, who call Bermuda home, can afford
whatever they want for dinner. All the rest
of us have to consider the budgetary aspects
before ordering. Thankfully, when you stop by
Rock Island Gourmet (441-296-5241) or the
Paraquet Restaurant (441-236-9742), the prices
aren’t bad and the sandwiches and desserts are
really good.
Elbow Beach’s Café Lido (441-236-9884) is a
bit more costly with its Mediterranean-touched
seafood menu, but the oceanfront experience is
out of this world. Like with any reputable Bermudan eatery, you’ll want to start the night off
with a bowl of the spiced-just-right fish chowder the area is famous for. The chilled prawns
are also a smart appetizer. Salmon or Bermuda
lobster make for a perfect entrée. A vintage red
wine or Swizzle, a rum-based cocktail locals
can’t live without, puts the exclamation point
on the evening.
LIFE’S NOT A BEACH
While totally understandable how you’d
want to spend six consecutive hours on the
beach reading Mary Higgins Clark, you might
want to trim the page turning and see some
of the sites. For Bermuda to be about the size
of Fulton County there is all sorts of fun to be
had on the rocky paradise. History buffs will
certainly appreciate the Verdmont Museum or
Camden House tour. Shoppers will bask in all
the cute shops near the Royal Naval Dockyard.
Adventure seekers can saddle up for some
early-morning galloping in the dunes at the
Spicelands Riding Centre.
Of course, there wouldn’t be an island adventure without some underwater critters. It’s of
no matter if you want simulated submarines
(Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute)
or real sharks and turtles (Bermuda Aquarium,
Museum & Zoo), you’re in luck. If you’ve
always wanted to swim with dolphins, you’re in
grand shape, too. Dolphin Quest has a lagoon
where Flipper swims and people ride alongside
him on water scooters.
SPORTS NEWS
I Have a Dream
Hops fans’ prayers have finally been answered:
The WNBA’s tipping off in Atlanta.
BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS
I
F IT TOOK AN ESTABLISHED TEAM LIKE
the Atlanta Hawks nine seasons to make the playoffs, what in heavens gives the first-year Atlanta
Dream the idea it can win the WNBA championship
in five? “Give us a couple of years in the draft, and with
free agency, we’re looking to win the championship,”
Dream head coach Marynell Meadors announced
about a month ago. “That’s our ultimate goal- to win
the championship.” But you know that old adage, “You
can’t keep a good post-playing woman down.” The
Dream, a franchise tipping off at Philips Arena on May
23 against the Detroit Shock, is an exciting bunch of
15 said women. In the weeks building up to the team’s
debut, INsite spoke to four key components –head
coach Meadors, owner Ron Terwilliger, the most recognizable player Ivory Latta and first-round draft pick
Tamera Young- to find out exactly what it’s going to
take to make this inaugural campaign a Dream season.
RON TERWILLIGER, THE VISIONARY
When did this idea of a team coming to Atlanta start
to really get some legs?
It goes back a year when they called me and asked, if
the Charlotte team was going to be relocated, would I
be interested. I think people know that I like sports. I
used to own a professional indoor soccer team. I made
a bid for the Braves. I said, “Yeah, I’d be interested
in knowing more about it. I don’t know that much
about the WNBA.” Nothing really happened. That
team went out of existence. Then the WNBA came to
Atlanta and met with [Atlanta City Council president]
Lisa Borders, [Central Atlanta Progress president] AJ
Robinson and maybe the mayor (Shirley Franklin).
They mayor’s bought season tickets, so it’s clear she’s
a fan. After doing some research over the spring and
summer to see if there would be receptivity among the
Atlantans to having a women’s team, then they came
to me. I’m sure not just to me. I’m sure they talked to
four or five likely owners. I said, “Yeah, I’d be interested
in researching it.” I went out and met with David Stern
and [WNBA commissioner] Donna Orender in New
York. I went to Chicago to see the owner of the last
franchise, the Chicago Sky. I just thought I’d give it a
run. I was encouraged by Lisa and AJ and the receptivity we thought Atlanta was giving us. We’ll see. So far
so good. We need more sponsorship. We’re working
on a whole bunch of companies to be sponsors. We’re
somewhere north of 1,500 season tickets. We need to
at least double that. We’re working at it. So far so good
but only time will tell.
What’s one thing you’d like to change about the
WNBA?
I don’t care much for the attendance. It needs to be
higher. Other than that, nothing. The women’s game
to me is a better game than the men’s game in that it’s
more of a team game. A lot of males apparently, based
on the research that we’ve done, don’t think it’s as
good a game. I don’t know how you measure “good.”
The women shoot every bit as well from the foul line
and three-point line. They’re the best female athletes
in the world. We find them to be enjoyable young
ladies who are trying to make it in sports, trying to
demonstrate the women’s sports are something people
should follow. I just think there needs to be some more
support. I can understand that people have had some
reservations about the quality of the game. But we now
see college games and they’re fantastic. We see more
press. I’m really encouraged when you see the paper.
The men are a lil’ higher, but you still see, further in the
paper, a women’s game or the women’s top 10. It’s coming. It’s a lil’ bit at a time. Obviously, we hope women
support women’s basketball. But I also hope men will
give us a look. They’ll find this is a great game played
by just outstanding athletes.
What did the failed Miami and Charlotte WNBA
franchises do wrong that you don’t plan on repeating?
I don’t have a great history. I think when [NBA commissioner] David Stern started this sport 12 years ago,
he persuaded a lot of the NBA owners to support the
women’s NBA. Some of them supported it wholeheartedly. This is conjecture on my part. With both of
the men’s franchises, at varying stages have struggled. I
just don’t believe they had the commitment. It was the
NBA owners. [They thought] We’re separate. That’s
the way of the direction of the league. I think there are
now seven [WNBA] teams with independent ownership and seven with NBA ownership. I just think this
city is a better city than either of those cities. This is a
big, diverse metropolitan area. Georgia Tech now has
a terrific women’s basketball team. Georgia has a great
women’s team. Vanderbilt, UNC, Duke and Tennessee
[all have storied histories]. I’m thinking the tradition
that’s been built for women’s college basketball, combined with a diverse, affluent Atlanta metro area, will
make this a different experience.
TAMERA YOUNG, THE CHOSEN ONE
Can you all give a few thoughts about being the first
Dream picks?
It’s exciting. I’m also surprised to be in the first
round. Just to be on the south, on the east coast, so
my family can come watch me play [is great]. I’m just
happy to be here in Atlanta.
You were the first player ever drafted from James
Madison. How does that feel?
It’s great. Going to James Madison, when they recruited me, I never knew all of this would happen. It’s
like all of my dreams have come true. It just feels great.
MARYNELL MEADORS, THE GENERAL
NBAE/
GETTY IMAGES
A lot of people just don’t realize how good the basketball is in the WNBA.
There are just great values that are with team sports,
all sports, in general. There are role models for the
young people growing up. There are opportunities for
young, professional women to have an opportunity to
play this game. Our game of basketball is terrific. It’s
at an all-time high. The skill level is unbelievable. And
until people come in and watch the players play the
games, they won’t realize that. They have this perception that it’s like 20 years ago and that it’s high school
[style]. It is nothing like that. It is a true basketball
game. It’s like what John Wooden said, “The women
play the true basketball game.” They play teamwork.
They cheer for each other. They want to succeed. And
they work hard. I had a real interesting conversation
with one of the coaches that I’ve coached with, Ron
Rothstein, he’s an assistant coach now with the Miami
Heat. He was a coach with the Miami Sol. Our players
were diving on the floor and trying to get the ball and
things like that. He looked at me and said, “Men would
never do that.” I said, “Women are tougher.” That’s part
of our game. We go after loose balls. We go after jump
balls. We go after rebounds. [That applies to] pretty
much all through the league- especially on this team. I
look at my board up here. We’ve got a fantastic group
of young women coming in that are leaders. They are
great role models for kids. They love to talk to kids.
Kids need that. I think our fans need that, too. They
will talk to grown-ups, too, but they really value talking
to young people and trying to mold their minds and
mold their ideas about things- especially the young
girls that never thought they’d have the chance to play
at this level. They now have an opportunity to watch it
and then work on their skills.
Coach, are things solidified with the starting lineup,
or are you working with a blank slate?
You always put me on the spot. There are no starters
really. There are 13 of us right now. With the addition
of [Young and fellow draft pick Chioma Nnamaka],
that makes it 15. We’re all from different environments. We’ve all got to get to know each other. They
got to get to know the system, and I have to get to
know a little better about their game. I think we’re going to be a very competitive team. I think we’re going
to run the basketball, push it up the court. We’re going
to play half-court defense and make the other teams
have to adjust to us. Size-wise, I think we’re a huge
team—compared to the other teams in the WNBA. I
noticed a lot of them were drafting a lot of post players,
so they could try to match up with us. We have seven
fours and fives that stand 6-4 or taller, so we’re really
excited about that. And our threes are 6-3, 6-2 and
6-0. We’re a very, very big team. I think the match-up
problems could be an issue with some of the teams.
What impresses you most about Ivory Latta?
There’s a lot of things that impress me about Ivory.
I’ve never had the opportunity to coach her, but I’ve
seen her play a lot of games, both at the collegiate level
and at the professional level. Her fire and passion for
playing the game, and her competitiveness all goes into
the crowd. She gets everybody in the arena involved.
If she sees one person that’s not looking like they’re
really cheering for everything, she makes sure that she
points it out. She’ll go up to them and say, “Hey!” She
gets everybody involved. A prime example of that is
that she’s playing in Israel right now. She doesn’t know
what they’re saying. They’re not sure what she’s saying,
but they all come to the game to see her. I was with the
Washington Mystics last year. We go up to play Detroit
and the fans are there early to get autographs and talk
to her. She never gets on the floor, but they don’t care!
She just has that “It.” Nobody knows what it is, but
she has it. She just involves everybody. If you look at
our roster and everything, with her playing the point
guard, Betty Lennox playing the two and Iziane Castro
playing at three. [Ivory] will get the ball to them. If
they get covered up, she’ll knock it down herself. She’s
just so team-oriented that she will take this team,
embrace’em and make sure that everybody around her
is better. She’s just that kind of a player.
IVORY LATTA, THE HEART ‘N SOUL
What are you most looking forward to with life in
Atlanta?
I’m looking forward to being in a great atmosphere.
Atlanta is a great place to have a WNBA team and I’m
really excited to be a part of the franchise.
Of course, you all would like to make the playoffs, but
what’s a safer, realistic team goal for this first season?
It’s always good to make goals for the season, especially for a first year team. Making the playoffs is a
realistic goal but, at the same time, we know it will take
hard work and dedication to get to that point.
What are your expectations of fans?
I expect the fans in Atlanta to come out and support
their first women’s [WNBA] franchise. I’m expecting
them to be loud at every game and very passionate
about the game as we are. I know they will support the
Dream team and I’m really excited to play in front of a
great crowd.
Beyond being a defense’s worst nightmare, what else
do you love doing?
I love playing video games, riding four-wheelers, and
I love just hanging with my family and friends. I love
to watch baseball and football games. But my favorite
thing to do is sleep. I just enjoy every moment of my life.
For the curious reader who’s never been to a WNBA
game, what are they missing?
If you’ve never been to a WNBA game, you are really
missing out. We play hard. We love to compete against
each other. Everybody wants to win. It’s fun and exciting to watch a WNBA game and also to play in the
WNBA. You may see a couple of dunks here and there
but mostly nice lay-ups or long three-point shots.
Ivory, what do you think about Tamera and Chioma
joining your squad?
They’re definitely great players. Playing against my
ACC rival (Latta went to North Carolina; Chioma attended Georgia Tech), I definitely know the things that
she can do. And coming back from Israel, I watched
[Tamera] play. They’re definitely great players. They’re
going to contribute to the team. I’m definitely gonna
be looking for them on the wing. We’ll make a good
combination.
NBAE/
GETTY IMAGES
SPORTS NEWS
FANATIC
BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS
“You can’t take health for granted. You can’t take your eyes for granted, your
nerves for granted. Nothing. Tiger is the best player in the world. But [Seve]
Ballesteros was the best player in the world, and look what happened to him.
Tiger is a superstar and will overcome all kinds of adversity. Nobody has higher regard for Tiger Woods than me. But you cannot take anything for granted.”
–HALL OF FAME GOLFER GARY PLAYER, on Woods’ ailing knee and
the five-time Majors winner Ballesteros who had severe back troubles
JAKE LONG, the imposing tackle from the University of Michigan, was the No. 1 pick in the ’08 NFL
draft by Miami. Long was the second Wolverine ever
taken first and he’s the only offensive lineman chosen
No. 1 since the St. Louis Rams got Orlando Pace in
’97. “They are getting a guy that not only has great
measurables -- he’s big, he’s strong, he’s powerful,
he’s athletic, he’s smart, he’s tough, he’s competitive,”
said former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. “I mean,
Jake is the complete football player and I think he
will contribute immediately. Jake is passionate about
the game, and I don’t think there is anything that he
lacks.”
“I think we can keep them, absolutely. They’re a big
part of what we have going on here. And I love those guys, for their ability and
for what they bring on and off the court. They’ve been with us longer than
anyone else in terms of the rebuilding process. They do everything you ask of
them. So we couldn’t ask for anything more from those two guys. We want to
keep them and add to what we have. Because we’re not a finished product.”
–ATLANTA HAWKS GM BILLY KNIGHT, on the futures of Josh Smith
and Josh Childress
With all due respect to Kobe, Dwight Howard and KG, thus far these NBA
PLAYOFFS have shaped up to be a point guard showcase more than anything else. Though Fanatic’s only seen each team play twice, we’ve listed the 10
best point men this postseason with confidence: 1) Chris Paul 2) Tony Parker
3) Steve Nash 4) Deron Williams 5) Allen Iverson 6) Daniel Gibson 7) Rajon
Rondo 8) Jason Kidd 9) Chauncey Billups 10) Jameer Nelson/Derek Fisher.
A Monthly Sports Must-See TV
Wrap-up
Top 5 Games This Month
MAX MOSLEY, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERATION INTERNATION
ALE DE L’AUTOMOBILE, F1’s governing body, is facing intense pressure
to resign from his post after being implicated in a Nazi role-playing orgy according to a British tabloid. The report detailed a five-hour “Nazi-style” orgy
between Mosley and five prostitutes at a house in Chelsea. In a video on the
News of the World website, it shows a man identified as Mosley arriving at
an apartment. The man is then greeted by a woman playing the role of a Nazi
prison guard, checking his hair for lice. A decision about Mosley’s future will
be voted on at a June 3 meeting.
JAKE LONG WAS
THE #1 PICK OF
THE 2008 NFL
DRAFT
To many, Atlanta icon JOHN SMOLTZ was a hall
of famer before getting his 3,000th strikeout. Now
that he’s got it in the sixth fewest innings ever, it’s
pretty much a no-brainer he’ll get a call from Cooperstown. All of the excitement, of course, begs the
question: Which Braves teammate(s) will join him?
Manager Bobby Cox (four-time Manager of the
Year, fourth-winningest manager ever) is a definite.
Chipper Jones (five-time all-star, 392 home runs, ’99
MVP) and Tom Glavine (10-time all-star, two-time
Cy Young winner, 300-win club member) seem like
safe bets, too. Check back with us in about seven
seasons on Tim Hudson, Mark Teixeira and Jeff
Francoeur.
And finally…
For the first time in men’s college basketball, no senior was chosen as a firstteam All-American… Male viewership (18-to-35 yrs) was up 72% from a
year ago for the first round of NHL playoff action on Versus… We know the
NCAA tourney is old news, but the fact that fans keeping up with games at
work clicked on the “Boss Button,” which brings up a fake spreadsheet, over
two million times is still funny… Kobe Bryant’s jerseys -No. 8 and No. 24 together- were the second-most popular the last decade, according to figures
released by the NBA Store in New York. Michael Jordan’s topped the list, with
Allen Iverson’s was third… Tigers slugger Magglio Ordonez has the secondmost career RBI for a player born in Valenzuela (Andres Galarraga is No. 1
with 1,425)…There have been more major leaguers born in California than
Vermont, Maryland, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Colorado, Kentucky,
Arizona, Oregon, Virginia, Hawaii, Montana, New Hamphsire, Maine, Wyoming and Nevada combined!
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The Players Championship
4
5
(May 6 or 7, TBD, Versus)
If the anticipated Detroit/Colorado series goes
the distance, Fanatic might even be compelled
to watch.
(May 10-11, TBD, NBC)
Mickelson was thinking about a repeat at the
TPC even before Tiger’s knee trouble. Now he
can almost smell it…
Los Angeles at Phoenix
(May 17, 3:30PM, ABC)
The WNBA opener has it all: the world champs
(Mercury), all-stars (Lisa Leslie, Cappie
Pondexter, Diana Taurasi) and a future sensation
(Candace Parker).
Coca-Cola 600
(May 25, 5PM, FOX)
The top five drivers (including Jr. and Jimmie) are
separated by about 100 points in the standings.
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