AnnaLynne McCord talks about her role in “Scorned” and TV’s “Dallas”

Photo Credit: Anchor Bay Entertainment

AnnaLynne McCord is known best for her role in the CW series “90210”, playing the role of Naomi Clark. She is also known for the role of Eden Lord on the FX series “Nip/Tuck”. Last year she delivered a fantastic role in the terribly disturbing horror film “Excision”. This year, she returns to the horror/thriller genre again with the film “Scorned”, which co-stars Billy Zane. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with AnnaLynne about her roles and what we can expect from her in TNT’s “Dallas” this season.

Mike Gencarelli: After “Excision” last year and now “Scorned”, what do you enjoy most about playing these kinds of twisted characters?
AnnaLynne McCord: Doing “Excision” was a dream role for me. It was incredible in its own right. So when “Scorned” came down the pipeline and it sounded like a similar character but it had more of that campy Friday-night-fun-horror deal to it. It was one of those films that we didn’t think it was going to come together until the 11th hour. Literally, I was doing a film in Vegas and I was heading to the airport not knowing if I was going back to LA or heading to Ohio. When I got to Ohio, I was shocked at how much of a small town it was. I was wondering if I flew had overseas since there was no cell reception in the entire town. I had to drive over the bridge, which literally brought me into Kentucky in order to get service. Who can be without their cellphone these days, it’s terrifying. We need to make a horror movie about that [laughs].But it was a very fun film to shoot and we kept it light.

MG: How was getting to beat the shit out of Billy Zane?
AM: Yeah, I enjoyed that. I enjoyed that perhaps too much [laughs].

MG: The film is quite brutal; was it difficult performing the torture scenes?
AM: When we really went there with some of these scenes, I learned the difference between filming and reality. Even when I saw the first screener, when I go to hobble Billy’s ankle, it was crazy thinking that I did that. I know I hit a log underneath his foot. I know I didn’t actually hit him but watching it was tough. It was still fun though. The cool thing about being a crazy sadistic character is that you get to be a nice person in real life. I get all of my anger out on other people…and I get paid for it [laughs].

MG: How do you get inside of the head of characters like Sadie?
AM: It is a very interesting transition for me. Obviously, I don’t do around torturing or murdering people otherwise you would be talking to me from a prison cell right now [laughs]. So there is a bit of embellishment. The key for playing any role is you have to decide for yourself before the project begins that you have absolutely no judgment over that character. That way you are able to look back and understand their psyche. As an actor you have to put on their shoes and have full acceptance of what they are doing and think “If I was her, why does my entire environment depend on me doing this”. It is interesting to think about a character who is doing something that is evil and have to look at them with empathy and compassion in order to get inside of them and be who they are. So that is really the process for actors, if they are good actors [laughs], to prepare when playing a role like Sadie.

Photo Credit: Anchor Bay Entertainment

MG: What drew you to work on the TV show “Dallas”?
AM: I think it has to be the storytelling. I know one of the showrunners, Mike Robin, from my work on “Nip/Tuck”. He called and link up again for “Dallas”. The showrunners sat down with me and explained the arc for the character and told me that their focus on the show was to tell stories. They wanted to have real genuine storytelling. For me, I thought it was so nice to hear. It was a nice transition for me as well between films and getting to tip-toe back into TV. I really loved that the fact that writers were so committed to have great storytelling.

MG: What can we expect from your character Heather this season?
AM: It was cool because for once I get to play a nice girl. She is a strong female role. The dynamics between her character and Christopher is really fun. She comes on strong like a tornado and hurricane all wrapped into one. So her energy is definitely a force to be reckoned with. I think that that dynamic is something that Christopher really likes about her. He is in this family that lies to everyone all the time and he has this one “creature” that comes in saying [in Southern accent] “I am going to tell you so much of the truth; you won’t be able to handle it”. He finds a way to handle it and it really becomes this great dynamic. I just finished wrapping up the season with episode 10, so it has been great. I can’t wait for everyone to see it.

 

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: annalynne, dallas, mccord, role, scorned, talks, ...

Dren McDonald talks video game music and his band The String Arcade

Dren McDonald is a musician/composer since and runs the website, nerdtracks. He currently also creates music and sound design for video games. Recently he came together to form a band, The String Arcade, and has an album coming out on February 11th. “The String Arcade” spans a few decades in video game history from arcade classics including “Galaga”, “TRON” to 8-bit eras with “Legend of Zelda” to more recent hits with “Portal 2” and “Minecraft”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat video games with Dren and his album.

Mike Gencarelli: How did The String Arcade come together?
Dren McDonald: The creation of The String Arcade didn’t come from one singular “really big idea”, but more like a recipe of several idea ingredients that came together at the right time. The initial spark came from a personal challenge. After working on a lot of client music for the past few years, I wanted to really work on a project that was meaningful to me and that reflected the idea “what music would I make right now, if I could make anything”. Clearly I wasn’t thinking about doing an album of cover songs with that initial thought.

However I’d always been completely obsessed with the music from the film Stranger Than Paradise, by John Lurie. I bought the soundtrack album back when the film came out, hoping that the Screamin’ Jay Hawkins tune, “I Put a Spell on You” would be on there. It wasn’t. But the first side of the record was the entire string quartet soundtrack from the film, and it’s one of the few pieces of music that I continue to listen over the years, ever since the first listen. So I wanted to do something like Stranger Than Paradise: a bunch of string quartet music.

So I started working on this idea, and the first tune I completed was ” Optimism For an Improvement in The John Situation” (a reference to the fact that Lurie hasn’t been playing/writing music due to an illness). This tune served as a blueprint for the other music, and I began to start rearranging some of my own music from games…and in all cases, appending and expanding all of those pieces with the intention of having them played by musicians.

Concurrently, a local project called the Alameda Music Project (alamedamusicproject.org) was starting to raise funds in order to begin their after school music program, a K-5 El Sistema based classical music program with strings, chorus and percussion. So we decided to make this ‘recording project’ a fundraiser, with all sales going to support the new music program. But a CD of all Dren McDonald chamber music wasn’t going to move the fundraising needle too much, so more thought was put into the project.

I started listening closely to some of my favorite game music from my youth (Altered Beast, Legend of Zelda, Galaga) and wondered how those might sound if arranged for string quartet. And how might they sound by using Stranger Than Paradise as a model for the mood? It was a clash of very disparate worlds, but the juxtaposition was one that got my musical brain excited. Soon after we launched the Kickstarter.

MG: How did you choose which games and specific songs where chosen for the album?
DM: I chose games that 1) I was a fan of, 2) that I could see fitting into this musical blueprint some way, so that the recording didn’t come off as a novelty album and 3) games that would reach out to kids with the hopes that they’d be inspired to play music. The recording is a fundraiser for a music program, so some thought was given to the song selection with that in mind as well.

Back to this “musical blueprint” idea, I did want to pick songs that would lend themselves towards being moved, twisted, rearranged and manipulated in a way that spoke to me. Really creative music arranging can be just as rewarding as composition, (in some of these charts there’s a lot of added composition), so I didn’t want to simply ‘cover’ the music, but inject it with emotions or musical turns that moved me.

MG: What is it about 8-bit games and their music that still resonates today?
DM: Sometimes we hear discussions about how 8-bit or 16-bit games had more memorable music than games of our current generation, and I think that’s largely due to the fact that game design has changed so radically due to technology. With the NES, you basically had music or you didn’t. There was no ‘ambience’ really, so it was on or off. So it ‘had’ to be memorable, or catchy so that it wouldn’t make us insane while we played. So if we played Legend of Zelda, or Ecco or Altered Beast in our youth, that music has definitely carved a way into our brains and made a home there. Last year I remember play the Tron arcade machine, which I hadn’t played in many years, and was astounded at how well I remembered all of the little musical pieces that played during game play (especially when you die!). I’m no psychologist, but I think there’s something about that association with a game that comes from playing it, and having a great experience that sticks with you. Hearing the music outside of the context might just bring back those good feelings.

MG: What games didn’t make the cut from this album?
DM: There are certainly games with wonderful soundtracks that I love that I considered…Journey, Dear Esther, Bioshock (1). But I didn’t feel like the contribution that I might make to that music would resonate. As I said, I wanted run these tunes thru my ‘blueprint’ and after thinking about some of this other music, I’m not sure I would have been successful with that approach. When you are interpreting music that had been previously represented by synth or chip sounds, there is a little more freedom there. Even in the case of something like Outlaws or Plants Vs Zombies, the change in instrumentation and musical style was enough to unlock that freedom. Those other soundtracks I mentioned were already created with live string players, so any attempt to cover them in the manner that I approached the other music would have probably fallen flat. Listeners have already heard those soundtracks with strings, and a ‘new’ version would likely be judged as an inferior one.

MG: Tell us about what happens with the proceeds of the album?
DM: 100% of the proceeds goes to the Alameda Music Project (alamedamusicproject.org) with is an after school, K-5 music program for strings, percussion and chorus. It’s a tuition-free program in a Title 1 school, so that kids who might not be able to afford to study music, will have that chance. It’s 5 days a week, after school care (homework, snacks and music) and it’s based on the El Sistema model, which was the music program that began in Venezuela 40 years. The same program that Gustavo Dudamel (creative director/conductor of the LA Phil) had gone thru as a child.

MG: Can we expect follow-up albums or a tour in the future?
DM: Good question! There are no tour plans, but depending on how this record does, and how the music program does this year I’m sure we’d love to do a follow up. There will be a CD release party, with the quartet, and lots of video games to play (include arcade machines, old consoles and several indie game studios who will be there showing their games.) That is March 7th at Rhythmix in Alameda, CA and we are planning to stream video from that show as well. We’ll put details on thestringarcade.com

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: arcade, band, dren, game, mcdonald, music, ...

Author of “Labor Day”, Joyce Maynard talks about the new film

If you recognize the name Joyce Maynard then you obviously have a knowledge of literature. Casual readers may know her as the young impressionable writer who, at age 18, began a 10 month relationship with the reclusive author J.D. Salinger, 35 years her senior. More learned readers know her as the author of such diverse books as “To Die For,” “At Home in the World” and “Labor Day.” “To Die For,” adapted by Buck Henry, was made into a film by Gus Van Sant.

This week, the film version of “Labor Day,” adapted and directed by Jason Reitman and starring Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet, hits theatres. After a recent screening, Ms. Maynard sat down with me to talk about the film, teenage boys and the great state of New Hampshire.

Mike Smith: One thing that stood out to me was, even though there are very adult themes in the film, there was really no crude language. Was this deliberate on your part?
Joyce Maynard: I didn’t see the need. I’m not saying that I would never put “adult” language in a book…some people talk like that. And I’m certainly not an advocate of censorship. Some people don’t talk the way we’d like our children to talk. These are adults but nobody takes off their apron (laughs)…no one takes off their dress. I wanted the reader to “feel” the chemistry and the passion. I was raised by two people who loved language. And it’s way too easy to just have a character say “oh, shit!” It’s like pushing a button. I’d rather have the audience rediscover language.

MS: There were some things in the book, mostly dealing with Henry’s coming of age, that were left out of the film.
JM: (laughs) Well, there are some things that we can read in a book that maybe wouldn’t be good to see on a movie screen. Because the film is shot through his eyes we do see him gazing at a girls’ bra strap…see him at the store looking at magazines. You can feel what it’s like to be a thirteen year old boy. I’m the mother of sons. I grew up in a house where a lot was never discussed. I would never be on the side of silence or denial of the issues of a thirteen year old boy but that being said, it doesn’t really need to be spelled out. It’s not just about body parts and physical stuff…it’s about feelings. There’s a scene where Henry and his mother are laying in a hammock and she wants to have a talk about sex. But she’s not interested in talking about the physical activity…the secretions and what have you…she wants to talk about the feelings, which is what nobody ever talks about. I think we do a great disservice to young people when we assume that all they care about is physical acts. They’re also very concerned with feelings.

MS: What did telling the story through the eyes of the son, rather than the mother, allow you to explore in your storytelling?
JM: Well, it obviously would have been a lot more explicit . We would have been IN the bedroom instead of on the other side of the wall, imagining. I’ve been a single mother. I’ve been a person who has had to figure out what to do with her romantic yearnings and dreams at a moment when a lot of losses have been incurred. But I’ll tell you, with a former teenage boy sitting here, I think teenage boys are hugely romantic. In the book the girl he meets (Mandy) offers to have sex with him and he says “no.” Because he’s not in love.

MS: As someone whose job is to write, when you option a property for another medium do you inquire as to who is going to adapt your work?
JM: Totally! There have been people that have wanted to make films of books of mine that I’ve had to say “no” to. On “Labor Day,” Jason Reitman called me up very soon after the book was published and said he loved it and wanted to make this movie. I was a fan of his films so I said “yes.” Now, once you’ve entrusted it to the writer and director your control is over…you’ve let it go hopefully into good hands. Jason showed me his adaptation and told me why he may have changed some things from the book. I made a few suggestions. Not a lot (laughs). But I understand…I wouldn’t want someone looking over my shoulder…giving me suggestions. I wasn’t on the set a lot. I was actually there the first day and the last day. But I knew I had to let the book go.

MS: Was there one thing in the book you regretted losing. Like, if you had an “if only “ wish, Is there anything you wish had made it in the translation?
JM: The state. “If Only” they could have filmed In the state. I’m from New Hampshire. And I have a feeling that a few people here have a loyalty to Kansas City the way I do about New Hampshire. I love my state. My state is very beautiful and I really wanted to let the viewer know the film takes place in New Hampshire. To you, maybe if you see it you think, “ok…that’s Massachusetts or New Hampshire or Vermont.” Only people from New Hampshire can tell you when you’re looking at New Hampshire. To be fair, it wasn’t Jason’s fault. New Hampshire doesn’t give tax incentives to film there. So they spent all of this money making Massachusetts look like New Hampshire!

 

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Monster Truck’s Jeremy Widerman talks about 2014 tour with Buckcherry

Jeremy Widerman is the guitarist/vocalist for the Canadian hard rock band Monster Truck. The 4 piece group from Hamilton, Ontario released their first full length album titled “Furiosity” in May of last year. The band is set to kick off 2014 touring with Buckcherry and Media Mikes had the chance recently to speak with Jeremy about the tour, his dislike of music videos and his take people’s perception of Canadian bands.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us a little background on the band?
Jeremy Widerman: The band started in Hamilton, Ontario and all of the guys in the band were pretty familiar with one another because of playing in the Hamilton music scene. We wanted to start a band that we could keep to ourselves and do what we wanted. We wanted to be free of self imposed rules of what we should or shouldn’t be. We started out wanting to be a bar band that would play once or twice a month just for fun. We wanted to be able to stay in control of everything as a group.

AL: When did you realize that the band could/should move forward?
JW: Things became pretty apparent within the first six months of the band. A lot of the songs came together really quickly which gave way to us being able to start doing shows just as quick. It was in those first that we knew we had something that could be expanded upon. It took us a year however to actually go for it.

AL: The bands first full length album “Furiosity” came out almost a year ago. How has the reception been?
JW: The record came out in May of 2013 and we knew that if things were done properly and we did things the way we wanted we would end up with something that could be quite successful not only with our fan base but also to new listeners as well. We worked on “Furosity” for a year because we felt this momentum that we knew we could capitalize on. The record took a little longer than we had initially thought it would to complete but once we sat down with the mixes we were all really confident that we achieved what we had set out to do. The release has gone really well as did the subsequent tour. You never know what to expect when it comes to the music industry but things have worked out well and we have gotten a lot of great opportunities because of that.

AL: Do you feel coming from Canada has influenced people perception of the band here in the United States?
JW: Yeah for sure! That’s just one of those things you can’t avoid. We try not to pay much attention to that stuff as it’s sort of a natural occurrence. I think it’s going to happen no matter what. You are going to have a stigma attached to you no matter what. If ours is that were from Canada that’s fine by us. From our perspective as proud as we are to be from Canada and be Canadians I don’t know if Canada really provided me with the kind of bands I wanted to hear growing up. We don’t take a lot of influence from Canadian music and people have told us that we don’t sound like other bands from Canada. I think that has been a bit of an asset for us moving ahead in the United States and overseas as there is a certain Canadian rock sound that bands have. Whether it was conscious or subconscious it’s something we don’t have.  It could be because our influences didn’t come from Canada and that we have tried really hard to ovoid that stigma. Naturally being from the country will cause some assumption and we are ok with that.

AL: The band has put out a couple lyric videos recently but nothing featuring the band. Have there been any talks to do a full music video production for any of the songs off of the album?
JW: We actually wrapped shooting on a video for the song “The Lion” a few days ago. Lyrics videos are something that I am not a huge fan of. The label likes to put them out to help promote the songs but other than that I’m not really sure what they accomplish. (Laughs) Music Videos in general are kind of hard to understand these days. With YouTube going downhill because of all of the add implementation it has really hurt things. On our YouTube page you won’t find the ads because we chose not to monetize the site. I thought the true beauty in YouTube initially was that you could bounce from video to video without being force fed advertisements. From my perspective videos are fun to do when you have a good idea and it fits with the music. We have sort of shied away from videos this past year but we have been asked to do some recently and it’s just part of the business.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands tour plans for 2014?
JW: Starting January 20th we will be out on the road with Buckcherry. We had sort of a slow start in the States building the band and that is something we want to work on throughout this year. We will be out for a month with the Buckcherry guys and then we have a couple weeks off before we head over to the UK, Europe and Germany. After that we will be back in States and on tour for three weeks with Alter Bridge. Once that run wraps up we will be out on another run with some really big bands however, I can’t announce that one just yet. We are really looking forward to getting back out there.

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Fabio talks about his new film “Dumbbells”

Photo Credit: Fabio, Inc.

Fabio Lanzoni or better know as just Fabio, is an Italian model, spokesperson, and actor. He has a very fun cameo in the new film “Dumbbells” playing himself. He also is working on a new supplement product called Healthy Planet Vitamins. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Fabio about this film and his product.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your relationship with Hoyt Richards (who co-wrote the film and plays Jack Guy)?
Fabio: I have known Hoyt for a long time. We started modeling together back in the 80’s while working for Ford. We used to go on talk shows together and represent Ford Modeling Agency and due to that we became good friends. At that time Hoyt was involved with a cult. They believed the end of the world was coming. He was giving every single penny he had to this cult. I always told him that these people were taking him for a ride but he was very into it and didn’t listen to me. They took everything from this guy and left him with nothing. So he ended up staying with me for about a year and a half after since he was left broke. I gave him a car and really helped him out. He is a real good friend of mine and such a great guy and I would do anything for him.

MG: How did you get involved with this film “Dumbbells”?
Fabio: He asked me if I wanted to be involved with his movie and, of course, I said “Definitely, I want to do it”. At the same time, my sister was battling with cancer and my time was limited. I cancelled all of my jobs prior just to be with her. She unfortunately ended up passing away six months later. He would have loved me to be more involved with the film but it was just bad timing then. It is a funny movie and Hoyt did a really great job with it.

MG: There is a line in the film “Fabio’s kind of a dick huh?”; how was it playing yourself with that angle mixed in?
Fabio: In the beginning, Hoyt originally wanted to do a movie about his life. I think it would have been amazing but is more drama than comedy. After though, he decided to put that chapter of his life behind and just make fun of it. So we just played around with the film and just had fun. I liked playing fun on myself but I get to save him in the end, so I redeem myself.

MG: Tell us about the highway billboard for “Dumbbells” pushing “For Your Consideration: Best Actor”?
Fabio: Yeah! That’s funny right? They asked me about that and I thought it would be fun for them to put up this billboard. I figured why not. I think it is very effective though and it gets people interested in the film.

MG: Besides acting, tell us about your work with Healthy Planet Vitamins?
Fabio: It is a great supplement product, which is currently available in Whole Foods Market and other stores. It is also available through the website, http://healthyplanetnutrition.com/. It consists of the highest quality of protein available. People may not know but every single cell of your body regenerates due to protein. This has been proven. The highest quality protein in nature is whey. The only problem is that the quality of whey in the U.S. is not good and in fact not even real whey. I came out with a line with real biologically active whey. The only place you can get this is from New Zealand, since they do not use pesticide and fertilizers. The results have been unbelievable that people have been getting. The problem is that companies today cut corners for profits. I didn’t want to cut corners, I wanted to give the people the best quality protein there is and I believe I have achieved that.

 

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: dumbbells, fabio, film, talks

Tech N9ne talks about his love for music and latest album “Therapy”

You may not be familiar with the name Aaron Donetz Yates, but if you’ve been a fan of rap and hip-hop for the past two decades you surely know the name Tech N9ne!

Born in Kansas City, he embraced rap early in life, even rapping the letters in his name to alert others as to how to spell it. In 1991 he began his professional career as a member of the group Black Mafia. In 1997, after appearing with several groups on different record labels, his solo song “Questions” appeared on the soundtrack album for the Tupac Shakur film “Gang Related.” In 1999 he had partner Travis O’Guinn founded the Strange Music record label.

His thirteenth studio album, “Something Else,” was released last summer and features guest collaborations with artists like Cee Lo Green, Krizz Kaliko and the three remaining members of the classic rock group The Doors (keyboardist Ray Manzarek passed away in May 2013 before the album was released). His current EP, “Therapy,” was released at the end of 2013.

While preparing for a recent concert in Grand Rapids, Iowa, the rapper and music label president took time out to talk with Media Mikes about his 2013 releases and what he has planned for the future.

Phillip Smith: How is “Therapy” different from your other past records?
Tech N9ne: “Therapy” is 7 songs that are just amazing to me. It is just what I was feeling at the time. I know there are some fans that won’t be down with the rock rap sound but that’s what I was feeling, it’s what I wanted to do. The beats were constructed in KC and we than flew out to Venice Beach to meet with Ross Robinson. We stayed at Ross Robinson’s house and Wes Borland (formerly of Limp Bizkit) was staying out there at the same time. He sat in on the album and played on nearly every track. It’s condensed but it’s full of energy. It’s totally different from anything Tech N9ne. It has elements of Tech N9ne because it’s me, it was fun. But it’s all new, a new sound, a new message.

PS: When you come back and play in the KC Metro Area, what is one of your favorite places to play?
T9: I have played everywhere from the Uptown Theater to Kemper Arena. I’m about to play at the Sprint Center here soon. But I’d have to say right now it has to be the Midland Theatre. I won’t know that answer when I play the Sprint Center. I was on stage there one time, Lil Wayne brought me on stage when he was here and it was crazy man. I felt that whole place roar, but this time I get to perform.

PS: Is there any other place that you circle on your tour or make sure that you play every tour?
T9: Denver, totally man. It’s incredible man, incredible. I don’t know how it happened over the years but it happened. It’s still going man, that’s why I have a song called “Colorado” on “Something Else”. I have to give to all the people who have been down with me for a long time. They were always down before KC and now KC is finally catching up! You know it’s crazy out there energy wise.

PS: And they let you get away with Chiefs colors in Denver?
T9: Yeah man (laughs) because they all wear the colors when I come to town. They wear the colors of the rival team for me man (laughs loudly).

PS: Do you ever envision yourself stopping the touring and just falling back on family or just writing?
T9: It’s funny you asked that man…I’ve been saying with this tour that If I stopped…. I would be letting everyone down. They are so with me you know what I’m saying? I feel like I’d leave them high and dry I don’t know if I’ll be able ever to stop man. It’s not like they stopped liking the music and said alright stop. Than it would be easy to stop you know. But I get doper as I get older. I just had my 42nd birthday but I feel like I’m still 19. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to stop…I don’t know. It’s weird.

PS: That sounds like a lot of pressure to keep going.
T9: Man, it’s a wonderful thing to still be afloat after all this time, but to be still getting bigger. It’s wild. I can’t quit this!

PS: Now that you have become known nationally and internationally… you’re no longer just Kansas City’s secret. Is this what you expected? Not just the money and being famous, but that you still have people who want to hear what you have to say, than afterwards stand up and cheer?
T9: Well man I’ve been planning this for a long time, a real long time. I always knew I had something special. It just took longer for me to make it here because I’m different. I’m the black guy with the painted face. It’s like it’s always going to be… I don’t know man… I’m gonna push hard no matter what. I’m going to always stand out. I’m not going to perform for no amount of money and change. I am the way that I am. I always knew that I was going to do this. But this isn’t the end. This is a wonderful thing but it’s not Global Domination. I won’t stop till the world knows my story.

PS: Is there someone out there right now that you haven’t worked with that you would love to collaborate on a song or an album.
T9: I think Two Murders together would be great, I think people would like to hear that, I know I would like to hear that. I would like to hear myself next to one of the best rappers in my opinion. You know I have tried a couple times, and I just haven’t been able to get it done . If it happens it will and if it don’t it don’t. I’m still a fan of the man’s music. We will just see if we can make it happen.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, latest, love, music, n9ne, talks, ...

Jesse Ventura talks about his new show on Ora.TV, “Off the Grid” and 2016 Presidential election rumors

You might know him by the name Jesse “The Body” Ventura or Governor Jesse Ventura, the former pro-wrestler and Minnesota governor has a new online TV series on Ora.TV called “Off the Grid”,a daily political news show, starting January 27th, 2014. If you want to know what happens when the mainstream media is owned by the corporations and isn’t diligently investigating or reporting the news? Then you are going to want to turn in to this show at www.ora.tv/offthegrid. Media Mikes had a chance to ask him a few questions about the show and about the rumors of him running for President in 2016.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what we can expect from your online TV series “Off the Grid”?
Jesse Ventura: Tune in to find out! Every episode will feature news you won’t hear anywhere else. Mainstream media is too focused on entertainment. We hear more about when an actress trips in a dress during an award show than the fact that the majority of Congress only works three days a week. The main focus of my show is the hypocrisy of America’s political leaders – nothing and no one is off limits. I am “Off the Grid” in the sense that I don’t have anyone telling me what to report or how to report. All I am interested in reporting is the truth.

MG: How did you end up getting involved with Ora.TV?
JV: Through Larry King. After I went on Larry’s show [Politicking] he told me that Ora TV gives him the freedom to report what he wants and that greatly appealed to me.

MG: What do you think the benefits are of working in internet TV?
JV: My show is being produced at undisclosed locations in Mexico, so I can avoid any threats of government censorship. That’s the true benefit of internet TV. I give the people the news they want to hear and I don’t have to worry about corporations or big brother getting in the way and censoring me.

MG: Tell us how you plan to interact fans on social media like Facebook and Twitter?
JV: The show will have several features which will allow me to answer questions from Facebook and Twitter fans. There will be an #AskJesse segment where I’ll answer any questions fans have and they’ll also be able to suggest questions to ask my upcoming guests too. There’s more information about this on my blog: http://OffTheGridBlog.ora.tv

MG: Can you talk to us about the rumors of you running for President in 2016?
JV: I’ll be addressing those rumors on my show, but again, running for president as an independent comes down to two things: ballot access in all 50 states and participation in the debates. Like I say, if I can debate ’em, I can beat ’em.

Here is some Media Mikes exclusive content from “Off the Grid”

Here is the first episode of “Off the Grid”

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: 2016, election, grid, jesse, oratv, presidential, ...

Matthew Patrick Davis talks about his stage version of Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas”

Photo Credit: Joanna Brooks

You may not know the name Matthew Patrick Davis yet but he is making a name for himself very quickly. He recently made headlines when his stage version of “Jack’s Lament” for “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” showed up on online. He has also been behind some very funny stage productions with the UCB Theatre including “The Shining! The Musical!” and “Jurasic Park: The Musical!”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Matthew about his work and what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Let’s talk about your stage version of “Jack’s Lament” for Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas”? Have you been contacted at all or do you have plans to expand it?
Matthew Patrick Davis: As a 6’8” physical actor who grew up loving Tim Burton, Danny Elfman and Oingo Boingo, playing Jack in a live adaptation of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” has always been a dream of mine. A couple years ago, I put up a few scenes from “Nightmare” in my acting class. The class freaked out and got super excited about it, so that’s when we decided to shoot some of it, and that’s where the video comes from. If this video could accomplish anything, I guess it would be for it to be a viral thingy and get the attention of the people that own the rights and actually have the power to make it a legitimate piece of theatre: Tim Burton and Thomas Schumacher, the President of Disney Theatrical Group. It would obviously have such mass appeal, and I think could be something insanely great.

MG: Tell us how did you come up with the ideas for “The Shining! The Musical!” and “Jurassic Park: The Musical?”
MPD: I write the movie musicals with my friends Joe Chandler and Zach Paez; friends from high school who are now television writers in Los Angeles. We just pick movies that we love, and musicalize them into part parody, part tribute. “Jurassic Park” was a movie that was very formative in our youth; as 14 year olds, we would often be found doing impressions of the Raptors or the Spitter in a Denny’s parking lot somewhere. “The Shining” is another one of our favorite films — we just enjoyed the juxtaposition between the darkness of man slowly going insane and trying to murder his family, with the light-heartedness of a musical.

MG: Any plans to ever perform these again or record and release them?
MPD: We perform the movie musicals semi-regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles, so there will definitely be another performance sometime in the future.

MG: What do you have planned next to turn into a musical?
MPD: We’ve done four movie adaptations, (JP, The Shining, The NeverEnding Story, and The King of Kong) so next, we would love to do an original. So we’ll do that, and/or do one of the movies we’ve always talked about doing, i.e. T2, Top Gun, Glengarry Glen Ross, Braveheart, The Sixth Sense, etc.

MG: How did you end up as the Sprint Zombie for their commercials?
MPD: It was a pretty standard commercial audition process, just like any other. I got lucky with this one, in that they ran it so much, and it was actually a funny spot that I was really pleased with. The director said that one the reasons they hired me was because they like the way I added the “cool, cool cool cool…” in the audition, so I guess that’s something.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2014?
MPD: I’m going to be releasing an album of some of my songs that can be found on my YouTube page. I’ll be writing more songs and musicals. I’m hoping to take my one man show to the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in NYC — it’s called, “Matt Davis Gets A Girlfriend:” A One Man Musical about One Man’s quest to not DIE ALONE. Also, I’ll be doing the revival/reboot of the musical Side Show at the Kennedy Center in DC in June and July, having just done it at the La Jolla Playhouse.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: burtons, christmas, davis, matthew, nightmare, patrick, ...

Rezzi talks about plans to take over the rap world in 2014

Rezzi is a 16-year-old rap prodigy out of Canada that is being called the next Drake. Media Mikes had a chance to chat music with Rezzi and find out about his upcoming album.

Adam Lawton: What was it that initially sparked your interest in music and performing?
Rezzi: Honestly, it was seeing my idols who I looked up to do it with themselves. Initially it was those like 50 Cent and Eminem. It grew into an array of artists I admire, I see their positive influence they can have on the masses. I decided to take that same path.

AL: How do you personally describe your sound?
Rezzi: I describe my sound as taboo. There is no black and white to my sound, I can’t say I sound like him/her, or this/that etc. I personally feel like there isn’t really any other person who will have my style spot on, in my generation at least.

AL: You released the song “Home of the Brave” in the fall of last year. Do you have plans/are you currently working on new material such as a full length release?
Rezzi: I am actually. I’m working on my tape coming out soon called the “Wall of Words” which is surely something everyone should be looking out for this year!

AL: How has coming from Toronto (a place normally not associated with rap music) shaped your style and career?
Rezzi: It makes you more hungry, in a sense. Toronto isn’t known to be a capital of Rap, as mentioned earlier. Though with that, you get a Rap that is much more heartfelt, if anything Toronto is the place to be for music that puts you in a zone.

AL: You have been featured on Bullyville.com as an advocate against bullying. How did you become involved with that program and what is it about the issue of bullying that you want people to know about or be aware of?
Rezzi: I became involved myself over connection. But what I want people to know about bullying is that it’s something that can impact a life more then what most may think. Being someone who experienced that first hand I can still say I remember those moments like it was yesterday. That shouldn’t be something anyone should go through as a result of segregation or being a puppet of entertainment.

AL: Other plans or projects coming in 2014 that you would like to mention?
Rezzi: A lot of new stuff of mine will be coming into this year and just good progress along with the release of the “Wall Of Words”! Everything else is a surprise behind curtains! Other then that, thank you and thanks to all my fans for their support!

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: 2014, plans, rap, rezzi, talks, world, ...

Ray Wise talks about “Big Ass Spider!” and reveals Blu-ray plans for “Twin Peaks”

Ray Wise is a well-known actor in the business. He is known for roles including Leland Palmer in “Twin Peaks”, Leon C. Nash in “RoboCop” and the Devil in “Reaper”. Ray has a great role in the recent creature feature “Big Ass Spider!”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat about his role in that film and he also was able to reveal plans for a complete Blu-ray box set of “Twin Peaks”.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you end up working on a film like “Big Ass Spider!”
Ray Wise: I worked with Mike Mendez, the director, briefly before this on a project. I knew that he wanted me to play this military man, which was fine with me. I read the character description and I taught it was good role for me. He is not too over the top and conservative in his approach. It was also a nice contrast to Greg (Grunberg) and Lombardo (Boyar)’s characters. They supply a lot of the humor in the script, which was really well written. Mike Mendez did a really good job with it and I responded well to its humor. I saw a lot of possibilities in it and I thought if he could pull it off it would be a good film. I think he did just that and even exceeded expectations. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the first cut of the film. I think it is very funny and very effective. I think people are going to love it.

MG: You play hard-ass Major Braxton Tanner but you are still quite funny; what is your process for balancing the comedy for the role?
RW: It came intuitively for me. It was sort of natural. That is the way I liked to approach all of my roles actually. I like to find the humorous aspects of the character as well as some of the more dramatic and create that blend. That is way I like do things naturally. Fortunately, it works out most of the times and translates well on screen.

MG: There has been quite the positive response around this film; I have a feeling it is going to stick around…
It is going to have legs…
MG: Literally [laughing]…
RW: Eight legs [laughing].
MG: [laughing] Exactly!

MG: If they decided (and hopefully they do) to make a sequel to “Big Ass Spider!” would you be on board?
RW: Absolutely! Yeah, I am on board. Absolutely!

MG: Tell us about joining the cast of “The Young and the Restless”?
RW: I am playing this Ian Ward. He has come in from out of town as is a past cult leader. He has these individuals that follow him religiously because he has this special philosophy of life that can help everyone achieve their own dreams. They are thinking that he is responsible for the pregnant of the character Nikki many years ago. Allegedly responisble. So, he comes to town to really stir things up. You know, it is another one of those characters for me.

MG: And you are no stranger to playing the baddie like with the Devil in “Reaper” etc; what draws you to these characters?
RW: I think it is because they are always so well-written. When the writers try and write the bad guy, they try and put in a little extra umph in these characters. They add a little extra than a rather bland and mundane good guy [laughs]. I think my own personal physicality and demeanor plays well to that aspect of the writing as well. When you see me, you think “Well he seems alright…but there is something going on here” [laughs]. That suspense and anticipation is really great for the audience.

MG: Do you enjoy going from a bad guy like those to funny roles in films like “FDR: American Badass!”?
RW: First of all I love Barry (Bostwick) and I thought his FDR was really great! I played Douglas MacArthur, so that might have been the beginning of my military chops [laughs], I am not sure. I enjoyed that experience very much actually. There was a lot of laughs and it turned out pretty well also like “Big Ass Spider!”.

MG: I heard you broke the news about an upcoming “Twin Peak” series Blu-ray; can you give us the scoop?
RW: It will be a new box set of the pilot and episodes combined with “Fire Walk with Me”, the prequel movie. It is everything. Everything! Also included will be deleted scenes from “Fire Walk with Me”. I think David (Lynch)’s original cut of the film was about 3.5/4 hours long, so there is stuff that no one has ever seen that is going to be on this new box set. I think it is pretty great. So stay tuned.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: ass, big, bluray, peaks, plans, ray, ...

Karl Pilkington talks about his new travel show “The Moaning of Life”

Karl Pilkington is known best for his work with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. He has worked on shows like “An Idiot Abroad” and “Derek”. His latest show “The Moaning of Life” has him traveling yet again all over the world on a journey of self-discovery. The new series premieres on The Science Channel on Saturday Jan 18 at 10pm EST. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Karl about his new show and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: After the second season of “An Idiot Abroad”, you said “no more traveling” then you came back for a short (no pun intended, sorry Warwick) third season and now you are off on adventures again with “The Moaning of Life”; what was the driving force for this new series?
Karl Pilkington: I suppose the fact that I had turned forty and have not gone the route a lot of people normally go by this point in their lives. Most people are married with kids by my age but I’ve never fancied. People have said to me ‘Oh you’re going to regret not having kids’ but then what if I did have one and then regret it. There’s always two sides isn’t there. They say ‘it’s life changing’, but so is losing a leg. So I traveled the world to see how other countries treat these big decisions in life. The other reason I did it is I have to pay my bills and it’s a way of making money.

MG: Some of the topics you cover are “Marriage”, “Happiness”, “Kids”, “Vocation and Money” and “Death”; which of these were the most eye-opening or life changing experience for you?
KP: They all had there moments but the death episode was mad. It’s probably the most interesting thing I’ve ever done and will never forget. I had never been to a funeral so the one I went to in Ghana was to be my first. I ended up getting really involved and helped make up a woman called Comfort. I also visited a cemetery in Manila where the bodies are given a grave for five years. After that five years the lease needs to be extended, if the family don’t wish to pay the money or don’t have it to extend the lease the body has to be removed to make way for a new dead body. I walked around the cemetery like a traffic warden inspecting the dates before finding one that had to be moved. I helped chisel away at a tomb and popped the remains in a bag that would then be passed onto family.

MG: How has it been working with The Science Channel for the second time now after “An Idiot Abroad”?
KP: They’re okay. I got some good chocolates from them for Christmas. Massive it was. Like a bargain bucket from KFC full of chocolates.

MG: What was your biggest challenge that you experienced during this series in “The Moaning of Life”?
In the episode about “Happiness” I met with the Raramuri in Mexico who are a tribe who can run long distances and get happiness from it. Some have been known to run for 48 hours. I ran about 25 miles. I ended up winning a goat for my effort which I thought was a nice gift until it kept me awake all night bleating outside my tent. I set it free the next day as I think I’d have had problems taking it home. it’s not something you could class as hand luggage is it.

MG: Was it relieving to travel without being told what to do by Ricky and Stephen?
KP: Yeah it was a lot different. I enjoyed my travels a lot more. I stayed in hotels that had their own toilet this time. Proper luxury.

MG: After the events in the Philippines last year, did it make you reflect differently on your time spent there?
KP: No. A bad situation is bad no matter if you’ve visited it or not. Most places I’ve visited have had some kind of natural disaster at some point.

MG: Tell us about how the show translates into your latest book “The Moaning of Life: The Worldly Wisdom of Karl Pilkington”?
KP: The book is the hardest thing I do, but it’s the thing I’m always most proud of. It’s a chance to empty all my thoughts of my travels which there isn’t always time for in the TV program. I go away for around nine days and what happens is then crammed into forty five minutes. I suppose the TV program is like a postcard where there is little space to tell the full story, so lot’s of things happen that the viewer doesn’t get to hear about so it all goes in the book.

MG: Is a second series in the cards for “The Moaning of Life”; if not what do you have planned next?
KP: I want to spend some time at home. I haven’t had time to unpack properly yet. A few jobs on the house need doing. I need to repaint the chimney and a few window frames so that will keep me busy for a while. Let’s see if people enjoy watching it, if they don’t there will be no more. There’s another good thing about not having kids, there’s less pressure on earning money.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: karl, life, moaning, pilkington, show, talks, ...

Michal Sinnott talks about working on “Grand Theft Auto V”

Michal Sinnott has appeared on several television series such as “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “One Life to Live”. Michal’s most recent role is that of Tracey De Santa in the super successful video game “Grand Theft Auto V”. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Michal recently about what it was like working on the project and about her role in the upcoming independent film “Horror Con”.

Adam Lawton: What was it that interested you in becoming an actress?
Michal Sinnott: My mother has her Master’s Degree in theater. When I was really little she brought me to one of her auditions. We both ended up getting a role in the play as the mother and daughter. That was my initial introduction to acting. I think my mother had tried before this when I was really young however I was just too shy. I am originally from Virginia which is a right to work state. You can work on both union and non-union jobs there so I started working on locally based projects and projects that were coming to Virginia to shoot. I ended up going to a performing arts high school even though acting was something I wasn’t sure I was going to want to do. Growing up in a single parent home I knew the reality of things very early on as to how hard of a struggle this type of career could be. I didn’t want to have to struggle so I was determined to get a “real job”. My senior year of high school I had to write a play for a class which I then submitted to a festival in Richmond, VA. The play ended up winning and I got to go to this 3 week conference where my play was put on in this huge theater. That experience was so phenomenal and it really opened my eyes to things. While I was sitting in that theater watching my play I said that I would do this and I have just never looked back.

AL: How did you first become involved with “Grand Theft Auto V”?
MS: This audition was just like any other for actors. You get the call the night before and the next day you are in an office reading for a part. You end up just throwing yourself in to it. A lot of things are often shrouded in secrecy so generally you don’t even know what you are really reading for. The thing with “Grand Theft Auto” is that they have such a dedicated fan base that people are constantly looking for hints and clues about what could be coming out. Things were kept as anonymous as possible.

AL: Were you allowed to experiment with the character or were you asked to stay more to the script?
MS: There was certainly room for improvisation. I think that’s something I have found in most situations I have been in. There generally is always a little bit of wiggle room. If you are working on a play then things are more to the script same as if you are on a set and the director is directing their own words. When the director is working in more of a collaborative type setting then there is usually that room to improv. Tracey is such an awful character so to be able to explore that and be able to say things you would never say in real life was pretty interesting.

AL: Prior to your work on “Grand Theft Auto V” had you been interested in voice/performance capture acting?
MS: Yes. I have a strong background in voice over acting as I started doing that when I was still growing up. I have done commercials for places like Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds. This was actually my second time working on a video game however this experience was a bit different.

AL: Were you familiar before-hand with the popularity of the game franchise?
MS: Not entirely. I am not a gamer so I didn’t really know. I also didn’t really know I was working on “Grand Theft Auto V” for quite a while. I knew I was working on something for Rock Star but that was about it. (Laughs) I didn’t really see the full magnitude of the project as it was happening. Even back when I auditioned for the part I had no idea that it was a project I would be working on for 3 years. Nothing has prepared me for how big this has become. It is astounding! I feel like the lucky girl who won the lottery. It started out as this random audition that I had no idea about where it would take me.

AL: Did you find it hard in any way working on the project for so long?
MS: Tracey is not the most nuance character. There were times where I would go a couple months without working on the character and when the time came to start working again I was able to jump right back in to the role. I established the attributes of the character very early on and when you get back on set after a break it all sort of just comes back. Working on the project for so long gave me time to explore all the variables with the role. That is something that you don’t always get to do with other roles that aren’t as long.

AL: What do you feel was your favorite part of the process?
MS: I really liked working with the same group of people for so long. All of the tech people who made this happen were just great. To get to see them every day was just great. We became this sort of family. I developed this sense of familiarity which was really nice.

AL: Can you tell us about some of your other current projects?
MS: I did a couple independent films which are making their way around the circuit. One is called “Every Drop Counts” which is a film that was shot entirely live at a horror film convention. I play a roller derby girl who is this sort of weepy lesbian. She is just always falling apart. I think I cried in every scene. (Laughs) I am also producing on a Bio-pic film about Rick James. This is a really interesting project that I am excited to be working on.

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Filed Under: Games, Interviews Tagged With: grand, michal, sinnott, talks, theft, working, ...

The Reverend Horton Heat’s Jim Heath talks about new album “Rev”

Jim “Rev” Heath is the lead vocalist/guitarist for the legendary Rockabilly/Punk band The Reverend Horton Heat. The band is set to release their 11th studio album titled “Rev” via Victory Records at the end of January and Media Mikes had the pleasure of speaking with Jim recently about the creation of the album, the bands 30 years career and the trio’s tour plans for 2014.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some info on the band upcoming album “Rev”?
Jim Heath: This was a project that helped us get back to more of the aggressive sound that Reverend Horton Heat is known for. The album kind of harkens back to the sound of the band during the mid-nineties which was during a time when my writing had started to get a little more amped up.

AL: How did the creative process work out for this album being that you were returning to your roots in a way?
JH: One thing that was really fun and different about this record is that with the change in album sales and the music industry as a whole there aren’t a lot of those big budget recording options available like there were in the 90’s. A lot of bands have gone to recording themselves in home studios so I thought that would be something that could be fun. I have a decent collection of recording gear so I got together some sponsors and some high end pro audio gear to start doing this record. In the middle of things we signed with Victory Records which allowed us to go in to a commercial studio to do some bits and pieces of the album. By in large we recorded most of the record in our rehearsal studio in Dallas, TX.

AL: Were there any reservations signing to Victory Records being they predominately work with in the metal/hardcore genre?
JH: Not really. A lot of their marketing is probably aimed towards a different crowd than ours which I thought was kind of a good thing. What bands are on a label is not really as important as it’s more about how well the machinery behind everything works. I didn’t really know how big Victory was until we started talking with them and realizing what the label was. We were super impressed with what they have and how they have a bunch of departments which all work to help promote music in various ways. At the end of the day the solid machinery is what I need to help promote our music.

AL: When you are putting together songs what type of writing approach do you take?
JH: For the most part I tend to always start with lyrics. I will find some lyrics that I like and I will start bashing around to come up with some music or sound that evokes what the lyrics are about. From there I try to come up with the melody. Sometimes things come very quickly and sometimes it doesn’t. Other times a song may come together quickly but the polishing off or finishing can take quite a bit of time for me. There is just so much to think about when doing arrangements.

AL: Do think the large gap between this album and your previous will have an effect on how it is perceived by fans/listeners?
JH: We found out something a long time ago about that as we are a band that has a lot of cd’s out. We also tour a lot. When fans come to our shows they come wanting to hear certain songs so when you put out a new album it can be hard sometimes to get them to accept that new material. People remember the old stuff and that’s what they want to here. Frankly you never really can do that as you are always doing new material so there is going to be something different about them. That’s actually the desired thing as I don’t want to just keep re-writing or rearranging old songs and passing them off as something new. We were putting out an album every two years but it got to where our fans weren’t really accepting those new songs until about 2 years later just as we were about to put out another new album. It got to the point where new albums were almost pissing off our fans so putting out an album every two years got to be where it wasn’t working very well for us. I also find it really frustrating when you put out an album and then you don’t have enough time to go out and play it live as not only do you have to play all the old stuff people know but you only have time to throw in 2 or 3 new tracks. That’s just the nature of the beast not only for us but for a lot of bands.

AL: With a career spanning almost 30 years now what do you feel has been the bands biggest change?
JH: For me the biggest change was the musical direction. This was something that happened early on. We started out as an authentic rockabilly band that played original songs. We were a little more 50’s sounding in the early goings. As time went on we got a little bit more turned up and aggressive. I think in the early 90’s when we decided to take that more turned up approach is what I think helped define our sound. With that said however we still have our rockabilly songs on every album along with some country songs. Sometimes things aren’t planned they just happen. I write songs not albums. I will write one song then a bunch more songs which all end up on an album. That’s just how I work and those things end up being something I never really thought of. I did an album titled “Spend a Night in the Box” which is a little more bluesy and with our last album “Laughin’ and Cryin’ with the Reverend Horton Heat” things lean towards a country sound. Initially that album was going to be a straight country album rather than one that sort of leans towards that style.

AL: Thinking back a ways can you tell us about the bands appearance on “The Drew Carey Show” and how that opportunity came about?
JH: Working with those guys was really fun. Between Drew Carey, Ryan Styles and Diedrich Bader those guys are really funny. The people who worked around them and with them on the show were just hilarious. Just about all of them are stand-up comics. What was funny about that show was that they could barely get it done. It was an ultra-professional set up but then you had these guys all cracking jokes between takes. It made it hard to get everything done. (Laughs) I think how we ended up on the show was that Drew Carey is a big music fan. Drew and his manager took a cross country drive at one point and one of the cd’s they had was “It’s Martini Time”. They liked it and asked us to be on an HBO special called “Mr.Vegas All-Night Party”. We were on there with Wayne Newton, David Cassidy and a bunch of other great musicians and players. From there they asked us to be on the episode. I got to have a couple lines which was really fun.

AL: What other plans do you and the band have for 2014?
JH: We will be doing some more videos for a couple other songs off the new album. We have one out now for the song “Let Me Teach You How to Eat” and we are knocking around ideas for the others. We will be out on the road playing gigs throughout the year as well. We are also going to be a part of some really cool festivals. We always do festivals but we will be on some really high profile ones this year. We are going to be doing Coachella and Punk Rock Bowling so it’s going to be a fun year. I also have my own festival which I put on with my friend Oliver Peck. We are looking to do this year’s in June on the weekend of Friday the 13th. It’s called “The Elm St. Music and Tattoo Festival”. This will be our second year of putting this on and I am pretty excited for it as I think it is something that will continue to grow and be pretty cool.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, heath, heats, horton, jim, rev, ...

Michael Rosenbaum talks about his directorial debut “Back in the Day”

For nearly a decade, Superman fans came to love Michael Rosenbaum for his portrayal of Lex Luthor on “Smallville”. During that time Michael also found time to act in other TV shows and movies as well as voicing the Flash for DC’s animated universe. For the past two years though, Michael has been working on something near and dear to his heart. His first movie, “Back in the Day”, details a lot of his experiences growing up in a small town in Indiana. Some of those experiences are hilarious as well as very touching. Media Mikes was able to talk with Michael about his labor of love as well as the trials and tribulations with working on his first film.

Jeremy Werner: When watching “Back in the Day”, you really get this vibe that this is a love letter to the people and town that you spent your best years in.
Michael Rosenbaum: Oh yeah…I go back twice a year for whiffle ball. I really embrace the city. I really love where I grew up…cutting backyards, drinking out of firehoses, catching fireflies and playing baseball as a kid…It was a little bit of a love letter. I wanted it to be authentic and I wanted people to see how beautiful it can be instead of a stereotypical, ‘Oh I hate the small town and these people are rednecks’. It’s just the opposite of that. I’m very proud of where I grew up.

JW: I assume that every character in this movie is based off someone that you knew growing up.
MR: (laughs) Oh yeah, it is. Skunk is a real character played by Harland Williams…A lot of these things happened. I’ve known these guys for a long time, so it’s an exaggeration and loosely based on a lot of these guys, but definitely. There’s kind of a lot of characters all rolled up in one…I was kind of a nerd in high school and couldn’t get laid. So the girl in the movie is the one I had my first time with mixed in with the most beautiful girl in the world I could never get. They’re all based on the idea or of people that I knew.

JW: I’m almost afraid to ask, (laughs) but there’s a mom who drinks and smokes in the movie…did you know someone like that?
MR: (laughs)…You see some of those things every once and a while and you’ve seen it. That girl was a little bit of an exaggeration, but I hope that people find that funny…that was an exaggeration of someone I sort of knew, who when I go back home, I kind of still see every once and a while and it’s a big exaggeration…I thought she was just a larger than life character and people do that. They actually smoke light cigarettes and they’re smoking occasionally. They think it’s OK. They occasionally drink…an occasional shot of whiskey. So I think there are people out there.

JW: So have your friends watched this movie yet?
MR: They love it…they thought they were gonna see something shot on an iPhone and we had the budget to about do that (laughs). The laughs were loud, it’s great to see it with an audience…so far everyone has really enjoyed it. Obviously there’s some offensive moments and I’m sure somebody will say this isn’t for me, but it’s not for everybody. There is heart…so there’s a little bit of something for everybody. It’s what I wanted to make. I’m happy with that.

JW: How much of yourself did you put into the movie’s main character, Jim Owens?
MR: I obviously have a lot to be thankful for and I’ve done it all for myself and God bless, but there’s always a part of me that longs to be back home. I miss that side, that part of my life. Jim left someone behind, a girl he was in love with. I think that we all wanna find that, that love and he remembers that she was probably the best thing to ever happen to him and even though it happened years ago, he’s seeing what happens. I think there’s a big part of Jim in me or me in Jim because I think a lot of people long to go home and they miss home. Sometimes when they’re home, they realize: I do love home. But maybe I was destined to be an actor. I was destined to be a doctor somewhere or was destined to be…whatever it was. To each his own. I miss my friends back home. I miss the simplicity of being in a small town and living in a neighborhood and having seasons. I’m in Los Angeles and as beautiful as it is and you go to the beach and you have all these great things in life…everybody will sit there and go, “Oh my God. I’d love to have your life”. It’s funny because I’d like to have their life in a lot of ways too…It’s kind of mixing it. I think you can have the best of both worlds.

JW: So with so many memories, when did you start work on this script?
MR: Well, it’s one of those things where it was one of the first scripts I’d written and then I kind of let it go because it’s too small for a studio to buy and go, “Yes! It’s gonna be a big blockbuster comedy.” They consider it not high concept enough, I would say. I was trying to say, “I know these characters, wait until you see them.” It’s funny, I wrote it so long ago that I started working on all these other projects and then when another movie that I was suppose to make fell through…I was asked, “Do you have anything you wrote on growing up in Indiana?” I said, “Holy shit, I do.” I kind of switched gears and within three months I was prepping this movie and I pulled it out of the woodwork. I updated it a bit and I asked my friends to be in it. It’s a passion project. I can’t believe this movie is my first. Honestly, it was my first step in directing and it was the best first step. I hope people look at it and go, “Wow! For a million bucks, this is friggin’ funny. It looks great.”…You hope that people appreciate it and you hope you can get your second shot and that’s what I’m aiming towards.

JW: Was there a lot of pressure going into this?
MR: Yeah, I didn’t know how much work it was until I started doing it and then I realized…how am I gonna do this scene in one day? I don’t have enough money for this stunt, how am I gonna do that? How am I gonna get these actors from LA…and why would they do some independent movie in the middle of Indiana for no money in the dead of winter? So there’s a lot of obstacles. Then you finally make it happen and then you’re shooting and you start to have more problems. It’s raining…a snowstorm is coming in…whatever’s happening. Oh my God, it can’t be a Christmas movie anymore, it’s getting warm now. And then how do we finish the movie…and then post-production. How can we afford sound design? How can we afford a composer? How can we afford getting the songs that I really wanted to be in this movie? And then all of sudden we’re trying to screen the movie and we only have ‘x’ amount of weeks to edit it and now we’re trying to sell it. On a studio movie, once you’re done directing and cut, you’re done. Studio takes over and they have an infrastructure. With an independent movie there’s multitasking and I’ve been doing a ton of jobs with my amazing producer, Kim Waltrip and my post supervisor Aaron Peak, for no money. I haven’t taken a job for a year and a half because I’ve become so invested in this.

JW: Is there another script you have in mind after this?
MR: Yeah, I can’t really name it. There’s a camp movie that I’m considering directing that I wrote. I also wrote a TV show that we’re probably gonna shoot digitally for a studio. So that’s in negotiations…a lot of good stuff on the horizon.

JW: Now finally…as a nerd, I gotta ask…
MR: Do it!

JW: (laughs)…have you gotten any calls to be Lex Luthor in the upcoming Batman vs. Superman movie?
MR: The fans have been unbelievable. They’ve tweeted me, I’ve tweeted back…I’ve been to conventions and they always ask me, “Would you do it?” And I’m not an idiot, of course I’d do it. I’d love to do it. But I think Joaquin Phoenix is probably gonna do it or somebody. I’m a big Zack Snyder fan. Obviously, I think I could play the role. I would do it in a heartbeat, but I don’t hold my breath because I know there’s the stigma, “He was the TV Smallville Lex Luthor.” I say that sarcastically, but I think it’s a shame. If people like the role and what I did with it, then they should consider it. But I’m not the director. I’m not the producer. Long story short, I’d do it in a fucking heartbeat.

 

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: day, debut, directorial, michael, rosenbaum, talks, ...

Nick Swardson talks about film “Back in the Day” and FX new series “Chozen”

Nick Swardson is probably best known for his role in “Grandma’s Boy” and cameo appearances in numerous Happy Madison films, but a quick look at his career shows that he’s an incredibly busy guy. For people who aren’t familiar with Swardson’s work, he started doing stand-up at age 18 and since then has gone on to produce, write and act. Die hard fans have known this for years that he’s constantly writing, acting and working on fresh material for his stand-up. Media Mikes had the chance to catch up with Nick and ask him about the numerous TV and movie projects he’s been working on for 2014, as well as a new comedy special.

Jeremy Werner: It looks like you got a busy year ahead of you…especially this month. Let’s start off with “Back in the Day” which comes out on January 17th. How did you land the role of Ron?
Nick Swardson: Michael Rosenbaum, the director/writer, is a buddy of mine and he just called me up and he’s like, “Man I got this passion project I’m doing. It’s low budget. We have no money.” He goes, “It’s a great character. You’ll kill it. We’ll shoot in Indiana. It’d be fucking great to have you.” So he sent me the script and I thought it was a really funny character and it was something different than what I’ve done in the past. Ya know, it wasn’t a crazy character. It was a grounded, real dude. So I was pretty stoked. So as a favor to Michael too, I wanted to help him out. So I did it.

JW: Was there anything you had to differently than in past roles?
NS: It was just a lot more understated. I didn’t have to come in to the scene and be insane. This role is also based on a real guy so I was kind of interested to play a real dude…and I talked to Michael a lot about what this guy was like. So it was fun to play a real person.

JW: Was it a role that he had you in mind for the entire time he was writing it?
NS: He had the script for like 10 years. He had it for a long time. So I don’t know who he had initially envisioned, but he called me first.

JW: Now also this month, you have a big release on TV. “Chozen” premieres January 13th on FX and you play Troy. What can you tell us about that character?
NS: Troy plays Chozen’s nerdy, minion friend. He kind of saves him from bullies and so they become pals. Chozen shows him this whole world of sex and drugs. It’s pretty funny. The show’s pretty crazy..it’s one of the craziest things I’ve done and I’ve done a lot of crazy shit. Working with Danny McBride is awesome. His company is amazing. I love all the “Eastbound and Down” guys…it’s FX, so they really push the envelope.

JW: As a comedian, does voice acting provide you a lot of opportunities to improvise or are you restricted?
NS: No. I’m never restricted in anything I do. I only do projects where I can bring a lot to the table. I use to get fired just because I improvised a lot. It’s the main thing I do, I love improvising.

JW: I’ve read that usually in voice acting, you’re just kind of in a booth on your own. Who were you able to bounce jokes and ideas off of with your character?
NS: Usually you’re all alone…you’re just sitting in a booth and the producers are in the other room, so you just kind of run with it. They’ll give you a thumbs up if it’s good or they’ll do the heads up and tell you if it works. They’ll just feed you ideas…but it’s a great gig.

JW: Later this year you’ll also be voicing a character in the animated movie, “Hell & Back”. You actually voiced a character in the kid’s movie “Bolt”, but based on the premise I was reading…this is not a kid’s movie.
NS: (Laughs) Yeah, that’s pretty insane. It’s stop motion, so it looks like a kid’s movie. So if a kid saw it on TV he’d be like, “Oh! I wanna see this!” But it’s a hard, hard ‘R’. That’s another project that me and Danny McBride are both in with TJ Miller and Mila Kunis. It’s a great cast and that one’s gonna be really awesome. We’re finishing that up this week. I’ve got like one more record session…we’re really excited about that.

JW: Now with all these projects, are you working on any comedy specials this year?
NS: Yeah, I’ve been developing for the last two years, a new hour special and a new tour. So we’re looking to tour in the Spring…early Summer. Shoot the special maybe sometime in the Summer. It’s definitely in the works. It’s been a long time coming, but I’m really excited..it’s coming together really well.

JW: Anything you can tell us about it?
NS: It’s just more stories, drinking jokes and it’s nothing too out of the box. I’m not all of a sudden really political. If you’re a fan of mine, you’ll be happy with it. The new hour’s going really well. I think the title of it is gonna be, ‘Taste It’.

JW: I know last year you were talking about a show you were working on called “Bro-Sassin”. How is that coming along?
NS: Bro-Sassin’s done. It didn’t fly. The network just didn’t get it. They thought it was gonna be too expensive…so they kind of backed off it, which bums me out, man. I wrote the pilot and it was really funny. People loved it, I’m gonna save the idea for a movie. I sold a new show to FX. My own show with the director of “Grandma’s Boy” and Danny McBride’s producing it. It’s called “Game On”. It’s like the office of a video game company…so we’re developing the pilot right now.

JW: Does that have any connections to “Grandma’s Boy”?
NS: Not really.

JW: Looks like you got a lot of stuff going on, is there anything else you’re working on for later this year?
NS: A lot of it depends on the pilot with FX and shooting that, seeing if we get picked up. That’s the primary focus right now. I’m developing two other feature scripts. So if this FX pilot grows, I’m gonna jump into an idea I sold to Sandler and Happy Madison and I’ll hopefully write that next Fall and start developing that.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: chozen, day, film, fx, nick, series, ...
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