The Diamond Sam Show

I had a great time last night as a guest of Diamond Sam LaValerie.

He's the DJ of a heavy-metal Internet radio show on XChamber Radio every Friday night beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern.

Diamond Sam

On the Webcam and in the Chatroom

It's soooo fun, because listeners can watch his antics on a live Webcam. Plus there's a chatroom where you can interact with Sam, his producer Mistress Tara, and other listeners.

Along the way he does what the listeners call his "Rant"--last night's was about terrorism and included a challenge to terrorists to meet him in Washington Square park. (He's a New Yorker who was across from the World Trade Center on September 11th).

And best of all, he supports indie artists!

In addition to, say, Kiss, Whitesnake, and My Chemical Romance, he plays Big Black Novel, Ruby Violence, King Whack, and others too numerous to mention.

So check out the Diamond Sam radio show on Friday nights at 7 p.m. Eastern on XChamber Radio. Hope you have as much fun as I did!

Indie Support Day

I'm designating Wednesday, June 22, two weeks from now, as Indie Support Day.

I'm calling for everyone to show their support on this day for any and all independent writers, musicians, and filmmakers, and any and all other indie artists.

You can show your support in several ways.

Refuse on that day to buy any books from the corrupt, heartless, and monalithic commercial publishing industry.

Buy a self-published print or eBook. Some are as cheap as 99 cents or less. Who can't afford that?

Attend a showing of an indie film.

Buy a song or album by an indie musician.

If you know of an indie artist who needs money, make a donation to help him or her survive.

If you know of a fundraiser for an indie project, make a contribution to help that project reach completion.

If you personally know an indie artist, take him or her to lunch, or do his/her laundry, or buy him/her some household necessities like toilet paper. Do something--anything--to show your support!

Communicate with at least one indie artist--via email, Twitter, or Facebook, or in person--and say:

"I support you as an indie artist! I think what you're doing is great!"

Let's do it!

Music Review: Tay Rockit

Tay Rockit

Tay Rockit is a 20-year-old Virginia-based rapper who has created a new genre of music that he calls “Emo Rap.”

I like the idea of this. The melodiousness and emotional lyrics of Emo blend well with the harder edge of Rap, creating a sort of musical sweet-and-sour sauce.

Tay Rockit’s album Stoop Kid offers something for everyone: fast and slow, originals and samples, surreal and real. I’d be amazed if someone couldn’t find something here to adore.

Some songs, such as “Fly Shit,” have that electricky-industrial sound that I like.

The second cut, “Intro,” nicely samples “These Eyes,” a 1968 rock song by the Canadian Guess Who band. My criticism would be that it’s too short, but the sampling returns with cut four, “Skit.”

“Find Something Wrong” sounds hitworthy to me, as does “The Hangover.” The latter starts with a reference to Mike Tyson, moves on through intriguingly surrealistic imagery, such as “a fat white guy putting on an angel suit,” and then sums up the experience: “I guess this is what happens when you have a hangover.” There’s more to “The Hangover,” and it’s all against a background of electronic industrial music. If this is where rap is going, I love it!

I want to mention two more songs: “PAID” sounds a little like a horror-movie soundtrack, complete with a deep monster-like voice. “SUPRAS” is pretty with a good beat (found myself dancing to SUPRAS!) and a nicely noir edge to the melody. It, too, sounds like it would work well in a movie soundtrack—so indie filmmakers, take notice of Tay Rockit if you’re in need of a composer!

Tay Rockit is signed to the indie-label Vital Line Entertainment. On the Reverb Nation Web site he boldly states that he wants to “give euphoria to the masses”—and I think he does!

Listen to Tay Rockit here: http://www.datpiff.com/Tay-Rockit-Stoop-Kid-mixtape.180842.html and http://www.reverbnation.com/tayrockit

Let's Work Together: Part Four

This is a very long blog entry, in five parts, about how indie writers, musicians, and film people need to work together and support each other. (Scroll down to see Parts One, Two, and Three.)

Part Four: We’re All in the Same Lifeboat

We’re all in the same boat.

It’s a great boat to be in, people. It’s a lifesaving boat, because it takes us away from the old and rotten systems.

Who’s in this boat?

Thus far I’ve talked mostly about writers.

But rappers and hiphop artists, as well as indie filmmakers and screenwriters, are in the boat, too.

What’s happening in the music industry seems to me to be similar to what’s happening in the publishing industry.

Artists are taking control, are producing music and videos on their own, and are circumventing some of the established order as they do so.

Rappers and hiphop artists are doing a great job of getting their art produced independently rather than by the enormous music companies.

And they’re doing an even better job of using social networking media to promote themselves.

I know nothing about rap and hiphop. But last week on Twitter I got requests to view and comment on two rap/hiphop (I’m so ignorant I don’t even know the right terminology!) videos.

I’m impressed that these artists are moving beyond their target audience of rap/hiphop fans and are reaching out to me.

Every day on Facebook and Twitter I see scores, perhaps even hundreds, of music artists (mostly rappers and hiphop artists) promoting themselves.

So rappers and hiphop artists really are making the most of our E-scape.

Tomorrow: Film