• Skip to main content

Austin Vida

You are here: Home / Archives for Ashley Chaney Ortiz

Ashley Chaney Ortiz

Interview: The ritmo of José Cónde

November 27, 2011 By Ashley Chaney Ortiz

Promo photo by Michelle Cura.

From the time José Cónde spent growing up in Miami to the life he leads now in Brooklyn, New York, Jose has been surrounded by cultural and musical diversity. According to José, when living in Brooklyn, “you are a little bean in a melting pot and you have access to other flavors so it’s a wonderful thing.” José definitely chose the right pot to simmer in.

Musically and lyrically dynamic yet consistent, José Cónde, has provided his listeners with music that has the power to entertain, educate, and expand musical boundaries in a category driven society. In 2000, José formed the group, José Cónde y La Ola Fresca and reinvented traditional Cuban sounds. Musical fusions of bass driven funk and traditional Son Cubano and salsa in songs such as “El Chacal” and “Ritmo y Sabor” propelled Jose and his band into the forefront of Latin groove.

After recently deciding to go the solo route, José has departed Cuba to explore the world in a quest similar to that of an apothecarist blending just the right bits and pieces of different elements to create something new and whole.

José, like his music, takes cues from the simple and profound qualities and patterns found in nature. José is just as rooted to crafting music as the Matapalo (Strangler Fig Tree) he sings about in his eponymous solo debut album.

From an early age, José knew that he and music were connected. “I was a kid who was just fascinated by music. I sang along with the radio when I was a kid. It was something that was natural. I had three life goals when I was a child. The first one was to be a professional football player- that didn’t work out. The second was to be a musician- that worked out. And the third was to be a marine biologist…”

José’s fascination with music also led him to find song and rhythm in things that aren’t always considered musical. “When I was a kid I thought my mother was very musical. The way she would scold me, I thought it was like a mambo. Mambo is intense and it’s forceful and dramatic. I guess you could describe my mom’s scolding as all of those.”

“A lot of the music my family listened to I enjoyed. My mom listened to Benny Moré, Celia Cruz, and there was a great album that Nat King Cole did in Cuba in the ’50s. She loved that album and I listened to it and didn’t really know what I was listening to. But now I listen and realize how great it was,” José said.

Along with jazz, Son Cubano, and salsa, seventies funk and R&B played a large part in José’s developing musical tastes. “I listened to the radio a lot. I was really impacted early on by anything funky. I can remember being a kid in the 1970’s and listening to the Jackson 5. “You see, I was drawn to funk, bass…anything that Quincy Jones produced, José said. “I loved James Brown. So somehow that sort of fused inside of me and when I formally started studying music, I started on a journey and eventually came back to those sounds.”

With the release of his solo album comes yet another facet to José’s musical capabilities. As José puts it, “It’s an eclectic record but it’s a pop-alternative record with world music influences.” Although that may seem like a mouthful, it’s more like an earful of worldly goodness.

José surprises his listeners by mixing foreign sounds, ranging from rumba and samba to reggae and dancehall, with lyrics that illuminate the inherent links between humans and nature. “I went through a very traditional Cuban period and then I started infusing the funk and now I am doing a little bit of both along with world music,” José said.

In addition to blending varying beats and sounds from different time periods and cultures, José infuses his music with a delightful mix of real life experiences and inventive (sometimes didactic) storytelling as is the case with “Matapalo Matamusa.” “I infuse a lot of different experiences in that song (‘Matapalo Matamusa’). I’ve been going to Costa Rica for years. I love the story of trees. I love to be in Nature and it gives me energy, José said. “Some people go to church, and I go to nature. So there is this tree that is a strangler fig tree and it’s a beautiful tree. It’s just so powerful and vicious. And it’s ruthless but so is nature.”

“Sometimes in life, it happens that someone will get near you who may not be the best for your longevity, somebody that can bring you down, and sometimes there is a leader like this that coddles people just like the Matapalo. And what this leader or person is actually doing is strangling them and tying a noose around them. I just went off on this story… part of it is being a songwriter…”

An important part of José’s musicality is not taking himself too seriously and allowing himself to indulge in his senses. “The song ‘El Vestido’ came from nature and really, it’s una pecadilla cubana. El vestido es una flor. It looks just like a flower upside down and I’m a honeybee. So, it’s a sexy pecadilla. It came from being Cuban, enthused by a beautiful dress (or many beautiful dresses).”

“Every song arrives differently. I think the worst songs are those where you sit down and decide, ‘I’m going to write a song.’ Some come out of lyrical ideas that I have on a plane or on a bus or on a subway. I find it better to write while I am moving and I am just leaving my thoughts, my quotidian thoughts, somewhere else. If I get a musical idea, I used to call my answering machine, I don’t do that now, now I call my Blackberry and I will actually have a backlog of ideas.”

Even though José is in the middle of promoting his new album, touring, and maintaining his record label, he is still ready for more. “Now I am getting ready to start writing for some other projects. I have to sit there and listen to everything I left on my Blackberry, go through notes that I made randomly…it’s all over the place, but that’s sort of beautiful in a way. No matter how digitized things become, I am still where I was 20 years ago, you know, with little papelitos por ahi por alla. I really get inspired sometimes and I just let it sit. I milk as much as I can and let it sit and then I am a real revisionist. Then when everything is written, I’ll go to studio and start recording.”

José Cónde is a musical magician and it seems like he still has some surprising tricks in his hat. He is constantly creating and working to craft music from unexpected sources and unknown places. With all the musical experimentation Cónde does, he pauses when he thinks while thinking about what kind of music would make him feel a little intimidated. “Avant-garde jazz… No, not really, if I want to approach it I do. I am foolishly blind…or fearless.”

Watch José Cónde’s music video for “El Avión” from his new self-titled album below.

Follow José Cónde on Facebook here and on Twitter here. Purchase Cónde’s self-titled album on bandcamp here.

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: interview

Interview: Rene Lopez, the king of shing-a-ling

August 30, 2011 By Ashley Chaney Ortiz

I don’t care if the skies are grey and the rain is falling down.

I don’t mind if an earthquake rumbles beneath my feet.

And if Hurricane Irene is keeping me under house arrest, I am still not bothered.

This is not because I am apathetic or crazy; this is because I am listening to Rene Lopez’ new album, E.L.S (Electric Latin Soul). Chock full of funky Boogaloo beats that make you get up and groove and lyrics that make you smile, this is the album to listen to when you want to shake away the blues, open the windows and let the sun shine in. Likewise, Rene Lopez himself is like a ray of sunlight.

I met up with Rene at the Blind Tiger in West Village with the intent of sitting down and speaking about his past, present, and future as a musician and son of a musical prodigy. His father, the famed Rene Lopez of Típica 73, led the Nuyorican movement throughout the seventies and his music still keeps people dancing. With questions ready and pen in hand, I soon learned that the interview wasn’t going to follow regular 2-3 salsa clave. This was going to be funky and free.

Upon entering the crowded beer establishment full of fancy beer aficionados, I immediately spotted our subject. He was beaming.

With good vibes all around, we grabbed a couple of beers and began to shoot the breeze while waiting for a table to open up. Once Rene learned that I was new to the city, he immediately began to explain that New York City is the best city in the world not only to live and play but also the best place for inspiration.

“NYC is such a melting pot. One of my favorite things to do is to just walk around this city where the people influence me everyday. The different music I hear from neighborhood to neighborhood…you go into my neighborhood where I have my studio in Williamsburg and all you hear blaring out of the windows is merengue. Just the diversity of New York influences me so much.”

Quickly I snatched a table that had opened up nearby where Rene and I sat along with two strangers who happened to come upon the table at the same time. Interview or no interview, everyone is welcome in Rene’s world. The four of us sat together. The more the merrier!

Another round of good beers for all!

As we sat together, Rene explained to the unknowing table partners that he is soon releasing an album and asked if they would like to be his guests at his album release party. Of course they accepted and without me having to ask a question, our new friends took my place as the interviewer. I was a beer drinking fly on the wall.

Growing up near New York in a small town and visiting the city for his father’s shows, Rene spent his childhood and adolescence on the cusp of diverse city living and rural relaxation.

“I grew up around salsa musicians so that was always a part of my world whether I was at a party or if I was at the club late night with my mom and dad. I absorbed the music. When we moved from the Bronx to Rockland County, I grew up in a neighborhood where all of the kids were listening to rock and roll which influenced me greatly as a drummer.”

Rene explained how the fusion of his father’s taste in salsa and jazz combined along with his interest in pop, rock and roll, and Prince piqued his interest in creating his own sounds.

“My father started playing a lot of jazz records for me at home and I started getting into playing bebop.”

Around the age of 19, Rene took a class with Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, one of the greatest soul drummers of all time.

“One day Pretty Purdie had a contest in which two students who wrote the best song could go with him to the Record Plant. I and another student won, which got me excited about writing more pop inspired music.”

By the time we finished our beers, the table partners insisted that the next round was on them. Let the interview fun continue! These beers were even more refreshing and tasty than before and in a buzzed frame of mind I drew the parallels between Electro Latin Soul and Rene’s general attitude about life. Direct questions are not necessary when a person is creating something from their heart.

“As a child, my fathers music totally influenced what I am doing now. I am going back and all I do is listen to those records as well as boogaloo. Even though I am not a salsa musician, it plays a huge role in the music I am making now,” Rene said.

Since Rene’s time spent in the band ‘The Authority’ and his past solo recordings of One Man’s Year and People are Just People, E.L.S. marks a point in his life where things are just right.

“I think on all of my records I am constantly searching within myself. I was going through some of my past records and listened to “I know what I see” and thought to myself that it sounded very Americana. I was being honest with myself and really digging deep to play what I thought was true. but now, I feel really happy and very grounded with the music that comes out of me. My youth is coming out. My childhood is back.”

E.L.S. is clearly the result of time spent listening, experimenting, and living. The album starts off with “E.L.S.” which is an exuberant fusion of funky pop beats, Latin flourishes, and Spanish quips. Mid song, you can’t help but get up, find a partner and break into a salsa dance mixed with some freestyle groove. Things slow down a bit with the seductive cha-cha inspired “Honey Got Some Love,” which gives listeners the chance to indulge in their own five senses. All in all, E.L.S. is composed of music that is bright, sunny, and extremely optimistic. Such is the case with “Johnny Wants to be a Matador” and “Shing-a-ling Is what I Bring.”

After coming out of my beer induced, parallel drawing thoughts, I came back to the situation at hand and noticed Rene, the table partners, and myself laughing. At what? I don’t remember.

As night began to fall, we all felt like old friends that had to temporarily part. Luckily we will all see each other again at the E.L.S. release party. Before saying our final goodbyes, I asked Rene excitedly if he is planning on visiting Austin, Texas anytime soon to which he responded, “If the offer is there, I would love to go into Austin to play.”

Before meeting Rene, I was slightly annoyed with the term “shing-a-ling.” I couldn’t understand the necessity of this Boogaloo synonym in so many songs. But after meeting Rene, I understand. It’s all about that “shing-a-ling” attitude, and like he says in his song, he brings it.

Watch Rene Lopez perform “I Flow” from E.L.S. below.

Rene Lopez “I Flow” Live at Nublu from LIVE AT THE LOFT on Vimeo.

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: interview

Preview: ‘Somos lo que hay’ at Alamo Drafthouse Ritz

June 25, 2011 By Ashley Chaney Ortiz

The Cine las Americas film series is bringing Mexican director Jorge Michel Grau’s first feature film to the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz screen on Monday, June 27 at 7:00 p.m. Following the high standards set by contemporary Mexican cinema, Somos lo que hay (We are what we are) makes Hollywood look like a child’s playground.

Somos lo que hay is the gruesome tale of a family struggling to survive amidst the chaos of present day Mexico City after the father is found dead in the streets. Quickly understanding the implications of such an event, family tensions arise as a new leader is sought to provide their meals… of human flesh.

Twists and turns are sure to occur as Grau takes us winding through a complex story of a family rooted in tradition amongst a society that is in a constant state of flux between development and deterioration. In a complex circle of violence, questions of fight or flight plague the evolving family’s bond.

Like many Mexican stories, this tale can be one that you adapt as your own. “My aim is to decode my surroundings. To try to describe myself through this story; to discover my ambitions, my motivations, and my values. To find through the screen the tools with which to build my discourse,” Grau said.

Opting to use 35 mm instead of the highly prevalent digital HD, Grau offers a look at cannibalism in profound light of raw cinematic beauty. Somos lo que hay seems to be an exciting and refreshing change after a year of boring Hollywood hits. Hopefully a special accompanying menu at the Alamo will be offered.

Watch the trailer for Somos lo que hay below.

The Alamo Drafthouse Ritz is located at 320 E. 6th Street in Austin, Texas. 18+ are welcome. Children 6 and up will be allowed only with a parent or guardian. Advance tickets can be purchased here.

Filed Under: Events

Album Review: ‘Taurus’ by Ocote Soul Sounds

June 9, 2011 By Ashley Chaney Ortiz

The men that form Ocote Soul Sounds must be air and earth signs because those two together form the smooth waters of music on their new album, Taurus, that I want to drink up, enjoy, and share with my friends.  Adrian Quesada and Martin Perna have created an album of strength and peace, jazz and soul, and a whole lot of funky Latin rhythms. Mixing funk with folk, cha-cha and salsa is a risky move for anyone, but Ocote Soul Sounds and Eric Hilton of Thievery Corporation have seamlessly merged the two in a manner that is extremely groovy. Drawing inspiration from the Age of Aquarius and the power of Taurus, the album is appropriately titled to fit the vibe. Afro-beats, funky bass riffs, and organs piping joyously transform what could be heard as Latin chill to Latin groove.

The album begins with “Primavera,” an instrumental song that blossoms out of your speakers and makes the excruciating summer heat a bit more tolerable. A few songs later, the vocals pick up and beckon you to stay and listen a little longer. They say “dame la mano” and I applaud zealously. The rest of the album weaves in and out of instrumental and lyrical songs that take you on a journey through lands of cumbia, cha-cha, and Italian Folk. I thoroughly enjoyed the album regardless of one song that brought me near the limits of my appreciation for political lyrics. But hey, what’s funk without a statement?

Taurus will keep you grooving all summer long and you can probably play it over and over again without getting tired of it. Lovers of Latin music, funk, jazz and dub will all find something to enjoy. It’s all about the yen and yang, baby.

Watch Ocote Soul Sounds’ music video for “Pathways” below:

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: review

Concert Review: Federico Aubele at The Parish

May 24, 2011 By Ashley Chaney Ortiz

Before Federico Aubele’s show began, I stood outside of The Parish and talked to a man from Argentina who recently moved to Austin and was excited to finally see Aubele perform. I asked him if Aubele was well known and loved in his home-country and the answer was a quick and resounding “No!” which was then followed by laughter. Confused, I asked why and the answer was simple: Aubele is quiet, prefers to stay underground, and rarely performs in high visibility areas in Argentina.

Back in The Parish, myself and about 30 other fans stood around the stage waiting for that Argentinean, curly-headed, skinny thing to come onto the stage, play us sweet nothings, and make us groove. Donning all black, Aubele discreetly made his way to the microphone while the drummer, Jerry Busher, and Will Rast, the man behind the keyboard, synth, and general groove machine, took their seats; cue the Jamaican jam reverb, Spanish guitar licks, and let the sultry exhales of passion and pain escape.

Aubele began with songs from his new album Berlin 13 and got the crowd to sway in a trance to the heavier dub style than what we had heard on his previous and more well-known album, Panamerica. Deep brooding vocals mixed with his familiar Caribbean rhythm and Argentinean allure saturated the atmosphere with songs such as “Berlin” and  “No One” and set the tone of his new album which seems reminiscent of a disco western novella.

Increasingly becoming intoxicated from alcohol and the seductive nature of the show, the crowd grew anxious to hear the songs that made him a star and after holding off, Aubele finally gave in to our wants and needs. It was the highlight of the night when he returned to the past to play “Postales” and “Esta Noche.”  The easy union of simple rhythms and detailed blends of musical style still make them a pleasure to hear and play.

The concert ended just as everyone was riled up and Aubele and his band departed as quickly and quietly as they had appeared. It’s no wonder the crowd was small and that Argentineans don’t know very much of him for Aubele seems to constantly be at sea where at any moment he could be anywhere. That anywhere is probably somewhere you aren’t but he will come around again with that Argentinean allure.

(Federico Aubele performed at The Parish in Austin, Texas on May 21, 2011. Live photos by Kristie Bocanegra.)

[Show as slideshow]
Federico Aubele (opener)
Federico Aubele (opener)
Federico Aubele (opener)
Federico Aubele (opener)
Federico Aubele (opener)

Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele

Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele

Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele
Federico Aubele

Federico Aubele

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: photos

Album Review: ‘Sabor Tropical Remixed’ by Empresarios

May 21, 2011 By Ashley Chaney Ortiz

Based out of Washington DC, the Empresarios make music to dance to. Influences cross genres ranging from dub and funk to salsa and bossa nova.  Their debut album, Sabor Tropical, was released in January 2011 and now they have released a remix EP that is rather weak in comparison to their original album.

Talented DJs from around the world have taken original songs and given them a high-class spa treatment. The EP starts with a Fort Knox Five Remint of “Space Selectah” drenched in heavy bass and space invader laser sounds. Its like a Jamaican dance party on Jupiter that is impossible to get to. I would prefer to stay on earth and listen to my dancehall station on Pandora.

Strangely, the track listing is lined up in such a monotonous way that by the time one remix is over, it’s painful to listen to the next remix of the same song. “Space Selecta” is remixed three times. By the time you get to the “crunk” version you realize that the efforts to produce a danceable album was misguided and uninformed of the true nature of what was trying to be recreated. If you want chopped and screwed, call on your homeboys in Houston to make it “crunk.”

The “Happy Track” unfortunately suffers from the same problem of repetitive monotony. After three remixes of “Happy Track,” the coked up version of “Let it Up” is stress inducing. Luckily, the very last track, “Lock In,” brings back the peace. It’s playful, easy, and zen like. Cheers to Shanistan for thinking to bring in a sitar. It’s funky and chill all at once.

All in all, Sabor Tropical Remix EP is a let down. This is not to say that Empresarios are bad because on the contrary, they are great. The original release is exuberant, playful, and guided. The remix on the other hand is lost. Lost in it’s development and misguided in its arrangement.

Listen to “Space Selecta” (Fort Knox Remint) below and download here.

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: review

Interview: Teri Gender Bender of Le Butcherettes breaks it down

May 11, 2011 By Ashley Chaney Ortiz

Lead singer of Le Butcherettes, Teri Gender Bender (Teri Suarez), is disarmingly enchanting with those bright red lips, commanding voice, and boundary pushing performances. Straightforward and unapologetic lyrics along with notorious stage performances have already made Le Butcherettes a force to be reckoned with. Regardless of if you get her of you don’t, one thing is for sure, Suarez’ sheer feminine/masculine energy and her on-stage use of blood, cuts of raw meat, pig heads, masks, and feather boas have left the Americas intrigued. The unabashed angst found on their debut EP, Kiss & Kill, hurled Le Butcherettes into the U.S. music market leaving music fans wondering if they were here to stay… well, if their new album, Sin Sin Sin, is any sign of their future, oh baby, they are here, they are ready to play and they aren’t going away anytime soon.

Sin Sin Sin shows a more mature but just as exciting side of Le Butcherettes in which the passion to communicate through music remains but the in your face anger has been toned down significantly. The album weaves together stories of fictional characters and stories revolving around situations of so-called sin and basic moral dilemmas. The albums starts with “Tonight,” a song that reminisces a twisted fanfare singed with sex. Sung in a ferociously sweet drawl, “I’m Getting Sick of You” transitions from a minimalistic build up to a stronger more forceful anthem. My favorite song on the album is “Tainted in Sin” due to it’s droning, slightly psychedelic sound. The rhythmic tambourine carries Suarez’ chant-like lyrics broken up by a delicious wail of surrender.

Le Butcherettes are young and have started off with a bang. Sin Sin Sin shows that they can do different things lyrically and instrumentally yet keep that same fire they had from Kiss & Kill. In a time where women flaunting their sex for the sake of making up for their lack of musicality, it is refreshing to have a band with a woman lead singer that has attitude, talent, and a message. Together with Suarez on guitar, keyboard and vocals, drummer, Normandi Heuxdaflo, and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez of The Mars Volta on bass, Le Butcherettes have created an album that is catchy, rollicking, rough and tender that will leave you in pieces and wondering how to put yourself back together.

After listening to the new album and talking to Teri over the phone for an interview with Austin Vida, I am convinced the this young artist has a lot more to offer in the future as she herself has said that her artistry is always changing, developing, and hopefully getting better.

What are your first fond memories of having a connection with music?

I think it has a lot to do with my parents because they both loved music- well, they loved different kinds of music. My dad would play The Who and Tommy on full blast and I remember my mom would yell, “No Roberto, bájale el volumen!” but then he would turn it up even more!  I remember as a child looking at Tommy which was a whole new world of weirdness that frightened my mom and excited my dad… it was just something that made me want to find out more. They introduced me to The Beatles, Cream, The Rolling Stones, and it caused a lot of controversy in my family because my mom never really liked rock and roll that much. But that created a balance since she would listen to classical music.

I grew up in Denver, Colorado and my father passed away when I was 14 so my mother and I moved to Guadalajara, Mexico.  This transition and loss really inspired me to devote myself to music because it was something my father loved along with literature.

Was the move from Denver to Guadalajara a hard transition?

Yes, it was. When I moved to Mexico it was sad because I got picked on a lot because I didn’t speak Spanish very well. But it was hard at first because I also didn’t know how to write in Spanish…the accents and the grammar… These things made it easy for bullying but besides that it was beautiful to get to know the people, the food, the history. I have a lot of good memories as well.

When did you begin to develop music and how was that brought about?

Firstly, I went to this school called Univas from which I got kicked out because I was lazy and wouldn’t go to class. I wanted to be a rebel. So due to this idiotic thing on my part for ditching class, I got kicked out of school and I ended up going to a really bad school, which changed my life. So I went to Univer where I had to where a uniform that included a skirt. That was something I hated with all of my guts because I thought that girls should have the option of wearing pants. I made my own campaign at school to try and fix the system but then decided that I wanted to involve that with music. Many people thought I was crazy and some the girls would tell me that they liked showing their legs, which was fine! But I wanted that option. Uh, ah! Speaking about that right now still pisses me off! I got tons of petitions signed, maybe partially because I made them do it (laughs), but he still didn’t care! Supposedly there were bigger issues to tackle. AH! That definitely inspired me to start a rock band because music has the power to inform more so than petitions.

What do you consider your role to be in the music world?

I would be lying if I said I was writing music just for myself. I want to expose my music to people. I am actually really shy; on-stage I am another person. I love people too much and I am scared that they might hurt me. It happens to everyone. Instead of hiding in my house, I decided to say “screw it!” I am going to write music anyways. There will always be haters but there will also always be people who inspire you.  Music is connected to life! It permits me to live; it’s therapy.

How would you describe your music to virgin ears?

To break it down for them, it isn’t so concrete as the term rock but more of a simmered down punk rock…I sometimes call it butcher rock. I hope people hear my sincerity.

What sort of inspiration have you gotten from living in Mexico and from living in LA?

Well, I had gotten so used to living in Mexico after five or six years and traveling on the weekends to Nayarit or different states around Guadalajara and seeing so much beauty. After going back to the States it was kind of saddening, almost like a little death. I feel like I am leaving a stage in my life in the past to be able to grow as an artist.  I am not saying that in order to be an artist you have to travel the whole time—Emily Dickens never left her home and she wrote amazing things—but I feel personally in my situation that I need to be able to be in awkward situation to be able to write about those things.

Living in LA has been crazy but I still speak Spanish a lot! My neighbors are from Argentina, Chile, Mexico, etc. and LA shows itself to have a lot of cultural diversity regardless of the Beverly Hill stereotypes. It’s inspiring. In fact, the food is really good in Mexico but here there is so much variety especially for us vegans.

What kind of turn of events led Le Butcherettes to being picked up by Rodriguez-Lopez Productions?

I think it had to do with luck and being in the right place at the right time. We played this show, the first drummer, Auryn Jolene, and I, and we played at a little bar in Guadalajara but the electricity went out on the previous bands show. But I had a megaphone and told everyone to not call anything off so Auryn and I played an acapella set with the drums and voice. That caught Omar’s attention and he told his friend that we all needed to meet and have coffee. But really it’s all about not being limited. I didn’t know he was there till after the show. But you gotta be impulsive. People might think you are crazy but you just need to go for it!

In the beginning stages of Le Butcherettes, stage performance was imagery heavy and common social standards were being played with through the use of blood, masks, raw meat, feather boas, and heels. I have read that you are done with that chapter in your music. What do you think the new chapter holds for you, the band, and your music and stage performance?

I am not done with the masks or props but I would like to use other elements. I have doing the blood thing which is not just about gore or trying to gain attention but for me it represents the women who have died for the feminist causes. I have been doing that for two years in Mexico and now I think it is time to move on. It can sometimes be so powerful that it might be misleading and I remember reading something that in effect said that it’s good to shout every once in a while to get the attention but you can’t keep shouting your whole life or else people will get sick of that yelling, it will hurt their ears. In this case, I did my shouting and now I just want to keep cultivating my musical garden. I want to use different elements that represent the woman.

Your last album dealt with many issues surrounding the often-misunderstood term “feminism.” What does feminism mean to you and are you still trying to communicate that through your music?

I am definitely trying to communicate feminism but not in a direct way.  Bikini Kill and L7 already did that—a more in your face kind of feminism. But I feel like if I did that it wouldn’t be as sincere. I never grew up as a riot grrrl, I am from a different generation. To me feminism is being able to please. You have the privilege and freedom to do what you please without hurting others. Creating art to heal yourself. I know that sounds like a really hippie answer but to me that is feminism’s essence. Feminism is not man hating or shunning women who wear make-up, on the contrary, if you are a woman or a man who wants to wear make-up it is your right as long as you aren’t stealing apples from my garden. I want to carry that forever in my music.

How have you grown musically since Kiss and Kill?

I think a lot really. I don’t hate or regret it but it is something that I had to go through, like with the blood, to mature. The new record, Sin Sin Sin, is really different. If a person stays the same, they might bore themselves or others… Who knows? There may be people that like it or hate it and think I should stick with primitive punk but I still do punk, but many songs from Kiss and Kill were written when I was 17 years old. I don’t want to sound like a tortured artist but 17 was really hard for me because that was when I was dealing with the skirt issue in high school and a lot of rage. I am now trying to level that rage down and put it into reason.

Can you give us a little insight into your own ideas and concepts of the new album Sin Sin Sin?

Musically it has a bass now. When Omar was recording he suggested that we add the bass so that in the live shows it will add more body to the music. What I am trying to extend through my CD is that the family on the cover is a nuclear family, a catholic nuclear family. Ever since we are born we hear that sin occurs everyday and even being born is a sin so the only way to redeem yourself is to go to church. I just found it interesting that there is this tendency to think that we have to make up for so many bad things that occur without our consent everyday of our life. Each song is a different voice and the lyrics portray stories that I imagine. I created different characters with different identities, problems, and interpretations of the human perception of sin.

You were in Austin, Texas for SXSW 2011 and got the chance to explore and experience our home. What was your favorite thing about Austin?

I loved the food and the weather! The buildings downtown are beautiful. I am really bad with directions so I got lost so many times which was great! It’s a good place to get lost in.

What are you looking forward to in the future?

I want to keep playing. Playing is therapy to me. On stage I pretend to be something that I am not. We all feel insecure but by being able to play and be heard, I am slowly starting to feel whole. I want to keep recording and throw out more records, hang in there, and see how long I last… Until I crack. Open. Like an Egg.

Listen to Sin Sin Sin in its entirety below:

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: interview

Interview: Carmen Marron Inspires with “Go For It!”

April 27, 2011 By Ashley Chaney Ortiz

When I hear the term “inspirational” in conjunction with movies, I usually stop listening. Too many times I have gone to see an uplifting film and then left feeling annoyed and asking the same questions: Was a rose colored lens the only one available? Why is the majority of the audience white collar? What is the relevance? Why am I not a natural born boxer?  So when I was told that I needed to watch Go For It! a film based on Latino youths’ struggles and one girl’s passion for street dancing, I was a little less than thrilled. Regardless of my preconceived notions, I took off my judgmental hat, swallowed my pride and decided to give this movie a chance. Fast-forward to post-screening reaction–I was refreshingly pleased.

First time filmmaker, writer and director, Carmen Marron, has reinvented the teen movie. Go For It! contains the teen flick necessities such as young love and lust, emotional torment, rebellious attitudes and a whole lot of street dance… come on, you know dancing movies make your secret internal voice say, “it would be fun.” But what really sets this film apart from other dance, inspirational, or teen movies is that fact that it depicts teenage reality with poignancy sans the Hannah Montana fluff and brings Latinos to the big screen as people that share similar thoughts and experiences as the rest of the U.S. population.

Go For It! revolves around the life, problems, and doubts of teenage Latina, Carmen. She has family and friends that love her, more opportunities to succeed than her immigrant parents ever had, but no idea of how to make success happen, much less, what success means to her. In a short amount of time before graduation, her life twists and turns around bliss and tragedy, doubt and love. Ultimately, it is up to Carmen to make the decision to do something with her life and her passion, but her progress is dependent on the support of those that surround her.

Marron takes culturally and age-sensitive topics such as domestic violence and racism to show not only their prevalence in high schooler’s lives and the harrowing results but also how parents and teachers alike don’t even recognize that these serious issues are taking place.

Although the story is told through a Latino cultural lens, the experiences are not unique to the Hispanic community. All kids growing up have either encountered or shared the experiences that are portrayed in the movie, which makes it so important that teenagers and parents (maybe not together) see this film. Teens will be comforted by the validation of their struggles and encouraging message and parents will get a reality check as to how life has changed since they were in school.

The music, action, and energy make Go For It! an extremely entertaining film, but before buy your ticket you need to remember that it is a film with the teenage audience in mind. If you have siblings that are in high school, go with them to see this movie. You will both come out with a refreshed and inspired mindset. Marron has already captured the attention of thousands of teenagers across the U.S. as well as Pantelion Films (a new venture between Lionsgate and Televisa) and as a result Pantelion will be donating a dollar back to schools for every ticket sold to their students.

After the official screening during Cine Las Americas, I got to talk with Carmen Marron about her experiences as a first time director, the importance of making this film, and the excitement about having  Go For It! show nationwide on May 13, 2011. She was a pleasure to talk with and just as (if not more) inspiring as her movie.

Go For It! revolves around the life of a teenage girl and her high school friends (and enemies) but deals with very adult topics such as domestic violence, drug use, and creating your own path to success. Who do you consider to be your intended audience?

My audience is the kids because a lot of times there are a lot of parents who have just as many issues and can’t really be there for their kids so I thought that if I can’t reach the parents I am going to try and reach the kids before it’s too late; I am going to try and reach these kids, 13 and up, that can learn and see that certain things are unacceptable. I want to help them to think twice before they or their friends get into a situation like that.

Where did you gather your inspiration for creating a film for teens?

There are several factors-one is working as a guidance counselor for sure. That definitely fostered inspiration in me to get started on this project. Secondly is growing up. Growing up in the hood I saw bad things happen and when I think back, I realize that many of the problems from my teenage years are the same exact problems teens are having now. And also from what I am seeing currently when I read parent magazines and what they are dealing with or from teen blogs. All of this shows that domestic violence and other problems are pervasive everywhere amongst teenagers.

The main character in Go For It! has your name, Carmen, and I have read that you were also passionate about street dance when you were growing up. Is your film an autobiography?

It’s not. The reason I named the her Carmen is one, because  I was drawing upon experiences in my life and two, Carmen is a very popular name, like Maria. Maria was my first choice but there are so many Marias in film so I decided to use Carmen. I never got suspended or had a best friend that was involved in domestic violence but I was a street dancer and went through the same issues that I saw teens going through when I was a guidance counselor: they weren’t getting along with their parents, they weren’t really caring about school, and they didn’t know what to do with their lives.

Can you tell me a little bit about growing up as a street dancer and how that impacted your creativity or the way you look at connecting real life with imagination?

Actually, it made a huge impact and I guess I never realized it until I started making my film because that was a great time of my life being a teenager. I used to stay up all night at this one place in Chicago and dance and perform. It impacted me because regardless of who you are or where you come from, I always respected and looked up to people that followed their gifts, whatever they were. And when I was dancing I saw so many gifted dancers. I used to look at them thinking that they should be doing something great but I know they never thought that for themselves because they were from broken homes, barely getting through high school, taking drugs… but I thought the world of them. I have always had huge respect for the arts even though I studied business and got my Masters in Educational Psychology. I guess I made my film with that creativity in mind.

How did you make the transition from business to counselor to filmmaker?

Honestly, I have always believed in following your heart. That’s how I have lived my life. I don’t believe in following the rules within the box. I worked on educational programs for the Illinois State Treasury and then decided that I wanted to go into education and help kids and loved that too! So I got my masters in education and I loved it! I found a job with mental health services organization and worked with at-risk kids and I loved it because I was following my heart. And then when I decided to write a script for a movie, it it felt really organic as well. The hardest part is talking yourself into turning words on paper into a film. I realize now that it is a monumental journey to get a film made. Its got to be something that you are willing to invest in with money, time and effort and people in Hollywood just don’t believe that Latino films make money. That’s why I took it upon myself to learn how to do it.

Scene from "Go For It!"

How long did it take you to write your script?

It didn’t take me that long but I don’t have a set amount of time because it was always evolving. I would have an experience that would remind me of a character and I’d go back to the script and include that. Or when I cast my actors I definitely changed my scenes to fit their approaches.

Not only is your film an inspiration within itself but your journey to becoming a filmmaker inspirational as well.

As long as you are following your heart and your gut and you are doing something for the right reasons that give you joy, and I don’t mean joy like money, but something that you really feel like you HAVE to do. You have to be patient and willing to work hard and learn. You make mistakes but then you learn how to make it right.

Do you have any aspirations to create another film in the future?

Oh absolutely. I am writing two scripts right now and I am hoping to get my next one into production before the end of this summer. They are going to be inspirational and portray Latinos again. That’s why I really want Go For It! to succeed. It’s a big mission for this movie to do well because I think it will open so many doors for Latino stories, actors and filmmakers and portray us in a way where we aren’t just seen as thugs, gardener or maids. I really want us to be seen as leaders in Hollywood so that kids can feel like they can do it too.

It must have been exciting when Lionsgate decided to pick up your first film.

Lionsgate is really a trailblazer in the fact that they created a division called Pantelion and they have a mission of creating Latino films in a universal way. They are really promoting Go For It! to the point that they have started an amazing fundraiser that is unique to Hollywood. If a school or non-profit saves their ticket stubs for Go For It! they will get a dollar back for each ticket sold. A check will be written to every school or organization that sends in the stubs. Plus, the school that sends in the most ticket stubs will get a check for an extra thousand dollars! This is all for education and we all know how much help education could use.

What is the nationwide premiere date?

Go For It! will be premiering nationwide on May 13, 2011 and along with the dollar back for every ticket stub sold to schools or non-profits, Pantelion is also holding a contest online where high school students can vote to bring Go For It! to their school and the school with the most votes will be the host of the red-carpet premiere with all of the actors and actresses involved.

Watch the Go For It! trailer below:

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: interview

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

Copyright © 2021 · Log in