“Step forward and meet a new sunrise A coward is shivering inside Today I’ll be a friend of mine Who swallows suffering with smile” — From “Pisces” by Jinjer I love interviewing people whose personal stories have a triumphant arc. It is genuinely inspiring to talk to someone who has been through tremendous hardship – […]
Crushing Concrete with Jinjer’s Tatiana Shmaylyuk Read More »
“Life is degrading and silently making meSpun out inside my own headSpewing and craving, this darkness is baiting meDown the road to my own death” —From “You’ll Never Find Me” by Korn Like many of us, Brian “Head” Welch grew up with rock and roll fantasies. “When I was a kid … I wanted to be a
Brian “Head” Welch Walks Through the Door Read More »
Many people think that meditation is about serene, peaceful people with clear minds contemplating soothing thoughts while sitting in silence. Well, think again. Because Jessica Pimentel is here to shake your shit up. Pimentel, who plays Maria Ruiz on the Netflix original series “Orange Is the New Black,” and fronts the extreme metal band, Alekhine’s Gun, is an avid practitioner
Churning Dirty Water With Jessica Pimentel Read More »
“All that we have is just slipping away And I don’t believe that it’s gonna be OK You can’t stop the bleeding it’s almost too late You’re leaving us all behind with hell to pay” –From “Out for Blood” by Sum 41 When I first met Deryck Whibley and his Sum 41 bandmates at Niagara in the
Stepping on Hot Coals With Deryck Whibley Read More »
“We used to dream We used to name the stars Tracing futures lying in the dark.” – From “Just Say When” by Nothing More Empathy can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, being sensitive to our own emotions and the emotions of others can be a strong foundation for being caring, understanding and connected to ourselves
The Invisible Streams of Jonny Hawkins Read More »
“We all have a voice that we have to deny / That’ll say I’m not enough and that I need not apply” —Charge It Up by 311 There are lots of reasons for Nick Hexum to be positive these days. Hexum is the frontman of the band 311, which has now been together – original lineup still intact
The Heavy Positivity of Nick Hexum Read More »
By Michael A. Friedman “Look in my eyes, what do you see? The cult of personality. I know your anger, I know your dreams. I’ve been everything you want to be. I’m the cult of personality.” — from “Cult of Personality” by Living Colour There is something enticing about viewing the world in simplistic all-or-none terms of “good”
Vernon Reid and the Power of Comic Book Complexity Read More »
For many people, Audrey Hepburn has always been the “Queen of Class.” Not only was she elegant and talented – she won an Oscar, Golden Globe and British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award– but also, Hepburn dedicated herself to philanthropy. She was perhaps most noted for her role with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),
Lisa Lampanelli Channels Her Inner Audrey Hepburn Read More »
“Twenty two years of mental tears Cries a suicidal Vietnam vet Who fought a losing war on a foreign shore To find his country didn’t want him back” From “Something to Believe In” by Poison Some of us are “dreamers.” We have a gift for thinking beyond our own lives and delving into a fantasy land of
Bret Michaels and the Making of a “Drealist” Read More »
Wes Studi is no stranger to protest. An acclaimed actor and member of the Cherokee Nation, Studi has had roles in classic movies, such as “Dances with Wolves,” “Last of the Mohicans,” “Heat” and “Geronimo: An American Legend.” For the latter, he won a Western Heritage Award for his portrayal of Geronimo. Studi began his long history of
Wes Studi Sees Beginning of Indigenous Movement Read More »
