Tessa Chats with Porter Paquot

Hi Kasbah People! It's time for another Chat with Tessa! This time I sat down with Porter Paquot, from Portland, Oregon. We met on Skype this Sunday to chat about SL and RL. I have to say, I learned a lot about Porter, she is an open book, willing and eager to discuss both her lives.

Porter came to Second Life at a difficult time. She was struggling with depression and was barely handling RL. Coming to SL and performing gave her the opportunity to be herself and to gain back some of the strength she needed to again function in RL. She attributes her recovery to singing in SL and having the interaction she was lacking. She is now back to graduate school and performing both in and out of SL. I asked Porter what her favorite thing about performing in SL is and she told me how much she enjoys meeting new and interesting people and how she now gets to sing everyday!

Since Porter is singing everyday, I was curious to know if singing in SL had changed her RL performances. The answer was a resounding YES! Porter was very animated as she described how her band had been commenting on how much her vocals have improved, and even she has noticed her range has widened. She also told me how she has been able to explore different styles of music and to just have fun when she is singing. "Performing in SL is just fun for me, I am not here to get rich or famous, I just want to sing and be entertained."

When Porter is not in SL singing she can often be found performing with her real life band Fez Fatale. The band has been around for about 15 years and Porter has been a member for the past 5. She describes the band as "very quirky" and explained that they do all originals and are sort of a "lounge rock" act. Porter is one of 7 members, 4 of which do vocals for the band. If you go to the website www.fezfatale.com you can find some of their recorded works including one titled "Six Pack" which Porter can be heard on.

I happen to know that Porter's band has come into SL to perform with her so I asked about their next scheduled performance. I was pleased to hear they are scheduled to perform at Kasbah on October 3rd at 10pm, it will be a live show with the strong possibility of live video as well! For those of you that might be in the Portland area the live show will be held at The Blue Monk. Since we were speaking of future plans I, of course, asked what else might be in store for Porter. She was very honest and forthcoming saying "I want to widen my fan base, play new venues and even perform at different times than I am used to. I also plan on having Fez Fatale perform hopefully once a month."

Besides the October 3rd show, Porter will also be performing weekly at Kasbah. I twisted her arm (lol) to tell me a little bit about her feelings for the venue. "I LOVE Kasbah, it's the prettiest venue in SL, so classy and well done. It has such a high caliber of music and I am honored to have been included in the lineup!" I don't know about you, but I got the impression she likes it there :-)

If you have been to a Porter Paquot show two things will immediately stand out. First is her powerful voice, and second, her fun and sometimes rowdy group of fans. In SL more so than anywhere else, fans have the opportunity to interact with performers and the performers have that same opportunity. No one enjoys interacting with their fans more than Porter. She shared with me a few of her favorite fan stories. "At one particular venue, the stage is surrounded by water...but it's prim and you can walk right on it...I noticed my fans were all staying back behind the water...somehow the idea came to pass out flotation devices...rubber ducks, and before I knew it I was surrounded by an army of yellow ducks!" She also described a giant beer bottle designed by a friend that she loved so much she has included in her fan gift pack. Porter's relationship with her fans is special, she thinks of them as her friends and enjoys, even encourages them to be as silly and fun as possible. She says it makes the shows even better not only for the fans but for her as well.

The hour was winding down, so I asked Porter my standard last question...and her reply was both touching and fun if that's possible. "Last words to my fans...hmmm, I think my fans are fun, sometimes rowdy but not crazy. I think I have a personal connection with a lot of my fans and consider them my friends. I feel like they are there for the fun, but also to help me grow. They tp in people to hear me and always welcome new people just like I would. I want them to know I appreciate them so much, for coming to the shows, for being rowdy and fun...I just...their help has been invaluable to me. I call them My Peeps, they are family and I love them." It was an awesome hour, talking with Porter today will always be one of the highlights of my SL. Until next time... Tessa1 Beck

Tessa Chats with Harper Messmer

      Hello Kasbah Friends, it's time for another chat, this time with Harper Messmer. I will admit, I was a little shy about approaching Harper.  I had never really spoken with him before and I wasn't sure how he would respond to my inquiry. I needn't have worried. He was enthusiastic and friendly from the door! We met at my favorite quiet place to get to know each other a bit. We both chose to sit on the grass, no easy feat for me with a new sit animation and a dress! Once we were settled I asked Harper about his return to SL music. He had taken a  break and when he returned he had a blow out comeback show. It struck me that things must have changed greatly in the months he was gone. He told me the biggest change he thinks is the economy and how it effects SL, watching venues close and new ones pop up so often. He also spoke of the influx of new musicians to SL and how cool it is to have the opportunity to listen to so many different styles of music from all over the world. He says he enjoys the chance to hear different renditions of the same songs and that since his return he has heard a lot of new talent. "The music scene has grown and I believe it will keep on growing!"
  
   Harper has been seen at many of the new artists' shows, but he can also be found at some of his good friends' shows participating in something called TP WARS! I asked him to tell me how it got started and who was winning. I could hear the mirth in his voice as he described the events that led up to the first war..."I thought it would be fun to tip one linden at a time, just something to make the artist on stage laugh. The favor was returned shortly thereafter. Then Max (Maximillion Kleene) came up with the genius idea of incorporating a TP in among the tips....so basically we try to trick the singer on stage to take the TP as they are clicking through the one linden tips." Harper laughed and said that he is definitely not the one winning as he has only been able to trick one person so far. "I got AMFORTE Clarity, and umm...she wasn't thrilled, but she forgave me....I have been tricked by Raspbury Rearwin as well as Max lol."He also said that it has gone so far now that even when they are not performing some of the players just send random tips.

    I have witnessed TP Wars at several venues including Kasbah. Since this is the Kasbah blog, I thought it prudent to ask Harper his thoughts on The Kasbah. I don't know if you know this, but Harper is very entertaining to talk to, his first response was "I hate that place!" Of course, he was kidding and went  on to say that he thinks the idea to marry the two arts, music and painting is awesome. "It's the only venue I know where you can watch a painter as she paints and hear the live stream of a musician. I think it's innovative and it makes for a quick and entertaining hour."

     When he mentioned the live stream a thought struck me, would we be seeing Harper on live video anytime soon? He explained that years ago, he used to do live video on yahoo webcam but has no real plans to resume that kind of thing in SL. He did say it was not out of the question though...hmmmm. So, if live video is not in Harpers immediate plans what is I asked. "I plan to bring back The Loft in the fall" The Loft is Harpers venue where every Tuesday there was an awesome lineup of musicians! Harper went into detail about how The Loft came to be at Triborough. He thought the 20 connected sims were just right and he set about convincing Panacea Luminos (the owner). I could tell he was thrilled with how hard she worked to make his venue fit in with the overall look and feel of the sims.

     If you have ever been to one of Harpers shows, be it at Kasbah, The Loft or any other awesome SL venue you would see his huge group of fans. We talked about how humbling having fans is to him, because, as he said, he sings other peoples songs for the most part. "At the end of the day, I feel like I am really lucky, I was in the right place at the right time. SL music is a hobby for me and I enjoy it."  Harper went on to talk about how great it is to have the opportunity do meet and hang out with the people that enjoy his music. He said that he is well aware of the dangers of putting yourself out there, and that if you don't have the right mindset it can break you. I think Harper definitely has the right idea, being cautious but not allowing it to go to his head or change the way he acts. He also went on to say how he believes that SL fans are the most loyal, and how they have stayed with him throughout his SL journey.

       It was nice to hear such a fresh perspective. I looked up from taking my interview notes to see that our time was fast approaching the end, so I asked Harper my usual question, did he have anything he wanted to say to his fans before we said goodbye. In Harpers gentle voice there was so much warmth as he said "A big thank you, I don't deserve a lof of whats been given to me and I appreciate the love and support I have received. Performing in SL has been life changing in a great way, it's one of the best curve balls thrown my way and a big learning experience." He talked about how he has grown up musically and how his knowledge of bands and musicians has increased drastically since being in SL. His last words...."I would not have been able to continue on as an artist if it weren't for the fans, I have been given the opportunity to perform with amazing artists and share trade secrets, it's been a really cool experience and I have the fans to thank! Oh...and AMFORTE loves random TP'S!!!" See, I told you he was entertaining lol. It was a great chat and I look forward to catching Harper's show again soon, that's all for now, until next time, Tessa1 Beck

Tessa Chats with Maximillion Kleene

  Have you ever just sat back and thought...wow I love my job? I did this evening. I had the opportunity to speak with one of SL's most well known and loved musicians, Maximillion Kleene! I know right?  I learned a lot about Max tonight, and I can't wait to share it with you.

    We met at The Audio Union and after a brief tour we sat down to chat. Max has been performing in SL for close to three years, and I was curious how the music scene had changed since his early days. He told me that he thinks the biggest change is the size, saying, "Basically the whole scene has grown exponentially." We talked about how, when he began performing, the entire music scene was one big community; that it was easy to get the buzz going about a new artist, but that now, as the scene has grown, there are different groups of musicians and fans that may not intersect. "New artists have a harder time growing their fan base, if I were to have come in now rather than 3 years ago, I doubt I would have the following I do." Max explained how there are so many more musicians and even types of musicians hitting SL, and that he thought it was really great to be part of such a growing community.

     One of the things that I think sets Max apart from some of the other SL musicians is his vast repertoire of songs. I asked him how he goes about choosing a song, what goes into deciding whether to add it to his list or not. He said he gets a lot of suggestions for songs from his fans and he tries to check each one out. He also hears them on the radio or T.V.  "It's kind of how the song makes me feel, happy, sad, whatever...it has to catch me and I think about if I would want to play it or not." I was curious what his current favorite songs to perform are right now and he said, "Starry, Starry Night"" and Hey Soul Sister", both very new to his set list.

     While we were talking about songs and performing I asked Max if he had anything new in the works here in SL. I was excited to hear that he is making plans to resurrect The Zone, a live music venue he ran awhile back! He said, "It's just time, you know...everyone has that place, that happy place to go and relax, could be here, RL or even in your head, that zone where you feel good" He is looking forward to working on it, finding the time to obsess over it and make it just right.

     Speaking of finding time, Max has been spending a lot of his time at SL music jams. I wanted to know what it was like for him there, and what keeps him going back. He shared with me that to him, it's about the music and meeting the people he considers his friends. He loves the energy, how the music just builds, and how everyone is just so happy to be there. "It's just....FUN!" He will be attending the South Carolina Jam this month and I was curious where he would most like to go for a future jam. "Buffalo!" Max told me that he and another SL'er have been in talks to do a jam in Buffalo, N.Y. next year, because it's close to home and easy to get to, so keep an ear out for news about that jam coming soon!

      When he isn't going to SL meet ups he is in world performing. One of the many shows he does is at The Kasbah. I happen to know that Max has a soft spot for the venue, so I asked him about it. He was kind enough to tell me that he likes the feel of it there, the people, the hosts; he said that when you go there, you just know it's going to be a fun night. He also mentioned how much he enjoys being part of an awesome lineup of musicians, spouting names such as Raspbury Rearwin, Harper Messmer and Edward Kyomoon to name a few.

      If you have ever been to a Max Kleene show, at the Kasbah, or anywhere the first thing you notice is the crowd. Max has a huge group of fans, and a good portion of those fans go to his shows faithfully. I asked him how he felt about having so many people feel they know him, care for him...Max's voice changed, became softer, as he said, "People connect through music, I love that they feel so close to me, that’s part of why I go to meet ups, why I speak about my life during sets." He spoke about getting used to seeing the same names at the shows and how he makes a point of trying to get to know those people. "I'm a live music fan as well as a musician and I love hanging out after my shows to listen to the next performer and to get to know the people who come to see me."
      
     I realized that the time for his next set was quickly approaching so I asked Max my standard question...Do you have anything you would like to say to your friends and fans before we close? Max said..."Oh man, that's a good one" there was a long silence, to the point where I thought perhaps I had lost sound, then..."speechless" and in that one word I heard all the emotion, all the gratitude he felt for the people that have made his SL so special. Sometimes there just are no words that can adequately express ones feelings and for Max, this was one of those times. We sat there for another moment, quietly reflecting. It was a well spent 90 minutes, a chat I hope you enjoyed reading about as much as I enjoyed having. That's all for now, until next time...Tessa1 Beck

Tessa Chats With Buckley Moonwall

Hi Kasbah People! I just had the best chat with Buckley Moonwall, aka Gordon Vincent. We sat down on Skype to talk about SL, music and all things Buckley. So many times a musician is interviewed and asked the same questions over and over. I wanted to try and avoid that for the most part, but there were a few things I felt could be touched on briefly. One of those things was Buckley's first impression of SL in general. His friend Pete, also known as Pilgrim75 Swashbuckler, had been on SL for about a month and told him about it...his first reaction....he dismissed it as just another one of those "things". But after watching a show he thought it was a bit weird, but also cool. He decided to give it a try, the start was rough, issues with sound etc. but he found everyone to be so supportive and helpful, and he learned a lot about the technical side of performing.
  I asked about some of the differences he noticed between SL and RL performances. "In SL it is more intense, the sound is more vivid, more controlled," he said, "I play with headphones on so I hear everything and the fans hear everything I do as well" He also mentioned the amazing interaction he enjoys with the crowd. "I love to read local chat when I can, my fans are funny and sometimes crazy, makes for a better show all around" We talked about some of the more amusing interactions he has had during sets, one in particular came to mind..."One of the people in the audience made comment about the tip jar I use...a monkey in a wagon, there is always someone making funny comments, stroke the monkey, hit the monkey...free the monkey.... but this one fan in particular was saying it gave a whole new meaning to massaging the monkey...and I wanted to know...what was the old meaning???......turns out she worked in a zoo!" He told me he loved getting to know his fans, that the idea that people from all over the world can come to SL and hear his music was mind blowing to him.
   The SL music scene is my home and I wanted to know how Buckley felt about it. True to form he was enthusiastic about his feelings. "It's such a strong scene, I think of it kind of like the new frontier...everyone trying new things, breaking new ground, some of it works, some of it doesn't...but we keep pushing...exploring." He said SL music gave him what he needed, interaction with people, a place to share his music and learn. It was clear Buckley was thrilled to have the opportunity to perform in SL and to reach so many with his music.
    I asked Buckley about his RL career, how it was going, what was new...and he told me he is hoping to begin touring the NE soon, sharing his music and that his 3rd CD, Confessions of a Hummingbird Farmer, should be out in July. Where can we get it I asked...."I will probably sell it in world, but it can also be purchased at ITunes, CDbaby and of course my website GordonVincent.com" We talked a bit about his goals for his SL career and he made me smile, saying he just wants to keep playing, growing and reaching more people. ""I feel I am a better performer because of SL, and I look forward to more feedback to help me to continue to grow."
    Sadly our time was drawing to an end, so I asked my standard fan question...What would you like to say to the fans on SL? I don't think I have gotten quite such a lovely answer before..."My life is as a singer/songwriter, to have such regular fans, or to be playing so often,
connecting so directly, - this is all new, and really appreciated. I feel like I've been on the road
for the past year and a half.  I want to share myself with them through my music and thank them all for coming to my shows and to let them know that nothing I do would mean anything without them, it's not all about me, the shows are what they are because of those wonderful people" I leave you with that, until next time...Tessa1 Beck.