Tessa Chat's With Strum Diesel

 Hi Kasbah friends and fans! It's time for another Chat with Tessa! This time I sat down with Strum Diesel to learn a little bit more about this awesome SL performer. I have had the pleasure of attending several of Strums shows, but I must admit it was fairly recently, so I didn't really know too much about him. I decided to start at the beginning and asked Strum how he got started in SL music. Strum said that a little over two years ago his RL friend, DJ Deere, aka as Fantasy2u Deere in SL, began mentioning Second Life to him. It was probably 6 months of DJ talking it up before he actually gave it a try. He had become burned out, performing way too often in RL for far too little appreciation, so he decided to take a break, lucky for us, he popped into SL! "I was really lucky, right off the bat I met  Valeria Paster and she helped me get set up to stream, I had a lot of help, met so many nice people at first...I started performing and never stopped.....in fact I think I went a little crazy, played too much...I actually sprained a tendon in my hand and had to stay off the guitar....thats how I began using the piano in my performances." I know I for one am really glad he did!

    
         Speaking of performances, I was curious about Strum's RL shows and how SL might have had an impact on how he approaches them now. He shared with me that when he first started in SL he really was burned out from the RL music scene, doing 4 hour gigs and really not feeling like he had been heard as a writer or an artist. The first thing he noticed in SL was how much more receptive the people are, how much more appreciated he felt as an artist and it really boosted his confidence. Now, when he performs in RL he says he thinks there is an overall improvement in his stage presence, a confidence he didn't have before. He went on to say, " Knowing people WANT to hear what I have to say has really helped...in fact, the first contest I entered in RL since joining SL I won!" I could feel the enthusiasm and appreciation for SL Strum has when he said, "It has really helped my writing, I feel like I am connecting with the people and it gives me more motivation! You can't beat the energy and many times a simple show turns out to be much more like a party!"

         The first time I attended one of Strum's "parties" I noticed his signature green hair...you know me, I had to ask about it! He was gracious enough to explain to me in detail how he enjoys changing the color of his hair in RL and that in SL the avatar is what we see as the perfect "us". He said green is the color his hair is now, and that it is his favorite color. He also believes in the power of colors and that green is known to bring fortune and good luck. Strum also said something I thought was so important in this day and age of computers and virtual worlds..."We need to stay connected to nature...we are heading into a virtual existence and it is vital that we keep in touch with the real world around us."

           I was really impressed with Strums views and it  brought me to thinking about some of his other views, more specifically, his political views. I had noticed that many of Strum's original songs have very strong political messages and I asked him if he used SL as a platform to get his messages out there. Without a moments pause he said "Yes, absolutely yes!" He explained how SL is full of people from everywhere and with his songs they can connect experiences...how any song with a political quality comes from his own experiences. He quoted Ani Difranco..."the personal is political and the function of art is to comment on society" he said one of his goals is to maybe not give people answers to their questions, but to inspire them to search for those answers. "SL is a great tool to reach people and to learn about what is happening politically all over the world" It was refreshing to speak to someone so in touch with what he believes in and so willing to share those beliefs with the rest of us.

            With such a strong desire to share his message  I was curious what might be coming up next for this interesting and animated performer. "I am playing a little less, trying to get the next album underway. I already released an album earlier this year....in the new album the songs are very connected SL and I want to capture the energy I feel from the audience" He also told me that there has been some talk about him going to Scotland, possibly late winter of next year...if that works out, he may even book more shows and possibly make it a tour of Europe. Strum can be seen most Saturday nights at the Kasbah! He is also doing the Fire and Ice show for Diabetes, taking place today from 3 to 9pm SL...a benefit being run by Mandy Ornamental at the Fire and Ice Club, all proceeds go to RL diabetes research, so be sure and catch him there if you are able!http://thestreamteam2.serverroom.us:8884
      
            If you are a fan you know that the relationship between fans and SL performers is unique. I asked Strum his thoughts on his fans in SL and WOW he really opened up to how he feels about SL and his fans. He expressed to me how incredible it is to know that people come to listen to you because they like what you have to say, how you sound..."so many times in RL the people at the shows are friends, or friends of friends that feel obligated to come...in SL, the people come not because they are your friends but because they WANT to hear you." He marveled at the generosity of his fans, even how he worries sometimes that they over indulge him. He raved about venue owners that will sometimes go over and above, turning the entire stage green, encouraging guests to wear green...how much he appreciates those ways the fans connect with him.  We talked about how wonderful it is to be able to touch someone with your music, people you might never reach if it were not for the SL platform.

           Strum really has a strong connection to his fans and I felt he would be the perfect person to ask my favorite last question to..."Do you have anything you would like to say to your friends and fans before we close?" I felt the smile, the warmth as he said "I have said it so much and I will never be able to say it enough...thank you for hearing me, for understanding, connecting to me...for buying my records and my groceries and putting up with me when I am acting like a total rockstar LOL...I am so glad you are all along for the ride!" I don't think you can truly aprreciate those words without actually hearing them...the chat was lovely...I love my job! Thats all for now, until next time...Tessa1 Beck

Scruplz Live Music Event @ Kasbah

Hi all you lovers of live music! Tonight was an amazing night at The Kasbah! Scruplz sponsored 4 hours of live music to launch their new publication, The Scene. It is a directory listing active live musicians and live music venues across the grid with advertisements 100% focused on live music.  It will be a constant work in progress with improvements as times goes on making it more and more useful to the live music community in Second Life.  To celebrate this awesome new addition to Live music they put together a thrilling lineup! Guitar Zane opened the evening, launching into some of the best guitar playing I have heard in a long time! He did some really great covers from such greats as  3 Doors Down and my personal favorite, his cover of Heartless by Kanye West. He was really able to let loose and showcase his vocal abilities! Halfway through his set the place was packed and everyone enjoyed the originals he shared with us as well as the covers! Before we knew it, the hour was up and time for another awesome musician to take the stage...Maximillion Kleene, one of SL's shining stars, was ready to go, diving into his first song with the enthusiasm we have all come to expect. His set was filled with covers from some of our favorite bands and solo artists. There is little better in SL music than listening to Max, but as soon as that thought came to me...he upped the anty inviting Raspbury Rearwin to join him onstage for a bit of dual streaming! The two good friends performed together some really fun songs and through it all maintained a constant stream of amusing banter. They ended their set together with a dedication to me...playing one of my all time favorite songs, I Don't Want To Lose You Yet by Steve Earle. Max left the stage to huge applause, thanking everybody as he went. Raspbury continued on with his solo set never missing a beat. We were treated to some of his original songs and covers, all with the usual Raspy twist! Someone once said about Raspbury.."Yeah, he is fun, but when he whispers....there is nothing like it!" We got to hear a little of that whisper with his cover of Closer. All too soon it was time to say goodbye to Raspbury and hello to the final performer of the evening...CraigLyons Writer. Craig was new to the Kasbah stage and he was welcomed in the usual Kasbah style. He had live video running so we could watch as he performed some really wonderful covers and great originals! Craigs audience comes equipped with loads of fun gestures including the stomp stomp clap, one of my favorites. It was nice to hear that Craig still donates a portion of his tips to Global Green and he even showed a short video featuring Global Green during his set. His last song was one of my favorites and he played it for one of his group members, a special version of a John Lennon song, Across the Universe. Craig does that song to perfection and the crowd went wild. There were fireworks and lots of gestures flying! It was a great end to a wonderful night of live music at the Kasbah! Be sure to grab your copy of The Scene so you can be informed of all the exciting things SL live music has to offer! Thanks to Scruplz for sponsoring this wonderful event and for bringing us all together again!

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

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KASBAH!

Hi! The Kasbah celebrated it's one year anniversay this evening with a huge party! The lineup was awesome! Starting the night off was Strum Diesel, a  really great member of the Kasbah family. His set rocked, as usual, the crowd gathering throughout his performance. Following Strum was SweetLilly Pinelli. If you have not heard Sweet yet, you should, her name perfectly suits her musical style and voice. She gave us a lovely hour of entertainment. She passed the stage over to Phemie Alcott at the top of the hour. Phemie shared her beautiful voice and cool originals with us. Her final song on piano was enough to melt anyones heart. Up next was Rara Destiny, the very first performer to take the Kasbah stage one year ago! She led us through the hour with her sexy, soulful voice and adorable personality. Harper Messmer was waiting in the wings as Rara finished up her final song. Harper, also a longtime regular here at The Kasbah, was true to form, singing in his relaxed style. His gentle tone and easy manner were a pleasing addition to the evenings festivities. At 9pm Maximillion Kleene began his set. Max, one of Kasbah's favorite players, gave us some beautiful music before inviting Harper and Raspbury Rearwin to join him on stage. The three talented musicians entertained us with their adorable banter and incredible musical abilities. The sim was packed, everyone who is anyone was here for the triple stream! Their renditions of "Chasing Cars" and "Hallelujah" were enough to make you fall in love. When the triple stream ended, Raspbury continued for the rest of his hour. Rasp, a regular at the Kasbah was in rare form, still on a high from the triple stream. LizAday Solo, another member of the Kasbah family, finished off the night with her strong vocals and sparkling personality. The night was sponsored by Scruplz Magazine and free t-shirts and party packs were given out to all! We at Kasbah would like to thank everyone for coming to the celebration and for making this past year something special!

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 Raspbury Rearwin

   Hey Kasbah! How's it Goin? It's time for another installment of Tessa Chat's With.....and this time, it's Raspbury Rearwin! We sat down in my livingroom today to have a chat about SL music and the Raspinator himself. I was really excited because those of you that know Raspbury know, he is full of questions...but today, it was MY turn!
    My first question was simple, I wanted to know how long Raspbury had been on SL before he began performing. He told me he had been here around 5 months before he even knew there was a live music scene! His first experience came at the hands of Keiko Takamura, a great SL musician. Rasp was hooked and began using search to find more music. It was at least another month before he would stream his own music and even then it was on a friends lawn just for fun. Despite the numerous offers, Rasp didn't actually book his first show til he had been in world 9 or 10 months. I asked him if he also performed in RL and he let me know that while he does go to the occasional open mic, the bulk of his performing is on SL. He performs on SL as a hobby, to have fun.."If it wasn't fun, I wouldn't do it"  
         Raspbury does a lot of originals during his shows, and many of them are collaborations between him and other awesome SL musicians. I was curious to learn more about how it all works and his take on it. We talked about how sometimes words come to him, ideas for songs that might not fit him per se, so he might send them off to one of his friends to see if it clicks with them. He has co written songs with Mimi Carpenter and Amforte to name just a few. He said that sometimes it's just him goofing off and the song writes itself. He told me how he and Amforte were just talking, messing around playing music and he started singing what he called an "Amf" song....she came back later and said..."Hey I finished that song we started"...she had loved it...Took it Away can be heard by both of them during sets...
       I recalled hearing both Raspbury and AMFORTE perform the song together and it made me wonder about dual streaming, so I asked Rasp who he would like to dual stream with next. He said he would like to do more dual streaming with a lot of people, has feelers out, but the one he thinks he would most like to dual with is Rara Destiny. They have played together in the past and feels that their voices and styles blend well together. We talked about how he hounded Rara to learn a certain song and how well it turned out. He said he likes to make covers of songs interesting, to take them in a different direction. "Music in itself is a universal language." he said, and followed with "I love to take something familiar, change it, and then perform it  totally out of context" You never know what you might hear at one of his shows....but you know it will be fun!
      Speaking of fun...I thought it would be fun to tease Rasp a bit so I asked him why people call him the SOUND NAZI! He laughed and said Rara gave him that nickname. He isn't afraid to tell someone if their sound is off, because he thinks it only helps people get better. You can often find Rasp in someones IM box helping to fix their sound. We talked about how for the most part the musicians in SL have formed a very supportive community and he is proud to be a part of it. "SL does nothing to promote the live music aspect so we as performers have an obligation to promote each other" Rasp does his part by volunteering his time to new musicians to tweak their sound and by giving shout outs to the musicians in the audience at his shows.
      For those of you that don't know, Kasbah has a birthday coming up, and Raspbury will be performing for the celebration. I asked him for a few thoughts on Kasbah and he had lots to say! "I often don't play more than once in a place, but Kasbah is different" He mentioned how great the crowds are there, how he likes to be the last act, getting the carry over guests from previous shows. He told me how great he thinks it is that Kasbah is now on the Studio Genre sim, mixing art and music for a unique experience. "It's really cool because you can park there for the night, knowing it's going to be 4 hours of quality music" He also mentioned that he felt the shows were well run and organized and how friendly the staff is to work with too.
      TIme was running short, but I had to ask Rasp about his fans. He has this extremely strong and loyal core of fans that come to every show. They will fight til the death for him....believe me, I have seen them do it....and I was curious how he felt about it. He said he thinks it's because he doesn't look at his performances as shows, more like..."Hey, I wanna play, you wanna listen? that's when it's fun."  Rasp explained to me that he shares a lot of himself during his sets, doesn't matter if it is a 30 strong group or an intimate concert of 2 or 3, he chats  about his life between songs and that he really feels like he is hanging out with his friends rather than performing. He told me that he is amazed by the support from his friends, fans and the music community in general and wanted to thank everyone for making SL what it is for him. I asked if he had a message for his fans and he said..."thanks again and next time, when you are scanning search, pick a name you have never seen before and go catch a few minutes....you might be surprised! It was great fun to talk with Raspbury, check out his weekly gig at Kasbah! That's all for now, Tessa1 Beck