Q&A with Daddy Lion

First I want to get into a slightly digressive note and say hopefully everyone enjoyed the holidays and has a great year this 2013. On to the good stuff now! I managed to do a Q&A interview with music artist 'Daddy Lion'. One thing I got from this guy is he seems to truly be into making music because he loves it and not to fit into what is popular or be famous. He's on a small label and doesn't have to be worried about making music to sell, he just makes all around good music to me and I hope you take a listen.

Q: How did you come about the artist name 'Daddy Lion'? What is the story behind it?

A: My wife, then girlfriend, was working at a preschool, and she was telling me about how one of the little two year olds would always sit there, reading a book, and whispering to herself 'baby jaguar'. I thought that was kind of funny and somehow decided I would make that the name of my project.  We thought it was something the preschooler had made up, until we realized that she was reading 'Go, Diego, Go!' books, which I think is a spin off of 'Dora the Explorer', and one of the characters had that name. Well, I thought on the unlikely chance that Nickelodeon ever found out and was upset, I would change it. So after a couple of twists and turns 'baby jaguar' morphed into 'Daddy Lion'.  I found out recently, however, that Daddy Lion is also a character on 'Go, Diego, Go!' Oh well.  

Q: Do you have any aspirations to sign to a major label if you were given the offer? Are you more of the type who prefers the artistic freedom that comes with a small label?

Q&A with Paul Cook of Paul Cook and the Chronicles

If you haven't noticed by now by my many posts about 'Paul Cook and the Chronicles' (ex. #4 on my list of my top 10 favorite songs of 2012) I'm a big fan of his, borderline obsession probably. I was able to do a Q&A interview with Paul Cook and here is a look into his musical world. Be sure to show him support by buying his music.

Q: What made you want to be a musician as a career?
A: I heard The Beatles as an infant and never wanted to be anything else.

Q: Who are your musical inspirations and what song or artist would you say is your biggest influence?
A: I don't have a single biggest influence as my musical mood changes a lot. People like Evan Dando, Elliot Smith, Paul Simon, Gram Parsons are the songwriters I return to again and again

Q: What the process you go through when you’re making music?
A: I wait until I'm miserable about something then get the guitar! Sometimes a whole song comes out, but I also have hundreds of verses or choruses sitting around waiting to be finished off.

Q: I have a huge obsession with the song ‘Candlelight’ from your album ‘Paul Cook & The Chronicles - Volume One’. What inspired that song?

4 TV Shows In 2013 I'm Excited To See

1) Family Tools premiers May 1st at 8:30pm(ET). The reason I want to watch it mainly is because of Leah Remini to be honest. I do however feel like it is one of those shoes that can either be really good or really bad but I'm definitely going to give it a chance. I'm not even sure fully what the plot of the show it about but I'll roll with it.

2) The Following premiers January 21st at 9:00pm. This is the show I'm most excited to see.The IMDb storyline given is this "A brilliant and charismatic, yet psychotic serial killer communicates with other active serial killers and activates a cult of believers following his every command. "Every bit of it sounds interesting, I also have a special place in my heart for Kevin Bacon.

Gun Laws or Mental Health? What Is The Problem?

In recent times it can be said that gun control has turned into a hot button political issue. I've always said this has been an issue for years, yet little gets done about it, which is another rant for another day. However another issue that is appearing along with gun control is mental health in order to prevent events such as Sandy Hook, or the Dark Knight movie theater events from happening again. Before I get into everything I will be the first to say I don't deeply know all the gun laws or anything but this just me rattling off solutions.

First things first, I personally feel that there is no needs for guns in the U.S. unless you are in the military or under extreme circumstances and special cases. However, the entire United States doesn't revolve around me and my ideas so I do believe if people feel that passionately about keeping their guns, go ahead but I do feel it should be a compromise.

My Top 10 Favorite Songs of 2012

Let me let this be known now, I'm just not into a lot of newer music, I rather listen some classic rock, or old school R&B or something. Of course the year hasn't ended yet but here are the songs so far. However, inevitably I always end up liking a few songs every year and here are ten songs from 2012 that have managed to get past my metaphorical musical wall that says "No New Music Allowed". In no particular order:

1) Children by V.V. Brown. From the very day I heard this song I've been obsessed. With a sample of "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" this definitely gives you a nostalgic feel. Its one of those songs where its catchy but you don't feel too ashamed of listening to it. To top off the already amazing song, rapper Chiddy of Chiddy Bang.

He just makes the song that much better with his lines "Watching the TV, man, kids just want to be famous and be a big star, rather be known than be nameless If I had my away, I'd draw it all up again Can't take a loss, we must stood up and win Momma was hurting and she couldn't spend a penny more But why nobody have real dreams anymore Forget the issues and worries this is something about Supporting optimistic dreams when it's crumbling down".

2) Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. Stars is one of those songs to me that you can just close your eyes and listen to the song and you feel as though you're outside in the night with fireflies flickering and you're just wanting to be with that one you love. Her voice is just absolutely perfect for the song as well the instrumental arrangement.

"Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors" Album Review

I won't claim to be some music critic or be the king of all things music but I like an eclectic taste in music, a little of everything, so I try to give non genre biased opinions of music. Anyway,I was doing my usual weekly iTunes listening where I go through a bunch of the newly released songs and albums and I cam across Big Boi's album 'Vivacious Lies and Dangerous Rumors' and I just had to write about it.

This album is good from start to finish and this is coming from a guy who RARELY buys a full album and only likes a song or two. It has this cool funk-hip-hop-rap-indie-ambient-electronic feel to it that combines this older music meets modern music feel to it. Some of the highlights, in my opinion are 'The Thickets' 'Mama Told Me' and 'Tremendous Damage'.

'The Thickets' is pretty much your everyday rap song about pretty much money, how he's better than other rappers and how he is the best thing since sliced bread. Usually I would say to myself "Here we go with another rapper who thinks he's that true sh!t" but in this sense I'll cater to the ego portrayed in this song because he definitely impresses.