my514 on the Team 990am

Rick Di Corpo had the privilege of being asked to appear on the Oranges at Halftime show with Noel Butler on the Team 990 (990am).  Video edited by Michael Di Corpo.

Derby della Madonnina, even better up close

Sunday was reportedly set to be a rainy day so we weren’t sure what to expect in terms of the game.  The reports of thundershowers didn’t hamper the 42,000+ fans from tailgating to Gillette Stadium and swarming into the stadium.  The stands were mixed evenly with both Inter and Milan fans, but I could still make out the odd Barca, Palermo, Fiorentina and national team jerseys in the crowd.   Fans brought posters and flags of all shape and size including some funny ones like “Dove Antonio Cassano?”.  Glad to see the fine spirits of the fans picking up as the teams entered the field.

Inter were on the field first and immediately started their warm up, sprinting and passing exercises.  They waved to the fans and shook some hands but I got the sense that they wanted to prepare as much as they could for the game.  The goalie coaches were taking shots at Julio Caesar with such power I oo’d and ahh’d at every one he saved.

Milan took to the field next and similarly many players waved and shook hands with the crowd.  Their pre-game warm up consisted primarily of stretches and passing exercises, but I felt that they were yet again not being as technical in their preparation as Inter was.  Ronaldinho took time to sign some autographs for the fans and then threw red promotional balls into the crowd (picture on right).

First Half:

The game started with Inter almost running circles around Milan’s defense.  Milan looked sluggish and it took merely 4 minutes for Inter to score a goal via Diego Milito.  He single handedly out maneuvered Onyewu amd Zambrotta on the left flank before hammering the ball in the 2 foot gap between Kalac and the post.  It was beautiful.  Milan responded with Ronaldinho feeding the ball to Pato on the wing but he kept getting held up by Inter’s defense time and time again, it was as if no matter where Pirlo or Ronaldinho fed the ball there was always a midfielder or a defender of Inter to block the pass/shot.

The funniest part of the first half was at the 35th minute when Ronaldinho drew a yellow card for a rough foul on Lucio but the referee pulled out his red card instead of the yellow.  The whole crowd could be heard screaming “WHAT WAS THAT?”  Luckily the referee realized his mistake, smiled & apologised and drew the yellow instead.

Second Half:

Milan wanted to get back on top this half but were yet again falling into the same old traps and routines as in the first half, they looked tired on top if it and seemed to be ever frustrated with failed attempt after failed attempt.  Pato made a couple of decent attempts but Julio Caesar was always there to scoop the balls up.  Inter’s second goal came at the 75th minute yet again by a superb strike by Milito fed by Viera.   Gattuso’s frustration was evident as he was diving everywhere and throwing himself on every loose ball that came his way.  A beast of a header by substitute Materazzi off of Boriello’s cross was just what the crowd asked for as I could hear the collective “wow!” coming from the mouths of thousands of fans.

The game ended Inter up 2-0 and Milan were left to think about what steps to take next.  I don’t believe Leonardo is to blame because he was part of the staff that brought Kaka to Milan in 2005 and Pato to Milan in 2007.  I see Milan as being in some kind of monetary trouble due to the fact that of the 65 million euro transfer fee payed to Milan by Real Madrid, very little has been spent in filling the hole he left.  What adds to my suspicion is the failed transfer of Cissokho from Porto due to bad teeth (of all the lousy excuses…), Luis Fabiano and Edin Dzeko due to Milan not wanting to pay their high transfer fees.

Milan are acting like a cheap date, one that we wish would either step up and pay for dessert or stop trying to pretend it’s still hot shit.  There’s still a month left in the transfer market, we’ll see what happens next!

Photos taken by Franco Reale, Samy Sood, Arturo Saltarelli & Rick Di Corpo

World Football Challenge – Milan Practice

We continue our coverage of the World Football Challenge with AC Milan’s practice.  Milan spent Saturday afternoon signing autographs for fans at a soccer store outside of Gillette Stadium while Inter were practicing.  One minor thing of note while we waited to see the players of Milan’s autograph session was that while everyone left the team bus wearing their Milan tracksuits, Ronaldinho exited wearing a white polo and black shorts.  Ronaldinho also left the autograph session on his own means and didn’t arrive to the practice with the rest of the team, he showed up using his own method of transportation.  I also received reports from the staff of Gillette stadium that Ronaldinho had food flown in from Milano, Italy that was specially cooked for him.  On their own these little tidbits might just be minor events not worth a second glance, but coupled with his early exit at the practice session makes me wonder how much control young coach Leonardo has over his star player.

On the pitch half of the players including Pirlo, Pato, Ronaldinho, Zambrotta, Flamini and Nesta chose to simply do stretching excercises in preparation for Sunday’s game.  The rest of the players such as new acquisition Onyewu, new captain Ambrosini, Odo, and Gattuso played practice drills and a friendly scrimage.  I kept my eye on Onyewu to see how his physical presence was interacting with the other European players, and to my surprise he was holding his own and completing his passes.  Gattuso is another player I was watching as his poor form in the Confederations Cup from his year long absence due to the knee injury he suffered last season.  Rinho’s fiery spirit and passion was something that shone through throughout the practice, he was one of the first on the field and the last one off the field as he made the tour of the stadium signing autographs and waving to the hundreds of fans who showed up to the practice session.

The vice-captain’s rage in an earlier WFC match versus Club America

I got the feeling that Milan was taking this practice session as more of a publicity deal than a serious game.  Compared to Inter’s practice session I felt that Milan just wasn’t taking it seriously except for select players.  We asked Milan’s newest acquisition Oguchi Onyewu how he felt wearing the Milan jersey; he joked: “[I feel] the same like you wearing your t-shirt.”

I hope for Milan fans everywhere that these players start taking their pre-season training more seriously otherwise there won’t be so many smiling fans waiting for them in Milano.

Photos taken by Franco Reale, Samy Sood, Arturo Saltarelli & Rick Di Corpo

World Football Challenge – Inter Practice

my514.com had the exclusive pleasure of being Montreal’s only World Football Challenge representatives at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on July 26th.  Our trip on the field in both teams’ practice sessions & game gave us a close look at what exactly Serie A giants Inter Milan & AC Milan had in store this upcoming season.

Today I give an in depth look at Inter Milan’s practice session on Saturday, July 25th.

The practice started with simple passing and shooting drills and then progressed to a pickup calcetto game.  Under Mourinho’s reign, Inter has seen a more disciplined and tactical squad emerge.  The whole team practiced in unison and moved quickly and efficiently to cover their respective men, cut off passing angles and create chances for members of their side.  The players worked themselves vigorously but did not over-extend themselves as it was only a friendly.  It was really interesting to watch Inter’s new Milito-Motta duo in action, their solid chemistry transferred over from Genoa and I could see them feed each other the ball as if they were telepathic.  Once finished with their practice the players and coaching staff took time to autograph jerseys and balls of the hundreds of fans who came early to watch their favorite players in action.

Inter fans all over are reeling over the loss of Ibrahimovic to Barcelona this week so I wanted to get some answers on what the players and coach Jose Mourinho thought about their chances at not only winning the Scudetto this season but also the Champion’s League trophy.  I caught up with Mr. Mourinho on the sidelines of Gillette Stadium as he observed AC Milan practicing and asked him specifically what his thoughts were on the aforementioned question.  His response was: “We’re going to win without [Ibrahimovic], don’t you worry”.  Many of the players including Maicon, Quaresma and Julio Caesar echoed similar remarks but how would the likes of recently acquired Genoa stars Thiago Motta and Diego Milito add to Inter’s mix to give them the winning edge?  Mario Balotelli had a short practice and retired to the sidelines before any questions could be asked on his recent FIFA U-21 championship participation.

Check out our pictures and be sure to stay tuned as my514.com brings you in-depth access to World Football Challenge’s Derby Della Madonnina.

Photos taken by Franco Reale, Samy Sood, Arturo Saltarelli and Rick Di Corpo.

Andrew Searles – Comedian with a cause

Ever wonder what that strange sensation is when you feel your legs getting numb and your cheeks hurting? That’s comedian Andrew Searles taking control of your body through his telekinetic powers instructing you to destroy mankind.

Seriously it’s probably a tumor; you should have it checked out… On a related issue, you may be wondering who Andrew Searles is? You may have seen him perform at the 25^th Just for Laughs Anniversary, his stints at Comedy Werks or heard his routines on XM radio. Andrew is a favorite at college campuses and regularly tours Montreal’s CEGEP’s and Universities, it was through his college tours that I first came across him more than 5 years ago. Andrew is one of Montreal’s brightest and fastest rising comedians and has already opened for world renowned comedians such as: Joey Elias, Sugar Sammy, Russell Peters, Al Lubel, and tons more.

Varying from life experiences, to growing up as an African-Canadian (his “Kill the Bwoy” is a must see), to celebrity impersonations; Andrew proves time and time again that keeping material fresh is key to success in the tough market of comedy. With the tons of comedians coming out of the woodwork, how can any comedian make it in such a tough industry? Here’s a few of questions Andrew answered for me:

Andrew’s technique and delivery has been developing for over 5 years ever since his friends dared him to go on stage at a John Abbott College talent show in 2002. I’ve had the honor of being at that gig and let me tell you, things have certainly improved since then.  His mannerisms (like the many impersonations) are now uniquely his instead of what was once a mixture of original and emulated technique.  I definitely get a sense of Eddie Murphy while watching and listening to Andrew but I don’t see it as being a bad thing because he’s growing as a comedian and he’s also turning what he’s learned into his own style, which is the important part.

To get a better idea of what guided and still directs Andrew to make people laugh the way he does I asked him a few questions:

What was your first turning point which made you want to become a comedian? How did you first start writing your material? Was it trial & error or did you modify jokes you’ve heard before?

I’d say the turning point began in early 2001 in my final years of Riverdale High School, and I’ve always loved doing Drama class. I did a Bill Cosby impersonation which the fellow students loved and begged me to do all the time. Few months passed by and a friend suggested I join the school play. It was a small one-lined role, but in between rehearsals, there was a bar set so I would get behind the bar and do impressions of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Eddie Murphy, and Keanu Reeves all being bartenders to help pass the time and entertain others while we weren’t doing anything. Just watching people laugh, the joy, and the pleasure I got from doing that definitely felt euphoric, and something I wanted to further pursue in.

Starting off writing was hard because I had no base or prior experience to start off with, so it required a lot of watching other comedians perform like Joey Elias, Russell Peters, Eddie Murphy, and analyzing why their telling the joke , how they delivered the joke, and more importantly, the punch-line. Then it was a matter of taking what I learned and applying it to my own experiences. Finding what I think to be funny, and then the process of writing, writing and more writing, until I had the setup, and the punch-line. Definitely required a lot of trail and error until I had the finished product; A great joke.

Where did you get your first big break? Were you scared, if so how did you deal with the pressure?

I was taking a summer class in 2002 with a buddy of mine, and on the last class for of the summer session, he made me do impressions in front of the class, which the students and the teacher loved. Since we would be starting John Abbott College together in the fall, he dared me to try it then stage. So Fall 2002 came, first semester of John Abbott and I performed for the first time on stage on October 1, 2002, opening for Ryan Wilner and Joey Elias. About 300-400 people in the crowd, and it was a success! People loved me and I guess I was an instant celebrity in the hallways of Abbott. I was pretty calm about performing in front of a crowd that size. Sizes of the crowd never really fazed me, just remembering and doing what I had to do is something im more worried about.

Time and time again we see comedians spring up, have an amazing boom and then fizzle down slowly because they are unable to come up with relevant and up to date routines. How hard do you work at coming up with new material, or is it something that comes naturally (ie. Talking to yourself in the car to work and BOOM, awesome joke)?

That’s pretty much the entertainment business. Everybody has their 15 minutes of fame. But to me, it’s a matter of what you that decides how fast (overnight success to a nobody) or slow (popular for a long time) those 15 minutes go by. You see it in the acting industry, music industry, and comedy industry is no acceptation. It’s only by being constant and staying true to who you are, not getting too caught up in the glitz & glamour when success happens. Reinventing yourself is a good way to ensure you don’t disappear into yesterday’s news forever. That way you’re always fresh and new each time.

New material is hard to develop but fun to play with when you have it. Sometimes I’ll notice something that I find funny, and I’ll be somewhere just repeating it to myself when suddenly it all becomes clear and *pop*, a new joke is born. It’s just waiting to get that *pop* in your head, that’s where it becomes a real mind job. Many times I’ll have the great premise, great setup but nothing for the punch-line. My joke on Viagra took me 4 years to get it the way it is now through years of rewrites and then one day it *popped* in my head, I finally had a punch-line that I was very satisfied with. But I’d definitely say repeating jokes to yourself and looking like a crazy guy in public is one way for a joke to suddenly be born.

Coming up with material is one thing, but delivery is another. How did you learn to properly deliver a joke? Is it an ongoing learning process?

Definitely an ongoing process, no question. We all know the saying “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it”, well that definitely defines comedy. A lot of it is a play on words. Emphasizing one word and deemphasizing another in the punch-line can definitely decide if you get a big laugh or not. Even intonation plays a huge role. Saying the punch-line in a happy tone as opposed to a low monotone, or vice versa can really decide if you get an applause or not. When you’re starting off as an amateur comedian, you will definitely go through a phase of figuring out what kind of delivery you should have for your material, but the more experienced you get, the more you’ll know right away of “I should say it this way, and not that way. And stress more on this word, etc”

How cutthroat is the comedy industry? As a new guy breaking in, did you have a hard time being taken legitimately? Are you taken legitimately now or do you still have to fight for air time?

I find Montreal is definitely not as cutthroat as other cities (from what I hear). I heard in other cities, comics will set on each other just to get stage time, and stab each other in the back (not literally, I hope) to get stage time. Hearing this really scares and very much distasteful for my liking. I’m very happy that I’m doing comedy in Montreal. I find here we’re friends on and off of stage. We help each other for shows. One comic invites me to do one show, the next time I invite him. We’re scratching each other’s back instead of sticking a knife in them. But you still need a little competition, keeps everybody on their toes.
New guys and even I at one time had to shine a bit extra harder just to show we actually have potential and not an “I only have 5 minutes of jokes” kind of image.

But once you’re in, you get a good amount of respect and stage time. Sometimes it feels like I’m fighting for stage time. But the clubs operate on a rotation, just so the audience doesn’t see the same comedians all the time. Which is clearly understandable, but sometimes you get that comedy itch to get on stage but you can’t scratch it because you’re on a rotation. It sucks but it’s got to be fair.

Do you have a manager? Any advice on how to pick a manager, what to expect from one and how to move on from a failing one?

Right now, no. But unless you’re a superstar like Sugar Sammy where you’re in constant demand, I’d say you definitely don’t need a manager (not yet anyways). But if you happen to find one that will get you a lot of gigs, why not. Go for it!

Tough crowds are killer and can ruin a novice comedian in an instant. How do you deal with the jerks in the crowd, hecklers, people walking out on you and the people not paying attention?

Luckily I’ve seen and dealt with very few hecklers in the crowd, so the thought never comes to mind when I’m about to hit the stage. But the only way to do it and deal with them (especially if you’re a novice) is to just keep going and completely ignore them. The second you go after them, you draw more attention to them and that’s what they want. It’s like a showdown at the O.K. Corral. You versus them. The audiences want to see who has the bigger gun.  So if take that approach, its best you have a quick joke that will burn them. Otherwise the show goes into a downward spiral. The heckler will talk and talk, the comic will feel horrible if not insulted, and the audience will get annoyed as the show is ruined by the heckler. But I’ve seen shows where the heckler goes after the comic who’s a pro, and wow, the comebacks that the comic throws out is just incredible. Destroys the heckler, wins back the crowd and the show goes on.

I’ve done shows where I’m on stage and people are eating, talking, walking about. Not really a great feeling. If they got the jokes, if they didn’t, it’s not your problem and certainly not your fault. In either of these cases, just ignore the obstacles and just focus on doing what you were hired to do.

When can we see Jerry Seinfeld opening up for Andrew Searles?

Hahaha. I spoke to Jerry today; he said he’ll open for me when I have a sitcom that can do 10 seasons on the air, Multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations and wins. And maybe then, he’ll try not to run me over with the 200 Porsches he has.
We hope you’ll take a look at Andrew and support a local up and coming superstar through his many websites and upcoming events:

http://www.andrewsearles.com/
http://www.myspace.com/andrewkomic
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2376805311
http://www.facebook.com/pages/ANDREW-SEARLES-Comedian/60934552864

Upcoming Events

Absolute Comedy in Ottawa June 15-21
Absolute Comedy in Toronto June 24-28

Billy Bob and Jaoquin Phoenix are geniuses

When it comes to the world of entertainment the more you’re talked about the less people will forget about you and therefore the more relevant you’ll be as an artist.  The old days of hiring million dollar publicists and marketing firms to promote an artist are slowly dying and we’re seeing a new emergence in publicity where big studios are using a form of advertising that they wouldn’t even go near with a ten foot pole just 5 years ago.  The internet is here and is finally being used to its fullest potential.

Normally reserved for meme’s such as Numa Numa Kid, Rick Roll and the classic Star Wars Kid, the internet is now the fastest way to be seen globally since Rosie O’Donnell blasted into space and went into low earth orbit last year.  Billy Bob Thornton and Jaoquin Phoenix are prime examples of how one can use the internet to its fullest potential and all it takes is a little self humiliation.

Recapping Jaoquin Phoenix’s epic saga, he woke up one morning and decided he wanted to scrap his career as a pretty respectable actor (Walk the Line, We Own the Night, Gladiator) to become a rapper.  What better way to prove your street cred than to grow a foot long beard, not cut your hair for six months and stumble and mumble your way through sentences? (ok the last one would be considered legit).  At first people thought he was joking, who could believe that a well known actor would do something like this?  This kind of behavior is usually reserved for crack dealers, dope fiends and Britney Spears!  As time wore on Jaoquin became so good at being this mumbling fool that people started to believe he was legit, every gig he had, every interview he gave and every time he was seen in public he was an incoherent mess who kept pushing his new rap album.  He became dubbed as the “homeless rapper” because of his sloppy way of dressing himself in public (picture to right).  Jaoquin was riding a wave that he himself had created and now was the time to go viral.  He was asked to go on The Late Show with David Letterman and talk about his new career choice and instead, Jaoqin turned it into a viral masterpiece by acting like a crack head for 10 minutes, it was classic!  The video has seen millions of eyes and as earned Jaoquin Phoenix a spot in all of our hearts.  For those of you who think they would let a drugged out unstable crackhead onto The Late Show stage without security supervision, think again.  Jaoquin crafted his character so well I’m willing to crown him the grandfather of controlled demolition.

Check out the video that made people take notice about Jaoquin Phoenix’s mental situation

Unlike Jaoqin Phoenix, Billy Bob Thornton has been fading into near obscurity since his breakup with Angelina Jolie.  Sure he made a couple of recognized movies lately such as Monster’s Ball and Mr. Woodcock but he’s not on the same level of super stardom any more and therefore has to work twice as hard to get himself visibility in the public eye.  Billy Bob’s tortured career has already seen him prosper somewhat as a singer as he’s already released several albums however his latest musical escapade reunites him with J.D. Andrew on bass, guitars and vocals, and Michael Wayne Butler on guitar and lap-steel in the Country Music/British Invasion band The Boxmasters.  They have a good sound and a great cult following, as a band they’re opening right now for country legend Willie Nelson so that’s got to give them some kind of real credit for their work.  To me there really was no reason to go nuts on CBC Radio’s Q TV because Billy Bob’s band already has a cult following and anything he does will get people to buy it due to his superstardom, however as the old saying goes “there’s no such thing as bad publicity”.

Billy Bob’s management reportedly told the producers at Q TV to not talk about his movie career and to focus solely on The Boxmasters’ new album ‘Christmas Cheer’.  Q’s host Jian Ghomeshi was either not told about this or didn’t care to follow directions as he started his interview with a brief overview of Billy Bob’s career as an actor.  Taking a page out of Jaoquin Phoenix’s book, Billy Bob then proceeded to try and belittle Jian Ghomeshi and answer the questions he asked as briefly as possible and as incoherently as possible.  This kind of child-like attitude seems to get the most attention as it shows the bitchiness and real attitudes of famous actors.  If I were Billy Bob’s band mates I wouldn’t be mad at him for making us look like spineless tools, but instead I’d be pretty damn happy because he managed to create something viral on the internet which garnered them increased visibility and tons of web page hits which is all marketing is about in the end.  Hopefully this increased visibilty can turn into increased ticket and CD sales but only time will tell.

Check out Billy Bob’s bitchfest on Q TV

I suggest more record companies take note of these sorts of marketing gimmicks and use them to their advantage because there’s no better way to get attention than acting like a complete tool and posting it on the internet.

God Bless the Internet

Do the Diejei

Diejei is the little touch of Europe mixing the hottest tracks south of the 20 at Skratch LaSalle.  You might think that DJ’s who mix at pool bars are limited to band music or old hip hop but Diejei expands beyond this perception by also focusing on a wide variety of house and trance songs.  The best way to get a hold on what kind of music and songs you can expect to hear when Diejei hits the turn tables is by checking out his site (www.diejei.com) where all his mixes of the past year are listed.

Cycling through the tracks of some of Diejei’s latest mixes such as White Snow or Euromix 2008 I found myself bobbing my head on several occasions.  Not being a big fan of trance because of the repetitive nature of most of the songs I thought that I would become bored of White Snow quickly like many other mixes I’ve heard, but I must admit the song selection and the way that they were pieced together made me listen to the set from beginning to end.  Diejei is a prime example for all up and coming DJ’s putting together a trance set, he broke up the more instrumental songs with vocal pieces, this is key to keeping a casual listener’s attention for the duration of the set and cannot be emphasized enough.  I can’t remember how many mixes I’ve heard from local DJ’s trying to showcase themselves and putting out mixes that put people to sleep.  Of course hardcore trance fans won’t like the breaking of trance with house however to become successful in an industry that is clogged with DJ’s is to showcase VARIETY through proper music selection coupled with a good mixing style.  This is however where I believe Diejei has to put some more energy into because at more than one occasion I found myself really getting into a song and then hearing another song mixed in that’s not being played either at the same audio level or tempo as the one before.  These hiccups were minimal as I listened to the newer releases but were more prominent throughout the older sets such as the Old School Remix which was an assembly of many disco classics.  Understandably mixing these types of songs together is more difficult than the typical house song but growth as an artist always takes time and patience and I could get a sense of progression in his work.

Focusing on Old School Mix, I have to say that besides the transition blips I loved it.  It brought back memories of hanging out with my folks at weddings or family events and as corny as that sounds it really works for me.  The one hope I have is that Diejei will use his talent of mixing modern hip hop, trance and house songs to bring back the classics of the 70’s and 80’s in an “Old School Remix Revamped” set.  My dream of hearing Barry White and Deadmau5 in a duet will have to wait for now sadly.

Diejei is a great role model for DJ’s trying to make a name for themselves in the clubbing/bar scene.  His mixes are filled with great songs but with noticeable flaws in the transition and tempo department, however the fact that Diejei’s drive and ambition to be the best and to better himself is what will ensure that his name will stand the test of time in Montreal’s crazy music scene.  Just by listening through his mixes I can tell that Diejei has progressed a lot in the short time he has been uploading sets online, and that says a lot for his character.  Best of luck to Diejei and I can’t wait to see what’s next for the man!

Click to visit Diejei’s website

Join Deijei’s Facebook Page

Spotlight | Joseph Wiseman

With the 22nd installment in the James Bond feature film franchise to be released soon, we’re taking a look at the iconic super villain that put Montreal on the map.  Joseph Wiseman is most likely a name that most of the today’s youth have not heard much of, or at all in that matter.  However he boasts an impressive and illustrious resume as both a film and Broadway actor and is best recognized for his role as Dr. Julius No from the 1962 James Bond franchise film “Dr. No”.  Although his role as the evil villain plotting to destroy America is a great focal point in his career, focusing entirely on this as the only notable accomplishment is a great folly.

Wiseman was born in Montreal May 15, 1913.  He is the son of Louis Wiseman (a businessman) and Pearl Rubin (a seamstress).  In the 1930’s and 40’s Joseph’s talent for live theatre earned him critical acclaim through such Broadway plays as: Shakespeare’s “King Lear”, and Clifford Odet’s “Golden Boy”.  His role as Father Massieu in Joan of Lorraine became an inspiration to a whole new generation of live actors as it was picked up by Technicolor and released in 1948 as Joan of Arc, a more literal adaptation of the original screenplay.

Wiseman’s first major film debut was in 1951’s Detective Story starring Kirk Douglas, where he reestablished his role as an unstable small time hustler in the live action screenplay.  His 1952 role as a conniving and remorseless opportunist and enemy of Marlon Brando in the film Viva Zapata! reinforced his status as a brilliant performer brought out of Broadway into the Silver Screen.

As much as these plays and films are a backbone foundation for Joseph Wiseman, he truly became a widely recognized actor as his role as Dr. Julius No in the 1962 film directed by Terrence Young Dr. No.  The film based off of Ian Fleming’s book of the same title is the first official James Bond film in the franchise, it also boasts a heavy set of a-list actors namely Sean Connery as the infamous Agent 007 and Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder.  Dr. No is a classic film of good versus evil.

Dr. No is a half German, half Chinese brilliant scientist who was the treasurer of the most powerful criminal society in China.  After stealing $10 million in gold bullion from them, Dr. No funded his infatuation with radiation which ultimately cost him his hands, which were replaced by metal prosthetics.  His insanity and quest for revenge against America came after they rejected his knowledge and expertise in radiation.  He then became a member of the international criminal organization SPECTRE and used his funds to disrupt missile launches in Cape Canaveral.  Dr. No meets his untimely demise after James Bond sabotages his nuclear reactor, they dual atop a platform and No falls.  Bond is able to grab onto the ledge however No cannot due to his metallic hands.  Although Dr. No is only seen at the very end of the film, his presence is felt throughout the entire movie as James Bond is forced to surpass countless assassination attempts and surpass ridiculous obstacles to reach the island of the Crab Key, Jamaica.  Wiseman’s career as a Broadway actor came alive as the character Dr. No.  One can really get a sense of his omnipotence as he sits down for dinner with the secret agent that’s out to kill him.

“I had no idea what I was letting myself in for. I had no idea it would achieve the success it did. I know nothing about mysteries. I don’t take to them. As far as I was concerned, I thought it might be just another Grade-B Charlie Chan mystery”.

Joseph Wiseman’s way of projecting himself and the subtle manerisms he displays through his character Dr. No are what showcase his talent to the world. This Montrealer was at the influential forefront of a generation of actors that were born in the baby boom era.  His legend will live on for years to come and his roles in the countless films and plays he helped bring to life will always be remembered as being in a league of their own.

Sources:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0936476/bio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Wiseman

http://www.filmreference.com/film/71/Joseph-Wiseman.html

http://www.fandango.com/josephwiseman/biographies/p77065

Spotlight | DJ Yovan

Great things and more importantly great musicians have come out of the clubs and music centres of Montreal’s clubbing scene. Tiga, Cid K and Sultan are at the top of a long list of hometown heroes who have made it big both locally and internationally.  This time we focus on the young up and coming star to be DJ Yovan.

A Serbian native, DJ Yovan moved to Montreal more than 10 years ago and began hitting the music scene by making simple mix tapes and DJ’ing short stints at local clubs. In no time at all, he was opening for some of the most prolific DJs at the hottest Montreal Clubs. He was even able to get his own radio show on House Pacific Radio.

When asked about the motivation behind his career choice Yovan replied: “Every gig is different. I love to challenge the crowds with new music and also being challenged by them. I enjoy the energy the crowd feeds me with, and love to travel through different house music genres from start of the night to the end. I especially love building up my sets.”

This energy became the drive for him to produce his own smash hit “Analemma (I Will Follow You)” with vocals from Claire Hayek.

“Analemma (I Will Follow You)” is a soothing return to tradition for DJ Yovan as the most popular mix cd’s he produced were filled with classic songs like “Alright” by Red Carpet and “In My Arms” by Mylo. In essence this song was almost 5 years in the making as DJ Yovan first met singer Claire Hayek while DJ’ing at the then Club London on The Main Boulevard in Montreal nearly half a decade ago. Their relationship as artists blossomed over time and became the backbone of what makes Analemma such a powerful piece of music.

When asked about the timing of this new release Yovan replied: “Music production is just a new step in my career. I always knew the day will come when I’m going to start making songs. It’s another challenge to test your own songs and see the floor reaction. It’s all about the moment and inspiration when producing a new song.”

DJ Yovan’s production career is only beginning and will no doubt become something of great significance in the House/Electro community. You can listen to DJ Yovan’s new song “Analemma (I Will Follow You)” by visiting his MySpace page. Keep up to date with all that is DJ Yovan and the latest house/electro songs by checking out his website (www.djyovan.com) and his Facebook page.

Analemma (I Will Follow You) (club mix) – listen

Analemma (I Will Follow You) (DJ Conte & DJ Groover rmx) – listen

Analemma (I Will Follow You) (DJ m0h remix) – listen

November 5, 2008 Edit: DJ Yovan has just signed a record deal with Kult Records based out of New York.

Images copyright Tribe Hyperclub.

Spotlight | October Sky

Rick @ my514.com – June 3, 2008

October Sky is a rock band originating from Montreal that was founded in 2000 by Alexandre Racine and Karl Raymond. They started out by making a name for themselves in their local area by playing in a number of bars and schools, mostly in their hometown. Today, October Sky also consists of Andrew Walker and Yanik Rouleau, and are more professional than ever before, although it took several years to become so.

In 2005, October Sky won their first contest, “Exposure,” presented at Club Soda in Montreal. In the summer of that same year, they took home their second contest, organized by les Studios Sixième Sens, finishing first of 85 bands.

Following the contest, October Sky had the opportunity to cross paths with La Shop Musicale, a company that took them under their wing, allowing them to produce their first professional recording. During this time, the band also had the chance to work with TAXI agency in designing the concept of all visual material related to the band, namely the band’s logo, and the concept for the MySpace web site and the EP’s cover design.

The band members spent a good part of 2006 in studio and released their EP demo album September 23 at College St-Maurice auditorium in Saint-Hyacinthe for a crowd of more than 500 people. Performing their first professional and self produced concert, the band was able to awe their spectators and prove to them that they had reached a new level in their career. The October Sky name was meanwhile promoted, being featured on the cover page of the “Les Versants” newspaper of Saint-Bruno, and also appeared in “L’Oeil Régional,” the local newspaper of Beloeil, and in “Le Courrier” of Saint-Hyacinthe.

Furthermore, October Sky’s music has been broadcasted on several radio stations across Canada, such as HITS FM, CIUT FM and CFBX FM (located in Montreal, Toronto, and Kamlooops, BC, respectively), and the group was ranked in the “Top Charts” of the two latter. They were also listed as number one on Mohawk-radio.com, an online radio website, for independent artists.

October Sky is now backed by an administrative team with whom they have been working in the aim of achieving their full potential, which as yet is limitless. They are currently working on the creation of a new album as well as a whole new show. To be continued…

Visit Their Website