Performing just over an hour, Jupiter One filled the room with their catchy indie-pop choruses and energetic stage presence. Bearing resemblance to British rockers Muse, it is easy to picture this band in a bigger arena setting. It comes as no wonder, then that Jupiter One will open for Regina Spektor on her upcoming Australian tour.
For the complete live review of Friday’s performance, click here.
Photo and video credit: Wendy Hu
Earlier this week, MarieClaire.com featured my interview with guitar goddess Orianthi. Feel free to check out the post here.
Watch my video interview with Orianthi below to learn more about her passion for guitar, what it was like to perform with Santana and her experience working with Michael Jackson. For the complete transcription, click here.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taVupYVVT3g]
The start of the New Year is often a time to reassess goals and accomplishments from the previous year and make fresh resolutions to achieve.
During Global Entrepreneurship Week, the New York Stock Exchange and The Kauffman Foundation sponsored a business event that brought together well-known entrepreneurs like Snoop Dogg and Blake Mycoskie of TOMS Shoes to inspire young entrepreneurs.
Over 200 college students attended a panel discussion which included Snoop Dogg, Mycoskie, Stephen Hanson of B.R. Guest Restaurant Group and Barry Sternlicht of Starwood Capital Group. Moderated by Maria Bartiromo, news anchor for CNBC, the event included discussion on turning points in their careers, business plan development, best practices and pitfalls.
Compiled below are the day’s 10 most prevalent tips along with anecdotes from the entrepreneurs themselves. Heed their advice and start 2010 off right!
1. Follow your passion
A recurring theme throughout each entrepreneur’s discussion was the advice to follow your passion. “Too many people think of entrepreneurship as a career path. Whenever you ask an entrepreneur, it’s never about money or a business plan – that’s the biggest mistake,” Mycoskie said. “The most important thing is to follow your passion.”
2. Be authentic
No one can state this better than Snoop Dogg himself. When asked what his best advice was, he said, “Be original. There are so many things in life people need. Make something no one can compete with.” He used 50 Cent as an example. “50 Cent took Vitamin Water and put the money he made back into the company. Take something very small and make it original.”
3. Study
All of the panelists agreed on the importance of completing college to achieve one’s greatest potential. “You make it easier for yourself if you finish your education because you network and make connections,” Sternlicht said.
4. Don’t lose humility
“People lose fortunes when they lose their intellectual humility,” Sternlicht stated. “Nobody knows everything. Be patient, don’t rush. Don’t be so arrogant. See the potholes in your business. Always have a plan B and think, how can it go wrong?”
5. Fake it ‘til you make it
Before founding TOMS Shoes, Mycoskie started EZ Laundry, a door-to-door laundry service aimed at fellow college students at Southern Methodist University. When he first launched his service no one wanted to give him their laundry, so for 3-4 weeks he and a friend would drive around campus and pretend they were picking up and delivering laundry. Once students became more familiar with the business and thought others were using it, they put their trust in Mycoskie and EZ Laundry took off.
6. Some rules are not made to be broken
When first starting TOMS Shoes, Mycoskie had no experience in shoes or design. He decided to sell shoes out of canvas bags instead of the typical boxes stacked in department stores. Canvas bags created havoc in storing the shoes, eventually leading Nordstrom to discontinue selling the shoes. “There are reasons boxes in stock rooms exist,” he told students.
7. Hustle
“If you had no capital, how did you start TOMS Shoes?” Maria Bartiromo asked. “We just hustled,” Mycoskie said. “Employees can be part of the cause. Our original team was me and three interns I recruited on Craigslist.” There are tremendous amounts of grants and funding for young entrepreneurs, especially if there is a social component, you just have to go out and find it, he stated.
8. Dedication
Stephen Hansen, founder and president of B.R. Guest Restaurants was asked the reasons behind his success to which he joked, “not being married so you can devote all your time to the restaurant.” It takes a huge amount of dedication and staying true to yourself, he said. The restaurant business runs seven days a week, often 18 hours a day and the trick is “not taking your eye off the ball.”
9. Stay on top of your market
Hansen explained that competition is also a great motivator. “I always stay on top of the market. The Internet and social networking are always morphing businesses. Stay with the curve or ahead of the curve and be perceptive. You can’t think what you built will sustain forever, there are always slight changes. Know your business.”
10. Don’t think about failure
One of the world’s leading hotel and leisure companies, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., is known for its innovation and global appeal. Chairman, president and CEO Barry Sternlicht helped with Starwood’s ongoing success and is one of the most respected leaders in the industry. “I never thought about failure. I thought about success. Failure wasn’t an option. I never looked backwards, I kept looking forward,” Sternlicht said.
This post was originally featured on MarieClaire.com. You can read it here.
While music fans often cling to memories of their first concert experience, I vividly remember the very first music video I watched — Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” It was at my cousin’s house sitting on her mom’s plastic covered couch while our parents sat in the dining room having coffee. “Thriller” gave me nightmares for weeks, and I still cringe every time I see Jackson transform from sweet guy on a date at the movies to a character from the crypt. But, that is the job of a true entertainer — leaving your audience with something to remember. Lucky for us, Jackson has a legacy that will last for years to come.
I don’t know what first sparked my interested in music, but I know Jackson had something to do with it. He paved the way for so many artists, inspired and let each know it was okay to step outside his limits and express his creativity through music. Maybe that’s why I chose music journalism as my career path. Interviewing bands who worked with and were influenced by Jackson has been a humbling experience. Who knows where they’d be, or where I would be, today without that kind of presence in this world.
Growing up, all I ever listened to was New York City’s oldies station, WCBS-FM 101.1. It was my dad’s favorite. The Jackson 5 was part of my childhood, along with Elvis Presley, the Temptations and the Beatles. Songs like “I Want You Back” always put a smile on my face. At nearly three minutes long, it was an endearing track about wanting a girlfriend back. I had no clue what the song was about at the time, but loved it regardless.
His influence and power to inspire go on
Jackson’s life was a rollercoaster ride and there’s little doubt that he was a deeply troubled soul. Over the last few months of his life, Jackson was rehearsing for his upcoming tour dates at the O2 arena in London, which he hailed as his “final curtain call.” It was also supposed to be the answer to the enormous debt Jackson had amassed. He died less than three weeks before his first show, and the rehearsal footage made it to the big screen as This Is It. The film provides a glimpse into what could have been Jackson’s most electrifying performance yet. While watching the film, I was moved by the opportunity to witness what such an incredible performer was really like up close.
I still remember hearing the news of his passing and realizing the effect he had on the world. Whether it’s up-and-coming indie band Lights Resolve titling a song after him, Justin Timberlake or Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am praising his work, it is evident that his influence goes far beyond what any of us realize.
Jackson himself was very conscious of his desire to inspire others: “That’s why I write these kinds of songs,” he said in This Is It. “It gives some sense of awareness and awakening and hope to people. I feel so blessed that I can give the world that.”
I couldn’t agree more. Whenever I’m out and I hear a Michael Jackson song come on the radio, I can’t help but smile. His songs will remain an important part of my life. Jackson’s music not only jumped musical hurdles, but cultural and spiritual ones as well. His music is a form of escape, giving people faith and belief that everything will be okay. And, from a three-minute song, sometimes that’s all you need.
This article was originally posted on Busted Halo last week for their Faithful Departed series. You can read it here.
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Photo Credit: ChildofMidnight
After collaborating with numerous musicians and dabbling in acting, it was DJ AM’s last project that was his most memorable.
Adam Goldstein, best known as DJ AM, battled with addiction for much of his life and remained clean for 11 years. In his last months he filmed Gone Too Far, a series on MTV where he provided intervention for those who struggled with addiction.
An intense series, the show explicitly reveals a day in the life of an addict while offering help to those willing to change their lives. While I’ve never dealt with addiction personally, the show really made an impact on me and restored my faith in the music industry.
Being a music journalist, I’ve heard the horror stories of bands dropped by major labels and the destruction that the touring lifestyle causes on loved ones. However, I’ve hardly ever read about a musician that is truly selfless and making a difference in society. Goldstein changed this. He provided hope and help to numerous addicts and their families and his spirit lives on in those lives he saved.
A troubled soul, who, in the end, lost his life to an accidental overdose, AM gave hope to the families and addicts featured on his show. The opening segment demonstrates his optimism and compassion.
“Some will change. Others won’t. But, I have to keep on trying because everyone deserves a second chance. There is one reason I’m doing this show. To help other people get sober,” he said.
Everyone deserves a second chance
This line stuck with me. Everyone deserves a second chance. Goldstein had one, why can’t others?
A former member of rock/hip hop group Crazy Town (the band is known for their chart-topping 2001 hit single, “Butterfly”), Goldstein worked on albums for numerous artists including Papa Roach, Madonna and Will Smith and was a regular collaborator with Blink-182’s Travis Barker.
Goldstein led a difficult life combating addiction. After many bouts with rehab, he remained clean for more than 11 years. Perhaps what is most tragic is how Goldstein narrowly escaped death last year when his plane crashed after a performance. Barker was also injured while both crew members and two other passengers were killed. Maybe it was this near death experience that gave way to Gone Too Far. Often, when we are faced with adversity; God has a way of changing a near tragedy into something memorable.
Goldstein truly is an inspiration on Gone Too Far, and I can only hope that I can touch as many lives with my writing as he did on that show. While talking to Amy, a 23-year-old heroin addict who stole thousands of dollars from her family, he advised: “Just know that there is hope and that’s what I’m here for.” Having struggled with addiction, the people featured on the show respected and related to Goldstein. “I can’t cure addiction but I can offer Amy a chance at a different life.”
And that he did. In his last months, Goldstein helped numerous addicts and their families combat addiction and receive a new chance at life. Twenty-three-year-old Breezy explained her experience.
“My life from when I first met Adam is so different. I’m very grateful for what he did for me and all the people that were involved in this,” she said. “Adam, if you were here today, I would thank you for giving me my life back and giving me the opportunity to be a better sister and a better daughter, and granddaughter and friend. I can’t express how grateful I am to have been able to meet you and receive this gift from you.”
While DJ AM may have lost his life earlier this year, he saved countless addicts from death and continues to inspire with his last work on Gone Too Far.
This article was originally posted on Busted Halo last week for their Faithful Departed series. You can read it here. Watch the first episode of Gone Too Far below, and for more of the series click here. Warning: Explicit content.
About a month ago I was freelancing at Rolling Stone, building and compiling research for The RS 100, or “The 100 People Who Are Changing America.” Reading the mini biographies on each person puts your own life and accomplishments in perspective, making you wonder what more you can do to make a difference.
From Bono to Dave Eggers, President Obama and Taylor Swift, each person has a story to tell. The opening page on RollingStone.com states, “We’ve ranked 100 artists and leaders, policymakers, writers, thinkers, scientists and provocateurs who are fighting every day to show us what is possible — whether it’s engineering a new electrical grid, reinventing the way movies are made or challenging us to let go of our illusions and face the brave new world that stands before us. This list is not necessarily about power in the old-fashioned sense but about the power of ideas, the power of innovation, the power of making people think and making them move.”
Read all about the top 100 here and be inspired.