Interview

Interview w/ Zozobra LEGO creator Robert Pineda

August 31, 2018 by Kori Kobayashi

ABQ-live sat down with Santa Fe resident and ZOZOBRA LEGO creator Robert Pineda to learn about his history with Zozobra, his hometown of Santa Fe and what inspired his LEGO tribute to the Santa Fe annual tradition known as Zozobra.

Interview by Brenda Paiz

What inspired you to make a lego Zozobra?

I attended Zozofest (Zozobra Art Show) in 2016 and was in awe of all the amazing art work. After I left the event I went home and The Lego Movie was on and that got my mind going. A few months later I had came up with a design and started building. The set I made for last year’s Zozofest (2017) was much small in size in comparison to this year’s set.

How long did this particular model take and about how many lego pieces do you think it contains?

That question is a bit tricky. So I started buying parts and minifigures in January of 2018 so I wouldn’t be last minute on putting it all together. I when I was about 75% finished it was accidentally destroyed in late June. After some convincing from friends I restart putting it together in late late July and finished it in about 3 weeks. As far as actual time spent on it, I would have zero idea….too much time. To give you an idea on time it contains around 3K in pieces (mostly in the stages area) and over 140 minifigures placed in predetermined places with emotions on them varying from happiness to running to flying in like Superman and heck some people are taking selfies.

For those of us who don’t know too much about lego models, can you talk to us about the process of building something like this from scratch?

Plan in advance!! Take notes on parts you need and don’t loose those notes like I did. Prepare for the worse then watch it happen. Draw out or write down exactly how you want it to look, winging it only makes it worse. Organize legos by color. If you don’t know how to build something look up videos, get ideas from other sets and ask questions on message boards. Set a budget and be prepared to go over budget. Most of all have fun doing it.

Speaking of Old Man Gloom, will you be at Zozobra tomorrow night?

I will be. I am a member of The Kiwanis Club that puts Zozobra together so I will be working the event as a liaison for Meow Wolf who will be at Zozobra live streaming the event.

What kind of responses have you gotten from this awesome model? (media coverage, social media responses, etc.)

More than expected. KOB (Channel 4) KOAT (Channel 7) showed footage they shot of it on the news. The Chive posted a meme I made from a picture of the set. The New Mexican had pictures of it in their newspapers and social media page and ABQLive of course. Also from September 7-28 it will be at an art gallery on Historic Canyon Road.

What other models have you created/built from using legos?

Millennium Falcon, last year’s Zozobra set, random Star Wars sets, a few Lego Batman sets and Lego Brickheadz

Is there anything else that you would like our readers to know about your Zozobra Lego model?

Yeah. I built this set for kids and adults to enjoy. I put in lots of little “Easter Eggs” or tributes to people in the set. If you look at the “VIP” section I’m in there wearing a Macho Man Randy Savage shirt, some of the Zozobra crew can be seen wearing tie-dye shirts in tribute to this year’s Zozobra theme being the 60’s, I have a minifigure in the crowd that was mine from when I was kid way back in the 90’s, the mariachi band lead singer has the guitar from the animated movie Coco, I have a fire station right next to the baseball field just like at Fort Marcy park where Zozobra is burnt, concession stand and a merchandise stand…..lots and lots of little details that are way too long to list.

Undefeated Boxer Shoots for the Stars

June 29, 2018 by Nichole Harwood

By Nichole Harwood

Ronnie “The Mongoose” Baca is currently undefeated in his career as a professional boxer but it’s just a stepping stone towards his goal to be a world champion, he said.

“It’s a newbeginning right now, I’m just extremely focused it keeps me level-headed it keeps me ambitious and I’m just shooting for the stars,” Baca said.

Baca admits that his goal is every fighters dream and at this point right now he is just learning as he goes by but despite that he’s keeping his eye on the prize, he said.

Baca was born and raised in Arizona but he officially moved to New Mexico around the end of 2014.

At 24-year-old today Baca said he has always had strong ties to New Mexico as his father is originally from Santa Fe and so Baca has a lot of family in the state from his father’s side.

Due to this Baca has always been familiar with Albuquerque or Santa Fe due to family visits growing up as a kid.

His decision to move to New Mexico in 2014 was made after speaking to his father and deciding to focus on his boxing career, he said.

Officially Baca started boxing as a freshman 14-year-old going on to 15, he said.

“My father was the one who was very enthused with boxing,” Baca said. “As a kid I always used to watch saturday night fights growing up.”

Baca’s father introduced him to boxing to teach him self-discipline as Baca was not very focused in school, he said.

“Ever since then I just stuck with it,” Baca said. “I’ve been adapting to it skill wise, heart wise and things like that brought me here now.”

Not only did introducing his son to boxing introduce him to his future career the self-discipline he learned through boxing helped Baca with school as well.

“I moved to different schools while I was training.. and ever since then I have been extremely focused and I graduated with 3.0 so it helped me out a lot,” he said.

While most of Baca’s amature fights were in Arizona, all of his professional fights have been in New Mexico.

“It’s a big difference between the amateur league to the professional,” Baca said. “The amateur league is a school house and where you see yourself in the sport and well you know once you step up to the pro rinks then you learn the business side of it because it is a business. So it’s a big leap and a tough atmosphere.”

Baca has had multiple memorable fights both as an amateur and professional. His fights as a amateur have stood out to him as those were fights where he second guessed himself, he said.

During those moments Baca said he told himself to just stick through it and committed himself to working harder next time and learn from his mistakes.

In his amateur career Baca has had 18-19 amateur fights which isn’t much as a lot of others, but he noted that he has never been knocked out or been dropped. A fact he hopes continues in his professional career.

Baca’s family has been supportive throughout his career even when they have been worried about him getting hurt, he said.

“There has been times where my family’s been very emotional towards it (boxing career) they’ve been scared or they second-guess me being in the sport just for the fact that they don’t want me to be hurt which is understandable,” Baca said.

Despite this Baca’s family has found ways to be there for him both emotionally and physically. His father being his first manager and his mother and her family flying to New Mexico to support him in his fights.

“I can’t complain,” Baca said. “I’ve been really blessed with my family.”

In the beginning of his professional career Baca was being managed by his father alone but Baca has as of recent received a second manager with many connections in the community, he said.

“It’s always best to be around people you know and have them support you because when you know a lot of people it’s much easier, it’s much better for you as well. They get the name out and they can help explore who you are,” he said. “Now I feel like it’s skyrocketing more than ever.”

Baca has emphasized that as a sport boxing has a uniqueness to it that can not be shared by other sports.

“The sport, the victory overall at the end of this fight, it’s all on you. You’re the only one in the ring and that’s why I enjoy hearing the saying ‘you can play basketball but you can’t play boxing’,” he said.

Ronnie “The Mongoose” Baca is set to fight in the Route to Glory Bad Blood event on June 23rd.

Interview with Reggae artist CHRONIXX performing at Sunshine Theater

April 4, 2017 by Kori Kobayashi

Reggae artist Chronixx talked to ABQ-Live exclusively about his music, his recent collaboration with Adidas and his plans for the future, as he gets ready to take the stage at Sunshine Theater Wednesday April, 5th at 8pm.

Interview and story by Brenda Paiz

The 24-year-old Jamaican reggae singer, who comes from a musical family, got his start when he was about six years old. Having a father who was also in the reggae music scene, Chronixx says he feels very fortunate to have been exposed to more than just the music as a child.

“[Having a family with a musical background] exposed me to the process of making music…one of the first thing I experienced was the process of recording and writing music,” he recalls. “I remember just going to the studio with my father and watching him make music: that was one of the greatest influences in terms of how I’ve chose to operate as a musician.”

With a number of records already under his belt, Chronixx talks about his latest single “Majesty” and the message that he wants women to take from it.

“The song was meant to outline divinity of women in general. It’s a love song that isn’t just a ‘romantic/intimate’ love song, it’s just a love song in general for the divinity of women,” he says, “from the grandmother, to the mother, to the sister, to the daughter…every woman is majestic.”

After briefly discussing the new music and upcoming album (no release date yet) Chronixx explains how an idea with a friend, blossomed into a collaboration with Adidas, as Chronixx was named the face of the 2017 Spezial collection. The collection which draws inspiration from Jamaican life, Adidas originals, and soccer (or futbol, as Chronixx and the rest of the world calls it,) is available in stores and online.

While discussing his accomplishments, Chronixx began to talk about his holistic views and lifestyle that stem from his Rastafarian beliefs.

“As a part of Rastafarian movement and community , you’re automatically evolved into the philosophy and the beliefs of the teachings. And once you see yourself as a part of the earth and that the earth provides everything that you need for your nutrition, you make that change,” he says. “Ever since I started to practice the teachings , that’s where my diet and everything changed which was a few years ago.”

Chronixx continues to talk about how Rastafarian practices have changed his life and freed his soul by correcting natural imbalances in his life. And as he aims to become more unified with the earth itself, his success has become more mainstream in the United States as well. Chronixx performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon back in February, which he says is such a great platform and had an amazing experience.

In addition to national television, Chronixx has recently been featured in Vogue, Self Magazine, GQ and CNBC. The future looks bright for this rising star, but for now he says he just wants to continue making music and living a wonderful life.

If you haven’t checked out Chronixx yet, find him on Spotify/ Apple music or follow him on Instagram @chronixxmusic. See him live tomorrow night at Sunshine Theatre.

Young Professional – Goodfellas Barbershop and Salon

January 5, 2017 by Kori Kobayashi

The owner of Goodfellas Barbershop & Salon cuts his way into our hearts

by Adrianna Vigil

For most, a haircut is just a haircut. A barber is someone we do not know and the conversation does not go beyond what style we want. The experience of getting our hair cut is typically something we don’t look forward to and is short-lived in the twenty minute visit. However, Richard Maldonado and his team at the Goodfellas Barber Shop are adding an old school twist to cutting hair and are offering a traditional barbering experience that has since been forgotten.

Goodfellas Barbershop opened in 2000 and was originally owned and operated by Juan Martinez, Maldonado’s uncle. It later closed in 2005. Maldonado’s passion for barbering was sparked at the young age of 15 when he began cutting his own hair as well as his brothers. Later in 2012, his passion translated into a career when he reopened his uncles barber shop. Since then Maldonado has turned a simple haircut into an experience and has built a name for him and his shop in the city of Albuquerque.

Located off of San Pedro, the services Goodfellas offers goes far beyond a haircut. Aside from cuts of all specialties, the shop offers hot towel shaves, beard and facial trims and has a salon that extends services to women and children with cuts, perms, deep conditioning, hair styling, manicures and pedicures. His team includes Daniel and Walter, who assist him with barbering, Charmaine and Larry who run the salon and his wife Nicole who operates as the manicurists and esthetician.

With a foundation of “quality over quantity,” Maldonado believes that the customer service and talent of each individual of his team is what sets his shop apart from others.

Many would acclaim Goodfellas to be a modern barber shop with an old school twist. In order to ensure this Maldonado and his team stick to the traditional art of barbering by using every tool available to them, keeping up-to-date with modern trends and styles and making sure that every part of a traditional trip to the barber shop is included. What exactly does this mean? Each day Maldonado arrives early to the shop to prepare and clean up for the incoming clients. He welcomes each of his barbers who also arrive early to ready themselves for their first cut. When you first walk in you are greeted by the staff. Many of the clients are regulars and genuine conversation is made not only between clients but between the staff and clients who have formed friendships over the course of their many visits. Adding to this unique experience is Maldonado’s definition of being a barber which is “…having a relationship with people that goes beyond cutting their hair.”

Maldonado believes that the key to being a small business is to remain consistent and always have quality customer service. “Being a small business has many difficulties and many perks”, he says. “The difficulties that we face are overcome by our work ethic and our goal to consistently serve our community and each client that walks in the door.” It is this same attitude of his that translates into his service and giving back to the community. Goodfellas has been known throughout the years to hold blood drives and give gifts during the holidays. Owing much of its success to the community, Maldonado and his team believe that is important to give back to their community and show them their support just as the community has given to them and shown them its support.

Being the number one rated barber on Yelp!, Maldonado is often given reviews stating that “after getting your hair cut by Richard you will never want to get your hair cut by anyone else.” He has been credited by many as the most talented barber and has received recognition by much of the media including KOAT Action 7 News, featuring his shop as one of the Top 11 Barber Shops in Albuquerque. When asked how it felt to hear people say this Maldonado responded with “I feel like my success is not just my own, it is due to those that work with me and the clients that walk into the shop.” His passion for barbering still seen and spoken through his words as he continued, “I am very humbled by the fact that people see me as a great barber but it is due to my passion to make those that walk in feel good about themselves not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. No matter what age.” Maldonado hopes to grow and expand his business in multiple locations, continuing to reach and give back to the community. He owes much of his success and inspiration to his religion and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the people in his life that have been there for him from the start. Referring to Goodfellas as a legacy, Maldonado believes his biggest success so far has been being a part of this legacy.

Find out more about Goodfellas Barbershop and Salon on their website www.goodfellasabq.com

ART TALKS w/ artist JODIE HERRERA

June 16, 2016 by Kori Kobayashi

Our staff Art correspondent Cameron Krow reached out to local artist Jodie Herrera to sit down and talk about her art, life and inspiration. The New Mexican born artist from the Taos/ Cuba area offers us a unique look inside her art, which is entirely dedicated to creating homage to the female through personal stories of strength and hardships.

Cameron: How long has art been a part of your life?

Jodie: It’s always been a part of my life. My first memories are of creating art. I assume my last memories will be creating art as well. Some of my earliest memories are of me sitting on my mothers lap with my chubby little brown baby fingers wrapped around a crayon drawing a portrait of my father. His body was a large rectangle with a bunch of little dots. My parents never knew what the little dots were until I told them recently while recalling the memory. They were the sun bumps on his neck; I used to lay my head there while my dad held me. I remember knowing that was an important detail for me to render. I was always known as the artist growing up. It was really the only thing that gave me confidence as a young pup.

I was always picked last in gym and was painfully awful in school. Grade school provided me with a ton of doodling hours that proved to be of more value then arithmetic over the years.

C: Speaking of your mom…She’s a jeweler and ceramicist, right? How much of a role has she played in your passion to create?

J: Everything, she is an incredible role model. She has made a living creating art and has given me the confidence and support to do so myself. She is a strong and loving woman and has taught me to be free with my expression. Not to mention she is the one that taught me how to hold a crayon and how to draw; she introduced me to my life’s path.

C: What a babe. You’re lucky. When did you know you wanted to be an artist as a profession?

J: I’ve always known. There’s never been another option. I need it, or more we need each other (cheesy but shits real). It was clear at an early age to my family that art was my life’s work.

C: And you wear it well. So growing up between Taos and Cuba, with deep family roots in New Mexico, what do these places mean to you and how have they shaped you as a person?

J: New Mexico is my world, my family, and my culture. I think the only other identity that I would label myself other than an artist is a New Mexican. My family has been here for over 500 years and I know it will be my final resting place, leaving behind generations to come hopefully. My upbringing in both places, were polar opposite. Cuba, where my dad’s from, is pure New Mexican, more conservative and traditional and Taos, where I grew up with my mother, was the wild stomping grounds of the eccentrics and artistic. Cuba grounded me and Taos taught me how to fly. My years as a youth were an interesting dichotomy, but necessary to my character and art showing me the value in being open.

C: Not now. Time to cut to the chase. Let’s talk art. Most people know you as a painter. Has that always been your medium of choice? Do you have any interest in producing work through other mediums in the future?

J: Actually drawing was my first vice and main one up until recently. I was pretty much terrified of painting my whole life, I actually took Painting 101 three times and dropped it during my college career. It wasn’t until 2011 that I took it for the fourth time and had a teacher that was open to letting her students paint what inspired them, instead a bunch of boring still life’s. I got over my fear and fell hard for oils; we’re happily married now. Well, that’s not completely true. I actually love to draw still and love learning new mediums. My bread and butter is actually my light boxes, which I construct out of old vintage suitcases, so in all honesty, I’m a mixed media artist as well, I suppose.

C: That’s what’s up. You’re such a rebel. So it’s easy to notice that you like to portray the female form. Why? Where did that come from?

J: My interest in portraying the human form started as early as I can remember. I became primarily focused on rendering the female form in as early as three. No joke, and it actually could’ve been earlier, but just saying that to be safe. And I think honestly it all started with the Japanese version of the little mermaid. I just remember being captivated by the beauty of the female form. Something after all these years never ceases to inspire me. I, as a matter a fact, learned to perfect the human anatomy from comic books and Low-rider magazines. I utilized any resource that was available to me growing up. The female is most relevant and relatable to me for obvious reasons but also, there is the undeniable sacred presence that woman have, something magical yet heavy that I strive to represent in my art. There is a mystery to our abilities, yes we can create life and we are natural nurturers along with other amiable attributes but there is a mysterious presence unlike anything I’ve felt before that we carry. I can only help others and myself to understand it more through painting, or more so connect and feel it.

C: Don’t worry, I will. So, what other kinds of themes or ideas do you like to convey in your art?

J: My whole painting career has been dedicated to creating homage to the female. I do this by telling the personal stories of hardship and strength of each of my models. I want to show the resilience in women and reveal that their dark side or dark experiences add to their beauty. Often the female nude is portrayed as a pure angelic figure of prudence or a dehumanized sex symbol in order to be accepted or be appreciated. Both are flat, devoid of the dimensions that real human experience provides. I hope to humanize my models by creating a personal interaction between the image and the viewer through the models story. I do this by allowing the female to unabashedly expose her beauty with strength. I paint monochromatically in a self made “black” using the technique chiaroscuro (dramatic shadows and light) this conveys how a woman’s depth is only fully portrayed with her darkest shadows present. I illustrate her story by subtle using symbolism throughout the painting. I also use the wood as a way as of exposing her beauty with strength and pride.

C: That’s really beautiful, Jodie. I love that element of revealing narratives in your work. Is there anything else about your process you’re willing to share?

J: It all starts with inspiration. Either the model becomes inspired by the project and they want to be apart of it or I become inspired by a particular person and asking them to be a part of the project. There is a story to be told and a relationship that starts. I spend time with these women with hopes of understanding they’re who they are so I can better render their person. We meet and talk about their past, culture, strengths and weaknesses—most importantly a story of hardship they want to primarily portray in the painting. They courageously open up to me and the project, in turn they share themselves to the world. Most models state that the project becomes a part of their healing process, this is the best outcome I could possibly I ask for.

C: How do you feel about the Albuquerque art scene?

J: It’s great! We have a ton of talent here as well as great grassroots initiatives that are geared to push our artists forward. Albuquerque is definitely growing into itself and I’m extremely invested in seeing this city thrive as an art center. That’s why we started doing the Pop-Up Collective.

C: I feel the same way. We’ve got something really genuine going on here. So it was a few years ago that you and some other Albuquerque artists formed the Pop-Up Collective, right? Can you tell me more about that project?

J: The Pop-Up Collective curates one-night only art events. We like to switch up our venues for almost every show, which keeps things interesting. These locations are some of Burque’s most unique spaces and we feel incredibly fortunate to work with the people we do in order to use them. We also, feel incredibly grateful to work with our artists. Our city is filled with incredible artists and performers! Our mission is to reveal the mass talent that New Mexico has to offer, while giving both our artists and the patrons an engaging one night only experience that exceeds all expectations. Guests have proclaimed that our events made them feel good about our city. We want people to feel proud of this place, proud of our arts community! We try to cover all grounds when it comes benefiting our greater community through art. We provide exposure for local emerging artists, we try to only work with venues that can benefit from the promotion that we provide, and we always have a benefit art auction to raise money for local causes. Our focus is to create an exceptional grassroots exhibit while pushing our city forward.

(For more information regarding the Pop-Up Collective visit us on our website http://popupabq.wix.com/collective and follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/popupcollectiveABQ.)

C: Whoa. There couldn’t possibly be enough people like you. So tell us what are you currently working on. When is the next time you’ll be showing work?

J: I’m currently working the same project but with different women of course. Their stories are remarkable, and I’m quite excited to show these new works. I will show my newest pieces at the next Pop-Up show, and all the models from the exhibiting paintings will be there to meet in person!

I have a few shows coming up. I have one running for the month of December at Red Door Brewery. The opening will be Friday, December 4th. Then my co-curator from the Pop-Up collective, Angie Rehnberg and I are brewing up another Pop-Up show. It’s called Manifold. It will be located at SCA Contemporary Art, 524 Haines Ave. NW, Saturday December 12th, from 6-11pm. It’s gonna blow your mind! We have incredible artists, free libations donated by Tractor Brewery, munchies, Birdman spinning records, a performance by our cities first poet laureate, Hakim Bellamy, a secret group performance… you name it! We pour our hearts into these shows, it will be super rad and you don’t want to miss it. Then I will be showing at farina pizzeria of Central Ave. for the month of January. Lastly, come April I will be having an exhibition at The Small Engine Gallery the date is undecided yet, but keep your ear to the ground.

C: I’ll never remember all of that. Good thing it’s going to print. Where do you envision your career as an artist going from here, both in the short and long term?

J: I just hope to continue to learn and grow as an artist and person.

Someday, I hope to travel the world and share the social and cultural differences / similarities of women from a diverse range of backgrounds. It would be awesome to some day represent New Mexico through my art internationally. Long, long term, I want to die a happy viejita, still painting, surrounded by my loved ones in northern New Mexico.

C: That’ll be adorable. I have one last question for you: what is your advice for young people interested in pursuing their passion for art?

A second pair of eyes will help you develop your skills exponentially, it’s important that you trust that person to tell you the truth. You are confident that they have a good eye and will tell you if something is off with your work when you cannot “see” anymore (working too long on piece will do that). Also, draw… and eat your gah dam broccoli!

SEE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT JODIE ON HER WEBSITE http://chromaj.wix.com/jodie-herrera

SERATONES talk music, the road and what’s ahead

April 25, 2016 by Kori Kobayashi

Serving up a combination of Southern musicality, garage rock ferocity and general badassery, Seratones will perform in Albuquerque on 4/26 with Thao & The Get Down Stay Down at THE LAUNCHPAD.

ABQ-Live Intern Adrianna got the chance to interview the band to find out more about the band and what to expect this Tuesday night at the Launchpad.

Interview by Adrianna Vigil

· How did Seratones come to be?

We all grew up together putting on DIY punk shows in Shreveport and have played together in various configurations since. Said bands include The Noids! , Sunday Mass Murder, A.J. Haynes and the Monkey Business, Sweaty Cleopatra, Don’t Forget Your Dinosaur, and whatever random permutations materialized along the way. Seratones came to be after we won some recording time at Blade Studios and we wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity. Connor, Jesse, and I had already been working on a new sound and Adam joining made it all come together.

· Since starting, how has Seratones evolved?

Our songwriting process is collaborative, so we’re constantly learning how to communicate the sounds in our head to each other. It’s a tightrope sometimes, balancing our individual deliberations while leaving enough sonic-space for spontaneity. It also helps that we’ve been playing together for years, have many of the same influences, and we love what we do.

· When creating a song or album, where does the inspiration come from?

Like Tom Waits says, music is really just something interesting to be doing with the air. Some songs are inspired out of sheer boredom, some by bourbon, and some by having a good time, some by rage, some from a melodic whim. With Get Gone, our go-to mantra was first thought, best thought. We wanted to, of course, craft good songs—but not at the expense of losing fun and spontaneity.

· What influences does your hometown, Shreveport, LA, have on your music?

We are left to our own devices in Shreveport. Shreveport has a rich musical lineage, but also is removed enough from the industry, providing a great space for experimentation. Shreveport birthed both Leadbelly and The Residents—quite opposite ends of the spectrum—but there’s still that peculiar thread that is difficult to describe in words…Shreveport’s weird.

· What is your favorite and least favorite part of being on the road?

Being away from home—it’s my most favorite and least favorite part of being on the road.

· What does it mean to you to have fans in other countries and to be able to share your music live with these fans during this tour?

It’s so amazing! We hope to bring good music to folks around the world and to learn from other places we’re lucky enough to visit.

· What do your fans have to anticipate with the upcoming year?

Our debut record Get Gone is out May 6^th. We’ll be touring the US extensively and also have a European tour lined up later this year.

· For Seratones, what is your number one goal and what would you ideally like to achieve with your music?

Keep making music we like to play. People can hear when you’re not having fun anymore—and there’s absolutely nothing sexy about that, is there?

THANKS so much for taking some time to talk! I can’t wait to hear you play Tuesday night at The Launchpad!

Interview w/ Hip Hop artist Andy Mineo

April 16, 2016 by Amanda Korfe

Andy Mineo will be coming to Albuquerque’s Sunshine Theater on April 20th, 2016. In honor of his arrival, we have put together an interview with him, to give you an inside look at some of his inspirations, his most memorable moments, and so much more!

How would you define yourself, who is Andy Mineo?
AM: Creative

What is your most memorable moment from when you were first getting started?
AM: I was at my best friend, Ryan’s house, and we tried to record ourselves. After we recorded, we couldn’t figure out how to combine the instrumental with the vocal. Later, I came home and Ryan called saying he had figured out how to mix my vocals with the beat! He played it for me over the phone and I lost my mind. I got the craziest feeling in the world after hearing myself. I was a real rapper.

Where do you find your musical/lyrical inspirations? AM: Everywhere really. The full time job of an artist is to find inspiration. The thing about inspiration is it’s like the wind – you don’t know where it’s coming from and you have to have your antennas up and grab what’s in the air to pull it down into your pen.

What is your most memorable performance in your career so far?
AM: Sold out NYC Irving Plaza show. It was my first headlining tour and first coming home show. It was a sold out show at this amazing venue. I remember looking out into the crowd and seeing my friends and family.

Where would you most like to perform in the future?
AM: Madison Square Garden— it’s legendary.

What accomplishments do you see as the most impactful in your life so far?
AM: Getting married.

Do you have goals beyond those accomplishments that you are working to achieve?
AM: Success is being faithful to what you set out to do. That’s what I’ve been able to do. I get to do exactly what I want to do, which is create what I want to create. It’s great knowing that I’m fully supported full time while doing that. I think that is success. Everything here on out is extending my vision for what I want to do in the arts. I’m very satisfied with what I’ve done and ambitious to inspire more people.

How have your goals and perspective on your goals changed over the last year?
AM: I have learned more who I am and what mark I want to leave on the world through my creativity. It is humbling. When people think of goals, they think of Beyonce –a world star or Michael Jackson shutting down the mall. I don’t have the desire to be that. I just have a desire to continue to create things I think are beautiful and amazing. I want to enrich and inspire people’s lives and I do that using style and substance. I want to continue that for as long as I can.
Do you have any inspirational figures in your life that have influenced your music?
AM: It’s funny. Lecrae and I were just talking about this recently. There are certain people and certain artists that model their careers after other inspirations but I feel inspired by so many different genres. So much so, that it’s hard for me to pinpoint a specific figure. I will say that one of the things I appreciate most in music is early Kanye’s fearlessness in his creativity and his willingness to cross a genre and pull influence from obscure places –unique and interesting places that advance culture in hip hop.

What advice do you have for those who share your passion in music?
AM: Make dope stuff and build a team around you that can help see your vision.

What are some of your favorite bands or singers to listen to?
AM: That changes from week to week but right now it would Jack Garrett.

What changes in your musical style have you noticed throughout the years?
AM: I have evolved as a person and my taste buds for all kinds of things have evolved and refined. I know what I like more now than I did when I was younger and that has influenced my sound selection. I guess I’m more of a snob because I’m always looking for what’s interesting and not for what works.

What challenges do you currently face in your music?
AM: My creativity. It is my strength and weakness cause I can get so creative and out the box and have so many different things that sometimes I lose consistency and cohesiveness. I am finding a better way to focus consistency and energy.

What can we expect to see in the future from your music?
AM: Up to this point, a lot of my music has been experimenting and trying different things. Next album will be more of a focused energy on a particular sound I want to explore and enhance. I have created all kinds of different songs and textures. Now, it’s finding the best of what I do uniquely and enhancing that to be the best it can be.

LISTEN TO ANDY on his Soundcloud

Wake Self talks about his latest Video

January 20, 2016 by Kori Kobayashi

ABQ-Live got to sit down and chat with Wake Self about his brand new music video, touring in Europe, and what it’s in store for this New Mexico born hip hop artist in 2016. Watch his brand new video below!

Interview by Josh Wilkinson

JW: I really enjoyed the New Mexico music video but you seemed to have topped yourself again with your latest video, “I Still love her featuring Ma dukes”. How would you compare the two?

Wake Self: First of all Thank you, I appreciate it. Both of these two videos are the hardest we’ve worked and most time me and the Concept Flux team have put into a video together so far. They are two entirely different styles of video, this one revolved more around green screen and motion graphics. I had a great time during the filming of both of them though. On this we had to to track down a bunch props and wardrobe for each scene, putting together all the right pieces is challenging but we enjoy that kind of stuff.

JW: What is the meaning behind your latest video? Should we expect an upcoming album soon?

Wake Self: I think it explains itself if you listen to the lyrics. It’s just me paying homage to the culture I love which is Hip Hop. It’s also me sending out gratitude to all the pioneers who came before, and to the people who really support Hip Hop and keep it alive. It’s for those individuals who go to shows, buy music, and spread the knowledge on their favorite artists. That’s what’s important, the music, the people who support and evolving the culture. I will have an album out soon not sure the exact release date of it, but you’ll hear about it somehow. If you’re reading this and want to know more i’m @wakeself on IG and twitter.

JW: What was your favorite memory from your most recent tour in Europe?

Wake Self: There is a lot of them, I really love Europe and all the people out there. Being able to see the friends I’ve made over the years again is always great! Shout out to my friends Tim, Ivo, Nae Nae, Daan, Cees, Izaak, Dizzy aka MC Timmy, Yoris, little Ross the cat, Sal, Complex, Sezen and all my other Euro homies who support us. We had two sold out shows this time, so that is something i’m juiced about. I’m kind of a weirdo though i get happy about stuff like the workers at the late night Frites shop remembering us, and this incredible vegan meal I ate at a restaurant in Arnhem. Also, shout out to my homies OostCoast, really dope Hip Hop group from Holland was fun hitting the studio with you fellas.

JW: I have watched you perform as a solo act and with several other hip hop acts. What do you like about each?

Wake Self: I love it all, as long as the energy is there. Anytime I get to rock a mic I couldn’t be happier. It’s always cool to be up on stage with your homies though, seeing everybody in the zone is a great feeling! Everybody has thier own little rapper moves, way they hold the mic and move around on stage. haha

JW: If you could put together an all-star band to perform with, with members from any era, who would they be?

Wake Self: Quest Love on the drums, Miles Davis on trumpet and John Coltrane on sax, Tom Morello on guitar, Dam funk on synth, Flea from Red Hot Chilli Peppers on bass, Erykah Badu, Micheal Jackson and Al Green on vocals. Boom!

JW: What are you plans for 2016? Since ABQ-LIVE last spoke with you what has Wake Self been up to?

Wake Self: I’m going to drop an album probably two, lots of videos and touring. I’m going to teach some classes and do more charity work. Figuring out more ways to help change and heal the world with the resources I have and how to get more to do more with. I’ve been working non stop on this music, and preparing for these opportunities that are coming at me. Practice every day, reading books, staying sober, watching broad city and adventure time, going to Chuck E Cheese with my nephews, taking music more seriously and myself less seriously, and I’m taking singing lessons and making beats now. I have a few surprises to announce when the time comes, make sure you check in with me on social media.

Watch a couple of Wake Self’s other music videos

Interview with Hip Hop group GROUND UP

October 18, 2015 by Kori Kobayashi

ABQ-Live got a chance to talk with busy hip hop group Ground Up as they start their national tour and make their way into Downtown Albuquerque this Saturday, October 24th at Sister Bar!

How has Philly influenced you guys in your Hip Hop music?

Molotov – Philly is an amazing city full of artistic people. Ground up was founded here in Philly at Temple University. If it wasn’t for this city we wouldn’t exist.

BIJ – When I was in highschool , the first hip hop show I went to was reef the lost cause in philly. 4 years later I was making songs with him and freeway. Little did I know that would ever happen. Life is surreal!

Azar – Philly is everything to us. It’s where we grew into men and musicians. This city helped facilitate our creative needs and everything else apart from that. We take great pride in repping a city as soulful and gritty as Philadelphia. Hopefully, when it’s all said and done, people will take great pride in the fact that we started this whole thing in this magical city.

How long have you all been making music?

I (Azar) started writing and recording music when I was about 14. Bij comes from a family of musicians so he’s been surrounded by it forever. And when I met Malcolm 7 years ago, he already had published a book of poetry. Once we all met, our talents came together and we started taking this very seriously.

Molotov – We’ve all spent nearly half our lives at this point. It’s a commitment.

Where do you guys see yourself in 5 yrs regarding your Hip Hop career?

BIJ– I see us traveling the world with our friends. The way it’s always been just on a much bigger scale. My goal is to make sure none of my friends need to work a job because they’re so devoted to this, that would be an accomplishment.

Molotov – It has always been our goal to be able support a family life with only our music. If we aren’t there in five years we better be close.

Who does your production? And who would you like to work with?

Azar – Bij Lincs does almost all of our productions. He’s our best friend and it’s just easy to work with someone like that. Not to mention, it’s a huge advantage having an in-house producer. He’s the most creative guy in the world and we feed off each others ideas and knowledge. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What influences you in making hip hop?

BIJ – my friends are my biggest influence in the creation of hip hop music. I listened to hip hop my whole life however they were the ones who schooled me in that genre. I did not know much about the industry until I met them. I think that many people can tell that I love jazz through my production.

Where can we find your music and info?

BIJ – like most modern day bands, we are all over the internet. We promote our group on Instagram and facebook however, you can find us on blogs and google searches. Instagram & Twitter: @TheRealGroundUp Facebook.com/SkillOverSwag

Early influences?

BIJ – early influences are my brothers and parents. Before I met the group of friends that I have now, I was still playing music, such as guitar and piano but it wasn’t until 12^th grade of highschool that I started producing/recording what I played. My parents never pushed sports and my brothers are musicians as well so my house was loaded with all types of instruments.

How long have you been on tour? When do you finish?

We have been on tour for 5 days now, so far I love it as much as any other tour we’ve been on. Rest stop food, bizzare green room art, late night drinking, little stages … I love it all. Tour is great because it brings us together and allows us to really work on the dream we all share.

See GROUND UP live at SISTER BAR in Downtown Albuquerque this Saturday, October 24th! Brought to you by 808 and ABQ-Live! Grab your tickets online at http://www.holdmyticket.com/event/220797