Feriz Blue, the indie band from New York, who recently released their debut album entitled “Showdown”, is an intriguing rock-funk group producing catchy, melodic tunes any fan of rock music will readily eat up. With the dynamically powerful lead vocalist Mike Fries, Feriz Blue is a confident band showcasing a strong, powerful musical voice that is as deeply engaging as it is interesting and exciting. The guitar work throughout Feriz Blue’s music is what really make this band shine, as the guitar crunches in each song are both rooted in rock while also bringing in a playful twinge of a heavy funk overtone. With such a winning arsenal, strong voice and funk-tastic guitar riffs, Feriz Blue is a band that boldly steps outside, and above, your average garage band wannabes.

Downloadable:

“Vindictive” – the piercing vocal stretch towards the end is alone worth the download
“Countersink” – the breakdown in the midst of the song is surprisingly different and fresh from the rest of the rockin’ tune

Have a listen youself by visiting their myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/ferizblue
http://ferizblue.com

The fine folks over at Pink Kryptonite has scored a very interesting and insightful interview with current Ultimate X-Men scribe, Aron Coleite. The interview is worth a read alone for the in-depth discussion on gay characters in comics. Check out it out here:

http://www.pinkkryptonite.com/2008/09/interview_with_aron_coleite.html

The poster for naughty film maker Kevin Smith’s new movie, “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” has been banned in the United States. It’s funny to me how a poster eluding to oral sex, in a humorous and goofy way, can get banned, while the randy teens on the new 90210 television show can actually SHOW a girl rising up from a guy’s lap after performing oral sex. Don’t the censors just drive you crazy?

OMG! Sooooo crazy cute! If “Tiny Titans” weren’t cute enough, now DC Comic’s kiddie (and adult kiddies) line of book, under the Johnny DC banner, is bring forth a new comic called “DCU Elementary.” And boy oh boy does the art look adorably awesome! My fave? Wonder Woman racing her invisible go-cart! Can’t wait for this to come out!

Tie on your dancing shoes, because there is a new musical diva ready to burst onto the scene. Florence Hall, the new chanteuse in question, is bringing the move-your-feet heat with her pulsingly good new single “Always on the Run”. A stand out song that could be right up with any of today’s club hits. With a whip-quick hook and shoulder bumping beats, Hall is ready to show America how to throw inhibition to the wind and just shake what their mama gave them!

Thankfully, Hall is not limited to delivering high-energy groove music on the dance floor. She is equally adapt at singing a powerfully harmonic and stirring slow jam. “Surrendered” is an electronic ballad that is as melodically rich as it is beautiful, and here Hall is really able to showcase her voice admits a sea of intriguing electronic beats that slowly burn up the tune until the listener is engulfed and ready to surrender to “Surrendered”.

As if moving ballads and down-and-gritty dance music were enough, Hall also tackles modern rock with equal aplomb and skill. With the catchy “Sync,” a song that is able to mix the modern electronic grooves found in today’s pop music with a more raw and harder rock edge, Hall rips into the song with a confidence and grace that is rare in a relative new comer.

If these few winning songs are any indication the world will be hearing much, much, much more from this talented musical chameleon. Do yourself a favor and have a listen to Florence Hall’s finely crafted and mega catchy tunes yourself:

www.florencehall.com and www.myspace.com/florencehall

Download Now: “Always on the Run”

WTF! Sony is developing a spin-off movie for Venom?? Read the whole story here! Can this possibly good?

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i9603a54f631ae7b0ccc841503f65f11b

Along with a few other incredible comic creators, bloggers and writers I have been invited by the awesome peeps from Prism Comics, www.prismcomics.org, to be a part of the “Emerging LGBT Voices” panel discussion being held this coming Saturday, July 26, from 10:00-11:00am in Room 10 at Comic Con San Diego! This is the biggest, most exciting comic convention of the year and I am way honored to be included in this awesome event.

I will also be at the Prism Comics booth (2146 and 2148) signing copies of my indie comic So Super Duper on Sat the 26th from 1-2pm, www.sosuperduper.com! If all goes well I will be debuting the 5^th stellar issue of So Super Duper, which features a way awesome back-up strip by fellow Shotgun Reviewer J. Caleb Mozzocco. Yay! I will also have two new comics debuting along with So Super Duper; the secret agent Will & Grace-ish Reignbow & Dee-Va, and the slice-of-life, black and white comic loosely based on my life called, Unabashedly Billie. You can learn more about both comics on my above website.

So if you are at Comic Con come by and say “Hieeee!” And be sure to check out Prism Comics FULL agenda to see all the way cool events they have planned at this year’s Comic Con! Yipee! http://prismcomics.org/display.php?id=1589

Finally, I my indie comic was reviewed by YouTube sensation The Gay Comic Geek. Totally check out his thoughtful insights here:

www.youtube.com_gaycomicgeek

Wow! It’s only been like 20 years or so but DC’s most famous heroine is finally getting her own staring movie! YES! Sure it’s in a direct to DVD cartoon format, but hey, it’s better than nothing, right?It’s about time Wondie gets into the game and gets some multimedia solo love. Let’s keep our fingers and toes crossed that this movie is as amazing and as awesome as it should be!

My one minor complaint? Why does Wonder Woman have to be drawn from the back, with mini-ish thong panties ridding up her rear? Who is this image trying to market itself too? Lonely comic book men? Would we see Superman and Batman flaring out their asses to promote their movies? Sure our gal’s a super sexy lady, but can’t we get a sexy shot that doesn’t appear to be slightly exploitative?

Oh well, its like raging against the comic machine here, and being all combative will only take away from the excitement that; Wonder Woman’s getting a film that’s all about her! Yay! So instead of dwelling on the things that I cannot change I am just going to focus on the positive side of this news. Let’s hope this is just the first of many Wonder Woman features. Yippee!

Read more about the upcoming flick here: http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-News-Blog/Todays-News/Exclusive-Look-Wonder/800042749

Like the Hulk before it; is anyone really hopping up and down with joy and excitement over this new Punisher movie? Will this second big screen take on the Punisher somehow make a more positive impact than the first one – especially in today’s way, way, way overloaded superhero-movie-market?

Basically, do we really need another Punisher flick? Anyone?

Personally I feel Marvel has to be very careful that they don’t start over-saturating the movie going audience with too many B, C and D list superhero films. Now that Marvel “the Movie Studio” has tons of cash – and heaps of praise and goodwill - for the awesomeness that came from the highly successful Iron Man movie they need to tread extra carefully so as not to spoil it all with too much, too soon.

Sometimes less is certainly more.  More so when the “less” equals terrific films and the “more” equals crappy movies everyone hates. So don’t blow it Marvel, people love you right now! This is your time to shine, as long as you don’t screw it all up!

Stuck between the hard rock and the pop music worlds New York based indie band Nevereven provides plenty of hook-heavy, toe-tapping music. Not quite metal, not quite “so utterly hip that they’re tortured musicians creating rather than striving” for mainstream’s music’s stamp of approval, Nevereven is a band that seems quite comfy perching on the ledge between the rock/metal fringes and the more accessible, slightly gentler, pop rock found on today’s mainstream radio. Thankfully, Nevereven’s music tends to be slightly more sing-a-long-able and friendly than your average jam-worthy band blazing out tunes meant to dislocate your neck from all the head banging. Based on their guitar heavy riffs and catchy choruses, this NYC band is on the right track to garnering some household notoriety. 

Lead singer Gary Pickard’s voice is arresting in its earnestness while also requiring some nips and tucks here and there to rein in his vocals a bit. His voice seems to ebb in and out from a surprisingly fresh and exciting sound to a slightly off center and somewhat flat tone. It’s an odd sensation; one which I think can only be helped with the right music producer directing Pickard towards developing and embracing his many vocal strengths. The same goes for the entire band, as “indie” sadly also applies to the quality of much of the recording. Each song is professional enough to make it on to myspace, but lacking that polished, finished sound required for radio airplay. With proper guidance from an excellent producer who can help tweak Nevereven’s obvious creativity and talent there is little reason that this indie band can’t make it big in the mainstream musical world.  

Downloadable: the guitar blaring “Midnight,” the near-mainstream ready “Cloud Nine” and “Quicksilver.” 

Check out more about the band here:

www. myspace. com/nevereven
www. sonicbids. com/nevereven
www. ourstage. com/nevereven

Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild, which came hot off the presses in time to debut at the San Francisco Frameline32 Film Festival this past Saturday, is a movie religious conservative groups can use as proof to show the sexual moral depravity of the gay community. In many ways these groups would have a point, as practically every possible sexual taboo and fetish is joyfully glorified and playfully exploited on the screen, all in the name of crass comedy. To this I say, based on the sheer trashy awesomeness I witnessed; “Hur-f**king-ray!” 

This raunchy, filthy, dirty, carnal, and, yes, hysterical spoof is just what we gays needs to embrace and laugh at all of our insipid stereotypes; like our tendency towards super flamboyantness, our roving “drive” to sex it up with anyone and anything, and our enjoyment and celebration of sex acts outside the “norm.” Another Gay Sequel is like a huge middle finger cheerily waving to all those who claim the gays are the cause of all the natural calamities in the United States (look it up, there are many groups who claim this). If we homosexuals are indeed the down fall of Western Civilization due to our sexual wiles and loose morals – which are all unflinchingly showcased in Another Gay Sequel – then I happily side with the queers sinking the ship.    (more…)

Tru Loved, a new indie movie recently playing at the San Francisco Frameline32 Film Festival, is equal parts uproarious and touching, which is no mean feat!  Written and directed by the clever Stewart Wade, Tru Loved is a surprisingly strong and powerful story about a young High Schooler named Gertrude, aka Tru, as she struggles to survive the treacherous waters of teen acceptance and social norms. Billed as a gay-themed romantic comedy, Tru Loved is very much gay-themed, romantic and laugh-worthy, but it is also so much more; it is a message film without the “After School Special” moralizing and grandstanding.    

One of the better things about this flim is in how it is able to balance multiple engrossing plot threads that smartly weave in and out of the main story. The general focus of the movie, of course, is on it’s heroine Tru, played by the delightfully charismatic and talented Najarra Townsend (who expertly shoulders most of the weight of the movie, even when she overly-tosses her hair as a means of conveying deep emotional distress), who isn’t popular, hip, or cool (are they ever in indie films?) and is ostracized because of her uniqueness. That is until a rumor circulates that she *gasp* has two moms, which is a half-truth really as she also happens to have two dads! Spurned on by the possibility that there might be someone at his school who could understand him, closeted football quarterback Lodell “Lo” quickly befriends and uses Tru as his hetero-cover bid for normality. Throughout the ups and down of High School life, and her “relationship” with the tortured Lo, Tru becomes inspired to create her school’s first Gay/Straight Alliance. Naturally much calamity and mucho laughs ensue.   (more…)

If fate and talent has anything to say in the matter the music from the New York based indie band The Styrofoam Junkies will soon be heard on a radio station near you. With a range of songs (some great, some less so great) that actually vary in sound and scope, this engaging band offers a little bit of rocky/poppy goodness for even the most jaded music fan.

“Touch” is the standout in The Styrofoam Junkies’ musical arsenal, it’s a car-singing-worthy tune begging to be boomed over the radio (or your iPod). Beginning with a jamming guitar riff that quickly snags your attention, “Touch” soon morphs into a mellowishy-cheery tune lead by the confident multi-tiered vocals of singer Stephen Faig (who also plays the guitar). “Touch” is a top 40 hit waiting to happen.

“These Days” is another song worthy of your musical time, featuring a thoroughly catchy chorus demanding you stop and take notice; especially once the ”whoa-oh-whoa-oh-whoa-oh’s” kick in towards the end. It’s a head-boppy tune meant to invoke thoughts of care-free good times with your best buddies: “grew up in parking lots/a bottle and some friends” sings Faig. Worth a listen.

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The wonderfully droll webcomic “My Life In a Cube,” by Shane Johnson, is a terrific way for us office 8-5ers to pass the time. Cute, funny and very creative - the strips are often drawn on various paper-mediums (sticky notes, napkins) - each of the goofy gags humorously, and truthfully, reflects today’s modern office life.

So avoid filing those documents and spent some of your salaried-time reading: http://www.mylifeinacube.com/  

I hate to toot my own horn but “toot toot” I have a fun, brand new webcomic called “Unabashedly Billie” on Prism Comics, www.prismcomics.org! Yay! Best of all it’s totally FREE!! So fer shure run on over to Prism and check it out! STAT! 

Here is the link to the announcement: http://prismcomics.com/display.php?id=1570 

Here is the link to the webcomic: http://prismcomics.com/webcomics_display.php?id=1178 

Here is some info about my new comic: “Unabashedly Billie” is actually the first comic book story I ever wrote and drew, it’s been sitting around since 2003, and it’s just a cutesy little black and white story that is loosely based on my life. Plus, my wonderful man Preston inked and lettered (and came up with the Logo) for the story! Isn’t he just spectacular? (Hells yeah he is!) And he’s not even a comic book nerd too!

For more info about my indie comic self-publishyness check out www.sosuperduper.com.