Sarah, in the extended entry you'll find the group's bio which was posted by Disney Records, the group's record label, and below you'll find the video you requested, the Jonas Brothers singing Year 3000 from their debut album - It's About Time. Whatever you do, don't drool on my screen, Okay?

more...

Posted by: Michele at 11:39 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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There was a moment this week that I came to the realization that this blog, and you my dear readers, have helped me get through some of the toughest times in my life. There's a select few of you who have even helped carry me in my darkest moments, so that I may continue on this path called life. Not only do you guys complete my circle of life, but you heal & nurture me back to health when I find myself bruised and battered by life's challenges. I am the person I am because of all of you.

Below is one of the songs I used for my presentation, I chose it because it tells the story of what you all mean to me, and it was my way of bringing you with me on that special night. Thank you for your support and for being in my life.

Posted by: Michele at 12:32 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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It's Fashion Week in NYC, and for those of us who used to work the runway and were called "hangers", its simply a painful reminder of that life. I think this video encapsulates better than any post I could write, what it was like for me during that period. The lessons I learned back then: you can only live a lie for so long before it begins to destroy your psyche & soul. Self-love and inner peace can only be attained from within and not by wearing, attaining, seeking something outside of ourselves.

Having learned that lesson well, I will deliver a speech with confidence and a centered and calm inner spirit (as main speaker) during a gala dinner fundraiser this evenng. The other 2 speakers and presenter are a prominent TV personaility, a broadway actress and a tv/movie actress. [Colin owes me big time for this favor!] I met the movie actress last Fri during a dry run and she was a scared, insecure bundle of nerves, that kept seeking approval and wanted to be admired. I really felt for her because I've been there. It's an industry of externals which have to be perfect.

Anyway, the first 12 sec. of this video by Evanescence is an intro, not a gag, so please watch it, its only 3 min.

Posted by: Michele at 11:06 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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I"ll be busy over the next few days so I decided to leave something up for your entertainment pleasure while I'm away. I came across this eclectic Music site where you can listen to new, rising, and independent recording artists share their incredible talents.

Two artists I reccommend you listen to are:

First there is Skye, who sings beautiful rhythmic ballads. My favorite is entitled Love Show which happened to be featured this past week on Grey's Anatomy. While you're at her site you should also listen to What's Wrong With Me Follow the "Media" navigation link at the top to get access to the songs.

Then we have the celtic beauty, Aya Peard, whose song, This Mess takes celtic music in a slightly different direction than most are used to.

Because I love music so much I thought I just might make this a regular feature here and dedicate the songs each week to a different deployed servicemen as a show of support and thank you for all they do. Let me know what you think!

My thanks go to Dazd & Confuzd for the idea. His playlist on this post, reminded me how much I loved being a DJ. I was lucky enough to be one of the few women in NYC, who actually had a following on Thursday nights at Danceteria. Dazd, those memories brought a smile to my face and inspired this section. If you still want to fulfill your dream of being a dj let me know and I can make a few suggestions on how you can go about it.

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which influences the present and colors my future by Evanescence

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while I wade through life's challenging difficulties.

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Posted by: Michele at 02:12 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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As a former choir girl I love to hear ochestral arrangements to pop songs I love. I thought I'd share this lovely tune with all of you because I wanted to brighten your Monday morning. Can you guess who he is? And for bonus points, can you identify the song he's playing before the video ends?

[H/T Tuning Spork of Blather Review]

Posted by: Michele at 08:43 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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Who's Got My Back by Creed

Run hide
All that was sacred to us
Sacred to us
See the signs
The covenant has been broken
By mankind
Leaving us with no shoulder...with no shoulder
To rest our head on
To rest our head on
To rest our head on

Who's got my back now?
When all we have left is deceptive
So disconnected
what is the truth now?

(what is the truth?)

There's still time
All that has been devastated
Can be recreated
Realize
We pick up the broken pieces
Of our lives
Giving ourselves to each other..ourselves to each other
To rest our head on
To rest our head on
To rest our head on
more...

Posted by: Michele at 12:51 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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"Cry" ~ a song by James Blunt

I have seen peace. I have seen pain,
Resting on the shoulders of your name.
Do you see the truth through all their lies?
Do you see the world through troubled eyes?
And if you want to talk about it anymore,
Lie here on the floor and cry on my shoulder,
I'm a friend.

I have seen birth. I have seen death.
Lived to see a lover's final breath.
Do you see my guilt? Should I feel fright?
Is the fire of hesitation burning bright?
And if you want to talk about it once again,
On you I depend. I'll cry on your shoulder.
You're a friend.

You and I have lived through many things.
I'll hold on to your heart.
I wouldn't cry for anything,
But don't go tearing your life apart.

I have seen fear. I have seen faith.
Seen the look of anger on your face.
And if you want to talk about what will be,
Come and sit with me, and cry on my shoulder,
I'm a friend.
And if you want to talk about it anymore,
Lie here on the floor and cry on my shoulder,
I'm a friend.

Comments turned off due to spamming.

Posted by: Michele at 07:38 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The Heroes of 9/11 never hesitated for a moment on the morning of 9/11. Ignoring personal safety they sprung into action and saved thousands. This song is dedicated to my friends, Mike and Larry, and to the thousands of public servants who risked their lives and the 347 fire fighters who lost their lives that morning.

Into the Fire by Bruce Springsteen

The sky was falling and streaked with blood
I heard you calling me then you disappeared into the dust
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need your kiss, but love and duty called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love bring us love

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

You gave your love to see the fields of red and autumn brown
You gave your love to me and lay your young body down
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need you near but love and duty called you someplace higher
Somewhere upstairs into the fire

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love
more...

Posted by: Michele at 08:55 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Update: I'm going to be leaving this post at the top for a bit so I can get as many suggestions as possible. For new entries please scroll down.

more...

Posted by: Michele at 04:06 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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Posted by: Michele at 09:29 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
Turn and face the strain
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
Turn and face the strain
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
- David Bowie

Posted by: Michele at 06:00 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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As soon as I read this I thought of Bou and the myriads of unsuspecting music lovers, like Mr. Helpful, who will be affected by spyware embedded in Sony's new music CD's which is invisible to anti-virus protection programs. So far thousands of PC's have been affected and infected worldwide.

To read more about this problem and how to know protect yourself please visit the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Posted by: Michele at 05:04 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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I'm driving in my car
I turn on the radio

I'm pulling you close
you just say no.
You say you don't like it
but girl
I know you're a liar

'Cause when we kiss - Fire!

Late at night I'm taking you home

When I say I wanna stay
you say you wanna be alone.
You say you don't love me girl
you can't hide your desire

And when we kiss - Fire! Fire!

You had a hold on me right from the start

There's a girl so tight
I couldn't tear it apart.
My nerves all jumping
acting like a fool.

Your kisses they burn but your heart stays cool.

Romeo and Juliet
Samson and Delilah

Baby
you can bet their love they didn't deny.
Your words say split
but your words they lie

'Cause when we kiss - Fire! Fire!
Burning in my soul
it's out of control!
it's out of control!

Posted by: Michele at 12:50 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Being sick as a dog has some benefits. For me it's laying in bed listening to my music until the wee hours of the morning, reminiscing about the place where I first heard most of the music I was listening to. The place was the same club immortalized by The Clash and in a number of movies - CBGB. I've always loved this great rock club because the music played there was always in its original, non-formulaic, cutting edge form. That level of musical honesty was so incredible, it helped inspire and fueled many an artist's creativity including my own.

Part of my love for this place had to do with the small intimate setting; you could practically stand on stage with the band. The rest had to do with being surrounded by people who, like me, were there primarily because of our love for music, not to show off stylish clothes or expensive accessories. No Hiltons or Ricci's were seen there. Just great bands getting established and poets/song-writers trying to get their music recorded. I don't think there was another venue in NYC where a songwriter could try out their music.

For the underage crowd, and for those who felt music was a religious experience CB's had concert sessions on Sunday afternoons. Oftentimes there would be between 10 and 15 bands playing any given Sunday afternoon trying out their material and talent on young minds eager to explore and develop their own relationship to music.

Imagine being able to see Squeeze, Blondie, The Clash, The Talking Heads, The Police, The Ramones, Springsteen and the irreverent Patti Smith on a regular basis as they explored the bounds of their own creativity on the audience, while peers like Lou Reed and David Byrne encouraged them on. To this day I can vividly remember an impromptu duet between Patti Smith and a very young, not yet famous Bruce Springsteen. The song, called "Fire", was one that he wrote early on and had never been recorded. When I heard it I fell so in love with it that I instantly memorized it and sang it all the way home that late afternoon. There's one part that I remember vividly till this day:

When we kiss
I'm on fire
Your tenderness
Gives me desire
I can't resist
Your tender lips
When we kiss
Ooh... Fire

I remember wondering what it would be like to feel such passion for the one you loved while kissing them. I'm still wondering.

Musically, it was an amazing time for me and for women. I got to see women evolve in rock and roll before my very eyes. It was these women rockers who simultaneously gave birth to many new music styles as they emerged into their own musical style without imitating the guys. Women like Debbie Harry & Patti Smith created the path for so that the Sarah Mclaughlin's and Avril Lavigne's of today could perform as headlining acts.

CB's was all about the love of music and talent, not about novelty acts or trendy looks. Too bad I no longer have pictures of me in my hiked up catholic school girl skirt that I wore to the club sometimes because I would go directly there right after school and before evening choir practice. There also nights when I was supposed to be doing sleepovers with friends or at the Library and I would sneak over to CB's to blow off some steam. I remember on a couple of occassions trading in my knee high socks and penny loafers for black fishnet stockings and doc martens steel toe boots and would apply the spray on purple die on my hair to complete the look. Yes, I was a bit of a rebel during high school, but I never went as far as showing up with the torn clothing as some punks loved to wear in those days. My safety pins were all strategically placed, and they made my own fashion statement to punks and designers alike. I was unique even in punk rock circles because I was comfortable and confident in who I was and didn't compromise my values simply to be accepted by my peers.

For me it was a fun, sweet time. Though I was young, I never once got harassed or pressured to drink, use drugs or do anything else for that matter. Life then was all about having fun with new styles of music and exploring the bounds of our creativity. For some of us it was not about making any political statements, but rather enjoying the enormous talent that was found there, which inspired our own work, even with my conservative values. It came through in everything I did, including in my music and poetry. What can I say, I was a complex individual even in those days!

I had some incredible musical memories there and lots of firsts. Like the first time I filled in as back up for a little known band called Essence. Or the first time someone used one of my poems on stage in a song. Yes it was almost 4am, and I don't even have the poem they used anymore, but wow, what a mind-blowing and creatively validating experience that was!

Why the sudden sentimentality for this place? CB's is scheduled to close its doors forever soon, thus making an iconic place inaccessible to a new generation. Recreating this club anywhere else (as has been talked about) will be virtually impossible as the rock club's energy, the very essence of CBGB can never be transported elsewhere. Yet in another way the spirit of the club belongs to all of us collectively, it'll be there whenever we gather together to express our creative vision for the purpose of sharing our talent freely.

[Music takes center stage while the lights dim and fades to black. In the distant darkness you hear Joan Jett's voice pierce the darkness by singing "I love rock and roll..."]

Posted by: Michele at 03:57 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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