rickyleepotts.com | a voice of rhythm, reason, & reality

In an effort to switch it up a little I am sitting with a guy that plays a lot of the artists that you are used to reading every day on the airwaves.  I wanted to interview this guy from the first time that we met and when we were both a part of the Hard Rock Ambassadors of Rock Battle of the Bands I knew this was my entrance.  Having worked with him on many events in the past, it was an easy transition from working with to writing about with him.  Sit with me today as I introduce you to a voice that might be more recognizable than the face and a name that is known all over this city, Deuce.

What is your real name?

My real name is Joey.

Do you go by The Deuce or just Deuce?

I go by Deuce.

How long have you been working in the radio business?

I have been doing radio for about ten years.

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a DJ?

When I used to live in Orlando, Florida I heard a midday radio show called Monsters of the Midday, Phillips File, the Lunch Time Fiasco with Taco Bob and Pat Lynch.

Who is on your iPod right now?

Queens of the Stoneage, Local H, the Sick Puppies, Kings of Leon, Sublime, Breaking Benjamin, Hurt, and Candlebox.

When can we all hear you on the radio?

I am on at 2:00 PM TILL 10:00 PM Monday through Friday and at 2:00 PM till 6:00 PM on Saturdays.

Tell me about working with X103.3.

I love it.  I am very fortunate.  It’s the first time ever in my life that I have loved my job, and have never thought once to myself, “I don’t want to go to work today.”  But what despite what people might think, it’s a hard job and a lot of work. But there’s nothing else I would rather do and nowhere else I would rather be.

Who is your favorite band of all time?

Oh, that’s a hard one. I don’t know if I have a favorite band, but Chris Cornell is probably my favorite singer, and Temple of the Dog is probably my favorite album of all time.

What is the best concert that you have ever been to?

Wow, that’s a good question.  There are so many to choose from.  One that really stands out for me would be the Foo Fighters when they played at Conceso Fieldhouse.

Do other radio stations in the city have a rivalry for ratings or does everyone play nice?

There is some friendly rivalry, but everyone more or less has their own issues to worry about than to get involved in any childish stuff.  And we all know each other and like anything else in life, you have be careful what you say or do because you never know who is listening.  You never know if you might be asking that person for a job one day.

Do you have any tattoos?

I have four tattoos right now but there are more on the way.

Who would win in a pillow fight between you and Don Stuck?

Cotton or feather pillows?  What a bizarre question.  (Laughs)

What was the last movie you saw?

I just saw District 9.

Did you like it?

It was an awesome movie.  It was one of the most unique films I have seen in a long time.

You seem to be pretty involved in water sports.  Do you have any favorite beaches?

I love water, anything on water, and I have lived in Florida for fifteen years because of it.  I will take any beach, any time of the day.  South Beach is nice but my favorite place is in Key West.  Not really sand type beaches, but it ricks.  I love Key West.

Let’s get some pizza.  What toppings?

Either grilled chicken and red onions or cheese lovers from Donato’s.  We could also do ham and pineapple if you wanted!

Who is the best band in the city right now?

The Last Good year, No One Zero, Mardelay, Virgin Millionaires, Stereo Deluxe, No More Good Names; just to name a few.  There are so many bands to choose from.  People in Indianapolis need to start supporting local music a lot more than they currently do.  We have a show every Sunday from 7:00PM to 8:00 PM that features local music.

Do you ever get nervous before you go on the air?

No, although I used to.  But I do not get nervous anymore.  It is second nature to me at this point.  I still mess up all the time.  (Laughs)  But I do not get nervous.

What would you be doing if you were not on the radio?

If I was not doing radio I would probably be in promotions and marketing more than likely.

Do you listen to your own station when you are not at work?

Of course I do.  I listen all the time.  It’s the kind of music I like.

If you could live anywhere else other than the state of Indiana where would you go?

I would go to my beaches in Key West, Florida.

Why are you so scared of cutting a rug on the dance floor?

I don’t know; it just makes me go into all panic mode.  Maybe it’s the fact that I know I suck and I don’t want to waste the girls time so she them how bad I am.  (Laughs)

Who is your biggest hero in life?

My grandma and grandpa are by far my biggest heroes.

If you woke up today and were told you had a week to live how would you spend your last seven days?

I would spend every waking moment with my son and my family.

How many Affliction shirts do you own?

Are you serious?  One, when I saw hat it became I never wore it again.  I hate those things.  It is as bad as wearing an Abercrombie shirt.

How do you think satellite radio has affected local and national broadcasts?

I do not think it really has.  Sure, there are people that have it, but despite popular belief, FM radio is still as popular as it ever has been, and that’s not just my opinion.  It is prove from the research.  FM Radio will always be the leader in radio.  FM radio can do something that satellite can never do; being from a local source.

How did you react to the passing of Michael Jackson?

It was such an odd event.  As surprising as it might have seemed, as a whole, I don’t think many people were really all that surprised.  When someone lives such an odd life nothing I guess comes as a shock.  But it certainly was sad to see someone with such talent have his life come to an end.  The last years of his life were just so bizarre.

What’s your dog’s name?

Zoey.

I take it you are not a natural blonde?

(Laughs) Sure I am!

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hopefully still rocking the afternoons on X103.  I would eventually like to become a program director.  But for right now I am enjoying being on the radio and rocking Indianapolis the best I know how.

What do you want people to remember when you are no longer working in radio?

That I totally loved doing it.  That I was fun, and that hopefully I did a good job.

I always let the bands that I interview get the last word.  Why not you?  Go.

Support local music and stop getting so mad about a song or a band that you don’t like getting played on the radio.  It’s a song, a band, and it is not life or death.  Relax.  It will be over in about three minutes anyway, so calm down!  (Laughs)  And as always, rock on!

The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world.  Some of you out there might just think it is a big hole, but it has so much more to offer than that.  On my recent trip out west it became one of our goals of the trip to make our way to the Grand Canyon.  We left Las Vegas just before noon on Sunday in hopes of making out way to the canyon in time to see it during the day.  We headed into the unknown with nothing but our iPhone GPS to lead us there.  We eventually found some road signs that helped us find the exact part of the canyon we wanted to visit, but without our iPhones we would have been lost.

About a half an hour or so into the trip we managed to make our way across the Hoover Dam. (I always feel so dirty saying that as I feel people look down upon me for my potty mouth.)  The traffic was quite intense as there were signs stating that every single car had to pass an inspection before traveling over the dam.  We did not have to stop, nor did half the other cars on the road, and we made our way across the structure.  We did not see any water though as we would later learn the lake is at one of its lowest levels since the dam was built.  You can actually see difference of where the water should be and where the water currently is from the color on the rocks.  It is quite low if I do say so myself.  (Las Vegas has actually expressed interest in the fact that they could be losing their water supply in the next five to ten years if something is not done to fix this issue.  They are in the middle of the desert after all.)

About an hour later we turned left and headed toward the rim of the canyon we were hoping to see.  Not knowing a thing about the canyon I did not know what to expect on the ride there.  From bus to bus that passed us going the other direction I figured we were headed the right way.  We actually passed quite a few little diners and bars that give the title hole in the wall a whole new meaning.  We did not stop, however, as we were scared we might not make it out alive.

After about seven to ten miles on this paved road we turned right to head to the actual canyon.  The reason why I bring up the fact that this road was paved is the next fourteen miles were all on unpaved, under construction, dirt roads.  It was miserable allowing us to only drive a little bit over twenty miles an hour in fear of falling down the side of the mountain or hitting one of the random wild cows and goats that made their homes in the fields all around us.

Eventually we began seeing helicopters circling around overhead so we knew we were close.  That was just about when I saw the actual size of this incredible canyon.  It took me everything to keep the car on the road at the sheer size of this massive canyon.  Words cannot do it justice as to the size of this hole.  Anyone that says this is just a big hole in the middle of the desert has not seen it for him or herself.

We find a parking lot, pull in, and head to the only building for what seemed like miles.  The canyon sits on Indian grounds to the folks running the services to tour the canyon were all of Indian descent.  We head into the offices to decide what we wanted to do for our tour and started looking through the prices.  This is when it got silly.

The reason why we chose this rim of the canyon was due to the fact they had a skywalk that went out and over the canyon.  Sheryl had stated that she wanted to see the canyon one, but wanted to walk out over the canyon on this skywalk even more.  Ian and I took a backseat while she did this and had lunch rather than risk our lives for a quick glimpse of the canyon floor.  Outside of all of that, it was an additional fee on top of the already staggering rate to see the canyon.  Lunch just seemed like the better choice.

The canyon is so big that it can reach upwards of four miles across at its widest point.  Think about that for a second.  You are standing here.  Four miles away from you is the other side of the hole in the desert.  The most impressive thing about this canyon is that the running waters of the Colorado River created it all.  The river still runs at the bottom of the canyon, some 4,000 foot below you, but is no where near what it used to be to be able to create a massive hole like this.

As we were looking at the edge of the canyon and snapping picture for picture, it came to my attention that there were no guardrails anywhere alongside the edges of the canyon.  I could literally walk right up and stare over the edge, throw a rock or two, and stare death right in the face.  One slip and a fall could lead to me tumbling down the side of the canyon.  This intrigued me enough to ask multiple people throughout our tour just how many people had fallen in to the canyon.  The answer that I got time and time again shocked me.  Just last year Yellowstone National Park lost seven lives in their park.  They have guardrails.  No one has ever fallen over the edge at the Grand Canyon.  (There was a story that I was told about a man from Ohio who drove his car over the edges of the canyon.  His wife left him and he was so upset he grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and headed west.  He would end his life in the canyon by driving his car over the edge.  The gentleman that told me this said he actually witnesses the incident.  I could not imagine the carnage and the crew that had to clean that up.

After spending time at three various stops along the west rim of the Grand Canyon we managed to find our way back to the clubhouse.  Before we left we managed to grab a certificate that confirmed out visit to the Grand Canyon.  We grabbed our free sheets of paper and headed to the car.  It was time to make the six-hour journey back to LA but not before we took one last look out over the canyon.  As the sun was setting I took some time to reflect on the day.  The Grand Canyon impressed me beyond belief and I am extremely glad that we made the journey to the edges of the canyon.  The photos and the verbiage do not quite do the canyon justice but trust me when I say that this is one of the most incredible things that I have ever seen.

Just last week I went on a vacation.  I started in Las Vegas, headed to the Grand Canyon, moved to Los Angeles, then to Palm Springs, down to Dana Point, and then back to LA to finish out the trip.  I did a ton of driving on my trip but managed to play some incredible golf courses and see some beautiful sights along the way.  I will, over the next few posts, be telling you about these golf courses and the sights and sounds that I saw.  I will begin today telling you about my round at the Revere Golf Club located just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, in scenic Henderson, Nevada.

The trip started in the Indianapolis airport just after 5:00 PM.  After multiple delays and numerous cups of coffee at the Indianapolis International Airport we managed to finally board about six hours late.  After finally arriving in Las Vegas just after midnight we grabbed the rental car and headed to our hotel to check in for the weekend.  We made our way to our room, ditched the bags, changed clothes, and headed out to the glorious Las Vegas strip.

After walking around and checking out some of the casinos we finally made our way to the poker tables at O’Sheas.  This is one my favorite places to play in Vegas as they have loose slots, beer pong tables, and an almost twenty-four hour happy hour.  With cheap drinks, friendly dealers, and four restaurants that never close in the back of the casino, it truly is a place where everyone wins.

We had been playing all night long when the sun began to peak over the mountains.  It was nearly 6:00 AM and I had an 8:00 tee time.  The course was just over a half an hour away from the hotel, and I needed to take a quick shower before I headed to the golf course.

When I arrived at the golf course it was just after 7:00 AM.  I was ready for a couple of cups of coffee and a snack before I headed out to the course.  When I stepped out of my car I was immediately greeted by an employee of the facility eager to grab my golf clubs and get my golf cart ready.  I headed in, took a seat, and grabbed a view of the Las Vegas strip as I drank my first cup of Joe.

After I finished my second cup I checked in at the front desk and headed to grab my golf cart to warm up for the round.  I was directed under a tunnel to the putting green.  I hit a few short putts, a couple of long ones, and was more excited to be playing this course with incredible mountain views than to practice my putting.  I grabbed my golf balls and headed to the driving range.

On the range I was greeted by the starter and directed to the end of the range.  Here I found a bag full of brand new, or what seemed like brand new, Callaway practice golf balls.  I hit a few wedges, a couple of eight irons, a handful of five irons, a few drivers, and back to the wedge.  After I was loose I headed to the chipping green and hit a few balls here before heading to the first tee.

When I arrived at the first tee three men from Hawaii greeted me.  One currently lived in southern California working for a liquor distributor, and the others held odd jobs on the islands.  Throughout the day they created invaluable conversation and became near friends by the end of the round.  While leaving the last green I actually handed each one of them business cards and was invited to the islands later in the year to play some golf on their home turf.

The golf course was absolutely perfect from tee to green.  The course was long, stretching through multiple housing editions and in and out and over mountains, but with golf carts we managed to make it through the day.  It was hot, hitting nearly 115 degrees around eleven that morning, and with little shade it made it quite difficult, but with water jugs spread throughout the golf course we stayed hydrated if nothing else.

From hole to hole I managed to throw a one over par for the front nine.  I had a few birdie putts, and even an eagle putt after I drove one of the greens, but managed one birdie on the front nine.  I didn’t care and told myself time and time again that no matter what, I had great company and beautiful scenery surrounded me.

I had a few good holes on the back, but with three putts on the back nine, I ended up with a four over par 39.  By the time the day was over I had three chances for eagle, all of which lead to pars.  But again, I could not care less what I shot, for the views and the photos that I got while on this golf course were incredible.

While walking in the clubhouse after my round, I saw scorecards from Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.  They had played the same course that I had played that day.  Granted, they both shot in the 60’s while I threw a near 80, but they had been on the same course as me.  That had not happened since the 2000 PGA Championship when I was a volunteer down at Valhalla in Louisville, Kentucky.  I did not play the course that week but I walked it just as they did.  But this time I had played from the same tee boxes and putted into the same holes as two of the best players on the planet.

The golf course was perfect.  The scenery was glorious.  The company was incredible.  This was a great day of golf, even though I had not slept the night before, and was a great Troon Golf experience.  It was actually my first Troon Golf experience.  But it would not be my last.

With the current state of our economy, and the job market as it is I wanted to talk today about something that a lot of you out there are probably doing.  If you have a job, congratulations, you should hold on to it and consider yourself lucky that you have a steady paycheck.  A lot of us are not so lucky.  But if you are out there searching through every classified ad and every post on Craig’s List, then this post is for you.

While you are out there searching for a job and trying to find your next place of employment, you will be finding yourself interviewing time and time again.  Of course you are going to hear, “No,” a lot more than you are going to hear anything else, but that is just the nature of the beast and the default of our economy.  But while you are interviewing, keep this list of things in mind.  I am going to break down what I consider the ten most annoying things that you could do while sitting in that interview.  These are things that I consider almost obvious but easily can be forgotten.  These are not guaranteed to have your potential future employer say no, but they will enhance the chances greatly.

1. Chewing Gum

This is a no brainer.  You are going into an interview to discuss your professionalism and the reasons why you should be their next hire.  Do you think that you sitting there while answering question after question is the time to be chomping on your stick of spearmint?  Spit it out before you even walk in the building, as you never know who will be sitting in the waiting room with you watching.

For those of you that do forget it is not OK to place said gum behind your ears.  If you do forget, and notice before you enter the interview itself, ask the secretary for the closest restroom and dispose of it in private.  Do not toss it in the garbage can or tick it under your seat.  Keep in mind this is where you are trying to get a job.  Treat it as such.

2. Hair Touching / Twirling

This is something that I see more females do than males, but should not be done by either.  If you are sitting there playing with your hair, or your face for that matter, you are giving off the impression that you are bored or not interested in the position or what the interviewer is saying.  Plus, it is kind of gross if you think about it.  You should go into the interview with your hair done in a professional manner in the first place, so do not compromise it by playing with it and waving your fingers through it.

3. Slouching

This is something that I m terrible at myself, but one that you need to pay attention to when waiting for the interview and during the interview itself.  If you slouch you are going to appear to be lazy, as if you do not care about what is going on, and you would rather be watching TV than vying for a career.  It also just looks tacky.  When you walk into the waiting room, while you are sitting at the interview table, and when you are leaving, walking, or standing stand straight up, shoulders back, and head high.  You will look like you mean business, even if you don’t.

4. Avoiding Eye Contact

Again, this is something that I struggle with on a daily basis.  Keep eye contact with the person that you are speaking with.  I do not care if you are talking to the secretary, to the guy handing you paper towels in the restroom or the person giving you the interview itself you need to look him or her in the eyes.  The more you look into their eyes, and don’t stare or make it obvious that is what you are doing, the more serious you will be taken and the more likely they are to treat what you say with a greater grain of salt.

I have the tendency to drift and begin looking at anything and everything else in the room than starring that person in the eye.  But in an interview you need to be prompt to respond and be looking at the person you are speaking to in the eyes.  It will be noticed you can guarantee that.  It is the little things that count as you will see in this entire list.

5. Yawning

More than likely your interview will be early in the morning.  Most companies will want to get it in and over with before they get too far into their day.  Expect your interview to be around or before 9:00 AM.  Make sure the night before you get plenty of sleep.  Get at least eight hours, and wake up at least an hour before your interview.  Drink a few cups of coffee and take a nice and relaxing shower.  Yawn your heart out on the way to the interview.  But do not ever yawn in the interview itself.  You need to be alert, awake, and mean business when sitting there.

If you do have to yawn, hide it.  Fake a couch or turn your head, anything to not blatantly yawn in the middle of the interview.  If you do have to yawn, and there is no stopping the forces that be, cover your mouth.  The same goes for a cough, a sneeze, o r anything else that comes from your nose and or mouth.

6. Playing with your pen.

When you sit down you should have a notebook, a pen, and a pad of paper.  You should, and this is completely acceptable, be taking notes during the interview.  This is also the place that you could store an extra copy of your resume, as well as a place to write down your three to five questions that you need to have prepared to ask the company after you are finished with your interview.  But, when you are not writing place the pen on the table and do not touch it.  This is similar to the hair touching as it will make you look bored and as if you couldn’t care less as to what is going on in that interview.

I wanted to make a quick note about the questions.  When I say that you need to ask questions I do not mean asking things like, “How many people work here,” or, “When did your company begin their services.” I want you to ask deeper questions and ones that require thought to be able to answer.  By asking deeper questions it shows that you cook the time to research this company and that you have the mindset to ask question that mean more than what is on the surface.

7. Checking your cell phone.

In relation to my previous post, this is a no brainer as well.  Turn your cell phone off.  Do not turn it onto vibrate; turn the damn thing off.  If you are sitting in an interview and your phone rings, you get an email or a text, or your calendar notifications go off you can guarantee that you will not get that job.  Cell phones are becoming a part of our everyday lives, and slowly are even replacing computers for some people, but that is no excuse to have it on during an interview.  There is no emergency that cannot wait until the interview is over.

No matter how bad you want to check it, to see if you have an email or to see if you have a new text from your buddy, ignore it.  Leave the phone in the car if you have to.  It will be hard, as I know how crucial your phone is to your survival, but it is not worth losing a job over for a text message from your girlfriend.

8. Using your hands while speaking.

Granted, the man in the White House does this with every word he says, but that does not mean it is OK to do in your next interview.  Please feel free to use your hands when you talk, but there is a difference than using your hands to make a point than using your hands to take the attention off the topic at hand.  I use my hands when I talk all the time.  I do this as I feel that everything I say is worth listening to.  (I will assume that this is why Mr. Hope and Change is doing it.)

When you are speaking keep your hands on the table, or in your lap, when you are speaking.  If you have to use your hands please do it sparingly.  The more you use your hands the more unsure of yourself you will seem and it will begin to intimidate the people handling the interview.  Also, it can be used as a way to keep your mind off the task at hand (no pun intended) and will force you to lose eye contact.  If you can sit on your hands and not look too obvious do so but keep the hand motions to a minimum.

9. Nail biting.

Need I say more?

10. Smiling too much or not smiling enough.

When you are in your interview just be yourself.  Act normal.  Smile at things that you would normally smile at. Do not sit there and look like you hate the world, even if you do, but do not sit there and smile and laugh at everything anyone at the table says.  You need to act normal and be yourself.  You do not want to be hired as someone that does not show up on Monday morning.  There is a fine line between smiling too much and not smiling enough, but based on the individual interview that you find yourself in you will be able to tell how to react to the ones handling the session.  Use the brain that hopefully will be the reason you get the job.

With this list I cannot guarantee that you will get your next job.  But I can tell you that if you listen to these ten tips that I have provided here you will have a better chance of landing your next vocation.  I wish you the best of luck in your search as I know how grueling it is out there.

Hugh Jackman has been pretty busy over the last few months.  Just a few weeks ago the latest film from the X-Men series was released on DVD where Jackman plays the famed Marvel character Wolverine.  The film had some increased exposure before it was even released on DVD as it was leaked, in DVD quality nonetheless, to the general public and was downloaded over a million times before the film even hit theaters.  Skeptics say that it hurt ticket sales, but I would beg to differ.  Nothing compares to watching a film, especially one like this, in the theater.  The sound is better, the picture quality is better, and it provides a better experience overall.

Outside of the release of this film Jackman finds himself in another form of entertainment.  Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman both star in the Broadway play titled, “A Steady Rain”.  During a recent preview of this performance Jackman stepped right out of character, stopping the play all together, to set a rude audience member straight.  During the middle of one of the scenes a cell phone rang causing Jackman to become upset enough to stop the acting and start the preaching.  Jackman was caught on camera, as the video can be seen online on various websites, and told the rude individual, “You want to get that?”  He then proceeds to tell the person, “Come on, just turn it off.”

Of course the producers of the play refused to comment on the actions of Jackman.  The interruption came at a time during the play where Jackman’s character, ironically a policeman, is seen remembering events of the past.  (I am not sure how a scene where someone is simply remembering thoughts from the past can be called intense, but then again I have not seen the play so I cannot comment.)

The funny thing about all of this is that after the interruption, and before the play started up again, a voice came over the loud speakers telling the audience members to turn off their cell phones.  This was too little too late in my opinion.  They did finish the rest of the play without any further interruptions.

I think that Jackman might have gone a little over the top on this one.  Sure, when you go to a play or a movie, or anything in public for that matter, it is just courteous to turn off your cell phone or put it on vibrate.  I personally always have my cell phone on vibrate.  I am not sure I have even heard the ringer on my phone; as it is always on vibrate.  And yes, I understand that people can forget to turn it off or to vibrate, but is it really worth stopping the play, therefore hurting the experience for everyone else (regardless of approval) to tell one person to shut off his or her phone?

I do get upset, for instance, when I go to the movies and someone is talking, or sending a text on their phone illuminating the entire theater.  But I do not make an effort to tell that individual to put it away.  He paid just as much to see the movie as I did so I have no jurisdiction over his actions.  However, in this case, Jackman is the star (or Daniel Craig if you are a fan of his work more than Jackman’s) and he has the say on what happens on his stage and in this case even off stage.  I imagine that if you were on the set of a movie filming the next action thriller blockbuster with any given actor and a cell phone went off you might get the same reaction from the director or actors on set.  Look at the tangent that Christian Bale recently had for someone just walking through the back of his set.

“A Steady Rain” is a dramatic play that is about the relationship between two policemen.  The play opens this week but only for a limited engagement through December. 6^th, 2009.  Jackman has some experience on Broadway as a matter of fact.  Jackman won a Tony Award in 2004 for his performance as Peter Allen in the musical “The Boy from Oz.” However, for Craig, having done nothing since the latest James Bond flick is making his Broadway debut.  I am curious to see how this goes for these two super-star on screen actors.  If I ever do make it out to see the play I will make sure that I need to keep my phone off, that’s for sure.

I am sitting here with an incredible talent, Mr. Todd Carey.  Todd and I have been friends for quite some time and I have seen him perform on numerous stages and both full band and solo.  Todd brings a smiling face, an incredible voice, mind blowing lyrics, and a way with a guitar that is hard to find in the industry these days.  He is fun.  His music is fun.  Todd just makes music what it was meant to be, enjoyable.  Todd, it is my pleasure to be with you here today.

So tell me Todd, you have been on the road pretty much all year.  Who are some of the guys that you have toured with this year?

I’ve really enjoyed the tours with Jason Reeves and Brendan James and the shows with Keaton Simons and Curtis Peoples.   They are all extremely good company.

You and Curtis Peoples have done quite a few shows together.  How did you two start playing with each other?

One of my best friends was an engineer in LA. When I started working on my last record with producer Marshall Altman, I brought him in. Subsequently he introduced my to Curtis, as Marshall was recording his album. I’m thankful for that because Curtis is one of the nicest people I know!

Where are you originally from?

I am from Chicago.

What did you have for breakfast this morning?

(Laughs) I haven’t eaten yet!

If you could share the stage with one artist who would it be?

Dave Matthews for sure.

You are on a plane traveling to your next gig on the west coast.  Your plane crashes but you land on a deserted island.  You were only able to salvage three things.  What are they?

A guitar, obviously, and anything to write with (notebook). And finally, my cell phone! With that I could get the hell out of there and get back to playing music.

If you could meet one person, alive or dead, who would it be?

Paul McCarteny.

What was your motivation for ‘Ain’t Got Love’? (My favorite song from you by the way.)

I was living the 20 something lifestyle in Chicago. I was really happy and partying a lot. Thinking about all the things I had, but then thinking about the one crucial thing everybody needs. And that is the hardest thing of all to come by.

What is the biggest crowd that you have ever played for?

I would say 2,000.

Have you written anything for someone beside yourself?

A few things but I always end up singing them myself. I plan on writing with other people more.

If you could only sing one song for the rest of your career what would it be?

Good question. “Watching Waiting” still feels new to me every night I play it.

What is your favorite venue to play?

Schuba’s in Chicago.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you on stage?

I played a whole show with my fly wide open. It was really obvious and NOBODY told me. Thanks!  There were all these pictures, and luckily it was pre Facebook days.

Tell me a little bit about the Whitefish Bay Sessions EP.

They are the raw acoustic versions of the songs from “Watching Waiting”. That particular track was recorded about 30 minutes after I wrote it.     I spent a week in a cabin in the north woods of Wisconsin laying those songs down before I went into the studio. I just did it for me, never thinking I would release them. It was a really amazing time for me.

You have an incredible stage presence.  Do you feed off the crowd or are you just always that happy?

I feed of the crowd. People who come to a lot of shows can probably tell the degrees of enjoyment I get from night to night. The audience is everything.

What would you be doing if you were not singing?

I’m really into producing. I’ll be doing more of that. I just love the process of taking a song from the air and making it come alive.

Who are you biggest musical influences?

The Beatles, Paul Simon, The Grateful Dead, and Dave Matthews.

If you were told you only have a week to live how would you spend it?

I’d be a combination time spent with my loved ones. Rocking out on the guitar with a band, recording final songs, and making love.

What dressing goes do you put on your salads?

Blue Cheese yo.

What are you doing on a typical Friday night?

It doesn’t start ’till Saturday Morning.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Doing this but with more scope. Bigger shows, more music, and starting to produce.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

Great question. I just want to be someone who brought a good presence to the people I came into contact with. I feel fortunate when I meet someone who does that for me. It’s everything, the people who you interact with.

I always let the artist have the last word.  Go.

You ready for Birdy’s on 10/4?

As you all know I recently had an issue at the Fox and Hound on 86th street here in Indianapolis.  Based on that article you learned that the Fox and Hound would be sending me a gift card as well as three HIP cards to compensate for the awful time that at had in their restaurant.  I recently returned from vacation to an envelope from the corporate offices of the Fox and Hound.  Inside the package were a $75 gift card and the letter which you can read now.

September 18th, 2009

Mr. Totts,

I want to personally thank you for taking the time to contact us.  We apologize for the poor experience you had at the Fox and Hound in Indy.  I assure you that I will be personally following up with the store to insure that this type of situation does not happen to anyone in the future.  I would like to give you my contact number should you wish to discuss this matter further or should you have any other issue with us in the future.

At Fox & Hound, we pride ourselves on delivering an experience far beyond the guest’s expectations and we obviously fell way short on yours and our expectations this time.  I assure you that providing excellent service is the only acceptable practice and I will be working diligently with the tram in Indy so that this type of situation does not happen again.

We value your patronage and would like to see you again in the future.  I understand this type of situation can change your opinion of Fox and Hound.  I am hoping that you give us another chance.  I assure you that we will not let you down.  I am enclosing a gift car in the amount of $75.00 and my contact number along with my email address should you wish to contact me.  Please do not hesitate to call or write should you wish to talk to me further.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Herzberg

District Manager

Now, if you had read the previous article you would know that i was not only promised the gift card but also three HIP cards to go along with it.  After all that was how this whole thing got started in the first place.  However, I did not expect the gift card, which was a nice touch.  I will be using that gift card as I have found a new home at the Fox and Hound in Carmel.  I will never return to the one on 86th street, that is for sure, but I will be giving the Fox and Hound a second chance.

I just wanted to share this letter with you as a way to follow up on the previous post.  I wrote that previous post the night after the night I experienced the issue, assuming all along that I would not be getting anything in return.  While I was not expecting anything when I initially called the corporate offices, it does come as a surprise that not only did I get the gift card that was promised, but also a personalized letter based on the phone call that Mr. Herzberg and I shared.  I will be asking the next server that I come across at the Fox and Hound in Carmel for a HIP card.  I will also be showing this letter to a few of my close friends that will have a vested interest in how the Fox and Hound redeemed itself.  We are three HIP cards short of a home run of redemption.  Will the Fox and Hound step up to the plate?

The following is an article that I wrote for the Spring edition of the Indy Arts Magazine.  This article discusses my time spent on the February IDADA First Friday Gallery Tours.

Indianapolis is a city rich in culture and tradition.  Offering something for nearly everyone no matter his or her poison, it’s nearly impossible to get bored in a city as lively as this one.  Whether you are into live music, the bright lights of the college nightlife, or art museums and galleries, you can find something to suit you all over the city.  Indianapolis is different than most cities in the fact that there are distinct differences from the north side to the south side to the heart of downtown.  Offering totally different ways to interact with your local, IDADA has created a near cult following for its First Friday Gallery Tours.

IDADA, the Indianapolis Arts and Downtown Area Association, has been holding the First Friday Gallery Tours for quite some time now.  Covering only twenty square blocks in the Indianapolis downtown area, it’s managed to gather an impressive list of nearly thirty galleries to take part in the tour. Each gallery showcases new local artists each month and allows the first Friday to serve as their standard reception. Walking into any of these participating galleries you can find a map leading you to the rest of the galleries on the tour, as well as a brief summary of the artist and his or her work that is being showcased.  However, the tours only last three hours, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM with galleries strung out over downtown on Mass. Ave, in Fountain Square, it is easy to lose track of time.  I urge you to make a plan before heading out on you next tour.

For the February 6^th First Friday Gallery Tour I managed to make it out to quite a few of the galleries on my trip downtown.  The first gallery I visited was the AV Framing Gallery in Fountain Square.  I have always been keen on the Fountain Square area and Sarah Adams, the owner and operator of the Av Framing Gallery, has made quite an impression on me with both her skills in framing but also her selection of artists to feature on her walls.  The gallery, which is freshly remodeled, was celebrating their second year anniversary at the location.

The visiting artist at the AV Framing Gallery for February, and also the month of March as he secured two months in the space room his incredible work, is a local artist by the name of Brian Duff.  His work is so hard to explain in detail of what to expect due simply to the fact that he has such variation in size and style.  He puts so much detail in his color selections and emits an utter genius in his layering and texturing effects that cover every inch of canvas.  I had the chance to speak with Brain and we chatted for quite some time.  His work is very broad and something that I can see on anyone’s wall no matter what he or she wants to display.  To top it all off he is just a nice and humble guy.  He is as genuine as his work is beautiful.

Shortly after speaking with Brian and Sarah at the AV Framing Gallery I traveled across the parking lot to the Wheeler Art Center.  This is another one of my personal favorite galleries and I had the chance to speak with Sheryl Hugill about her experiences on the First Friday Gallery Tour.  Sheryl gave me a brief description of her evening and her previous trips on the gallery tour.  “I am a big fan of the First Friday Gallery Tours,” she says.  “It allows for local artists to all hold receptions at their perspective galleries and share their work with hundreds of people.  My friends and I are always traveling on the First Friday Gallery Tours and try to hit as many different galleries as we can each month.  I have never had an experience that was not more than I expected.  IDADA really has something good going on here.  It makes me proud to live in such a cultural city.”

Shortly after speaking with Sheryl I watched another kind of art take place right in front of me.  While walking around listening to soft music and looking at art a magician began to perform right in the middle of the crowd.  It is nice to see that not only artists that paint and sculpt and take photographs can showcase their talents.

After leaving the Wheeler House I made my way to the Harrison Center.  Besides being hard to find and nearly impossible to find parking, the Harrison Center was by far the most inspirational and interesting gallery spaces I have seen in quite some time.  Having spent time in Europe studying art in galleries and museums until I was blue in the face, I was not ready for what was in store at the Harrison Center.  I found myself in a gymnasium, which made me feel like I was in the leading role of Hoosiers.  There were kids playing all around and indie movies being shown on sheets on the walls.  I had the chance to sit and speak with a local author and art fan, Maurice Broaddus.  He was hanging out in the gym with his family and other art lovers taking in the festivities.

Broaddus said that he tries to make it out to every tour and tries to hit as many galleries as he can.  He also said that he always ends up back at the Harrison Center.  He said that there is always a lot of art to look at, there are tables set up serving all varieties of wine, beer, and water, and that there is always a local singer or songwriter playing in hidden rooms throughout the center.  It produces what he called the, “perfect experience for viewing the arts”.

I had the chance to also speak with another local art enthusiast in Erin Forst.  She stated that this was her first time visiting the Harrison Center.  She had been on the tour before but told me that she always has a blast and enjoys seeing the city of Indianapolis in places that it seems to be hiding.  She also stated that she had not experienced the hallways of confusing at the Harrison Center.  I ended up sharing a glass of red wine with her and her friend that accompanied her that evening and we talked about art, music, movies, and everything in between.  The Harrison Center is a great place for art, music, and independent films.  It is also a great place to make new friends.

All in all my February IDADA First Friday Gallery Tours was a success.  This was one of my first attempt to hit as many galleries as I did and I am glad that I managed to make it to this many.  I hope to see you all out next month at your favorite gallery,

If you took Relient K and put them in a blender with Treaty of Paris, Yellowcard, and New Found Glory you might come close to the insane talent packed into the Boyd brother’s band 3Union.  Warped Tour is where you would expect to find a group like this and it has even been a jumping off point for thousands of bands in it’s ten years of touring.   Still, I am not sure talent of this magnitude needs a jumping off point with lyrics and vocals like this.

I have not heard this album in over a week and I am still singing the lyrics from track one to ten.  Their debut album, “Say It Now,” grabs a hold of you, pulls you tight, and won’t let go.  You will hit repeat time and time again and wonder why you have not heard of these guys before now.  They sing songs that appear to come from experience and tragedy, but when you realize how young they are you might change your mind.  The fact that they can come up with lyrics packed with heartbreak and heartache at this stage in their careers opens a lot of doors to their futures.

When first thinking about boy bands, or even family bands for that matter, your mind tends to go straight to the likes of N’Sync and The Jonas Brothers.  Don’t get me wrong; I am a huge fan of songs like “Bye Bye Bye” and “Burning Up,” but when listening to 3Union you do not think about sitting around the dinner table and having story time, you think of jumping up and down screaming for one more song with your closest friends.  These lyrics develop an emotion that can reach an epic level in three minutes.  Their sound fits a mold that has been built by hundreds of bands in the past.  That is not what makes this album and these boys scream out for MTV.  Their ability to take a sound that has already made a name for itself in this competitive market and make it their own, to bring their own interpretation on this genre, and to make you demand for more once the album is over, is what will take these boys as far as they want to go.

This is the band’s debut album, and the only thing that keeps this album out of the perfect category is the number of songs.  There are only ten tracks and if I have ever said that an album leaves me wanting more it is this one.  Working with John David Webster, a genius in his own right, they have managed to put together a Best Buy sound with a Warped Tour mentality.  I dare you to listen to this album and not tap your foot and wave your arms in the air.  When it’s over try and not hit repeat.  This album is not only packed with incredible music but is also an addiction that I can’t seem to quit.

Ironic where I am sitting, but I come to you today from the Fox and Hound.  However, the Fox that I am writing this from is not where the following story takes place.  I am in Carmel at the 146^th street location.  I have decided that because of this story, as well as the Mike’s Car Wash story that you read a while back, I will be starting a section of my blog revolving around how businesses fix their mistakes.  I have not yet decided on a title for this section but with two of these similar stories in just a couple of weeks it seems inevitable that it will happen again.

Last night a good friend of mine and I met at the Fox and Hound on 86^th street and Allisonville road.  I was picking up a golf bag from him for my vacation coming up at the end of this week, but more importantly we were just catching up, as it had been a few weeks since we had hung out.  Ryan O’Banyel is a good friend of mine and he is one that I wish I had more time with.  But due to both our heavy work schedules we rarely find the time to sit and talk.  So when we find the time to sit down we take advantage of it.

About an hour into the evening I asked if they were still doing half priced appetizers for HIP card members.  The HIP card is a free members program for folks that work in the service industry.  Having spent most of my working life behind an apron I had been a HIP member since the day I turned twenty-one years old.  The card is designed to give people in the service industry discounts on food and beverages as well as provide them with free pool for when they take the time out of his or her days to visit the Fox and Hound.  Now let’s take a look at what constitutes as a service industry.

If you work in a restaurant as a server, bartender, or hostess you are eligible for a HIP card.  Let’s say that you work as a doctor or a nurse at your local hospital.  If you walk around the hallways scrubbing in for surgery or cleaning scalpels on a daily basis then you are considered to work in the service industry.  If you are a member of the Navy, Army, or any other branch of the armed forces you are considered a member of the service industry.  But what about butchers?  Or how about the folks serving up double cheeseburgers at any number of fast food establishments?  Or web designers, social media consultants, and hair dressers?  They are all providing a service.  But none of these are considered to be eligible for the HIP card.

So when I asked if they were still doing half prized appetizers I was told that not only were they doing half priced food but also offering $2 pints of all of their beers.  The Fox and Hound is known for having an incredible selection of domestic and imports as well as some microbrews from all over the Midwest.  Being as Ryan and I had each had a beer we asked if we could take advantage of that discount.  The server, who was showing too much skin and had an obscene piercing in her nose, told us that we could use it on future drinks but not the ones that we had already ordered.  (I do not mean to dig on the waitress as she was nice and handled everything exactly as she should have.  But I was not impressed with her dress and that the restaurant allows facial piercings.  It is regardless that it was a nose ring, it is not professional to wear in the work environment.)

I asked her if that was true and she stated that she could, “ask my manager” if he could make the necessary changes to get the price down to the $2 as advertised.  She came back to the table and asked for my HIP card.  I had never once, not in the five years of being a HIP card member, had to show my card.  That being said, I did not have my HIP card with me.  She proceeds to go back to the manager to ask if he can simply run the discount without the card being present.  When she retuned she said that I did in fact have to present the card to receive the adjusted pricing.

At this point, I am beyond the dollar bills and more focused on the principle at hand and how the restaurant and management staff would handle this from here on out.  I ask her, seeing as I didn’t have my card, if she could look my number up in their system.  She continues to say that she does not have the ability to look up my card, as they are not stored in their system.  Aggravated at this point, I tell her to forget it and that it is not a big deal.  I asked her how I could get a new card.

She tells me that I will need to one, work in the service industry, and two provide a check stub that proves that employment.  I tell her that I do not have a check stub but that I work in the service industry.  As I stated above, I consider the field that I am in to be a service-oriented field.  She asked me where I currently was employed.  I tell her all of my current endeavors as well as the previous places that I have worked that include Pikk’s Tavern, T.G.I. Friday’s, Logan’s Roadhouse, Champions Sports Bar and Grille, and many others.  Not working at a restaurant, but still working in the service industry she decided to ask her manager if he would not be willing to provide me with a HIP card.

She comes back, and not to my surprise she says no.  Not that this shocked me by any means.  I decide that I was going to leave it alone and not make a big deal out of this.  Ryan, on the other hand, decided to take his position as a certified butch and meat cutter, to the table.  He did have a check stub with him and handed that to her asking her to take that to her manager.  She laughs it off and comes back a few minutes with an answer.  The manager had said no.

One of the things that I like about Ryan is that he does not let sleeping dogs lie.  He gets upset and asks to speak to the manager.  A few moments later he comes walking out and heads over to our table.  He begins to explain his case on how service industry folks are those that work for tips and people that work in design, retail, or other are not allowed to have HIP cards.  This took Ryan aback as he had never heard his position of cutting and delivering meat to be considered retail.  He bickers back and forth and finally I ask him to leave it alone.  He obliges only to have my girlfriend step in with one more question.  She asked if people that work at Wendy’s or McDonald’s would be able to qualify for the HIP card.  The manager did not know.  He then tells the table that he would grab the book that explained what did and did not qualify.

About ten minutes later he walks back out, leans on the door, and begins a conversation with the two young ladies at the front door.  These two ladies, both who were on their cell phones the entire night by the way, couldn’t care less what was going on.  They seemed to be new as the manager at one point handed them their first pay checks, and seemed to be extremely naïve as they only carded about half the people that walked into the bar.  After about five minutes of watching this I was ready to leave and get some pancakes at Perkins right across the street.

Just when we were getting ready to leave I noticed a trio of guys standing around looking at my car.  They were talking, laughing, and making jokes about it as I proceed to offer them $5 rides around the parking lot.  We all laughed and began speaking about the gas mileage and the amount of room on the inside.  One of the gents introduced himself as the general manager of the restaurant.  I decided that there would not be a better opportunity to let him know about how his management and service staff had acted in the previous two hours.

I gave him a short version of the story, as I did not feel he needed to know every little detail of the evening.  He was immediately apologetic and asked for Ryan and I to wait there while he went inside to get us each a HIP card for all of our troubles.  After ten minutes of waiting I gave up and decided that it was not worth my time to sit there and wait for someone that was obviously never coming back.  So I left and headed to the pancakes and coffee that awaited me at Perkins.  I decided to let the events of this evening to pass me by, enjoy a nice dinner with my friends, and call the corporate offices the next day.

Around noon I picked up the phone, called the Fox and Hound corporate offices, and lodged my complaint to their customer service department.  The lady that I spoke with stated that she would pass this information along to the district manager and he would attend to it accordingly.  At this point I felt better just getting it off my chest and telling someone about it.  I figured that no one would call me back and that it would stop there.  The Fox and Hound would lose one customer, sure, but that number meant nothing to the millions that walk through their doors every week.

It was not two hours later when I received a phone call from the district manager.  He was open to listening to me explain the story again, and I was able to fill in some holes that he had from what his secretary had told him.  He apologized time and time again and stated that it was his responsibility to make it right.  I was not calling them to get anything for free, and did not expect anything for free, but in the end he had placed three HIP cards in the mail for Sheryl, Ryan and I, as well as a $75 gift card.  All he wanted was for us to give the Fox and Hound another chance.

To add to the HIP cards and the generous gift card, he also stated that he would be visiting the 86^th street location to revisit this situation and to remind the managers of what customer service is.  I told him that as a consumer I felt that it was my responsibility to let someone know how I was treated in their establishment.  He thanked me for calling to lodge my complaint, I thanked him for listening and taking a personal responsibility in this series of events, and the Fox and Hound fixed an issue that they easily could have ignored.   It has not been twenty-four hours and I am back in a Fox and Hound enjoying a beverage and some dinner.  The 86^th street store lost me but the Fox and Hound has gained a life long friend.