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

Oh boy… where do I even begin to describe this guy. Well, he lives in Arizona. That, and he is always wet. Not from the rain (it never rains in the desert) but because he is always on some exotic vacation scuba diving all over the world. My favorite cousin Chris introduced me to him, and when she told me that he was an underwater photographer, I just had to learn more. I just got my certification a year ago, and I have no interest in taking photos… but when you see what this guy has done, you will see the attraction. I haven’t been diving with him yet, but I have a feeling we will be soon. We have become fast friends, and if all else fails, we can talk about one the dives he has been on. He has been on over 1,000 dives! At any rate, I can’t wait to get wet with this guy! It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to the man behind SCUBAREWS and All Wet Portraits, Ron Watkins. (What a cool name… All Wet Portraits. I love it!)

You are a scuba diver… know that diving will be a HUGE focus of this interview! Let’s start at the beginning; how long have you been diving?

My dad first took me diving in Lake Mead, Nevada in the summer of 1983. He had learned to dive while in the Navy during the Korean War on the USS Oriskany. That summer we dove several times in Lake Mead and even though the visibility wasn’t great, I was hooked. Later that summer we went over to California and did some beach dives near La Jolla and there was much more to see.

Surely you are certified. What certification(s) do you have?

I actually wasn’t certified in 1983 when I first dove. My dad and his friends weren’t either, but back then the certification process wasn’t well established and if you knew a buddy with an air compressor, you could get your tanks filed. My dad just took me in our pool and showed me the basics of breathing compressed air and told me to never ascend faster than your bubbles. He was always with me when I dove and we never went deeper than 40 foot. Actually when he started diving, there were no recreational diving certifications and so he never did get certified.

After graduating from college, where I didn’t dive because I was broke, I took a tip to Jamaica in 1992 and went diving again after taking a brief resort course. The waters of the Caribbean were the best I had ever seen and quickly I got hooked on diving again. So in 1993, I took PADI open water classes from a friend in Phoenix and I did my open water dives in San Carlos, Mexico.

After a few years of diving, I got my first 35mm underwater camera, which I quickly traded in for a more advanced model that allowed me to control aperture underwater and had different lenses that could be changed underwater.  I used it on a few dives and had moderate success with it, but struggled to consistently take good pictures. So I signed up for a PADI underwater photography class on a Great Barrier Reef 7 day live-aboard trip. My instructor was an Israeli name Uzi and he would teach classes on the boat, then dive with me and assist underwater. Once back on the boat, we would process the slide film and view it on a light table and he would critique and provide feedback on how to improve my images. That instant feedback was great and I quickly mastered the basics of that camera and drastically improved my images. In fact, I entered a shark image from that trip in the Seaspace 2000 international underwater photo contest and took first prize. My prize was a trip to Roatan, Honduras where I got my PADI advanced open water certification.

Do you teach others how to dive? I was certified at Indy MPH Watersports, and the guy that taught me had a day job and taught lessons in the evening.

I never got my instructor certification, so I don’t teach scuba diving. I do enjoy informally teaching others underwater photography on live-aboard dive trips. If someone is interested, I am always willing to share tips and lessons learned over the years diving. I meet a lot of people on dive boats with new cameras and they do not know the basics of photography so mostly shoot in automatic mode which will not consistently deliver quality images. So I help them use the manual settings on their camera and provide them photo tips. Over the years, I learned a lot from other more skilled photographers, so I am just trying to pass that on.

You have been diving a long time… how many dives have you been on?

Good question… I actually stopped logging dives at about 600 dives because I found my photography to be a better log book. My dive computer also stores each dive in it so that is another record in case anyone needed to see what my dive profile was for a given dive in the event of an emergency. I typically will take a picture of the dive map that the dive master draws as a reminder of the site and then tag my images with the location of the dive. When I am on a dive trip on a live-aboard, I am typically diving 3-5 times a day so on a 10 day trip, I can really get a lot of dives in. I do try to keep a dive journal during the trip that I make note of unique experiences or conditions as well as the conditions of the operator and boat. I will then typically write up a trip report and share it on my website so that others can see what to expect if they are planning a trip. I now typically put my trip reports on my blog (http://www.ronwatkinsphotography.blogspot.com/)  and then create a new gallery on my website.

Your tank, in some of the photos I have seen of you, says “NITROX” on the side. What’s that mean? Does that require a different certification?

If you are going to be doing a lot of repetitive dives for several days in a row (like on a live-aboard), NITROX is a certification you will definitely want to get for a number of reasons. NITROX or enriched air NITROX is a mixture that contains a higher percentage of oxygen and lower percentage of nitrogen. A standard air filled tank is around 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen and as you know from your certification, nitrogen absorption into your blood stream is what limits your bottom time. So, by increasing the oxygen to 32-36%, you reduce the amount of nitrogen you absorb and therefore can increase your bottom time significantly. You also reduce the risk of decompression sickness and you can decrease your surface intervals so you can spend more time in the water. There are also side effects associated with the nitrogen, like feeling lethargic that you minimize. But there is a risk to diving on NITROX and that is oxygen toxicity, which can kill you. To avoid this, you have to know the maximum depth allowable for the percent oxygen you are using. When you take the NITROX certification classes, they teach you all about this and you also use a special dive computer that you can program your percent oxygen in to.

What’s the best dive you have ever done? Is it even possible to pick?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions I get and the most difficult to answer. It really depends. The easy answer is Indonesia, but that is like saying my favorite state is the United States because Indonesia is about the same size and is an archipelago made up of thousands of islands. Indonesia has incredible biodiversity and the remote regions are pristine. Not only the diving, but the people and culture are phenomenal. Some areas can be challenging though for diving and photography, but if I could only go one place and dive there the rest of my life, it would be Indonesia. I would live in Bali and use it for my base camp for diving expeditions because it has good diving; the nicest people and is a beautiful island.  Some of the places I have been in Indonesia include Bunaken, Lembeh, Wakatobi, Komodo, Flores, Alor, and Raja Ampat. All together, I have spent over 4 months there.

Besides Indonesia, here are a few of my other favorites… For wreck diving, Truk Lagoon in Micronesia has hundreds of sunken WWII Japanese ships and planes. The soft coral and people of Fiji are also hard to beat. Venture out into some of the 300+ islands and find fantastic diving. Hawaii is my favorite US diving. Cozumel is my favorite in Mexico and the Cayman Islands my favorite in the Caribbean.

That’s a lot of dives… have you ever run out of air?

Can you define “run out”? Technically I have never run out of air or I wouldn’t be doing this interview! I have had a few occasions where my primary tank of air ran low and I had to share my buddies air all the way up to the surface. You know, buddy breathing. I am usually really good about monitoring my air, but on occasion, I get so in to my photography, that I allow my air to get lower than recommended. Buddy breathing works fine, but when I am diving with other photographers (the worst kind of dive buddy, me included) or when I dive alone, there isn’t always a buddy nearby. On one dive, my dive buddy and I separated early on in the dive and I found myself at 40 foot with only 250 psi (supposed to surface with at least 500 psi). I saw another diver in the distance, but couldn’t get his attention, so I had to decide to either do a controlled ascent on the air I had or swim after him which would use up air quicker. I swam for him and finally caught him with the take near empty and he quickly gave me his primary air hose and he switched to his back up. We did our 3 minute safety stop at 20 foot and surfaced together.

The other time that was a closer call was on a recent photography dive trip in the cold waters of California where I had not dove in 20+ years.  I found myself separated from my dive buddy photographer after a few minutes into the dive but since I was in only 50 foot of water, I decided to continue on with the dive and photograph. I was breathing more air than usual because of the chilly waters and slight current. I was focused on a colorful nudibranh when I tried to breath in and felt resistance. I immediately looked at my gauge and it read empty. I didn’t panic though. I looked around and saw no one, so I slowly ascended remembering what my dad had taught me about never go faster than your bubbles. I had to skip the safety stop, but I was on NITROX in shallow water for only 50 minutes, so I was fine. I actually had to manually inflate my BC because there was not enough air to inflate it and surface swim on my back to the boat. I was very fortunate and that close call reminded me that safety has to come first.

Do you own all of your own equipment?

I went on one trip to La Paz Mexico in the early 90s after getting certified without my own equipment, and the rental equipment was so unsafe and I almost drown. When I returned home, I bought all of my own equipment. But times have changed and the rental equipment at diving resorts and on live a-boards is often better than what I have. It can be expensive to buy and maintain your own gear, so unless you dive more than 10 days a year, I would seriously consider just renting. It is also a major hassle traveling with all of that extra weight and paying those baggage fees.

You travel all over the world diving… your job also helps that, but still. Does the cost of diving in say, Micronesia differ from diving in the Bahamas?

Dive travel can be very expensive… from the airfare, to the dive boat and the accommodations. Most liveaboards cost between $300-400 dollars per day but you will typically get the most dives in on one. I especially like this option because my camera equipment is safely stored on the boat and there is usually ample space to service it.  So for me, unless there are great land attractions, I try to do a live-aboard because that is my best value to maximize the bottom time and have the most time for photography.

For land based destinations, I think Cozumel and Roatan are two of the best values in the Caribbean and you can usually get low cost airfares. Cozumel has inexpensive hotels, great food for much less than in the US and good dive operators for reasonable price. I do however use a dive guide in Cozumel named Jeremy who owns Living Underwater because he is the best and worth the extra money. His boat, the Jewfish, has a custom made rinse tank that fits my camera exactly because he used it to design the tank. Now that is service!

I typically will do all of my own trip planning to save money, but do have a few travel agents who specialize in dive travel to remote places. I always first try to use my airline frequent flier points if possible,and plan ahead. Many of the southeast Asia destinations like Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines are cheap once you get there, but the flights can be expensive.

As you have mentioned, you do more than dive. You are a professional underwater photographer. What prompted you to start taking pictures down there?

I have always like photography, but really got seriously into it when I took up diving and wanted to capture the beauty I was experiencing and share it with others. Particularly my dad, who can no longer dive, is still able to experience my underwater adventures through my photography. I have also been able to use photography to increase awareness on just how fragile the underwater ecosystem and how we are destroying it. I have given several photography presentations and done photo essays and use them as forums to educate people on the dangers facing the oceans and the creatures that call it home. I am now on my 5th camera setup and it is a really addictive activity.

I have seen sharks, dolphins, sea lions… Do you prefer to shoot any one kind of creature over another? Do you plan the dive for that specific shot?

I go through phases. I shot sharks a lot and planned all of my trips to sharky waters for several years. They are incredible creatures and I am always trying to get that majestic image that shows the beauty of a shark in contrast to the perception of them being man eaters.

I free dove with dolphins in the Bahamas and that was one of favorite shoots ever. I was able to get some great shots of them feeding on squid at night. I was in the water for about three hours with them well after midnight until a large tiger shark showed up and spoiled the party. Sea lions are very playful and fun to shoot because they are like puppy dogs underwater. I also like to shoot macro and capture all of the amazing little critters like pygmy seahorses, squid, crabs, shrimp, anmonefish and eels.

As far as planning the dive for a specific shot, I always try to do that, but sometimes you just get lucky and see something that you never expected.  Then, you hope you can capture a great image. I enjoy researching the marine life of the area before I go. That way I can know what rare species are in the area, their habitat and behaviors. I am also a bit of a history buff, and love to read about the ship wrecks and how they came to their final resting spot. Several years back, I dove in Truk Lagoon in Micronesia, which is considered the wreck diving capitol of the world. It was the site of a major allied offensive during World War II called Operation Hail Storm. There are over 50 Japanese ships and 100 airplanes in the area that you can dive. Seeing these wrecks with their deck guns pointed upward, military artifacts scatter around and the crew’s living quarters was very moving and better than anything I could have read in a history book or seen in a museum.

It’s not just animals you shoot… tell me about All Wet Portraits.

All Wet Portraits presented a new challenge in underwater photography… photographing children underwater. It is so much fun for me and the kids. I use different backdrops, lighting, and even costumes for the kids. It allows me to be very creative in a controlled environment (a pool) and experiment with different techniques.  It also allows me to do photography when at home in Arizona. I have partnered with several swim clubs and also do private shoots on location at pools.  These images are a lot of fun and can be seen on my website www.allwetportraits.com. If you have young children and want to get their picture taken underwater, let me know! I have photographed babies as young as 6 months old.

What’s the deepest you have ever been?

I only dive as deep as I have to in order to get the photo and to date that was 145 foot. There was a Japanese transport ship with tanks strapped on the deck that I had to photograph. It was a quick 15 minute bottom time and then several safety stops at different depths. Not exactly a fun dive, but the tanks were really cool. Usually most of what I shoot is in less than 60 foot, and I prefer shallow water so that I can use the ambient light along with my strobe light.

You are originally from Las Vegas. I LOVE Vegas, but I am not sure I could live there. Do you miss living in Sin City?

Not at all! It was a neat place to grow up in the 80s, when the mob still ran the town and crime was organized. Now, crime is out of control and there are some really bad parts of town. You can get a really cheap house there, but I could never live there again. Usually after 3-4 days, I am ready to escape the strip and head home.

Do you ever exhibit your work? I could totally see a fish on the wall at my local coffee shop!

I use to exhibit my work a lot and participate in several juried art shows a year, but I don’t have the time to do that now. I do have some art in a local coffee shop and a permanent exhibit of 9 prints at the Peoria Library in the kid’s book section.  My main exhibit now is in my home and online.

I have only been on a few dives, but I LOVE it. Do you get the same thrill 1,000+ dives in that you did when you first started?

I do get excited every time I dive and feel fortunate to be able to do so. I must admit that I do get less excited when I am diving in the Caribbean after diving so much in SE Asia because there is a lot less marine biodiversity.

Tell me more about the Sonoran Arts League.

The Sonoran Art League (SAL) is a wonderful group of talented artists of all kinds. SAL allowed me to not only network with other artist and learn more about the business of art. The SAL Hidden in the Hills Studio tour is one of my favorite events each year. I participated 3 years in a row and unlike the typical tent art show, you get to see the artist demonstrating their art and spend more quality time with the artist in a relaxed setting. For me, it is difficult to demonstrate my art at the tour, but I do have all of my underwater photography equipment on display and enjoy explaining the process to interested people. I encourage everyone to come out and the tour which is held the weekend before and after Thanksgiving each year.

Does diving get easier the more you do it?

It does come very natural to me know and I rarely consciously focus on breathing. Buoyancy is also something that improves with experience and the less weight that you wear (new divers are typically over-weighted). I have a mental checklist that I go through before each dive with my gear and camera equipment. If I haven’t been diving for several months, it usually take the first dive for me to get back in my groove, but then after that, I really feel at home.

You have done a few liveaboards. What’s that experience like? Take me through a week on a boat.

Eat, dive, sleep and repeat pretty much sums it up. Most the boats I have been on hold between 10-16 divers and are really nice inside and out. You get your own cabin and usually your own bathroom. On low end boats, like in California, you may just sleep in bunks and share a couple of bathrooms. Food is great and plentiful, the service excellent and the dive setup really easy. They usually wake you up shortly after dawn and you have a light bite and then dive. When you get out of the water, you sit your tank in a designated spot and put away your gear under your seat.  They fill the tanks and everything is ready for the next dive, which is after a full breakfast. You repeat this and dive about 3-5 times each day. If you don’t do a dive, you can relax, read a book, nap or work on pictures and camera equipment. The boat may move a little bit throughout the day and so you will dive different spots. At night is usually when they make the major moves. They also usually have land tours to local villages or sites. It is a diver’s paradise and will spoil you.

Have you ever been bit?

I once got bit by an anemone fish (Nemo) when I was too close to her eggs. They have really sharp teeth and it did draw blood. I have suffered a couple of severe jellyfish stings on my neck that really hurt. I also got a hickey from a stingray in the Caymans.

Your work is SO good. Have you ever won any awards for your photography?

Thanks Ricky. Glad you like it. I won The Digital Shootout two years in a row in Bonaire and Little Cayman and have also won awards in several international photography competitions over the years. I also won the photography category in the Cave Creek Film & Arts Festival 2 years in a row and the second year won the people’s choice award. The prizes for these contest include cash, some really nice dive trips and dive/camera equipment. The latest underwater photography competition that I have entered has over $82,000 in prizes!

You are currently living in Scottsdale… that’s the desert. There is no water! If you get the itch, where do you typically go to dive?

Besides pools, I have only been to Fossil Creek, which is about 2 hours north of Phoenix. There I photographed the native fish and scenery and wrote an article that was published in the Arizona Wildlife Views magazine.

When I was learning how to dive, the instructor always said before we got into the water, “Let’s get wet.” I say that EVERY time I get ready to jump in. Do you have any rituals before you jump in?

No cool sayings like that, but I like it! On the liveaboards, they usually say, “the pool is open” and you are free to dive. I always double-check my camera seal so that it doesn’t leak.

What’s the coldest water you have ever dove in?

This trip to the Channel islands just his last October for the Southern California digital shootout. Water was a chilly 63, which the locals said was warm. Screw that… I prefer the warm water, but the diving is California is really good and I will be going back soon.

Speaking of getting wet, what’s your preferred entry method? I prefer the giant stride!

Me too. Back rolls are okay though.  I always have to swim back to the boat after jumping in and get my camera though.

You are all over the place… how many stamps are on your passport?

When I was living in Singapore, I filled up all of the pages on my second passport and had to get additional pages. I haven’t counted recently, but my current passport is getting full again. I also have Visa’s for China and Indonesia in there as well.

When you take photos, do you post them as is, or do you take them into Photoshop and clean them up?

Some of colors you see underwater are like no other color you have ever seen before. However, the deeper you go, the darker it is and the more color you lose to the naked eye. But when you add light with a flashlight or the strobes on my camera it brings back the true colors. I am sometimes asked by people viewing one of my exhibits if I enhance or change the color of the marine life in the image. This is often because when they have seen that fish of turtle while snorkeling or in an aquarium, it appeared with less color or a different shade of color. I currently use an SLR digital camera for my photography and shoot all of my images in a RAW digital negative format. Like the earlier slide film that I worked with, RAW files have to be post processed in a “digital” dark room environment using software instead of chemicals. Most of the adjustments made to the image are the same types of adjustments that were made in a traditional darkroom. The goal of my fine art photography is to represent the subject as close to its true colors as possible and allow nature’s palette to shine through. I do not manipulate any of my images by adding elements that were not in the picture.

Do you ever shoot on dry land?

I do and love it. My favorite subject is wildlife and have gotten some of those images published as well. On a recent trip to Canada, I photographed black bears for three days in the wild. I was able to get pretty close to them and captured some awesome shots. Another fun trip was when I took snowmobiles into Yellowstone National Park in the winter. I got some nice images of bighorn sheep, bison, elk, deer and a bald eagle all with a winter wonderland backdrop.

We talked about your scuba gear, but what about your camera gear? I bet you have some pretty high-end cameras and lenses. What all are you shooting with?

My equipment is pretty high end, but not the highest end. I have been shooting with my Nikon D300 DSLR camera in a Sea & Sea housing for the last 3 years and feel really comfortable with it. I use two Sea & Sea 250 strobes and a focus light. On land it weighs about 22 pounds, but under water with some floats it is almost neutral buoyant. Depending on the type of lens you have on the camera, you have a different port on the housing. This means you have to commit to shooting macro or wide angle for the entire dive.

It is definitely not the camera that makes the photographer though. I have been out shot by some camera setups a lot less than mine. There are so many factors that go into a good image. On a recent trip to La Paz, a friend with a point and shoot Canon G12 got a lot better whale shark photo than the one I got and it was her first time diving with that camera. So all it takes to take good images is to be a good diver with excellent buoyancy, have a quality camera that you know how to use, a good eye for composition and lighting, and a little luck never hurts.

There are so many places to dive… but what’s next? Where is the next dive? Are there any places that you have never been but want to visit?

First where I want to go still! Maldives, South Africa for the Sardine run and possible Alaska if I can brave the cold.  My next trip this April is to a new place and I am very excited about that trip – Papua New Guinea! I will be on a 10 day live-aboard dive trip and can’t wait. I also hope to explore some the local tribes that live there and get some nice land photographs. And I want to “get wet” with Mr. Ricky Lee Potts in the near future. Maybe we could get some cool images of you underwater that you can share with your followers!

We have been talking about scuba diving and photographs all day… but what else do you like to do? What other hobbies do you have?

I really enjoy flyfishing and hiking. Actually anything outdoors I love. I like golf, but I am just a hacker and enjoy being outside. I also love to travel and experience new places, culture and food.

Speaking of golf… diving is like golf… something you can do forever. Do you see yourself diving your way into retirement?

Absolutely! My dad was able to dive pretty late in life, but had to stop after he damaged his ear drum. I have been diving with people in their 80s before. So as long as I am healthy enough, I will dive!

Man, I feel like I could ask you questions all day. This has been fun… we need to go diving soon! In all of the interviews that I do, I always give the artist last word. Go.

Life is short so make the most of it. I have been fortunate to pursue my passions and experience some wonderful places in my life. Another one of my passions is preserving the ocean and all of its inhabitants. I also use my art to increase awareness of the reefs and marine life. The oceans support a diverse and important marine ecosystem which humans depend on. Over the years I have been diving, I have witnessed the deterioration of reefs, decreased fish populations and the decimating practice of shark finning. I hope that by people seeing my images, they will take more of an interest in the conservation of this fragile natural resource. Shark finning kills tens of thousands of sharks every year and is senseless. Please do not support any establishment that serves shark fin soup. Thanks for this interview Ricky and I look forward to getting wet with you soon!

As most of you know, we love to travel. We are always going somewhere, whether it’s just for the weekend or on a longer vacation to some remote island somewhere. We love traveling, seeing the world, and experiencing different cultures. One of those trips we recently made was to Louisville, Kentucky. It’s not far, maybe two hours from our place, and offered us a nice getaway before winter. While we were there, we danced in some clubs, sipped craft brew at some local pubs, took in a tour of the baseball stadium, and visited some local breweries. But the highlight of our trip came when we discovered Derby City Espresso. (We actually found it on foursquare.) When you walk in, you are just surrounded by unique decor… the walls are covered in nothing specific and there are beer bottles everywhere. That’s when you meet Matt, the bartender. He is also the barista. He also owns the place. Oh yeah, and he lives there! Did I mention he is the ONLY employee? Anyway, we talked for hours, became quick friends, and have since been back to visit him on a lazy Saturday afternoon. After meeting Matt, I just knew I had to learn more about him. So I scheduled an interview with him during our second trip south. It’s my absolute pleasure to introduce you to one of the most well rounded and most traveled persons I know… Matt Landan, the owner and operator of Derby City Espresso.

I first learned about this place on foursquare. You are also utilizing Twitter and Facebook. How has social media changed the way you operate?

This business has come along with the age of social media. I have used social media since I opened the place nearly five years ago. If anything, I think it’s not that my social media strategy is changing, but… I don’t have a strategy. If anything I am doing less social media than I once did. I used to post a lot more. I now post a lot less.

There is a moment that is happening with social media… people are turning it off. People are saying, “This is the time of day I will do this.” People are coming in here and turning off their social media when they come in. They are having real human interaction. Don’t get me wrong, social media is good… it’s a great way to get your word out. The best media campaign I ran was a sticker campaign with just the logo. I had so many people pointing at my logo, saying, “What is that?” Then they found out what it was and were less impressed.

I have so many things I want to ask you. Let’s just start from the top. You used to work at Whole Foods as a coffee buyer. What does a day in the life of a coffee buyer look like?

I pretty much cut a lot of cheese… I also worked at the cheese counter. The coffee buying is not like being the seafood buyer. It’s a small section of the store. You are responsible for the orders and stocking of the coffee and tea products. You also stock coffee items, including glassware. Working for Whole Foods Market pretty much sucks. It was my second time working with them. In 1994, in their very first store outside of the southwest, in Chicago… it was a fun place to work back then. But it sucked. It was part of the reason that I opened this place. I hated that job. I hated it.

I used to do PR for General Motors three days a week. Then I moved back from Europe to work at Whole Foods… I was a kid who had no college degree making ten bucks an hour. I doubled their coffee sales, and they didn’t compensate me for it at all… and I was still getting paid crap. On top of that, Whole Foods does not recycle. They are a terrible company. They are not what people perceive them to be. They grew at such a rapid pace, and they made so much money on the stock market; they kept buying other grocery store chains.

You sell coffee, tea, and beer here at Derby City Espresso. What’s your favorite coffee? Favorite coffee drink?

I like African for single origins. Kenyan and Tanzania… and Yemenite coffee is very nice. I like mocha from Mocha, Yeman. I like all kinds of origins of coffee. I don’t think much about it since I only serve roasted espresso blends here. That would have been a better question to ask me when I was at Whole Foods. I used to come into a huge variety of coffee working there.

In terms of coffee drinks, I love to drink cappuccino…. If it’s made properly that is. This can be any variety of coffee. As a matter of fact, after this beer I am probably going to make myself a cup of cappuccino before I go on the scooter ride.

Do you prefer coffee, tea, or beer?

At this point in my life, I prefer beer. Definitely beer… I am more of a night guy, and I only drink one or two coffees a day. It’s become the business focus, my beverage of choice. Beer has transformed my life.

You used to live overseas as a translator. First off, how many languages do you speak? Also, I want to hear more about your time in Europe.

I speak three languages. English, fluent Italian, and conversational German. I moved to Europe after graduating from the University of Oregon with a degree in journalism. I went there to become a journalist. I had fallen in love with the idea of being and living in Italy. I lived in Italy for just under two years. I worked first for a newspaper as an intern, then working on the newswire reporting stock market information in Milan.

Then I was very lucky… one of the stories that I did for the newspaper came back, and the company was a technology company. They were the primary technology firm. I did a story on voice synthesis and voice recognition technology. They were pioneers in the field. They hired me to be their translator. I spoke and wrote Italian so I could both speak and write Italian, and write and speak English. I spent a year with them as an intern. I was paid about 24,000 Euro. It was a nice little life in Italy.

The company was then sold, and I had developed a relationship with a woman in Germany. My manager was up for renewal and he didn’t have the authority to hire me again, so I ended up working for Deutsche Telekom as a freelancer. It was the best paid job of my life. I was paid 200 Euro a day… I did that for a few months, and then went to work for a small PR firm in Frankfurt. They used me for a position they had with General Motors in Europe. I worked at GM Europe corporate headquarters as a translator and PR guy. I would take a press kit written for German folk and translate to English.

The decorations make this place so unique. Does every piece have a story? How do you pick a new piece of memorabilia to hang on the wall?

Everything has a story. Most everything… there are a few that I don’t know what their stories are. I don’t really pick the stuff anymore. People give me stuff… all my stuff is up already. I am relying on the world and the universe to bring me stuff. Now, the only new stuff that I hang up are beer neons. I have collected quite a few since I started selling beer. I am really into neon, video games, and pinball machines.

So… parrots? What are their names? Do you have any other pets?

Pebbles and Bam Bam are their names and there is a turtle that lives on the back patio… his name is Dan.

Let me get this straight… You also live here? I bet that keeps overhead low. And you’re the only employee? That can’t hurt!

I had to move into the shop when my girlfriend dumped me. The business was so young I couldn’t really afford an apartment. The first year, after I opened it, I lived with her. Then we broke up, and I moved here. There is a little room above the bathroom. But I don’t really live here anymore.

I am actually quite happy with that. It was a little confining living and working in the same place. It made my life very narrow in some ways. At the same time, I was always the little boy who would retreat to my room. Fine, I am confined to my room? That’s fine… it was the best room in the word. Living and working in the same area is great if you love what you do. And I do…. I can’t love everything all the time. That’s just irrational. But it wasn’t so bad. I lived in here for over two years. 350 nights a year I would sleep in the exact same place I would work. I would wake up, walk downstairs and go to work.

So what happens if you want to leave town or get sick? You just leave town? (I know that businesses in Europe do that, but rarely here in the states do you see that.)

I don’t really get sick. I am fortunate to have my health. If I feel bad, sometimes I just don’t open. If I feel like I don’t really want to see or serve people… I will skip classes and close the show. On my vacations I just close the shop. I am fortunate enough to make enough 11 months of the year, I can afford a month vacation. I like to travel.

What’s your high score on Jungle Lord?

2.8 million. The actual high score on the game was set by my pinball machine repair friend. He comes in, fixes my game, and sets the high scores on them. He competes on another level.

You used to work at Wrigley Field. Are you a Cubs fan?

I am a Cubs fan. I am pretty ambivalent these days. I mean, it’s been 39 seasons in my life that I have seen the Cubs lose. I don’t expect the team to win. There is no better place in the world to see a ballgame. But I liked working there… sitting in the bleachers watching batter practice with no one else in the ballpark. That was the summer of the strike in 1994… I only got to work half the season. I have also worked the new Komiske Park, or Cingular Field, where the White Sox play.

You have traveled all over the world? What made you settle down here, in Louisville?

I don’t know. I really want to leave that one a mystery.

Being your own boss has to have perks. Also being able to select all your own coffee, tea and beers. Do you try everything you sell first? What’s the process like when you blow a keg? Do you just fill it with whatever you want?

I do try everything first, for the most part. I roast my own coffee, so I don’t know exactly when I buy the beans how its going to come out after I roast it. I am not the best roaster around, I am still teaching myself. But with the beer I pretty much know what I am getting. I am always trying new beers, but I know something about the style… the brewery, I can have a leading expectation about the beer, even if I have never had it before I buy a case or a keg.

The philosophy on the beer is rotation rotation rotation… never buy the same thing twice unless you have a deal with a brewery. You can’t… there’s so much variety and so many breweries. Why would you bring in the same beer case after case year after year when you can have something different? It might be the same style… but why not just collect beers? I collect tap handles solely based on the tap handles I want. And/or the rarity of the beer.

You used to be a Dead Head. That has to have produced some stories. Tell me one… Maybe your most memorable experience as a Dead Head.

Dead Head story… I don’t know. Several years after Jerry Garcia died, I was living in Oregon working as an intern at a public radio station in Eugene… while I was in college. I got to meet Ken Kesey, the author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and hang out with this guy. I saw them for about six years, went to more than 100 shows, did my fair share of psychedelic drugs… actually had my consciousness expanded bit by bit. Many years later, after the whole phenomenon ended, and I had moved on with my life, to meet the guy who was there when it all started, and to get to befriend him… I never did LSD with Ken Kesey… (laughs) I should say that… but I did get to drink red wine with him. That sums up the whole Grateful Dead thing. Your dreams can come true.

Ken was very influential and that led to a lifestyle. It influenced my selection of drugs that I would do. Years after it ends, to have it be the epilogue to that story… sums up the sort of experience. That is what Grateful Dead was about. It was mind over matter. If you want to meet famous, or interesting people… what kind of world do you want to live in? Do you want to live in a magical world where everything you think becomes a reality… or do you want to work for Whole Foods?

You have a lot of local music in here… You’re also an all ages venue. How do you pick what bands to book?

I have a lot of regular musicians that I work wth; Louisville musicians. I know a lot of guys… and it’s a pool I go back to . A lot of people choose me. I get a lot of requests from a lot of out of town bands. It’s a challenge to book what you want to book. It always happens when you have a weekend that you just can’t book. On those prime real estate days… I will book anything. I have the most open booking policy in the city. I am the only person doing all ages shows in the city… besides maybe house parties. When we do underage bands, when I give kids the opportunity, it’s exclusively on the door basis. They need to guarantee me money. If I can’t sell enough beer, I can’t justify it being worth my time. That’s the challenge.

According to your wall, you have been to a ton of shows. Is it possible to pick a favorite show? Maybe the most memorable performance you’ve ever seen.

I have had so many memorable experiences at shows… going to see live music was my way of life even after I was not able to see the Grateful Dead. I have seen a ton of great shows since I came home from Europe… let me think. Seeing Roger Waters in 2006 at Deer Creek. I saw him do Dark Side of the Moon… and it blew my mind. Literally… six months later I opened up this place.

I love the Derby City Espresso logo. Who designed that? It’s just so simple, and clean.

A designer who used to live in Louisville, who now lives in LA, named Bill Green designed the logo. It’s our initials you can see the three initially… the D, the C, and the E. A lot of people like to think it means other things, or like to speculate what it means. He is now the primary designer for the Lebowski Fest. They are celebrating their 10 year anniversary this year, and will be doing a cast reunion. They will all be there… Jeff Bridges and John Goodman. Anyway, Bill Green is the lead designer for that.

I notice you save ALL of your used coffee grounds. What’s the deal with that?

I give them to a few friends who have gardens. We collect all our coffee grounds. We recyle all our cans and bottles. I strive to have the smallest impact I can. If you take all the recycling, and the cardboard, and the coffee grounds… you realize that you are throwing away a bag of garbage once a week.

You are using Square technology to accept credit card payments. That’s such a new concept; I bet a lot of people make comments about it. How has Square worked for you? Do you see any drawbacks or have any complaints on the technology?

One draw back is the tip maximize at 30%. We will get customers here that want to tip at a greater amount. That’s a problem. Sometimes people want to give me a lot of money… and I want to take it. I want the 50% tip. Other than that, it’s pretty excellent. I am so much happier with them than the previous mainstream credit card company. They were a bunch of mobsters… with the advent of more transparent technology.

You have one size… Do people ever come in and order a venti?

I have been criticized for being too harsh with people who try to speak Starbucks lingo to me.

The last time I was in, I tried a cayenne pepper chocolate. One, who made those? And why do you sell candy? Don’t you already have enough going on behind that bar?

I think coffee and chocolate go happy together. Coffee and beer even. There are made by a local chocolatier… but it’s called Cellar Door Chocolate. They are located just down the street. People want to eat chocolate when in here drinking coffee and beer. If nothing else, it provides an excuse to buy something for your lady friend.

Serving beer, I’m sure you get some crazy people coming in. How do you handle it when people get out of control?

Doesn’t really happy that much. We are sort of the early bar… we are not the late bar. People come here before they go to the bar… they will come see some music, drink a few beers. They are not drinking liquor and they go on with their party. We are not that place. We are not the bar where lights are flashing and all. We are the early place. The Louisville bars stay open until 4… and we are almost always closed by 1.

So what do I call you… A bartender? A barista? Or does Matt pretty much cover it?

I think it’s more bartending… I sell nine beers for every coffee I sell.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Not a bartender… or at least not a full time bartender. Honestly, I don’t know. It’s pretty clear that I can keep doing this for as long as I feel like. I can always do this… and I have not made any firm decisions about that. I am more than happy to double down on Louisville. Odds are I will still have some presence here in five years. There are five years left on this lease… so the room will still be here, and it will be my room.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done? When it’s all over, what do you want your legacy to be?

By who? My Wikipedia page? I don’t really care what people remember. If they remember me, isn’t that enough? If someone is even thinking of you, regardless of how they remember you. It’s so subjective… for anyone that doesn’t like me, you just want them to know that you are still there. For people that love me, they have their personal reasons anyway. Sadly I have had a couple of friends pass away this summer.. the memory of a person is an important question. All that is left are memories… and there is a giant absence in the everyday real world. It’s funny how people will remember other people.

I always let the artists I interview get the last word. I’d say you are an artist. So take us all home… What do you want my readers to know? Go.

If you have never been to Louisville before, you deserve to come.

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Talk about a cool concept… and a great URL. I have interviewed his band, but during the interview we talked about another project he was working on called To My Future Spouse. It’s a great idea, and one that he has been able to capitalize on. The man behind this blog is Cory Copeland, and he has been able to take this idea and turn it into a blog that is attracting all walks of life. Imagine the ability to write a letter to your future spouse, and have it shared with the world… thus enter tmfs. On the site, you can submit your letters, and they will get posted for everyone to see… future spouse included. I have written a few letters, and have spent many nights reading others. This is a great idea, and I just had to learn more. So I sat down with Cory again, but this time put music aside. I wanted to focus on the website. What would you like to say to your future spouse?

An artist interview wasn’t enough… now I find out you are running this SICK blog concept… rather than me recapping what you are doing, tell us a little bit more about tmfs: to my future spouse.

TMFS is a site that allows individuals to write anonymous love notes to their future spouse, whether they know who that person is or not. I started the site last July and I have to say I’m really proud of all it’s accomplished this past months.

Since you are writing about marriage, are you married?

Not anymore. I got married when I was nineteen but divorced when I was twenty-two.  I actually had a book published about the whole ordeal. (laughs)

Do you see more men writing in, or women?

Definitely more women. I think most men are afraid to access the part of themselves that allows them to be “mushy” or romantic on a regular basis. Most women don’t have that problem because it’s what they want from their man, to be treated like the queen they believe themselves to be.

I bet some of these comments can get pretty naughty… do you try to moderate this at all?

I have certainly had a few risqué notes slide into the inbox. As a writer myself, I never like to censor someone, especially when their writing from a vulnerable place but I do try to keep TMFS at a certain level of class which means editing for misspellings or maybe rewording to make the note flow a little better. Nothing wrong with a little sass though. (laughs)

Your use of Tumblr. has simply impressed me. You are on here… the band you are in uses it. tmfs uses it. What’s your obsession with Tumblr? (For the record, that’s not a bad thing.)

You’re absolutely right. TMFS is the first blog I opened on Tumblr but it was so easy to use that I moved my own personal blog over soon after. It’s just one of the better, more simplistic blogging tools that I’ve seen so I’ve stuck with it.

So in all of the notes that you have read, what are some of the most memorable?

Over the past year, TMFS has posted almost 3,000 notes. During that time, the most memorable are the ones that divulge a deep, sometimes traumatic secret about themselves or relay a wish they only want their future spouse to read or see. I count it a great responsibility and honor that people trust me with their notes. I don’t take that lightly by any means. I take the confidentiality of the submitter as serious as possible. I think that’s one reason the site has been as successful as it has been.

Have you ever had someone contact you, getting married, and having been influenced by the site?

The biggest influence I’ve seen is people sending in thank you notes to me personally for giving them a site that shows them that there are good men and women out there who care about marriage and aren’t just all about sleeping with as many people as possible. TMFS is about decency and in today’s age, decency isn’t as rampant as we’d like to think.

How does this project come up in conversation? Do you just tell people, “Hey, write a note to your future spouse… here’s how!”

Well it started out like that! (laughs) I began by posting on my personal Facebook and Twitter accounts multiple times a day that I had a new website I was running. It kind of took off from there. TMFS’ growth has been almost entirely word of mouth which is incredible to think about.

Every now and then I’ll alert my new Twitter followers about the site or post a random status about it on Facebook but that’s about it for “advertising”.

How many of these notes come in on a daily basis?

I’d say an average of ten notes a day come in.

Surely there has to be a way to make money on this… or is that even your goal here?

This question makes me think of the line from The Social Network when Timberlake’s character tells Zuckerburg, “You don’t know what it (Facebook) is yet…” That’s where I’m at now. I figure I’ll just let the site run an organic course and if it turns a buck in the future, then great. But if not, then that’s okay too.

All blogs have haters… have you had anyone try to tear your dreams apart with this project?

Absolutely. People call it “stupid” or “too mushy” because they don’t see the point but to each their own, right?

You know, I bet this is a good way to pick up chicks. “Hey honey, why don’t you write me a note…” You then could explain it… how cute? Anyway, how do you stay motivated with this project?

(laughs) I’ve actually been accused of starting the site solely to meet women but that doesn’t bother me. Yes, I’ve attached my name and face to the site so people will know who they’re trusting with their notes but I just enjoy the romanticism of it all. I’m proud of TMFS and the hope if provides for people who want to find love.

I bet you could work with some dating services, or even have your own events, where singles get together and write their notes while drinking and hanging out… sort of an organized excuse to meet singles. Ever thought of that?

I’ve thought about that but with TMFS being known for its anonymity that may be kind of tricky. That and the readers are spread out all over the United States and the rest of the world for that matter. To get a concentrated group of TMFS readers in one spot this early in the site’s history would be challenge, I’d think.

You are using the blog, Twitter, and Facebook to promote this… which one of those social services has proven to be the most successful for you?

We have more followers on Tumblr but I’d say it has to be Twitter (@tmfspouse).  Mostly because individuals will tweet notes with the hashtag #tmfs and TMFS will retweet them. This way TMFS’ followers can put a name and face with a note. I’ve witnessed friendships built through these connections and it’s amazing to see. One day, we may even have a couple get married who met only because of TMFS. That would be awesome.

You have a disclaimer there on your website. What’s the reason for making that known? Have you ever had any issues with people challenging you using his or her comments?

I haven’t had any issues yet. I put the disclaimer up simply for liability purposes. I try to avoid any and all issues that would threaten the site.

Why do you keep it anonymous? What happens if, say, in five years someone wants his or her note back… how would you know?

I keep all the notes that have been posted to the TMFS site in a folder in the inbox. I keep it anonymous because I think most people find it easier to submit their personal thoughts and dreams if no one knows it was them that submitted it. Plus, it gives the site an air of intrigue and that never hurt anyone. (laughs)

Let’s pretend you are not married… not dating. And you stumble across this site. Go ahead; write your note to your future spouse.

Actually, I write and post my own notes from time to time. But if it was on the spot, I’d have to say, “To My Future Wife: I’m not ready for you just yet but when I am, I plan on wowing you every chance I get. Prepare yourself, woman.”

You have some TMFS apparel… what all can I buy associated with the project?

Well, I actually had some t-shirts designed but ran in to some issues with the printer so we had to postpone that for now. I’m hoping to get it off the ground soon.

I keep calling it a project… sorry, that’s what I call it! What’s next for TMFS?

I haven’t decided just yet. But whatever it is, I’ll be sure to get the readers’ input beforehand. TMFS has become its own little community and I love that. I like to think we’re all in this together. Hopefully, the readers feel the same. (laughs)

There will be rain coming down this fall at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. But not on the roof – it’s on the stage! The refreshing, romantic comedy Singin’ In The Rain – the stage version of one of MGM’s most celebrated films – pours onto the Beef & Boards stage for performances from September. 1 through October. 9.

Set in 1920s Hollywood, this classic is the story of Don Lockwood, a famous actor in silent films. His success is shared by his co-star, Lina Lamont, but – at least for Don – their romance is only for the screen. When they star in their first talking movie, Lina’s grating voice causes studio executives to arrange for the voice of the beautiful young actress, Kathy Selden, to be used instead. Although the movie is successful, Lina is furious. While Don has eyes for the lovely Kathy, Lina isn’t about to be pushed aside – on screen, or off.

Timothy Ford returns to Beef & Boards to reprise his 2006 role as Don Lockwood, while Sara Brophy plays his love interest, Kathy Selden. Beef & Boards favorites Sarah Hund and Doug King play the roles of Lina Lamont and Cosmo Brown (Don Lockwood’s zany friend and sidekick).

There are 47 performances of Singin’ In The Rain scheduled in the intimate space of Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. Tickets range from $36 to $59, and include Chef Odell Ward’s dinner buffet, coffee, tea and lemonade. Discounts are available for children and groups of 20 or more and parking is free.

For reservations, call the Beef & Boards box office at 317-872-9664. The box office hours are 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Tuesday through Sunday, and 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Mondays.

Click here to “like” Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre on Facebook.

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Do you know what it’s like to be living a perfectly normal, happy life as a young adult in their late 20′s and be diagnosed with cancer and be told that you might die from it? Unfortunately I do. 50/50 is a comedic movie to give those, not so fortunate people a feel of what young adults facing cancer go through. 70,000 young adults (aged 18-39) get diagnosed with cancer each year. We sit in waiting rooms with people two to three times our age facing a death sentence. Adam (Gordon-Levitt) is diagnosed with a rare cancer in his spine. His best friend (Seth Rogan) helps him try to deal with it by bringing humor to his life and teaching him to use his cancer to his benefit. His mom (Anjelica Huston) wants to take care of her little boy (or so he is in her eyes) but Adam considers more overbearing and annoying than helpful.

This movie brought out a lot of raw emotion in me that I had buried since going through cancer. For one, everyone wants you to stay positive all of the time. The chemo can give you such depressive thoughts and you have to face the fact that you might not survive. I didn’t call it depression, I called it facing reality. I chose to get everything in line in case I didn’t survive. The movie shows Adam’s journey through all the emotions of cancer/chemo and facing a possible death sentence. He goes through the highs of medicinal marijuana to the lows of puking from the chemo.

Focusing on the Details

My only complaints about the movie are small details. For one, why didn’t Adam lose or at least get his eyebrows thinned out while on chemo? Do you ever see cancer patients that are bald from treatment but have bushy eyebrows? No, chemo attacks all the fast growing cells in the body including all hair follicles and nails. Second, this would have been a GREAT opportunity for any of the number of foundations that help young adults facing cancer to be mentioned. I personally, am a fan of i2y.com (aka I’m too young for this aka stupidcancer.com). This is a site started by a man who faced brain cancer as a young adult and couldn’t find any resources dedicated helping young adults with cancer. This site is actually the first place I heard about the movie 50/50 several months ago. Also, livestrong.com is a huge organization and has a section dedicated just to young adults. Lance Armstrong was mentioned in the movie but not his foundation.

I found this movie was entertaining, emotional and endearing. The audience clapped when the movie ended and I will admit I was one of them. With having Seth Rogan in the movie and as producer, of course there is a lot of language and drug references. So it is not for the ultra-conservative. I left feeling good about the movie and it’s stayed on my mind for the past several days as I remember my illness and the feelings that I went through and still go through from battling cancer. I would give it a 5/5!

This was a guest blog post written by Kristie Williams.

Click here to “like” 50/50 on Facebook.

Since I started working out, I have found an excuse to read. I am able to read while spending time on the treadmill. Think of it as killing two birds with one stone. So as a motivation to read more, and to work out more, I picked up a book at Half Price Books. I grabbed a novel from John Grisham called Playing for Pizza. It’s a story of a washed up NFL quarterback and his chance at glory… in Italy.

Also, since I am writing movie reviews, I will try to write book reviews as well. I do tend to review the books I read on LinkedIn, and even utilize that as a way to track what I have read and am reading. But with an outlet like this, why not also blog about them?

Truly Enjoying Rick Dockery

John Grisham is not known for writings novels like this, which made this one even more interesting. That, and it was only $1 at Half Price Books. I love that store for this very reason, allowing me to buy books at a very reasonable rate. I usually go into Half Price Books with a budget in mind, and tend to shop mainly in the clearance section.

The main character in Playing for Pizza is Rick Dockery, often referred to as Ricky or Reek. They call him Reek because he spends most of his time in Italy, playing for the Parma Panthers. Football in Italy is not as popular as it is here in the United States, with soccer being the main focus over there. But the team still brings out some fans, as tickets are free. Imagine that… watching professional football for free!

“Fans of John Grisham live for his legal thrillers. But now and then he serves up something unexpected. That’s exactly what he does, with great success, in Playing For Pizza.” – USA Today

The book starts out with Rick throwing away (literally) the AFC Championship game. From there he finds himself on his way to Italy to play for the Parma Panthers. Each team is allowed three players from the USA. Rick is the only American player on the team, and his reputation follows him all the way overseas. American players are also the only ones who are paid to play. Rick is also provided a place to stay and a car, a Fiat that proves to be a challenge for him. He can’t drive a stick, kills the car nearly everywhere he goes, and finds it nearly impossible to park on the busy Italian streets. There are actually several parts of the book that focus on the car, and his inability to drive a stick shift.

Italian Culture Shock

When Rick first gets to Italy, he is greeted with open arms and is shown the true sense of what it means to be Italian. He gets to try new food, sample new wines, and is even taken to the opera. (Let’s just say Rick isn’t the type of guy to appreciate the opera. But he does get down on the food. The drinks too… several scenes you find Rick either drunk or experiencing a hangover.)

“Enthralling.” – People

Rick quickly becomes comfortable, and ends up falling in love with the lifestyle. Compared to the way he was treated in the States, these changes are welcome. He does, throughout the book, tend to fall “in love” with several women. He isn’t whoring himself around like you’d expect an NFL quarterback to do, but he does wake up in the bed of a stranger a few times.

When he really does fall in love, it’s with a woman singing in the opera. They date for a few chapters, and when she finally stands him up toward the end of the book, he quickly replaces her with an American college student. Not many people speak English, and it was always refreshing for him to find someone who does. (There is a lot of drama wrapped around this Jane Doe toward the end of the book, but nothing that doesn’t eventually sort itself out.)

Isn’t the point of this book football?

Yes, Rick is a football player, and a lot of this book details his passion for the game. But the Parma Panthers only play a handful of games each season, before the Super Bowl. Yes, they call it that over in Italy too! His team would have its ups and downs, and its fair share of roster changes, but by the end of the book what the Panthers had hoped for came true. (I can’t tell you if they won or lost the final game… but let’s just say the book ends on a high note.)

Rick ends up staying in Italy, and by the time I finished the final page I wanted to learn more about Rick. I hate it when I get hooked on a book like this, but I guess that’s what keeps me turning the page. I finished this book in less than a week and am excited to start my next read.

Have you read Playing for Pizza? Speaking of pizza… what are some of your favorite toppings?

At the end of the book, you learn that not only are the Parma Panthers real, but also John Grisham actually spent some time in Parma. The places are real, and while the names are completely fictional, the city of Parma does have a team in the NFL Italy, an actual professional football organization.

Click here to buy Playing for Pizza.

*A main selection of Book-of-the-Month Club, The Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club, and The Mystery Guild.

A voice like this doesn’t come around very often. That is why I was SO excited when I was first introduced to ΔNGELO. There are several other artists out there with the same name, but NO ONE uses the Δ, which I find both artistic and unique. That just adds to my feeling about this talented performer. I actually asked him about the  asked him about the Δ in the interview. ΔNGELO has a new single out called Terrible Heart. The story of that single is quite interesting, as it was first inspired by the infamous Edgar Allan Poe. But his voice is what I keep coming back to… that, and his lyrics. I will just stop talking about him, how about that? It’s my absolute pleasure to introduce you to ΔNGELO.

I have to know… what’s with the A in your name. That’s not like any other A I have ever seen.

The Δ is technically the Greek Delta symbol, 4^th letter of the Greek alphabet, which also serves a multitude of mathematical, alchemical and magical properties.  I started using in lieu of the traditional ‘A’ as more of a graphic treatment for my name – it presents a little bit of a problem when people search for me though, not many folks are familiar with the shortcut to the delta symbol.

Really digging the new single Terrible Heart. I really like the lyrics, too. Did you write those? Do you write all of your own lyrics?

Glad you like it! Terrible Heart actually started off as a poem (strictly) before we set it to music. Most of my songs start as sketches for poems or free thought. I write all the lyrics to my songs.

Tell me a little bit more about Hands Down EP.

Hands Down is the first single off my record Narcissus Drowned – it was one of the first songs I recorded for this project, so it felt right to release it as the single leading the charge. I feel like the remixes also lend different insight into the song – each mix feels like a different incarnation.

You are from San Diego… where the weather is pretty much always perfect. Now you are in New York. Why the move from one coast to the other?

I always knew that I would end up in NYC. I have a fairly nostalgic view of life here; my family is originally from New York, so in some ways I guess I came back to my ancestral roots. I also bought into the mythology of NYC when I was a kid… It’s probably why I live in the East Village now, it’s still gritty and raw everyone here looks like they stepped out of a Maripol Polaroid. I love it. San Diego is beautiful, and I will always consider it “home”; I do miss the easy lifestyle (and the beach) but my pulse is set to the speed of this City.

Tell me about your relationship with AZTEC Records Ltd.

The relationship with AZTEC happened very organically. They had been on my radar for quite some time – and oddly enough a friend approached me about them before we had even asked for an introduction. I respect the fact that both Ariel and Laura are brilliant musicians themselves, it’s important to work with other creatives who understand both the logistics of the business and the artistic process. They are committed to assembling a solid roster of talent and I wanted to be a part of that community.

You have a new album coming out here pretty soon. Tell me a little bit more about producing Narcissus Drowned.

Narcissus Drowned is a biopic, like pages out of some kind of an aural journal – it chronicles thoughts and memories. Producing this record was a bit of a feat – the bulk of the record was recorded in Nashville, with production support coming in from all over the world. Terrible Heart was written in a matter of hours at my friend Scott’s place in San Francisco, Narcissus Drowned was produced in Barcelona… I am lucky that I have a band of patient and amazingly talented producers and musicians who contributed to the project, it couldn’t have happened in just one time zone.

Who are some of your biggest influences, in both life and in music

I am influenced by so many artists musically it’s hard to narrow it down to a select few; the genius will always Michael Jackson, but musically I could list Nina Simone,  fado singer and powerhouse vocalist Mariza, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Madonna, Jeff Buckley, Jaques Brel… Kylie… It’s a very eclectic mix. In life, I’d say some of my biggest influences have been family and friends. My great aunt Mae (who I reference in Sinner & The Saint) probably had the biggest impact on me… My older brother, my sister, teachers… Dan Savage.

Is that your hand on the cover of Hands Down EP?

Yes, that is my hand. I had to pose for that piece. The image is actually an oil painting, part of a triptych that I had commissioned for the album by artist Stephen Workman.

Do you have a job outside of music?

I do. I own and operate a small consulting business specializing in advertising production and brand imaging. It affords me the opportunity to stay involved in various parts of the industry while funding my music career. In this business you’d be remiss not to have several irons in the fire.

Do you tour very often? What can someone expect from a live show?

The bulk of the last two years has been spent recording, so a tour would be great – but there is some leg work that needs to be done in order to pull that off. Previous shows have been more vocal/down tempo… with me; you can always expect to be entertained. I love being on stage, and I love singing. There’s no lip-syncing going on at an Angelo show – this stuff is live.

Who are you listening to these days? What’s on your iPod?

I’ve got Lady Gaga’s Born This Way album on regular rotation (there are some real gems there), but I’m also listening to a lot of Iron and Wine, Bach and older Janet Jackson. Sometimes when I’m in a writing phase I can get distracted by current music, so I need to peel it back a bit. I’m currently in a bit of a writing phase so I’m actively avoiding the radio.

What’s It Gets Better, and how are you affiliated with that project?

The It Gets Better Campaign is a virtual YouTube phenomenon – started by columnist/writer Dan Savage and his husband Terry Miller in reaction to the rash of suicides among LGBTQ students. The videos (or testimonials) have been submitted from people from all walks of life, encouraging viewers to re-think or reassess their circumstance if they were contemplating suicide or endangering themselves. It’s become a virtual outlet of resources for people who may not have had access or knowledge of them before. I felt a responsibility to put my own message out there in the hopes it would find its way onto someone’s computer screen. Later, when Dan’s team reached out to ask if they could include an essay of mine to be published in the book chronicling the messages of support from the campaign – I felt extremely honored.  I had the chance to meet Dan and Terry in NYC at the book release event, Dan is definitely a personal hero of mine and he proves that just one person with an idea can make a huge impact, something that we all need to be reminded of.

You seem to have all the social networks covered. Who runs all of those accounts? Do you have a favorite social site?

I always think that I have room for improvement when it comes to social media, but most everything is run and managed by me. I have a few friends and a couple people that I bring on board for support, but I am essentially a one-man show.  Right now I’m seriously addicted to Twitter.

How many tattoos do you have?

Much to the chagrin of someone who shall remain nameless, I have 15 different tattoos.

I just LOVE that graphic for Terrible Heart. Who designed that?

Eric Scot shot the image, and I did the layout and the design for the cover.

What would you be doing if you were not performing?

I’d be in the shower. Or at the gym.

I love the beach… what was the purpose of the Malibu photo shoot?

That was the first shoot that Eric Scot and I did together. It was originally meant to be an update to my portfolio/book – as someone in the arts it’s important to keep images of yourself updated every time you make a change (even a haircut) – I went through about seven months of training to gain about twenty pounds of mass – so I needed to update my book.  It wasn’t my intention to have pin-up-boy pictures floating around the Internet, but a few sites picked up the shots and the rest is history. I recently saw myself on a flyer for a club night in Brazil… I’ve never been to Brazil, so let that be a lesson to you.

Speaking of that photo shoot… you must work out a LOT! How do you keep that figure? (That’s coming from a guy who hasn’t seen the inside of a gym in years!)

I’m actually quite lean and because of my body type if I don’t workout I drop weight very quickly. On average I workout at least five days a week, it’s something I actively have to build into my schedule.

What’s the last movie you saw? Looking forward to any blockbusters this summer?

I cannot remember the last movie I saw in a theater.  I saw Gnomeo & Juliet on the plane from LA recently. I quite enjoyed that. I’m excited to see the last Harry Potter… I think that’s about it.

You have been able to get pretty much instant international exposure. How cool is that having your tunes heard all over the planet?

It’s fairly surreal to know that even a few people outside of my network of friends know about me or my music. I have received really amazing messages on Facebook and Twitter from people who are really enjoying the music. That means everything to me. I am hoping I can reach an even broader audience.

In your opinion, how has the Internet changed the way people absorb music?

Well, everything can be accessed instantly, so in some ways it takes some of the anticipatory build or pageantry out of the business, which was part of the fun part… the digital world has forever lifted the veil. Then again, I think it’s forcing people to move with the technology to supply music in ways that could have never been thought of before. I don’t think can even guess how the Internet will really change the business of music yet… we’re still figuring it out.

From the looks of it, you have traveled all over the globe. How many stamps do you have on your passport?

Well I lived in Europe for a bit, so I did a lot of country hopping then, but I’ve been able to sneak away to several places recently and I’m hoping that will continue… the goal would be to travel AND perform… I’m SO ready for that.

Is that Michael Jackson I hear?

I am sure it is… the song is called ΔNGELO VS MICHAEL. I wrote a song about Michael Jackson called Time Bomb and after his death I approached Buffetlibre to do a mashup with Billie Jean – you can download it for free on my SoundCloud account… it’s pretty kick-ass.

Speaking of the King of Pop, how did you react to the news of his passing? Will anyone even challenge what he has done for music?

I was on a photo shoot in LA when I heard. The entire studio froze it was if no one believed it… in true Angelo fashion I had been playing MJ tunes all day that day, so it was eerily too close to home. That night my friend Chris picked me up and we went to Hollywood Blvd. to see the makeshift memorial that people had spontaneously put up on his star on the Walk of Fame. I was totally numbed by the whole experience.

Let’s move forward in time a little bit here… where do you see yourself in five years?

I see a lot of things in my five year plan… but if I tell you all of it, what fun would that be for you?

When this is all said and done, what do you want to be remembered for? What’s the ΔNGELO legacy?

I want to contribute to a healthier, more socially conscious, self-actualizing world. Artistically I would like my music, words etc. to reach people – provide them with even one pure moment of connection –and in terms of my life’s goals, I want to make a positive effect on others… be a good brother, spouse, dad, friend, patron, goofball.

In all of the interviews that I do, I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Rutabaga!

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Kim Kardashian is getting married! Granted, that’s not news. But what I do find interesting is the amount of money that her fiancé spent on her engagement ring. Granted, the guy plays in the NBA… but still, $2 million seems a little bit outrageous for a ring. I don’t care how famous she is… or how hot she is… that’s just silly. Kim will be getting married to Kris Humphries. Kris plays for the New Jersey Nets and actually designed the ring with jeweler Lorraine Schwartz, who is a “longtime Kardashian friend”. (Friend of fan?)

Now let’s get back to the price tag… $2 million? What is the point in spending that much money on a ring? Just because you can? I recently played a round of golf with good friend Mark Dubec, and he said that the more money you make… the more stuff you buy. I like that, and that would be a good problem to have I guess… but what else could they have bought with that $2 million?

When asked about the ring, Kim said, “In high school I went to Macy’s and bought this fake ring, my ‘perfect’ ring, and this is almost the exact same. It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It’s perfect.” Of course it’s perfect… it cost $2 million!

Sorry, I will stop obsessing about the ring. I can’t even tell you what she is famous for. According to my co-worker Joel Shutmate, “She’s famous for being famous.” I guess that’s a good enough reason. If you had $2 million, what would you buy? And please… don’t say a wedding ring.

Last week Tiger Woods pulled out of THE PLAYERS. (Insert your immature sexual commentary here.) Tiger played nine holes, fired a 42, and WD from the event complaining of knee problems. This should come as no surprise, as he has already had two surgeries on the same knee. I do find it funny that he has pulled out of the same event, held at TPC Sawgrass, two years in a row. Last year he WD due to a slipped disc. But this year, he hobbled his way around 9 holes and ended up leaving early Thursday afternoon.

Tiger also complained about issues with his Achilles tendon. Not sure what the scoop is there, but apparently he was trying to NOT hurt his knee further and ended up causing more damage. If you remember, back in April at Augusta he hurt himself late in the tournament. He still managed to take 4^th place. Granted, he has won a major with a broken leg. (Literally, his leg was technically considered broken.)

So what does this mean for Tiger? Just this week he said he would be playing in the US Open. But is he ready? He hasn’t won in nearly two years, and is making a fool of himself on the golf course. I knew as soon as he pulled out of THE PLAYERS that the media would have a field day. If you watch his post round interview, the guy just seems pissed off at everyone.

If the guy is truly hurt, then fine… leave him alone. I know that I won’t watch golf unless he is playing. I know I’m not alone on that one, either. There is a lot of speculation that Tim Finchem forced Tiger into playing in THE PLAYERS. Of course, Finchem denies this all day long, but think about… how many more tickets to you think they sold to that event simply because Tiger was playing? Tiger Woods isn’t bigger than golf, I’m not saying that… but he is the reason a lot of people even give the game a chance.

So what should Tiger do? I think he needs to take a step back, and get right… get right with himself. The marriage is over, and he has moved on. Of course, he’s dating his agent’s daughter… but still. (I do think its funny she is only 22 years old and looks JUST like Elin.) He needs to get his knee healthy, and get his mind back in it. Bubba Watson called him out last week. And he was right… Tiger is not the same man he was last year, let alone whom he was when he first came out on tour.

Tiger, if you are reading this… take the rest of the year off. No one is afraid of you anymore, and that’s okay. Get healthy, both physically and mentally, and let’s come back in 2012. Win your final few majors, and retire as the greatest player in the world. You have 10, maybe 12 competitive years left. Don’t waste them hurt watching from the sidelines. Spend those years breaking Jack’s record and winning golf tournaments.

Will Tiger still break Jack’s record?

The first time I saw Graham Colton perform was when he was with the Graham Colton Band. I saw them perform at The Patio in Broad Ripple, and I remember it like it was yesterday. It was one of my first concerts as an adult (well, as an adult meaning over the age of 21) and I still have the ticket from that show. I even remember where I sat… anyway, moving on. I have been listening to his stuff ever since, and have been dying to see him perform again. A few months ago I got the idea… let’s contact him regarding an artist interview! I connected with him on Twitter, and before I knew it we were on the phone together chatting about love, life, and the pursuit of happiness. Graham is a very passionate individual, and I am thankful to have had the chance to share a conversation with him. He is one of my favorite musicians out there, and I look forward to seeing him on the road again in the very near future. I am truly honored to introduce you to Graham Colton.

I have been listening to you for a LONG time. I was actually listening to you when you were the Graham Colton Band. What made you decide to just be Graham Colton?

To be quite honest, I started out as Graham Colton back in college; and in high school when I was first writing songs, just because I didn’t really have a band. I didn’t know any guys around town that played bass, drums, and electric guitar. So I always wrote the songs. When I moved to Dallas to go to school, I just found myself wanting to take songs that I had already written and play in a band. My first indie CD was in 2001… I have gone back and forth a few times, but the way it started was just moving. Then I came full circle.

When you age a band on the road, we played over 250 shows for a few years from ’04, ’05, ’06, and you have 5 different personalities. It’s the age-old thing; I’ll just put it this way… I love those guys, we still talk often, and after a certain amount of time we didn’t end up being whom we started. We had some replacement members, and it just didn’t feel like it was the original cast. There was an opportunity for me to make a solo album and I just ran with it.

I LOVE the video for Pacific Coast Eyes. Who is that girl?

That girl is my wife. It was kind of cool. Since I am indie again, I made my first video for Best Days for the last album, and that was on Universal Records. Nothing against that, I think it was totally fine for what it was, but I think this new video is an example of what you can do by yourself with a good creative vision. We spent ¼ as much money as we did on the Best Days video. We hired a great director, a great crew. My uncle is in TV in LA, he produced it. My brother was in the video and my wife the lead lady.

Quite honestly, I was at a place I was tired of seeing all these other videos, including my own, “okay, there’s a guy lip syncing looking at a camera.” As cool as those can be, I didn’t want to do that. I wanted something fun and light. You are making a video for YouTube these days. You don’t have to think about VH1 or MTV. I wanted something entertaining, and make people want to watch to the end… and then tell their friends about it.

You are on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube… how do you have time for all that?

Honestly, the number one thing is I am not that popular yet. It’s not that difficult. When you make it a priority… certain artists overuse it. Certain artists underuse it. Hopefully I am somewhere in between. I do think it’s critically important in the way you use it. I think that my goal with this album, the way I use it, is quality over quantity. I think it’s much more about interacting. I need to have honest and objective conversations.

Do you write all of your own lyrics?

Everything. I do every single thing.

You have played a ton of shows over the years. Does any one show stand out over another?

Oh man, that’s just so tough. I’m still at the stage where even sometimes the bad ones are memorable in someway. The funny thing, and I don’t know why this is, if I am sort of reminded of someone, like you seeing me at the The Patio in Indianapolis, in the thousands of shows that I played I can remember every single one if I am just taken back there. I have had some incredible opening experiences. I don’t think there is anything like that first Counting Crows tour. Going from a college dorm room to opening for my favorite band in New York City. That was pretty spectacular.

I’d say Chicago is one of my favorites, and the crowd is always incredible. Some of the shows at the House of Blues… there is something about Chicago.

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

Oh man, too many to count. I have been known to fall off the stage. I have defiantly fallen down or fallen off stage. Fortunately I come from an athletic background and play it off. Hopefully not that many people have recognized that I fell 6 feet off the stage and tumbled to the ground.

I really like Pacific Coast Eyes… but I’m not sure you will ever write a better album than Here Right Now.

I always like hearing what people think about the albums. There is all this talk now, among people in the business that albums are archaic and are going to not going to exist anymore. People are writing and saying that pop culture and the general public don’t want to sit through an album.

Everybody likes different stuff, I have a fan base… if I don’t make a single new fan I have a fan base that appreciated listening to an entire album and it’s a body of work. Getting back to your question, I didn’t want to make Drive Again. I didn’t want to make Here Right Now again. You want to make a new album, a new statement. I have never wanted to sway too far from my previous work. You want to challenge your audience.

I think the difference from my first record, with Drive… it was the band and we were touring. We had 11 songs and 11 songs went on the album. We did that album in 3 weeks. With Here Right Now, I was in the midst of a complete record label shift. I had brand new people that didn’t know me, didn’t know my history, and I was going to make an album with them. They just wanted me to write. What was interesting, with the last album, the songs started to become life-oriented. I was in this place where I didn’t know what was next. I didn’t know what people were going to think; it was my first solo album technically. I was not in a great place, not only with my band but another relationship in my life. I was just in a really weird place.

Where do you get inspiration, in both music and in life?

Anything and everything… anywhere and everywhere. Pacific Coast Eyes came from… I was in LA and I was staying at my brother’s place. He had this bulletin board. The drummer from the Beach Boys made a solo album called Pacific Ocean Blue. His album cover, which I still think is one of the coolest album covers I have ever seen, he looks like a homeless person… but it’s so rock and roll. I was just, in some weird way, inspired by that. I got in my rental car and started humming that first part.

Usually it’s not sitting down with a guitar, light a candle… dim the lights, light some incense and write a song. It doesn’t happen like that.

You seem to post a lot of content on Twitter. How do you think social media, and the Internet in general, has changed the way people absorb music?

I think everyone has his or her own personality. You have to realize, if you already have a fan base, I have to realize that I am going to use social media different than the next guy. Let it remain within your personality. My friend Wayne, who lives here in Oklahoma, he’s the lead singer of the Flaming Lips. He posts crazy, weird stuff that he sees in airports. Or he will post paintings that he will draw with his own blood. That’s the way he uses it. He offers content to his fans that is reminiscent to his personality. With my music, and my personality, that’s the challenge. You want to offer this content.

Whether it’s silly, a blurb, announcement of a tour date, it needs to remain you. You can’t overstep those boundaries. Whether you post ten times a day, or once every ten days… it needs to be you.

You are constantly on the road. Do you ever get bored moving from one city to the next?

Yeah, I have done so much touring. If I am out on the road too long, it’s too much. If I am home too long, that’s too much too. As long as I keep a good balance, that balance is really important to me.

I was looking at your tour schedule, and I don’t see Indianapolis on there. What do I have to do to get you to the Circle City?

We are working on it right now. We have a run in the Midwest. I just sent my guy; we are driving from Oklahoma to Wisconsin. It’s not one of my best markets around.

One of your singles Best Days was featured on Kyle XY. I really enjoyed that show. (It was also featured on American Idol.) When something like that happens, do they contact you or are you pitching your songs to them?

They found it. A lot of those shows that use my songs are all about being in the “right place at the right time”. We are always actively looking for opportunities to get my music out there. But oftentimes they present themselves organically.

You toured with NeedToBreath. How good are they? I think they sound a lot like Kings of Leon, but are better!

They are some of my best friends. We toured together really early on as well. When they were just getting started. I think it’s an amazing thing that our music is so different and our fan base is so similar. We come from the same spot, touring around and playing our music to as many people as we can. It’s come from an organic grounded place.

Football? You don’t look like a football player. But you have a pretty impressive history with the game. Are you still a fan? Do you think there will be a season this year in the NFL?

Especially college football.

Now that I think about it… you have toured with some pretty big names. Do you ever get nervous opening up for these bands?

No, it’s never nervous opening for that group, I’m nervous opening for their fan base. Quite honestly, the most nervous I was before the tour was Kelly Clarkson. I assumed it would be so different. Keep in mind I went from Counting Crows, The Wallflowers, to Dave to Kelly. Some of the harshest critics can be young kids. We are just four dudes playing some pretty simple songs. She was the biggest pop star in the world.

You have released a few EPs over the years. You actually released three of them between Here Right Now and Pacific Coast Eyes. Why focus on an EP and not a full album?

The EPs were a way, a window in to see what I was up to. So many times, like this album, I wrote over 100 songs for this album because I just wanted to keep going. I just wanted to write and write. Sometimes you have to try anything and everything. You have to write four or five songs to get that fit. Those four or five before, usually, no one ever hears them. I just felt like now that I was independent again, I can have an outlet for whatever I want to write for people to listen to and hear it. To hear the stuff that usually lives on my computer.

I think it’s a way to offer that stuff, but also have it be behind the scenes. That’s why I didn’t put them on iTunes, press up hard copies; I’m very aware of those songs needing to exist in a certain way. I want my fans to find those songs and realize that this is behind the scenes, special b-sides.

I know it’s a long time from now, but where do you see yourself in five years?

I think the greatest thing… everything that has happened has really been a surprise. It never happened the way I thought it would. I just hope five years from now there is another surprise. I hope that my music continues to surprise me. I will definitely still be doing it. I am so thankful and thrilled to have the support that I have had over the last seven, eight, nine years. If I can just make my music for my core fans, I’m good.

When this is all said and done, what do you want to be remembered for? What’s the Graham Colton legacy?

Defiantly honest. I think that’s the hardest thing. I want to be known as an honest songwriter. I am getting into that place in my life and career being a songwriter in all sense of that term, being honest is so critically important to me. I have needed to understand the ebbs and flows of being a songwriter. In my opinion you have to be honest. If you want to write a song about this, or that… you just have to do it, in order to put yourself out there.

I think that people… there’s something about music and there’s something about writing a 3:30 song… people are able to sniff you out if you’re not being honest, even if they don’t know you. A true music fan can listen to that song, and I’d be willing to bet in 30 seconds they can sniff out someone who is not being genuinely honest.

I feel like I have made a few missteps, and ways in which I have performed and recorded that I wish I had done differently. I am also really confident that I don’t regret any decisions I have made in any songs that I have written. I just want to be remembered for being an honest songwriter.

In all of the interviews I write I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Even though I am a pop singer, pop rock, roots rock… whatever you want to describe me as. Recently I have allowed myself to show different sides of my music. Sometimes when you are making a 12-song album, you think, “How does this song go with that song?” If it’s honest, I have allowed myself let the songs be what they are. I believe in them, and if they are honest they coexist. I have been really surprised. A lot of people will come to learn about me. I am not just the Best Days guy. I am not just the guy that opened for Counting Crows.

What I hope people take away is give it a second. Digest the music, and there is something there for everyone. I like to do a lot of different things. I like Ryan Adams, Bob Schneider… they have been able to maintain these incredible careers. They have some that you wouldn’t even think are coming from the same guy. Give my music a chance. There’s something in there for everyone.