Barry Bliss's blog

2012 Q. and A. with Stanley Brinks aka Andre Herman Dune

Barry Bliss — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 13:30:23 +0000

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1. Stanley, you spend very little time on the internet.
How come you don't spend more?
Why do you spend any?

I have to, mostly for work, because i don't use the telephone. As little as i can, though, one hour a week or something, all at once, and not every week. I feel much better only being where i am, one place in space.

2. You were one of the original members of Herman Dune.
Why did you leave the band?

We lasted a very long time, for a two-headed band. I liked that we didn't rehearse at all, we were even living in different countries for a while. It seemed to make sense back then to have a bit of a mess on stage. We did that for a decade, then we were ready to try new things. I started listening to calypso myself, it's still my main influence as Stanley Brinks. I still play with people a lot of the time, i like improvisation, solos and all. I get a lot of that when i perform with the Wave Pictures, or with my new Norwegian band - the Kaniks.

3. What kind of musical project(s) are you currently involved in?

2012 Q. & A. With Julie LaMendola

Barry Bliss — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:19:16 +0000

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1. I know you go to Europe and sing in some production(s) sometimes.
Is that still going on and what is that all about?

I'm a performer for an experimental theater company called Nature Theater of Oklahoma. About 4 years ago they asked me to be a part of an epic experimental piece called Life and Times. I didn't know what I was getting into but I really liked the directors when I went to speak with them about the project. I sing dance and act in it which is dreamy, but the job is good for me because it pushes me artistically and physically. The people in the company have similar artistic heroes as me and it's challenging and good to use that as a springboard for the performances I do. And now the company includes Dan from Ching Ching and his husband Dany who does a lot of dancing with us so it's good to be around those guys even if we aren't doing our own show.
The show is 11 hours long when all episodes are performed together. We've done it once and we'll do in in a couple of weeks too. I thought I wouldn't be able to do it, I sing for about 5 hours. It's really energizing. It turns out I really like doing things that I don't think are possible.

2012 Q. & A. with Toby Goodshank

Barry Bliss — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 14:24:51 +0000

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1. Where do you live now and why did you leave NYC?

I'm living in Berlin, Germany. I left Brooklyn because Deenah (of Ladies of Old Hat) received a grant for journalism to be carried out in Berlin. Deenah invited me to live here so that I could spend time with her, to help with her projects, and to pursue my own art and music projects without the hindrance of being employed full time.

2. Are you going to continue painting now that you are no longer in
the same country as Adam Green and Macaulay Culkin? (Toby is part of
an art-collective with these gentlemen.)

I plan to pursue painting as one of my creative outlets, for sure! I hope to have had a solo art show in Berlin before the end of my stay. Painting is fun for me, and because it's new to me I feel like there's nothin but room for me to grow! 3MB (my collective with the boys) has briefly considered doing something together in the EU as well, and in general we plan to continue hanging out and collaborating on various projects involving paint in the future.

Thanks for calling us gentlemen!

3. You quit your job that you had had for a long time.
What was that like and are you now scared regarding income?

2012 Q. and A. with Bryan Copeland

Barry Bliss — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:09:24 +0000

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1) Bryan, what exactly is this music called that you compose and
perform with Bryan and the Aardvarks. Is it jazz?

The music I compose for the Aardvarks has proven to be difficult to
categorize. Jazz purists, will be quick to tell you it's not jazz,
and indie rock people will give it a default label of jazz. Truth is,
it is a mixture of everything that has had a profound and lasting
effect on my subconscious. Whether the medium is music, film, a piece
of artwork, literature, personal relationships, etc..., anything that
moves me in a powerful way, tends to stick in my brain and become an
influence on my compositions. I think the things that have influenced
this project most would be; The sudden death of my 28 year-old best
friend Daniel Gilmer, the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,
Jon Brion, Brad Mehldau's Trio, Wes Anderson movies, The Brian Blade
Fellowship, Elliot Smith, Nick Drake, Frederic Chopin, & Erik Satie to
name a few.

2) Unlike a lot of folks that perform at Sidewalk Cafe and perhpas
read stuff on this site, you are a graduate of a music school and
pretty highly trained.

2012 Q & A With Randi Russo

Barry Bliss — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:14:36 +0000

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1) You moved.
How long had you lived in NYC, where did you go and why did you leave?

I lived in NYC for 15 years. I decided to move to Chicago recently. I visited here for two weeks back in March and made so many nice connections with artists and people in the art world that I got this gnawing feeling inside of me that I had to be here, like I had the opportunity to start my life over and investigate another passion of mine which was put on the back burner for the last decade as I somewhat aggressively pursued music. And this new-found old-love is painting. I have a studio here and I'm actually working on my art. I've met wonderful people who are like mentors to me and have encouraged my art. When that feeling comes, you have to seize it because those intense calls do not come often... at least not for me.

2) Did you have musical goals 12 years ago and if so do you still have
them and if so are they still the same?

2012 Interview with Jon Berger

Barry Bliss — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:17:46 +0000

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1) Jon, what do you call this artform that you engage in?

I'm a little uncomfortable calling myself a poet, since I find what I do (reading/ranting little bits of story that I call "pieces") isn't especially poetical. I often describe myself as a Reader, but no one seems to understand when I make reference to the term. I guess that standup poet, performance poet, or short attention span poet are terms I use where people can get the idea.

2) Did you ever read Keats, Byron, and/or Shelley, and if so what did you think of their writing?

I have read virtually no poetry in my life. I've glances at Ginsberg. I've read a bunch of John S. Hall - and a little Bukowski and Mark Leyner. Oh! I really like former poet laureate Billy Collins. He's the closest to an established guy that I've absorbed. Mostly, though, I take inspiration from musicians.

3) What differentiates you from most slam poets that you have seen?

Not all that much - the slam time unit seems to be three minutes, and most of my pieces clock in at a little less than 60 seconds.

2012 Interview with Major Matt Mason USA

Barry Bliss — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 03:11:45 +0000

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1. Matt, you had a big hand in organizing events and in recording
other artists while living in NYC.
Have you missed doing that since you moved?

I miss it a little. But I really enjoy focusing on the making and performing of my own music. It's turning out to be a much bigger commitment than I had imagined. Even though I do love helping to produce and facilitate music for other people I think I was using it as a bit of an excuse to not fully invest myself in my own projects for fear of failure. I've done very little recording since we left NYC about 5 months ago. I've done a couple small mastering jobs but that's pretty much been it. This is not to say that I wouldn't do it again. I might even be better at it now having taken a break from it for while.

2. Do you earn all of your money as a performer and recording artist now?

3 Men and a Baby: When Macaulay Culkin Forms an Art Collective with Adam Green, Toby Goodshank

Barry Bliss — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 12:21:09 +0000

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-j-kushner/orms-an-art-collective-wi...

Bullshit

Barry Bliss — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 22:39:20 +0000

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Pussy Riot in court.

R.I.P.

Barry Bliss — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:52:14 +0000

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I did not know him, as far as I know he never came to Sidewalk, and I don't know if he played in a band.
Obviously too many people are killed every day for me to do a post on them all, but in a way this is symbolic.
This guy was just as important as any member of Radiohead.
Everyone doing their thing and kicking butt is important.

I am sure most of will agree that if Thom Yorke had been killed when the roof of the bandshell collapsed we'd be seeing a lot of R.I.P.s.
Well, Scott Johnson, Radiohead's drumtech was killed and I am posting this because it takes all of us doing our job to make things happen and this guy is worth the mention.