Disney’s High School Musical opened at McIntyre Hall on March 23, 2007 for a three week run. Here are some photos of the HSM cast and musicians in rehearsal. Full cast is almost sixty strong and the live pit band is seven musicians (and six keyboards!).
High School Musical Cast at McIntyre Hall – Warmups
Technical crews in the arts are notorious for not being appreciated. They work so hard backstage to make everything work right. If they do their job well, they are almost invisible as everything flows with effortless ease to make the cast look good on stage.
So if you’re involved in musical theater, plays, drama, music bands or anything that uses a tech crew – take time out to let them know you appreciate what they do. Because truth is, things wouldn’t look very good without them!
The Crew is all those people backstage who work so hard to make you look good. They include the guys on the fly rail, the girls who move sets on and off, the prop ladies, the Stage Manager, the guys who mike you up, the lighting guy, the people in the dressing area who help with costumes and make-up and the backstage parent volunteers.
Here are some ways to show your appreciation:
50 WAYS TO APPRECIATE YOUR TECH CREW
1. Learn their names.
2. Say “Thank you!”
3. Smile at them.
4. Bring them a cookie.
5. Clap when they enter the building.
6. Buy them a flower
7. Leave anonymous “Thank You” notes for them backstage.
8. Compose a poem extolling their contribution.
9. Give them a Starbuck’s gift certificate.
10. Slap them on the back and say “Atta boy/girl!”
11. Post a “Thank you” ad in the Personals section of the Want Ads.
12. Make them feel welcome in the Green Room.
13. Wear deodorant.
14. Decorate a personal water bottle for them.
15. Ask for their autographs.
16. Dedicate a performance to them.
17. Be respectful.
18. Bake them a cake.
19. Tell your friends and family how important the crew is to the
production.
20. Polish an apple and give it to them.
21. Tell them they’re doing a good job.
22. Share a joke with them.
23. Bring a tub of red licorice sticks to share with them.
24. Chat with them.
25. Stay out of their way when they are trying to do their job.
26. Put up a big “Thank You!” poster backstage with all their names
on it.
27. Pick up after yourself.
28. Take their picture.
29. Send them a greeting card.
30. Tell them they look good in black.
31. To the fly rail guys say “Oooo, you’re strong!”
32. Wave at them in the parking lot.
33. Give them a complimentary nickname.
34. Tell them they’re cool.
35. Offer them an Altoid.
36. Take an interest in what they do.
37. Say hi to them when you see them away from the theater.
38. Wear an “I love the Stage Crew” tee shirt.
39. Give them a McDonalds gift certificate.
40. Remember to thank them when you receive your Oscar.
41. Tell them you’ve named a goldfish after them.
42. Knit them a black sweater.
43. Ask them about their favorite backstage story.
44. Be cheerful.
45. Let them read your newspaper.
46. “Groove” with them.
47. Tell them they’re your hero.
48. Respect their “space”.
49. Tell other people nice things about them.
50. Write “Thank You” messages on a banana (peel) with a Sharpie
and give it to them.
“If we evolved from apes, why do apes still exist?”
Recently a devout “creationist” joined one of my creation discussion forums with the proclaimed intention of finally unravelling the lie of “evolutionists”. After a full week of factless drivel I encouraged him to begin discussions on specific topics. I was very surprised that his first pick was “If we evolved from apes, why do apes still exist?”
The reasons were laid out – and here’s a simplified nutshell for you: First of all species still living are referred to as “extant”, which means still living. Second, the question is similiar to “If my cousins and I have the same great great great great great grandparents, why do I still have cousins?” or “If Americans descended from Europeans, why are there still Europeans?” Thirdly, evolution does not say we evolved from apes – Evolution states that apes and humans have a common ancestor.
The widely accepted website for evolution information is TalkOrigins.org – they have extensive archives, answers to all creationist debate points I have ever heard brought up, and the answer to this specific statement can be found here: Why Are Apes Still Alive?
Now I can understand a creationist not trusting information from talkorigins.org – after all it is essentially the “enemy” website with nothing but scientific answers to creationist debate points. I would say that to my knowledge if you are a creationist, spend a good chunk of time reading talkorigins.org and do not come away with some ideas changed – it would be fairly apparent there was no intended interest in learning.
But the problem lies here: Not only has this argument been long answered by “evolutionists” – it has now even been deprecated by the holy grail of creationist websites – AnswersInGenesis.org – Just as talkorigins.org is the widely accepted reference point for evolution information, answersingenesis.org is the widely accepted reference point for creationist information and debate points.
I have spent many hours on both websites and have come to my own conclusions based on the information presented.
Please go to the Answers In Genesis Creation Arguments Not To Use list to read it for yourself. Many of the arguments on this list I have had to suffer through in the past, with the ones stating the arguments saying I was blind to the truth and sometimes “blinded by Satan”. If your OWN TEAM says not to use an argument, then that should be pause for thought.
But the bigger point is, I have seen time and time again where the argument is not dropped until shown that the premiere creationist website says specifically the argument is flawed. The second biggest argument on the list of what NOT to use by creationists in debate is that Darwin recanted evolution on his deathbed. Again, I hear this time and time again – and when I bring up that the argument is deprecated and people can view it for themselves on their own creationist website; it seems few do.
The hesitation to look at the information clearly for what it is, and instead creating camps of “enemies” to be refuted – is a major red flag that should be examined. If you make claims that the scientific community as a whole is a coup bent on some mastermind plot – it is most likely you have adopted this belief as blanket protection for something you don’t want to look at openly.
Certainly that’s a choice individuals can make. But don’t think for a second that it is science.
LONDON (CNS) — The theory of evolution, rather than negating the need for God, helps believers understand that God’s relationship to the universe is that of a nurturing parent, said Jesuit Father George Coyne, director of the Vatican Observatory.
But there is a “nagging fear in the church” that evolution is incompatible with a divinely planned universe and this fear has historically created “murky waters” in the church’s relationship to science, he said in an Aug. 6 article in The Tablet, an independent Catholic weekly newspaper published in London.
Mount Vernon, WA (McIntyre Hall) – Skagit Opera presented Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro February 23 to March 4, 2007. I attended the second weekend Friday performance.
I have had many people ask me what I thought of the performance. Maybe in part they think I have an extra edge in reviewing the finer details of the performance and am able to critique with some artistocratic snobbery. When I attend a concert I get lost in the performance if it’s done well, I don’t burden myself with trying to analyze the technical details. It’s only when something is not quite right that I begin to analyze what the source is. On this production of The Marriage of Figaro I was able to fully engage in the show, because there just wasn’t anything glaring that was wrong. It was all around wonderful.
I can describe Skagit Opera’s presentation in one word: FLAWLESS. It was truly incredible. No show is actually flawless, but as an audience member it was an incredible experience. When I blog about local shows I make it a point to not bring up any negative points. If I have something negative to say about a local production I keep it to myself. I want to support local arts, not tear it down. I can tell you that this is the first presentation in Skagit County where I have nothing negative to say, there is nothing I am omitting. Skagit Opera has established themselves as the real deal with lightning speed.
I was a little bummed I didn’t get to go to the pre-lecture on opening night, so it was a great bonus when Erich Parce came out at the beginning of the opera and explained many of the opera plot twists and turns. The plot does get a little complicated and his pre-show synopsis helped keep us all on the same page.
Skagit Opera chose to do this opera in English – and I saw they are currently asking for audience feedback on whether to keep the operas in English or perform them in the original language. The choices are apparent – have a show that is easily digested by modern concertgoers, or retain the beauty of the original phrasing and language as the composer intended. For my vote I’m torn on that. I love to hear the original language, to know what I am hearing is authentic. Yet as an audience member, it’s a nice change to just be able to just sit back and be entertained – to digest the opera easily as a show. I never thought I would say this – but I think I enjoy the English shows more. At least then we all know exactly when to laugh. When you hear an opera in a foreign language that’s the point when you can tell who knows the opera and who doesn’t – the people IN THE KNOW realize the exact points where they are supposed to laugh.
Dean Williamson conducted a tight, fast paced show. For as long as this opera is the orchestra and cast kept pretty tight throughout. I could always hear the vocals well over the music thanks to very subtle sound reinforcement by Jerry Fortier. Jerry’s approach is to enhance the sound just below the threshold of noticing that it’s happening. He does this transparently and does it exceedingly well with the Opera shows. The string section was nice and full thanks to Sharyn Peterson’s leadership. In other shows I have usually heard at least one instrument grossly out of tune, there was none of that in this show. Intonation with the orchestra was excellent. I was talking with a friend about this show’s orchestra and they said, “I KNOW, IT SOUNDED LIKE A BROADWAY PIT BAND!” – and I know they meant that as a high compliment to the tightness of this show’s musicians.
Acting was incredible in this Marriage of Figaro. They characters were so animated, and used their acting skills to the hilt in propelling the plot forward. Any subtle elements of the plot that may have been confusing, the actors clarified with their acting. It was like watching professional actors who also happened to sing, whereas with opera you often find great singers that leave a little to be desired in their acting. Not the case here.
Jenny Knapp was an audience favorite in her portrayal of Cherubino. It is such a funloving role, and it’s hard to imagine anyone could play it with such pixy frivolity as she did. She could have pulled it off on acting alone, but her voice was also solid as a rock and hypnotizing in the lower registers.
Matthew Hayward as The Count. I have seen him in other roles where he was the Hero, and it was fun to watch him play the villian. He made us despise him as the count just as much as he made us love him as the Hero. I’d be interested to see his career unfold and the wide variety of roles he will be able to command.
Matthew Curran (Figaro) and Jessica Milanese (Susannah) worked so well as a team with their interactive acting that I wonder if they’ve done this role pairing together before. In particular these two were champions of expressing each turn of the plot with their acting as well as vocally. One of the reasons their acting was so apparent is because you didn’t have to strain to understand their words, and they didn’t make your gut tense up when they went for the high notes. They made it appear effortless so the audience could just get lost in the plot and action. If either Matthew or Jessica happen to read this post I would be interested to know if you’ve worked as a pair before, or if you’ve done these roles before. I’m guessing you have both done these roles before, and give it a 40% chance you’ve also worked as a pair before. It was awesome!
Set design was top notch. I don’t know if the “dancing trees” are considered props or set, but they were very fun in the closing acts too. It is always amazing to me when comedy from several hundred years ago is still funny today – side-splitting funny at that!
Ok, enough gushing over how fantastic Skagit Opera is. I really need to find something wrong with them that I can critique or people will start thinking I’m a shill hired by them to give flawless reviews. SKAGIT OPERA ROCKS!!!
Skagit Opera presents THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Original Italian libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte
English libretto by Ruth and Thomas Martin
Premiere: the Burgtheater, Vienna, May 1, 1786
Performed now at McIntyre Hall, Mount Vernon, WA
February 23, 25 and March 2, 4 – 2007
CAST
Figaro – Matthew Curran
The Count – Matthew Hayward
Cherubino – Jenny Knapp
Susannah – Jessica Milanese
The Countess – Mieke Rickert
Marcellina – Ellen McLain
Antonio – Daniel Oakden
Barbarina – Megan Chenovick
Don Basilio – Darrell Born
Doctor Bartolo – Ron Wohl
Don Curzio – Scott Rittenhouse PRODUCTION CREW
Conductor – Dean Williamson
Stage Director – Erich Parce
Costumer – Carl Bronsdon
Costume Coordinator – Lynne Rittenhouse
Set – Seattle Opera
Set Designer – Curtis Wallin
Hair and Makeup – Mary Bingham
Technical Director – Bruce Weech
Stage Manager – Rebecca Heilig
Accompanists – Glenda Williams, Rhonda Kline, Andres Pelaez, Christina Siemens, Lynne Rittenhouse
Chorus Director – David Cross
Chorus Coordinator – Lynne Rheinhardt
General Director – Ron Wohl
Light Design – Steven Craig
Sound Engineer – Jerry Fortier
Light Operator – Don Willcuts
Fly Captain – Dave Mumford
Stage Crew – Damien Rocco, Quentin Griffith, Josh Herrin, Nate Young
Follow Spot – Cameron Craig, Steve Fisher
Publicity – Bill Arnett, Ellie Slabodnik, Nancy Peterson
Program – Ron Wohl
Photography – Eric Hall, Gary Brown
Lobby Display – Robert Slabodnik
Special thanks to Talisman Productions
STARRY NIGHT ORCHESTRA
1st Violins – Sharyn Peterson, Danae Otterness, Andrea Talley, George Huang
Basses – Gary Ramey, Dave Cross, Rod Brandt, Eric Hall
Children – Colin Rittenhouse, Paige Rittenhouse, Zoe Slabodnik, Aya Ochiai
COVER CAST
Susannah – Megan Chenovick
Figaro – Jonathan Silvia
Antonio – Erich Parce
Barbarina – Ava Trenga-Schein
Countess – Kathy Roche-Zujko
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO – NOTES
Le nozze di Figaro ossia la folle giornata (Trans: The Marriage [literal, Wedding] of Figaro or the Day of Madness), K. 492, is an opera buffa (comic opera) composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte, based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, Le mariage de Figaro (1784). Although the play by Beaumarchais was at first banned in Vienna because it satirizes the aristocracy, the opera became one of Mozart’s most successful works. It is now regarded as a cornerstone of the standard operatic repertoire, and Opera America claims it to be the sixth most performed opera in North America. The overture is especially famous and is often played as a concert piece. The contemporary English translation is by Ruth and Thomas Martin.
I Have to Deal with Stereotypes
The first couple minutes of this is really great. Kudos to KevJumba, funny stuff.
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON, DC
Abstract by S. Omar Ali and Zehra F. Peynirciolu
We explored the role of lyrics and melodies in conveying emotionsin songs. Participants rated the intensity offour types of emotions in instrumental music or the same music paired with lyrics. Melodies and lyrics conveyedthe same intended emotion in Experiments 1 and3 but were mismatched in Experiments 2 and 4. The major findings in Experiments 1 and 2 were that lyricsdetracted from the emotion in happy and calmmusic (positive emotions), but enhanced the emotion in sad andangry music (negative emotions). In all cases,melodies of songs were more dominant than the lyrics in eliciting emotions. In addition, in Experiments3 and 4, the emotion in the songs appeared totransfer, simply by association, to pictures of common objects arbitrarily paired with the songs.
“In all cases,melodies of songs were more dominant than the lyrics in eliciting emotions.”
Would you rather hear weak lyrics with a strong melody or strong lyrics with a weak melody? Or is it all about context and dependent on the presentation?
This test was probably too small to extract any solid information, but the line about melodies being more dominant than lyrics jumped out at me. Surely in styles like Country music it’s true that lyrics are king. It’s a storytelling genre. And there are many contemporary styles where it’s very fashionable to have the same I-V-vi-IV progression droning over new lyrics. It works, and it’s used in most styles of music including contemporary worship.
But can you remember when you first heard your favorite melody? The power it had, it held you in it’s grasp and charmed you. I know a very fine orchestra conductor, Roupen Shakarian, who has said the draw of the melodies in Bach’s Fugue in G minor was what drew him into a music profession. I had the same experience with the same song, ironically (though I had never thought about it until I heard that from Roupen, so maybe I’m making it up.) Point is, the power of a melody can change a life.
Can we say the same about lyrics? My experience is there are those that listen primarily to lyrics and those that focus on melodies and music. I am one that listens to music. Most of my favorite songs I could not tell you more than a couple of the lyrics. Often, I’m amazed to find out later that the lyrics of a song I like are actually very good. Maybe I miss out on the experience as a whole by focusing just on the music. But it’s not something I control, it’s just the way I’m wired.
Do you listen to lyrics or music, or both in tandem? And what was the song that changed you or spoke to the depths of your soul?
Seattle, WA – A little flashback here. I’m wondering how many people remember the early and mid 80’s clubs in Seattle that was Skoochies, City Beat and The Monastery. I’m also interested how many of those people ended up being in the arts as a profession.
I was talking to a theater director a couple days ago. He’s one of those people I feel a connection to and don’t quite know why. He’s very well read with a Master’s Degree in Theater and a Bachelor’s from Cornish. He was in the early Seattle Grunge scene playing in concerts with Alice in Chains before they got signed. And off the cuff I mentioned “Do you ever remember a club called The Monastery” – his eyes lit up and he said “SKOOCHIES!”.
These clubs are a difficult thing to describe if you weren’t there. They weren’t just clubs, they were entire sub-cultures. Every once in a while I overhear someone put down local Goths and I kind of smile (and usually remain silent.) I was what you might call a “Goth” in the early 80’s (we called it “Bat Cavers”) – did the all black outfits, ratted out the hair, wore makeup, danced all night til 4 am and carried all the intellectual faux we could muster. As an adult I don’t regret any of it, in fact it was a very formative time and I shudder to think that I would have ever missed it.
Our favorite bands were The Cure, OMD (Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark). Bauhaus, The Art of Noise, Spandau Ballet, Prince, The Eurhytmics, etc….
THE MONASTERY – AMP RACK
THE MONASTERY – DJ BOOTH
THE MONASTERY – DANCE FLOOR
Maybe it’s a Seattle thing, maybe it’s an art thing, maybe it’s a Washington thing, maybe it’s just because I was raised outside Seattle. There’s a bond up here like I have never felt anywhere else. I’ve lived in Miami, Los Angeles, spent 20 years in Southern California and I can tell you – THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING LIKE THE ARTS AND EXPRESSION IN SEATTLE AND SKAGIT COUNTY. It is so rich you can taste it.
These clubs were a place for expression, for those of us that felt pigeon-holed everywhere else. Especially at The Monastery, it was a place to take things right to the edge. I recognized back then that this was a thing “for a time”, few things last forever. It is unfortunate I had many friends from that time that didn’t recognize this and they didn’t get out in time, and they are no longer with us. At the time many adults viewed us as having the “hubris of youth”. Now having a 20 year retrospect I don’t see it that way. It was a place for us to carve our identity, and some of us needed a little edgier carving than most desire.
Skoochies, City Beat and The Monastery all closed down. I know specifically The Monastery was a thorn in Seattle’s side for many years and finally got closed down after many attempts. But for us that were underage and wanted to experience life on the edge, it was a great place.
The innocence of the under 21 crowd in those clubs was evident, and there was a dark side to the older crowd that infiltrated some of those clubs, especially The Monastery. I don’t think those clubs would ever get off the ground in this day and age. For those that didn’t have a strong sense of self I’m sure there are countless horror stories and emotional scars.
I cannot tell you how many times in producing music or in the studio I pull from the sensations created in those clubs. Especially for dance tracks and avante garde scores, it takes me only a moment to remember The Monastery experience. For that I am very thankful because it is so unique. And I don’t regret any of. I’m also thankful I got out of the scene before it devoured me. For those that didn’t, I remember you and my heart goes out to you.
Cultural conservatives rely upon the singular example of the Monastery to bolster the argument that all-ages clubs necessarily result in perversion and debauchery. George Freeman ran the Monastery under the constitutionally protected cloak of the separation of church and state. The Monastery wasn’t a club but a religious sanctuary, free from the financial and legal restraints of the city government. It was an after-hours, all-night anomaly, defined and clothed in religious speak; one could only gain entrance to the place by becoming a member of Freeman’s church, paying tithes. There was a “baptismal” pool, and Freeman gave nightly sermons.
Although it raised the ire of parents who were alarmed at the pan-sexual nature of the clientele and the drug use within, the city finally clamped down on the club due to the panic over bathhouses and the spread of AIDS. Those same conservatives, however, ignore the fact that the Monastery was but one of a few clubs that were open and intended for all-ages shows. The one I remember best was a place in Pioneer Square called the Metropolis, because I frequented a reggae night they had there.
The larger problem, though, isn’t the obvious fact that idle youth who have nowhere to go resort to drugs and crime, but rather that American pop culture and the larger politic is almost wholly dependent on rampant youth for its life and vigor. Rock, punk, new wave, and hiphop are entirely youth entities. Without that deviant input, what we’ll end up is staid and fossilized–hence the Experience Music Project’s wholly fossilized youth culture.
To the current Goths and champions of counter-culture – I am too old to be part of your experience now, but I remember it well. Don’t let us old farts tell you how to dress or express yourself, and remember who you are through the experience so you can make it out in good form. I can tell you there is no reward for an early death (and no drama worth retelling) but there are great rewards for coming out the other side strong and bold. Be safe, realize it’s for a time and get out if you see things starting to crumble around you. If it gets REAL bad, please email me.
What made me get out? The innocent playfulness of the scene changed drastically when I turned 21. It was not playtime anymore. Every couple weeks you’d hear about someone you were acquainted with that had died, the late night intellectualism slowly revealed itself as drug induced repetitive blabbering, and most of all was seeing those who were older not accomplishing much. When I stripped away my rebelliousness from my visual presentation and focused it on ideas and art, I found life to be much more full for me.
Part of your Rite of Passage is when you realize you have been given gifts and they should not be focused inward, but outward in service. And of course, only an old fart would say something like that……
So give a shout out if you remember The Monastery, Skoochies or City Beat – and I’d be very interested to know what profession you are in now. You can post anonymously on this thread.
Update 12/08 – I’m also catching up with a lot of you on Facebook, so please add me as a friend there.*
Update 09/09 – There is an active Skoochies group on Facebook, and a reunion has been scheduled for Sept or Oct 2009 – so join that on Facebook. Lots of pics uploaded, you may spot yourself in one!
Update 10/09 – October 3, 2009 was the “Skoochies Resurrection” reunion. 740 people attended in Seattle, Wa. I believe it was held at the actual original Skoochies building.
Update 07/10 – Here is the graphic from the 2010 Reunion Red Party for The Monastery (1977-1985). There is also an MP3 download of the music from that evening available. Should I make it available here?
UPDATE 09/19 – Conrad Askland’s fourth full length musical “Pray the Gay Away”® takes place in 1982 and includes an LGBTQ+ support group called “Youth Pride”. Some of the Youth Pride member costumes are being based around the look of people that went to Skoochies, Monastery and City Beat. Info about the show available here on this blog at https://conradaskland.com/blog/category/shows/ptga/ or at the official PTGA website: Pray the Gay Away
“Little Johnny is classically trained” – translation is: “Little Johnny can read music.” Or this one, “My Aunt Thelma was a concert pianist” – translation is “My Aunt Thelma can play Chopin and gave a concert once which I wasn’t actually at.”
“Classically trained” and “Concert pianist” are two terms I hear quite a bit, and I wonder what they really mean. To me, the phrase “classically trained” should mean that you did a lengthy apprenticeship with a full time performer. And the phrase “concert pianist” should mean you made your sole living for several years giving concerts of classical music.
More important than being classically trained is if you can SOUND like you were classically trained. Not including vocals, it seems to me that classical training is about understanding the theory, execution, nuance and historical style of what you are playing.
For instance, if I have a piano student studying a piece by Bach; the first step is for us to uncover how Bach would have performed the piece in his time. We take great care to do research on tempos and embellishments. Thanks to the internet we can usually get some gratis audio samples so we can also hear how a top pro would approach the piece. Our first approach is replication, to be a historical jukebox and copy what has been.
Then we throw that all out the window and let imagination dictate all the different possibilities the student can create to alter the piece. That is the magic of personal expression and the “road less traveled” to finding your true personal voice of expression.
In my own studies this phrase was instilled in me: “You must learn the rules before you can break them.” I add to that, telling students: “You must learn the rules before you can break them. But once you have learned them, you have earned the artistic license to take any direction you like.” To me this is the perfect synthesis of dedicated research that honors music history and intention, while giving the full reigns of creativity to the performer.
“Classical music” is a diluted term. It actually refers to a fairly short segment of music history, with specifically Beethoven as it’s champion. Mozart was not of the Classical music era, nor was Bach, or Stravinsky, or Gershwin, or Buxtehude…. We have enough time in modern music history behind us that to play “Classical music” specifically from that era is actually limiting. There are many more styles that are just as appropriate for sophisticated expression of the human condition. (My favorite, as all my friends know, is Baroque music, specifically Bach.)
I hear an insincerity in the term “Classically trained”; a detachment from anything that is really relevant. The same feeling I get when I hear “Are you religious?”. Show us how “classically trained” you are by the level of your performance, and show us how “religious” you are by how you live your life. Move us with your notes and then we may want to know how you do it, inspire us with the living of your life and we may want to know how you got to be that way. The proof is in the pudding.
There is no real soul searching drive to creating music if you cannot make the listener dream louder, laugh, cry, question themselves, feel sure about themselves……SOMETHING beyond the pedestrian idleness like sitting in front of a t.v.
Learn all you can, express each note as if it were your last, research the style and let your creativity take you to places no one has been before. And when they ask you if you’re Classically trained, you can say: “I don’t know about that, but I play it damn good.”
Bono NAACP Acceptance Speech
“True religion will not let us fall asleep in the comfort of our freedom. Love Thy Neighbor is not a piece of advice, it’s a command. That means that in the global village we’re going to have to start loving a whole lot more people.”
Bono receives an award from the NAACP. He talks about how inspirational the NAACP has been to him for global equality, and how inspirational the faith of black American churches have been to him.
“Don’t let anyone tell you it cannot be done. We can be the generation that ends extreme poverty.”
