Nicole 'Netay' Simmons

The first thing you notice is those eyes. They are mesmerizing; piercing, with the ability to see right through a person. If you can get past the eyes, then you notice the tattoos. After that, you see the long slender body that has probably been the wet dream of many a man that has crossed her path.

But if all you see is the beauty and the physical of Nicole ‘Netay’Simmons, you have seriously missed the point.

She is NETAY, OK?

The 2006 Kimberly High School grad (and Chicago Bears fan) has been rocking mics

and stages since 2008. From tearing up the stage with groups like Pluto and him&her, to her time with camps like On Da Right Trak (ODRT), Simmons is a veteran in the game, and it shows in her music. She is a throwback artist at a young age, an old school soul. She refuses to use profanity in her music. Her influences include some of the titans of old school hip hop.

Her ups and downs in the industry go from getting extensive airtime for her songs on 95.9 KISS FM to being booed out of a venue while on tour. From a split with ODRT to being on the ground floor of the explosion of Heavyweight Entertainment.

A single mother of a five year old son, Netay (pronounced ‘KNEE-tay’) will be ‘Married to the Music’ literally, in December. That is when her first ever mixtape drops, and according to her, the accompanying party is going to “huge”.

Like I said, she is NETAY, OK?

What is going on in the life of Nicole?

A LOT of big things. “Married to the Music” will be my mixtape coming out in December. It is my first ever mixtape, so I am really, really excited about it. We have lots of big shows coming up. I am now with Heavyweight Entertainment, so we have lots of big things. We have Trina coming in on the 7^th, so we will be doing a show with her. We have the Up and Coming Tour with DJ Unk. Lots of things in the works right now.

When did you first fall in love with music?

I have been writing all my life, but I started music in 2008. I don’t know if you ever heard of them, but there was this group out called Pluto. There were in a living room and everyone was kind of microphone freestyling and thought ‘I can do this’. So I rapped something that I wrote and they thought it was good. Ever since then, I couldn’t leave it alone.

Who are some of your musical influences?

Lauryn Hill, Definitely. Remy Ma. Really, any old school female artist. Biggie, Ludacris. Tupac. Not so much as an influence, but because of the old school aspect.

Describe YOUR music.

 I would have to say alternative hip hop. Old School hip hop. The one thing I think is different from other female mc’s is I do kind of gear my music towards a younger crowd. I don’t like to swear in my music. I like it radio-ready. So I can perform places where there are kids and families and it is appropriate. That is what makes me different from everyone else.

Name an artist, alive or dead, that you would want to do a song with?

Hands down. Biggie Smalls. He is amazing. He is old school. He switches things up. He takes beats and makes songs that no one would think are cool and make them cool. He is an amazing lyricist. I love him.

One song that describes your life?

That is a tough question. I will be honest with you and have to say “Whatcha Doin”. The things that I talk about in that song, perhaps I have tried that and really hasn’t worked. Now I am telling everyone else why are you doing it that way? What are YOU doing with your life? Haven’t you seen the things that I have seen? IT does describe my life, I am just turning it around and portraying it for other to see and kinda look at themselves.

As a fan, what was your first concert?

Please don’t judge me (laughing) but Hanson. I was REALLY young and I was a big fan. Don’t bash me for that one. I was a young girl and everyone loved Hanson back then.

You are making a mix tape of your all-time favorite songs. What is the first song on it and why?

Married to the Music’. It is basically the anthem to my mix tape and it is just an amazing song. It breaks down the fact that we are in love with the music and this is what we are all about. It comes at the end of December.

What are some of the good things, in your mind, about the music scene in this area?

There is definitely lots of buzz going on. Lots of very talented artists. There are a lot of big artists coming into the area. I think there is a lot of….inspiration. When you see a big artist perform, it inspires everybody else. It’s ‘why don’t WE do that.’ I have seen a lot of good things in the last couple months and the scene in this area is growing. It inspires me to get my stuff out there and want to be those openings acts and get my music out there.

What are some of the things that need to be improved about the music scene?

I think it’s too repetitive. A lot of the times it's just ‘ok, it’s another show at another club with all the same people. UGH. I think there needs to be new ideas and different groups collabing with groups that NO ONE would think they would collab with. Something different; step out of the box. That is what this area is lacking.

Best performance you ever gave?

I would have to say Chicken fest. We were with the Undiscovered Tour. My family was there and a bunch of kids and you just don’t get that very often. We rocked the stage, and when we came off, they were asking for autographs. It was one of the best things I ever experienced.

Worst show you ever did?

It was also on the Undiscovered Tour, I don’t remember where we were but we will call it Unwanted, WI. They played the wrong track for me, and I just went with it. The bar, which was basically a biker bar, said they did not LIKE hip hop, and literally shut me off mid song and booed me out of the place.

Tell me about him&her.

Oh boy (laughs.) That was a different stage in my life. Definitely had a lot of new experiences with that. Ummmm, listening to my music, I have definitely matured over the years. It was a good experience and it gave me a little taste of what the musical world was really about. That was my big step of really getting into music. But I kind of drew away from that because I was getting pushed into a way I didn’t want to go in music. I just had to step back and re-evaluate myself as an artist.

The things that you learned through that experience, how does that help you now?

I think I have more of a grasp of the basics of music. Of the industry and how things work. Things like going about booking shows and promoting myself. I took a lot of that out of it, and it was a good experience. Again, with the maturing factor in my music and how I come across in my music.

Tell me about Swaggatrotious?
I can’t even talk about that song. That is in my past. It was a cool song when it came out. We kinda took bits and pieces of other songs and made it cool.

Swaggatrotious got some serious airtime on 95.9. What was that like the first time you heard yourself on the radio?

I kinda laughed. It was cool that I was on the radio. I was PUMPED. One of my other songs when I was with Pluto, Kitty Cat, was also on the radio and won the battle one week when it went up against another song. It was cool that I was on the radio. Hopeful for some more airtime soon.

You have rocked with ODRT and Heavyweight Entertainment. What have you learned about yourself from those camps?

I have learned where my priorities lie. I don’t want to say anything negative, because I give props to every one of those people; there is no hard feelings (with the ODRT camp). It’s just I needed things as an artist and I wasn’t able to develop the proper way. And I learned that I need to take a step in a different direction. The experience made me a little bit of a more out of the box type of thinker. I appreciate everything they have done for me.

When it comes to women in hip-hop, what do you thing is missing?

A positive role model. That positive influence in music to bring it back to hip hop and what music is really all about and NOT trying to project those images. We all have kids. Would you want your kids listening to f-this and f-that and I do drugs. I feel like that positive influence or image for young ladies is missing.

When all this is said and done, what do you want people to say about you?

I want people to say that I was the one person that made a difference in music. I don’t just want to be another musician or another artist. I want to make a difference. I want you to be able to listen to my music and say ‘wow, she really made an impact in my life’. I want to make people think about things and make a positive change in people’s lives.

Ladies First, Ladies First

I LOVE a good female MC.

I mean, a great flow, nice lyrics, and the confidence to grab the mic and rock the stage with the big boys, that is something VERY entertaining and downright sexy to me.

The question is, WHERE ARE THEY? Where are the MC Lytes? The Queen Latifahs? Hell, I would settle for a Trina or a Lil Mama.

You ask the average hip hop fan to name a female MC RIGHT NOW, and they are hard pressed to come up with an answer. Well, other than Nicki Minaj. You can dissect every record chart around and you won’t find another female MC on them other than Nicki. (Sad commentary: On the Billboard Top Rap Songs chart there is NO female MC this week. KESHA is on the fucking chart, but no female MC. On the R&B/Hip Hop Chart, again, no female MC other than Nicki. JUSTIN BEIBER is on the chart. That just makes me sad).

But I digress. I asked in a social forum did people think that Minaj HELPS or HURTS females in hip hop. The thought process seemed to be split. Some feels she is a hindrance to the game. I have heard people say she isn’t really hip hop, but a cartoon character. But I have also heard that she is the next generation of hip hop (by no other than MC Lyte). I personally am not a big fan. To me, there is no substance to her. Like another one of my blogs asked, what have you got to say? And to me, she doesn’t have anything to say.

Now locally, there are some great artists. (And I will preface what I am about to say with I KNOW I WILL MISS PEOPLE.) My personal favorite? RockzSolid. She on her own could be a movement that takes the ladies back to the heyday of females in hip-hop. Her flow is old school with a fresh feel that works in a new era. Her lyrics are real and from the heart. And most importantly to me, she CARES about her CRAFT. It ain’t about money OR fame with her. It’s about the MUSIC. I got MADE respect for her for that. Check out “BringThat Beat Back.” I actually have it playing while I am writing this.

The best hustler in my opinion? J irja. The Spotlight Queen has been through A LOT in her young life, and it comes out in her music. Her song “Mirror” is probably the realest shit I have heard her do. “Bad Bitch” is anthem for the ladies that are strong and independent. Those songs ALMOST make up for “Ching” which is just an absolute train wreck of a song and should be burned and never played again. Another thing I like about her is that she has that sex appeal. Pretty face. Bangin’ body. But she isn’t over the top with it. And it isn’t forced. It’s a part of who she is.

There are others out there that are doing the damn thing. MC Spryte is a vet in the game. Shania P is cute as a button with a great flow and a bright future. Ms. Felony gives me the same vibe that Rockz does: Very real with hers.

Seems to me the female side of the hip hop game is in good hands around here.

 

WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SAY???

What Have You Got to Say?

Music used to mean something. You used to have to have some semblance of talent to be a part of the music industry. Be it the able to sing, or play an instrument, or a unique combination of both, you had to be able to over something that not everyone could. You also needed to have something to SAY.

Excuse my language, but shit ain’t like that no more.

With the influx of the internet and social media, anyone with a laptop and too much damn time on their hands can put out music, photos, articles and the like to the masses from the comfort of their bedroom or desk or mother’s basement. (And yes, the irony that THIS blog falls into that category is not lost on me as I write this.)

Every single day, I and millions of people all over the internet are bombarded with request to check out the music pages and songs of artists. And every single day, I and those millions of people all over the internet are told by these artists that “we haven’t heard anything like this!!” or “This is that HOTNESS!!!”  We are supposed to believe that these artists have something unique and …..different to say and THAT is what we should click play.

I have been clicking play….and I have been lied too.

Everything I click on, and listen to and have been told is supposed to be that hot shit is not even close. What happened to creativity? What happened to TALENT? What happened to lyricists? They are either writing simplistic rhymes over someone else’s already hot beat, while stealing their already hot hook, or putting out some shit that is so weak and boring my 16 year old could write it.

I think the main problem is these so called “hip hop artists” need to stay in their lane. No, you ain’t rollin’ in a Bentley; this is Wisconsin. No one in their right mind would roll a Bentley here. It SNOWS here. No, you don’t have the baddest bitches on the planet. Again, you are in Wisconsin. That statement ALONE makes your bad bitch argument invalid. No, you ain’t the Best Rapper in Wisconsin. And in the grand scheme of things, is that REALLY something you want to aspire to? Being the best Rapper in Wisconsin is kinda like being the tallest midget. At the end of the day, you are still short.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some GREAT artists here. Just to name a few, in my humble opinion, you have cats like Dubceez, who is an absolute legend here; the squad over at Spotlight; Handz Onn, Ms. Felony, RockzSolid and Lou Streets. There are others, but those are the names that come to mind for me.

The main problem for THESE artists is that the market is just diluted with such bullshit. Too many mumble mouth motherfuckers that ain’t got a damn thing to say, and put out such crap that REAL artists get overlooked because they just assume since its hip hop, it’s got to be as bad as the other shit they have heard. And that is SO far from the truth. The artists I named and artists associated with them take the time to work on the CRAFT. (Now, me and Mellow G had a disagreement about IMAGE, but Mellow still crafts a helluva song, so I will give him a pass on the image shit.)

And that is another thing: Why are some many of these so called artists so worried about what they LOOK LIKE and what they are SEEN in, and NOT worried about honing their CRAFT? You think Kanye STARTED in $250 t-shirts? No. He started by crafted GREAT MUSIC. The material shit for artists like Kanye and Jay-Z came because of the CRAFT. They took the time to hone the craft ALONG with the image.

So again, I ask…

What have YOU got to say?

Joe "Lil Joe" Posorski

I am just going to put it out there. It ain’t easy for a white dude in the rap game. There are the inevitable comparisons, be it good or bad, to Eminem, and the inevitable insults of being called Vanilla Ice (which I always find interesting. You want to insult a white rapper by calling him Vanilla Ice, a dude that had ONE album sell FIFTEEN MILLION COPIES worldwide. That’s an insult?)

For Lil Joe Posorski, the comparisons have just fueled him to succeed.

I sat down with Lil’ Joe right before the “Long Road Home” Tour with Josh “Handz Onn” Russell. The tour, which hit several states, was a success, allowing Lil Joe to get his music to a whole brand new audience.

And now, the sky is the limit for Lil Joe. And as far as the comparisons go, he is not too worried about them.

After all, he is Lil Joe, Dammit.

What is going on in your career right now?

I am actually working on THREE new albums. One of them is with Mr. King that is One Night Engagement”. Another one I haven’t named yet, but it is going to be a compilation of me and other artists. All of the proceeds from that will be going to the “It Gets Better” Project. The project is designed to stop teen gay and lesbian suicides. I believe that is a really good cause to benefit, so the proceeds from that album will go to the project.

Let’s talk about the “Long Road Home” Tour.

It’s a tour where Josh “Handz Onn” Russell is headlining. There is me, SQ, and Snake Eyez. And we are going to be going around thru a few different states. Right now we have Wisconsin booked; we have got some show in Ohio and West Virginia. We are also trying to book shows in Indiana, and a couple of other places. It is going to be a weeklong event, and it is going to be one show every night; it should be a good time.

What is the reasoning behind the tour?

Handz Onn hit me up one day and said that I haven’t been back home to West Virginia in a long time and no one there has really heard my music or seen my live out there. So let’s do it. And I said ok.

Let’s talk about Last Trac?

It’s a clothing line I started about seven years ago. We did three or four different seasons with it, and then it kind of fell off for a while. I am actually going to start producing new clothing soon. It was t-shirts, pants, hats, and it did fairly well. We had it in few stores here.

When did you first fall in love with music?

I have always loved music. I can’t ever remember a time when I didn’t love music. When I was younger, I would take songs and remake the words into the way I wanted to as they were on the radio. I really started getting into it myself in high school when I was in the choir classes. My sophomore year, I made my first song. It was horrible, and I have it on my website somewhere. I have it out there for everyone to listen to in case I want to see the progression. I recorded it because I was going to go do a talent show for Kiss-FM. Failed that miserably to. I just kinda stood there frozen.

Who are some of your musical influences?

That is a really good question. I am actually influenced by all music. I can’t really pin down who I am influenced by because I listen to everything. Any song can just spark me. That is usually how it is. When I write the depressing songs, I have listened to country. Depending on what song I write, that could tell you what I have been listening too.

Describe YOUR music.

Most of my recent music has been kind of a mix between hip hop and pop. Hip-hop, pop and dance. But I like to have some real heart-felt music in there as well. Some REAL stuff. My albums kind of clash with each other. I will have real high energy music, and then I will have real mellow kind of real music. There is not a whole lot of in between.

Name an artist, alive or dead, that you would want to do a song with?

I want to do a song with T-Pain so bad. I don’t know why, but it is one of those things where he has a LOT of talent. A lot of people say ‘oh, he does the autotune thing’, but I have heard him sing without it. He has a lot of talent. He CREATED the autotune movement, so in my opinion he is the only one that should be allowed to use it. In ALL of his songs. Dead, I was working on something with MC Breed, and we didn’t get to finished it before he passed away. I was working a joint tour with him.

One song that describes your life?

{Long pause} That is a good question. You know, it’s funny. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of anyone else’s songs that describe my life in whole. I have made some of my own. I have got a song called “On My Own” and it describes a lot of my life.

As a fan, what was your first concert?

Alabama at Country USA. IT was a good show too.

You are making a mix tape of your all-time favorite songs. What is the first song on it and why?

“Take Your Shirt Off” by T-Pain. There is just something about it. Every time I hear it, I just want to get up and start moving. It grabs me. It is the way the vocal are on the beat.

What are some of the good things, in your mind, about the music scene in this area?

There used to be a lot of really good things in the area for music. And we are trying to bring those good things back. I think a lot of people have lost focus with what they were trying to do. When I started doing this, there wasn’t a whole lot of hip hop out here and I was doing it for fun. I got one of the first venues in Kaukauna to do a hip-hop show. Handz Onn has some things going on, and Spotlight was doing their own thing. Really there were only four people doing it. I moved to Florida and when I came back, it seemed like no one was trying to work together anymore. One of the good things that is starting to happen is people are starting to work together again.

Why do you think people DON’T want to work together?

People have developed big heads. Everyone is trying to be the rapper, and no one is trying to be the entertainer. My song “It’s a Shame” stems from true events. I was coming up here to do my album release party, and while I was up here I wanted to get on a couple more show besides the album release party. And when I called up some of the artists around here that had shows booked but weren’t full, I basically got told to take a hike, for lack of better words. They basically told me to fuck off.

What are some of the things that need to be improved about the music scene?

I really think people need to take a look at what they are doing. Most of the rappers that are out here, the entertainers, they have never left the area. They have never done a show outside of, maybe as far as Chicago. They don’t know what it’s like further away. They don’t deserve to have a big head. I have done all that, but I don’t have a big head. I have been all over the country, and I have performed with some really awesome people, and I still like to work with everybody.

Best performance you ever gave?

{Long pause} You know it’s bad when nothing sticks out. Some of my better shows have been at ET’s Dogg Pound in Kaukauna.

Worst show you ever did?

I did a show called Local Fest. It was in Kiel. It was at Snake Eyes. It was in the middle of nowhere. He had some property, so he set up a stage, set up some sound and it was basically an outside party. A couple of fans of mine made the drive from Kaukauna to Kiel and decided to bring me a show president of a bottle of vodka and Red Bull. My friend poured a drink that was 90% vodka and a splash of Red Bull. By the time I hit the stage, about 3 hours and 2 drinks later, I couldn’t remember any of my English lyrics. The only thing I could remember was my stuff in Italian. My 30 minute set turned into me talking on stage.

Your first time on stage, you got the inevitable comparisons to Eminem and Vanilla Ice. Tell me about that.

It was that talent show I talked about earlier. I was doing a song called “Unity”. The song talks about everyone needing to stop fighting and we need to come together. I had to be the first people up there and I was nervous. I had never been on stage before, never performed one of my song before. It was the first song I wrote. I started the performance, and I just stood there. I wasn’t even rapping at the time; I was just talking on the beat because I was so nervous. A couple of dudes out in the crowd were like “you are just an Eminem wannabe!” Which I thought was funny.

When all this is said and done and the career of Lil Joe is at its end, what do you want people to say about you?

I want them to say when they saw me, they had fun. That they had a good time. I do this to entertain people. So, if I am not entertaining people when they come to my shows, there is no point in me doing this. That is all I really need for them to think.

The Spot Owner Stephanie Soto

Nothing is harder than the first year for a business. From getting the doors opened, to getting people through those doors, to keeping those doors open, that first year makes or breaks all businesses. For Stephanie Soto, the first year made her, nearly broke her, and made her stronger than ever.

Soto is the owner of The Spot, a bar and lounge, performance spot and restaurant, and all around hang out spot. From humble beginnings in a small bar in Oshkosh, to its current place on Highway 76 in Neenah, The Spot has taken Soto on all of the ups and downs that business has in store for people.

The Milwaukee native and mother of three has survived all of the ups and downs, and has prospered when most people would have packed it up and quit.

“There are times when I have stood in the middle of this bar and said ‘wow, this is mine’”, Soto said as we sat in The Spot for the interview. “I refuse to fail.”

She knows that she couldn’t have done it on her own, and the people around here are just as happy for the success of The Spot.

Tim Calloway, who is the brains behind Fox CitiesCollaboration, works closely with Soto on various things, including the highly successful Sexy Heels Contest, which is slowly becoming a Thursday night staple at The Spot.

“Working with Stephanie and the Spot was a great opportunity that presented itself and I jumped on it! I knew there would be some challenges with promoting for a club that relocated and is not in the traditional area of the targeted customer base. With that said, there a lot of opportunities that exists because of the exact situation so it’s a matter of minimizing the weaknesses and maximize the strengths,” Calloway said. “Stephanie is a hard working woman that had a vision of what she wants her establishment to be and grow into; she is about the community, friends, and family. She is someone that you can feed off her energy because of her passion so working with Steph for The Ladies night where we also do a contest where we award a prize for the best heels in the house is awesome. Some owners are hard to work with because they feel they have all the answers and are stubborn; I am not saying it’s easy and she just agrees with everything I bring up, but she is open to new ideas and is a great person to brainstorm with.”

Leanne Douglas, the CEO of 1000 Words Photography, understands the professional side of Soto, but also loves how she can keep everyone smiling while getting down to business.

“It’s always a pleasure to work with her and she makes it a point to lighten the mood which is of course refreshing and we all need a little lightheartedness in our lives,” Douglas said. “Stephanie has grown as an owner to reach a larger crowd and I look at that as SMART, everyone has a vision, but you got to put on some glasses called reality and see it clearer and she has done just that.”

Soto and I sat down in her bar recently, as she was preparing for the year anniversary party on February 9^th.

So, you are a year in. What have seen that you were completely NOT expecting?

I was definitely not expecting to go from Oshkosh to Neenah, and changing from 25 and older to 21 and older. It’s been a really smooth transition, but it just was something I wasn’t expecting.

What was behind the transition from 25 and older to 21 and older?

I was leasing from an individual out in Oshkosh, and unfortunately, they weren’t paying the property taxes on the building. The city wants their money. And because they WEREN’T paying the property taxes, the city pulled the liquor license. So I had about 2 weeks to decide what I was going to do. Was I going to close up and say that’s a wrap, or pull everything out of me to find a way to keep going with my dream? I got the opportunity to come out here to Neenah, and within a month and a half my bar closed in Oshkosh, and opened up here in Neenah.

So that was the reason for the move from Oshkosh to Neenah?

Yeah, that was the only reason to move.

What was the hardest part about this first year?

Just getting people to know who we are. Getting them accustomed to what we do, what we serve, and the kind of atmosphere we have. The first year of business isn’t easy for anybody. It’s a constant struggle and battle, not only within me, but fighting for the business too. A constant struggle to have The Spot in peoples’ mouth and talk about it.

What have you learned about yourself in this first year?

I am NOT giving up!! (Laughs). I am not giving up by any means. I moved here from Milwaukee. I made the choice to move here for the better schools, better place to raise my kids, and we have had bars and restaurants in our family for over 22 years. I know what it takes to do it. It’s not like I woke up one day and said ‘I’m gonna open a bar today’. Coming here, and going through all the schooling (Business Management) and raising three kids, I am bound and determined to be successful;  to have something for my kids when I pass on, and have a good place to go out and enjoy my time.

Originally, The Spot was 25 and older. What was the reason behind that?

I wanted a place that was more of, um….how can I say this without sounding bad? I wanted a place where we can go and kick it. I am 37. I wanted to go out with people more my age. That was whole reason behind 25 and older. I had to have something that my bar was that no OTHER bar was. And that is where 25 and older came in.

You have had some issues with a couple performers, especially Jae Mills. What ACTUALLY happened there?

The full story is this. We had him booked. He came. He had drinks. The twist came in when their manager sent the promoter the wrong music. He was adamant that he could not go on without the music he had put together to perform that night. Because he didn’t have the music, it started to get out of hand. He wanted to leave at THAT point. WE had the promoter and my COOK of all people helping him download his music so he could go on stage. There WAS a solution to the problem. During this time, I was completely unaware that he had already gotten paid BEFORE performing. While they were downloading his music, he basically said “f**k it” and left. Dennis, I followed this man to the car. And I have 300 people in the bar at this point that not only WANT to see this man perform, but PAID to see him perform. I went outside to try to get him to come back in, and I literally jumped in his truck to get him to come back in. I was NOT going to let him leave and have my customers be disappointed. At that point he made a comment that the only reason I was trying to stop him was that I was trying to safe myself. I was thinking ‘we are in this TOGETHER’. Yes it is to save myself, but it is also to save YOU from having all these fans be disappointed by having you come in, having drinks, taking pics, taking their MONEY, and LEAVING! At that point, it was already too late to bring him back and put him on stage. We had done too much arguing by then.

So when things like this happen, even though it is out of your control, it makes YOU as the bar owner look bad. How do you deal with that?

Well, it’s almost impossible to get back the same 300 people that were in here that night. For our 1 year anniversary, I am hoping that a lot of them would come back. At that time, it’s going to be more of a customer appreciation to let them know that I appreciate them coming to The Spot first and foremost. My goal is to show them that this is NOT the way The Spot does business.

For a while, The Spot was a Ruff Ryder clubhouse. What happened there?

We basically decided to go about our OWN business separate from each other. We unfortunately couldn’t come to an agreement on some key points that stood out, so it was in our best interests to go our own ways.

This is a much bigger venue than the place in Oshkosh. Has that helped you or hurt you?

It helped me. It was an upside, because even though I was leaving Oshkosh and coming to Neenah, I was going to stay in business. I went from a 100 capacity place to a 350 capacity place, and being able to hold on to that image of a cool place to hang out, and not have any issues. We are a year in, and have had ZERO fights in my club. That is almost unheard of. We have not had ONE fight in here.

In this business, you run into people that don’t have your best interests at heart, but more so ‘What can I get out of it”, or people that look at you as just a woman. How do you deal with people like that?

I think the biggest thing that I get when I am speaking with promoters and managers and different performers and genres of music, the first thing they see is a pretty face. And they see a woman. But people don’t know I am NOT brand new to this. I grew up in a family that ran bars. I grew up in a family that ran restaurants. Everything I have collectively learned over the years gives me that experience. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying I have done this by myself. I have had a number of people help me. From Spotlight, to Ruff Ryders, to Collaboration. My biggest thing is I stand for what I stand for. I am going to make The Spot what I want it to be.

What do we have to look forward to in the future?

We are really picking up on a lot of national artists. The Spot has one of the biggest stages in northeast Wisconsin, and artists want to be on stage. And THAT stage sells itself. We have Do or Die coming in in February. We are looking at some other big names coming in, but don’t quote me on those just yet. We have the comedian Shawty (of “Wild n Out” fame) coming in. The sky is the limit right now.

Hip Hop Artist Josh "Handz Onn" Russell

Josh 'Handz Onn' Russell finally showed me what I have been looking for in a hip hop artist when it come to putting on a show in this area:

That a hip-hop artist actually GETS it.

When the flyer for your show says that the show will start at 9:30, it better damn well start at 9:30. It's about being a professional with your music and your show, and Handz Onn did just that.

It was one of the many things about him that impressed me.

The married Russell, who will turn 30 on December 7^th, has shown that his decade in the business has taught a lot. He understands the industry is shady, but still, every night, grabs the mic and tries to rock the crowd to the best of his ability.

We sat down at The Spot in Neenah before his Black and White Party show there recently, and what I found was a man that realizes his place in the hip hop world, and completely enjoys every second of it.

So what are you working on right now?

I have got so much stuff going on, man. I am working on my third CD, which hopefully will be out around March or April. It's going to be called “This Time Around” and the focus is mainly going to be that this time around I am going to do it for myself instead of trying to please everyone else, and trying to be something that I'm not. I am also working on going on tour. In January and February I will be on the Grind Time Tour with a guy out of Minnesota named Izzy Dunfor. We are hopefully doing 15 to 20 shows each in Wisconsin and Minnesota and a few in Iowa as well. We are co-headlining that.

When do you first fall in love with Music?

Ever since I was born. I am one of those guys that likes all genres of music. I listen to country, I listen to rock, I listen to hip-hop, rap, metal. All genres. Some good friends of mine are in a metal band called Bobo Flex and they are touring nation-wide right now. I have been listen to music for ever. My first love as far as hip-hop goes was Bone Thugz n Harmony. I was like 10 years old when that CD came out and I thought that it was the coolest shit I ever heard.

Who are your musical influences?

Absolutely Bones is one of them. I love them. I like House of Pain, Everlast, and a lot of underground artists like Haystack, all the CWB people.

Describe your music?

My music is a good Wisconsin party. It's a little bit of hip hop with a little bit of alcohol influence. I do a lot of socialables on stage, I have a song called “Alcoholic All-Star”. Basically, I like to go out and get drunk. I like to say on stage that I am not a rapper or a hip hop artist, but a drunk dude that someone gave a microphone.

What do you want people to hear in your music?

In my live shows, I do a lot of party songs, and I mean party as in a college house party. On my recorded music, I do a lot more story-telling tracks. I like to tell stories in my music. I like to talk about how corrupt the industry is. I talk about how hard it is to make it as a true artist instead of being the next hype. I have been doing this for 10 years, and you can try your entire life and not make it anywhere, except for a bar, or you can be picked up off the street and made the next sensation and not have any talent, and that drives me insane.

Tell me about the mixtape?

Basically what it is, its a mixtape of songs from my first two CDs. Its got 19 songs on it, and techincally called it a greatest hits CD, because its the songs that I feel that over those 10 years I have gotten the most hype from.

Best performance you ever gave?

I try to give 100% on every performance, honestly, but the funnest time I have ever had was at Dropfest Car Show in 2008. It was in front of 1500 people and I was the only hip hop artist to perform that day.

Worst performance you ever gave?

At the same time, probably Dropfest, because I was SOOOO nervous. I was the only hip hop artist there, and it was just, “holy shit, there is a lot of people out there that don't even know who I am.” I felt like that I got out there and tried too hard. But I threw a couple t-shirts and CDs out to the crowd and afterwards people were coming up to me asking for autographs, so it worked out well.

What are some the good things about the music scene in this area?

The music scene in this area is really good as far as networking with other artists. All the artists are always down to help and network with other artists, and so am I. As far as the community, I like to show that hip hop shouldn't be looked at as negative like a lot of people do. I do a lot of benefits and charities. I did a benefit for the tornado victims in Kaukauna two years ago. The scene is good, but it can always be built up, and that is what I am trying to do.

What are some of the things that could be improved?

It seems like a lot of people want to go out and watch Rock bands, but not so much hip hop shows. It kind of gives a bad outlook on hip-hop. Venues would much rather book a rock band than a hip hop group because more people are going to go to a rock show. Or I will say this: more people want to go see a cover band where they can sing along all night than want to go see original music. I am not taking anything away from cover bands, but sometimes I wish I could get a turn out like that for original music. We put a lot of thought and emotion into our music. It would be nice to get a little bit of a return.

One song that describes your life?

I have a song called 'Live My Life'. It talks about how I have to slow down and think about the fact that I a sometimes put so much into my music that sometimes forget to slow down and see whats going on around me. I have to stop and think about my music instead of just trying to put out music.

One artist, alive or dead, that you would want to do a song with?

Dead, I would want to do a song with Johnny Cash. I actually sample his song 'Hurt' in one of my songs. I listen to a lot of old country. I get a lot of influences from that because artists like Johnny Cash were rock stars of their era. They did real music, and weren't trying to be something that they aren't. Alive, I would want to do a song with Everlast, for sure.

What was your first concert?

I went and saw Eminem at the Rave in 1996. It was right before his song 'Hi, My Name Is...' song came out, so he was still an underground artist. There was like 150 people and it was really cool.

Do you ever run into issues as a white dude doing hip hop?

I honestly don't get that much hate as a white boy cause I am not talking about swag. I am not talking about big rims and staying in the club, because that is not me or what I do. I am a hard-working person and that is what I rap about. I just try to do my music and other races know that. And they don't try to shun me because of that. My main problem is that people don't want to give a HIP HOP artist a chance, let alone a white hip hop artist.

What makes you grab the mic and get up there every night?

I have always said, I will do a show in front of five people or 1500 people, and I will always give the same performance no matter what. If I could see just one person bobbing their head or have one person come up to me, give me a high-five and say 'dude, I really liked what you did', then that is why I do it. I don't care if 100 people stand at the bar and tell me I am terrible and one guy comes up and says 'you are the best thing I saw all night', I am not going to remember the 100 that didn't like me, because they won't remember me.

When it is all said and done, what do you want people to say about you?

When it's all said and done, I want people to say 'I remember Handz Onn, he did so and so song and it helped me'. I have a couple of emotional songs about....well not so much ABOUT suicide, but they are anti-suicide songs that are sad stories, you know? I want people to be like, 'I was at a low point in my life, put this CD on, and it helped turn me around'.

Is that what this is all about?

Absolutely. That is what I do. I want to try to motivate people to have fun. That is why I do the party songs on stage and the positive songs in my music. I want people to have fun and smile.

Singer/Songwriter Rob Anthony

Singer-songwriter Rob Anthony is a staple of the Appleton music scene and has been for many years. From rocking stages in various bands to now touring and performing in support of his new double disc set, “Is This The Plan?”, Anthony has spent nearly his entire life on stage, entertaining and helping people through song.

And his helping has been so much more than just music. He has lent his voice and talent to many worthwhile causes, including Special Olympics and in support of our troops overseas.

The Stevens Point native, who recently celebrated his 40^th birthday, sat down with me at one of the many venues in Appleton that he plays, Déjà vu Martini Lounge on College Avenue. Musically, he reminds me of so many, from Mellencamp to Segar.

Perhaps that indeed was the plan.

 

What are you are working on right now? What is going on in the life of Rob Anthony?

My life right now…I just finished up performing the last year and a half in support of the new album release.  It’s a two disc set. It came from 10 years of life. It’s called “Is This the Plan”. It’s kind of theme; as a songwriter, I put all the songs on the two disc to kind of celebrate ten years of able to do what I do. I have just been performing the hell out of it for the past year and a half.

When did you first fall in love with music?

I fell in love playing guitar when I was young. Probably around eighth grade. I grew up in the 80’s so I had all the monster guitar players to learn from. That is where I learned to play guitar, and I play lead guitar for years. I was a heavy metal kid; I learned from Iron Maiden and Metallica and Slayer and all these thrash bands. It was the age of 25 that I picked up an acoustic guitar, and starting singing and songwriting.

Who are some of your musical influences?

It was 1994 and the Eagles came out with their reunion tour. I think that opened my eyes to acoustic music. And then I just went backwards. I started listening to the greats again. From the Eagles, to the Bob Dylans, Neil young, Johnny Cash. Everybody from the 60’s and 70’s; you know, just really good songwriters. I was trying to become a songwriter. How do you do that? I had no plan; I just did it.

Describe your music?

It’s a folk-Americana-folk-rock kinda style. It has spanned over ten years and four different albums. The first one was country-alternative. The second one was more of a Midwestern heartland rock, kinda like the Bo Deans or Mellencamp type style. The third one was a little more rock, and then I came out with an acoustic CD.

Why the genre bounce?

I never wanted to be pigeon-holed into style. You know, Bob Dylan, is Bob Dylan. They don’t really give him a style. Tom Waits is Tom Waits, Elvis Costello is Elvis Costello. I think it is because they have done so much different stuff over the years. I have done the same thing. I haven’t really just picked something and ran with it. I have done different things.

What do you want people to hear in your music?

What I want people to hear is that I am really big into the song and the words now. I don’t do that many interviews. I have never really pushed myself out there as much. I don’t really have anything to say that the music hasn’t already said. I hadn’t really noticed until I went back and listened to my catalog of music and realized what was more important. It’s the words and the music, and the person you are in the music.

Best performance you ever gave?

That is hard. There is so many, because we are talking 20 years of performing. The best ones really depend on the venue. I like a lot of old theaters and when I am in a theater environment, opening up for a national act, those are my best performances.

Who are some of the big names you have opened up for?

I have opened up for the Bo Deans; Gin Blossoms; Jimmy Wayne; the Wallflowers; Diamond Rio (a distinction Anthony shares with the author). There was a really good one I had and it was an honor to meet this guy. Daryl Stuermer, a guitar player and plays guitar for Phil Collins. I had a great time playing with him; it was really cool. He has done it all with Phil Collins and Genesis. And he lives in Port Washington.

Worst performance you ever gave?

The worst performance I ever gave was when I actually injured my voice. I blew it out, and I still had to sing. The reason it was a bad performance is because I knew I did something wrong, and I wouldn’t recover for a long time.  I was out of commission for 6 months.

What are the good things about the music scene in this area?

I don’t have too many right now. The music scene here really has been crippled lately by economics. Clubs can’t afford to have bands come in because people aren’t coming to see the music as much as they were before. People are being more selective on what they want to do. The drinking and driving aspect in Appleton is just unbelievable. And that all developed in the past few years. And I don’t mean the PENALTIES; I mean the fear of getting pulled over leaving a venue.

             What are some of the things that can be improved?

The whole culture of music is changing because of internet downloads, and there is such a diversity of music styles now. No one follows just one certain genre anymore. It’s hard to get people’s attention to say there’s a big show going on over here, and to get everyone in there.

To you think the music scene is hurt by the fact there are some not-so-good artist out there?

There is something to say about that, but then again, there are a lot of talented artists out there as well. I can go back to seven years ago or so when it was just thriving and say there was a LOT of great musicians out there. But now, they are all at the mercy of bars and venues. They have to deal with the politics and promotion and making sure things are running the way you want them to run and getting the people in the door.

One song that describes your life?

The best song that fits my life…actually there are two. The new song “Is This the Plan?” which really does tell my journey from working on a shipping dock where I worked with truckers to finding meaning in song. And through finding meaning in song you can help people out. It’s not the most popular song I have, but it definitely speaks the journey. There is also a song called “I Don’t Need Much”. It’s inspired by favorite artist, Bob Marley.

One artist, alive or dead, you would want to do a song with?

I would love to do a song with Glen Frey of the Eagles.

What was your first concert?

Megadeath and Dio, back in 1985. I was 14 years old.

When this run is over, what do you want people to say about the Music of Rob Anthony?

I think I would want everybody to think it was about what I had to say in the music, because I touch on so many topics. I have been trying to as honest as I can with the music. They are songs that mean things, and I know they are songs that help people.