Mandrake Society Radio Celebrates Season 5 — Dallas

Image courtesy of usps.com

popolio exists under the umbrella organization of Mandrake Arts & Media.  popolio is the latest addition to Mandrake Arts & Media.  Before popolio, Mandrake Arts & Media consisted of  Mandrake FM (which is currently being re-worked) and Mandrake Society Radio.

In conjunction with popolio’s One Year Anniversary Mixer in Austin on Friday September 18, 2009, (see the flyer here and read the press release here), we are celebrating Mandrake Society’s Radio’s 5th Season with an event in Dallas the very next evening, Saturday, September 19, 2009. 

Part of the idea with the Dallas event is to have it occur in the midst of the Pride festivities in D-Town.  Here are the details for Dallas’ event.

We will have live music at both events.  Austin-based Phil Dutra will be representing in the ATX while NYC artist Tim Dillinger will hold it down in D-Town.  Check Phil’s MySpace Page here and Tim’s here.

All are welcome to both events or to one or the other.  I will be at both.  Hope to see you somewhere.

freddie beat
popolio creator/editor

J. Dub
Mandrake Arts & Media founder
Mandrake Society Radio creator/editor
popolio co-editor

 

Changes to Contact Page

Recently, I made some changes to the Contact Page.  It’s just more streamlined and categorized in how artists and/or their representation can contact me.  This page, like the whole blog, is ever-evolving, though.  I make changes, additions, and/or improvements as I feel they are needed.  I added a ‘music video’ category and added more details in other places especially the ‘press release’ category.  This is how it stands today –

 MUSIC VIDEOS
Want to debut your latest video? We’d love to be the first to premiere it online.  Or if it’s already out there, we’d love to act as yet another showcase venue.  Submit your DailyMotion or YouTube link and we’ll post your music video.

PRESS RELEASES
We love getting press releases and we know you and your publicist are extremely busy.  So are we.  If at all possible, we’d love to get a pitch along with the press release.  Let us know how you want to plug-in with us and which popolio features interest you.  Just know that we thrive on original content.

SHOW LISTINGS
Have (an) upcoming show(s) in the Austin, Dallas, El Paso, and/or the Texas area? 
Are you an Austin, Dallas, El Paso, and/or Texas act and have shows elsewhere?  Submit your JPEG flyer and we’ll post it.

SINGLES & FULL RELEASE REVIEWS
Want us to review your latest single and/or full release?  Email MP3s or snail mail us a promotional copy of your CD.  Contact us for our mailing address.

OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS & CONCERNS
Want to be showcased on popolio in another capacity?  Have ideas for a co-promotion and/or giveaway?  Contact us and inform us of your intent.  Pitch us, even.  We may be open.

Email to: popolio[dot]com[at]gmail[dot]com

 

Take the 2009 Mandrake Arts & Media Listener Survey

2009 Mandrake Arts & Media Listener Survey

If you’ve read popolio.com or listened to even a single popolio podcast or Mandrake Society Radio podcast or Mandrake FM podcast in the last 12 months, JW Richard (Mandrake Arts & Media Guru and popolio.com Co-Editor) and myself would appreciate you taking the time to complete our listener survey for this year so we can make even better products for you, online or offline.  Thank you SO much for your time.  Thank you, thank you!!

https://app.icontact.com/icp/sub/survey/take

 

JW Richard interviewed by Pegasus News RE: Mandrake Arts & Media — Dallas

Many may not know this, but popolio.com is under the umbrella of Mandrake Arts & Media which consists of mandrake society radio and mandrake FM as well as popolio.com.  The mastermind behind Mandrake Arts & Media and both those sites is J.W. Richard, who co-edits here at popolio.com.  He runs those 2 shows by himself and assists here.

Mandrake Arts & Media is a content partner with Pegasus News in Dallas and they posted an interview TODAY with Mr. J. Dub, who is based in Dallas and works with them there.  Check out the interview here to read his breakdown of Mandrake Arts & Media and to learn more about his work and our sites.

 

Play it Forward: Ari Gold — Transport Systems

I love how the overall art direction ties to the concept. Helps that he's sexy, too. Check him out in the jumpsuit on the back cover if you don't believe me. Ha Ha! You'll have to pick up the CD to see that pic. album cover photo courtesy of arigold.com

I’ve wanted to Play Forward Ari Gold’s Transport Systems for forever.  Co-Editor J. Dub Played it Forward to me (who has interviewed Ari Gold for mandrake society radio not once but twice; links at the end of this post) around the inception of popolio late last year and now I’m Playing it Forward to all of you.  I’m Playing Forward the whole album, but representing it with these two choice cuts. 

Released in October 2007, the thing of it is that I wasn’t too familiar with gay artists or gay music before meeting J. Dub. 

What I like about this is that, one, it’s a solid effort regardless of Gold’s sexuality.  Secondly, I know he has previous work (which I have not listened to as of yet), but it sounds, to me, like an album by an artist coming into his own, finding his groove, and drawing on his previous musical and life experience and explorations with a clear(er) vision.  It’s cohesive, both sonically and conceptually.  It really comes together.

The reason I picked Track 2, “Transport Me,” is because it really is a clear definition of the album concept and title.  I also like that though he seems to identify as a gay male he doesn’t forget the rest of the lgbt community.  This track and I think the album overall speaks to the fluidity and spectrum of the gender and sexuality of lgbt people.  I also think he doesn’t forget about transgender folks, which I think sometimes can happen with mainstream gay media of any kind. 

Now, I’m praising this aspect, and it may sound like it comes off preachy, but it doesn’t.  The opposite reason is why I like it.  It’s incidental and natural; not forced.  Not that he has a responsibility to be the spokesperson for lgbt people.  That’s just it — this is who he is and he’s being himself, doing him, and having a good time on this album.

I like Track 6, “Mr. Mistress,” because it’s about a realistic life situation that could happen to any gay man and I’m sure is happening to some right as I type this.  And it’s just nice to hear a song about a relationship that isn’t the typical boy-girl thing.  The beat is reminiscent of  “U Know What’s Up” by Donell Jones featuring Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, which I love and featured on a Left Eye MY TOP 1o in January here.  Just to reiterate, I love that the situation conveyed in the song is not pretty; it’s just real.  Thus is life.

Overall, it has a 1990s hip hop/R&B feel with some electro and dance elements thrown in and if you don’t know by now, I’m a teen of the 90s.  So, I was all about it.

So, without further ado, check out the 2 songs below and pick up the CD at amazon.com, BestBuy.com, or BarnesandNoble.com.  Also available at iTunes,  Borders.com, and TheOutclub.com.

Transport Me

Mr. Mistress

BONUSES

October 7, 2007 mandrake society radio Ari Gold podcast interview 1

October 19, 2008 mandrake society radio Ari Gold podcast interview 2

 

Happy Easter

Happy Easter from popolio.com.

 

Happy B-Day J. Dub

Join me in wishing my friend and Co-Editor, J. Dub (J.W. Richard),  a Very Happy Birthday. 

In addition to being popolio’s technical guru and a soundboard for me he edits and manages 2 other sites in addition to co-editing this one.  I don’t know how he does it all.  It’s enough of challenge for me to keep popolio going.

Truth of the matter is that popolio wouldn’t have existed if we hadn’t met.  He’s the little bird that put the kernel of an idea in my ear.  And here we are.  I thought this turntable cake was fitting since we deal in music (but, don’t count the candles; the number’s off).  Treat yourself to a piece of cake and check out his blogs — mandrake FM and mandrake society radio.

 

Jennie Laws Update

We consider Canadian songbird, Jennie Laws a member of the Mandrake Arts & Media Family.  Co-editor JW Richard (known as J. Dub to me) recently showcased her new video for her single “Heavenly” at  mandrake FM.  If I’m not mistaken, I believe this is the debut video from her debut EP, Introducing Jennie Laws.  Not too long ago we featured her in a pop quiz with another hot track, “I Just Wanna Be Close To You.”  And the relationship all began with J. Dub’s podcast interview with Professor Laws.

Check out all our previous Jennie Laws coverage and her official site and MySpace Page, too.

We both feel strongly that you’ll be hearing a lot more about and from this artist in the not too distant future.  Remember, you heard it here first at popolio!

 

Letter from the Editor

Monday, January 19, 2009
4:55 PM

Well, it’s the beginning of 2009 and MLK Day.  In terms of popolio and music what does that mean?

I don’t consider popolio a social, political, or news blog, but without the activists and freedom fighters (and I’m addressing them with a very broad brushstroke here) I wouldn’t be able to express myself here.  I will make inferences or social commentary when I feel it necessary, but it will be very light.  My focus is music entertainment.  If it’s relevant to popolio as I’ve stated in the past, I will address it.  We did with the tragedies involving DJ AM, Travis Barker, and Jennifer Hudson last year.  And, I’ll reiterate that, I don’t want to be a gossip blog.  There are enough of those out there.  I don’t want to regurgitate and recycle the same pieces that are seen out there over and over.

The other part of this is that I know music is powerful and I know it can cause people to be politicized and organized.  MLK’s and President Obama’s speeches are not quite music, but they work in the same way.  Words can inspire and words set to music can light fires that can burn out quickly or indefinitely.

What do I want for popolio in 2009?  I want to light a fire that burns brighter and brighter for a long time.  I want to grow it.  I want to make it bigger and better.  What does that mean?  That means more features, more content, and better content.  That means me trying to step up my game to bring you a better quality blog overall.  I want to be unique, entertaining, and quality.  Hopefully, I can achieve this in 2009.

We’ve successfully operated on the two levels that I want to continue to operate on.  Mainstream and Local.  Established and Up-and-Coming.  popolio is up-and-coming; independent; underground.  It doesn’t mean popolio can’t be established, collaborative, and mainstream, too.

This month I posted a popolio podcast interview on which I spoke with Ron Lopes, brother of the late, great Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes about her forthcoming posthumous release, Eye Legacy.  Thanks again to Mass Appeal Entertainment and Ron Lopes for participating in the interview.  I’m also in the middle of a MY TOP 10: Left Eye Videos, counting down to the release date of Eye Legacy on January 27, 2009.  So, in a certain way, it’s Left Eye Month at popolio.  I am a self-proclaimed die-hard TLC fan, so TLC and Left Eye Forever!

Co-editor, JW Richard, presented a nice MY TOP 10 Countdown of his own.  He counted down his Top Hot Tracks from 2008 on his Last.fm account.  He’s more of an audio guy whereas I think I’m more of a video guy, so he made it an audio countdown.  It was a nice change of pace from my countdowns.  We got to experience someone else’s taste and that’s always nice.

2 pop quizzes this month as usual.  First off, earlier in the month we featured the pop/club stylings of Brian Kent and coming up this week is homohop pioneer, Tim’m West’s pop quiz.  I can’t wait for that one.  Now, I love our pop quizzes.  I’d like to get some feedback from you all on them.  I think it’s one of, if not the, best feature we offer at popolio.  I’d like to hear from you all.  Maybe I’ll do a survey.  I don’t know.

I’ve actively started to get out there into the Austin music scene more this month to meet and feature some local artists.  I plan to do more of that.  Just one foray into the wild urban jungles of The Live Music Capital of the World and I was turned onto artists such as Vitera, Jeder, and The Executive Life.  I plan to go to more shows, take pictures, and post those.  I also want to hear about any upcoming shows you all are excited about.  I’ll post them. Give me at least one week out, though.  I think that gives people enough time to dig for pennies if they want to go to a certain show.

Well, here’s to a progressive, productive, and impressive 2009 for popolio.

5:40PM

Cheers,
Freddie Rodriguez aka freddie beat
popolio creator/editor

 

Letter from the Editor

Friday, December 26, 2008
7:15 PM

Well, it’s the day after Christmas.  I hope everyone who celebrates Christmas had a Merry one.  I also wish all those of you with other traditions, happiness and cheer in your celebrations.  I’m going to try to keep this month’s Letter from the Editor short and sweet.  I said “try.”

The last 2 months have been a little hectic in regard to content.  It’s been a little challenging keeping up with it.  Last month I had my traveling and this month my internet went down for some days.  With a day job, I’m just really learning how to negotiate when I work on popolio.  I’m really excited about it and want to keep things going, but I don’t want to burn out on it too soon, either.

So, what did December 2008 bring at popolio?   I’ll name some of what we had to offer, but keep in mind that we always have so much more.  We kept the pop quizzes going.  We actually gave you a BONUS pop quiz this month.  You got El Paso-based experimental/ambient/electro husband-and-wife team (who work on a collective project as ElectroLegs) as their individual personas of Aux.78 and Muekanisms.  Folk-Rocker, Liz Clark, out of New York, was the BONUS.  In another installment of our R&R podcast, I gave my final thoughts on the Houston Sticky and Sweet Tour stop I experienced.  You got a taste of J. Dub’s mixtapes over at mandrakeFM.com.  I shared my pick for MY TOP album of 2008, which was Robyn with her self-titled release; Cyndi Lauper earned an Honorable Mention with Bring Ya To The Brink.  Lastly, I presented a  jam-packed MY TOP 10 Video Countdown.

What will 2009 bring for popolio?  We are going to keep going and try to do things bigger and better as we grow and learn.  We are very much a work in progress and that’s a good thing.  In January we’ll share a surprise popolio podcast interview that I’m very excited about.  Check back for that.  And we have ideas for a few new features that we hope to kick-off in 2009.  I hope you stick around and grow and learn with us.

I hope everyone got what they wanted for Christmas and I wish everyone a so fresh and so clean 2009.

Just to let you know, I created a new email address for popolio.  Please feel free to contact us at popolio[dot]com[at]gmail[dot]com with any comments, questions, and/or concerns you may have.

7:51 PM

Thanks and Sincerely,  
Freddie Rodriguez aka freddie beat
popolio editor