Art by Jerome Riddle

Fat Tony runs Houston. From snagging awards from the Houston Press to musical treks in NYC, the Third Ward representative is everywhere you want to be (trust me, he is) and more. Blink, and you might miss his next move; no worries though, when you open your eyes, he’s likely to be in your area again. The man stays on the move.

Fat Tony is respected, not only as one of Houston’s illest MC’s, but as an all-around ambassador of the drive and determination it takes to be a truly successful underground artist. He’s collaborated with countless notables from the Who’s Who in Houston Music and beyond, but can hold his own with or without another voice on the track.

Easily the king of the scene in the Lone Star state, Fat Tony has droves of dedicated fans hanging on his every rhyme. His live shows are guaranteed to be on packed house-get there before the venue even opens if you want any chance of seeing the stage-status and the scene (or the city, for that matter) wouldn’t be the same without him.

Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of the enigma that is Fat Tony, is his mass appeal. Looking out into the crowd at any of his live shows, you might see an audience demographic typically in attendance at rock shows, more so than hip-hop. I asked Fat Tony to answer a few questions for Bold As Love dealing with the flirtatious relationship between hip-hop and rock and more.

Photo by Meredith Truax

Who are some of your musical influences? What have you been listening to lately?

Fat Tony at Occupy Houston

Have you done any collabos with any Houston rock bands? Who would you like to work with?

How can we keep up with you?

Always online! Find me at FatTonyrap.com + Twitter + Facebook. Stay on those and you can’t miss me.

@sydneejane

Sydnee Jane and the Jane-ettes are nothing you would expect, yet everything the music world needs. These rebel vixens from Houston exude Southern charm, but their music will transport you to another world. Check out this electronic remix of their hit, “Ready to Go” (original version available on iTunes). Houston, we have lift off!

Ready to Go Electronica Version Sample Produced by Zuri Hilliard by Sydnee Jane

“This is a man’s world. But it would be nothing, without a woman or a girl.”

-the late James Brown, Godfather of Soul

The Ladies

What do you call a classically-trained vocalist with a theatrical background, punk-rock attitude and funky, eclectic style? Why, Sydnee Jane, of course! Just when I thought I had the Houston music scene all figured out, I heard a track called “Ready To Go” by Sydnee Jane and her supporting singers, the Jane-ettes, and was educated all over again. Part trendsetter, part diva and all original, Sydnee Jane briefly toured with the Damon Wilson band, before forging out on her own to pursue her musical dreams. After joining forces with the Jane-ettes, the gun was cocked and loaded for SJ and crew to pop off a refreshing new era in the entertainment industry.

The Music

The music created by the self-described “from-another-planet-type, sassy, Southern, retro/futuristic songbirds” brings to mind an electronic-funk rock version of a Vanity 6 meets the Supremes hybrid, with traces of hip-hop and R&B intertwined. With all those elements influencing the sound, one may think a cohesive piece of music would be hard to come by. Quite to the contrary, Sydnee Jane and the Jane-ettes offer up a style so flawless, all you can think of while listening is “where’s the dancefloor?” Their music is fun, while simultaneously representing the experience and expertise involved in its creation. Gimmick group? Hardly. Soon to be staples on the scene? For sure.

The Live Experience

These ladies are true entertainers, leaving no stone un-turned; from their cohesive dance moves to their edgy, coordinated attire, its clear they seek to provide a full-package experience for fans. If a performer is in tune with his or her audience, a certain magic in the air seems to induce an amazing live show. Sydnee Jane and the Jane-ettes captivate crowds, which makes it easy to understand why their shows are so exciting. Watching them, its clear they were born for this. They go on stage and, no matter how long the set, you want more. What can I say? When you’ve got it, you’ve got it and these ladies undoubtedly have it.

For more on Sydnee Jane and the Jane-ettes, you can find them on the world wide web: Facebook, SoundCloud, Bandmix, YouTube, Twitter, ReverbNation, MySpace and, of course, on her official website….basically, she’s everywhere! But then again, it is #JANESWORLD; we’re just living in it.

Photo credit: Virgil C. Robinson

Houston never sleeps! Here’s the scoop on a few things you don’t want to miss in the Bayou City this summer:

Born Again Virgins have teamed up with local activist/social group WOMAN (the Women of Montrose Action Network) for a good cause. On July 24th, BAV is part of a lineup playing to benefit Girls Rock Camp Houston.British rockers Sabatta will visit the states, stopping in Houston long enough to grace the stage with Peekaboo Theory for one night only on July 29th.

I’ll make sure to get a Bold As Love exclusive while they’re on our side of the pond and will give more show details closer to the date.

As a native Houstonian, my heart will always belong to the music scene here. Not only are the majority of the artists I write about personal friends, but having witnessed the relentless grind ethics of the Houston music community since my earliest days, I have a genuine respect for the hard work they put into their crafts, while always managing to show love to the city. As such, I will be hosting a networking event geared towards Houston’s indie and DIY artists on August 18^th at Boneyard Drinkery (8150 Washington Avenue) called Takin’ Care of Business. Fact: All artists need/have needed/will need professional services (graphic design, t-shirt design, production, etc.) and media exposure at some point.

Takin’ Care of Business will present artists with creative professionals, radio program directors, digital distributors, producers and more who are ready to do business and help propel careers to the next level. LocalLiveHouston.com will broadcast live from the event and the RTO Radio show will accept music submissions from artists for airplay. All this will be offered for FREE! Houston artists, you don’t want to miss this opportunity. More info: events@iwriteyoushouldread.com.

There are 2 things Texans can look forward to without fail in summer: nearly unbreathable hot, humid air that completely encapsulates you within 2.5 seconds of being outside and Free Press Summer Fest! Thankfully, Summer Fest usually precedes the dog days of Houston’s summer by a month or so. With over 100 musical acts performing in the 2-day festival (June 4-5, 2011), FPSF has something for everyone…from Big Boi, Fat Tony, B L A C K I E and Bun B to Weezer, The Manichean, Sideshow Tramps and Tyagaraja, they’ve got you covered.

When I wasn’t melting in the 100 degree + weather at this year’s festival, I walked around and caught a few shows at some of the stages while I waited for Peekaboo Theory’s set to begin. I hadn’t been able to catch any of their recent shows, so I was super excited when they were announced as a last minute addition to FPSF.

Peekaboo Theory had the crowd mesmerized at FPSF, as usual. You can see the back of my fro-hawk in this shot

The crowd was in place around the Night Owl stage early, sipping on bottled water or any liquid we could get our hands on to beat the heat and anticipating the magic Peekaboo was about to lay on us. Finally, with sweat beads dripping, everyone cheered as the Bruce Springsteen style white-tshirt clad 6 piece began their set. The set was a mix of old favorites from the Science and Programs EP, peppered with some new tracks that show off their ability to keep things fresh and retain the sound fans have come to love.

As much as I enjoyed FPSF, I must admit it left me with a hunger for more events of the sort (multi-genre + lots of love shown to local artists) in my city. Houston is so big and has so many bands to be so devoid of opportunities to have a great time watching great shows. Any lifetime Houstonian with half a finger to the pulse of fun times here remembers the Westheimer Street Festival. It was a weekend-long block party every summer and winter complete with plenty of stages and nearly a 100% local lineup that gave many bands their first big local break.

West Fest '85

Then one day, West Fest was no more and since then, the joints and bones of artists and music lovers alike have ached with desire for a revitalization of the local live scene. It was as if all the artist-friendly promoters, booking agents and venue owners were abducted by aliens. In their place, we were stuck with greedy, sell-out promoters, opportunistic booking agents and venue owners who cater to hipsters and Jersey Shore dude-bro types and could care less if the pop-sounding, radio-friendly bands they favor are local or have underground credibility that preceded widespread recognition. The devil’s advocate asks, “can they be blamed?” True, they have to make money, but at what cost? Doesn’t anyone get into the business simply because they love good rock music and want to provide opportunities and resources for artists to do what they love?

In my opinion, the cure to this conundrum is a simple dose of reality: divided, we fail. To overcome this frustrating downward spiral, artists need to come together more and begin to view their contemporaries as such, instead of as enemies. All music makers share a joint responsibility to keep the music alive above all else. If the middle men aren’t helping get things done, make things happen without the middle men. This undertaking isn’t for the artists only, but rather it’s a collective revolution that requires the support and participation of other persons and groups in a position to aid the fight. Music journalists and media outlets need to stand up for the music that is the very lifeblood of the work we do and realize the responsibility we have in ensuring its continued existence and purity.

I have a dream that one day Houston’s annual Pan-Afrikan festival will feature a rock stage, inspiring a spin-off international tour and culminating with a Black Rock show in Africa. While that may not be on the agenda (for now), I will continue to use my chosen medium to develop potential into production. When I began documenting the Black Rock movement, there were few other places on the web doing the same. Sites like Boldaslove.us  provide an all too rare service by shining light on an often overlooked group of talented musicians. As long as I am able to press my fingers to the keys, I pledge to do my best to observe, report on and promote Black Rock wherever I find it in Houston or around the state. The way I see it, artists do the hard part…I just add commas and periods. Welcome to Texas, Boldaslove.us  family, we do a lot more than ride horses down here.

SIERRA: Introduce me to the band
members and their roles in the band.

SIERRA: Do you have any new music
being released soon? 

HOTTUB: Yes. We’re workin’ on a full
length due in the Spring. 

SIERRA: Do you have any upcoming
shows? 

HOTTUB: Please peep our MySpace for upcoming shows. 

SIERRA: Are there videos to any of
your songs?

HOTTUB: Yes! “1-2-3-GO!” It’s on our
MySpace, too. And a shit load of YouTube clips, search: “HOTTUB Oakland Live.” 

SIERRA: What's the #1 priority for
your band right now?

HOTTUB: To infiltrate the religious
right, learn their ways and use it against them! 

SIERRA: Plans to tour any time soon?

HOTTUB: For sure! We’re headin’ out
to SXSW, then hopefully a full tour in the summer. 

SIERRA: Where can we find you on the
web?

HOTTUB: Official Blog , MySpace, Twitter, Facebook

SIERRA: How can we buy your music?

HOTTUB: Please peep us on iTunes. 

SIERRA: How can we contact HOTTUB for
booking?

HOTTUB: hottub.oakland@gmail.com, ATTN: Jason
Stinnett (Sierra Says: Jason made this interview possible….thanks Jason!)

SIERRA: Best thing about being in HOTTUB?

HOTTUB: Meeting rad people, making
the world smaller everyday!!

SIERRA: Your fantasy show or tour
line up?

HOTTUB: Opening for a Manny
Paqiau fight in the Philippines!

Photo cred: Baleout Photos, Black Box Revue, John Kurc and Myleen Hollero

*Sierra Says: Party Corps is a San Francisco based non-profit social network that throws parties to educate the public on social and environmental issues, raise money on behalf of beneficiary good causes and to have fun! 

One of the things coming out of the audience survey (thanks to all who’ve completed it so far!) is that many of you want to see for more regional coverage here on Boldaslove.us.  Based on that feedback, I put out a call for contributors and a great group of people responded.  I’m happy to announce that you’ll start seeing dispatches from the following cities: Austin, TX; Atlanta; Oakland/The East Bay;  as well as some additional coverage in the NYC area.  And I'm still looking for folks in the Chicago, the DMV, and London.  So, if you’re interested, please holla.

Anyway, without further ado, please meet:

Dominick Brady (ATL). This is Dominick writing in the third person.  Dominick doesn't like writing in the third person so Dominick will make this short.  Dominick is a freelance multi-platform journalist based in Atlanta, GA.  Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Dominick enjoys music of all flavors, Rum Raisin ice cream and though provoking discussion.  In this space Dominick hopes to help shine a light on Atlanta's oft overlooked Alt-urb, Afro-Punk and Fusion music scenes and the culture that surrounds it.  Dominick now wishes to end this bio.  

Earl Douglas (NYC).  For the last year or so, Earl has been contributing posts to Boldaslove.us. He is the Executive Director of The Black Rock Coalition and has been a member since 1988.  Earl was also a longtime producer at legendary station WNEW-FM and later with XM Satellite Radio.  You can see him shooting pictures at BRC and most Black Rock shows!

Rana Emerson (NYC). Rana is the program coordinator for CUNY Central's College Now program, which works with the NYC Department of Education to offer college credit coursework to over 300 public high schools in the city.  While in grad school in sociology she focused on race in mass media, popular culture and youth culture.

V. Marc Fort (Austin, TX). V. Marc Fort is a musician and writer based in Austin, TX.  He publishes the arts blog http://blackswansongs.com/ and freelances as an arts critic-at-large for the Austin American-Statesman under the byline, V. M. Black.  His journalism career began as a photojournalist working for The Denver Post and the Austin American-Statesman. His photos and articles have been featured in various magazines, blogs and newspapers, and have also been syndicated by the Associated Press.  A singer and multi-instrumentalist, Fort has performed in more than 10 rock bands including Norushi Minx, bo bud greene, The Fuckemos, Hidden Speaker and Schatzi. His bands have toured with and opened for various musical acts all across the States, including Superchunk, Jimmy Eat World, Desaparecidos, Lit, Everclear, All-American Rejects and Hilary Duff, to name a few. 


Sierra McClain (Oakland/East Bay).  A transplanted San Franciscan by way of her native Houston, Texas, Sierra comes to blogging  and writing with her marketing and PR background in tow. A writer since childhood, her website, I Write. You Should Read., began as a personal blog in 2008, but quickly morphed into a platform for her music interviews and features. With her fingers on the pulse of the Black Rock scene, Sierra’s goal is to document the creative renaissance that is taking place off the beaten path.

Jennifer Williams (NYC). Jennifer Wiliams is a writer and professor who approaches literature, music, and visual culture from a black feminist perspective. She teaches and writes in Brooklyn, New York. Jennifer blogs at Black Feminisms.

Black rock is a movement that's happening all over the country, not just in New York City.  And thanks to these writers, we're all going to start hearing from the folks who are making it so!

Have you taken the Boldaslove.us black rock audience survey? It only takes 5 minutes!  Click here to start.