CTM Publisher’s Note: Greetings and Welcome to the first issue of Cultured The Magazine! Culture is something that we are engrossed in at all times of our life whether it is music, art, or entertainment. It is something that makes our lives enjoyable, and gives us something to do with friends and loved ones. On top of it all it can even apply to our virtual lives in SL. This is what prompted Cali Karsin and myself to create Cultured in the first place as we have yet to see something like this done before in Second Life. Every two months our staff works tirelessly to bring you best of what is going on in the SL Arts and Entertainment community ranging from interviews, retrospectives, and feature articles. It’s been a long journey since Cali and I got our start at another publication in SL to where we are now. We welcome you to enjoy the fruits of our labor, and look forward to hearing what you all enjoy! Enjoy the Issue! Cheers,
Zephyr Windgate (Zephyr0090 Resident) C.E.O & Publisher
78
36
12
CONTENTS CULTURE
Get Charmed! The Nature of Inspiration What’s Hot on TV: The Blackened Mirror The Art of War The Productive Siren Productions
12 18 26 36 44
MUSIC
Club Life: Into the Minds of DJ’s: DJ THORN ANDEL 56 The Creme De La Creme of Music 62 The Captivating Voice of Tim Anadyr 68
ARTS
The Oracle of Delphi 78 Dear Cyndell 84 What’s YOUR Hidden Talent in the Entertainment Industry? 86
10
56
86
62
CONTENTS Letters to the Editor Got something to say? We would love to hear your feedback! Send in your letters to the editor by April 15th for your chance to voice your opinions in the Letters to the Editor page. Keep the word count up to 250 words, and email your letters to culturedmagazine@zephyrmedia.org. Keep in mind, although we are unaware how many submissions we may receive, it is not a guarantee we will be able to fit every letter in. However, if your letter is relevant to future issues, we will keep it on file for the future. Sincerely, Cultured The Magazine
Cultured The Magazine is owned and operated by Zephyr Media Publications. Online issues: http://issuu.com/ culturedmagazine Website: http://zephyrmedia.org/ Visit us inworld at http://slurl.com/ secondlife/Coralshoals/175/143/2503 For all the latest updates, events, and promotions, join our inworld group at secondlife:///app/group/5f7661c4-42d2fd53-1591-6efecd67752f/about Ad Queries: culturedmagazine@ zephyrmedia.org Advertising Requests: Cali Karsin or Zephyr Windgate (Zephyr0090 Resident) Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
11
CTM Editor’s Note: With 2014 comes new experiences, a whole new window of opportunity, and unlimited possibilities. Anything can happen, and in 2014, Zephyr Windgate and I set out on an epic adventure of a lifetime to see if we could publish our very own bi-monthly magazine focusing on what we love, all the things surrounding culture, music, and arts that help bring Second Life® alive! That being said, with our premier issue comes many brands, companies, and interesting things we would love to highlight in the entertainment community so you can stay up to date with all the hot exciting happenings within SL®. In Culture, we will be showing you the passion and dedication behind Charmed Breedable Fashions breedable shoes, the unique, wacky, and hot television show, The Blackened Mirror, a personal look at the man behind SL Live Radio, Thorn Andel, and his exciting roller coaster of a ride at DJ’ing, and lots of fantastic info about the singer, Tim Anadyr. As well, we will be focusing on some unique art exhibits including The Oracle of Delphi monument at Museum Island, and our fun advice column, Ask Cyndell. We hope you enjoy our brand new project, and we’ve had so much fun so far! Thanks so much to all the new staff for your hard work and dedication, but most importantly, to you, for taking the time to open our magazine and give us an opportunity to entertain you.
in
12
Kars i l Ca
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
13
Staff & Contributors Publishers Zephyr Windgate Cali Karsin Editor-in-Chief Cali Karsin Layout Director LovelyMiwako7399 Menna Photographers Achilles Jefferson Alon Alphaville Cali Karsin Carmen Hoyes Bear (Jackson Redstar) Poshjones Resident Writers Cali Karsin Cyndell Wonder Emanuelle Brooks Pete Profaci (Peteinca Resident) Victoria Lenoirre Zephyr Windgate Models Danity Mynx
Get Charmed!
CTM: CULTURE
Article and Images Cali Karsin models Danity Mynx and Cali Karsin
Calling all fashionistas and breedable fans! Have you ever wanted to be a designer of your very own unique items but never had the time to invest in learning all the design programs and Photoshop? Do you love style, elegance, class, and most importantly, shoes, shoes, and more shoes? Or possibly you enjoy btreeding in Second Life® but are tired of all the animals and looking for a new unique approach? If yes to any of these questions, then you need to try Charmed Breedable Fashions. Breaking the molds for breedables, and pioneering their way through the fashion community, Charmed Breedable Fashions has been creating and testing the breedable shoes and bags for men and women in SL® for almost two years. With a mixture of a clean design, classy styles, and impeccable elegance, it’s impossible to compare them to 16
any other high fashion shoe company or breedable company out there. Charmed Breedable Fashions is most importantly, a very fun game that allows you to have control over the outcome of your breedables mixing traits and creating unique one of a kind shoes that are all your own design that you can turn into your very own wearable! Most recently, the CEO of Charmed, Sebastian007 Viper, and his managers including Sassy1 Fizzle, and Zoie Viper, have begun testing their version two of the shoes and bags and have overcome so many Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
17
learning curves, technology curves, design and scripting curves, and growing pains that they have improved from version one. Mr. Viper informs, “It has been such a learning experience from version one to version two, and it’s a trial and error from version one, what worked, what didn’t work, what designers wanted, customers wanted, what we as a team wanted.” The object of the game is simple, but unlike all the other 18
breedable companies out there, it has a fantastic and fun twist! You breed and cross traits to get the similar style that you desire, but most importantly, you control flair points. Flair points in a shoe help you purchase amazing additions to your creations like bows, ribbons, chains, and patterns that help you perfect your shoes when you turn it into a wearable. The more flair points you have, the more fun additions you can add to your wearable shoes.
Miss Viper, the director of operations, explains how easy it is to turn your breedable into a wearable. “Once the shoe is made as a wearable, you fit it to your feet and you wear it. Once you’re done, it goes POOF and you just wear them, that’s all, it’s that easy. It’s not expensive either, you just have to buy the design box, it’s reasonable. The only thing I can see it getting expensive, is if you buy flair bows, the whole point of game is to breed your flair in your shoes, so if you want to skip all that, breed them.” When asked how they ever got the idea to breed shoes, Miss Viper explains, “Years ago, all dad (Sebastian007) and I did was breed horses, we spent a lot of money on it but it never worked out. One night, when I came online, he was talking to Frolic and he says honey, we are gonna breed shoes!.....Last night I went to bed and we were breeding horses and now we are breeding shoes. I told him you’re crazy,
go back to bed.” A short time later, when they got the ball rolling and made their very first pair of flip flops, she knew it wasn’t just a dream anymore. With blood, sweat, and tears, sacrifice, seven days a week working non-stop on their dream, and running off passion and love for what they believe in as fuel for their dreams, they were finally able to achieve their goals at creating a well designed functional breedable system. We are so proud of what we are doing, really proud of the creativity and innovation.” They chose shoes because it was a fierce choice not done before in SL®. Composer states, “Three single things you need in addition to your shoes and bags, furniture, broom, and polish. A pair of shoes is equal to a horse as far as a breedable is concerned. It’s hard for people to recognize that.” But that is not their purpose, it essentially is a game for creative individuals to help enrich peoples SL®.
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
19
Giving credit to all the amazing people who have given everything throughout the course of the company, the managers would like to mention christy.swansong as their Photoshop pro, and Moden Spyker as their scriptor who helped bring everything to life, as well as their vsr’s, the vice president Lovely Zwiers, and CFO, Bailey Iridescent-Viper. So why should you all breed shoes? “If you like fashion, and you like creativity, designing, puzzles, have an inquisitive mind, and you like to build things, that’s why you should breed shoes. if you want to be proud of the new purse and shoes that you designed and made wearable, then you should breed our shoes,” Mr. Viper says confidently. On top of all their hard work, they are notorious contributors in charities as well, raising over 120,000 lindens for Relay for Life in 2013, going bald for almost an entire month, RFL has truly touched their hearts as cancer has effected the lives of each and every staff member. Check out their main store today and join their group to stay updated with all their latest releases and promotions. Charmed Breedable Fashions is pioneering the fashion and breedable communities and is here to stay, with much more to come.
20
Charmed Breedable Fashions is currently in Open beta testing on their new and improved version 2. Release date coming soon. Stay Charmed.
Mainstore:
Charmed%20Breedable%20Fashion/170/128/23
In-world Group
22
CTM: CULTURE
White Dunes: The Nature of Inspiration
by Cali Karsin Photos by Achilles Jefferson
Do you enjoy beautiful scenery, nature, and gorgeously landscaped property? Wishing you could live somewhere already landscaped perfectly to your dreams where you can enjoy a thriving community, different seasons, and themes to your land? If yes, then White Dunes is the perfect home for you. Since early 2013, Elvira Kytori, the owner and designer behind White Dunes, has been running, operating, and constantly improving her residential and private sims with different themes, including, woods, beach, and winter, just to name a few. She goes on to explain a bit more about the sims, saying, “White Dunes Estate is a residential themed land for those who like peace and quiet, and a nice surrounding, with a finished look to their homes. Each parcel is made in a unique design, yet flows together to compliment the theme of the region. All the regions I make are different and have a different theme.� Her journey as a sim designer and landscaper started years ago as she started searching to find well made themed land with a good surrounding and noticed how hard it is to find what she wanted. As Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
23
24
her very first sim was completed, Secret Woods, and she had it all rented out, her ideas kept flowing, and now she has four regions and growing! With her impeccable creativity, “I am planning to make a White Dunes Estate home region that will be public and also maybe have a store location there for the land,” she informs. Inspiration comes in many things for Kytori, exceptionally nature surrounding her in Sweden, as well as Wisconsin, where her partner is from. Not to mention, she pools much of her inspiration from things right here in Second Life®ngs differently and want to change things here and there and it’s never quite finished it seems, but the prims always hold me back. All the regions I have are 3750 prims, and it’s a challenge to fit it all in and then try to leave some prims for the renter
Inspiration comes in many forms for Kytori to make good beach and woods land in SL, as the landscaping for that was limited for so long,” she recalls, but not anymore! Around that time, she found Studio Skye, which is a company that makes well made mesh landscape items, and had just made new dunes, and that’s when the idea took off.
While picky with landscape items, desiring the best well made items while still low prim, much of the newer mesh landscaping items finally made that possible for her, and even though she gets so much The name for the sims came to inspiration from RL and nature, her one day while she was visiting a she also enjoys a hint of magic park in Wisconsin with her partner here and there! named White Fish Dunes, with a gorgeous beach, surrounding What truly sets her apart from dunes, and an expansive forest. “I the other landscapers and sim always felt like I missed being able designers in SL is that she strives Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
25
to make each land as unique as etails! They make all the difference, and it makes it all come together. I also love the feeling of a cozy peaceful place in nature. That As her hobbies in RL include decorating and photography, her creative mind never stops expanding and is planning to build a region that will be open to the public, but all the regions are residential for now. Although she gets many requests to privately design other people’s sims, her hands are full with White Dunes at the present time, and enjoys new challenges, as well as would love to consider requests. Her advice to future sim designers and landscapers is, “Go for it! I was unsure how many things worked before I started, and if I could do it, but I learned as I went along and still am. No one knows everything 26
from the start, we all have to learn as we go along,� she explains confidently. You can check out her available parcels at the link below, which are always put on the marketplace, as well as she always puts the available land in her picks which you are free to come check out if you are an interested renter. With Kytori’s inspiring personality as evidenced in her White Dunes regions, we sure cannot wait to see where the new year brings her and her creations! https://marketplace.secondlife.com/ stores/132449 Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
27
28
CTM: CULTURE
HOT ON TV:
THE BLACKENED MIRROR
by Victoria Lenoirre Photos provided by the Show
The Blackened Mirror is a TV series created in Second Life® now in its second season, where the website explains, “It has elements of film noir, steampunk, classic Lovecraft horror, and more!” In the first season, we meet Harland Quinn in his seedy office in the 1930’s. He meets Miss Alleyn and Mr. Biggins and they go on a journey by means of a Resonator. This Resonator can turn any mirror into a door across dimensions allowing them to travel wherever they want to go. And now in the second season, we learn more about Quinn’s dark past and the origins of his chilling doppelganger. We also learn what happens to the friends he left behind in Seraph city, the consequences of his secret knowledge, and how one of the heroes is faced with a terrible choice.
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
29
The show is directed and produced by Saffia Widdershins, the music is written by Scott Simpson, known as Zander Greene in SL, the lead actor who plays Harland Quinn, and the writer of the show is David Abbot. Abbot first started writing for the show around the time he met Widdershins and she told him that she wanted to use SL TV as a medium for drama. Her idea was to create a spinoff show for Biggins, a recurring guest character from the Designing Worlds New Babbage specials. The inspiration for the show was that Biggins needed a “Phileas Fogg and eventually we came to the basic idea of Alais Alleyn. Biggins is the man who just shrugs and deals with situations as they come his way, so he needed support,” Abbot recalls. Aisling, the actor behind Alleyn, informs that “Alais is a Victorian woman and scientist, a rare combination in polite society; however, she is the only child of an enlightened, intelligent, and wealthy English family with the means to follow their own path. She loved working in the family’s laboratory. She has the curiosity of a scientist, and values kindness, honor, and loyalty. Under stress, she relies on her wits and is fundamentally a very determined person.”
30
Ladies sure do love clothes, and so I asked Aisling, if she gets to choose her own costumes for the show. “Yes, her entire look, wardrobe, hair, skin, etc. It’s so gratifying to find that I do have a use for many of those things I bought because I know I might need them someday.” From the first episode, Biggins is always at Alleyn’s side, like her protector. They met in New Babbage when she helped him in a difficult situation. As a courtesy, he offered to see her home not understanding how far away home was. But having pledged his word, he feels honor-bound to see it through. Mavromichali Szondi, as known as Biggins has been onstage in RL, Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
31
and The Blackened Mirror is his first TV production that he has starred in. “I think that the team has worked very well together, and we all enjoy doing the show, even when it’s the end of a long shoot,” he recalls. Szondi explains that the hardest Episode to film was episode five, where they had four characters trying to walk up a road, argue at the same time, and stop in a precise position. It never did come out exactly as they planned. “As the hapless working man being dragged into all these adventures, Biggins has built up quite a following, he’s actually the only character in The Blackened Mirror to have his own SL fan group, the Mr. Biggins Fan Club. 32
Zander Greene’s also an amazing sound editor who really does work magic with the very difficult task of building the soundscape we need. Aisling Sinclair is one of the best puppeteers in SL. We all have rather blank expressions in SL or those OTT emote hud’s and Aisling plays her hud like a concert pianist to get some real subtleties of expression,” Widdershins informs. They have had some fantastic actors to support them as well including Peter Jurasik, Gameela Wright, Christy Grantham, Rik Forrester, and Erik Paisley, as well as a host of SL people who have transformed themselves into Sixties swingers, steampunk city folk and undead mutated fish people, as the script called for. Abbot has the skill not just to tell a story, but to involve you in the characters. They have individual stories that can be mysterious, scary, funny, and even tragic. They are all caught up in the over-arching narrative and Abbot delights in throwing things at them in terms of “sets, explosions, attacks…so we’ve had a number of wonderful set designers including Beq Janus, Edward Pearse, the Daehaus people, and Victor Mornington in New Babbage. And then there are the animators Rynn Verwood, Fantasy Difference, and Rag Randt, who added some very little special touches to the scenes,” Widdershins goes on to explain. Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
33
Above all, their scripter, Terra Volitant, created the special effects, and used a package called Rescene, which allows you to control movements and animations that can be as straightforward as when one character walks up to another and stops, just the right distance from them, every time. “I know that The Blackened Mirror is definitely the toughest thing that I do all year and that stacks up against some pretty big SL projects I’ve been involved in. It gives me a chance to work with some amazingly gifted people, and that’s a real privilege,” Widdershins finishes proudly. 34
The Blackened Mirror is a truly unique and one-of-a-kind TV series that is on our must-watch list for this year, and is a true growing favorite among the SL community, you can catch all their latest episodes at the link below. http://www.theblackenedmirror.com/
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
35
CTM: CULTURE
COMBAT CONTINENT
The Art of War Writer Pete Profaci (Peteinca Resident) Photographer Bear (Jackson Redstar)
I logged on and immediately received the familiar distress signal, “Attack!.” It’s a hybrid of attack in a few languages that we could all understand. After TP’ing to spawn, I could see we were outnumbered seven to four by our attackers. As my comrades appeared one by one, the odds suddenly became close to even, so I decided to rez a tank to slow the enemy down since they had already taken objectives. Since the enemy had taken the first objective by the supply store, it was my mission to drive them off of that area, and re-capture it before they got to #2 and #3, and thus, win the battle outright. Upon departing through the iron door, my tank encountered heavy resistance in the form of anti-armor rounds, as well as an air assault. Thankfully, Robert, my comrade, had built us a new Tunguska tank equipped with anti-air missiles. 36
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
37
I locked into the oncoming fighter jet and unleashed four missiles that tracked it, blasting it out of the sky, I quickly turned my attention to the infantry of the attackers and turned the turret in their direction. I was able to fend off their surge and sent all but one to the afterlife until the last anti-armor round blew my tank into a fiery collection of metal fragments, killing myself and sending me back to my home point. Better rez another tank and get back out there, pronto, before the enemy recovers and regroups, I thought to myself. This time, they were expecting me, and had a tank of their own, and RPGs, but our commander and captain were both also in the air by now. The two ladies were kick ass pilots, and blew the enemy plane out of the sky, which allowed me to focus on the action on the ground. I was quick to dispatch the other tank along with four soldiers advancing on my army’s objectives. I knew there were only few tank commanders who could match me in one-onone tank combat. My comrades 38
secured and recaptured objectives and time ran out on the enemy. The defense was stellar. We were a team, victorious...today anyway. Combat Continent thrives with friendly competition. Its associated sims are a cluster of several sims adjoined to present a mecca for combat operations to the various groups within the Second LifeÂŽ Military Community. Many armies who have their own sims, also maintain an outpost at the Combat Continent. Some have moved their entire operations there to an adjoining sim. The setup is such, that you will land in a hub in the sky. From there, you may select which of the sims you wish to do battle. Each has its own unique terrain, structure, and
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
39
40
even rules. For example, at Crossfire, a marine based sim with high-rise structures and objectives underground and up high, it’s permissible to use a jetpack to hover above. Outer Haven has a railroad obstacle and a rock enclosed objective surrounded by a deadly moat. Combat Continent has lava obstacles, don’t step there unless you desire a quick demise. You may encounter some folks who are a little loose and fancy-free with rule adherence. The combat continent has moderators who donate their time, and in some instances, their lindens, to keep things running smoothly. There is a full forum with frequently asked questions and other matters on the web. You may read more at http:// www.continentalcombat.com/ If you come, be prepared and set your home to the hub. Not everyone is kind to noobs, and you can expect to eat some lead or catch a grenade in your shorts. It’s just how it is within the community. Not many pay attention as to who is armed, and with what, because there are a variety of weapons, some which are not recognizable, and some are not legal within the rules, but those instances are dealt with by the moderators. Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
41
42
It’s just another day in the life of the SL Military Community. You fight, you die, you taste victory, and yes, sometimes you suffer through defeats. Along the way, you encounter some honorable fighters, and some friendships and learning opportunities. There are some brilliant scriptors, and there are just guys like me, fighters and leaders, and some real superstars who it has been my honor to fight with and against. Also, there are those who have to cheat to achieve their empty “victories”. There are juvenile griefers, and there’s reputations, some earned, and some unjust. But those stories will be told another time, and believe me, there are many...I’m heading over to the Combat Continent now. Wish me luck. http://www.continentalcombat.com/
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
43
44
CTM: CULTURE
The Productive Siren Productions Writer Cali Karsin Photographer Event Photos Provided by Roman Godde, Photos of Belleness and Roman Godde, and Lexie Jansma Shot by Jackson Redstar
Have you been to the SeXXX Sells event, the Jewelry & Accessories Expo, Menswear Fashion Week, The 24 Events, and/or Latex Fetishwear Fashion Week? With these being some of the hottest events reigning Second LifeŽ the past five years, it is very likely you have heard the name Siren Productions. But what do you actually know about Siren as a whole? We’ll be taking a closer look at the company in its entirety, and get to know what makes them tick.
bringing top notch events to the virtual world. It is owned and operated by Lexie Jansma, who has been producing events and fashion shows in SL for over six years. She has an astounding management team that helps pull everything together including Belleness Godde, Roman Godde, Tivi Spiritor-Hearts (Tiviyah Resident), and Lorelei Maggs who do different roles in the company including blogger management, event management, website design, public relations representatives, event photography, and more.
Siren Productions was Sitting down with Mr. Godde, we established in 2009 and is the premier event production and asked him what his favorite part marketing company in SL of working with Siren was, and he
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
45
from every event are distributed to various real life charities as well, and considers his team one big dysfunctional family, “We put the fun in dysfunction,” he laughs.
informed, “The freedom to be able to share my ideas and have them heard. I love Watching an event come together, and I enjoy the fact that our shows are full on experiences, and not just your run-of-the- mill fashion show or event.” Doing much of the photography for the events, including the photos of past events included in the article, Mr. Godde informs that he gets his inspiration from the challenge of taking live photography during fashion shows. “In a fashion show, there is a time limit when taking pictures because the models are on stage for only a certain amount of time, so for me being able to capture that picture in the right moment is my driving force,” he explains. He is also very proud of Siren for the fact that portions of the proceeds 46
When Mrs. Godde was asked about how often events usually happen, she informs, “They happen at different times of the day to accommodate different time zones which is awesome and they run all through the week, some for one week, some for two.” As well, Siren usually has events once every month to every couple months, depending on their schedule, so there is always something new and exciting to look forward to! When asked where Siren itself gets its inspiration for its events, she explains, “It’s a collaboration of our amazing team, we all are working together to come up with some really cool ideas!” With all the versatile events running the past few years, the collaboration is truly remarkable. Some other things Siren has their hands dirty with, includes, the SL birthday parties where Siren held two runway shows for them, some shows for SL Pride, and most
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
47
48
recently, supporting the Basilisque Theatre which was performing a dance version of Romeo & Juliet. “They are doing a new performance coming up now that is really exciting and I can’t wait to see it,” Jansma informs. When asked where Jansma sees Siren Productions in a couple years, she jokes, “Wait...you mean I can’t retire? My ultimate goal is to keep producing events in SL that push the boundaries. There are so few that do what we do when it comes to events and such. I would like to see more creative and interesting shows in the future by changing what a fashion show is in SL to more of an experience. We started to do this at SeXXX Sells and hope to continue this at future events.” One really great thing about this company that sets them apart from other event companies on the grid is how versatile they are, not only do they bring fabulous events and fashion shows to SL, but they include events parties, and a change up of the runway for each individual show for a unique theme or interesting twist that caters to a designers brand. “I also think we give opportunities for designers and shoppers to intermingle. The designers attend their shows, they come to the parties, they spend time on the sim and shoppers get to meet and mingle with Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
49
the people who are purchasing their stuff,” Jansma comments. Some future advice to event organizers, “Don’t do it...unless you love it. It is a labor of love...not only that but you can’t please everyone all of the time. There are going to be those people who no matter how hard you try, they are not going to be happy. There is too much lag, things don’t rez fast enough, people think they should be closer to the TP area, someone pulls out at the last minute and you’re scrambling to find a replacement for a show. You have to be able to step back, breath, and let things roll off your back,” Jansma graces us with wisdom. The newest event coming up is Menswear Fashion Week happening next month in April and will be having the theme and setting of New York City! With how amazing last year’s event was just by taking a look at the past photos, it is bound to be an epic raging event, so stay tuned, and go to their website to find out all their latest information about their events, as well as forms to apply for a designer and blogger!
50
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
51
CTM: MUSIC Club Life: into the mind of the dj
Hello and welcome to the first installment of Club Life: Into the Minds of DJ’s! This column will feature some of the best Second Life® DJ’s and allow you a chance to learn what makes them unique and incredible. For the first installment, we are featuring one of my personal favorite DJ’s, DJ Thorn Andel. Originally hailing from the United Kingdom, he has recently relocated to the United States. He has been DJ’ing in SL for around five years. He offers an incredible stage presence, and always has a great time. With his business partner, Esme Capelo, they run a successful radio station in SL called SL Live Radio. So with a bit of background, let’s dive right into the mind of DJ Thorn Andel! CTM: What made you decide to start DJ’ing in SL? TA: I was the owner of a fairly successful club and started out of necessity to cover missing DJ’s. 54
Writer: Zephyr Windgate Photos: Carmen Hoyes
DIRTY DETAILS DJ Name: DJ Thorn SL Name: Thorn Andel Stream URL: http://black.neostreams.info:8167 Website: http://radiosllive.blogspot.com
Current DJ Sets
Fridays at Driftwood Estates from 12 to 2 PM SLT Thursdays at Zenzibar Night Club from 2 PM to 4 PM SLT
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
55
56
CTM: Who would you say are your influences, or what styles do you prefer to play? TA: Growing up, my early influences were bands like The Clash, and later on U2. My base style is electro house with a little pop dance, dub step, and trance thrown in for good measure, but I like a bit of growly music too. CTM: To you, what does it mean to be a DJ? TA: From the beginning in SL, going to parties, clubs, and other types of venues, I had the feeling that being a DJ in SL is rather like being a radio DJ, in that unlike RL clubs, patrons in SL love it when the DJ speaks a little bit, calls people out by name and such, where DJ’s in RL are called out for speaking other than giving notices or information. I have seen good DJ’s in SL who do not speak at all, but the most popular ones are those who have great on-air personalities. CTM: Do you have any advice for people to help them get started with DJ’ing in SL? TA: Find your voice, engage your audience, and manage to get them to participate in your show with you somehow. Find your own style and go for it. The more you do it, the better you will get. Learn by your mistakes. Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
57
CTM: Anything else in particular that you would like the readers to know about you? TA: For the past 18 months, I have been involved with SL Live Radio along with Esme Capelo, in a project that is trying to bring quality music into SL. I do hope everyone will give us an ear as we have managed to bring some of the finest DJ’s operating in SL today on air. We have also won the Avi Choice Award for The Favorite Radio Station in SL.
Thorn’s Best of the Best
58
1. Ruby Rose feat. Gary Go - Guilty Pleasure 2. London Grammar - Nightcall (Freemasons Remix) 3. Alex Gaudino (ft. Taboo) - I Don’t Wanna Dance 4. Calvin Harris & Alesso ft Hurts - Under Control [MOS Radio Dub] 5. Robin Thicke - Give It 2 U [LA Riots Remix] 6. Nicky Romero (ft Calvin Harris) - Iron [Dyro vs. Tony Romera remix] 7. M83 - Midnight City (Alcala Remix) 8. Avicii vs. Lenny Kravitz - Superlove (Extended Club Version) 9. Kylie Minogue - Better Than Today 10. Wolfgang Gartner ft Medina - Overdose [Loverush]
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
59
CTM: MUSIC
60
The Crème de la Crème of Music Writer: Cali Karsin Photos: PoshJones Resident
(solokkhz.monstre), Ivoka Resident, and Sandy Menna who dominate the music scene in both RL and SL covering all the genres Electronic Dance Music fans love like electro house, techno, real house, trance, and dubstep. Solo informs Cultured that, “Ivoka came up with the name, Creme De La Creme because the idea is to have the creme de la creme of the SL DJ scene playing in the club.” They’ve chosen the best DJ’s they know of who spin at the biggest clubs across SL who The club, CDLC, or Creme have been spinning for a long De La Creme, is owned and time, and their main goals at operated by D̅̅J̅̅ ̅̅S̅̅o̅̅l̅̅o̅ CDLC are, to concentrate on the music and have fun! With so many clubs in Second Life® spanning dozens of genres to meet any sort of music fan’s taste, sometimes it’s hard to pick your favorite. Music in SL is the very thing that is able to connect so many different kinds of people from all across the world, and one club in particular, is known for not only its fantastic beats but also the fact that the owners really know their stuff with real world experience as music producers, party organizers, and DJ’s.
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
61
Solo informs how Ivoka and him were contemplating opening a club for a long time, and finally got together with Menna who was the previous owner of Area51, and they were driven to carry out their dreams of opening their very own club from their love for music from RL that carried its way into SL. In real life, Ivoka is a party organizer, Menna is a DJ, and Solo owns the record label, Electro Labs Label, where in the real world is known as Solokkhz AKA Shlomo Man, and produces music spanning multiple genres including electro house, tech house, techno, and pop music, and is known for his popular tracks including “Spanning,” “Melodrama,” and “Funny Like Me.” Although still a relatively new club, they are quickly gaining popularity with so much passion behind what they do, and are not focused around making money. When Solo was asked about why we should party at his club, against all the others like it, he says, “This club is not like many others, as we all are family and 62
strive for having fun parties and a good friendly atmosphere. I make sure that I take care of problems that arise in my Club, because I don’t like disrespect. Here at CDLC, we play much variety of great mixes and sounds from different DJ’s across the world.” His short term goals for the club are to add more versatile staff to the team so they can extend their hours and become 24/7, and are currently open from six am to six pm daily, with their main long term goals of being to grow both the staff group and club group to gain as many clubbers as they can to show the world their passion for music. Aside from the club, Solo is also known for his streaming business, called STREAMING MUSIC where he sells streaming servers to clubs, DJ’s, and private avatars. When asked for advice to future both RL and SL DJ’s and music producers, he says, “Learn and listen. we always need to learn new techniques both when DJ’ing and producing to be able to get better, and also, if you produce it, you should get your inspiration from other music around you. Even not
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
63
in your own genre, anything can trigger an emotion in you or teach you something.” Some advice to future club owners is to not waste your time if you are not willing to dedicate lot of time during the buildup of your club as it takes much time and dedication to get a club running and to stay running and growing, and to never try to earn money doing it because it isn’t about that. You can check out CDLC at the landmark below, and stay updated by joining their group in-world, as well as their Facebook group. Check out Solo’s music on Soundcloud. http://slurl.com/secondlife/ FaBricZ/234/247/25 secondlife:///app/group/be544e82c533-1828-b382-dd96b29def73/about 64
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
65
CTM: MUSIC
TIM ANADYR THE CAPTIVATING VOICE OF
Writer: Emanuelle Brooks Photos: Cali Karsin
Second Life® is the world that never sleeps; nor does the live music scene. During the earlier hours of the SL morning, we have the opportunity to listen to musicians from all across the world. One of those musicians that captures the hearts of the music community, Tim Anadyr. I have had the great pleasure of knowing Tim my entire SL, which is longer than I like to admit. He is fun to converse with and you can see his passion for the music in his conversations. Tim, 57 years of age, hails in from the Netherlands and is a small portion with a huge impact on the morning live music events. He carries a unique sound, which helps to set him apart from all the other musicians that you hear. His passion, a 12-string guitar, and a harmonica help Tim in creating a soulful sound for the 66
crowd. What truly sets him apart from all the other live musicians is how versatile he is. Tim plays in the live music scene in SL®, InWorldz™, Avination©, and Virtual Highway®. In a personal interview, Tim told me the story of how he got his start in the music industry in both his real life and in the virtual worlds. At the age of eight years old, Tim got his first guitar and began three years of vigorous guitar lessons. He admits that he was turned off to the idea of playing guitar after those years. However, at the age of 16, Tim received his first 12-string guitar. He even played in a boogiewoogie band when he turned 17. He ended up copying song books from friends and began his singing career. SL has had a major impact on Tim’s real life. When he first began in the music industry, Tim
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
67
68
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
69
sang through his headset with nothing but his passion for music and an inspiring voice. Now, he is building his own soundproof studio on the top floor of his real life home. When the room is finally complete, Tim will be able to play more exciting shows in all virtual worlds. Tim joked with me, explaining, “When I started out singing in SL, you have no idea how bad I was.” He wanted to grow his skill and sought help from other SL musicians who were already established. Each musician brought information to him helping his skills to grow as well as his following. Nevertheless, he believes it is his passion for the music and the feelings he puts into his songs that sets him apart from many of the other musicians. His music set includes songs by Johnny Cash, Jim Croce, John Denver, Bob Dylan, and Neil Diamond. He is also first in line to help with charities such as Relay For Life and Feed -A-Smile. On average, he is playing 11 sets a week with the help of his mixer, acoustic guitars, and new microphones. His wish in SL is to one day own his own venue. It is something he had the pleasure of doing once before, but due to unfortunate circumstances, the venue closed. If you would like the chance to see Tim live, he keeps a calendar on his website and Tim’s music can also be found on YouTube. His marvelous voice, impeccable talent, and true love for the live music scene spread throughout many virtual worlds truly makes him one live singer you don’t want to miss out on. www.timanadyr.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asl_0DdnvqE
70
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
71
CTM: ARTS
The Oracle of Delphi Writer: Emanuelle Brooks Photos: Alon Alphaville
The true beauty in life is understanding the stories that our ancestors left behind for us to learn. What makes it even more beautiful is that we have the opportunity to re-create it. Located in Greece, Delphi is on the southwestern spur of Mount Parnassus. History believes it was discovered when Zeus was in search of Gaia. Mythology teaches that Zeus sent two eagles that flew in from the east and west side of the mountain and the birds met in the town of Delphi. Incidentally, Delphi is noted as what was believed to be the center of Grandmother Earth, Gaia, or the omphalos. Within the town of Delphi lie many mythological origins such as the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Sanctuary of Athena, and the Oracle of Delphi. Within this land, a vital oracle of the Greek world is located. 76
Additionally this land would be better known as a major location to worship Apollo after he slew a dragon that lived there to protect the navel of the earth. Starting in 586 BC, the Sanctuary of Apollo would host the Pythian Games every four years. It has also been noted that many artifacts can be found within the confines of the sanctuary. Apollo was able to possess the power of the oracle. Legend believes that when Apollo slew Python, fumes arose from the corpse. The priestess would fall into a trance allowing Apollo to possess the spirit. The oracle, however was not in winter months because Apollo was normally with the Hyperborean, and was consulted on all-important matters. Delphi has been occupied by settlements since the Mycenaean times; originally, the small settlements were all committed to the Mother Earth Deity. Legend speaks of a dragon and guardian of Ge’s sacred ground, Python, which protected the grounds for hundreds of years until defeated by Apollo. Apollo shot at the Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
77
dragon with a bow and arrow until Python took its last breath. Apollo then inhabited the land making it his own sanctuary and possessing the powers that were on the land, such as the Oracle, Pythia. Pythia was the priestess who sat on the tripod and sniffed ethylene gas to predict the future. Like a fortune cookie, each prediction was determined by the interpretation of the person hearing the fortune. The steps completed by the Oracle prior to her readings are symbolic. Pythia would chew on bay and laurel leaves and drink from the spring water. Then she would wear a crown of laurel and sit upon her tripod. Gases would emit into the air and put Pythia into a trance. Once in trance, individuals who paid the highest sacrifice would be led into the chamber to ask Pythia her fortune. In contemporary culture, there are those who believe that in order to communicate with supernatural powers, one must be cleansed, pure of heart, and relaxed. This is often why children are often a port to the supernatural phenomenon. Pythia created that same exact experience 78
as she chewed on laurel, drank the freshest water, and then sniffed the gasses. Basically, she was giving herself a laxative to cleanse her body, then got high. From a religious perspective, it can also be related to current day baptism. A good portion of Apollo’s stories also relate around the use of his bow. At one point Apollo dipped his golden arrow into an aphrodisiac causing the victim to fall in love with the first person that they saw. This can be related to the contemporary celebrations of Valentine’s Day where Cupid would shoot arrows creating them to fall in love. Although many of this culture believed the oracle to have great powers and had the ability to predict the future, it is up for interpretation of how the telling related to the happening. Current culture believed that a man by the name of Nostradamus had the ability to predict the future, but in fact, his fortune telling was incredibly vague that almost all of his prophecy could be related to many things within our lives.
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
79
“Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
80
The mystical powers were suggested to come from a perfume smell that occurred. Current technology teaches that the mysterious gas was actually an ethylene gas that was released from the land and eventually closed up after a large earthquake. However, there are those who believe still that the oracle eventually died out because the rise of Christianity. Christianity was said to interrupt divine powers from Apollo. The significance of this location is all dependent on personal beliefs and appreciation. Those who believe the same as the culture in which the stories were produced will create a different emotion than one person who knew nothing of the stories. The proof of the story is almost indisputable. Being at this location, you can see and experience for yourself that there were once buildings there. You can smell the sweetness in the area that relates to the gasses that the oracle used in fortune telling. The function of the location still holds merit to the stories however; current times teach us what actually was the cause versus a religious experience. The proof in the remains shows that there was once a settlement there and that real people lived off that land. If you are interested in seeing a mock version of the Oracle of Delphi, it can be found at Museum Island.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sunny%20Breezes/207/251/25
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
81
CTM: ARTS
DEAR CYNDELL Hello Cyndell! My Second Life® hubby and I have been married for three incredible years. We both decided we want to be together in RL, promised to not see anyone else in RL, and have been talking about finally meeting! Sadly, we live on separate parts of the world so we have been talking about it a long time.
82
Dear Perplexed:
The biggest question you need to ask yourself is, do you trust him? When playing on a platform such as SL, you have to be able to put your trust in that the person really is the person that you think he/she is. After spending three years with someone in SL, you have probably already learned more about the person than you realized. Trust yourself; you know more than you We usually spend late SL evenings think you do. together after both of us are out of work, but lately, he has been staying with me If for some reason you feel that you have shorter and shorter. He keeps saying he lost trust, then the relationship will never has been working on projects at home his work. Walter Anderson said, “We’re never boss has been giving him, but even when so vulnerable than when we trust someonehe was busy before he would always find but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, a way to make time for me. The excuse neither can we find love or joy”. However, is getting old and I am starting to worry. if you feel that you truly trust this person, than you need to back up and not be so I have been seeing a girl on his Real suspicious and questioning everything that Life FB page comment and like all his is happening around him. Show him that photos and say things about how cute respect. he is, and even asked him for his phone number on his wall. He says it’s just a coDo you have a question that you worker he rarely works with, but I still want answered in the next edition of worry. Cultured Magazine? Ask Cyndell! Put your question on a notecard and drop Should I trust him with what he says, it directly to Cyndell Wonder in SL. or should I be seriously worrying about Questions with inappropriate content this? And if I do decide to take action, will not be published or answered. Please how can I without any direct proof that note that due to unknown amount of he is sneaking around behind my back? entries, your question may be answered as Help! a notecard form upfront and used during -Perplexed any publishing of Cultured The Magazine.
Writer: Cyndell Wonder PhotoS: PoshJones Resident
Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
83
CTM: ARTS What’s YOUR hidden talent in the enter
Ever wonder what your undiscovered talents are? Let Cultured help you find y industry, and your dream job! Answer the questions below honestly, and you just m new career! Do you visit clubs in-world often? Do you consider yourself an A. Why bother? I have thousands extrovert person? of songs on my iTunes playlist. A. Yes. I can talk friends ears off B. All the time! Great music and but I really enjoy public speaking. fun local chat keeps me coming back. B. I love good conversation, C. I visit venues more than clubs, especially with many interesting people I am huge on the live music scene. in local chat. D. I enjoy TV way more than the C. I often am more introverted, music scene here in SL®. but I am pretty good at hiding it! E. Why bother with that when I D. Sometimes I am outgoing, and can just listen to radio stations in SL®? other times, more reserved, it depends F. Clubs are ok, as long as I am on the situation. constantly having a good time and E. Public speaking is my favorite making people laugh. thing to do, the bigger audience, the better! F. Making people laugh is my #1 priority, so I am extremely extroverted and silly.
Do you sing in the shower? A. I do a lot, and think I sound good, as much as the rest of the people in my house disagree. B. I usually don’t, I shower as quick as I can. C. Singing in the shower is my favorite activity, it helps me focus to practice singing alone. D. Nope! I’d much rather practice lines for my next TV audition. E. Sometimes, if I am in the mood. F. No, I usually take shower time to think up jokes to make my friends laugh. 84
rtainment industry?
your hidden skills in the entertainment may be on your way to stardom in a hot
Have you ever considered acting in SL? A. I’d rather be following the music scene. B. No, maybe I could do a talk show instead. C. I love acting if it involves musicals! D. Yes! I love acting and have some experience with it! E. No, I’d rather be listening to a radio show. F. I enjoy being on stage, but could only act if it is a comedy and can make me laugh.
Do you listen to Second Life® radio? A. Yes, the music keeps me going! B. I do every now and then, the talk shows are my favorite! C. I only listen to the radio if I chance by one playing one of my favorite singer’s songs. D. No, I enjoy TV shows much more. E. I can’t get enough for SL® radio! F. I enjoy radio for the funny DJ’s, if they can make me laugh, I love it!
Do you enjoy making up jokes, skits, and funny stories to tell to your friends? A. I love having a sense of humor but I don’t have to try! B. I try to be more friendly than funny. C. I enjoy being silly. D. I’d much rather be refining my acting skills. E. I have a huge personality and always often imagine many inside jokes and funny stories. F. Being funny is what I love to do, I spend hours planning elaborate skits and jokes.
Find your result in the next page Cultured The Magazine - Issue 1 - March 2014
85
What’s YOUR hidden talent in
Mostly A’s Your undiscovered talent is a DJ! You have mega tunes, love m without having to try, and are gifted at communicating to people once. Get out to clubs more, enjoy the music, and when it feels ri you never know!
Mostly B’s Your undiscovered talent is a host/hostess. You are a friendly, time, and are always the life of the party. People automatically lo skills to host. The great thing about hosting, is if you have a huge application at your favorite venue and join the fun.
Mostly C’s Your undiscovered talent is a singer! You have the voice to do it to a hot new career in the live music scene. Your personality is sil music venues around the grid. Now is your time to step up and jum how talented you are, just do it, and don’t look back.
Mostly D’s Your undiscovered talent is a TV star! Most people have to ha practice in either acting, or watching many shows yourself, not o jump on in and try working your way to achieving your dreams thr with a little perseverance and passion.
Mostly E’s Your dream job and undiscovered talent is a radio personnel! great at spinning live in different radio stations around the grid, a different radio stations around the grid, it would be an easy tran station and see if they have any open spots, and you’ll be soaring
Mostly F’s Your undiscovered talent is a comedian! You love entertaining far out of your way to put much thought in jokes and skits to ge because everyone just loves being around you! You always know of these qualities, you need to start entertaining the crowds at you know if you don’t try. 86
the entertainment industry?
music, and have a very easy-going personality, a sense of humor e. You’re great at being able to entertain large groups of people at ight, send in an application to DJ at one of your favorite venues....
open person, love to chat and meet new people, you enjoy a fun ove being around you, and that is why you possess all the perfect personality, it doesn’t feel like a job at all! Jump in and fill out an
t, and with a little practice and patience, you’ll be off on your way lly and fun, and you can be easily spotted hanging at different live mp off the groupie wagon and step on the stage to show the world
ave a natural talent for the big screen, and you got it! With lots of only are you a great acting critic, but also a fantastic TV star. So rough TreetTV, and Metaverse, your dreams can easily be achieved
With a big personality and a great taste in music, you would be as well as hosting radio shows! Since you’re already a huge fan of nsition working in the radio industry! Contact your favorite radio on your way to achieving your radio dreams.
the crowd, being on stage, and making people laugh and often go et your friends laughing. You make friends easily because of this, how to have a good time, and how to please a crowd, and with all ur favorite venues around the grid, and they’ll love you! You never