Boston, NY, Utica team-up for hip-hop video

Local DJ Tone Spliff recently got together with Boston artist Krumbsnatcha and White Plains artist Born Talent and made this song and video. Check it out. And when you're done, read the short Q & A I did with Tone.

TONE SPLIFF feat KRUMBSNATCHA "DO IT FOR YOU"/TONE SPLIFF feat BORN TALENT "RESPECT IS DUE" from CHANCLETAFILMS on Vimeo.

Question: Who are the artists featured? Are they local?
Answer: Krumbsnatcha is from the Springfield/Boston area. Born Talent is from White Plains/New York City.

Q: Where was the video filmed? Obviously, I see Utica spots, but was it filmed anywhere else?
A: First location was Springfield, Mass. to film Krumb's parts, then Utica to film mine, and then NYC for BornTalent.

Q: Who filmed the video?
A: The director is Pacool from chancletafilms.com from Spain. He is an amazing director and has his videos played on Mtv Europe. He's making some major moves, and I'm glad to have worked with him. I was just in the right place and right time. Shout out to Marvalous for linking me up with him.

Q: Musically speaking - how did the song come together?
A: The song is about the people, the supporters, the fans, and if it weren't for them, I wouldn't be making the type of music I do. I could have done a video glorifying flashy jewels, money and the finer things in life, but that's not me. That's the difference between rap artists and hip-hop artists, in my opinion. The song came together via the world wide web. Krumb loved the beat and ripped it in MA. Born Talent also loved the beat I had in mind for him, and knocked it out in White Plains.

Crash, burn not an option

Remember how the '80s had "We Are The World?" (And big hair and Aquanet?) Well, the '80s and its Aquanet likely led to this new millennium anthem: a remake of "Beds Are Burning" - a cry directed toward world leaders to reach a fair, binding and global deal at the UN Climate Change Summit in December. The video features well-known musicians such as Duran Duran, Mark Ronson, Jamie Cullum, Melanie Laurent, Marion Cotillard, Milla Jovovich, Fergie, Lilly Allen, Bob Geldof, Youssou N’Dour and Yannick Noah. Take a look and if you download the song you'll be part of a petition asking those leaders for a smart and just decision.

The BOMB wants fans to call them

The BOMB will use their local notoriety for good this weekend while they answer phones to collect donations for the United Way during a pledge drive from 5 to 6 p.m. Thursday on WKTV.

The BOMB hopes their fans will show the same love they've shown them through the years by making a donation to the United Way, said the band's lead vocalist Mike Santalucia.

The band also will donate $1 for every person that attends it's Halloween Party and Costume Contest Saturday, Oct. 31, at McGill's.

I love U

Really well-done video on Utica Music and Arts Fest.

Enjoy.

Getting your stuff published

Every so often, I think it's important to remind everyone about how to get information into Fusion and/or the Arts, Etc. column that runs each week on Wednesdays in the daily paper and on Thursdays in Fusion. Here are a few guidelines:

Send it to the right place: Send releases by e-mail to plusfusion@uticaod.com. Club listings have to be sent to clublist@uticaod.com (by 5 p.m. Monday before the Thursday publication date). If you're looking to place an ad, that's a completely separate department and one the newsroom has no interaction with. In fact, we see the ads that run in our newspaper the same time you do - when the newspaper is delivered.

Be on time: Submitting press releases at least two weeks ahead of publication date is best since I work about a week ahead for Fusion. Anything that comes in later than a week before most likely won't get in because of time and space constraints. (Fusion and Arts, Etc. items run on the weekend they are happening.)

Be accurate: If your press release isn't accurate or doesn't include the important information - what, when, where, cost, contact person - then we can't print it. And if you get a call from us asking for that information, get back to us right away, or we won't be able to print the information.

Send the right shot: We appreciate photos. However, only certain types reproduce well in print. Logos, shots of large groups and photos copied off a Web site don't fall into that category. Photos should be at least 300 dpi, 5 inches wide with no weird Photoshop effects. Basically, if they don't look professional, please don't bother sending them.

Know the publication: Fusion is an arts and entertainment publication. It's not a frat house bulletin board. So, bar drink specials and booty shake contests, for the most part, won't get into Fusion - unless there's something really special about them - like if Beyonce is going to be there.

Ask: If you're sending releases and they're not getting in, call or e-mail me at cbaber@uticaod.com or 792-5013. If your release is not getting in, either we're not getting them or Fusion isn't the place for your event. (If Fusion isn't the place, we send your release to our calendars, where a whole 'nother group of people put them together.)

Hope this helps!

Teen's confidence will fool you

For this week's music column, I spoke with Emilee Smith, a 15-year-old with a passion for her music. It's hard to believe Smith has been performing for only three years. She will fool you with her confidence. Check out Thursday's Fusion for more about Smith.

In the meantime, here's a clip of her performing live:


Emilee Smith live @ THE BARGE

Em Jay Smith | MySpace Music Videos

Artistic crossing

I love when Utica artists connect. Here's what happened when filmmakers at Mad Angel Films and musicians of The Bourbon Mothers came together to create a song/video for the film "StarCros'd." Enjoy!

KISS my M&Ms

Your chocolate just got a whole lot better.

M&Ms just announced the launch of the candy-coated chocolate candy will for a limited time have each of the members of KISS on the bite-sized morsels.

You can get the candy in four customized packages - each package has one of the band members' faces: Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. You'll only be able to find them at Walmart. Cost: $6.

And you don't have to rock n roll all night and party every day to get your face on an M&M. Visit mymms.com, choose up to three of 25 M&Ms colors, upload your photo, add your personalized message and you can have your very own M&Ms.

Local stuff you want to hear

Here's a little something I've been listening to lately - local musician Ryan Miller's newest CD "As the Crow Flies." It's the second solo CD for Miller, who is best known for his time in the folk-rock band The Reuben James and more recently in the modern rock band Modus.

For those of you familiar with Miller's older works, it's tended to weigh on the side of folk. But, in "As the Crow Flies" Miller offers something a little different - blues, alt-country and rock. I like it. I think it works. And, hey, it's free. Download the album at http://www.rmillermusic.com/ATCF.php.. You won't be disappointed. And if you are, well, you didn't have to pay for it, anyway.

Here's a little something from December 2008. Miller and J. Schnitt perform at The Devereux. The video's a little dark, but it's what you're going to hear that's important anyway.



Click here for the most recent story about Miller, The Bourbon Mothers and Modus.