Roms

Auov uad auon acnurop ias iicinecu ertac iulunmod asiz. Aiutseca iulusacal iulutnafs ia irotacafenib is irotiulim irotanihcni. Uezenmud iul rolibor roletacap aeratrei is aerasal aeratecrec aer.


If you're curious, go here:
Roms

Johnny Royal Guitars

I'm currently working on a prototype guitar for my own guitar line called "Johnny Royal" guitars...stay tuned.

We The People...Villa Concillium

    (The signing of the Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776)

When I look through Presidential American History, I often find myself fascinated by the fortitude and reverence so many men throughout our history have achieved by trusting in God and carrying out to the best of their abilities, the will of the American People.  When you meet an American President, you are compelled to their eminence regardless of whom it may be.             

I have had the good fortune of meeting several American Presidents, as well as various members of the House of Representatives, along with international ambassadors.  My patriotism stems from my family, who for the majority of their lives, served in the Armed Forces or American Government.  My father is a Lieutenant Colonel and often reminds me of our duty we owe to our country whether on a national or local level at some point in our lives (the photo to the right is from L-R David Schmidt, former Senator Rick Santorum [PA - R], and RVNC Councilman Johnny Royal).                                                                                                                    

I have been reading The Constitution of the United States of  America and it's Bill of Rights over and over again.  There are illuminations that keep pointing toward the level of local  political congregations as the basis of everything within our founding doctrine leading into a government established "for the people."  Although, as some may agree, it does not appear that times echo these epistemological principles at a volume loud enough for The Hill to hear, especially here within the city of Los Angeles.  We are in caught in a net of financial turmoil, moral vacancy and a youth-inherited stalemate, which continues to weigh upon the incumbents of City Hall, leaving a compounded vacuum of accomplishment for both the Democrat and the Republican incumbent (although the fact that every single current member of LA City Council is a Democrat may hint at the origin of any lack of variety in approaches) or newly elected candidate to carry forth and diminish these burdens for the people that sat them in their seat of resolution (the photo to the left is from L-R RVNC Councilman Johnny Royal and Christina Wilson in the doorway of Air Force One).

As mentioned previously, I have been elected as a Business Representative and Council Member for Los Angeles City Council's District 13 Rampart Village Neighborhood Council, along with Diana Olivares (founder/Business Rep.), David Rockello (At-Large Rep.), Victor Cendana (At-Large Rep.), Philip Wayne (Community Org. Rep.), Julie Pasos (At-Large Rep.) and Cipriana Cababaro (At-Large Rep.).  We are stepping forward into a new era of local politics where the use of technology and advanced media will be used to spotlight the hearts and minds of the humility, honesty and hospitality of the citizens of Rampart Village that will hopefully serve as a social media model for other district councils within not only the state of California, but within other municipalities betwixt and between districts of the United States ( the photo to the left contains various members of the new and former board of District 13 being led by former RVNC President Mark Flores).  


On a personal note, I would like to say thank you to Mark Flores, Diana Olivares, Tara Brown, Carlos Villa, Miblerly Chavez, Joe Linton, Dan Sherrill, Anil Tatel, Ron Howell and Julie Pasos for doing such a wonderful job over their term.  Becoming directly involved makes you aware of your surroundings.  


The obstacles entangled around LA City Council and Mayor Villaraigosa are being portrayed by the media as impenetrable odds.  The Mayor and his council can do a better job, we all can.  Although, it is easy to criticize and be the eagle, yet harder to be the tight rope walker and actually put yourself out there in public service as my good friend Jimmy Raskin would say.  

We are a city and citizenship comprised of some of the most brilliant and discerning minds in the world, who set in to motion the new, we resurrect the antiquated and construct the keystones from which the rest of the world are beset by their foundations for the metaphysical and existential.  Sometimes throughout history we select the wrong leaders, but given the chance to measure and moderate, those leaders are done away with and replaced with young men and women who if given the chance, will actually make a difference.

I would like to see the handling of specific responsibilities given to executive committees within the neighborhood councils and entrusting specific fixtures and ordinances to be handled by the people who actually live and reside in the areas that are being affected.  At our last meeting, we were informed of a traffic accident where a pedestrian was struck by a moving vehicle.  It is a dangerous intersection and instead of the DOT finding it necessary to install a traffic light, it came down to the fact that there are not enough accidents in that area to find due cause to install a protective measure that could save lives because of money.  


The mayor and the city council need to allow more power to shift into the hands of Neighborhood Council leaders.  After all, this is a government of the people, for the people and by the people...we are the United States of America.

The March of Freedom - Filipino America

Little did I know that becoming a member of the Rampart Village community of Los Angeles would behold such an enlightening perspective on the multitude of cultures and walks of life that are beset in such a humble neighborhood.

Within every neighborhood whether rich or poor, industrial or agrarian, prosperous or impoverished, there will always be a group of people that are yearning to set in motion the god given good will of mankind.  The light entrenched in the human soul that reaches out into the darkness and shines like a dimly lit star in the canopy of heaven.

The Filipino community that I have recently encountered through my recent election as Business Representative and Councilman of Rampart Village of Los Angeles City Council have awakened my eyes unto a new and classical world of ideals, aptitudes and passions that should set an example for the rest of the patrons of Los Angeles.

My good friend and fellow councilman, David Rockello, has been generous enough to introduce me to the members of the Church of the Nazarene as well as the Echo Park Filipino Tennis Association.  Both Noli Reyes and Perla Reyes are two of the most kind and gentle souls I have ever met during the Filipino Tennis Awards Ceremony.

They are prolific examples of the Filipino community; charitable, hospitable, dedicated to God and strong in their roots and hosted me in their beautiful home as if they had known me for all of my life.

During our visit to the Filipino community together, David and I also stopped by the Valor Monument in Lake Street Park designed by Cheri Gaulke.  It is the only Filipino-American World War II memorial in the United States.

The monument was rectified to remember the death march of the Bataan and the injustice from the United States not recognizing the Filipino soldiers as World War II veterans.

It is with great honor and dignity that I introduce to you the proud and honorable Filipino community of Rampart Village in Los Angeles.  Please visit the Historic Filipino Town for many ancient and modern treasures that await your discovery.

iTunes

Is it just me or is iTunes starting to frustrate anyone else?  The load time is becoming increasingly slow and the inflation is a perfect example of a great business plan and working technology model disengaging from its audience.

Steve Jobs needs to reinvest some of the billions back into his own platform.  When demand exceeds supply, prices go up.  When demand exceeds supply exponentially, companies deconstruct.

Am I the only one that thinks this?

This is a picture of Steve Jobs when he used to actually care about what he was doing.

MySpace vs. Facebook

MySpace vs. Facebook Face-off by Jake Hartsfield

MySpace and Facebook feel like they've always been around, even though both were founded in 2003 – only six years ago.  The growth of both entities was incredibly fast and speaks for how quickly technology and the world today are changing.  In the last year alone, we’ve seen a number of major power shifts in the world of social media networking.  The biggest one being in December 2008 (one year ago) that Facebook passed MySpace in user numbers.

Compete.com reports that Facebook has grown from ~3.4 million unique visits per month in October 2008 to 23+ million unique visits per month in October 2009.  Myspace, has actually declined in unique visits per month from ~55 million in October 2008 to ~50 million in October 2009.  Clearly, Facebook has taken the social networking community (industry, should we call it?) by storm and is still growing in size and popularity.  Yet MySpace is still the number one place people turn to for music.  So, when it comes to the social networking communities and the music industry, which service is more important? Do they each play different roles in the career of an artist, or share some of the same roles?  Lets look past the numbers and define what each service has become as their roles on the Internet have evolved, and the pros and cons of each.

Myspace – the Beginning

When MySpace was first launched, it grew to become the largest social networking site – most of the users were individuals and used MySpace to connect with friends, plan parties, etc.  MySpace was also one of the few sites offering free accounts that allowed bands to sign up and host their music.  As MySpace grew in numbers, it also grew as the leading place to look for new music – and when you heard about a band, the first place you looked to find them was MySpace. Even bands that had official websites began using MySpace – if you didn’t have one, you might as well not have existed.  If you were looking for a particular band, you knew they’d be on MySpace and you also knew that their page was going to have a music player easily located in the top-right side of the page.  This dependability made MySpace a more reliable source for music than artists’ official websites.  Every artist’s official website is unique, which means their music player could be anywhere, and it’s usually hard to find – if they have one at all.

The customization that MySpace allowed was very appealing to all users, especially bands.  You could make your page exactly the way you wanted it (if you could figure out the html).

Facebook’s Appeal

1. Ease of Use, Networking - In the early adoption of Facebook, people immediately noticed how easy and simple creating a profile was.  There was no need to learn html or spend time finding a free pre-made layout to make it look good.  It was also much easier to find people, because users were actually encouraged to use their real names. 

2. Clean and Organized - A lot of people actually liked how much cleaner and simpler Facebook profiles appeared as opposed to MySpace.  With people trying to customize their profiles on MySpace, it was hard to find people’s information, and there was a lot of poorly programmed html, which caused a lot of bugs and unreadable pages.

3. Dynamic Interface - Sharing information was so much easier on Facebook that it prompted people to use Facebook as a platform for sharing ideas and connecting instantly with people on a national scale.  It allowed people to be creative and use groups to discuss politics, sports, form organizations, and raise money.

4. The Status Bar – This utterly simple concept encouraged people to visit each other’s Facebook pages more frequently to see what they were doing.  The inherent power of the status bar should be apparent after the tremendous hype we’ve seen with Twitter.

5. Less Spam – Facebook – from the beginning – has had much less of a spam problem than MySpace, due to heavy policing by the site admin and Facebook users’ intolerance for it.

These innovations that trumped MySpace in usability and popularity caused the paradigm shift in personal users from MySpace to Facebook.

Why MySpace still holds the spotlight for music

Facebook was not originally intended to be a music website – when it was growing in popularity, in still did not have working music players. Some applications were slowly introduced that allowed people to play their own music on their profile pages, but it didn’t allow bands to create pages.  Bands could make fan groups, but couldn’t play music on the actual pages.

MySpace was still everyone’s #1 destination if they wanted to hear music – and the plus side was you didn’t have to be a member of MySpace to visit a band’s profile. 

Facebook soon gave into the pressure to give bands profiles on Facebook and introduced pages, which allow bands to have music players, tour calendars, photos, videos, etc.  Even with these new options, bands couldn’t customize their profiles the way they could with MySpace, or organize their content exactly the way they wanted it.  Facebook became a useful addition to a band’s online presence, but was not the necessity MySpace was.

Similar Features

When Facebook introduced advertising, allowing bands, companies, and individuals to advertise anything they wanted, they offered something that MySpace didn’t have for bands.  It was understated, and not as many bands caught on at first as did the larger companies that were using Facebook.  Following Facebook’s lead, MySpace tried to make advertising on their site as easy as it is on Facebook…The most obvious difference is that Facebook has a much larger, deeper, and easily-targeted demographic of users, which makes advertising incredibly easy and effective.  MySpace has lost most of its personal users, so most of the people looking at the ads are other bands… [Facebook +1]

It’s difficult to create & invite people to events on MySpace, and it’s incredibly easy on Facebook.  Creating event pages with fresh media (photos, videos, links) is easy on Facebook.  It’s also harder to get the same fan response and interaction on MySpace… [Facebook +1]

MySpace was an easier website to point people to, because everyone was assigned their own URL, defined by their username.  Facebook matched MySpace earlier this year when it started allowing people to grab their own URL’s…[draw]

Facebook still doesn’t allow customization of pages, which limits an artist’s creative expression.  MySpace lets artists program their page as if it were a completely unique website, allowing artists to feature videos, graphics, and advertisements in whatever form they want…[MySpace +1]

The new google search is beginning to include music results at the top of the list when an artist’s name is searched – it pulls this information primarily from Myspace and Lala. [MySpace +1]

The Verdict

While Facebook is certainly the best place for an artist to advertise and interact with fans, it lacks the appearance of a personal website that MySpace has, and the music player is secondary to the news feed on the page.  On MySpace, the music player is the focus of the page, and far more artists have MySpace pages than have complete Facebook pages.

I know of industry folks who will look at a band’s MySpace page before looking at their actual website – (1) to listen to their music, and (2) to see how many friends they have.  Yes, the number of MySpace friends you have is still relevant in the industry today.  It probably not as accurate as the number of fans you have on your Facebook page, which are much more accessible than your MySpace friends, but it still adds credibility.

I think as more bands begin to adopt Facebook pages and focus on building their fan base through Facebook, the number of fans on a band’s page will carry more weight than the number of “friends” on MySpace.  For now, MySpace is still very relevant in the music industry, so I’d recommend having both a strong MySpace and Facebook presence.  MySpace for music, Facebook for fan interaction.

NEW ZEALAND ROCK BAND “LIKE A STORM” MAKING THEIR MARK ON U.S. BILLBOARD CHART

STS -- 0 hours 41 minutes ago

NEW ZEALAND ROCK BAND “LIKE A STORM” MAKING THEIR MARK ON U.S. BILLBOARD CHART LOS ANGELES, CA – (LSI) – December 3, 2009 – New Zealand natives LIKE A STORM, fresh off a stateside tour with Grammy-winners Creed, are turning heads with their debut album “The End Of The Beginning” by opening at number 61 on Billboard’s New Artists Chart from tour sales alone. Now based out of Vancouver, B.C., the quartet took little time to rest as they now enter the Midwest leg of their current tour and continue to fill up venues around America’s heartland with fellow Vancouver-based rockers Veer Union. Through the hard-hitting grooves of their first radio single, “Chemical Infatuation”, Like A Storm’s U.S. presence is growing larger by the day, as their adrenaline-packed song “Enemy” can already be heard accompanying ESPN’s College GameDay football montage, as well as providing the theme song for TNA Wrestling’s Pay-Per-View show “Genesis” with the featured track “Lie To Me”, airing on January 17th. Future collaborations are currently in the works including an “artist one-on-one” with actor Eric Bossick, star of the upcoming movie “Tetsuo: The Bullet Man”, directed by cult filmmaker Shinya Tsukamoto. Additionally, fans nationwide are encouraged to enter the band’s current Paul Reed Smith Guitar Giveaway contest for a chance to win an autographed guitar from the legendary craftsman. Like A Storm stir up a torrent of infectious hard rock through electronic textures and string flourishes that cascade into a wall of distortion as vocal melodies hypnotize. Brothers Chris (Vocals/Guitar/Programming/ Didgeridoo), Matt (Vocals/Guitar/Programming) and Kent Brooks (Bass/Vocals/ Programming) conjure a dynamic rock sound that's simultaneously ethereal and edgy. See for yourself at these upcoming shows coming to a town near you: Tue-Dec-08 Dekalb, IL Otto's Wed-Dec-09 Sioux Falls, SD Nutty's North Fri-Dec-11 Rock Island, IL Rock Island Brewing Company Tue-Dec-15 Knoxville, TN Cider House Wed-Dec-16 St. Louis, MO Pop's Sat-Dec-19 Louisville, KY Phoenix Hill Tavern Mon-Dec-21 Fargo, ND The Aquarium Tue-Dec-22 Billings, MT The Railyard Wed-Dec-23 Spokane, WA The Boulevard For more information on LIKE A STORM visit them at www.myspace.com/likeastorm For a chance to win an autographed PRS guitar go to: http://contests.luthiersociety.com/unsponsored/prs-guitar-giveaway

Twilight New Moon interview with Michael Welch on Shakefire.com

This was a recent interview we set up for Michael with our friends over at Shakefire.com.  It's a great interview on Twilight New Moon from Michael's perspective and other things Michael is working on:

Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner and Michael Welch.  You may not see the name in the tabloids but Welch plays Mike Newton, the human in love with Stewart's Bella, caught between a vampire and a werewolf.  We sat down with the co-star of one of the largest franchises in history.

SHAKEFIRE: There were high expectations for opening weekend, did you fall into that at all and do you think any amount would have satisfied critics?

MICHAEL WELCH: It was pretty clear from the pre-sales that New Moon was going to exceed Twilight’s opening weekend numbers.  Beyond that, I had no idea what to expect.  I try not to anticipate box office results because I have no control over them.

The night of the 20th I went to a Twilight party thrown by our wonderful writer Melissa Rosenberg.  As soon as I arrived I started talking to a studio executive from Summit (nice fella).  He asked me to guess what the film had grossed so far after being out one day, along with the midnight screenings on the 19th.  I guessed a very respectable $35 million, while my girlfriend threw out a $50 million prediction.  I looked at her like she was crazy.  Then he dropped the bomb, $70 million, the biggest one day domestic gross in history!  I couldn’t believe it.  I started laughing uncontrollably.

To get numbers like THAT, some of you must have gone out to see it at least three times by opening day!  You people are crazy and I love you for it!

SF: Obviously Robert and Kristen's faces are plastered everywhere you look so they have issues going out at all.  Do you experience any of the backlash from the fame?

MW: In a lot of ways I get the best of both worlds.  I get to be a part of this incredible franchise, but I don’t almost get run over by a cab in New York because of the madness I create by my mere presence (Like Mr. Pat-pat).  Occasionally, some people will approach me to ask for a picture or an autograph, especially when I’m outside of Los Angeles.  Other than that, I go about my daily routine just like anybody else.  But I don’t mind talking to fans at all.  I appreciate the support.

SF: Were you surprised when you heard that Catherine Hardwicke wouldn't be directing the rest of the series?

MW: No I wasn’t surprised.  Catherine was amazing but I liked the idea of having different directors to give each film it’s own distinct feel.  Barring any creative or financial differences that I’m not aware of, Summit must have felt the same way.

SF: Was it a different feel between the Hardwicke, Chris Weitz (New Moon) and David Slade (Eclipse) sets?

MW: Absolutely.  Catherine is an artist who thrives in chaos.  She leaves much of the creative decisions up to the actors and her process includes a lot of discovery made on set.  Chris is a calm and cool cucumber.  He’s much more deliberate with his direction.  Everything is drawn out before the actors even show up and it creates a much less chaotic atmosphere.  David was the most difficult to work for.  He’s VERY specific in terms of what he does and doesn’t like, from the way you move your head and body to the inflection of your words.  It’s not as freeing as the “anything goes” style of Catherine or the specific but spontaneous style of Chris.  But at the end of the day, it’s the result that counts, and as the director, he’s seeing something that I’m not.  So if we end up with a great film, I’m happy!

SF: What is the one major difference fans should expect from Eclipse?

MW: Eclipse is more intense than the first two stories, as you know from the books.  David is an accomplished horror filmmaker, so I think overall it’ll have a darker tone.  You’ll see a lot more action and therefore it should have a broader appeal to a male audience.

SF: Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart have set a standard of attending red carpets more relaxed than you normally see (clothes, attitude, etc).  Did this take the preasure off of that and were you able to be yourself more?

MW: Yeah, I think we were all able to relax into it a bit more.  The first premiere was completely surreal and we were pretty much in shock by the whole thing.  The cast knew what to expect the second time around so it wasn’t as overwhelming.  At least not for us O.G.s, I’m sure it was crazy for the wolf boys.

SF: Nothing really has been announced for 'Breaking Dawn'.  What have you heard about it and will you be returning?

MW: It’s true that nothing has officially been set for Breaking Dawn.  My very strong assumption is that it WILL be made, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s broken up into two films.  It would kind of be the stupidest decision in the history of, EVER, if they didn’t make Breaking Dawn.

I would love to come back as long as they’ll have me.

SF: Anything new you can tell us about "Eclipse" that hasn't been told yet?

MW: Not really.  You know the story…  I can tell you that Jackson has a burning fire of intensity inside of him that you wouldn’t believe.  Did anyone see his episode of Criminal Minds?  Unreal.  I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us in Eclipse.

I gotta tell you, I’m REALLY excited about this third installment, friends.  It’s my favorite book in the series, by FAR.  David has a track record of some really great films, particularly Hard Candy.  So I think we’re gonna have an amazing movie come this June.

SF: Do you feel that movie sets are a breeding ground for...well...breeding?

MW: Haha!  Well put…  It depends on the set.  No two sets are exactly alike.  You tend to get very close to people you work with and sometimes that can lead to a romantic relationship.  People occasionally develop set crushes through their characters and it can be confusing whether or not you really feel that way about the person.  For me, those floodgates stay closed tight because of the relationship I’m already in.  Welch don’t cheat.  But sure, it happens all the time.

SF: "New Moon" is the first movie to crack $100 million opening weekend that wasn't a kid's movie or a big budget spectacle.  Do you think that this raises the expectations for the final two movies?

MW: I think the movies will continue to grow and generate more excitement and energy until we run out of books to make movies about.

SF: You've had time to do a few projects in between the movies.  Was that something that was important to you when signing on for the rest of the movies?

MW: It was important for me not to squander this opportunity.  I plan on being an actor for the rest of my life and I know once these movies end, I’ll be back to square one in the eyes of Hollywood executives.  Part of what I wanted to accomplish was to prove myself outside of this franchise while the films are being released over these few years.  I’m very optimistic about a film I worked on a few months ago called Unrequited.  It was a lead role for me and if all goes well, it should be out sometime next year.

SF: What were you feelings about Rachelle Lefevre exit and did you see it coming?

MW: I was very surprised that Rachelle wouldn’t be joining us for Eclipse.  I think she’s an amazing talent and she’s as sweet and outgoing as can be.  I don’t know the details of the split, all I know is that the show must go on and we’ve all treated Bryce like a member of the family.  I think she’s gonna be great.

SF: David Slade famously spoke out against the Twilight series before becoming attached.  Was there any discomfort on the set as a result of those remarks?

MW: If you look at the context of his remarks I really don’t think it’s as bad as it seems at first glance.  David is not traditionally a “mainstream” filmmaker and he was just making an anti-establishment joke against what was the undisputed cultural juggernaut of the time.  He released a statement a little later talking about the “richness of storytelling,” he witnessed when he actually watched the first two films.  I wasn’t offended.

SF: Robert stated that "New Moon" is his favorite book in the series and Kellan stated that "Eclipse" is his favorite.  Which is yours?

MW: Robert is an English actor.  Therefore, as per standard British custom, he is very well versed in the work of Shakespeare.  Since New Moon was clearly written in homage to Romeo and Juliet in terms of story structure, theme, and direct reference, it doesn’t surprise me that this is Rob’s favorite book.  That said I have to agree with Cullen McLutz and go with Eclipse.

SF: Was there any fear in your mind that "New Moon" wouldn't live up to expecations?

MW: No, I was pretty confident in New Moon’s ability to live up to high expectations.  Chris Weitz is one of the best directors I’ve ever worked with.

FAN QUESTIONS:

1. How has the “Twilight” phenomenon changed your life?

MW: Well, I now have an abundance of socks that should last me the rest of my life.

2. Out of all the characters you have played which one is the most like you?

MW: Honestly, probably Mike Newton, particularly when I was in high school.  I’m not like that so much anymore.  I’m changing all the time.  I figure people dramatically change every two years or so until about 26.  Then they change about every five years.  By 50, every 10 years.  That’s just my guess.  I have no idea how life works.

3. Since your real name and your Twilight character's name are the same do you try to go by a nickname with your friends and family now to avoid getting caught unaware by fans calling out your character's name? If yes, what's your new nickname?

MW: I see what you’re getting at, and that’s very clever, but I really don’t mind hanging out with fans.

In high school they called me White Mike, and sometimes my friends call me Grape Drink.  I think White Mike is self-explanatory, and Grape Drink is in reference to my last name.

4. Are you still receiving socks?

MW: I initially received HUNDREDS of socks, and they trickled in during the subsequent few months after TwilightLexicon came up with the idea.  I haven’t gotten any for a while but that’s ok!  I think I’m good.  I still love you guys for doing that.  No other fans are that awesome!

5. It is said that Kristen Stewart & Taylor Lautner lobbied to add the group date scene into New Moon were you pleased to get more screen time?

MW: This is 100% true.  The group date scene was not in the original script.  The very important moment between Bella and Jacob when he tells her he’ll never hurt her like Edward did was put into a different scene.  Luckily for me, Kristen and Taylor thought it was one of the best scenes in the book and convinced Chris Weitz to talk to someone about getting it back in.

Yes, I’m always happy to have more screen time, but that sequence in particular was a real opportunity for me.  The three-way date is Mike Newton’s best scene in the entire franchise and I’m incredibly grateful to those two for getting me the chance to do it.

It was great to get to know Taylor and of course, it’s always good to work with the Stewart.

6. It is rumored with so many musicians on set (and you being a drummer) that the cast sometimes gets together for jam sessions. Is this true and do you take part in it?

MW: Apparently Rathbone jams in LA all the time.  I talked to him about getting in on it, but he told me he only has a left handed/ left-footed drum kit.  I need to practice drumming backwards if I’m gonna sit in on a jam session because that guy can play!  I don’t wanna embarrass myself.

7. What was it like working with Eddie Izzard on “The Riches”?

MW: Eddie Izzard is a personal hero of mine.  I’ve never seen a performing artist with more bravery, talent, or intelligence.  Working with the entire “Riches” family was a great thrill for me, but when I had a personal interaction with Eddie (which only happened in one scene for one moment), it was an incredible rush.  I only got to hang out with him for about a day and a half, but it was an amazing experience.  I’ve only been star struck twice in my life as far as I can remember.  Once was with Ben Harper, the other with Eddie Izzard.

8. Do you have any other projects coming up?

MW: I have no work lined up at the moment.  But I can let you know what to I’ve BEEN working on if you don’t mind!  Here are some movies to watch out for over the next couple of years:  Unrequited, Rough Hustle, Lost Dream, My Suicide, The Grind, and The Coverup.  Now on DVD:  Day of the Dead (zombies), American Son (moving), Remember the Daze (dazed and confused for 1999), and An American Crime (depressing).  And if you live in just about any country OTHER than the United States, you can get All The Boys Love Mandy Lane.

Thanks for all your support everybody!  Ya da greatest!!

Twilight's Michael Welch on New Moon

One of the nice parts of my job is that I get to work with people like Michael Welch.  My firm represents Michael and we recently ran a press day for him around the premiere of New Moon.

Michael and I were talking about New Moon and I asked him what the film was really about from his character's perspective.  Michael plays Mike Newton in the Twilight Saga and had this to say:

"The Twilight Saga's: New Moon is the second installment in this amazing series.  It's about a young man named Mike Newton, desperately in love with the girl of his dreams only to find himself in competition with two supernatural hunks.  The film reaches an enthralling climax when Mike ends up on a very awkward three-way date with Bella and Jacob, and in typical Mike fashion he embarrasses himself and looses out to the more manly Jacob.  It is a story of unrequited love and the perspective to maintain a valuable friendship through heartbreak and pain... Oh, and there's something about werewolves and Italian vampires, but that's just a side story.  Check out New Moon, in theaters now!" -Michael Welch on Twilight New Moon.

The photo above was from the press day we did with Michael at my office.  He is discussing elements of the film with ABC News.  Michael has a lot of great stuff he is working on.  He is one of the most talented people I've met.  Keep checking in on Michael's progress in his career.  He is sure to be one of the great ones.

Hardware dictates Software

The more I dig into researching for the future of social media, I see a general lack of understanding or care for what is going to be an integral part of these changes...hardware.  

Some of the vital cycles to watch for are the oscillators underlying Moore's law.  The speed and capacity of which the actual transistors in micro-processors are able to perform and the decrease in production costs accordingly will dictate performance capabilities for multi-media social/viral marketing.  


Additionally, the rate at which T1 and T3 lines overtake the general Marketshare with respect to broadband and cable is a very important indicator for the onset of Social Media 3.0.   


It all equates to a much faster, cleaner and incessant intelligence phase of social media 3.0.  Thanks to ITMweb.com for the graph.

The Belmont in West Hollywood burned down???

I just heard that the Belmont in West Hollywood burned down.  Can anyone verify this?  If you're close to La Cienega please drive past.  This is/was one of my favorite spots.  I pray that no one was hurt.  


Some trivia that not too many people know...one of the bartenders there was the banker on the game show Deal or No Deal.

My friend Anya was also on the show - she was one of the hostesses marked #10.  I met Anya when I did the launch of the Adriano Goldschmied red carpet event for their store opening in 2007.

Things to watch for in Social Media 3.0

As I'm researching for my book, there are a few things social medians should be on the watch for:

1. Google's Hybrid Protocol

Google has taken necessary steps to bring social media users one step closer to social media 3.0. This code will help develop interoperability between various social media platforms.

A big problem that exists for social media marketing professionals is that once you have created your various accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, Metacafe, Blip and hundreds of other channels, it becomes very time-consuming to log in to each and do single updates. By combining the ease of single login from Open ID and the security coding behind O Auth, the Hybrid Protocol is a true step in making Social Media 3.0 a working platform, helping to ease users into the new era.

According to Yariv Adan on the Google Data APIs Blog:

"We are happy to announce an important enhancement to our recently launched OpenID endpoint. Google now supports the “Hybrid Protocol“, combining OpenID federated login together with OAuth access authorization. Websites can now ask Google to sign-in a user using their Google Account, and at the same time request access to information available via OAuth-enabled APIs such as the Google Data APIs.

For example, the website www.Plaxo.com is an early adopter of the new service and has already released a beta version supporting it for some of its new users. Plaxo’s UI provides both a richer sign-in offering, using the Federated Login OpenID API, and a simple and secure way to import their Google Contacts using OAuth. In the past, sign-in required multiple redirects between Plaxo and Google, and more importantly, multiple user approval pages, one for OpenID during sign-in and another for the OAuth access authorization request. No more!"

Luthier Society is developing a customized Social Media Hybrid Protocol of our own, as we use hundreds of different channels for viral marketing campaigns.

2. Lilypad Arduino

Invented by the brilliant Leah Buechley from MIT Media Labs, the LilyPad Arduino is a microcontroller board designed for wearables and e-textiles. We're developing a series of experiments at Luthier to create Twitter e-textiles that will transmit a series of pre-programmed tweets to your Twitter account.

For instance, if you have a dog or cat and a pet door in your house, you can sew the LilyPad to the animal's collar and have the relay point set at the pet door. Every time the animal leaves the house, you will receive a tweet. You can help keep up with the claims your neighbors make about your pet spending it's time on their property and even monitor your children or babysitter more closely.

There are hundreds of practical uses for the LilyPad Arduino and my hat goes off to Leah and her team at MIT.

Writing this book is proving to be one of the most enjoyable and challenging experiences in my life. Thanks for reading and follow me on Twitter: @johnnyroyal1

Writing my book

I'm working on my book called Social Media 3.0 that will be released in 2010. It's pretty exciting to see all of the pieces fall into place and get a real handle on who the major players are in the social media space that are having and will have a true impact on user-generated content.

I'm working on interviewing some pretty exciting people and I will let you know as I get their responses back for the book.

DottedMusic.com

Just a quick thank you to my friend Andrew Apanov, editor-in-chief of Ultimate-Guitar.com. Andrew recently launched a social media music blog called DottedMusic.com and wrote a feature news story on the Social Media 3.0 white paper I recently wrote:

http://dottedmusic.com/2009/features/social-media-3-0-white-paper/

Andrew and I have been friends for years and he is a rare type in the entertainment business. He runs his online spots around breaking news in the music industry and is proof that social media is a global phenomenon. Andrew and his websites are based out of Russia, with Ultimate-Guitar.com being one of the most highly visited websites in the music industry...it gets more monthly traffic than RollingStone.com!

I was taking a peek at Dotted Music and was impressed with the blend of consumer music news and technology-related content; both of which empower the way digital music marketing strategies are disseminated throughout the internet. I highly recommend it for both B2B Music Industry audiences.

In Andrew's words, "Dotted Music is where this industry is today and where it will be tomorrow. We live in an on-going digital revolution, fascinating times when things change very fast, and I’m so freaking happy to be a part of it." I couldn't agree more.

Andrew is also a well known drum & bass DJ in Russia. Hopefully we will be able to have him spin in Hollywood very soon.

If you're looking for the best in guitar tab, music news and promotions online, make sure to check out Ultimate-Guitar and for those striving to get a better grasp on the mechanics of the music industry, check out Dotted Music. Don't forget to take a peek at Andrew's article he wrote about Luthier Society!

Johnny Royal

Follow me on Twitter: @johnnyroyal1

Archimedes 1.0 Trailer Unveiled

JOHNNY ROYAL OF LUTHIER SOCIETY UNVEILS ARCHIMEDES 1.0 TRAILER

LOS ANGELES, CA -- (October 21, 2009) -- LSI – Johnny Royal, CEO & Chairman of social media and viral branding agency, Luthier Society, has released the first viral video for the company’s proprietary ROI weighted-value software platform, Archimedes 1.0. Johnny Royal and Luthier Society, Inc. have been developing Archimedes 1.0 over the past several years as a response to the inability of quantifying social media marketing and returning true weighted-value ROI data back to online marketing personnel.

Inspired by the theories of Charles Henry Dow, Archimedes 1.0 uses a proprietary Tracking Technology Metric (TTM) that has effectively created the world’s first online market index for websites. Archimedes 1.0 users will be able to determine the depth of their outreach efforts, saturation rate, geo-spatial location of their audience and value of online positioning, giving the first true, monetized value for Return on Investment in social media marketing.

Johnny Royal and Luthier Society have recently published the world’s first white paper on Social Media 3.0 which discusses solutions for inoperability between multi-media platforms, the evolution of the micro-blogosphere and advances in mobile applications for marketing platforms. Some of the more advanced aspects of the research consider various metrics platforms and their specific areas of expertise for various types of social media campaigns.

Luthier Society, Inc. is a boutique social media and viral branding agency based in Los Angeles, CA that provides all aspects of online communications for the entertainment and technology industries. Clients range from Universal Records to Sony. Luthier Society, Inc. was founded by Johnny Royal in 2007.

ARCHIMEDES 1.0

http://www.luthiersociety.com/archimedes

Social Media 3.0

http://www.luthiersociety.com/whitepaper/White-Paper-3.0.pdf

Media Inquiries

323.825.4499

http://www.luthiersociety.com

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