I’ll be live on Chuck D’s radio show on Air America this Sunday night at 12:30 Eastern/11:30 Central/10:30 Mountain/9:30 Pacific. If you happened to near a radio…..here are the stations.

National
XM Satellite Radio
Eastern
Akron, OH - WARF-AM
Ann Arbor, MI - WLBY-AM
Asheville, NC - WPEK-AM
Atlanta, GA - WMLB-AM
Bennington, VT - WBTN-AM
Binghamton, NY - WYOS-AM
Boston, MA - WXKS-AM
Boston, MA - WKOX-AM
Brattleboro, VT - WKVT-AM
Buffalo, NY - WHLD-AM
Burlington, VT - WVAA-AM
Chapel Hill, NC - WCHL-AM
Charlottesville, VA - WVAX-AM
Chattanooga, TN - WDOD-AM
Cincinnati, OH - WSAI-AM
Columbia, SC - WOIC-AM
Columbus, OH - WTPG-AM
Detroit, MI - WDTW-AM
Grand Rapids, MI - WTKG-AM
Greenfield, MA - WHMQ-AM
Huntington, WV - WRVC-AM
Ithaca, NY - WNYY-AM
Miami, FL - WINZ-AM
Montpelier/Barre/St Johnsbury, VT - WDEV-AM
New Haven, CT - WAVZ-AM
New York, NY - WWRL
Northampton, MA - WHMP-AM
Petoskey, MI - WWKK-AM
Pittsburgh, PA - WPTT-AM
Pittsburgh, PA - WURP-AM
Portland, ME - WLVP-AM
Poughkeepsie, NY - WKZE-AM
Rochester, NY - WROC-AM
Springfield, MA - WHNP-AM
State College, PA - WBLF-AM
Washington, DC - WWRC-AM
West Palm Beach, FL - WJNO-AM
Central
Austin, TX - KOKE-AM
Baton Rouge, LA - WPYR-AM
Brainerd, MN - WWWI-AM
Chicago, IL - WCPT-AM
Corpus Christi, TX - KCCT-AM
Davenport, IA - WKBF-AM
Duluth-Superior, MN - KQDS-AM
Ely/Hibbing, MN - WELY-AM
Iowa City, IA - KXIC-AM
Lafayette, LA - KEUN-AM
Little Rock, AR - KDXE-AM
Madison, WI - WXXM-FM
Marion/Carbondale, IL - WINI-AM
Memphis, TN - WWTQ-AM
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN - KTNF-AM
New Orleans, LA - WSMB-AM
San Antonio, TX - KTXX-FM
St. Louis, MO - KRFT-AM
Mountain
Albuquerque, NM - KABQ-AM
Denver, CO - KKZN-AM
El Paso, TX - KHRO-AM
Phoenix, AZ - KPHX-AM
Santa Fe, NM - KTRC-AM
Sheridan, WY - KYTI-FM
Taos, NM - KVOT-AM
Pacific
Albany, OR - KTHH-AM
Eugene, OR - KOPT-AM
Eureka, CA - KGOE-AM
Fresno, CA - KFPT-AM
Los Angeles, CA - KTLK-AM
Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz, CA - KRXA-AM
North Bend / Coos Bay, OR - KBBR-AM
Portland, OR - KPOJ-AM
Reno, NV - KJFK-AM
Riverside, CA - KCAA-AM
Sacramento, CA - KCTC-AM
Sacramento, CA - KSAC-AM
San Diego, CA - KLSD-AM
San Francisco, CA - KQKE-AM
San Luis Obispo, CA - KYNS-AM
Santa Barbara, CA - KIST-AM
Santa Cruz - Monterey, CA - KOMY-AM
Seattle, WA - KPTK-AM
Spokane, WA - KPTQ-AM
Victor Valley, CA - KSZL-AM
Alaska/Hawaii
Anchorage, AK - KUDO-AM
Honolulu, HI - KUMU-AM
Kihei, HI - KAOI-AM
Lihue, HI - KQNG-AM

I don’t think I was quite ready to do a show in the middle of the B4MD chaos. Fellow photographer Victoria Cain http://www.victoriacain.com help me produce it. Without her encouragement, I would not be shooting right now. Because so much time is needed to promote a film, I was limited on what I could put up on the walls. A good turnout and many pictures sold, but, it wasn’t the show I hoped to do long ago. Still, I good thing happened while doing it. I got a little voice in my head that said it’s time to try something new.

The whole printing photos on painters canvas thing that Victoria did sparked my interest in doing fine art images again. Unfortunately,the inspiration came was after this latest exhibit was done.

Truth be told, I always wanted to paint real life like portraits that look almost like a photo. Well, here is a portrait that I did months ago. I turned it into a “photographic painting”, the next best thing. Something that I thought looked like a Spaniard girl from the 1930’s. Suddenly a mediocre photo, appears more soulful.

I recommend to anyone who has old photos sitting I those stored away boxes to revisit them. You can give them new life! This photo above was long forgotten and now has found it’s way into my favorites. I have a few shoots tomorrow and they are my first shoots in a long while. A very long while. Check back for new images on AndrewShapter.com (I mean “photographic paintings”) later this week.

North American Screening list and DVD release!

Listed below, are first round screenings of Before the Music Dies across the US for the holiday season. 55+ locations/dates will be added within the next couple of weeks. We successfully completed premier screenings in Boston, Cleveland, Edinburgh Scotland, Harlem, Seattle, London, Memphis, New Orleans and Bergen Norway.

The “commemorative edition” dvd goes on sale November 12th and will be promoted and/or sold at the venues listed below. In addition, many of these dates listed include a musical showcase. We welcome anyone who wants to host their own showcase. To register as a host, go to www.beforethemusicdies.com/blog/host-a-screening

Those interested in buying the dvd (starting November 12th), can visit our online store www.beforethemusicdies.com. The film will be available in additional theaters and major retail outlets Winter/Spring 2007. Remember, this is a great holiday gift for the music fan and/or musician in your family!

Several dates will be added next week. To keep up with this revolutionary model of film distribution, visit….
www.beforethemusicdies.com/blog/upcoming-screenings

October 31st : London UK. October Gallery 7pm

November 2nd : Savannah Ga : Trustees Theater 11:30am

November 10th : Missoula Mt. Univ. Montana Center Theater 7pm

November 13th : San Francisco. The Independent Theater/Club 8pm
November 13th : Austin. Alamo Drafthouse Downtown (Special event 1pm)
November 13th : Lincoln Neb : Moore’s B4MD (Screening and Jam Session) 5:30pm
November 13th : Denton Tx : Secret Headquarters (Screening and after party) 12pm

November 14th : Olympia Wa: Evergreen State College 8:30pm
November 14th : New York City : Candor Film Center Brillstein Theater 6:30pm
November 14th : New York City : NYU Theater 101 6:30pm
November 14th : Atlanta : Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel 7:30pm

November 15th : Sonoma Ca : Sonoma State Univ Theater 7pm
November 15th : Dallas : All Good Cafe and Theater 8pm

November 16th : Seattle : Victoria Sar Shed 7pm
November 16th : Carbondale Co : KDNK/B4MD Membership Celebration 12pm
November 16th : Kansas City : Kalina’s 7pm
November 16th : New York City : The Shed Midnight
November 16th : Alexandria Va : Pendleton Episcopal High School 7:30pm

November 17th : Austin : St Edwards University Jones Auditorium (Screen DoorFilmPresents) 7:30pm
November 17th : Austin : Antone’s (with Groupo Fantasma) 7:30
November 17th : Boulder Co : Boulder Public Library 7pm
November 17th : Minneapolis : Domin’s 9pm
November 17th : San Marcos Tx : Tantra House 7pm
November 17th : Tallahassee Fl : All Saints Cinema 5:45pm
November 17th : Pittsburgh Pa : Shadow Lounge Midnight
November 17th : Lewisburg Pa : Bucknell University Midnight
November 17th : Langly BC : Trinity Western University 8pm

November 18th Kansas City : Private B4MD party 7pm
November 18th Huntsville Ala : Flying Monkey Arts Center 2pm
November 18th Washington DC : Busboys and Poets Film 11pm
November 18th Hanover NH : Dartmouth Univ. Dartmouth Hall 8pm

November 19th : Sacramento : Movies on a Big Screen 3pm
November 19th : Los Angeles : Bay Club (Private) 6pm
November 19th : Providence RI : Providence Black Repertory Company 7pm

November 29th : Austin : Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar 7:30
November 29th : Atlanta : Andrews Theater (Recording Academy & Grammy U Screening) 7:30pm

November 30th : Athens Ga: Univ of Georgia (NARAS event) 7pm

December 1st : Austin : Alamo Drafthouse Downtown : (Student Discount Screening) 4:15pm

December 3rd : Austin : Alamo Drafthouse Downtown (Special Filmmaker screening and after party TBD) 4:15pm

December 5th : Chicago : Schuba’s Tavern (Special NARAS screening) 7pm

All, not sure if you caught the news on the wire today, but Before the Music Dies made a major announcement that impacts all fans who want to see the film.

First off, we announced that November 12-19, we will be organizing a grassroots screening week, during which any B4MD fan or music lover can host a screening of the film. We already have dozens of events in the works, and expect to hold hundreds of screenings across the US and Canada during that week in November. We’ll be in venues ranging from music clubs to churches, universities, recording studios, performance spaces, private parties, anywhere people can get together, watch a great film and celebrate the impact great music has had on their lives.

To learn more about where you can see the film, visit: http://www.beforethemusicdies.com/blog/upcoming-screenings

To learn more about hosting your own screening event, visit:
http://www.beforethemusicdies.com/blog/host-a-screening

Also incredibly exciting is the strategic partnership we announced today with XM, which you can read in full by visiting:

http://www.beforethemusicdies.com/promo/B4MD_XM_RELEASE_10-25.pdf

In a nutshell, XM wants to help bring B4MD and its message to their over 7 million subscribers, and will be doing substantial promotion and programming on their satellite network of channels in support of the grassroots event. By far the biggest news on that front is that they will be launching the first-ever radio broadcast premiere of a full-length film, and will play the audio version of B4MD multiple times during the screening week. Andrew and Joel recorded a fantastic interview with XM Public Radio personality Bob Edwards yesterday morning, which will be played after the film broadcasts.

We are breaking ground with this distribution model, because we believe that everyone who wants to see B4MD deserves to see it with others who love great music. We can’t wait for November, and hope you will join us in bringing B4MD to your area.

Specialty indie film distributor Bside Entertainment has acquired all North American rights to BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES, the electrifying documentary that exposes the music industry’s abandonment of artists and fans in its single-minded pursuit of corporate profits. After premiering to standing ovations at the SXSW Film Festival last spring, the film has amassed critical acclaim and avid fan support at film festivals from Edinburgh to Austin. The deal, which was announced jointly by Bside CEO Chris Hyams and filmmakers Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen, is Bside’s first theatrical release and represents a bold break from traditional film distribution. Placing heavy emphasis on innovative on-line marketing, unconventional exhibition models, and alignment with like-minded companies like chipmaker AMD will allow Bside to return substantially greater financial benefits to the filmmakers and producers.

A project that began as two fans seeking answers to why major label music and commercial radio are increasingly bland and repetitive, BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES took on a life of its own during production. Artists ranging from global superstars to independent unknowns became passionate about the film’s message and were quick to participate, resulting in a staggering array of musical performances and interviews featuring talents such as Dave Matthews, Eric Clapton, Erykah Badu, Branford Marsalis, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Questlove, and many others. Industry commentators and fans also joined the conversation, helping to uncover the truth about how great music is smothered by massive corporations, while at the same time offering hope for the future.

“Throughout its festival run, it became clear that Andrew and Joel have created a documentary that reaches across musical genres and generations, and strikes a chord with anyone who loves great music,” says Bside’s Hyams. “We have a growing community of artists and fans that are energized to spread the word about this incredible film, and our approach to the release will be an exciting extension of that movement. The film industry is experiencing the same upheaval as the music industry, which makes BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES the perfect choice for our first major theatrical release.”

As established distribution houses intensified their pursuit of BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES, Shapter and Rasmussen also recognized the synergy between their film and Bside’s strategy. “Our film is about breaking down the walls that mega-corporations have built between musical artists and their rightful audiences,” says Shapter. “Bside came to us with an approach that embraces the same principles, allowing us to bypass outdated distribution models with fundamentally new ways of promoting, marketing and screening our film.”

“We strongly believe that this approach will let BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES reach a broader audience of music lovers, while avoiding the exorbitant marketing costs that would have accompanied a traditional distribution deal,” adds Rasmussen. “It also allows Bside to offer economic terms to filmmakers and their producers that are unheard of in Hollywood.”

With a focus on online social networks, targeted grassroots promotions and strategic relationships with companies like AMD, Bside will kick off the release of BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES early this fall. Details will be unveiled in the coming weeks on www.beforethemusicdies.com.

Under their Faron West Productions banner, Shapter and Rasmussen co-wrote the film, with Shapter directing and Rasmussen producing and editing.

About Bside Entertainment
Bside Entertainment (www.bside.com) is a specialty distributor of independent films. Through a combination of innovative on-line marketing, sophisticated use of technology, and strategic relationships with MySpace, AMD, IFC, and over a dozen major film festivals, Bside is dedicated to helping independent films find their audiences. Founded in 2005 by Chris Hyams, Bside is backed by an advisory board that includes writer/producer Steven Bochco, former Polygram Films president Andrew Fogelson, and top entertainment attorney Barry Hirsch.

In this day and age Hollywood spends most of it’s time on sequels or making 1970’s television shows into features, I’m sure the heads of the giant conglomerate studios are spending time today debating wether Justin Timberlake or Ashton Kutcher should star in Gilligans Island-The Movie. Either way, after they spend 70 million shooting it, they’ll market it on Burger King cups and candy wrappers until there is nothing left. Regardless, you still won’t care to remember it. I can sympathize (a bit) with the studios. If you the head of a big studio, you won’t take chances anymore. Your company reports profits quarterly and stockholders are unhappy with the slightest drop, even if it’s better in the “long term”. You can’t wait for a thought-provoking, well written film to build an audience through word of mouth. Your “parent company” would have you fired if things take too long.

In Europe and in U.S. cities outside of the Hollywood mecca, there are still filmmakers taking chances with producers willing to bet on them. In an interview in 2002, Spanish Director Pedro Almodovar explained why he made Talk to Her. “I knew that it was risky but I needed to take that risk. I do not know why I made that choice. But I needed to do it. I really needed to make this movie. The movie is like a declaration of sadness, of melancholy. I did not know if it was going to be understood. It was a radical decision that I took. I do not know why I did it. It was almost like a reaffirmation of myself”. Amen, he took that chance and it paid off. Today, it still stands as one of my favorite films. Could that same type of film be made in today’s Hollywood? Doubtful.

When asked if he would ever try his hand at making a Hollywood film, Pedro replied “I’m an artist. I’m part of every decision in a movie. This is not how they work in Hollywood. There the director is part of the crew, not the main creator. I’m too old to change now. I wouldn’t know how to do it”. He also lamented the worsening standard of Hollywood screenwriting, adding, “They forget the most important thing is the script, and the scripts get weaker and weaker. Technical effects advance, but the literary quality is worse”.

The next time you visit the movie store, look for “Almodovar”, anything “Almodovar” and grab it. You’ll see what I mean as the story unfolds, unforced with impeccable timing. There are quite moments between scenes when Almodovar reminds us of the place where the characters live. He takes his time making sure we identify with the emotion and the mood by carefully picking music scene by scene. So, turn on the dvd player shut of the phone, light a candle and let Pedro take you to Spain. His Spain. You’ll be glad you did.

Recently, I have been getting e-mails from folks requesting me to “shoot a portfolio” or do a “fashion magazine layout”. I can’t find it in my heart to do them. I took a chance on changing careers and paid a heavy price. The last thing I want to do is go backwards. I don’t want to sound negative, but, we all go through changes. The whole fashion thing just died a sudden death one day. Specifically, at one moment.

I was speaking to “a model” one afternoon at The Hotel Chelsea in NYC. We were exchanging the “how are things with you” answers.
She spoke of her “ill” grandmother back home, her new agent, her new toy dog (carried in her purse), the weather, the Chelsea and then….she spoke of having a thousand dollars more than she thought she had. She said, “It’s like, what am I going to do now Andrew?” I didn’t reply as I thought about what she was saying. She continued, “I’ve had my eyes on these Prada shoes that are on sale for like 1000 dollars. Oh my god Andrew, what do you think? Should I go for them or what?”. I paused for a moment, stepped back and with a straight face said, “why not….take the ‘thousand dollars’ and do something meaningful. Perhaps, that ‘ill’ grandmother you just mentioned could use some company. Someone to talk to. Sit with her and show her you care. Prada shoes will never do for you what meaningful, heartfelt moment could”. I never looked back after that moment. After I said those words, I knew I could never understand fashion. I could never understand material values anymore. For me, aside from the artistic expression, the fashion industry is not who I am. Never was, never will be. I’m proud of my past work, but, I stopped looking at it. Women are beautiful in all kinds of shapes, not just the one dictated to us by Madison Avenue.

These days, I see a clock on the wall of life. There is never enough time to say “I care”. The world contains so much more beauty than we see on the surface. I can see it much better from where I am now.

Welcome to New York! You never know when your dealing in “firsts”, how things are going to turn out. My first film played in New York City for the first time. A special event screening hosted by Erykah Badu. I had no clue what was going to happen. Well, upon my arrival, as I turned the corner on West 29th Street, I noticed a very long line stretched beyond the entire block twisting all the way around the corner of the venue. I got ushered in by the Maitre de’, who quickly sat me down in the “V.I.P” section next to a “complimentary” bottle of Vodka (priced on the menu for a mere $600). Oh well, better try some. Next thing I know, I get ushered taking a photo with “the winner of America’s Top Model”. I hope she learns something from the film, because, she’ll probably get to cut a big label record soon.

Overall, it was an amazing show. To see B4MD spread on screens throughout a packed NYC club in West Chelsea was unforgettable. On a Friday night, everyone found a comfortable spot and watched a film that apparently had, “alot on buzz” . I feel twice as confident that B4MD is going to resonate with all kinds of people after seeing the reaction from the audience Friday night. A room full of people dressed in top fashion mode respectfully paid attention and cheered and laughed in all the right places. From what I gathered from e-mails, Branford’s tell it like it is comments hit home with the New Yorkers. Not surprising at all. The audience seemed to really be into Calexico and Doyle especially. Two hip hop guys (in the bathroom) said to our crew member John, “yo man, I was thoroughly entertained, that movie was dope!” It’s safe to say that B4MD is “universal” and that matters to me most.

As soon as the movie ended, Questlove began to spin and everyone filled the dance floor. Erykah (always on Badu time) finally arrived at Midnight to address and dance with the audience. Better late than never I thought, she’s always worth the wait. By the time I left, I felt so honored to see B4MD be so widely appreciated. I walked 10 blocks to my hotel at 1a.m. with my head held high. Very high.