LCV: Where do you come from?
MD: I live in St. Louis, Missouri in the USA now.
LCV: When and how did you start music in RL, and in SL?
MD: Well, I almost always have my guitar in my lap when I am on SL. if not, it is closeby. So I started hanging out with friends that would always be in voice chat and I would play. One day I went to a busy sim and started playing and about 30 people showed up. So the land owner shows up and started booking me....then I started to get noticed. RL...I just started playing my guitar when I would be sitting at home on the computer. It was about 7 years ago.
LCV: Why guitar? Someone inspired you? Or did you feet like "hey, guitar seems to be the coolest instrument" ?
MD: In 2004, I was married, living in Canada....my wife came to me and said she wanted a divorce, I said "well, I want a guitar"...it just always seemed like an instrument that you could play by yourself and have a decent sound. You don't need other instruments to help you make songs. Best trade I ever made, you get WAY more women with a guitar than you ever would with a wife :P
LCV: lool
MD: :)
LCV: Did you discover a love for music at this moment? Or music always rocked your life in some ways?
MD: I ALWAYS loved music. As a kid I grew up dancing, I listened to mostly hip hop and rap then but music was huge in my life .Mostly street battle type stuff, breakdancing was huge where I grew up. So if you were good enough on the cardboard box in the middle of the street, you didn't have to fight your way home :D
LCV: You danced break and hip hop??
MD: Yeah, we were one of the only white families on theblock. Lol, kinda grew up in an urban environment.
LCV: So you have the rythmn under the skin :)
MD: Lol, yes. In high school and after, I would be in dance competitions at nightclubs.
LCV: I'm impressed, i always wanted to be a breakdancer.
MD: If you are white and have good rhythm, you can get almost as many women as with a guitar ;)
LCV: looool! Women are the best reason to improve in all :D
MD: Though some would be reluctant to approach me because they thought I was gay (because I had good rhythm). Poor girls
LCV: lool, I bet you had enough to forget those ones :D
MD: yeah, I paid enough money for all them :P I'm kidding.
LCV: So you don't do hip hop with your guitar, what kind of artists inspire you now?
MD: I do play some hip hop...most notably, I do some Outkast, B.O.B. and Bruno Mars covers, as well as others. But I like anyone that creates music that makes me feel something, whether its like dancing...or running...or just thinking. Music that gives you chills the first time you hear it, thats always good
LCV: Yes i agree :) Music seems to take a big place in your life, is there something you want to transmit now that you have the possibility to play it?
MD: I just like seeing people have fun. I play at a lot of open mics and one of the bigger ones here (RL) a lot of people play slower stuff and slower tempo. I come in and throw something in the mix and people are up dancing or clapping and singing along. I try to play that kind of music.
LCV: Yes :)
MD: There's enough people out there telling you how to feel or what to do, I'll leave that up to you to decide....all i'm saying is "Have fun doing it" and don't take yourself or anything else too seriously.
LCV: Exact. So about those open mic in RL, tell me more, about your real musical experiences :)
MD: Well, i've played for a couple people in coffeehouses to a couple hundred in bars. I havent pushed my music too much as it's a hobby and I have to focus a lot of my "real job" right now. But now that I have finished my graduate degree as well, I have more time to focus on fun, which includes the music :D
LCV: So maybe some artistic plans in RL? :)
MD: I mean, I like playing music...and I've recently been talking to a couple musician friends about putting together a band of sorts. Nothing too serious, but at the same time, getting out and playing a lot more. People have a great time when I play and I like seeing that. I've even been working on some collaboration stuff with a friend in Los Angeles on some music he makes (he does hip hop songs using some of my guitar riffs and vocals)
LCV: Oh?? nice :) On a CD or else?
MD: Well, he has connections with a lot of independent film makers and stuff...so, maybe someday one of my tunes will be on there. I don't plan on anything big would ever come of this, but I'm not against putting a little work in and having something come from it
LCV: Hey, Hans Zimmer , watch out, Mando is in da house ! :D It woud be great :)
MD: Right...Its a David Guetta mix featuring Mando LOL
LCV: lool
MD: Me and that lil freaky Keenan Cahill kid on a YouTube video
LCV: :D So you still often play in RL?
MD: I do, and working on doing that more;
LCV: Finally for a hobby, it seems to be a real passion you enjoy to share.
MD: Yes, I do enjoy it. And I enjoy seeing and hearing people's reactions to coming to a show
LCV: And in SL? you told me how you started, now tell me about your experiences in SL on the different stages.
MD: SL is weird...you have a huge collection of people who love to listen to live music. But you also have a huge collection of people who see that and think they can do it just as well. Its work, to learn the songs, to work on playing them, to write music....and I think there is a lot of SL music that is great and a LOT of SL music that is not so great. As a result, you have GREAT audiences that show up and you get a lot of "haters" as well. Personally I welcome both
LCV: lol
MD: But the internet makes a lot of people bolder than they would be in RL, so it's a different environment.
LCV: Yes
MD: Yeah, so I just play as if it was to RL people...and share my RL personality. And I think it's that connection that makes me stand out a little better. There are others that can do that as well, and that's what separates the good from bad here I think. Did I get too deep? :P
LCV: loool, no :) Plans for music in SL? (more concerts, more fun and else?)
MD: Just to continue to keep the fans I have happy and hopefully pick up some new ones. I want to start a musical reich
LCV: loool
MD: Can you reference a horrible nazi tragedy in an interview on SL? I dunno the rules
LCV: I will ask :p Now to end to interview , some more words about you, that you would like to tell?
MD: Honestly, there's not much to me...I'm just some ass that likes to make people laugh and have a good time. I would invite people to come to a show or take a listen and offer any feedback or suggestions (OOOH NEW SONGS! GIMME SOME IDEAS PEOPLE!). Basically that's it...and if you feel like leaving a photo of you topless in my mailbox, FINE! as long as you do it smiling
LCV: LOL
MD: Pretty simple :)
LCV: Send me your mail ... XD... Two last questions.
MD: k
LCV: Your favorite song?
MD: oooh fav song...hmmm. Well, the "go to" song that never fails to put me in a good mood is "Mr. jones" by Counting Crows. Too hard to pick a true favorite song ever kinda thing.
LCV: :) And the last question, is because you make me curious during your shows about your personnality , you are funny, and you love to entertain... would you just tell a bit more about you? :D
MD: Um, about what? Hell, I could sit here and talk about me all day!
LCV: About your dreams, for music, the way you see the life, such things
MD: I just want to have fun...I'm getting to the point where I realize too many people stress over too much...I'm trying to unstress. Look for some new videos of new songs and covers on my youtube page and new stuff at my shows. And if you're around in RL, there will be more as well...other than that, I'm gonna find a beach to go sit on soon for the whole day and play volleyball. Until then, it's work...a lil SL and some music to fill in the gaps :D
LCV: :)) Thank you very much for this interview Mandoaa :))
MD: hey no problem! was fun, except now my fingers hurt, and I don't have my boobie pics :(
LCV: LOL, be patient !
MD: Lol, deal
LCV: okay :p, i have your mail.
MD : :D ok sounds like a plan, then i hop a plane to france and get in trouble
LCV: looooool, i give you my adress XD
MD: :D hahahah thanks
LCV: thanks again for this, it was very fun and interesting :)
MD: Thank you!!!
That's how ended this great interview, and ladies, want to know what? i have his mail :p .....
Interview By Rosalice Lionheart
 |
| Mandoaa Dragonah in Live at LCV October, 19, 2011 |
