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[La Bodega]Quarantine Talk: Katre

on March 4, 2022 Quarantine Talk add comment

WELCOME TO La Bodega QUARANTINE TALK, WHERE WE’VE HELD VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH ARTIST’S & GROUPS FROM AROUND THE WORLD VIA ZOOM, EMAIL, SOCIAL MEDIA EVEN PLAIN OLD PHONE CONVERSATIONS.

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WELCOME TO THE 24th EDITION OF La Bodega QUARANTINE TALK.
THE ARTIST WE HAVE TODAY IS KATRE
YOU CAN CHECK OUT OUR CONVERSATION DOWN BELOW

SO. What are your Names? where you’re from and what first got you interested in the
entertainment industry?
K. Hello and thanks for having us.
My name is Hasan, I am the guitar player of the instrumental rock band Katre.
Together with Şah Cihan (Synth),
Okaner (Drums), and
Özgür (Bass),
Katre has been around for seven years now.
The band is based in Berlin. Half of the band members live in Turkey and the other half in
Germany.

SO. Who and/or what inspires you to create?
K. Hasan: There are certain things I cannot understand. Do you know the song “Learning to
Live” by Dream Theater? There it says “I look at the world and see no understanding”. That
is, I guess, my motivation to create and how I protest against it.

SO. How would you describe your sound?
K. Hasan: Layered, heavy, sometimes optimistic, and sometimes pessimistic.

SO. What is your creative process like?
K. Hasan: Usually, I write the songs and the stories, play the guitars, and maybe add some midi
arrangements. Each band member extends and enriches the material by recording their
parts and giving constant feedback to the others. Besides being talented musicians, we are
talking about very good music listeners in Katre, so it is hard to convince them. We iterate
until everybody feels good with the result. Hence, when we are happy with the final
product, I know we did a good job 🙂

SO. What artist(s) would you like to collaborate with?
K. Hasan: My choice would be Daniel Gildenlöw of Pain of Salvation.

SO. What is one message you would give to your supporters?
K. Hasan: First of all, thanks for supporting us, we appreciate it. If I may, I would like to add the
following: When listening to our songs, read the stories we created for each of them.
Empathize and feel with the protagonists. This will most probably give you a different
listening experience.

SO. What is the most talent/skill you have that most people don’t know about?
K. Hasan: Cool question 🙂 I do not know. I have some scientific publications. Haha, not quite
sure, does that count as a skill?

SO. What would you be doing right now, if you weren’t doing music?
K. Hasan: Probably reading a book or watching a movie

SO. Who are some artists/people you admire and why?
K. Hasan: Artist-wise Erkan Oğur, a great musician and personality from Turkey, is a huge
influence. He values silence in music. This inspired me a lot. By the way, he contributed to
the opening track of Encounters with his magical guitar solo. Also Daniel Gildenlöw. He is a
modern-day philosopher, a great musician, and has a sincere personality.
Apart from this, I admire Selahattin Demirtaş, because apart from his contributions to
democracy in Turkey, he has written incredible stories. Another important personality for
me is Ömer Madra, the editor-in-chief of an award-winning independent radio from Turkey,
Açık Radyo. I admire his perseverance and value his contributions towards creating
awareness on global warming and climate change, long before it came to the attention of
the mainstream media.

“You do not have to love one, but respect one”.
Hasan: when asked “What is the best advice you’ve been given”?

SO. If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
K. Hasan: The way how Spotify allocates the royalties (and treated artists). I would change it
such that only the artists I listen to receive the royalties – not any other popular band which
already has 3 million followers.

SO. What’s next for you, where would you like to see yourself in the next year?
K. Hasan: We are working on some visual materials and at the same time contacting promoters
for playing live. Due to the pandemic, it is hard to find appropriate slots. So I will not be
disappointed if we are not booked. But concerning the visual materials, I think we will have
one or two video clips in the next few months.

SO. What is your social media? How can people get in contact with you?
K. Hasan: I guess checking our web page www.katremusic.com is the best way to get in touch
as you can find social media information there as well. Thanks a lot for having us. We enjoyed
the questions. Wish you all the best!

#GetSOM Via @DJGojabean @KatreMusic @StraightOfficialMag #QuarantineTalk #LaBodega #StraightOfficialMagazine

[La Bodega]Quarantine Talk: Exorcizphobia

on March 4, 2022 Quarantine Talk add comment

WELCOME TO La Bodega QUARANTINE TALK, WHERE WE’VE HELD VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH ARTIST’S & GROUPS FROM AROUND THE WORLD VIA ZOOM, EMAIL, SOCIAL MEDIA EVEN PLAIN

[La Bodega] Quarantine Talk: Boriqua Posse

on February 28, 2022 Goja's Bodega Interviews La Bodega Quarantine Talk add comment

WELCOME TO La Bodega QUARANTINE TALK, WHERE WE’VE HELD VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH ARTIST’S & GROUPS FROM AROUND THE WORLD VIA ZOOM, EMAIL, SOCIAL MEDIA EVEN PLAIN

MOTIVATIONAL MOMENT: YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT!

on February 25, 2022 Da Butterfly Effect Motivational Moments add comment

Hi my Beautiful Faces. This Motivational Moment is a reminder that sometimes YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT. Recently, I was thinking about how this year

COCKTAILS AND CONVERSATIONS: MARC HANDSOME | @beingmarchandsome

on February 20, 2022 Cocktails and Conversations Da Butterfly Effect add comment

#GetSOM via @mzkim2012 Welcome to my Cocktails and Conversations Corner. Grab your favorite beverage and enjoy! The rules here are simple...have an open mind and

SOMag Presents “The Fleet Files” With Fleet DJ’s: DJ XXL | @dejayxxl

on February 9, 2022 Interviews Straight Official Magazine TenthLetterMedia The Fleet Files

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For over two decades, the fleet dj’s has grown from a small crew to a proficient coalition with over 500 members and counting. since 2001, THE WORLDWIDE FLEET DJ’s has changed the lives of both its members and the entertainment industry they have thrived in.

These are the members. These are Their Stories. THESE ARE “THE FLEET FILES”

Name: DJ XXL

FLeet DJ Since: 2012

Location: Los Angeles, California

Region: WEst region/California Fleet DJ’s

WHO IS DJ XXL?

DJ XXL has a tenure in both Hip-Hop and the entertainment industry spanning over a decade. I asked XXL what made him get into the genre. “I got into Hip-Hop as a backup dancer with Ice-T & The Syndicate. The crew (2 Much Bass) was one of the biggest dance crews in LA. Taking names and battling was the mindset. We KILLED crews on the dance floor!” He recollected on a moment that was big. “My biggest battle was with Brand X, held in Huntington Park, California in East L.A. Ice-T and The Syndicate were judges of the event, which is how we got our way into being linked with the Syndicate. We were featured in the Original Gangsta video with black hoodies and Rottweilers.”

Joseph Rudd is a assertive and driven individual. He has touched a number of the essential building blocks of Hip-Hop in his journey to becoming a Fleet DJ. “I also am a member of 4 of LA’s largest graph crews (FBI, Far Beyond Imagination, OSB One Step Beyond, & SNM, So No Mercy). It was during the graph crews time when I first became an MC. My rap name is Juggala Vein.”

DJ XXL said his decision to become a DJ was inevitable. “I am already a B-Boy, rapper and graffiti artist. I already embodied the other elements of Hip-Hop so DJ was the last one I needed to capitalize on.” As a member of Fleet, he is the main moderator for Fleet DJ Conference Calls, designing the national protocol for conference calls. He has been on the move for Fleet in ten years. “I was originally on WCF (West Coast Fleet) DJ’s Team for 1 year before moving to the Midwest Fleet DJ’s. There I represented and built the Iowa division. I also built the Chicago team to expedite the success of Iowa. Then I became the State Manager for the Chicago Fleet DJ’s. Built it up to 10 DJ’s before I gave the team to new management and migrated back west to become manager of the WCF.”

Be different. Don’t follow trends because originality is your number one commitment.
DJ XXL’s advice to upcoming artists

MORE THAN A DJ

Our conversation shifted to moves outside of being a DJ. XXL is also a core actor with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). “I’ve been in 10 motion pictures. I was in The Fan as a cop in the final scene with Wesley as one of the cops that shot DeNiro’s character.” Another film that XXL was in was a skateboard movie called Grind in which you can see him clear as day down below.

XXL is an A&R as well as a manager for independent artists. I asked him what can we expect from him this year. “I’m currently the road manager for West Coast artist Marc Handsome. Be on the lookout for a new music video with Mark featuring Jim Jones called “If I Like It” dropping soon!” XXL wears several hats as he is a producer, radio personality and media correspondent for Straight Official Magazine.

With every DJ having a story behind how they got their name, I had to know how he came up with his. “Basically I used to try to figure out what my name would be. My personality is larger than life. I put it together as XL initially, but added the extra L to personify that, to be larger than life.” I asked him what would his biggest takeaway would be in being a member of Fleet. “After 30 years I’m still a DJ. It’s my ability to break new music & network with the industries past legends as well as upcoming artists that has remained the constant.”

Quincy Jones didn’t have his first hit until he was 50. Don’t give up.
XXL’s advice to upcoming artists

IN CLOSING

As a member of Fleet, I didn’t officially meet XXL until we crossed paths at the 10th annual Fleet DJ Music Conference last year. Once we met it was all gas and no brakes! He is a vital member of the coalition as well as an official brother from another. I look forward to seeing what will do next as a member of Straight Official Magazine!

I gave XXL the floor to close out our interview and he had nothing but admiration for the Fleet DJ’s. “Thanks to The Worldwide Fleet DJ’s for embracing my energy and inner talents and giving me the opportunities and platforms to elevate in the entertainment industry. Shouts to Ice-T, Cypress Hill, Mellow Man Ace, My DJ, DJ Earl-E, and the whole Transparent Crew. First but not last, to my mom and dad for genetically giving me the tools to do what I do best.”

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