All posts in: Louisiana

08 Nov 2009

Meet: Chet Cannon

Chet Sitting

You’ve seen him on MTV’s The Real World. You’ve watched him on The Ruins. Chet Cannon is known for his exquisite style, his friendship with housemate Ryan, and his individualistic personality. Seriously, I’ve never met anyone like him before in my life. I was curious in getting to know Chet a little bit better just to see if he was anything like he was on show. In fact, he’s better!

Q: Alright Chet, tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from, what do you do, what’s your sign? Etc

Chet: Well, first off, Chet is my nickname.  Chester is my real name…also the name of my Grandfather I might add.  Sadly, Chester rhymes with molester…the kids at school had a field day with that.  I’m still heartbroken. Right now, I am en route to LA.  Well, actually, I’m headed to Boston tomorrow for a week, then back to SLC for Thanksgiving, then Louisiana, then NYC, then PA, then Baltimore all before December 6th….I guess you could say travel a fair amount. I have lots on my plate right now.  I’ve been approached with ideas about new TV shows hosting gigs which influenced my trek from NYC to LA.  Personal endeavors would include YouTube (which I hope to more consistent with), writing a children’s book, inventing a bowless bow tie, chewable water.  In all seriousness, The Real World, for me, was like a small scale lottery….A lottery that can open many doors.  Now, what you do when the doors are opened is entirely up to you.  Mainly I’m just trying to hustle and stay focused.  There is a lot of easy money with hosting parties and what have you, but I am more than happy to forgo a few of those in my pursuit for elevated status in the television industry.  The end game for me is hosting a successful news show.

Q: Which do you prefer, being interviewed or doing the interviewing?

C: I’m impartial, to be honest.  I guess it depends on the people I’m interviewing, you know?  Sometimes you’ll get out there and throw the mic in someone’s face and instead of being unique, you receive some regurgitated, colorless rant.  I enjoy spontaneity…people who can shoot the proverbial shit.  When I happen upon those types, I enjoy conducting the interview.

Q: Chet, you happen to be one of my favorite Real Worlders ever. Just so you know, I don’t give out that title too often.  You made a brief appearance on The Ruins, would you ever do it again? What was that experience like for you?

C: Well, thank you, my lady!  You’re a peach.  Yes…brevity would be an accurate description of my time on The Ruins.  I loved it.  The format, in terms of filming is a bit more enjoyable than Real World.  There are so many people, so you can avoid the cameras if you feel the need.  Never say never.  I may do one again…depends on the location.  Phuket….obviously I wasn’t going to turn that down.  The Challenges aren’t a focus of mine at the moment, I will put it that way.

Q: Your friendship w/ Ryan and the song you guys made up in one of the early episodes. Inspiring. Are you guys still pretty close? How is he doing?

C: Ryan is doing very well.  He called me just days ago from IraqRyan and I have some projects in the works right now, which hopefully, will put both of us back on the tube…together.

Q: Your fashion sense is exquisite. Where do you prefer to shop and would you say you have more of a hipster or metro style?

C: Hipster or Metro….couldn’t tell you.  My friends from back home laugh at the way I dress.  They are the furthest thing from hipsters or metro.  I will leave that up to you guys to decide.  I really enjoy Ben Sherman and whenever I get a chance to visit SLC, I hit up the thrift stores.  SLC has great, cheap thrift stores.  You go to the thrift shop in NYC and the prices are comparable to those at Saks and Barneys…no joke.

Q: So are you still in Utah or have you relocated?

C: I stayed in NYC and only recently moved away, so I could pick up my car and make the trek to LA.  I hope to get back to NYC soon.

Q: What’s a typical day for Chet Cannon?

C: That’s a tough one.  They are so different.  Yesterday, I filmed some video for my YouTube channel, worked out, edited video, worked on a children’s book I’m writing, and then went to a party downtown for the Nitro Circus movie…dancing the night away.  It was brilliant.  After that, some mates and I went hot tubbing and I arrived home at 3 AM, where I then edited video again until 4 AM.  Tomorrow I hop on a flight to Boston.  I enjoy the inconsistency.

Q: If you could interview anyone, who would it be?

C: Dead or alive?  Let’s go with alive….hmm….maybe Pete Doherty.  He is my favorite rocker/fashion icon.

Q: My favorite episode was when you had the chance to meet and interview one of my friend’s bands while on the show, Danger Radio. Had you been listening to them prior to the show as well? And also, what kind of music are you listening to these days that you think my readers should be listening to?

C: Cool guys.  Love them.  The Danger Radio interview was offered to me and at that point I began listening to them (in preparation)….grew to enjoy it….and then we had the interview.  It was one of my favorites.  I just made this really awesome “love songs” mix.  I wish I could post a link to it.  My favorite band is The Sounds.  Easily.  At the moment, I’m stoked on Fun and Foxy Shazam (Check them out).  Amazing stage presence.

Q: There’s always talk that MTV’s editing portrays characters in a certain way for their audience to see them as. Do you feel as if you were portrayed correctly or incorrectly? Is Real World REALLY real?

C: You can’t deny anything that makes the air.  I believe they will heighten aspects of your personality, but each person has a lot more depth.  I’m not super bummed over my portrayal, but there are plenty of things I would have displaced with other moments from the 4 months in Brooklyn….had I been given the creative control.

Q: When I was younger, I used to want to be an MTV VJ, but first! I wanted to do Real World (like yourself) in hopes that it would lead me to becoming a VJ. This was before I knew TRL was going  to be canceled. Do you think MTV has contributed in helping you get to where you are today or did Chet Cannon conquer the world all on his own?

C: VJ’s don’t exist anymore…haha.  My stint on MTV has DEFINITELY given me more opportunities than I would have otherwise received.  Is it possible to make it without a reality show….ABSOLUTELY.  Reality TV can be scary.  You have to be very calculated about your decisions….which is very difficult considering the frequency with which you are filmed.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffyRSvyKDuY]

Q: I’ve seen some of your YouTube videos on your blog featuring your covers, is there a singing career in the works? Maybe you and Ryan can get together and start something!

C: Singing is just for fun…I’m not opposed to playing with Ryan when he returns.  I think we could form a pretty kick A duet.

Q: Jesse McCartney Pee Pee Hands story. Is it true?

C: Yes.  It is true.  Scott Herman and I walked into the bathroom and Jesse was on the phone, while peeing and didn’t wash his hands.  IT was disheartening.

Q: What are you up to and where can we see you next Chet?

C: You will see me again soon.  I hate to be the guy who says “it’s confidential,” but that’s how most of this stuff works.  Mums the word.

10 Oct 2009

Meet: John West

I first heard of John West from my friend Gelesia. The girl has been my concert/show company for almost two years so naturally I trust her instincts when it comes down to good music. Over the summer, she sent me a video of a live John West performance and from that moment on I was sold. His entire CD was on repeat for at least a month while I was at home over the summer. John West is an artist that reminds me a lot of the Seattle music I listen to. Although I have never seen him perform, his songs are very catchy and relatable to a wide audience. Plus he sounds just as good live on his tracks as he does on his CD, which believe it or not, that is not always the case.. John is great, let’s make him come to Seattle ya dig?

Q: Where are you originally from and has that influenced your sound if at all?

John West: I’m from Baton Rouge, Louisiana originally.  I would definitely say the southern feel, particularly the jazz and blues of Louisiana have influenced the music I’m making.  But so did Erykah Badu 🙂

Q: When I was sixteen years old, I knew I had wanted to work with music and PR when I planned my first concert. At what point did you realize, this is what I want to do?

J: In college I was studying art – cartooning to be exact, but music was something that I had pursued since I was a little kid singing in the church choir.  It wasn’t until my last year of college, when I started my first real band that I was like “Hmm, I think this is my real passion.”  Also, some of my music had been selected for an end-of-the year concert thing at Columbia College in Chicago where I was graduating from (another town that influenced my music).  So that random opportunity inspired me to really go after it.

Q: What’s a typical day for John West, give us a run through.

J: Wake up 9:30am.  200 crunches and 100 push-ups – not really.  More like 20 emails and 50 friend requests on Myspace/Facebook.  I try to get a workout in three times a week.   Emphasis on the word ‘try’.  During the past summer, I’d be out on the Santa Monica Promenade 4-6 days a week.  So that’d be from noon-8pm usually.  I have  lunch meetings sometimes, and even afternoon naps.  I tend to work on writing/recording music in the evening.  I stay up late watching “Mad Men” and “Californication“.

Q: Pick one: John Mayer, Jason Mraz, or Jack Johnson and why?

J: Ha, I like this one.  I’m gonna have to say John Mayer because of that song he did with Alicia Keys.  But I think hanging out with Jack Johnson could teach me a lot.  And Mraz is just dope and making music that he loves to make – I think he’s the most interesting of the bunch.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkyFYKP7EvE]

Q: I follow you on Twitter, it sounds like you enjoy playing in lots of public places such as Third Street or the Promenade, why these places? I think it’s great that you are bringing the music to the public and expanding your fan base by the way, maybe more artists should do that!

J: Street performance is a great daily opportunity to get in front of hundreds if not thousands of new potential listeners, to refine your live show, to make a living, and to promote upcoming “traditional” shows.  It has it’s ups and downs, but I’ve been loving it this year.

Q: What is your guilty pleasure collaboration? Who would you like to collaborate with that your fans might find a bit surprising?

J: I would love to link up with Wil.I.Am, I think amazing things could happen.  Production is such a fascinating mystery to me.  There are some real geniuses out there.  Surprising collaboration?  How about John West & The Jonas Brothers? haha

Q: The music industry is a tough business to get into, what is one hardship you have endured and what piece of advice would you give to those who aspire to become a successful musician?

J: It takes time, and meanwhile you get older.  A hard thing to reconcile sometimes.  You have productive months, and then months where you feel lost.  My advice would be to make great music however you can.  I think it’s valuable to understand ProTools or Logic (two most popular recording software) so that you make your own music or at least communicate intelligently in the studio.  Promotion is so important.  Exposure.  Playing shows that make sense.  For more advice, email me.  I work as a new-model consultant haha

Q: What is on constant rotation on your iPod?

J: Pandora is my new iPod.  I love setting up a station around Friendly Fires and Cut Copy.  I like Thom Yorke’s new solo album (the single at least).  I want the soundtrack to “Away We Go”.  I like listening to jazz on 88.1

Katie note: I wholeheartedly recommend Friendly Fires and Cut Copy as well.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFklYQ0cI8w]

Q: Some of your songs revolve around love? Were these songs inspired by experience? What’s your idea of a perfect date and what traits do you look for in a girl?

J: Wow, what traits do I look for?  I just want someone real and kind.  Who loves to laugh and knows what it is to cry.  Besides that, who knows – there are wonderful people everywhere.  And yes, my love songs come from real experiences.

Q: Aside from yourself, who do you think is on the rise currently? Who should my readers be listening to?

J: I’m definitely no music expert, my finger is not on the pulse of the business, but I really dig that one rapper BluU-N-I are cool.  There are probably a bunch of great singer-songwriters I’ve never heard of that are awesome and about to get record deals.

Q: Are you considering touring at all? And if so, Seattle will make the cut right?

J: Girl, you know I’ve got Seattle covered.  Seriously though, expanding throughout the west coast is the next move for me.

Q: What’s new for John West? What can we expect from you in the next few months or year?

J: Autumn EP coming soon.  Big Roxy show on January 23rd.  Headlining on a Saturday night, wooo- new website in the works, more big moves coming soon 🙂

Me: Thank you so much John! Best of luck to you with your music and future!

J: Only two months late on the interview, but was my pleasure to answer your questions!  They got me thinking.

To listen to more of John’s music visit his Myspace