Just had to write this...

Keep doing what you feel is right. People will say things to you to keep you off track. Persevere.
Know that it is your path, and your path alone to live.
No matter how bad you feel, understand that you are blessed to have this experience, and to be on this journey.
Get very personal.
Get spiritually selfish.
Work on you, and learn the way YOU learn.
Don't succumb to the way others want you to behave based upon their insecurities.
If you really want to see the truth of yourself, know that you're the one that has to see it, and then, see it!
You will be much happier that you left behind a possession, situation, or relationship to see who you really are.

Much Love,

GG

A powerful quote...

All blame is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with
another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change
you. The only thing blame does is to keep the focus off you when you
are looking for external reasons to explain your unhappiness or
frustration. You may succeed in making another feel guilty about
something by blaming him, but you won't succeed in changing whatever it
is about you that is making you unhappy. - Dr. Wayne Dyer

Live one day...

I just had a thought; can a person live one day, accepting everything as it is, without trying to change anything? Without trying to make it better? To improve? Can you live one day like that? Try it. Try to let everything happen without attempting to change it. Then when you go to sleep, review your day. Review your feelings. Review the things that really made you uncomfortable. Review the things that made you happy. Can you really do this? I am going to attempt it tomorrow. It's too late in the day to do it today.

I'm not talking about passivity; I'm talking about anti-anxiety. Most of the things we humans try to change are things that make us feel anxious inside, on some level. we may not consciously register it, but anything that we find to be unacceptable to our experience we 'correct', whether it be in our behavior, our thoughts, or even our emotions. Let everything happen in your awareness as if watching a movie. Don't anxiously react to things. Let them pass; they always do.

I am going to hold myself to this. So tomorrow is Acceptance Day. Boom.

Peace and Love,

GG

New Light

New ideas exploding within my brain each day. New internal experiences leading me to greater music. Greater peace within. Just Love is going on. Giving up the old. Letting in the new. Ascending from the ground to the True Blue. Okay enough with these sentence fragments, I just felt like sharing the best I could right now. A more coherent entry is coming soon.

Peace and Love,

GG

Just got this in my email today...

...and it was very uplifting for me. But read this as if the letter is for YOU!


Dear G,

You are amazing. Many don't get your Wayseer nature;
but rest assured ...

The Wayseer experience is no more than this:
A heroic soul born inhumanely open
desperately yearning to express their truth.

To you ... a touch is a blow, a slight is a persecution,
a connection is an ecstasy, a friend is a devotion, a daydream is a
premonition, strictness is suffocation, and completion is death.

Add to your brutally sensitive soul the overwhelming need to
create, express, heal and transform -- so that without the outpouring
of honest truth, the creating of music or poetry or something of
meaning your very breath is cut off ...

You must create or disrupt - you must pour out your entire being
in each and every encounter. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency
you never feel truly alive unless you are risking everything to
express a dangerous truth you know inside.

Thank you for having the courage to create...
to transform...
to be yourself unapologetically.

For without your courage the world darkens
and suffers the absence of your light
and the rest of us Wayseers who are like you
would not have your courageous acts to lift us
and inspire our own.

Rise up,
Garret John LoPorto
from the Wayseer Manifesto

Where the music is going.

Not going to lie to you guys, some things have been postponed due to certain circumstances (I know, really vague), but I have begun to see a new direction that my music is beginning to take.

Initially, I had decided that my goal in doing music was to send a more conscious message to the audience that had such pop appeal that people would gain understanding as to how to live their own lives in line with Nature. It's still a goal, but I realize now that what is more important is...to have fun!

Music had become so dutiful, so business-like, that I could barely make it! So I am deciding now to scrap everything from the past (in my mind). I am going to be honest about me. Because spirituality is so intimate to me, that element will not disappear, I'm just making more person records now, too. I need to allow music to help me through the things I deal with in life, and still be able to send a powerful message.

I'm making things a lot more simple. Everything is going to be stripped down to the essentials, so I can make songs quicker.

These are the two things I have learned and I am beginning to implement for teh creation of the next project. Peace y'all.

Much Love,

GG

Short Post Today...

Not a lot to tell today. Why post? Because I'm stayin up, that's why!

Much love,

GG

Learnin'

Hey y'all, I'm about to tell you about my day today.

I am seeing myself increasingly in a new light; I'm just suddenly seeing things differently. I know that it's right because I feel more open. I feel great by seeing myself in this way; I feel freer. I have truly been humbled. Sometimes you see things about yourself that you're not too proud of. Sometimes you are made to see good things about yourself. Today has been that day when I've seen both. I am truly grateful that I have experienced this day--but it's not really over yet, is it? More to come for me I guess, in the next 5 hours.

Much love,

GG

Some inspiration from a friend

I got this from a friend's status on facebook:

'don't apologize for living life like you mean it. Remember that no matter what you do, there're people who will love and accept you for who you are, others that won't, and still others who won't form an opinion either way. So drink life in, love freely, and pay no attention to the haters.'

Beautiful.

Much Love,

GG

A Year of Self-Worth

2011 is by far the most powerful year of my life. The transformations I have experienced have been at such a fundamental level, meaning that the things that have held me back from greatness have been and are being torn away.

2011 is a year of Self-Worth. I have begun to see that I deserve more than I ever thought. Though there have still been ups and downs this year, I feel myself moving forward.

Every human being deserves the best of life. The only reason why every person doesn't experience the best of life for themselves is simply because they don't believe they deserve it, and therefore do not choose it. Some people may not agree with that, but think about some of the most successful people in the world that came from nothing; they were no different from you or me as far as deserve-abliity. They simply believed they deserved success, chose that success, and didn't stop until they got it.

You and I can do the same thing. No matter what it is you want to do, it is there for you. The desire is in you to do it because it is you destiny! The only person you'd be letting down is yourself if you don't do it--and you are the most important person. It's your life, your experience, what quality do you want to have? I deserve and choose all the goodness of life!!! Let's make that our mantra!

Love to you

GG

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Being yourself is not what you do, it's what you radiate

Hey all. Good to share with you again. I was thinking about the phrase 'be yourself' and how many people respond to it by buying a particular t-shirt they like, or following a group of people with similar ideas, or even listening to a particular kind of music.

However I have to bust your bubble--this is not being yourself! These things are to make a statement to the world who you are, and this is inherently faulty for two reasons--one, what do you need the approval of the world for to be you, and--two, there's nothing new under the sun; the clothes you wear, the music you listen to, the groups you hang with, are not entirely unique. Someone has done something like these things before; if you really look at human history, you'll discover that society now is essentially the same as it was back then in terms of the top telling the bottom what to do, and the bottom eating it up.

Being yourself is something that you know yourself to be. Sounds redundant, but it really isn't. The outside world doesn't determine who you are; it has influence over how you express who you are, but it never determines who you actually are. Who you are is something that radiates from within, regardless of what clothing you wear, group you hang with, music you listen to, etc. It is that thing that thing about you that you could never intellectualize or articulate, but you KNOW it.

I believe the world wouldn't be much different--in terms of how things look on the outside--if everyone had this awareness. The only difference is, it would be run much more efficiently and with much more empathy. If everyone knew who they were from within, they could do probably the same thing they're doing right now, but it would have a much more profound impact on the personal experience, and they wouldn't be fazed by soulless authority.

Therefore, make it a point to study yourself. Are you subscribing to something because you feel it defines you? Nothing truly defines you, because human beings are dynamic, ever-changing creatures. Behavior can't determine who you are. Trends don't reveal any clues. You just have to KNOW, and if you feel you don't, then take a breath, and begin to study what makes you feel the most alive and fulfilled in your life.* Not 'cool', not 'acceptable to others', I said 'alive and fulfilled'. The more you study that, the more you can understand who you are, and begin to radiate from within.

Peace,

GG

*I would say this is the only clue from your behavior that leads you toward revealing who you really are. But behavior without this focus is useless.

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Learning Humility through following your calling

In my journey through not only creating a new work, but a business, I have learned so much humility. Following a calling I have had for years but never followed through on helps to put my life into perspective. It helps me see where I really stand with the things I want (and don't want) in life.

I completely open up to whatever is going to help me establish this business and this new album--to anchor these powerful ideas into reality, so I can spread the message of spiritual consciousness to all people, and empower them to live awakened lives, as opposed to brain-dead consumption. My awakening to my true place in this world will only be a conduit to others' awakenings through the imperceptible power of music. Word up.

Music Marketing [dot] com: Your Mother's Music Business

Music Marketing [dot] com: Your Mother's Music Business

Marketing: The Image

Today I want to talk about Marketing in terms of image. When you like a musical artist, you're not only liking the music. There is something about what they are conveying to you, unspoken, that appeals to you.

A great example is Kanye West. If he emerged on the music scene wearing a durag, a fitted baseball cap, and low sagging jeans, he probably wouldn't be as popular as he is today.Why? What would that image have conveyed to fans? What does his actual image convey to his fans?

Whether we like it or not, our world is inundated with images for us as consumers to buy into. These images communicate unspoken messages to the consciousness of the consumer to get them to pay attention to whatever it is that is being 'sold'. 'Selling' doesn't have to be through a product to get money. Selling can happen through an idea to get support. Take the 'Green' movement--an environmentally conscious approach to various aspects of life. If an institution, say, a corporation, wants to promote recycling to the nation, they begin a marketing campaign, filled with images to appeal to the 'consumer' so the corporation can gain support for the idea.

As an emerging musical artist, i am thinking about these things because I want to communicate an honest message with you, both in my music and through the images. I am doing a lot of self-research so I know exactly what I want to say. So keep ya ear to the streets and your eyes on the blog; you'll see how this vision develops.

Much Love,

GG

A great Music Biz Site

Great tips to get into the music bizz;

http://www.musicbiztips.info/

Lenny Kravitz talks about Positivity and Optimism

Here's an article from NPR.org called Lenny Kravitz: Choosing Optimism.


For more than 20 years, Lenny Kravitz has defied the expectations of radio programmers with his mix of psychedelic rock and soul. His newest album, Black and White America, continues in that tradition, hopping between genres and featuring guest spots from Jay-Z, Drake and Trombone Shorty.

In spite of its diverse sonic palette, the album does adhere to a central theme of race in the U.S. Speaking with Weekend Edition Sunday host Audie Cornish, Kravitz says he wrote the title track in response to a TV documentary about negative reactions to President Obama's election.

"It was addressing the fact that these people, these Americans, did not like what America had become — they wanted America to be back the way it was 100 years ago," Kravitz says. "It was quite intense. They even spoke about assassination plots.

"We all know that racism exists, and it's out there, and we're going to bump into it from time to time," he adds. "But to hear people speaking about it with such rage and anger and ignorance ... I was like, 'Really? To that extent?' The song just naturally came out of me."

Taking a socially conscious approach in his lyrics has sometimes gotten Kravitz in trouble with critics who've accused him of putting the message before the music. He says he has never taken that criticism to heart.

"It's funny how, when you put out a positive message, people question it or don't like it, or think that it's old-school," Kravitz says. "I mean, look at the world we're living in — we need all of these things. I choose to be positive and optimistic."

So lenny Kravitz Has a new Album

I love Lenny Kravitz. I've been listening to him for years. Such a powerhouse of incredible talent. He finally has a new album out after some time. Here's an article from The Daily Collegian talking about "Black and White America":




It appears that 2011 is the year that all of the funky people in the music biz come back from seemingly indomitable half-decade hiatuses. First there was Incubus, then the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and finally, Lenny Kravitz’ long-awaited ninth studio album, the double LP “Black and White America.”

For the fans who have been hanging onto LK’s every word, “Black and White America” is Kravitz’ highly anticipated “funk album” that’s been in the works since before the impromptu songwriting sessions for 2004’s “Baptism.” The result is a hearty helping of a rocking cocktail mixed with funk, old-school soul and classic rock n’ roll.

As per usual, Kravitz is wearing his influences on his sleeve – in turn he once again proves he’s got some of the best taste in mainstream rock. Painting with a palette that includes flavors of James Brown, the Rolling Stones, Prince and everyone in between, “Black and White America” finds sublimity in celebrating the best things about mid-20th century popular music all in one big, groovy package.

While the album incorporates a multitude of genres, Lenny is at his best when he brings the funk – after all, this is the funk album, as he so claims. The album-opening title track sets the tone perfectly for the entire album. Lyrically, it’s an assessment of the progress of social and racial issues through personal spirituality and love. Musically, it’s a straight ahead funk-rock romp, complete with a pop-slap bassline and Kravitz’ trademark stellar rhythm guitar work.

As the album continues, Kravitz consistently proves he can’t miss with the funk, no matter how diverse the approach. In “Superlove,” he deftly melds the R&B funk of The Brothers Johnson with the sensual approach of Barry White, and essentially defines what sexy sounds like by gently laying 12-string acoustic guitar work over a gyrating slap bassline. Later, he faithfully channels The Meters in the New Orleans style funk of “Life Ain’t Ever Been Better Than it is Now,” punched up a notch with a jazzy horn solo by Kravitz’ friend Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews.

While the album is clearly dominated by Kravitz’ strong grasp on the compelling power of funk, he flies his rocker flag plenty as well. This is aided greatly by his longtime collaborator/songwriting partner Craig Ross, who lays down excellent lead guitar work across the board. Hard-rocking lead single “Come On, Get It” is not only enough to make you bang your head, but also a worthy tribute to the legends of the virtuoso riffing and string-shredding solos, evoking the influence of guitar gods such as Paige and Hendrix. “Rock Star City Life” and “Everything” are just a couple more examples of riffing hard first and asking questions later.

While Kravitz mostly sticks to his funk-rock guns, he goes outside the box here and there as well on “Black and White America.” The bluesy desperation of “Looking Back On Love” not only sufficiently changes up the pace of the album, it also features an eyebrow-raising minute-long keyboard solo that sounds plucked right out of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon sessions. “In The Black” features a synth-textured, almost New-Wave-meets-modern-soul drive, slightly reminiscent of Kravitz’ late 90’s/early 2000’s work. While the quirky “Liquid Jesus” may not be the strongest number, it is perhaps better that Kravitz errs on the side of quirkiness than stagnancy.

Lenny’s softer side shows up as well, and in strong form, on the second half of the album. As he shifts the focus from gritty, guitar-based tunes to piano-based ballads, he notably varies up the influences he’s sporting. The heart wrenchingly melodic strains of “Dream” and the gospel-infused “The Faith of a Child” show his obvious affinity for John Lennon by combining delicate melody with optimistic conviction and a hope for change. The power ballad, “I Can’t Be Without You” almost sports a Muse-like tone, merging rock solid rhythm with a desperate but soaring vocal line punctuated by twinkled piano counterpoint.

The one upsetting thing about “Black and White America” is it momentarily goes wrong where Kravitz has done exceedingly well in the past. While past guest artist collaborations range from rock legend Slash’s blistering guitar work on 1991’s “Mama Said” to Jay-Z’s rapid-fire contribution to the track “Storm” on 2004’s “Baptism,” the two tracks featuring guest musicians on “Black and White America” unfortunately fall flat on their face. “Sunflower,” featuring Drake, feels like a hollow pop song, without the added benefit of having a substantial hook. And “Boongie Drop,” featuring a return visit from Jay-Z, comes off as an uninspired attempt at modern R&B/hip-hop. It’s not that pop and modern R&B are outside of Lenny’s arsenal – it’s simply a swing and a miss here, perhaps breaking a tad too much with the otherwise throwback feel of this album.

Overall, “Black and White America” more than lives up to the expectations that have been building for this album since nearly a decade ago, and that is not an easy task. Lyrically, the album both challenges and reposes within a modern society’s ability to rectify social issues through the spiritual redemption of love. Thus, it is conceptually able to match the lushness and expressiveness found in the accompanying music’s amalgamation of rock n’ roll, soul, classic R&B and of course, funk.

Dave Coffey can be reached at dscoffey@student.umass.edu.

DJ Mehdi, French DJ/Producer, Dead At 34--MTV News

Hip-hop/dance producer/DJ reportedly died from fatal injuries on Tuesday after roof of his Paris home collapsed.
By Adam Murphy

French hip-hop/dance producer DJ Mehdi, who began his career on the underground Parisian hip-hop scene, died on Tuesday (September 13). According to several reports, the DJ/producer (born Mehdi Favéris-Essadi) was fatally injured when the roof of his Paris home collapsed. He was 34 years old.

A source told MTV News that Mehdi was celebrating his 34th birthday with friends on his rooftop when the tragic accident occurred.

Click for photos from the life and career of DJ Mehdi.

After working his way up to premier producer status, Mehdi linked up with French electro-house DJ/producer Pedro Winter (a.k.a. Busy P), whose label, Ed Banger Records, rose to international prominence with acts like Mr. Oizo, and SebastiAn and Justice. Mehdi's 2007 single "I Am Somebody," featuring Chromeo, enjoyed Stateside success, including placement in a commercial for XM Radio.

But Mehdi was equally well-known for his remixes, memorably reworking tracks by Architecture in Helsinki, New Young Pony Club and Miike Snow, among many others.

On Tuesday morning, his fans, friends and collaborators took to Twitter to express their condolences. The Bloody Beetroots' Bob Cornelius Rifo tweeted, "R.I.P. Dj MEHDI. The void he has left behind is unbearable. Love you, Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo."

Just Blaze was in shock, writing, "I'm literally shaking right now. We just played together last week. Heart goes out to his family and loved ones. RIP mehdi."

Steve Aoki tweeted that he was "devastated," before following that up with a simple message: "Rest in peace to my brother forever here and in the after life djmehdi. i love u and miss u."

A rep for DJ Mehdi had not returned requests for comment at press time. MTV News will continue to cover this developing story.

Just a word on something....

...Not relating to music. I wanted to share this idea with you, and I might be throwing some unfamiliar terms at you, but I believe that the majority of human beings have a calling that helps them find their place in the world, and they have degenerative habits. The first is called Dharma; the latter is called karma. With that said, I'll proceed on an insight I had into relationships:

Many people confuse love with codependency--person 1 needing someone to feed their insecurities because person 2 in turn needs them to feed their insecurities. It's draining on both people's energy, and actually suppresses each person's light to evolve, resulting in the slowing down of each person's growth (negative karma). The only way to create a truly free relationship is to cultivate strength within yourself to allow another person that you share yourself with to be just as free as you are to evolve in their own way. If they stubbornly resist, and refuse to be on their own path, and are adamant about draining you, get 'em off you! It may seem you are being mean, but you are actually freeing yourself and the other person from the tyranny of co-dependency. Straight up.

Hey y'all

I've been off the map for a few days, workin, and not really having adequate access to a computer to make new posts. I've been grindin, but took a rest this weekend. I'm also in class, so will take a day or two to blend into that. More to come, much love.

Peace.

GG