Manhattan Digest

The 20 Greatest Songs Of The 90’s- 20 to 11

Like A Moth To A Flame, I Like The Way You Work It, You Were Meant For Me. Yeah, 90’s.

The 90’s is arguably the greatest decade of music. As someone who has grown up as a lover of music and was even called a “walking radio station” growing up, this decade alone has given me so much nostalgia and memories of a time where music was great and had meaning and flavor to it. The music today pales in comparison to the amazing and one of a kind songs that the 90’s really put out, and I wanted to take all of that joy and put it into a short but sweet list of what I think are the 20 best songs. After watching VH1’s version of this, I had to make a rebuttal as some they got right and some they got dead wrong (“I Want It That Way” at #3? Girl Bye!) Everyone has an opinion about what they think is the best, so please sound off and let me know what you think.

20. Ace Of Base- “The Sign”

It really is hard to believe that no matter how hard you fight it, Swedish pop has a way of coming into your lives and making you belt out a synth-heavy tune while jamming in your car or dancing at the club. Ace Of Base did that and more, with their #1 hit song “The Sign” in 1994. The album of the same name was also the #1 best selling album of the year and Billboard’s #1 song as in a midst of R&B megahits from Boyz II Men to All 4 One as an example. Ace Of Base proved to not be one hit wonders with follows up from the album such as “Don’t Turn Around” and “All That She Wants” but pretty much anyone can tell you that when you say the name “Ace Of Base” generally this song comes to mind. Delicious swedish pop- eat it up.

19. Brandy & Monica- “The Boy Is Mine”

The 90’s was known for many different types of genres, most notably R&B throughout. Brandy & Monica were two of the hottest female R&B artists at that time, spawning solo hits like “One Of Dem Days” and “Sittin Up In My Room”. But when it came time for them to duet on a timeless tale of two women fighting over one men, the chemistry was undeniable. “The Boy Is Mine” became one of the biggest songs of 1998, winning Brandy & Monica their first Grammy award and spending an unprecedented 13 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100. It also had a fantastic music video with actor Mekhi Pfeifer being the man in between and ultimately being the one left alone. Both these women are crazy talented and this was pure serendipitous when they put their sultry vocals together.

18. Notorious B.I.G. Featuring Total- “Juicy”

Certain music artists, including ones on this list, will always have the “Could’ve Been” factor, meaning what could they have been had they not passed away so suddenly. Notorious B.I.G. is a classic example of that. Biggie catapulted to fame in the mid 90’s with this track and one of the most recognizable lines in hip-hop history- “And if you don’t know, now ya know”, which has been used in several songs since then. In his short career he put out two flawless albums- “Ready To Die” and “Life After Death”, both chock full of massive hits but when you think Biggie overall, you think “Juicy”.

17. Jewel- “You Were Meant For Me”

Alaskan native Jewel dropped her first album in 1995 with “Pieces Of You”, but it didn’t necessarily go anywhere chart wise until the second single was released- the painfully softly sung “You Were Meant For Me”. The angst from her voice with the strums of her guitar mixed with a simple yet beautiful video put this easily in my top 20. It really is a song you can never get tired of, and it makes me yearn for why she still isn’t as big of a star as she was back then.

16. Sarah McLachlan- “Building A Mystery”

Staying on that Lilith Fair tip is Sarah Mclachlan, who released one of the best albums of the 90’s in “Surfacing”. The phenomenal album was catapulted by its first single “Building A Mystery”. Sarah described the song as this- “Basically about the fact that we all… have insecurities to hide, and we often do that by putting on a facade.” She also goes on to say that “Unfortunately, if we just be who we are, that’s usually the more attractive and beautiful thing”. It is such a simple yet beautiful track when it gets down to it and one of my favorites that she has ever released.

15. No Doubt- “Don’t Speak”

Ska had a huge influence in the 90’s, and Gwen Stefani was its true queen in every sense of the word. No Doubt was like a semi lighter version of the band Garbage, and had so many funkadelic tracks to go along with. “Tragic Kingdom” remains one of the best albums of the 90’s IMO but “Don’t Speak”, which details the breakup of her and another band member, is simply divine with its rock edge and fantastic lyricism. Gwen For Life.

14. Janet Jackson- “That’s The Way Loves Goes”

Janet reigned supreme in the 90’s with two massive albums and hits galore. Her best is “That’s The Way Love Goes”, one of the best smooth jams the music industry has ever seen. At the helms of producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis lies this beautifully sung and melodic hit detailing the intimacy one person has with another. The video itself also introduced us to a future superstar in the making- Jennifer Lopez. In a standout of standouts for Janet, this one takes the cake.

13. Spice Girls- “Wannabe”

You would’ve had to have been in a coma or dead in the mid to late 90’s to not know who the Spice Girls were. One of the biggest girl groups of all time, they won the hearts of millions (and me) with their debut single “Wannabe”. I still to this day don’t get the “If you wannabe my lover, you gotta get with my friends”, but whatever it made for a gigantic pop track and put them on the lips of millions of adoring fans. POSH SPICE GET OVER YOURSELF AND REUNITE WITH THEM SO THEY CAN DO ONE MORE TOUR. Thanks girl.

12. Whitney Houston- “I Will Always Love You”

I’ll make this simple. The best song to ever be a remake of an original (Dolly Parton). One of the best songs from a soundtrack to be ever made (The Bodyguard). The highlight of her illustrious career and proof that Whitney will go down in history as of the greatest to have ever existed. RIP.

11. Blackstreet featuring Queen Pen & Dr. Dre- “No Diggity”

Blackstreet’s “No Diggity” is just one of those damn songs that if you are ever at a slow party and the music aint what it supposed to be, you simply play this track and see everyone do a 180. Mixed with sick hip-hop beats, two great rap sessions by Dr. Dre and Queen Pen and smooth 90’s R&B vocals turns this track into a bonafide hit and one of the biggest tracks of 1996. Still timeless to this day. Shawty get down.

Check back here for part two tomorrow!!!

Do I Have A Hit Song- Indie’s Own American Idol

by Ryan Shea

Reality TV has inundated us over the past decade and a half with several competition series all designed to find the next big artist. From “American Idol” to “The Voice” these shows have proven time and time again that there is a ton of great unsigned talent out there for the masses to discover and appreciate. However for many of these shows the focus is geared towards the artist, and not necessarily the song written for them. This is where Do I Have A Hit Song comes in.

Premiering next month on IndiMusic.tv, Do I Have A Hit Song’s goal is to crown the next great songwriter in the sea of fantastic current ones such as Ryan Tedder from One Republic and Diane Warren, whose credits include Toni Braxton’s “Unbreak My Heart” and Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing”. The winning act at the end of the series will see their submission professionally recorded and produced by Musik and Film, before it’s released worldwide and supported by international radio promotion, video promotion and full physical and digital distribution. The winner will also have the full support of www.indimusic.tv – the online channel which shows the programme and has over 800,000 members in its network – including a spotlight ‘Spotlight Segment’ and ‘Artist Feature’ on the site for the full month following the end of the contest. And that’s not all. Also on offer is a beautiful custom Montarado made acoustic guitar worth $10,500, plus a custom made Toneville amp worth $2,000 – plus official endorsements from both companies!

I was able to sit down with Stephen Wrench of Musik & Film about the show at hand.

How did this concept come about?

Do I Have A Hit Song came about because of our indie record label, Musik and Film. We have utilized our resources to discover ways to promote the indie artist who otherwise would never get heard including a worldwide radio promotions division. We wanted to take it a step further and the concept of Do I Have A Hit Song evolved. There have been many shows that are all glorified karoke contests but never a show that featured indie artists and original music. It was time that the world had a show with real indie artists and their original songs. That is how Do I Have A Hit Song was born.

Was any inspiration drawn from hit shows like American Idol & The Voice?

In a way, yes. People are tired. I was tired of seeing artists get on stage and sing someone else’s song. How can you sing someone else’s song passionately? I was tired of hearing stars critique contestants and lie and tell them they sounded great when they knew they were singing off key. I watched the rating and they were great at the blind auditions then they fell off dramatically. This told me people want real. That’s what we are giving them real indie artists real stories, struggles and real music all their own.

What do you think it takes to actually have a hit song today?

Magic and that is what it has always taken magic. If there were a formula to a hit song everyone would have it and write on. But there is no formula. It is a combination of lyrics and music that reach down into others souls and move them emotionally. If you have that magic it will surface and rise to the top just like cream.

What kind of contestants apply for this show? What backgrounds of music do you usually get when they audition?

We have contestants from all over the world enter from every genre of music with every type of background imaginable.

How is this show broken down and how is the winner determined?

The show is broken down into 9 episodes and 1 final. The 2nd episode is coming Jan 9. Voting on the contestants for each episode is completed during a 4 week session at which time it begins all over again for the next episode. Anyone can go on the website and vote. Six contestants are chosen from the top 12 and 3 contestants are producers’ choice. The performances of the contestants are displayed on the website for voting. The final episode will consist of the 9 winners of each episode. It is very simple the world listens and votes. The world determines who has a “hit song” by their votes.

I was also able to sit down with Eliot Sloan of Blessed Union Of The Souls as well as Drew Copeland about Do I Have A Hit Song, as they are involved in this project as well.

I of course remember you from Sister Hazel and the song “All For You”. What is the biggest thing in your mind that has changed in the industry since you released that track 15 plus years ago?

The single largest thing that has changed since we were signed to Universal records back in 1996 and our song All For You hit the radio has to be digital downloading of music. It changed the way music is bought and listened to.

Same question for you Eliot.

Well it’s always been a challenge to make it in this business, that’s no secret but it seems like things have become more difficult in the last decade or so for alot of different reasons which is what I like about this show so much. It creates an even playing field for artists who can’t gain access to major labels or travel hundreds of miles to stand in line for 8 hours to get on The Voice or American Idol. And while those shows have showcased some enormous talent, Do I Have A Hit Song focuses on the actual song…the words and melody-regardless of what the artist looks like. It just seems so much emphasis nowadays is focused on the image of the artist and the music is secondary. Do I Have A Hit Song focuses on just that-the Song.

Stephen, anything to add to this?

I have been in this business almost 40 years now and worked with some of the best. The biggest thing that has changed is an artist cannot count on being discovered and signed to a major label on development deals. Since the inception of streaming this is no longer possible. Indie artists must understand they are in “business” for themselves. As president of an indie label, I see the indie artist having to act as their own label and do everything that the major labels used to do. As creator and producer of DIHAHS, I see this as an opportunity for the indie artist to be discovered and become a major entity throughout the world.

What are your hopes for this show moving forward?

For viewers to realize this is how every song they have ever heard began. Every star was once an indie artist. Many mega stars struggled for many years before they became an “overnight” sensation. Every hit song was once an idea and a melody that began in the writer’s imagination that became reality because an indie artist created it for the world to hear. In this way, the show will become a household name.

Do I Have A Hit Song, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Rick Eberle

Check out more about this show by logging on to its official site and Musik & Film’s site as well.

The Royal Guard’s Epic Return From Europe To NYC

by Ryan Shea

With the mainstream culture in music being so heavily favored in pop, hip-hop and EDM it is hard for any type of real bands to find their place in the maze that is the music industry. Some may have to travel beyond their norm to discover appreciation and respect for the type of music they put out. The Royal Guard did exactly that, when they uprooted themselves from NYC in 2009 to Eastern Europe when they released their debut album “Showdown”. After it being well received in Estonia, where they resided, they spent the years after that dealing with personal turmoil that halted the band from moving forward in their efforts. Now that the dust has settled, the band has forged ahead and is ready for the next chapter in their lives.

The Royal Guard consists of Todd Davidson on Lead Vocals & Guitars, Andy Ascolese on guitar and vocals and Fred Scragg on Drums. They are releasing their second effort called “Hail The King” in which two singles have already been put out for the masses to enjoy- “I Wanna Know” and “Why Can’t We Be Together”. I was fortunate enough to sit down with The Royal Guard about their budding success, getting back together and what is next for this trio. Take a look.

Hey guys! So tell me the back story on how all of you came together?

We all grew up on Staten Island. I knew Andy since we were kids and I met Fred at a concert in NJ while he was playing drums for another band. I told Fred that band he was playing with was terrible and that he needed to come play for me. That’s how Fred and I started working together. Turns out, Andy and Fred already knew each other from High School. So it was only natural to approach Andy, the most talented person I know.

What was the original sound of the band and has that changed since inception?

I’d say it wasn’t drastically different. Maybe we were a bit more punk than now. To me, the music still has the punk edge but has become a little more mature and complex yet still simple and to the point.

Who are some of your biggest musical influences?

Some of our musical influences include: My Chemical Romance, 30 Seconds to Mars. Green day, Foo Fighters, and Muse. And of course, as guitarists, we dig some of the great hair bands of the 80’s when you’d hear a guitar solo in every song. haha

What ultimately sparked the move back to New York?

There were some musical opportunities I wanted to explore and sadly as it turned out, my mom was diagnosed with cancer and we wanted to be close to her and the rest of my family.

What is the major difference in the music scene between NYC and Eastern Europe?

It seemed like people in Eastern Europe get out more to hear live music. Even on the local levels, there appeared to be more interest and excitement. It also seemed that rock music was still in high demand.

Tell me about the two new singles you guys have released.

Why Can’t We Be Together

We refer to this song “The Ultimate Anthem of Rejection”. In words of Emily Dickinson “The Heart wants what it wants – or else it does not care”, this is a story of simple unrequited love, something that everybody experiences at least once in a lifetime. Boy meets girl, their eyes meet, his heart leaps, she doesn’t give a damn.

I Wanna Know

The underlying theme in this new album is love and war, struggle to keep on believing in your dreams and putting up a fight to not let the life destroy that dream. “I wanna know” is a song about holding on when you are in over your head and trusting that in the end of the road it all will make sense.

What are your plans for 2015 and beyond?

Our new CD “Hail The King” is currently being printed. We plan on releasing that CD at the start of the new year and then touring to support the album. Beyond that, we want to continue to share our story of holding on and never giving up to our fans and to our future fans. We also hope that we can help bring rock music back to the forefront of the music industry… one guitar solo at a time.

Check out The Royal Guard’s official site & EPK here!

10 Years Since My Mother Passed- What I Have Learned

by Ryan Shea

Death, just like taxes and change, is something that is inevitable in one person’s lifetime. The word “death” can have a variety of meanings but in this case it means losing a loved one due to circumstances we ourselves can’t control. For the first eighteen years of my life I never experienced death on a level where it would take me to places mentally, spiritually and physically like it did five months after my eighteenth birthday. However the loss of my mother Lisa, who tragically passed ten years ago on December 23rd due to complications with Brain and Breast Cancer, completely changed my view on how I saw death and ultimately life after it. For someone like me who had a pretty happy childhood to a fantastic teenage life to so many questions unanswered over something that turned out to be my Kryptonite, there has been a lot that I have learned in the decade since my mother has passed. Now granted, everyone deals with these sorts of issues differently. This has just been my experience and my advice on what one could do after they lose someone who meant such a great deal to them. The bottom line for me throughout it all is that from the ashes of your loved ones will arise something so much more powerful for you as a person to figure out.

I should start by giving you all a peek into events leading up to her passing. For me growing up in Long Island had its perks and privileges but when it came to having two amazing parents I couldn’t have asked for more than what my father and mother did for me. Both came from parents who consistently told them they weren’t enough and they were never going to make it in life, and something that I am eternally grateful for is that they broke that cycle and told me and my sister nothing was out of our reach. My mother developed a knack in her cooking abilities and turned that into a successful catering business as well as working at some really fantastic local restaurants in the Huntington area. Her goal was to eventually move to Cape Cod, open up her own restaurant and enjoy some peace and tranquility outside of her hectic schedule on Long Island. Late in 2003 she developed massive migraines and checked herself into Huntington Hospital, where she discovered that she had multiple brain tumors and they were somehow connected to her breasts. You know, because in these situations its even better when its buy one, get one right? Ugh.

When I found out that she had this it was more disbelief than anything else. I had my friend Katie’s party to go to that night, and the last thing I really wanted to see was my mother in some hospital bed dealing with something that I personally never thought would happen to her or any of us. My father had stage one kidney cancer when I was 14 but they got that sucker out of there quick and he has been fine ever since (a little crazy at times, but who isn’t?). I was in a huge amount of denial which stayed with me until a month later when her own hair was falling off her head very quickly. She finally decided one day to shave all of it off, which was the first time where I finally said to myself, “Shit. This is real”. Throughout the year she had her ups and downs and was able to see a lot of vital moments for me such as my prom, graduation and first day of college in which she was in good spirits and seemed fine. Then things took a turn for the worse, and this was when my life would change forever.

When I came home for Thanksgiving my mother was still in good shape. Her peripheral vision was a bit off, but for the most part everything was still in tact mentally. When I came home for winter break the month after that was when everything went downhill. The medication she was taking wasn’t working anymore, she was throwing everything up she put in her mouth including the water to take her pills. It was too much for all of us to handle. I told her that I believed the tumors came back in her brain, even after all the radiation and chemo, and that we had to go get her an MRI asap. She agreed, and the day we were going to go she collapsed in the shower and had to be taken to the hospital. This was my Kryptonite. The one thing that I couldn’t do in my life was save my mother from the physical torture this cancer put her through, and that was never more of a reality then when I had to drag her out of our shower and onto her bed because she lost feelings in her legs. Here is a lesson- for anyone who is fighting with their family/friends over petty shit, read and reread this paragraph in particular because it pails in comparison to when life gets really tough like this. In other words, get that stick out of your ass and get over it.

Two short days later on December 23rd she passed away around 7:00 PM. The hospital didn’t even know that she passed so to add insult to injury we had to discover her that way right when we walked in. A common thing that people have told me over the years is the following- “I don’t know how I would be if I lost one or both of my parents”. I didn’t either, until my father nodded his head after my sister and I were excused from her hospital room that she in fact, died. It is a rush of emotions that I have never experienced before, and something that quite frankly I don’t want to experience again for a very, very long time. For me, it felt like something took over my body and I couldn’t get it out. The rest of that night, week and months to come are a blur for me minus a couple of key parts. To believe that it has been ten years now is something that is shocking to me because I go through moments where it feels not so long and then there are times that it feels eons away from me. Throughout it all, I have learned some pretty great life lessons due to her passing. There are many I have left to learn, but that is what life is for really is to figure them all out.

You find out who really is there for you in the long run, not just for the time being. Go through something like death, especially when it is this close of a loved one, and you will truthfully see who is there for you. What really floored me was the people who came out of the woodwork and stuck by me over the past ten years, many whom I wasn’t even close with growing up. Others were people I was close with and simply didn’t have time when I needed them during a weak moment or even just to talk, and that to me shows a huge sign of insincerity and immaturity all wrapped in one. I can say now ten years later that I am happy with the people I have in my life, some who were there before she died, some emerged right after and some who never met her but have been ride or die for me since then. My mom always told me it wasn’t the quantity of friends that you have but more the quality. I can say wholeheartedly that statement couldn’t be truer and I am beyond content with my friend situation right now.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. When going through something this can be tough and exasperating, you find yourself in a constant struggle to see the happiness in things. Especially shortly after. Life can get tough but something that I have said for such a long time is “What this tragedy has taught me is that this will be quite possibly the worst thing that I can go through in life”. When you have visibly seen your bottom, gone through it and come out the other side with a positive attitude, everything else can fall at the waist side and be handled accordingly.

Your life doesn’t end just because someone else’s did. This took me roughly two years to really understand that particular statement. I had to head back to college roughly a week and a half after my mother had passed away, against my own personal wishes as I didn’t feel like I had enough time to grieve what exactly just happened. But I went back to Providence as a way to distract myself from the reality of the situation. Each time I would come home for a break or weekend there was a part of me that really believed this whole thing was a hoax and that she was going to be there greeting me with opened arms. Each time I was wrong and in a way was let down. Finally, one morning during junior year, I woke up and surrendered the fact that she isn’t going to be here for me in the physical presence. I don’t know if it was a dream or just a foregone conclusion, but at that point I decided that my life was worth living and to not let the death of my mother consume my every thought. You have to move on and continue doing what is best for you and not let a circumstance you had no control over take you down. It will only hurt you in the long run. Trust me.

Talk to a therapist. I was against this whole aspect originally because my thought process was, “They don’t know me, or her, how can they tell me how to live”. Shortly after my mother passed away I started seeing a therapist weekly through my college which after initial hesitation turned into something that was quite therapeutic for me (PUN!). They are an unbiased source that listens to your issues and helps you along the way. My particular therapist also lost their mother recently at that point so I felt like I had someone to relate to in a time where I felt very alone in this. I saw him on and off for a couple of years, but if you find the right therapist suited for you it can work wonders for your mental well being.

No matter what, have the belief they are still there with you. Hands down the most important lesson that I have had to learn, even forced myself to learn at times. Life is cyclical. It has its ups and its downs, and its ultimately up to you to make your destiny. I have had my doubts about believing in god and all of that, but I am a firm believer that my mother is watching over me somehow as she has seen me through my toughest of times. It may be the spiritual side of things for me but I know she is there and my hope when I eventually pass is that on some level we will be reunited.

Love you Mom. Miss you every day.

IndiMusic TV- Proof That Music Videos Still Have A Place

by Ryan Shea

I am someone who comes from a generation where the music video was such a prevalent item in making someone’s music career a success. Artists like Michael Jackson, Britney Spears and Missy Elliott wouldn’t be half as big as they are today if they didn’t have the power of each of their music videos to further their careers. The music video even launched independent artists onto the forefront of our television screens, most notably people like Lisa Loeb, who is still the only artist in the history of music to have a #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 and not be signed to a major label with “Stay”. Sadly, today’s generation is lost on some of that magic where mainstay networks like VH1 and MTV have foregone their endless airplay of music videos with their current crop of reality TV programming such as “Love & Hip Hop” and “Are You The One?” Luckily, there is a subscription based service that allows people to still divulge in thousands of independent music videos & artists as well as some pretty great programming for mainstream mainstays from Maroon5 to Bon Jovi. I am taking about Indimusic.TV.

IndiMusic TV, which launched two years ago as the first 24-7 independent only worldwide music video TV channel and Musician Social Network, has cemented themselves as the go to spot for the very best in independent music videos – garnering 800,000+ subscribers in over 260 countries worldwide, over a million unique visitors a month (over 40,000+ visits a day), and more than 85,000 Likes on Facebook. IndiMusic TV was originally founded in 2004 as a “go to” music video website and then launched as a half hr TV show in 2008 in the NY tri-state area on the independent TV Network WLNY TV10/55. It garnered instant popularity as it was the only game in town to launch, market and expose new indie Music Videos on traditional TV. After three successful seasons IndiMusic TV broadened their horizons by launching a world wide mobile TV network partnering with Yamgo TV, a mobile TV start up in the UK. In September 2012, IndiMusic TV launched as the first 24-7 independent only Worldwide Music Video TV channel and Musician Social Network. They are currently ranked as a top 100,000 site in the world and the proof is in the pudding as to why this is the case for many up and coming musicians.

On top of the endless music videos available at your disposal, they also have some great music related programming for the masses to enjoy. First, there is the show “Do I Have A Hit Song”, which airs Monday through Wednesdays at 7-8 on M&W and 9-10 on Tuesdays. This show puts the song front and center, featuring hit makers such as Drew Copeland from Sister Hazel proving that it really is ALL about the song. The show has a unique online component that means any songwriter has a chance at being part of – and winning – this ground breaking International TV show (enter at www.doihaveahitsong.com). Artists who get the most votes online during the semifinal rounds will be chosen for the finals, attaining major publicity and support in getting their song heard and distributed to the world. Semifinal episodes air on selected Tuesday nights at 9pm including January 20th, February 3rd, February 17th, March 3rd,March 18th, March 31st, April 14th; with the finals airing May 12th and May 26th. Consider this to be the song version of “American Idol” right on your computer screen. Watched the first episode and with all the unsigned talent that is out there I am really excited to see how this show plays out in 2015 and see if that person does in fact have a hit song.

Another show that they have that I really dig is called Private Sessions. Hosted by former VH1 VJ Lynn Hoffman, she sits down with legends in the music industry such as Maroon5, Bon Jovi and Gene Simmons from KISS and gets to the grit of how they made their way to becoming who they are now. The Emmy Award winning series airs Thursday nights at 9PM, and you can also catch Lynn hosting IndiMusic’s Top 21 Countdown airing weekly.

For artists the sign up is free and to upload footage onto the site is affordable and worth it. When you are putting footage onto a site that has Emmy wins, a huge amount of views & unique views, and combines a mix of great music from independents and huge artists what is there to lose? Check out the official site for more information.

Schmackary’s Delights & Delectifies The Holiday Season

by Ryan Shea

For anyone to say the following line “I don’t like cookies” pretty much equates that you are Satan or that your head isn’t screwed on right. Cookies are freaking delicious and will always be, besides ice cream, the perfect bite after a delicious dinner or lunch. What’s even better is when said cookie is made properly and delectable all at the same time. A couple of months ago I was with a friend at the Hell’s Kitchen Five Napkin Burger when he wanted to stop by this cookie place right next door called Schmackary’s. I obliged and in joining him at Schmackary’s discovered this quaint and beautiful bakery of sorts; filled with tons of locals, tourists and of course… cookies. The cookie flavors themselves were unique in their own way and had great names for them to boot (Ginger Rogers, Sweet Corn, Chocolate Diablo, Monster). They also had traditional flavors as well, my favorite being the insanely tasty Maple Bacon as you get a strong taste of maple at first then the bacon seeps its way shortly after. Tasty, tasty, tasty.

After reading generally fantastic reviews about Schmackary’s as well as hearing a ton of fanfare from friends and relatives about the location, I decided to sit down with owner Zachary Schmahl about his booming success. I have a huge amount of respect for people who are not only self taught but self made, and Zachary is the prime example of someone who wasn’t in this particular line of work, had an idea, made it blossom and now is reaping the benefits of his labors. Definitely an inspirational story in my book. Take a look.

So Zachary tell me how did the concept of Schmackary’s initially start?

Basically the concept kind of started from the fact that I am a HUGE cookie monster. As a kid I just loved baking cookies & eating them as well as they were my favorite thing. Later on in life this all came about because I use to make cookies for friends in my house and I would make all these weird & crazy flavors because I had such a fun time experimenting as I was never a fan of the classics like chocolate chip. I’m a bit of a foodie when it comes to my experimentation, and it would pay off because when my friends would try them the response was “THESE ARE AMAZING!”.

After a while collectively they would tell me that I have to sell these cookies, which I didn’t really understand. Why would I sell these cookies? At the time I was working for a marketing firm and enough people had told me that I should sell these cookies that I was like, “Hmm. Well If I start selling these cookies how would I do it?” I started thinking of cookies being this old Americana dessert. You know there is this fad of cupcakes, macaroons, cronuts and all that stuff but cookies are a staple and has been an American tradition for who knows how long. A lot of times bakeries don’t take a lot of pride in their cookies because their thought process is like, “Well everyone likes cookies, they’ve been around for years” but don’t do much outside of the ordinary. My thought process became what if a Normal Rockwell type stepped into a cookie shop, and that was where the concept was formed. Very old fashioned bakeshop from our parents childhood yet its designed for the ADD generation. We have all these crazy flavors that you would never find in that shop, yet it’s a throwback to the old school with items like a chalkboard & reclaimed wood so it looks like its on the edge of gritty. I come all the way from Nebraska so I like to bring some of that homey charm to the city which is why when people walk in they really don’t get a sense that this place reads NYC at all.

When was the first year that Schmackary’s opened?

I started out of my 400 square foot apartment in 2011, and a year later I opened up this store in May 2012. I am someone who is not classically trained and simply did this because I love what I do so much that it just comes out of my pores and I hope to inspire others. My main advice to other people when they are looking to start a business is that you have to believe more than anything else that this is the one thing that you were meant to do in your entire life and make other people believe it.

This may sound obvious given your first name but how did you come up with the name for Schmackary’s?

Well my name is Zachary Schmahl. Back in high school, I had this friend that would always call me “Zachary Schmackary” which just seemed to fit and everyone else joined in and started calling me that. Schmackary’s wasn’t the only choice when it came to picking a name for the company. I had another one called “The Cookie Dealer” because I used to deliver cookies to people’s doors. I thought it was funny because I was delivering cookies like somebody delivering drugs, and the tagline would be something like “There is a new drug in town”. Schmackary’s was a more family friendly name, so I went with that instead.

There are so many great boroughs for a cookie location, why Hell’s Kitchen?

Well I live four blocks from the location here (45th Between 8th and 9th) and before it became Schmackary’s this was actually a fried chicken joint. When I was using my apartment to bake the cookies I realized that I needed to find another location because I was making so many cookies out of my place and needed to take this business to the next level. I just happened to be walking by here one day and saw that it closed. I thought that this would be the perfect location for Schmackary’s, it was a bit serendipitous in the timing of it. I looked at other locations as well, but I thought that it was divine intervention or something that this was the first place that i looked at and ultimately made happen. It was very odd and fortuitous that it came to fruition.

Schmackary's, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Schmackary’s

Let’s hypothetically say that I am an out of towner who has never heard or experienced Schmackary’s before. What would you recommend them trying? Like, give me three cookie flavors they should devour?

You see usually I recommend having them get a dozen and try out a bunch of different ones! It is so hard to narrow that down for me. Since we we are the midst of the holiday season I would try the Ginger Rogers is awesome. It is my take on a frosted ginger cookie and has white chocolate, cinnamon chips and a bunch of different spices in it with a really nice glaze on top. Delicious. The Maple Bacon has a cult following to the point where I don’t even need to push that cookie for people to buy it. It sells itself on its own. We candy the bacon, so its sweet at first then get the smoky flavor at the end. A personal favorite are the oatmeal cookies. Most places the oatmeal ones suck because they are always hard. Ours have a ton of cinnamon in them and are super chewy and delicious. Two oatmeal cookies I would recommend anyone getting are the Oatmeal Scotchie and The Monster as they are on point. They are ones that I am super proud of.

Every single day we do one oatmeal cookie, one chocolate cookie, one gluten free cookie, one peanut butter cookie and more to where we have 12 different flavors and then the next day it changes. So overall we have 24-27 flavors each month, and at the end of every month we change the menu except keeping the four classics which are maple bacon, funfetti, classic chocolate chip and red velvet. They are the only ones that are standard.

I interviewed a well known bakery here in Manhattan and discussed the cupcake craze that has happened over the past decade or so. Why do you think that hasn’t really happened in the cookie world yet?

I think honestly when you are saying “craze” it really means a fad. There are things that are popular for a hot second that you can be on the edge of that and benefit from it, but I have no doubt that the cupcake craze is on its way out. It has peaked is what I mean. Certain cupcake shops that do it really well will be around for a long time. However, the people who got in on it and was like “This is going to be the best fad ever!” kind of peaked and we are seeing larger chains that aren’t doing well due to this being just that. Unless you do it really well or have national exposure like the Georgetown Cupcakes then you aren’t going to be around that long. I don’t think people have viewed cookies as a craze because they have been around forever and that people haven’t really gotten out of the box and done something creative with them. You go to a place like Sprinkles where they are infusing crazy flavors into their cupcakes and I’m like, why is no one doing these to cookies? They are easier to impart flavors than cheating by putting extracts into them. Taking complex ingredients and flavor profiles are more fascinating than the basics. I’m sure there are plenty of people who see what we are doing and think we are onto something which is true because you don’t see what we do as an everyday type of thing.

You are a one shop physically, however do you have an online shop?

We do! We ship all over the country as well as do a bunch of collaborations with other businesses locally, especially the Broadway businesses. Every May we do this thing called “Broadway Bakes” which was a way to raise money for “Broadway Cares”. We simply asked a ton of people on Broadway if they would help at our location and everyone said yes. I was shocked. At one point we had Audra McDonald working behind the counter which we had a line down the street for her. The first year we raised 10K for charity and the second year we raised 15K. Even Tom Hanks stopped in one night when he was doing his thing on Broadway, and we have delivered our cookies to megastars like Emma Stone and Bradley Cooper to name a few. Kristin Chenoweth has become one of the biggest advocates for Schmackary’s and tweets at us all the time. Insane!

In conclusion, what would you say is your ultimate goal for Schmackary’s?

Good question! The plan is to open two more stores over the next year. One will be in Brooklyn the other in Manhattan. We really want to develop a firm foundation in New York City then take the show on the road. There is something special about this and people who walk in here can see it. It isn’t just a one off because people ask us all the time, “Is this a chain?” There is something familiar and secure about Schmackary’s and we want to create that atmosphere of feeling professional like that yet you are in your home away from home. Every single foodie city and college area can benefit from this. The bottom line is I just don’t want to lose the heart that we started with and still have to this day. Beyond having an awesome product, our company has a lot of heart and is something that I never want to lose.

Check out more on Schmackary’s by logging onto their official site!

The Loft Sound Studio- Finding The Next Big Thing In Music

by Ryan Shea

In the past decade or so, reality television has giving audiences a first hand look into what it takes to develop the next music superstar. Shows like “American Idol”, “The X Factor” and “The Voice” have all played pivotal roles in taking a regular person and turning them into a chart topping, Grammy winning performer who becomes a legend in the industry they simply once aspired to be apart of. But what happens when you take someone who has already been through the ringer of this type of program and take their experience into their own hands and utilize it on other up and coming performers? That’s where you will find Donnie Klang and Matthew LaPorte, who have developed The Loft Sound Studio.

Located ten minutes away from me in Plainview on Long Island, Donnie & Matthew have built Long Island’s premiere music artist development factory. If you are unfamiliar with Donnie he rose to fame on MTV’s hit show “Making The Band” a couple of years ago, most notably being signed by Diddy as a solo artist as opposed to the rest of the men there who were being groomed to be the next big group in R&B and hip-hop. When your mentor is none other than Sean Combs you pretty much have the rundown as to what it takes to find that next X factor of a person or persons. Since their opening, they have developed some big new talent including MarissaAnn who was a finalist on season 3 of “The Voice” and Madison Beer, who landed a deal with the biggest artist in the game- Justin Bieber. I sat down with Donnie & Matthew to discuss more.

Hey guys! So tell me a little more about how the process of The Loft Sound Studio started?

We opened The Loft Sound Studio in 2011 with the intention of giving young aspiring singers a place where they can come develop not only their vocals in a fun innovative way- but also help train and create recording artists that are industry ready.

Donnie, do you think your experience on Making The Band helped in the process of developing the studio itself?

My experience on Making The Band was one in a million. It was really the last of true artist development that labels used to put into their artist. It’s been amazing being able to take everything I learned and the network I made and help new artists pursue their careers.

What was the biggest takeaway that Diddy taught you during the MTB experience?

The biggest thing I learned from working with Puff was that this is truly a business. I learned the ins and outs of every aspect of developing, growing, marketing, and exploding a brand.

What made you want to transition out of music and focus solely on producing at this point in your career?

When things slowed down for me- I realized from a business aspect I wanted to have something in place that can help sustain my life moving forward so that when I’m ready to work on my music again I won’t have to worry about the financial side of it. I’ll be able to just whole heartedly put my focus on creating.

Can you please let our readers know who both you and Matt have been developing and any success stories with the brand?

We helped to develop Madison Beer who secured a deal with Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun and she eventually signed to Island / Def Jam. We’ve gotten multiple teenagers onto reality music competition shows including X Factor and The Voice. Most recently we assembled a 5 member pop / R&B girl group that we are currently marketing and developing and will be showcasing to record labels in 2015. They are called The Janes. We also have been working with 17 year old soulful powerhouse vocalist MarissaAnn from season 3 of The Voice.

Seeing as we are all Long Islanders here, do you think LI gets the musical respect that it deserves?

I think Long Island is a hidden gem. We are of course in the shadow of the greatest city in the world- but it also gives us amazing opportunities less than an hour drive away. A ton of clients from Long Island that come to us used to have to travel all the way into NYC to get the type of training and services we offer- so we pride ourselves in being a little slice of the big city in Long Island.

Now that 2014 is ending, what are your ultimate hopes for The Loft Sound Studio as we enter into 2015?

Everything seems to have been culminating to this upcoming year. Everything I learned while being an artist in the industry- along with how much our business and network has grown- there will be multiple label deals signed this upcoming year for a bunch of our artists!

Learn more about Loft Sound Studio by logging on to their official site

Theater Review: LYPSINKA: THE TRILOGY

by Ryan Leeds

Not to minimize the contribution that many drag queens make, but let’s be honest: Most of them are a dime a dozen. Walk into any gay bar on any given night of the week and you’re sure to see a bedazzled beauty strutting her stuff and lip-syncing to the latest Top 40 hit. Sure, it takes skill and preparation, but mostly, it’s just bubble gum fantasy with free drink tickets.

Now, take your fabulous self downtown to the Connelly theater and let a genuine and unparalleled diva hypnotize you with her ferocity and glamour. The lady of whom we speak is none other than Lypsinka, who is currently casting a spell in the East Village in the Lypsinka Trilogy. Lypsinka is the persona embodied by John Epperson, an immensely talented individual who has been inventing and reinventing Lypsinka since the late eighties. Even Epperson himself has been known to eschew the title “drag queen” because it “describes an amateur”, and he holds the label of “actor” in much greater esteem. It is a fair declaration because Lypsinka is the grand dame by which all other drag artists should aspire. Three shows are running concurrently at the intimate theater spot and –just in time for the holidays– each of them is a precious gift to theater goers.

Lypsinka! The Boxed Set

At this point, you may be asking yourself, “Who is Lypsinka and why all the praise?” Lypsinka is a throw back to the golden age of stage and screen. Using clips from classic films, interviews, and vintage cabaret clubs, Lypsinka actually lip syncs (imagine!)various sound bytes, incorporating her own flair but still maintaining the integrity of the characters. Bette Davis will appear one moment, followed by Gloria Swanson the next. Barbara Stanwyck, Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Lana Turner, Faye Dunaway, and others are also heard. How she is able to pull it all off with such exquisite flair is nothing short of a miracle. But with the subtle raise of a brow, an extended glance, and quivering lips, Lypsinka will mesmerize and amuse.

The Boxed Set is a cornucopia of these silver screen beauties and although there are few costume quick changes, the hostess for the evening will make each and every moment unique. A string of phone calls will be answered, each by a different personality, and a screwball version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” turns the song upside down by replacing the traditional lyrics with a variety of cocktails for each day. The entire show will hold you in delightful captivity, but these two scenes elicit the greatest response from audiences and had me laughing so hard I had to catch my breath. Epperson’s Lypsinka has been at this for years, but make no mistake about the artistry. Under Kevin Malony’s keen direction, this is precision and talent at its finest.

The Passion of the Crawford

One would be remiss to pay homage to the bygone era of Hollywood without mentioning Joan Crawford. Here, Lypsinka, with the help of Steve Cuiffo, recreates an actual interview between Crawford and John Springer (Cuiffo). Clips of radio interviews and acceptance speeches also emerge and once again, we watch in awe of the detailed mannerisms, executed with over the top flair and drama. Malony also helmed this production, which opens with a tight montage of Crawford’s work.

Although it is worth seeing, The Passion of the Crawford should be seen in addition to, rather than instead of, The Boxed Set. Consider The Boxed Set a primer to the living wonder of Lypsinka. Even though the Crawford piece is flawless, The Boxed Set offers more variety. Either way, you’ll become a fast fan of Epperson’s creation. In both cases, Lypsinska knows her audience and she’ll deliver the delicious goods.

John Epperson: Show Trash

When Lypsinka sheds the Edith Head inspired costumes, she is actually John Epperson, the creator of this larger than life personality. Seated behind a piano, Epperson discusses his early days in New York City and the origin of his creation. It is hard to wrap your head around the fact that Epperson is Lypsinka since he embodies none of the qualities as his alter ego. Epperson is slight, unassuming and reserved; She is everything aside from it.

Under Barry Kleinbort’s gentle and able direction, Epperson deserves the utmost respect for sharing his own self. The vulnerability and honesty expressed here is not often on display for drag performers. Yet, one questions whether Epperson’s goal is simply an autobiographical presentation or a plea to be acknowledged as himself rather than dwelling in the mascara mask of his lady. Either way, we can celebrate both Epperson and his female side for bringing pure quality entertainment to life.

Lypsinka! The Trilogy plays now through Saturday Jan 3, 2015 at the Connelly Theater, 220 E. 4th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. For tickets and information visit: http://tweedtheater.org/lypsinkatrilogy/ ,

Essential Voices USA: Holidays at Carnegie Hall and “Cherished Moments”

by Ryan Leeds

Well, New York…It’s that time of year, again. Not, as the popular song goes, “when the world falls in love and every song you hear seems to say ‘Merry Christmas’.” For most city folk, it means cluttered sidewalks rife with tourists, longer lines than normal at the morning coffee shop, traffic jams, and a quick depletion of pain killer from Costco sized bottles. This weekend, however, Essential Voices USA is determined to melt your frozen yuletide hearts as they take to the Carnegie Hall stage for The New York Pops’ annual concert “Home For the Holidays” this Friday and Saturday, December 19th and 20th . The 60 voice chorus, under the direction of Judith Clurman, will be joined by Broadway stars Kelli O’Hara (recent star of The Bridges of Madison County and upcoming leading lady of Lincoln Center’s The King and I revival) and Matthew Morrison (Light in the Piazza, Hairspray, and television’s Glee). On Sunday afternoon , December 21st, a smaller ensemble of Essential Voices USA will join the orchestra for a family holiday concert. The afternoon will feature a staged 50th year anniversary celebration of the beloved television special Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

Matthew Morrison_small2 (1) — Photo courtesy of Laura Marie Duncan

On Friday and Saturday, audiences will be treated to “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, “O Holy Night”, “We Need a Little Christmas” and other holiday favorites. Sunday’s light offering will include “Holly Jolly Christmas”, “Silver and Gold”, and the title song, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. The afternoon will also feature members of the New York Theatre Ballet as they re-enact scenes from the holiday classic. All concerts will guided by the baton of Steven Reineke, music director and conductor of The New York Pops. As of the writing of this article, tickets for all performances are extremely scare, so you’d better act fast, find a generous friend with an unused seat, or pray for a holiday miracle.

Speaking of miracles, Clurman’s group will honor the season’s festive Jewish holiday within the Friday and Saturday night concerts with “Songs of Freedom: A Celebration of Chanukah.” This collection of songs was arranged collectively by Clurman, Larry Hochman, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. Clurman translated the piece and it originally premiered in December 2010 (under her baton) at Carnegie Hall with Essential Voices USA and Stokes Mitchell. Due to popularity and acclaim, the group will once again revive this joyous song cycle , which is currently being performed nationally by other vocal groups. Although Essential Voices USA’s weekend performances will not be recorded, Clurman’s arrangements of the Chanukah piece have been preserved on the recording, “Cherished Moments: Songs of the Jewish Spirit”, available through the Sono Luminus label on iTunes, amazon, and Spotify. The album not only incorporates “Songs of Freedom”, but other holidays and life events surrounding the Jewish culture and religion. Produced by the Grammy award winning David Frost, it is one of Clurman’s proudest musical achievements. “Each of these pieces is a cherished moment from my own life,” she says. Some of the pieces have been written with the last few years, while others are traditional songs like, “Han’shamalach”, a song that Clurman heard as a child in the synogogue. The album captures the essence of the Jewish experience and Clurman is particularly fond of the idea that, “Jews experience the sacred in time rather than space. It is through these moments that we find meaning and holiness in our lives. This album is a kaleidoscope of who we are as a people.” Both “Songs of Freedom” and “Cherished Moments” capture the essence of Jewish life, but have broad, universal appeal. Clurman observes, “It transcends by being fine music.”

Fortunately, for those who have already purchased tickets, they can experience this musical transcendence live. If you’re one of the unfortunate music lovers who decided to lollygag like a tourist from Topeka around the Rockefeller Christmas tree , download “Cherished Moments” and let it fill your soul with peace and calm during this otherwise harried holiday.

For tickets and information visit: http://www.carnegiehall.org/,

http://www.essentialvoicesusa.com/

http://sonoluminus.com/p-386-cherished-moments-songs-of-the-jewish-spirit.aspx

EVgroup — Photo courtesy of Gertjan Meijer

SELECT – The Black Card for the Next Generation

by Ryan Shea

With the ever present view of celebrity lifestyle in the forefront, whether it is on television, radio or in the magazines, we get somewhat of an insiders look on their spending habits and boy are they big. Many of them have the AMEX Black Card, which loosely translates to that you are ballin and probably in the top 0.1% But what happens when you are a hard working young professional but still want to be a part of that lifestyle? Let me introduce you to SELECT. [Read more…] about SELECT – The Black Card for the Next Generation

Like A Moth To A Flame, I Like The Way You Work It, You Were Meant For Me. Yeah, 90’s.

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