Mystic Age Radio (This interview was conducted 1 year ago) ~ As the creator and the only musician of ALiEn Tribe, why don’t you keep your own name?
ALiEn TriBe ~ Well, I thought about that, but only momentarily. You have to know what goes on internally inside of the creator’s mind; the creator of the music, being me, of course, to understand the madness with which we create, and the names we assign to ourselves. There is simply not one voice or one LiA, but there really is a tribe inside…an entire, whole and complete multitude of many different sounds and various aspects. If you could see my tracks, you would see what I’m talking about…believe me, I am more than just one name. I’m a tribe inside! I say this with a smile. Unfortunately, my humor and little nuances don’t always show up in the written word. Where’s the mic? Okay, how about a string of smiley faces? That would help greatly.
Mystic Age Radio ~ Your art sounds more like cyber tribal music, more than creatures from others planets, so why do you choose Alien Tribe?
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ALiEn TriBe ~ Uh-hem…excuse me, but I prefer to call them "Beings." People watch too many bad, alien movies! If the typical belief is that they are funny sounding creatures from another planet, then of course, the name doesn’t make any sense. Anyway, how many names of bands and artists have ever made sense? "AliEn TriBe" makes perfect sense to me, and I say this with a contented smile. The music that comes to me isn’t one sound, but it’s many different sounds and voices. I even get visions in my mind of a tribal scene, but it’s far into the future, or on another planet. My aliens are definitely not creatures, but it’s like I tune into an alternate reality and I am then flowing in this higher consciousness.
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Mystic Age Radio ~ Do you believe in the existence of extraterrestrials? What is your belief?
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AliEn TriBe ~ Yes, I definitely "do" believe! I’ve channeled a book that’s been out for some years now. In fact, it’s listed at "Mystic Age Radio." It’s also at online bookstores. The title is, "Comes the Awakening: Realizing the Divine Nature of Who You Are," by "LiA Shapiro." Some people see me as an alien channeler, but really, it can be just a matter of tuning into other frequencies and plucking things out.
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Creation is extremely complex, but besides that, who could not believe in extraterrestrials? Of course, realistically, some people don’t, but it’s being revealed more and more now, and the truth will come out one day. I mean, really, how can we be the only ones that exist in this vast cosmic sea of life? Really, just take a look up at the sky on a clear night. All those stars, and that’s only a handful that we see with our eyes…and all the planets around the millions of stars…imagine the possibilities…it all goes on into eternity and forever and ever!
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My song, "We Are Here," is a powerful song musically and emotionally, but the words say it simply. "We are here…We come in peace…Open your mind." By the way…that is a direct message….I say this with a smile and you may take it as you will. As far as my own personal belief, I believe "they" exist all around us, beyond us, and that they are even here among us.
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Mystic Age Radio ~ When we listen carefully to your music, a question comes to mind: As a Cherokee descendent, do you believe that your ancestors found the true way of life?
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AliEn TriBe ~ I can’t answer that question honestly, because I, myself, don’t know what the "true way of life" is, so realistically, how could I know if anyone else had found it? All I can sing, know, and write about, is what comes through to me personally. It’s what I feel in my heart and know as my own truth. I can only hope that it touches someone else’s heart and sparks their own personal truth.
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Ultimately, I believe that life is a path of exploration for everyone, and that no one person, culture, or religious group has the complete, whole and ultimate truth. It’s always a comforting feeling to think we have found the one true way of life. That’s what so many of us dearly strive for. I didn’t have any sort of solid religious upbringing. There were far too many influences on both sides. There was the Cherokee on my mother’s side…the agony and pain of what our government did by taking away homelands of the Cherokee in the Appalachian Mountains. My great grandmother hid out with others in the mountains and did not walk to ....Oklahoma..... Many died and became gravely ill on that forced walk halfway across the country. You have to read about the "Trail of Tears," to know the horror of what happened. Some of the Cherokee became Christians and some of these beliefs, along with old Cherokee beliefs were passed down to me. Growing up at the time though, I didn’t realize that I was getting a vast smattering of influences. My father was an atheist Jew with many of his family perishing in the Holocaust. The resulting effect of that somewhat lingered through the lasting generations. My father would never admit to being Jewish, probably out of some sort of deep seated fear instilled at an early age. He always claimed to be Italian. It’s interesting that people sometimes think I’m Italian. Maybe with the Cherokee, Jewish mix and French thrown in on both sides…well….
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I’ve gotten away from the original question a bit, or maybe a lot. I suppose if we were doing a live or in person interview, that’s how it would go, until you brought me back, of course, or either cut me off with another question, or maybe a commercial….it’s here that I have to stop and grin, although you can’t see me, which is really too bad, or maybe it isn’t bad, because now I’m chuckling away at myself. Okay, what were we talking about? Oh yes, I was trying to make a point; the point being that has anyone ever found "the true meaning of life?" I thought I found "it" more than a few times in my life, but then, it always changes, as life should, because it’s an ever continual process of opening up and learning. If we knew the "true way" then there would really be no reason to be here.
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Mystic Age Radio ~ Do you have any advice for people who want to use your music for meditation?
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AliEn TriBe ~ My advice to all people would be to listen to music that you especially vibe with. If my music takes you to your special, magic place, then so be it and I am happy. Music is a feeling, and in creating it, the more emotion, the better. Music and the voice can be perfect, but if it lacks emotion, it’s not going to be very effective. The listener doesn’t always realize that it’s the emotional component in music that connects them in. So, if my music does it for you, then I’m happy. As far as being able to find my music, it’s only on myspace right now. I’m in the process of fine tuning the music and creating more songs. After final mixing and mastering, an album will be cut and songs will be available in various places, as well as being heard in different forms of media.
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Mystic Age Radio ~ Are you or have you ever been contacted for a movie soundtrack?
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AliEn TriBe ~ There has been some talk of collaborating with another musician on a movie. Ultimately, that is one of my goals, maybe not to actually do the movie soundtrack, but who knows what can happen, but for sure to have my songs or pieces of my songs placed in various media. Right now, I don’t know where it’s all going, but it is going well. I’m excited and am looking forward to the possibilities and the opportunities that are out there.
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Mystic Age Radio ~ What kind of film would you like to hear your music in?
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AliEn TriBe ~ I envision my music in most any movie as long as the movie is well done, in fairly good taste, no blood and guts or really terrible things, and please, no bad alien movies! I don’t know if I really have a say so once the music is placed in the hands of a music publisher, but I just trust that it will appear in good form, wherever it’s suppose to appear.
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Mystic Age Radio ~ Some artists think they are just a receptacle for a universal art? How do you see yourself a creator or a messenger?
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Alien Tribe ~ It’s all a matter of power and control. If you believe you have the power, and you believe you have it under control, then you create because you "are" the power. A receptacle is open, but then anything can come flowing through. I’m not really a messenger, otherwise I would only be bringing information from something or someone else, wherever that something or someone else is. I prefer to see myself as simply a creator, creating from all aspects of myself, and bringing it forth to fruition. Oh dear, is this beginning to sound like it’s of Biblical proportions? Okay, you’ve got me going here with these questions, so now that it’s almost over, I’ll try to stick with normal music talk. One more thing though, and, I have to say it. If everyone could hear the truth of what inspires and motivates most musicians to make music, they would probably be startled beyond belief. People would give up buying and listening to music, because they’d start labeling musicians as whacked out and crazy. Okay, I admit…musicians are a little…well…different, but still….
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Mystic Age Radio ~ What kind of music do you listen to, what artists influenced you?
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AliEn TriBe ~ Before I started making music with the intensity that I do now, I listened to music all the time. Now, when I work on music for 8 hours or more straight, I tend to want to hear only silence. Seriously, I listen to my music more than any other, only because it can’t be helped. I spend hours in the creation process, and when I must leave it and travel, I burn it to CD’s so that I can listen and know what more to do once I get back to the studio.
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When I do listen to music, I’m inclined toward a lot of the European electronica stuff. Personally, I think electronica is the way of the future. It’s a whole, entirely different way of making music. I’ve heard those of the old school say that it’s not real music, but it definitely "is" real music. It simply requires different skills and talents, and regrettably is not understood or comprehended by those that don’t know how to do it. Not everyone "can" do it, just like not everyone can play a traditional instrument.
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I love what the DJ’s are doing. I believe it’s a progressive, futuristic way of making music. Personally, I like new and exciting sounds and energetic music that is put together using high tech modes of creation and production. I love good, strong, fat beats, but that’s probably because I’m automatically wired to dance. Now this goes back to the "AliEn TriBe" thing as well. Either I’m reincarnated from a past tribal life, but more so, I feel connected somewhere to an off planetary or futuristic time, to some sort of tribe, thus my "ALiEn TriBe" name.
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Okay, more little secrets revealed and without getting further into my own little personal belief systems and sticking with music, two of my most recent favorites have been "Enigma" and "Delerium." "Enigma" can take me straight to the cosmos and the versatility of "Delerium" is extraordinary. They both have the right mix of emotional components for me, which translates to a certain spiritual or cosmic quality, yet they’ve got those good, strong beats going on. It gets my heart beating as one, you know. Honestly though, I can’t say that I’ve been influenced by anyone in particular, only because…well, maybe because my heart beats to its own drum.
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Mystic Age Radio ~ What is your project for 2008?
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AliEn TriBe ~ The 6 songs I now have on myspace will contribute to the final album that is projected for 2008. Those individual songs will then be available in various places for purchase and downloads, as well as being heard…in movies? I don’t know right now, but all things and everything is possible!
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Currently, I’m in the process of upgrading all my music equipment, even the computer and programs, and I’ll be working in a much better studio. I’ve been working under rather adverse and often difficult conditions, so this will greatly enhance and speed up my music ability and output. There are also tentative plans for collaboration with other musicians on various projects, as well as DJ’s that continually want to remix me. More than anything else though, I look forward to really getting busy and making the best music I can. It always makes me happy and even happier when other people like my music and can feel their own personal vibe with it. ....