so ok, this week we are having a conversation with another phenomenal woman and we’re gonna switch it up, which I like to do from time to time..lol. Tara Cadenelli has been behind the scenes for years, cranking out audio engineers, DJ’s and producers. From SAE to The Dub Spot, Ms. Cadenelli is one of the truest music lovers I’ve know in my life and she has committed herself to sharing her passion with the world.
having defected from NY last year after a 12 year bid (jk 
I <3 NY!), I talked with her to get her perspective on the world of music and the world in general. she now runs an awesome blog and shares her voice with us via that medium and that makes her perfect for our series!
normally what I do is read over someone’s official bio and then build around that, but this time…I want to let you hear her in her own words as much possible because that voice is part of why she’s such an incredible person! please support her blog gorgeousbear.com and enjoy!
i really don’t like the word ‘blog.’ it always reminds me of ‘to blave’ from the princess bride. but i like to eavesdrop on other people’s lives on the interwebs, so i decided to join them. besides poetry and long walks on the beach, i like (read: am currently ridiculously obsessed with) everything to do with art, crafting, music, sherlock holmes, ‘da gorge’ (the love of my life), reading, murder she wrote, a certain french ex-porn star, forensic shows, cooking, my fam, italy, slim jims, trashy novels, coca-cola, home design, print gocco, the betty crocker cookbook, and hall & oates. in no particular order and subject to change at the drop of a hat (except da gorge and the fam, of course). i mostly talk about the fun stuff, but sometimes like to tackle the other ‘taboo’ stuff, too, like politics, religion, and sex. ’cause if you don’t include those, well, i’m not sure what the point is really! (but mama/that’s where the fun is…).
i’ve always leaned towards being obsessive (ok, so there is no ‘leaning’ involved). my major obsessions have always been rock stars, just like some people’s heroes having always been cowboys. the wonder of music never ceases to amaze me, and i have yet to come across any job cooler than rock star. not that i have first hand knowledge, but if i could be anything in the world, that would be it. these posts are for my fellow obsessors, who know what’s it like to love from afar. and dedicated to my brother, matt, who lives the dream! never underestimate the power of song. or rock stars.
me: how do you decide what to blog about?
Tara Cadenelli: my process for deciding what to post is pretty all over the place! when i decided to really focus on blogging regularly, i came up with the ‘song of the day’ posts to make sure that i would always have something to blog about. at first, even if i didn’t have anything relevant to say, i would post the song with a brief anecdote about why i liked the song, what it meant to me, memories attached to it. music has always been such an integral part of my existence, so i have found it a very motivating way to jump start the writing process. it’s also a way to engage readers more interactively, whether by listening to an mp3 or watching a video. it’s great that there is so much amazing technology for sharing discovering and revisiting music today; i find that always inspiring.
i also bookmark things to blog about when on surfing the interwebs, and often am driven to rant about something that makes me crazy in politics or society.
i have a clear idea of what subjects i want to focus on, at least as a general guideline, and that also helps to streamline the decision making process for me.
me: you’re blog is kind of quirky which I love! is this intentional or have you just decided to embrace you and share it with the world?
Tara Cadenelli: i guess i am quirky! 
. i never set out to have an intentional vibe to the blog in any kind of pretentious way. i was looking for a way to harness the words and ideas rambling about in my head. i have never liked writing in journals because i cringed when i would go back and read what i had previously written! but there is something about writing for an audience that allows me to express myself and find my own voice without too much self-criticism.
having said that, i definitely have a style in mind when designing the look of the blog and what i put in it. i think that’s key in defining your online presence. i know that i respond to a strong sense of aesthetic vision in others’ blogs and websites.
a great thing, i think, about what the internet can give us is a forum to express without immediate judgement. there is no immediate reaction based on looks or age or fashion . that lack of knee-jerk response can lead to a very different kind of connection, less likely to be colored by bias or assumption. it also allows you to present a kind of ‘idealized’ self to the world, which i think can be a very good thing. you choose the face you want to put forth. not in any kind of deceptive way, but in the sense that you are your own creation.
me: I’ve heard it said that bloggers should post multiple times a day to drive traffic, do you post once a day, a week? have you noticed a difference when you do?
Tara Cadenelli: my intention is to post at least once a day. not only does it seem to bring more visitors, but it keeps the writing in the groove, as it were . i also know that the blogs i tend to revisit are the ones that post frequently. not to the point where you are doing nothing but checking for new posts, but enough to keep from forgetting it’s there .
me: do you think it’s an advantage or disadvantage to have blogs as outlets in 2010? some have said that bloggers are a nuisance, agree or disagree?
Tara Cadenelli: i think it is definitely an advantage to have blogs as outlets. i think bloggers get a bad rap. .
as with much created by the internet and digital technology in general, blogs have made it much more accessible to put yourself and your thoughts out there where everyone can see them. it is no longer just the purview of the few who have the technology, in the same way that the advent of affordable digital recording took the music making process from big business studios to the home computer. there are obviously pros and cons to these changes, in any industry. with the addition of so many more voices and outlets, the content and quality can get watered down.
in my opinion, though, the outcome is generally positive. the ongoing corporate conglomeration of media outlets leads to fewer and fewer people disseminating information and therefore less and less diversity and depth of voice and example. we need independent and individual methods of expression to circumvent this trend.
blogs are really an easy and structured way for people to create a website, and so, good and bad, there are a ton of them. i think as with anything you need to use your own judgement to decide what sources are trustworthy and enriching to your own experience. everyone loves wikipedia, but we also know that just because stephen colbert writes in to say that elephants are no longer endangered, it doesn’t mean it’s true .
me: are there any sites in particular that you love and visit regularly, either for the arts, music, movies? any that you’ve found useful in your research and work?
Tara Cadenelli: i have so many blogs in my reader it gets a little overwhelming (pros and cons again!) so i definitely have a list of faves that i check before anything else. i always check out friends’ blogs, of course, and news and political sites like the huffington post or cnn. i am a craft and design blog junkie so i read blogs like design*sponge (designsponge.com) and a beautiful mess (www.abeautifulmess.typepad.com) daily. i design handmade stationery and am a huge fan and proponent of supporting independent artisans so i read the etsy blog (www.etsy.com/storque) to see what incredible new wares there are. i co-write a food blog (www.meatandtomatoes.com) so i check out a ton of those as well (try not to do this if hungry).
i don’t follow as many blogs that are strictly about music or the arts as much as i follow people’s individual blogs and am introduced to new artists and musicians that way. i am constantly bookmarking new bands to listen to, musicians i want to discover, or artists i don’t know that friends love. instead of going to commercial music blogs or sites, i find it more inspiring to be introduced by individuals that are so passionate about something that they have to write about it. i also like that the incredible variety of voices out there allows me to be introduced to differing tastes and viewpoints that i might not get in my everyday life.
me: you’ve done some radio, some audio engineering, as well as the administrative end of audio education, any words of wisdom for young people entering this music world via this digital world?
Tara Cadenelli: the world of music has changed so drastically with the advent of new technology. young people starting out in the industry have so many more options available to them, but the sheer number of choices and avenues can be overwhelming. it is no longer the norm that an artist is discovered by some A&R person at a big label and guided through a career, never having to think about anything but their art. while i personally think this is ultimately a good thing, it means that artists today have to wear a seemingly endless number of hats. not only do you have to create the product, but you have to produce, manufacture, design, distribute, and market it and yourself.
i think the most important thing that any young person can do is arm themselves with as much knowledge and expertise as they possibly can. embrace technology. teach yourself Garageband and Digital Performer or Logic or whatever digital audio software you can get your hands on. learn Photoshop and Illustrator and Final Cut. build a website yourself, start a blog . take your work into your own hands.
in many ways this is a wonderful time for young artists. when i went to music school there were really limited resources available to musicians starting out. now there are a myriad of options to help you find your voice. use these tools to get out there and make your mark.
I couldn’t have said it better myself! so, support gorgeousbear.com, you may find out about an artist for the first time or you may find out about an artist you’ve loved forever. either way, this is a true example of the upside of technology, the voice of the individual music lover and supporter being heard, gotta love it!
so, til next week, good peoples! make sure you check back and in the meantime, stay up stay strong and stay positive!
peaces
rox
© 2010 J.A.G. Music and Media
