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Anyone that attended a deadmau5 show in North America this year would have experienced electrifying live renderings of material from his first full length artist album 4×4=12, due out December 6 on Ultra Music.  Performing in front of hundreds of thousands at major festivals and venues from coast to coast including Coachella, Bonnaroo, Electric Daisy Carnival, Austin City Limits and Treasure Island Music Festival to name a few, electronic music’s most talked-about artist and producer unveiled a wide range of new songs to accompany his roof-raising visual show.

With his revolutionary LED mau5head which flashed space scenes and robot smiley faces, deadmau5 – at his full production shows and extended sets at his “unhooked” gigs – highlighted his sets with tracks like Cthulhu Sleeps, Some Cords and the atmospheric track Raise Your Weapon featuring Picture Book singer Greta Svabo Bech.

Also included on 4×4=12 is the deadmau5 vs. Wolfgang Gartner collaboration Animal Rights, which Beatport described as, “…a huge club record that combines the styles of both producers and has been heavily compared to Daft Punk. We here at Beatport welcome the new direction and give it our thumbs up.”

The album’s next single Sofi Needs A Ladder, featuring a vivacious delivery by vocalist Sofi, made its live debut this past March at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami where deadmau5 was joined by Sofi and iconic drummer Tommy Lee in front of 50,000 fans and the track has been the opening piece on his current tour. Ultra Music will make it available on October 31.  Other highlights from the album include One Trick Pony which Sofi also appears on and the Michael Woods remix of I Said, a deadmau5 collaboration with U.K. DJ/producer Chris Lake.

In addition to many of the high-profile performances, 2010 has been a spectacular year thus far for the Toronto-based deadmau5.  He served as the MTV Video Music Award’s House Artist in September where Travie McCoy, Jason Derulo, and Robyn performed never-before-heard mau5-mixes of their current hit singles with him during the show.  He also made guest appearances on hit television shows Gossip Girl and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Meanwhile, gaming fans can now find deadmau5 starring as an in-game playable character in Activision Publishing Inc.’s DJ Hero 2.  (His smash #1 Billboard single Ghosts ‘n Stuff – which appeared on his last mix album For Lack of a Better Name (also from Ultra Music) – is also included on the game’s soundtrack.)

Recently profiled with a feature in Rolling Stone’s “Hot List” issue, deadmau5 will make his last North American appearances this year with three shows at New York City’s legendary Roseland Ballroom October 28, 29 & 30, the Voodoo Experience in New Orleans October 31 and a New Years Eve show December 31 at the Shaw Conference Center in Edmonton, Canada. The first two nights of his Roseland Ballroom “trifecta” shows will feature his powerful festival show supported by a fantastic cast of guests such as Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes, Erol Alkan, Afrojack and JDH & Dave P.  The final night, for his “unhooked” show, will feature his hit smash I Remember collaborator Kaskade as well as Calvin Harris, Pete Tong and Sleepy & Boo.  deadmau5 will bring his full production show to Voodoo and his Edmonton “Mau5quarade” NYE night also featuring guests Skrillex, Showtek, Mike De Rosa, Mikey Wong and Seelo Mondo.

In addition to a full album format, Ultra Music is also making 4×4=12 available via the iTunes Complete My Album program which permits single purchases through the digital retailer to apply for the full album when it releases.  Following Sofi Needs A Latter on October 31 will be Some Chords on November 7, Right This Second on November 14, Bad Selection on November 21 and Raise Your Weapon on November 28.

Today while surfing the web I came across an article on the Empire State Building. I just got back from a weekend trip to the Big Apple so this article caught my eye. I am a big fan of New York City, and I try to visit the city as much as I can. I just hate the subway system and the mass transit. You can be three or four miles from somewhere and it take you two hours to get there using the city buses and the subway system. Not to mention how expensive the city is. Everything costs so much money in that town. But regardless, New York City is home to some of the most well known tourist attractions in the country. You can catch a show on Broadway, take a walk through Times Square, catch a game at Madison Square Garden, pay your respects to the lives lost on 9/11, or get a bird’s eye view form the Empire State Building.

Speaking of the Empire State Building, it has joined the social media revolution and has joined both Facebook and Twitter. Not the actual building, of course, but a team of dedicated folks ready to share all sorts of information with the entire world. The company behind this is actually the Empire State Building Company (clever name for the company that owns such a building) and has created the Twitter handle @ESBObservatory. The same firm has also started an Empire State Building Facebook campaign (under the same brand name) by creating a business page for the iconic landmark. These accounts will be used to post photos of the building, share building information, highlight pop culture tidbits and update the general public on fun factoids about the famous office building.

The building is actually about to turn 80 years old, so be prepared for a lot of content about the history of the building in the near future. Also look for updates on weather, traffic, and just general news surrounding the building. The idea is great, and I am glad that someone finally has figured out that not only can people and businesses have a presence on the popular social network, but also building and landmarks. What’s next, is the moon going to join MySpace? (You never know, an astronaut did just in on foursquare from outer space earlier this week.)

This is a big step in the right direction for social media. People are starting to realize that these tools are more than just a simple waste of time and can actually add some value to our daily lives. Do you follow the Empire State Building on Twitter? What about on Facebook?

Dance music is like a drug. I can’t seem to get enough of it. I am always jamming to some form of this stuff. Whether listening to drums and bass or relaxing to chill out, my headphones are always being pumped with something new. When I first heard the single Empire I didn’t think anything of it. Just another great track that I would dance the night away to. But when I found out that I had landed an interview with these guys, I had no clue they were the minds behind this track. The song Empire has been killing it on the charts worldwide and they are about to kick off a tour in support of their debut album. These guys are starting off on the right foot too, finding themselves on the Anjunabeats record label and having been friends with the boys in Above & Beyond for years. They are excited to get over here too, hailing from Finland and having only played in the United States a handful of times. But don’t take my word for it. Get excited and get to know the guys in Super8 & Tab.

You guys just released your debut album. What was the process like recording your new first disc?

The whole project was really interesting and painful and fun and what other words can I put here? There were so many mixed feelings to make the album. At the end we were really happy with the result, and it turned out to be better than we thought it would be. We knew it was going to be a Super8 & Tab album, but we had so many other tracks from so many other artists that we had to work wuth. They all speak together. We are really happy about it. It feels great.

You guys are originally from Finland. What is the dance scene like there?

It’s not that big. The club scene is not that big at all. However, it’s really active and people are really into it when they come to a club. When you come to clubs you don’t come out to look around and stand in the corner. These people come to have a good time, and they come to party. They are always good parties here, even though they are not that big. They are bigger in Amsterdam and in the UK. But it’s very active here. I think that all the DJs that come from abroad are a bit surprised that the parties are so good here. All the big parties are trance and the smaller parties (400-1,000 people) are more house and maybe a little trance. They are more hours and progressive. Big parties, of 3,000-4,000 people are mainly into trance.

Do you prefer playing overseas or do you enjoy playing in the United States?

The US market is quite new for us. We have not been there that many times. We have maybe played in the states three or four times. It’s getting better and better. We are really getting excited for this upcoming tour that we have starting at the beginning of December. We are looking forward to coming back to the states.

What is the biggest crowd you have ever played for?

It was in 2006. We played in Love Parade. It was the last Love Parade to take place in Berlin. There were 1.5 million people. I think that was the biggest for us. Of course there were only a few tracks, but at the same time at the same place there were 1.5 million people. That was amazing when you played to that. It was just filled with people and people and people; it was unreal. That was the biggest outdoor party.

What about the smallest crowd?

It must be one of those house parties that we have with our friends. (Laughs) Perhaps 20 people having a good time.

Do you guys have a favorite venue?

We have been playing a lot in the Ministry of Sound in London. That feels more or less like a second home when we go there. For us, anyway. Everything just works there, and the DJ booth is filled with CD players. It feels even better playing there. I think that would be our favorite venue compared to the regular clubs.

Since you guys are on the Anjunabeats label, can you describe your relationship with Above & Beyond?

We have been on Anjunabeats almost from the beginning. We have very close relations with them. The boys are so nice. It feels like we have been friends forever. All of the guys on the label are so friendly and easy to work with. They are kind, nice people. We are part of the Anjunabeats family.

Empire is getting played all over the world, and a ton of DJs are producing remixes of this track. When you released it did you have any idea it would have this much immediate success?

That was the track, the first track we started to work with. It was the first track we wanted on the album. There was just something about that track that felt good. You can never imagine that when you go to play a song like that. People are singing the track, knowing the track. On Facebook and our website Empire is getting a lot of compliments. It feels really good. We are happy with the result. We had no idea it would be this successful.

You worked with Paul van Dyk last year. What was it like having him request a remix from you?

We actually did a couple of remixes with him. The first one was New York City, and the last one was Nothing But You. Of course Paul van Dyk is “the” DJ on this market. He produces so many different sounds, and he is taking other DJs to a whole different level. To have a request come in from Paul, and to have us remix one of his most successful tracks, it was an honor to be in that place. We hope that did a good job for him.

What is your favorite part of playing in a nightclub compared to a festival?

If you are playing in a festival, they are just so big, and it gets crazy. Usually the sun is shining and it’s summertime. The festivals are all so massive, and there is so much energy among them. Also, you lose that connection you have with a club crowd. If you are playing for 400-500 people you are just so close to them. You can feel that you are a part of the crowd that way. I prefer to play in clubs. Festivals are something special though. They only happen one time of the year, and that is what makes these festivals so special. I like clubs.

Who do you think would win in a pillow fight between Armin and Paul van Dyk?

That is a hard question. I think it would be even! (Laughs)

Where do you see yourselves in five years?

I hope we can do this, what we are doing now, making music and traveling around the world. We want to meet new people, see new places, and hopefully are continuing to make music. I hope that we can do that.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

I hope that people keep finding our tracks. I go to YouTube and research the classics and find new tracks that I had never heard before. I want people to have a feeling when they find our tracks. I want people to remember a feeling they had when they listened to our tracks.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

This is not the only empire.

For the last two years I have been making my morning cup of coffee in a Keurig. If you are not familiar with the Keurig, and you drink coffee, put whatever you are doing on hold and listen up. This might change your life.

A Keurig machine is a coffee maker, but not your typical coffee pot. This thing will make your cups of coffee literally one cup at a time. You use what are called K-Cups that are sold separately. You take a cup, place it in the machine, and select your size. Most machines will have one, two, or even three sizes you can make. You press the brew button and less than a minute later you have a steaming hot cup of Joe. Pretty simple, right?

Like I said, I have been making my morning cup (and afternoon cup as well) in one of these machines. My office has one. But recently we decided to get one for the house as well. I figured with as much coffee as I drink, it would be a great investment. So we went online, shopped around, did some initial research, and decided to get one!

These things are not cheap, but remember this is an investment. Sure, you can walk into Walmart and get a coffee pot for ten or twenty bucks. But this thing does all the work for you with the touch of a button. So we headed over to Kohl’s, as I knew they sold these units. However their selection of K-Cups was weak. Sheryl suggested we try Bed, Bath & Beyond. We walked in, turned left, and there were more options than I could handle. Stacks and stacks of K-Cups were surrounding me and there were all different types of machines too. Not only did they have every option with the Keurig but they also had one from Nescafé and Starbucks. They are similar, but use different cups.

Anyway, we get this thing home, open it up, and I haven’t been able to stop playing with it. I have made a handful of cups and Sheryl has been on a rampage making coffee every morning noon and night. She has even bought more cups and a bottle of sugar-free syrup. She is turning into a barista without even knowing it!

There are several types of Keurig machines you can choose. Below is a brief description of each.

Mini

This is the introductory model, and the cheapest by nearly $20. This will heat and brew your cup of coffee in under three minutes. This also only has one cup size, offering you no choice when it comes to how much Joe you actually want.

However, the smaller size of this Keurig allows it to go almost anywhere. You can take this machine to your office, or your dorm room, even to your vacation home without much trouble. Another cool feature of this machine is that it comes in three colors. You can get a black one, a red one, or a white one.

Elite

The Elite is an automatic brewer that is the first step above the Mini. This one brews your coffee much faster than the Mini having your coffee ready in less than one minute. You can also choose from two different cup sizes, and it has a forty-eight ounce water reservoir on the side. This machine also has an automatic off feature in case you forget to hit the power button when you are done brewing.

Special Edition

This is the first model that has a programmable brewer. This is also the one that we bought. This model also brews your coffee in under a minute and has the option of three cup sizes. As with the Elite, this model also has a forty-eight ounce reservoir for your water. Trust me, if you were filling this up every time, it is the same as having a regular coffee pot almost.

This model also has a few programmable features like an automatic on and off function. It also has adjustable temperatures so if you want your coffee hot or cold the power is in you. It has a digital clock and even allows you to set your favorite cup size.

Platinum

Just the name screams expensive. And it is. It is over $100 more than the Mini. But, with that adjusted price point comes a lot more features. Your coffee is brewed in under one minute and allows you to choose one of five cup sizes. This is also the only model that supports the iced beverage feature allowing you to make your coffee iced rather than hot. (This is my type of coffee pot. I hate drinking hot coffee.)

This model also has a feature known as Quiet-Brew Technology that produces your coffee without any noise at all. I have seen this one at work (this is the model we have in my office) and you wouldn’t know it was even brewing unless you were staring straight at it. And not to mention this one has a sixty-ounce water reservoir.

This model also has all of the same programmable features as the Special Edition model giving you total control over your cup of coffee.

As you can see, there are many options when it comes to making a cup of coffee with your Keurig. Remember this is an investment, but in the future it will pay off cup after cup. I am happy that we decided to get one. It will actually force me to make more coffee with less effort. The folks over at Keurig make it simple to choose, to brew, and to enjoy coffee.

Have you ever used one? Do you have a Keurig at home?

Do you like gummy worms? I have never been a big fan of gummy worms, but when you start talking Guinness Book of World Records you have my attention. I don’t know a lot about the previous record, but I know that the record was recently broken. My friend Ryan sent me the link first. We discussed the size of this thing and how much skill it takes to make a gummy worm of this size. I didn’t think much about it until my girlfriend sent me a similar link. From there I had to research this thing. I found out that this sucker is 128 times larger than a traditional gummy worm. You can thank the comapny Vat 19 for this.

“The World’s Largest Gummy Worm is 128 times more massive than a traditional gummy worm. Measuring twenty-six inches long and weighing in at approximately 3 pounds, the World’s Largest Gummy Worm is the most delicious 4,000-calorie candy worm in existence. Each World’s Largest Gummy Worm features dual flavors, a ribbed body, and a five inch girth. It makes an amazing gift for now or later due to its year-long shelf life. Handmade in the USA. Available in five flavor combinations.”

After playing around on the Vat 19 site I also found they make all sorts of cool products. Imagine a gummy bear the size of your face! Yeah, you can order that. The cost is not really justifiable, and by the time you ship this thing you will want to look at it before enjoying it. But Vat 19 is proud of their new product and has already begun selling them on their website. I know this blog post is not as long as you are used to, but I just had to share this with you. This just makes me want to go to the closest gas station and buy a bag of gummy bears. And I don’t even like gummy bears! It is handmade in the United States though!

Do you like gummy bears? Can you imagine ordering one of these? You would be eating for a week!

I have not been drinking wine for long, but I understand why people get so excited over a bottle of vino. My cousin was actually married at a winery in the Napa Valley and while I sat there sipping on a Diet Coke, I could see the reaction from people who knew what they were being poured. I have since become obsessed with wines having visited numerous tastings and having read several books on what makes a good glass of wine, why certain years are better than others, and what goes into the process of producing a bottle of wine. Another man that has learned how to appreciate a good bottle of wine is certified sommelier Rick Bakas. Don’t ask me where we met, but we connect all the time on the popular social networking site Facebook.

I compare Rick to the likes of Gary Vaynerchuk, a guy that is obsessed with wine and is doing something about his passion for the grape. So as I sat here on Facebook watching Rick work, I knew that nothing short of an interview would do his education and experience justice. So I reached out to Rick and he happily obliged. So below take some time to get to know Rick as we talk about wine and his career as a certified sommelier. Grab a glass, pour your favorite vino, and let’s learn more about Rick Bakas.

Your name is Rick Bakas. I would like to start with a few questions about your name before we move on. One, are you a Ricky originally, or a Richard? Also, how do you pronounce your last name? I want to make sure I have it right when I tell people about the interview!

My name is actually Fredrick Bakas, but since Fred is a dumb name, I go by Rick.  My last name is pronounced either way.

Your current position is Director of Social Media for St. Supéry Winery. That is in the Napa Valley. With all the wineries in Napa, how did you pick this one?

When you sent these questions, it was my position.  Now I’m on my own starting Bakas Media so I can do the same thing I was doing, but for the entire wine industry.  I was the first person hired into the industry as a Director of Social Media.

My cousin was actually married in Napa Valley over at Calistoga Ranch. Have you heard of that winery before?

I have not, even though I lived in Calistoga for six months.  How was it? I hope it was great!

Do you also live in the Napa Valley or do you have a long commute into work each morning? Or better yet do they allow you to work from home?

After living in Calistoga for the first six months, my wife and I moved to Marin so she could be closer to the city.  We’re currently in the process of buying a house in Sonoma.

I bet you drink a lot of wine. Is it possible to pick a favorite?

I’ve been asked this question before, and each time I think about it, it’s actually WHO I had the wine with that’s more memorable (or a favorite).  Not which bottle.  I’ve had some favorite $10 bottles because I liked who I was having it with.  I’ve had some $700 bottles that were okay because the person I was with was not my favorite.

How has social media changed the wine world?

Social media is changing the world currently (present tense).  At the heart of it, it’s people talking to each other.  We just have new tools to talk to each other, and better ways to track it.

It’s working out the way it’s supposed, which is nice.  I’ve met so many more people and made so many more new true friends because of social media.  It’s also given people like me more confidence to come out of my shell from the comfort of my home.

Which tools are you active on? Which is your favorite?

My new favorites are Plancast and GetGlue.  Past favorites besides the obvious ones are Posterous, Evernote, Eventbrite.  I also want to give a shout out to languages like AJAX, Rails and Python.  Those programming languages, and the developers who use them are why social media is happening.

You wrote a book titled 75 Tips for Social Media Success. Care to share a few of those tips with us here today?

Be consistent is my favorite.  Use the same avatar across all social sites and use the same screen name.  Also, be consistent with your voice.  Also, know when to turn it off.  All these emerging tools and growing social graphs suck you in.  Having balance is not overrated.

You have worked with a lot of major sports teams in your career. Is there a reason you focus so much on that industry?

That’s mostly because I worked at NIKE for eight years.

It’s football season! Who is your favorite football team?

I’m an Oregon Duck (and I designed the Oregon ‘O’). Really happy they made it to #1 in College football.  Also, the other team I did the identity for was the Denver Broncos (on the design team), and since I’m from Denver they’re my NFL team even though they look mediocre.

I might be a snob when it comes to this, but I love having a cork in my bottles of wine. I just can’t get used to the screw cap. Am I crazy for refusing to buy a bottle of wine that is missing the cork?

Is the a reason you feel that strongly?  Have you had any bad experiences with screw cap?  It could just be a personal choice which is fine.  If you haven’t had a bad experience with screw cap, maybe you’ll come around some day to being okay with it.  There’s quite a bit of tradition with cork, which is part of the traditional wine experience.  Sadly, about 10% of the world’s wine is bad from being “corked” which is a waste.

Tell me a little bit more about being a Certified Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers. What does it take to become a certified sommelier?

You have to know a bit about grape variety, soil, climate, location.  Each level of the Court requires you to drill deeper into all those areas.  Also, being a sommelier also means you operate as a professional and always provide a high level of service.

What has been your biggest challenge getting to where you are today in both the wine industry and the social media realm?

Haters.  There’s so many positive, supportive people who have helped me get to where I am and it’s humbling.  On the other hand, there’s haters.  There are a handful of people in the industry, and I guess they are competitors who continually send negative vibes my way.  Gary Vaynerchuk seems to have the same challenges from what I can tell.  Every now and then you see him responding to someone who was critical or negative.

What are some great wines that are not getting enough attention right now? I hear stuff coming from Oregon is pretty hot as well as a few select wines from Australia. What is making these regions flourish?

When you say “not getting enough attention,” what do you mean — attention from critics or attention from consumers?  Regions like Oregon are getting mad love from critics, but maybe not from consumers, partially because of the average price point.

I drink a lot of wine, but I base my selection on how much money I have in my wallet. Is there a correlation to the price of a bottle and the quality of the wine inside?

Yes and no.  Depends on the grape variety and the region.  With Pinot Noir, it’s hard to find a really good pinot for less than $25 from anywhere. Luckily for wine lovers, there’s pretty much always great QPR’s from different regions.

The correlation of price to quality is all over the place.  In some cases the higher price really does reflect the cost of land, handling, farming, oak, etc.  In other cases, wines are just overpriced because of slick marketing and branding.

I have not been drinking wine for long, but have always been a big beer drinker. Is there a common transition from one into the other or is it different for everyone?

When you get certified as a sommelier, you learn to pay attention to your palate.  Your tongue is an amazing part of the body.  No matter what you eat or drink, your tongue does the same thing, which is detect sweet, sour, bitter, salt and umami.

Adult beverages like beer and wine have similarities in fermentation and food pairing.  Both get their sweet, sour, bitter, salt from organic material like hops or grapes.  As a sommelier, I enjoy both equally depending on the mood or food.

I am about to enjoy a steak dinner (cooked medium rare) with a side of fresh garden vegetables and a baked potato. What wine should I order?

Oh man.  The list of choices would have about 5,000 wines on it.  Just about anything red besides Pinot.  Steak and red wine is one of the main pairings no matter which red wine.  If it were at my house right now, tonight I’d probably open a Quinta do Crasto Douro Red from Portugal.  Tomorrow, maybe a 1998 Shiraz from Tahbilk in Victoria, Australia.  You pretty much can’t go wrong.

That’s a pretty cool story about your last name. Tell me a little bit more about where you come from and how well you knew your grandparents growing up.

I didn’t really know my grandparents on my father’s side that well.  I did not know my great grandparents at all.  As the story goes, my great grandparents came to the United States in 1912 and their last name was Bacchus.  They decided to americanize the spelling when they got here.  I’ve considered changing it back.

I can’t wait to see The Social Network. Are you excited to see it when it comes out?

Yes.

What sort of music do you listen to?

Just about anything that isn’t popular.  Today is was the classic jazz station on SIRIUS.  Yesterday it was a bluegrass version of Jack Johnson’s songs.  Depends on the day and the mood.

Based on what I know about you, I would venture to say you are a wine expert. “They” say it takes 10,000 to become an expert. Would you consider yourself a wine expert?

No.  I’d consider myself an intermediate.  You could spend your whole life studying wine and not learn it all.  Master Sommeliers are the closest to doing that, but there’s always something new to learn.  I’m just fifteen years into my learning process.

Is there such a thing as the perfect brand?

There’s no such thing as a perfect anything.

I recently had the chance to speak in Dallas and in Las Vegas. Any advice you can give me on public speaking and how to handle myself in front of a room full of people?

I like to give the audience a lot of credit and do something, or say something they don’t expect.  Also, I like my speaking gigs to be 50% audience interaction.

You designed a shoe for Jason Kidd. Have you had the chance to meet Jason?

No, but I did meet plenty of other famous athletes while working at the big swoosh.

I see him everywhere I go. How talented is Brian Solis?

That dude is smart!  More than that, Brian doesn’t just talk the talk, he is a cool, engaging person in real life.  Really fun to hang out with.

Do you watch Wine Library TV?

Sometimes.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Australia.

Tell me a little bit more about your series, Back to Bakas.

I haven’t really gotten it to where I want it yet.  It’s meant to chronicle my pursuit of the perfect wine and food pairing, knowing I’ll never find it.  But it’ll be fun to take the journey, and maybe get close.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

With kids.  Maybe an Advanced Sommelier.  Still doing what I’m doing because I love it.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

That I lived interesting stories.

I always let the bands that I work with get the last word. Why not you? Go.

Cross pollination is the secret.

Earlier this year my girlfriend and I headed down the the Indiana State Fairgrounds for the 2010 Indiana State Fair. While walking through the midway and chomping on pounds of deep freid goodies, I ran into a long time friend of mine Sinclair Wheeler. He was wearing glasses, and I barely recognized him at first. But as my sweetie stood in line waiting for another snack, he and I caught up. Since I last saw Sinclair he has moved to Chicago, Illinois, has worked on and produced a new disc, and has been on the road in support of his new album. Based on what I can see, Sinclair is doing better now than he was when he was living in the Circle City.

This interview is pretty special for me. I remember sitting at Panera Bread right here in the Indianapolis area the first time I worked with Sinclair. We chatted until they kicked us out and I posted his first interview early on here on rickyleepotts.com. Since then I have written tons of interviews with bands all over the world. But in all the time I have been writing these interview no one artist has been featured on my website more than once. Until now! It is my pleasure to bring you the second helping of Sinclair Wheeler. If his personality doesn’t get you, his talents on stage will. This kid might be the hardest working man in show businesses, but at the end of the day not only does he remember your name, he knows what you like to drink and can talk for hours about nothing at all. I am glad that I met Sinclair, and I am glad that he is back here on the website to share his updated story with us all. So, without further adieu, Sinclair Wheeler.

What is this I hear about you moving to Chicago? What happened man, I thought you loved Indianapolis?

LOVE Indianapolis! That’s my hometown, that’s where my heart is. I’ll never be too far away. However, the time came for me to make a move. Chicago is the hub of the Midwest! Within three months up here I was completely engaged with music on all levels, and seeing my career move faster than it EVER has!

Tell me a little bit more about this new album. And where did The Flood come from? Who are all those guys?

The Flood is no more,  actually, I was playing with a seven piece band called The Pocket Machine for the past year and a half.  That was SUCH  a great band. We were covering everything from James Brown, to Jay Z. AWESOME! But again, it was time for a change.  Four years ago I made the decision to chase music as hard and as fast as I can, and unfortunately, not everyone can be on that agenda. I watered it down. I’m touring with DJ Wushu, one of the best I’ve ever seen live, and Evan Bernardin, the drummer of my past band The Pocket Machine.

This summer when I ran into you at the Indiana State Fair you showed just as much intensity toward your music as you did the day I met you. How do you continue to stay so motivated in what you do?

This is my life! You have to be dedicated and motivated on whatever you are doing.  The feeling is only become more intense, and the dream is becoming more real.

A new disc is not all you are announcing. You are also going on tour. Where all are you going on this tour?

We are hitting the Midwest. Champaign, Illinois, Indianapolis, Indiana, Bloomington, Indiana and then back home to Chicago.

Are you packing up a van or do you have a big tour bus now? Surely you have landed a record deal. Your work is too good to not be on a major.

(Laughs) Thanks Ricky! It’s funny actually. I just got off tour with Sam Adams. We were in eight cities in ten days touring on a 40 foot tour bus! So amazing, this time around though, back to grassroots! (Laughs) We got the SUV packed to the brim, and that will be our mode of transportation!

Your tag line, “Live Music. Live People,” might be the best way to describe you and your music. You are incredible live. Out of all the shows I have ever seen you might have poured more passion onto that stage than anyone. How do you continue to push that sort of energy out every single night?

All that is uncontrollable. It’s this high that keeps giving. I wake up every day and basically count the hours until I can get back on a stage and rock! I was born to do this, and as the stages and crowds get bigger it only reaffirms that this is for me.

Some of your tour dates feature Big Sean. He is on Kanye’s label if I am not mistaken. Are you trying to tell us something here? You going to be opening for Kanye soon?

Big Sean! He is on G.O.O.D. Music (that is actually Kanye West’s label). He is a good guy. I got a chance to kick it with him last time he was in Bloomington for a in-store appearance at Dope Couture.  I love his music, and his whole camp. They are doing MAJOR things! But if there was ONE label I would want to be on, it probably would be G.O.O.D. Music. GOOD music, which stands for Getting Out Our Dreams, makes sense right? If I could get in the studio with Mr. West, I already know there would be instant magic.

I was out of town for your mix tape release party. And that mix tape release party was right here in Indianapolis over at Rock Lobster. That show has to have some special meaning to you being in Indy.

YES! This was one the of the most important shows I’ve had in my career. It was like my homecoming. I moved to Chicago and have been all across the Midwest these past few months, and now I can come back home and say, “HERE! This is where I’m at right now.” I got so much love for my city, and they have always had so much love for me.  The line-up that I had was AMAZING! It’s dance music, it’s party music,  there are grooves for the girls, and jump-offs for the party animals. And everywhere in between!

I asked you this before, and that answer has now obviously changed. But where do you see yourself in five years?

I actually just went and referred to our last interview which was YEARS ago, to see where my head was at then. It was a pretty general answer, which is good. I’m still on that path. In five years now, however, I see me touring this country, with a strong, positive camp bringing good music to A LOT of people.

Also please check out my website, follow me on Twitter, and become a friend on Facebook. No matter where you look I am never too far away!

Shoutlet, provider of the most comprehensive social media management platform, today announced the addition of a Social Customer Relationship Management (CRM) component aimed at helping companies monitor, understand, and build on relationships with fans through interactions on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and a brand’s own website. Shoutlet’s Social CRM solution enables brands and agencies to turn basic social media interaction into brand evangelism, and ultimately into tangible business benefit.

Brands implementing Shoutlet’s Social CRM solution add a layer of intelligence to the company-fan relationship. Better direct fan dialogue management empowers marketers to clearly identify fans and the campaign elements that resonate with them. The tool provides actionable insights into the success of marketing outreach and creates opportunities for continued engagement with a brand’s most enthusiastic followers. Ultimately, Social CRM captures key fan activity, analyzes it, and generates collaboration opportunities to build communication and engagement between fans and brands. Companies are then able to refine customer relationships and encourage fans to become brand evangelists via highly targeted social media promotions.

“No one can argue the popularity and virality of social media, but the challenge for businesses is how to harness social media communication and use it as a tool for one-to-one communication, versus having it be just digital chatter,” said Jason Weaver, CEO of Shoutlet. “Shoutlet’s Social CRM solution helps companies achieve just that. Our focus is on helping our customers monetize their social media efforts by arming them with the ability to harness customer evangelists and create more highly targeted and effective social commerce campaigns.”

As an added feature to Shoutlet’s existing platform, Shoutlet’s Social CRM solution includes direct communication and fan management functionality:

• Review and respond to fan feedback: See real-time updates and comments to a Facebook page through the Shoutlet platform, create and assign internal tasks to respond directly to and interact with fans, building one-to-one communication.
• Categorize fans: Get a breakdown of who likes a company’s page and create custom categories to classify fans and discover the most loyal and active influencers.
• Analyze metrics: Monitor Facebook and Twitter activity statistics to gauge marketing campaign impact on the target audience.

“Learning how to grow a relationship with a customer or fan is at the forefront of every marketing organization’s mind, but it also happens to be one of the most difficult things to accomplish,” said Natalie Bass, Digital Marketing Manager, Houlihan’s Restaurants, Inc. “By implementing Shoutlet’s Social CRM feature on my social media management platform, we’re better equipped to identify and take those fan relationships to the next level. We are a customer-driven company and we know it’s an invaluable part of the online marketing process, generating better communication between us and the masses, but also serving as a point of validation and return for our social efforts.”

About Social CRM

Shoutlet’s Social CRM solution, an add-on feature to the company’s comprehensive social media management platform, helps companies understand how their fans engage with their brand on various social networks, adding intelligence to the direct communication with those fans and relationship management tools for turning those fans into evangelists via highly targeted campaigns. Social CRM also provides an analytics feature that helps measure fan activity and the success of social marketing programs.

About Shoutlet

Shoutlet provides a centralized platform that helps companies manage and monetize their social media communication. It includes Facebook and Twitter management, Social CRM, widget building, email and mobile marketing, social commerce, and real-time analytics in one easy-to-use interface. The platform gives brands and agencies the tools to create, manage, and measure their entire social media communications. Companies using Shoutlet’s platform are able to better design and implement highly targeted campaigns and ultimately improve the business impact of their social media communications.

While walking through the streets of Tempe, Arizona, I stumbled across Gordon Biersch. I had heard they had a pretty good selection of beers and wanted to give their lunch menu a whirl. I walked in, headed upstairs, and grabbed a seat at the bar.

Before walking in, I took a quick look at their menu. They had a list of beers they make in house, and figured I would try one or two. Better yet, give me the sampler platter! They have a sample of each beer, including their seasonal selection, for less than two pints. Granted, these are small beers but still. They are the same size you get when you order a sampler platter at any restaurant. They all look about the same.

Golden Export

This beer is said to be their lightest and freshest brew as well as their most refreshing. Upon first look it appears to be like any other domestic beer, but when you stick your nose deep in the glass you get certain crispness. The reason for the name is that this is one of the earliest styles of beers ever made, and it was once exported to countries like Germany.

The beer has a smooth taste with a short after taste and reminded me of a better tasting Bud Light. It was not too complex and is just one of those beers that people who don’t like beer drink. I liked it, don’t get me wrong. Just nothing there to write home about.

ABV: 5.00%

Hefeweizen

This beer is one of my favorite summer brews. Once served to only royalty and those with money, this beer is now most commonly referred to as Blue Moon. While Blue Moon has a more domestic taste, a little bit more controlled, this beer here at Gordon Biersch has a ton of flavor. The nose is not very big, but the second you throw this beer back your mouth goes on a journey through flavor.

The beer doesn’t have a big after taste, but it does have more punch than a typical hefeweizen. And for those of you who don’t know how to pronounce this style of beer, try sounding this out. (hey-fa-VEIT-sen).

ABV: 5.50%

Czech Pilsner

When I first had a pilsner I wasn’t all that impressed. But the more I drink them the better. I think spending almost two months in Poland had a lot to do with that as I drank a ton of this style while over seas.

Like most pilsners, the nose is weak and almost nonexistent. But once you take a sip your mouth goes crazy with flavor. And the aftertaste sticks with you for quite a while. It has a deep, dark aftertaste that makes your whole body warm with satisfaction.

The folks at Gordon Biersch say this brew is most often compared to a Saaz beer. I am not too sure what that means, but there is definitely a ton of spiciness and a lot of flavors on the latter half of this beer. Tasty, and one that I would love to have again. Perhaps I will order a pint when I am done!

ABV: 5.60%

Marzen

I am not sure I have ever had a beer like this before. At first glance it appears to be a brown lager, a typical brew you can find almost anywhere. But this style is a bit different. Originally brewed in March, hence the name (Marzen means March in German). This beer drinks like an amber but offers up a sweeter finish than most beers.

The nose on this beer is even sweet, and the first drink leaves you wanting more. The flavor is not that great, but the aftertaste is indeed worth it. Sweetness is a good word to describe it as when the flavors leave the sweetness stays behind. Its weird, almost like I just sucked on a packet of Splenda.

This beer, even though it is a unique style, is not something I will be looking for the next time I visit the liquor store. It was good, that’s about it. Glad I tried it though as I am always looking to experience new styles of beer.

ABV: 5.70%

Schwarzbier

I am not even sure I have heard of this style before. But in German it means “black beer”. However, the beer is not black. Go figure.

The beer, like most of the beers I was trying, had a weak nose. But they promised a coffee-like finish with a hint of dry roasted coffee beans in the after taste. So I drank up to find out.

While it didn’t taste like coffee, it did have a very dry finish with a weak start. The after taste, the longer it sat on my tongue, began to taste like coffee. But it leaves an almost nutty finish rather than coffee. But dry is a great work to describe this beer. It was delicious as well, leaving me begging for more.

I might also suggest drinking this beer warm in a room temperature glass. Most beers, good beers anyway, need to be drunk this way. The beer actually gets better the warmer it gets and the closer it gets to room temperature.

ABV: 4.29%

Oktoberfest

Their seasonal beer was a typical Oktoberfest brew. When the waitress served it she even said, “This is just a typical Oktoberfest beer. Nothing special.” She said it with a smile, but she was right.

I am not sure what it is about this style. I am not a huge fan. The same with the pumpkin ales that are popping up this season too. I did hear of a pumpkin porter that is floating around the Midwest, but have yet to try it. If you can point me in the right direction I might just grab one of those.

But this Oktoberfest had very little nose and even less flavor. The aftertaste is actually the best part. It is weak, but it sticks around for a while. Nothing to brag about.

ABV: 4.29%

The beers here were just mediocre. They are nothing I would try to order at home, and would not come back just for the beer. However, places like The Ram Restaurant & Brewery, Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurant & Brewery, and Alcatraz Brewing Company are all about the same. They have the same styles of beer, they all taste similar, and they are all just decent at best. I drink them, but I don’t brag about them to my friends.

Award Winning Beers

The beers here at Gordon Biersch have won a few awards. I am not sure if the year has anything to do with it, or if the judges just like their beers, but I am not sure I would call them award winning. Some of the awards they have won come from the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival. They have won bronze, silver, and gold medals in various years and for various beers.

While I might not give any of these beers an award, I am glad that I chose to stop by and try these brews.

Starting to Get Hungry

While here I wanted to make sure to try their food as well. I looked over the menu, and the price points seemed a bit high. But, it’s to be expected here in Tempe. I glanced over the appetizer sampler, which is always a popular choice with me, but I decided to stay true to my diet, especially since I didn’t eat too well while in Las Vegas. So I ordered a Cobb salad.

It was great! The salad was served with chicken, and had all the typical Cobb salad ingredients on top. There was a perfect amount of lettuce as well that made the salad good to the last bite. The chicken was seasoned and the bacon was spicy, and it was quite possibly one of the best salads I have had in a long time. And I eat a lot of salads.

One thing that I didn’t care for were the servers. Granted, I sat at the bar, but still. In the time I spent enjoying my lunch I heard all their weekend plans, what football games they were interested in on television, their newly found workout routines, and their plan to switch shifts so they could stay out later that night. It was Saturday; I might do the same thing.

As a matter of fact, having served for the majority of my working career, I did do that. I was always a part of the “server community” and did the same thing day in and day out. It’s the same thing no matter where you go. I do like it that the management staff seemed to be connected with the servers as well and they all called each other by name. It was not a fine dining establishment, and that’s okay. I didn’t expect it to be. Overall, the service was just what a place like this demands.

I am glad that I skipped the Thai place and decided to come in here for lunch. It was a learning experience trying the new beers, I had a great salad, and I walked away completely satisfied. I wonder if there are any of these in the Midwest.

Have you ever had a beer or eaten at a Gordon Biersch? Where is the closest location to you?

This is a guest blog post that was written by Shan Parker regarding his experience at the Rally for Equality. The photos are courtesy of Wilson Allen.

I showed up on Monday morning, not knowing what to expect. The rally that I had been asked to help organize, attend and even speak at was happening in about 90 minutes and at 9:30 AM, the City Market plaza was empty. Would anyone show up? Had Topher, Nichole and I wasted countless hours putting together an event that no one would show up to? Did I help distribute 4,000 flyers over the weekend to give my speech to an empty plaza?

As Topher, Nichole, several volunteers and I set up tables and a makeshift dressing room for the entertainment, it began to come together. Some of the sponsors showed up early to make sure everything was perfect. By 10:30, a few supporters had shown up and were waiting for the event to actually start. I’m a very prompt person, so at 11 when there were still only a few people in the plaza (and some vendors were still missing).  Needless to say, I was beginning to worry. It was sometime around 11:15, after DJ Jackola had started his set, that I turned around and it seemed as if the plaza had magically filled with a hundred people. At that moment, I got teary eyed… we had done it. Even if these 100 people were only the ones who showed up, we had made an impact.

The next two hours went smoothly. Lots of cupcakes were given away, several entertainers performed, and a group of about five of us gave short speeches to the crowd. I’ll admit that I had written my speech at midnight the night before. I hadn’t given a speech in public since college and I was nervous about not just telling the story again, but making it personal and heartfelt. The night before, I read through the speech several times and it seemed good, but it wasn’t until I was reading it to a crowd that broke into cheers several times that I found myself barely able to hold it together. My actions and my words were moving these people to stand up and be heard. A quote by Ghandi that I included in my speech sums the events up perfectly.

“You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.”

We estimate that 300-400 people made their way through the plaza over the two hour event. We plan on continuing it and having a 2nd annual Rally for Equality next fall. The community response has been so positive and the amount of sponsors we were able to get involved in such a short span leads us to feel that with proper planning and more time the sky is the limit for next year.