The Star Online: Entertainment: Music

Posted: 16 Jun 2013 12:16 AM PDT

Cut from the same cloth, Nic Shake aspires to take his music far and wide ... just like his dad.

IT must be daunting task to get a foot into the entertainment industry with the spectre of a parent hovering close by. In the music industry, Jakob Dylan (of Wallflowers fame) has been measured against his dad. Likewise Julian and Sean Lennon. Likewise Ziggy Marley.

Nicolas Shake is casting a blind eye to history's tales of terror and forging ahead with a music career, knowing full well the implications of his last name. Nic's dad is Datuk Shake (real name Sheikh Abdullah Ahmad Bakhbereh), the Johorian baritone who became the first French-singing Asian to have a career in France in the late 1970s, and responsible for Malaysian nuggets like Umi, Lina and Kau Bungaku. And courtesy of his father's illustrious career, Nic has chanced a glimpse into the world of stardom, and is equipping himself to handle the windy twists and turns when they come.

Despite having bases both in Los Angeles and birthplace Paris, he's chosen to launch his music career in Malaysia instead, in a way, as a tip of the hat to his father's roots.

"Malaysia is a great platform because of my father's legacy. Besides, KL and Malaysia are very diverse and international in its makeup," revealed the 31-year-old, who was weaned on music from the 1990s, devouring R&B and hip hop before being swayed by the groove and grit of classic rock.

Nic's take on the genre he's most into now is captured in his debut single Ready To Go, which is encapsulated in the soon-to-be-released Dreams And Realities album. The tune bristles with cracking guitars and a driving beat that pushes all the buttons to make it a radio staple.

"Once I got into bands like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, I picked up on the power of guitar riffs and the live music-making process. It's all real instruments with musicians playing them. Rock music always has a story, an emotion. There's nothing fake or engineered about it and I like that honesty," the singer professed.

And pouring his heart out in song is an art he's learned from the likes of Cat Stevens, Damian Rice, Kings Of Leon, The Black Keys and White Stripes, among others. "I love the dynamic of just two people (Black Keys and White Stripes), and the amazing things they can accomplish."

Nic knows that it's R&B and hip hop that are ringing the cash registers at music stores, but he's prepared to face adversity head-on knowing that he has an ace up his sleeve, too. "What I do is a blend of pop and rock ... it has catchy hooks. My music has an old soul, but it stays modern with what I am trying to say in the songs."

Pursuing a music career, believe it or not, was more by accident than intent. Nic and his twin brother Amaro have both immersed themselves in the movie industry, sharing production credits on a series of shorts. "My brother prefers to be behind the camera. He's the yin to my yang." The brothers, along with their half sister Mina Poe, were behind the revered 2013 French short film Bon Appetit Misere.

Nic studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute before being egged to give music a shot by American session musician Seth Freeman. "Seth and I worked on a movie soundtrack that had a 1970s rock vibe, and we had a blast. Then he suggested I give singing a try, and since I love working with him, I thought I'd give this a shot," revealed the actor/director-turned singer.

Growing up in Los Angeles made Nic privy to all manner of entertainment. It was during his formative years that he witnessed the workings of the industry. He met musicians, actors, attended house parties and witnessed the scourge of the paparazzi.

And his time in Paris taught him to appreciate the arts, culture and history.

But even with all this exposure, it's easy to assume his foray into the music business must surely be one fraught with trepidation. "There's always pressure. I'm lucky that my dad paved the way for me. Although we do very different things musically, there are bound to be comparisons."

Nic isn't trying to be his dad though, and knows full well that their backgrounds simply won't allow it, either: "He came from a kampung in Johor Baru. I grew up in Beverly Hills. He started from scratch but I from the middle." The difference is like night and day, but Nic is still his father's son, sporting his old man's trademark good looks.

As a responsible parent, the older Shake has passed on his acquired wisdom to his children. "My dad always told me to never be afraid of criticism, and warned me of naysayers. He is humble by nature and I learned humility from him. He holds on dearly to his beliefs and I find that very inspiring."

Ultimately, his dad is just that – a dad. "He prays five times a day and is always with mum (Mimi, who cast a watchful eye on her son during this interview). He's very accessible and is a real jokester, to the point my friends want to hang out with him."

It has become awkward on occasion, especially when mums of Nic and his brother's friends are caught stealing glances at their dad when he drops them off at school.

Dreams And Realities is a creative process that's taken five years for fruition, and Nic has done a lot of living in that time. "The album is about dreams and life. I was in a relationship that was falling apart and I simply channelled those emotions into song," he explained, revealing that he wears his heart on his sleeve. Even with the passage of time, he remembers his first stab at being a star. "My brother and I performed Michael Jackson's Bad during a talent competition and we won. My brother was annoyed at me for dancing more than him, but I just said to him, 'I got us there, didn't I?'"

And that's Nic in a nutshell – ever ready for an adventure and willing to put his shoulder to the wheel to realise his dreams. A chip of the old block? It's hard to think otherwise.

For more info, visit nicshake.com or facebook.com/nic-shake. Check out Nic's first single at http://goo.gl/qeTYi

The freeze is over

Posted: 15 Jun 2013 04:29 PM PDT

Things are heating up in music again for LL Cool J with a new album, Authentic.

Hip hop legend LL Cool J is at a point in his career where he never has to rap again.

At 45, he's a senior in the youth-oriented rap game, and he's more than left his mark on the music industry.

Seminal albums such as Radio (1985), Bigger And Deffer (1987) and Mama Said Knock You Out (1990), and hits I Need Love, Rock The Bells, Doin' It, I'm Bad and The Boomin' System made him a pioneer before he settled into a comfortable role on TV's NCIS: Los Angeles.

But LL Cool J says he will never rest on his laurels or be irrelevant in music.

"It's not about whether you ever have to put out anything else again," he says. "It's like a painter saying he doesn't have to paint anymore because he sold so many copies of his work. That does the art a disservice."

Instead, the rapper says he'd rather be out there breaking new ground – "coming up with new and exciting ideas. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't."

LL Cool J, who hasn't released an album since Exit 13 in 2008, returns with the new Authentic, which features collaborations with Brad Paisley, Eddie Van Halen, Charlie Wilson, Snoop Dogg, Seal, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chuck D, Travis Barker, Monica and more.

"What I wanted to do was spread my wings a bit and work with some of the people I truly respect – delve into different genres of music," he says. "And I wanted to show that hip-hop is capable of being so much more."

Hosting the Grammys in recent years has stoked his interest in working with other artistes, especially ones outside of hip-hop.

"I wanted to reflect where I am at this point in my life," he says.

Most surprising of all of LL Cool J's collaborations is his work with Paisley. The rapper and the country star got together on each other's albums: Paisley appears on Live For You from Authentic, while LL Cool J appears on the controversial Accidental Racist from Paisley's Wheelhouse.

"We were talking about ideas for a song for his album and decided to just do something that would have a positive impact on society in the long run," the rapper says.

Accidental Racist attempted to spark discussion about racism but generally was regarded as ill-conceived and even knuckle-headed by music fans and critics alike.

"The song wasn't perfect, but it was a necessary conversation," says LL Cool J, who wasn't expecting all the negative reaction to the song. "I'm surprised that people who know my background, who know who I am, would assume I would trivialise slavery. That's a stretch. I can't believe they were saying that. But people hear what they want to hear – see what they want to see."

Despite the controversy, he says Accidental Racist was a success.

"You can't name another song more important than that in the last 20 years," he says. "What song can you think of that touched more people, negatively or positively? You can't."

LL Cool J says the title of his new album was going to be Authentic Hip Hop, but as he got more and more into the project he realised "what I was doing wasn't the proper moniker for the album. Authentic hip hop is a totally different thing. It turned out I ended up focusing on myself as a musician and artist. And when you make music from the heart and soul, it's all authentic."

LL Cool J is headlining the "Kings of the Mic" tour in the United States, which brings together classic hip-hop acts, including Public Enemy and Ice Cube.

"I just called everybody up and basically said, 'Let's go on the road,'" he says. "They were all into it. It's a really exciting show, and all the artists are still at the top of their game. They're bringing the heat." – St Louis Post-Dispatch/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Ahad, 16 Jun 2013

The Star Online: Entertainment: Music

The Star Online: Entertainment: Music

0 ulasan:

Catat Ulasan