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Annie, Your website and your cause though music and art is unique and attention grabbing - as well as just plain out fun and creative. Tell us in your own words about your mission, vision and values statement for Hobby Horse Café. Our mission for Hobbyhorse Cafe was to create a website for the listener and viewer. Most musicians websites are more like press kits than they are for the fan's enjoyment. We also wanted to create a concept of a virtual cafe. I am very affected by atmosphere, and I thought our website should have an artistic and inviting atmosphere like the kind of cafe that I like to frequent. We decided to feature other musicians, artists and poets both as a service to the creative community and to enliven the website. Is Hobby Horse Café only a web presence - or do you have a physical location? Tell us about your physical location's opportunities, if any. Hobbyhorse Cafe is a completely imaginary Cafe. We like to say it is an imaginary cafe for imaginative people. What is offered to Regular members? When someone signs up to "Become a Regular" at Hobbyhorse Cafe they recieve access to all of the music and art on the website that is restricted to other visitors. It is Free of charge. All "Regulars" agree to be on our mailing list. They recieve updates about the Hobbyhorse Cafe, Hobbyhorse gigs and other Hobbyhorse related news. We are careful to not send out more than a few emails a month because we know that people are overwhelmed with their email in general. How does one go about registering their music and artwork with your website? Our featured guests generally show a combination of interest in the website and willingness to give us something unique to post. My partner Phil is a recording engineer and offers to make a live recording to post on the website. One of the artists we featured painted a picture that was inspired by one of our songs. We want to give people something new and different, not just the latest track from the cd. We only feature about one guest every other month or so. What drives you creatively? I have always been creative in everything I do. It is my strength. I find it funny when people say they play music or do art as a "creative outlet", because it is much more than an" outlet" for me. In fact I read books about science as my "scientific outlet." But creativity through music, writing and art are just natural forms of expression for me. Do you have a point in which you become really satisfied with your creations - as if knowing if another thing was added or taken away it would absolutely destroy it. Yes, I am one of the few people I know who loves the editing process more than the initial moment of creation. Editing is creative to me. It is about shaping the song or painting. Intuitively I know when something is finished. I am usually right, but sometimes I wish I had done something different. What kind of people do you think are the ones that become successful. People who are doing what they love to do no matter what it is are successful. If they are making a living at it then they are really successful. What do you feel are the top 2 things that are wrong with the professional art and music industry? What I think is wrong with the music industry I think is right about the art industry. There is such an obsession with youth in the music industry. It is ridiculous, because some of the best musicians are older. It may be changing a little bit, but it seems like the only older (40+) musicians that are popular had become famous when they were younger. In the art world, on the other hand, many emerging artists are over 40. You are expected to develop your talents. It doesn't matter as much what you look like, just what your art looks like. Another issue with the music industry is that it is obsessed with "sound-alikes". They say they want the "next big thing" but really only want something that sounds just like the "last big thing". If you could pick one thing, that you would advise anyone wanting to become famous - what would it be? I find it a little disappointing that more people are not open to listening to musicians who are not already famous. But I think that to be popular, an artist has to articulate what the audience has on their mind, but are unable to find words to express. So the artist is performing a service by putting it into words and song. Otherwise, it comes down to doing outrageous things so that you can be gossiped about. If you could only take one piece of art and one song with you - what would they be? I assume you mean one of my songs and paintings. I would take "Walking Away". It is about the story of Adam and Eve from Eve's point of view. That story is where all the human drama began. It is in one of my favorite rhythmic time signatures: the odd time signature of 7/4. And I like the painting I did for that song. I am very proud of that apple. Get more information on Hobbyhorse at www.hobbyhorsecafe.com
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