Casting Call: DC Anti-Stigma Video… We Need YOU!
May 27, 2011
On Monday, June 6, Gwenn and I will be participating in an anti-stigma music video to help people with HIV feel like exactly what they are- productive, meaningful members of society. The director, Monte Montgomery, has done some great videos already. Check them out below.
Love the message of empowerment for people living with HIV. If you do too, and you’re in the DC area, please consider joining me and Gwenn on June 6. Read below to find out more about the video shoot, and we hope to see you soon!
Positively Yours,
Shawn
What: Audio/video
recording session of “Ready to Live,” a song about fighting HIV/AIDS
stigma, to be performed live by Caressa Cameron, Miss America 2010, for
distribution online and exhibition in clinics and waiting rooms around
the world.
When: Monday 6/6/11, approx. 3-7pm
Where: Columbia Heights Civic Plaza, corner of 14th & Park Sts. NW
Who: A “flash choir” consisting of HIV+ and HIV- performers, identified as
such by colorful badges that first hang around necks, then are tossed
in a trash can to symbolize how insignificant status will be in a
post-stigma world.
Pay: None, but food/drinks/snacks will be provided, you’ll meet a lot of cool people, and it’s a heck of a good cause.
Clothes and the Song:
Clothes are totally up to you.
Lyric: Only three words: ”Ready — to — Live.” Easy!
Rhythm: Must be able to clap on beats 2 and 4. Easy!
Interesting in participating with us? Then contact Monte by email and let him know. Hope to see you in DC on Monday, June 6!
Video From Umlaut Tribute to Bryce
April 29, 2011
Here’s a few clips of a few of the moments referenced in the previous blog entry…
Andy Deane, ChaCha Stowers and Conley Jones performing “Evensong” by Bella Morte
Then I said a few words, shared a funny moment I had with Bryce, and told people to grab some condoms.
Then Jdavyd Williams played a moving cover of Bryce’s favorite Placebo song, “Special Needs”. An unforgettable night. Hope everyone has a great weekend ahead of them.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Video Reviews, Depeche Mode Covers, Cobain Remembered
April 8, 2011
Got lots swirling around in the ol’ nugget today, but I want to lead out with yet another remembrance of Kurt Cobain. I know many think he’s overrated and overmentioned, but this week marked 17 years since he took his own life… time flies, doesn’t it?
Near the end of high school, I really got into Nirvana. The first time I heard them was just before Teen Spirit blew up. It was a random group of guys, hanging out in someone’s basement. A cassette tape was pulled out and played, and despite the different musical tastes of everyone in the room (from Primus, to Depeche Mode, to Phish fans) we all agreed: Nirvana was awesome.
One thing I loved about Cobain was his understanding and empathy of the underdog. Back before the modern era of Lady Gaga- a strong advocate for the gay community- Cobain rose to fame on the strength of a catchy guitar riff and an intense music video that MTV played with the feverish excitement that is now solely reserved for reality TV shows. At the height of his fame Cobain did an interview with The Advocate Magazine, appearing on the cover to talk about how he appreciates the gay community. Since we all know his music, I thought it would be more interesting to share this.
At the time, I probably appreciated his stance of gay issues because I’d taken a small amount of shit for in junior high and high school for having Depeche Mode as my favorite band. They were European and played keyboards, in Waynesboro, Virginia that somehow qualified as being gay. I don’t know how many times I was told my favorite band was gay- so many times that I figured it didn’t matter if they were or not. It’s funny, but even the thought that a band was gay, a band that had influenced me and helped guide me through the somewhat treacherous experience of puberty, probably had a lot to do with my opinion that sexual orientation is not something that matters in the slightest.
Speaking of Depeche Mode- I had the great experience of helping my friend, Andy Deane of Bella Morte, with a cover of one of Depeche Mode’s classic songs. It sounds great- I’ll reveal the song when Andy does. It’s being done as part of Bella Morte’s Kickstarter campaign to help fund their new record, After the Flood. The Depeche Mode cover is an exclusive giveaway to anyone who donates to their campaign, which ends of April 16. So if you want the tune, and want to help a very gay-friendly group of musicians in their own right, you have a week to donate.
It was a lot of fun singing back-up vocals on a song that I’d drive circles around Waynesboro singing in my car back in the day. Glad I could put the harmonies I worked out twenty years ago to good use!
Lastly, I’m humbled by the kind response that the Synthetic Division music video has received. If you want to hear me talk about music more, then check out an interview I did for Horrorshow Radio this week, The Life and Times of Shawn Decker. Geek Crafts also featured the “Out of Time” video, and called me a “geek chic trifecta” due to my involvement in music and writing, as well as the fact that I named my band after math… Speaking of the music video, if you look closely you’ll see a Depeche Mode music video within the Synthetic Division music video. (It’s not a clue as to which song Bella Morte covered, btw!)
Hope you have a great weekend.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
YouTube, Facebook and Twitter
Website: ShawnandGwenn.com Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog
My CD, Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!
SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.
Synthetic Division “Out of Time” Music Video
April 4, 2011
Here it is, my band’s first ever music video, featuring stop motion and Playmobil toys- including a hospital! Funny thing is, the inspiration for this song came in part from a hospital visit in late 2009… so the creator Dirk Roth’s concept really fits the song and release perfectly.
I hope you enjoy the video and share it with friends!
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
YouTube, Facebook and Twitter
Website: ShawnandGwenn.com Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog
My CD, Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!
SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.
Synthetic Division “Out of Time” (lyrics, vid on Monday!)
April 1, 2011
It’s tough being my own publicist, I tell ya. The job doesn’t pay, and my client is a major dick. But aside from that, I can’t really complain too much I guess. Just pass along info on “the boss”. *sigh*
__________
As I mentioned earlier this week, the first Synthetic Division music video (created by the talented Dirk Roth) has been made, and I couldn’t be happier about how it turned out. You’ll be able to see it on Monday… and, yes, like the Joy Division video I posted a few days ago, this one features the Playmobil likeness of the band. The vid is for the song, “Out of Time” from my CD, A Symptom of Life. I wanted to share a still and the lyrics to the song, which you can hear on the music player at the bottom of this blog post.
Out of Time by Synthetic Division
Know when, know when to try again
Know when, know when to try again
Decide to take that ride
CHORUS:
You’re out of time
And that is fine
Just please don’t ask
for some of mine
Know when, know when you’ve reached the end
Know when
You’re out of time
Just try again
Don’t look into her eyes
CHORUS
I warned you who knew better
Know when, my friend, know when to try again
know when, my friends, know when you’ve reached the end
decide
CHORUS
Last year’s release holds special meaning to me, because it’s all about survival. The song above is about outliving the limited expectations one faces when dealt with a terrible diagnosis, like, say, HIV. As a songwriter, I didn’t have to dig too deep to find the inspiration behind the tune. I am thankful that I’m getting better at tapping into some of the deeper emotions behind my diagnosis. I don’t struggle emotionally with my HIV status, and haven’t for years… but looking back on those early days, months, years, it makes me so happy to just be here.
As a teen, I was obsessed with music videos, back when you had to stay up until midnight to see the good ones. It’s super cool to have one for my little synthpop duo. I hope you enjoy it on Monday!
Have a great weekend and don’t get fooled today.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!
SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.
Meet Dirk Roth, Watch His Cool Video
March 30, 2011
I love music videos. The only time I see them is when TiVo picks up 120 Minutes on VH1 Classic, which I highly recommend watching if you haven’t seen it. They show the best. I know, I know, you can YouTube videos anytime… but 120 Minutes really sorts out the quality stuff, and there’s always a Depeche Mode video on the 2 hour program.
A video you won’t see on VH1 Classic is one that I came across when a friend of mine, Mike Johnson of the band Ego Likeness, shared it on Facebook. It’s a video for the band Joy Division, created using Playmobil toys and stop-motion. The creator, Dirk Roth, basically took a live TV performance and recreated it, making something even better than the original.
Compare the two… the real band:
Now check out Dirk’s version…
Pretty awesome, huh? What’s equally awesome is that Dirk agreed to make a music video for Synthetic Division last month… and it debuts soon! More information in a couple of days- stay tuned.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Contest Is Over… Now What?
March 21, 2011
So the next installment of the Labtest Contest isn’t until July, when my labs are drawn two days before I spend a week celebrating my 36th birthday. But I can’t fall into the trap of looking forward to mid-summer excitement, which is four months away… so what does a positoid do to entertain himself?
I haven’t posted too much about finishing my second book, because I think I’ve posted in the past about “finishing” my second book. To be honest, I haven’t put the finishing touches on it to the point of where I’m willing to submit it to my agent. One of the reasons why I haven’t obsessed over it recently is because writing takes away quality time with Gwenn.
Awwwwwwww….
I know, I’m being mushy. But after the last go around with tweaking, writing, printing and reading my next book, I realized that the hours a day I was spending on it wasn’t worth the frustration it was causing. And the doubt. All the usual “writer crap”. With My Pet Virus, I had natural writing spells followed by lulls that inspired the next batch of writing spells. It was organic. With the second book, I set aside time, put in the hours, and in a tangible sense I don’t have anything to show for it at this point….
By the way, the next book is a vampire book and I’m not embarrassed to divulge this. I started a while back, before the first Twilight movie hit the theaters. My reasoning for writing a vampire story was to do something different and indulge my love of horror: horror with a sense of humor. When the moon is full or the mood strikes again, I’ll get back to it. One of the problems with reasonably decent health (for me) is that I don’t feel like there’s a clock ticking. If there was, finishing this book wouldn’t really be at the top of my priorities list.
In terms of time and energy, something that is far less consuming is music. I’m planning to write some new songs this year, with hopes of releasing another Synthetic Division CD next year. The appeal of doing music is that it’s instant. I can write a song and share it with people in a very short period of time. With writing a book, it’s different. I accomplished a decade-long goal when My Pet Virus was published in 2006, and the messages I continue to get from people who are discovering the book today makes me feel like I’m contributing something to the planet even though I spend a lot of time drinking iced mochas and napping.
The next book will not have the personal impact that Pet did, because it’s a made-up story about made-up people, even though some real life problems do creep in. That could be another reason why I’m having a hard time dedicating more time to it than I already have. That, and sometimes when I read what I write I feel like I’m not very sharp. Music trumps fiction writing because I’m a happier guy when I’m working on music. So setting aside some time over the next few months for that is going to be my plan.
And we’ll just have to see if synthpop can help get those t-cells back up to the 600 mark.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
YouTube, Facebook and Twitter
Website: ShawnandGwenn.com Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog
My CD, Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!
SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.
Freddie Mercury Goes To Hollywood
January 10, 2011
Of all the musicians with HIV in the history of music, our crowned jewel in the positoid community is, without a doubt, Freddie Mercury of Queen. Don’t get me wrong, there have been many other greats- Andy Bell of Erasure, Holly Johnson of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Shawn Decker of Synthetic Division…
But Freddie beats them all. One of the greatest frontmen and singers of all-time, he put negatoids like Steven Tyler and Robert Plant to shame, tucking them in like toddlers at bed-time who were anxious to learn more from “Ready Freddie” when the next day began. Unfortunately, Freddie was taken from us very early in his journey, but his quirky music has sustained- perhaps even gotten better with age- and has influenced a lot of the mainstream acts of today.
I was first touched by his music when I went to see Revenge of the Nerds with my parents and brother. “We Are the Champions” wrapped up that all-time classic film. Later in junior high school, my brother started to listen to them more seriously. Then when I got to high school, a few years into my own silent way of dealing with my diagnosis, it was reported on MTV News that Freddie died… from AIDS.
And he was very secret about his status, to which I could relate at the time.
Now his story is about to get the Hollywood treatment, thus opening up the Queen saga to a whole new fanbase for the first time since Wayne and Garth and friends sang Bohemian Rhapsody in a drug-induced car ride in 1992, a year after Freddie passed. And who’s going to play him?
Sacha Baron Cohen of Borat and Bruno fame.
Some may balk. But I actually think Sacha is capable of playing a serious role. The greatest comedians, much like the greatest musicians, channel their pain into their craft, and I don’t think it’s such a stretch that a performer as deft as Cohen could do justice to Freddie’s life story. The one thing that I didn’t quite enjoy reading was that the movie will end with the band’s glorious set at Live Aid in 1985, which is a full six years before he passed to spirit.
I know I’m interested in aspects of his story that the general public may not be, but I want to know what those six years were like. I want to know how he dealt with the pressures of an HIV diagnosis and a huge business, which is what Queen were at the time when his health was in decline. The rise to rock stardom story has been told many times on film- but Freddie’s story is a unique opportunity to tell more than just that two dimensional ride.
Freddie Mercury is the most famous musician to die from AIDS. To overlook that aspect of his life story is a massive mistake, and demands more than just a scroll of text over the sounds of Bohemian Rhapsody in the final seconds of the movie just before the credits roll.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
Watch, Friend and Follow me on:
Website: ShawnandGwenn.com Also check out the lovely Gwenn’s Fashion/Coffee Blog
My CD, Synthetic Division, A Symptom of Life, is on iTunes!
SHARE THE BLOG. NOT THE VIRUS.
LIFE IN PHOTOS
Face Time fun with my Goddaughter. She was digging our phone chat- even though we were about three feet away from one another.
Making the enemy quit out with @squirrel_munky and @vaineos :)
Closing out the Joe with @gwennbarringer this afternoon.
Caught in full Mocha Mode...
Speaking About Sexual Health
Since 2000, Shawn and Gwenn have been speaking about sexual health together, sharing their personal story and empowering others to be safe. If you are interested in having them speak at your event, fill out the Contact Us form.
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