...nomasterbacks...

Josh Martinez…

nomasterbacks — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:56:15 +0000

show was super cool. our set was fun. asking for feedback from the Mrs….not so fun. but those conversations have helped me teak things in my songs as far as content/delivery/musicality etc… I have to appreciate someone’s opinion that has danced on espn/ in front of thousands/ and of course hundreds in smaller venues. So my meal after the show included. Meat(Bones spit to the curb) and some Humble Pie. delicious.

Writing the Process

nomasterbacks — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:52:47 +0000

if I’m on a plane I use the barf bag as a pallet. The thought crossed my mind that the intention of the barf bag is to catch something sick…barf. But maybe just metaphorically speaking it’ll catch something sick from my mind. I’ve written a few songs from my first album and the narco ana loves digi track using this method. My last flight there was some good things stirring in my head so i reached for the little pocket thingy in front of me and pulled out my trusty barf bag. 3 or 4 possible songs were spewed onto the catch all white paper stationary. I realized that I don’t like to just be sitting down and writing, I like to be moving at the same time. it’s hard to be at home and just write. I’d rather be on a plane or in my car driving and writing at the same time (more about that later). anyways i wonder about other’s writing nuances. shoots. WI.

HI MUSIC collecting dust part 1.

nomasterbacks — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 04:56:34 +0000

So it’s been a HOT MINUTE since a post from me….wade. The crew has been getting things cracking on a new NMB project. TemperT still working on a solo, Well.being Solo album produced by Old Joe. I’ve got some songs that may be leaked soon but until then I’d like to share some songs from friends that have never really been heard or have been majorly slept on.

This is the first installment of my HI MUSIC collecting dust song showcase. Kelvin Zero rocked two tracks at the homie’s Dimitri’s studio in kailua. the song’s called life and he has some nice shout outs in the song. super catchy and KZ definitely murders this Ion Myke beat.

Don’t sleep — the music is coming!

nomasterbacks — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 08:41:36 +0000

Temper T in Boston!

Dang — it’s been more than a few months since the last NMB blog post. We’ve been keeping busy, and trust us when we say — more music is on the way!

Congrats to Temper T on his move out East — he’s laying the groundwork for the Lightsleeper family out in Boston, MA…hopefully we can get out there one day soon!

Wade’s been busy on the music front — paving the way for future projects and collabs. Hopefully he’ll be on the blog soon with some much-anticipated updates.

Yours truly has been on the grind as well — writing and slowly putting together my solo project. All beats are being provided by none other than Joe Dub himself — and I’ll be putting some samples up shortly….the concept is ill, with Joe laying the beats down with only classic Hawaii-based vinyl samples. Hawaiian jazz, soul, folk, rock and more — nothing other than samples from right here. Not so much a concept album as an expression that we don’t have to look far to find dope musical inspirations and foundations.

Don’t sleep. We’re coming. NMB!

(posted by well.being)

Planes, Storks, and Satellite Radio..

nomasterbacks — Tue, 11 May 2010 07:52:12 +0000

Been a few since my last post — and I’m excited to report on some killer developments in the NMB fam! BIG UPS to Temper T on the birth of his first baby — a beautiful girl named Anela. The cycle is complete — all of NMB are officially fathers….well, except DJ Mems..but he’s hard at work getting that together. Congrats to Temper and his wife Alison — couldn’t be happier for your guys!

Anela Louise Pau

AND — we were blessed enough to actually just get back from a dope performance up at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington! Whitworth has been too kind to us over the years — I think this was performance number 4 or 5 for NMB? They outdid themselves this time around, putting us up in a DOPE 7 bedroom home off-campus, getting us transportation, and flying us up all on their dime. To top it all off, the show itself was incredible — read on….

How's um? Better than hotel ladat..

Spokane is a decent sized city in eastern Washington — and we hit it up with some perfect timing. Weather was great (sunny and in the 50′s during the day and 40′s at night), digging was abundant (Wade found some gems at the local vinyl shops) and all of us were stoked to be up there to rock together again and to spend some time getting to know Temper’s new addition….

After rocking a good 2 days of practice, finding the cheapest grocery store on the planet, hitting up the local Red Robin for unlimited french fries, and listening to a crapload of satellite radio in our rental car (never even knew there was a rapper named Wacka Flacka Flame — hands down the crappiest moniker I’ve heard), we were ready to hit the campus on Saturday night for the show….

Wait..WHAT?!

Local Spokane emcee’s Freetime Synthetic (whom I accidentally introduced as ‘Freestyle’ Synthetic — my bad homie) and Quiz 10, collectively known as Gun of the Sun, were the opening act. They rocked a dope 35 minute set that seemed to take the (mostly) uninitiated crowd by surprise with some deep songs that really made folks think. Dope emcee’s and cool all-around crew.

We were a little worried that the crowd wouldn’t be there — especially right before the whole show kicked off….but they came to our rescue en masse and enjoyed a live show that we worked hard on to do right. One thing I gotta say — I haven’t been proud of every NMB show we’ve done — but this one was definitely in my Top 3…….crowd got into it from song #1…hands in the air…dancing in the back….nodding in the front…..buying CD’s after the show…..just all-around DOPE show with a great audience. That makes it all worth it…..

DJ Memoirs and Wade checking the sound..

Be on the lookout for some video clips to hit shortly….Wade’s putting together some footage for ya’ll. BIG, HUGE UPS TO WHITWORTH COLLEGE, TEMPER T, ALISON, ANELA, CONNOR (CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR GETTING US UP THERE AGAIN!), DANNY, SHAWN, BRANDON, RON, DRAKE (FOR MAKING THE SONG THAT BECAME THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE TRIP), THE FREEMANS (FOR SELLING THAT HOUSE WE STAYED IN), TOMATO TREE, RED ROBIN, CORNCOB PIPES, THE IPAD, AND ALL THE CRAPPY PEOPLE THAT SAT NEXT TO US ON THE PLANE — YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. Till next time….NMB! (posted by well.being)

NMB!

Freshness..

nomasterbacks — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:55:47 +0000

Spent the better part of Monday hanging out at Fresh Cafe on Queen Street — love this place. Had to kill a few hours while my car got worked on. Ended up eating breakfast, lunch, doing my work, and helping Chippy out with moving boxes around. Super cool vibe, good food, killer ice tea, wi-fi, and incredible folks. The owner, Tiffany (aka Chippy) and I have known each other since college days up in SF — and it’s been exciting to see her vision grow over the years!

I remember when she told me “I’m opening up an ebay store..” and I thought “hmm..that’s a dope idea, but probably not going catch on..” FEP!..the buggah worked and worked well. Next, she told me “I’m opening up a retail store…” and again, I thought..”ahhhh…not bad, but not going work.” FEP!…worked again. So, the whole coffee store / cafe / performance space idea….well, once again, doubting Thomas over here cast some pessimism around..and FEP!..the buggah worked again. Next time she has an idea — count me in as a believer. Some people just got that gift. And some people like me just got that gift (or curse) of being a pessimist. Usually the dreamers win out. I gotta make some changes!

I was the same with Moses when he told me “oh..I going to design iPod cases..” ME: “What? Brah…good place to start, but that not going to last long. What is this iPod thing? People don’t want that! They want to have CD cases!” FEP! Wrong again. Now the dude is running shop at InCase…

So……keep those dreams coming folks..don’t let people like me tell you not going work….it’s cause of folks like you that the world changes.

Be on the lookout for a lot more Lightsleepers events here at Fresh Cafe! Don’t sleep! Support local businesses (and local big-thinkers) cuz! (posted by well.being)

We Walk The Line…

nomasterbacks — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:44:12 +0000

I don’t know what it is about waiting in line — maybe it’s the adrenaline rush of being first in something (cause Lord knows I was never first getting picked for sham battles growing up), maybe it’s seeing the frenzy of how crazy people can get about the smallest things….or maybe, and I think this might be it — it’s just the simple fact that it’s a viable excuse to hang out with the crew. Kind of like camping without mosquito punks or lanterns. In any case, 2009 and 2010 have provided some good times for the Lightsleeper crew — standing in line for anything from video games, kids’ toys to downtown condos, we’ve done it all — and had a blast doing it.

: Game Stop Waikele….1st in line — Modern Warfare 2

: Best Buy Aiea….200th in line on Black Friday…not 1st, but still fun

I think one of the coolest things about doing this is getting to meet the people that seem just as nuts as you are. Talking story, laughing it up, and debating over how much “product” they’ll actually have when the doors open. Trust me, when we stood in line for the PS3 for 2 and 1/2 days back in ’06, you really get to know the people next to you. Plus, when you buy em for $599 and sell it for $2,400 the next day, it all becomes worth it..

: Toys ‘R Us….KTC & the homie Kent…for da kids cuz…

And, every now and then, you get the perfect scenario…..I hooked Lofa and Joe G up with one of my homies in the business to stand in line for the Pacifica Condo being built off of Kapiolani….not gonna go into specifics, but let’s just say that after 2 nights camped out in the Inspiration garage, Lofa made off with some serious money. Guess that’s going to pay for his ComicCon trip! The developer of the building hooked it up for the people in line — porta-potties, free coffee, soda, pizza, sandwiches, the whole 9. People got to bring in mattresses and futons and everything. Good fun overall — and hey, the people that paid were happy to pay Lofa….they get to relax at home….we get to brave the crowds.

: KTC stayed over one night…

: Lofa & Joe G….1st in line….2 nights worth of makapiapia

Not saying we would stand in line for ANYTHING…but the next time you hear about a new product hitting Hawaii…chances are the LS crew gonna be packing up the sleeping bags, Red Bulls and portable DVD players…..We Walk The Line.

The Great Recession

nomasterbacks — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:07:09 +0000

Unless you’ve been stuck under a rock (or live along the Kahala coast), you have undoubtedly felt the affects of the Recession. Not a day goes by in my business where I don’t hear input from all corners of the globe about what’s been going on in our economic crisis. That’s why this vid caught me just right…..economic rap!! I don’t think I’ve heard something like this before…but it’s dope that these two dudes got up the nerve to poke fun at (and drop knowledge on) the economy and what makes it work….spock em (posted by well.being)

Horrible game…good company

nomasterbacks — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:34:12 +0000

Got a chance to check out my first UH game in over a year this past weekend….hit up the Boise / UH game at Aloha Stadium with fellow lightsleepers KTC and Wade. Good fun to hang with the fellas and enjoy some laughs and drinks — but that was the extent of our fun that evening. Game sucked balls, and it was pretty depressing to see UH get rolled. I was commenting to the guys that it’s amazing how far UH has gone down over the last 2 years…from riding on top to feeding on the bottom (posted by well.being)

…shaddap…

nomasterbacks — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:03:14 +0000

“I just want it to be looked at with a higher appreciation. It’s not something you can do overnight,” he said. “I try to make not only the craft seem interesting, but the story behind it.”

“I always felt bored trying to learn another instrument when I’m already born with an instrument,” Tom said. “I’ll hear the beat, and I’ll want to become that sound. In my mind, I am the instrument.

Could we be witnessing Hawai’i's first beatbox star?” (Andy Bumatai)

Are we really talking about the same person here? Seriously….I don’t try to hate on folks on purpose…but if this dude is the future of beat boxing…God help us. And yes, I know that Andy Bumatai isn’t the best person to judge beatboxing, but on the real, I think even if I had never heard beatboxing before, I would STILL recognize mediocre talent…

Please. Stop. Jason. Tom.