Congrats to Cinder Road

Some of the best moments in my life have been in the dark.

You know, when a packed arena lowers the lights, muffled screams a guitar hit echo and a large velvet curtain falls from the sky? The anticipation can be lethal. But so many of us crave these moments and aren't getting our fix. The drug? Classic rock and roll shows. Def Leppard, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi. Arena rock isn't left in the dark ages anymore.

With so many sub genres of music -- and the Internet to blame/thank -- I came across a band from the east coast doing everything right: Cinder Road. Paying homage to a classic sound but remaining influeced by modern music, their pop-rock songs are infectious, well-written and delivered in a nice little rock and roll package. Awesome stage presence, attitude, generosity toward fans and the determination to play 250 shows a year.

They've opened for Daughtry, KISS and Alice Cooper. But don't be surprised if the guys backing frontman hottie Mike Ruocco are giving lessons to newbies in a few months. They're good, dedicated and do a great job using the Internet to reach fans through their YouTube tour diaries. I'm taking pointers for my band Macadam.

Boys, hit up the West Coast. It'll be fun.

White as snow

I keep visualizing myself sitting on a beach, some foofy drink in my hand and sipping away all the things I have to this weekend. Sip. Sip. Sip. Ah! Now I'm further behind!

Fans Walk a Mile for Hanson

Band raises money for needy in South Africa
http://www.portlandtribune.com/features/story.php?story_id=122117730367013100
As published in the Portland Tribune newspaper

On Sunday, Sept. 7, 250 people gathered outside the Aladdin Theater singing, chanting and holding signs as they walked one mile. But this wasn’t a picket line, it was a celebration — the band Hanson was in town.

“Everyone say, ‘I took the walk,’” lead singer Taylor Hanson yelled into a megaphone while walking down Southeast Milwaukie Avenue.

Portland marked the trio’s 69th mile walked alongside fans to raise money for clean water, education, shoes, AIDS treatment and healthcare in South Africa. The band, currently touring in support of their newest album, “The Walk,” has embraced the concept of using their fans and influence to stage one-mile walks before each show. The brothers — singer/keyboardist Taylor, 25; guitarist Isaac Hanson, 27 and drummer Zac Hanson, 22 — donate one dollar on behalf of each fan that walks this mile with them. And Hanson walks without shoes.

“You build up a tolerance,” Taylor said. “It’s not too bad. The reason we walk barefoot is to feel the needs of someone else.”

Hanson has teamed up with TOMS Shoes — a company that donates one pair of shoes for every pair that is purchased. With Hanson’s help they have already donated 50,000 pairs of shoes in South Africa.

“You see that one dollar is making a difference, or one pair of shoes. We want to encourage you guys,” Taylor said into his megaphone on the Portland walk. “We’re going to walk around the world.”

The band hopes to have fans walk a total of 24,902 miles — the distance around the world — for which they will donate money.


Growing up Hanson



Hanson’s 1997 song “MMMBop” from their debut album “Middle of Nowhere” was one of the biggest debut singles of all time — reaching No. 1 in 27 countries and being nominated for two Grammy Awards. Since then, the band from Oklahoma has gone on to sell more than 15 million records.

Their music now reflects their life as twenty somethings, each married with children. Taylor Mumm, 22, of Lake Oswego who walked with Hanson in Portland, encourages people to listen to Hanson with fresh ears, overlooking their sugar pop sound from more than a decade ago.

“People need to look beyond the stigma and see that Hanson’s music has evolved, their talent is phenomenal and they’re using their influence to make the world a better place,” Mumm said. “They are a truly talented rock band and they should be applauded.”

The 620 fans at Portland’s sold out show at the Aladdin clapped through the bands entire set. Portland director Gus Van Sant, who shot the band’s music video for “Weird,” was in attendance.

The band displayed both confidence and humility on stage. Before one song Isaac forgot the chords and turned to Zac for help.

“When you have 10 years of songs,” Isaac said, “you forget stuff.”

“There’s only four chords,” Zac said.

“I know, the trick is to know what the four chords are,” Isaac said.

And the crowd cooed.

Without overhead screens, pyrotechnics, or lights the show showcased the band as musicianship, harmonies and upbeat tunes.

“Going to a Hanson concert is like going home again,” said Jesica Clifton, 23, of Damascus. “It’s such a fun opportunity to see old friends, have a great time and listen to fantastic music.”

Hanson’s upbeat rock anthem “Great Divide,” partially recorded in Africa, revved the crowd as everyone sang the lyrics, “Have no fear when the waters rise / we can conquer this great divide.”




Keep walking
Taylor said he encourages Hanson’s Portland fans to host their own walk.

“We’re encouraging people to visit TakeTheWalk.net and organize walks in their own town,” he said. “Every person that walks is registered and we’re donating one dollar for each person that walks,” Taylor said. “We all need to realize that it’s not just us, all alone.” Isaac said their fans are “people of action.”

In the fall, the band will release their book “Take the Walk” with an EP, outlining their story with pictures and music inspired by their experience visiting Africa.

Meagan Williams, 22, of Portland said that after more than five albums she still listens to Hanson because they have stayed “true to their music” despite what mainstream radio spins.

“It seems they’d rather keep their intimate group of fans and do what they love,” Williams said. “They don’t just care about making money. They care about making their fans happy and using their fame to do something good. I wish more celebrities were like that.”

So, what makes Hanson fans unique?

“I just think we love each other,” Taylor said. “We think they’re great and they care about the music. We’ve always been doing what we believed in from the beginning.”

For more information about Hanson visit www.hanson.net. For more information about TOM’S Shoes, visit http://www.tomsshoes.com

"You can't say we didn't give it..."

I just read a great quote: “Life is like photography... you develop from the negatives!"

And that pretty much sums up my Monday in Seattle. But first, a little background…
In 1997 I heard this band Hanson on the radio. Cute kids my age. And that was it. I became obsessed with music. Writing it. Playing it. Listening to it. Learning everything about them.

So, when Hanson played at the Aladdin Theater in Portland on Sunday I was there -- eleven years later -- alongside my sister, and friends Taylor, Meagan and Wokker. Very fun.

I’ve always admired their ability to interact with their fans and make everyone feel special. I’ve met them several times over the years and each time they are so fun – chatty, genuine and adorable. This time I got to interview them for my newspaper. I even gave Zac and Taylor copies of my first CD, which I later found out from their siblings that they listened to on the drive from Portland to Seattle. Nice. The inspiration listening to my inspirations. I love America!

Sunday was great – talking with the boys, great concert, running into old friends at the Portland venue and tons of great pictures.

And then there was Monday. Us four girls drove to Seattle for round two of Hanson. Coming off such a high from the day before we thought nothing could stand in our way. Well, nothing that we couldn’t handle. Ha!

What went wrong:

1. SHELTER: The hotel in Seattle we checked into wasn’t fit for cockroaches. Toilet paper on the floor. A smoking truck parked outside our window where a view should have been. And within five minutes a man tried to break into our room with a wrench. A wrench! He said he was there to fix the sink and I was spooked. I said we don’t need help. After he left I checked the faucet. No running water! We were so out of there. But when I tried to check out after our 15 minute stay the crazy man behind the counter lived up to his name. “No refunds!!!” he yelled. YELLED. I was being verbally degraded! After a lot of mish mash back and forth I yelled that “I had never been treated like this in America,” and ran out to my car, $80 poorer and raging mad. But that didn’t last long. We had a concert to go to.

2. FOOD: After dinner Meagan said she “wasn’t feeling so hot.” True. The poor little thing ended up throwing up through most of the opening act and Hanson. I checked on her condition again after a disturbing text message from her.

3. MONEY: When Meagan went outside The Moore theater to get some air, she was MUGGED! $60 cash stolen! YES! And after my credit card had just been robbed by our shanty hotel.

Oh, you’re wondering about the concert? It was great! Zac did a little funny strip tease center stage that made us all laugh. But it was no laughing matter to be homeless. After the slew of hellish events we opted not to crash at my aunt’s and drive back to Portland. Three hours in the dark – squished between semi trucks – and dodging road construction cones. Hell!

4. MISSING: At 2:30 p.m. I was home, in comfortable P.J.’s and IN MY CAR WITH A FLASHLIGHT SEARCHING FOR MEAGAN’S MISSING I PHONE. Just when we thought it was all over.

All crappy events aside, the weekend was really a bonding experience between my sister, my friends and I – and Hanson. I’m pumped for them to read my story. I’m pumped you read my story. And I think it’s hilarious that after 10 years this band has again found ways to bring hilarity back into my life. How fun!

Next on the agenda is the Heart/Journey concert. “Don’t Stop Believin’”…

History repeats itself

Life is like high school. It's all about who you know, how well you're doing and what parties you're invited to. Right?

Pat Benatar: Giving it her best shot

She taught us that love is a battlefield. The world is filled with heartbreakers. And most importantly, that girls can do anything boys can do — probably better.
All hail Pat Benatar — the diva, rock and roll icon and culprit behind my new haircut and outlook on life. Sassy.

She’s edgy, smart and proves that you should never do anything you’re good at for free.

Benatar won her first Grammy before I was born. Yet, sitting in a sea of people my parent’s age on Aug. 14 in Silverton’s Oregon Garden for her concert, I was the one that couldn’t help but feel honored.

It was hot — sweaty hot —perfect for an outdoor rock concert and my third time breathing the same air as the woman who declared her “promises in the dark.” She’s a different kind of rock and roll icon.

She seems so normal — a wife (married to her guitarist for two decades), mom to two daughters, business woman and traveling musician.

In our world of cluttered distractions — iPods, Internet, digital TV — there’s something endearing about Pat’s live show. It’s real. Simple. Raw.

No costume changes.
No distracting dancers.
No pyrotechnics.
No swearing.
Just a chick. A microphone. And a band.

And they delivered exactly what the audience wanted — to hear the hits!
Before singing “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” Benatar smiled and told the audience that she was tired of the song, “but has to sing it.”

How honest. Hilarious. How wonderfully horrifying to spend more than half of your life making a fortune by uttering the exact same words.

How rock and roll.

In early television interviews, Benatar explained that she wanted her career to be focused on her music, not her looks. She’s classically trained but had the face of a pin-up star.

She can’t avoid being a package deal, a five foot tall explosion of emotion.

Leotards. Black leather pants. Red lipstick. That voice.

She defined a generation and paved the way for young female singers everywhere. Like me.

Benatar proves that a hit song is timeless. Her music is still relevant, strong and empowering. Her voice is still raspy and her fan base continues to expand. Talent doesn’t retire. She’s 55 and going strong.

Pat, thanks for another great show.

Sing it with me everyone, ‘you’re a heartbreaker, dream maker, love taker — don’t you mess around with me.’

Honestly, who could mess with her?

Now I Remember

I remember being 13, sitting in my room and listening to CDs at all hours of the night -- kind of like tonight.

I learned every word, sang every note, learned it on guitar and then would start this whole process over again. Although, it wasn't really a process. It was my favorite part of my life -- music. Learning it. Playing it. Performing it. Writing it. Talking about it. Why do I get in ruts now? Why don't I do my vocal warm-ups every day like Laura told me to? Because I need to be energized again. I want to sink my teach into our new rock stuff. I also want it to be very Nicole. Very do-able.

Tonight Ali, my friend Taylor and I had one of those moments that don't come often enough -- talking about an upcoming concert we're attending and we're pumped about.

I know I'm not alone in this band obsession thing. I'm reading this book by Miss Pamela (ha ha), "I'm With the Band." So yes, even back in the '60s chicks went wild over hot musicians. Drugs probably also played a factor. ha ha.

Who was the first band you fell in love with?
The band that you felt like you knew?
The band that you memorized all the words?
And purchased every magazine?
The band that made you feel like someone else goes through everything you're going through?
The band that made you cry but was the only cure for your tears?

I remember. It's sort of funny. The world would suck without music. My world would die. "You can't say, we didn't give it."

Alive and well -- damn well bored

Hello friends,

Yes, it is true. On Sunday evening while shopping at Border's (a favorite!!!) I started to feel a little under the weather. No big deal. This sort of thing happens to me all the time. Maybe it's an artistic thing. Kurt Cobain always had stomach issues and no internal specialist has ever been able to determine what's wrong with me so I decided to end my shopping trip a bit early and head straight for my couch.

Brilliant idea. A little TV time. Make some tea. No harm done. Hell, I saved money by not nabbing the special of the week.

Wrong. Very wrong. Fast forward a few hours. My comfy idea of a cozy hour in the fetal position on my couch turned into 10 hours of waiting... waiting for what? Waiting for something.

My boyfriend played nurse (watching "27 Dresses" with me -- eh, predictable movie) while my sister hid in her room (she had the stomach flu two weeks prior and wanted nothing to do with it again). I curled up in blankets and told her I felt like Claire Danes in "Little Women." ... "Didn't she have Polio or something?" my sister said. Very funny. We've all seen the movie. Maybe that wasn't the best comparison.

At 3 a.m. when I still couldn't sleep from feeling so nauseous I ventured back downstairs to my couch and discovered Tori Spelling's reality show with her husband. A great find. What was happening on this particular episode??? Tori was trapped on a boat in the high seas while her husband went scuba diving, leaving her sea sick on the boat.

All the talk about Tori feeling sick made me SICK! That was it! I finally threw up... for the first time in more than a decade! In the middle of the night. Alone. By myself. Watching some mom from 90210. How strange. After such a great weekend -- fourth of July with Michelle and Travis on the lake, visiting with Bart and Ali, lunch with Travis, writing a new song, working out... and it ended up like this???? I ran to tell my boyfriend of how wonderful I was FINALLY feeling when he was SOUND ASLEEP.

Needless to say I felt better, but not healed. Was this the stomach flu? Food poisening? My appendix? Who knew. I visited the doctor the next morning to see what was up (the flu) and got the appropriate meds to hold my topsy-turvy stomach over. Instead the medicines put me in a coma. No joke. My house could have burned down or been carried away by a flash flud and I'd still be peacefully in la-la land with my silky comforter.

In the middle of my dream I hear this... "Nick! Nick! Nikki!" from somewhere. It sounded so real. Like when I was a kid and my mom would wake me up for school or something. Still I slept. So peaceful. So numb from being sick. So OUT OF IT! I finally awoke to find that my MOTHER had been downstairs for an hour throwing things at my window. "I thought you were dead!" she said when I finally opened the front door. "No, I'm fine. Just tired. These med's are insane," I said.

And so we cut them in half -- because some say I am half the size of a normal person -- and off to sleep I went again, mother happy that I'm alive and my friends and other family members happy that she's done calling them wondering how to pry open my front door to find, "her daughter laying on the floor with an appendicitis."

Long story stort -- jinx! -- I am alive. And thank you to everyone who called me to check on me. =)

I feel much better and have since watched two other episodes of Tori Spelling's reality show, which I think depicts her as a great wife and mother. Maybe someday she'll be standing outside her son Liam's room -- throwing things at the window and wonering if her sickling is OK. And in some crazy parallel world, Liam would be recovering from a long night of no sleep, feeling sick and watching the Nicole reality show on TV.

Oh, that would be the sickest!!! =)

Unleash Pandora

Pandora is a Godsend.

What is Pandora?

It’s like spreading all your favorite CDs out on the floor of Costco. Then spinning around in a circle with closed eyes, pointing to the covers at random.

To make it more fun, then picture the live band at the check-out counter. If you hate the song they’re playing you can give them a “thumbs down” and they’ll leave quietly. Love em? Thumbs up!

The Web site Pandora.com allows visitors to create radio stations based around their favorite artists. Then – without commercials and payment – it plays song after song after song with artist, song and CD information.

It’ s basically an Internet radio station customized just for you. The more thumbs up you give it, the more songs they play like that. The more thumbs down, the more the course veers.

Enter a song you like and The Music Genome Project will pick other songs by the artist and artists in the same genre. It’s like having your boss buy you a jukebox – glittered with your name and illuminated disc’s that unleash memories.

I suggest checking it out. All the best songs in your world are waiting for you!!!

Enroll me in West Beverly High

Cue the big hair, high pants and red lipstick.

Go back in time to when it didn’t matter if you were pale and lived in southern California. A time when the best bands of the 90s were yet to come. And when it was customary to learn dating, sex and fashion lessons from Kelly, Brenda and Donna.

I have a new obsession – Beverly Hills 90210.

Being only 7 when the TV show began had me out of the glossy goodness for years, until now. It’s only been a week but I’ve already viewed all of season one and part of season two. Thank God for DVD box sets!

I feel like I’ve become friends with the characters – my favorite being Brandon Walsh. I don’t know why I wasted so many teenage love notes on Jonathan Taylor Thomas when Jason Priestley was in his prime.

Once you get past the eyes – the blue blue blue blue eyes! – it isn’t difficult to recognize his acting talent. He’s incredible. I see a lot of myself in his character, however that can be taken. He’s always concerned with everyone’s feelings on the show and only a dozen episodes in I’ve seen him swoon a handful of teenage girls. Love it.

I know that most of the world has seen the whole series so don’t give anything away (I know, I know Donna and David get married. I peeked on Youtube). For now, I’m content watching the high school juniors spend awkward moments in Palm Springs.

Surrounded by so many friends who are now married, the show reminds me that it’s OK to still be a kid at heart. I can grow up in good time.

As I finish listening to this insane guitar riff on “No One Like You” by The Scorpions I feel out of my element in 2008 – texting my friend Michelle and clicking on my laptop. Kelly, Brenda and Donna would have died.

New TV commercial

Check out the First Federal Bank commercial on Youtube.com and under "Nicole DeCosta." Whoo hoo!

Rock of Ages!

Ten words:

It's
never
too
late
to
become
a
Def
Leppard
fan.

After seeing these guys last year I've been hooked. And it feels good...

TV trauma!

This is so funny! Since my TV is so small that at my new townhouse you can't see it from the couch so my friend Tracy was on a quest to find me a larger TV. My TV is hilarious -- it only fills out one fourth of the built-in TV cabinet with doors.

Tracy showed up at my house last night with a Mitsubishi she got from her friend's house; they were going to give it to Goodwill.

It is 18 years old! The screen is purple and there is dark wood paneling on the outside making look dated and awkward to carry. The remote control looks like something from when I was a toddler.

We brought it inside and while the box (paneling) made the TV look much bigger the screen iteself is actually THE SAME SIZE! ha ha ha. So today on my way to work I'm going to drop it off at Goodwill and get the tax write-off.

So funny! Lesson: 24-inch TVs are small, no matter how much paneling is around them.

Everyone I know, please drive safely

After the best band practice that Macadam has had in years I notice a voicemail from my mom last night.

Her Blackberry gets horrible service and always cuts out. The message said something like, "I wanted to tell you some bad news..." Phone cuts out. ..."Died in a motorcycle crash on I-5." Just like the cell phone commercials. The most important part of the message is lost. My head was racing? Who do I know that rides in motorcycles? Travis said there was horrible traffic on I-5 around 4, when he was driving to practice.

I called my mom and found out that it is a woman who works at her homebuilding company. The woman who died was so special. I worked closely with her for two summers as an intern in high school. I still saw her a couple times a year out and about and at functions with my mom.

She was the kind of person that lights up a room. She could organize and manage everything. She will be truly missed. I am praying for her family and all her co-workers in this time. The saddest part, for me, is that I just emailed her around 5 p.m. on Friday to get back in touch.

She never returned my email. She would have gotten it this morning at work.

Buying my first house -- well, sort of

The bright lights illuminated my half-eaten toast and cereal without milk. My tea cup – with the raspberry tea bag tangled on the handle – was empty. But in the moment, at that breakfast table I’d never felt to full – so fulfilled and content.

This was Friday when I filmed my first televised commercial for First Federal bank.
With the crew from The Hinmon Agency in McMinnville directing, I played Ellie – a married woman – having breakfast with my husband Jeffery -- and played by a hilarious guy named Craig.

As I sat glued to a story in the morning newspaper,’ Jeffery’ distracted me at the breakfast table and told me that we should buy our first house. ‘Ellie’ was shocked and surprised but liked the idea after thinking about it.

The fun part of filming segments that aren’t live is that you can tweak things until everyone is happy. If Craig and I needed to perfect our handholding while signing papers for our ‘new home,’ we just tried it again. Or, if my blank stare at the breakfast table wasn’t ‘blank’ enough we’d just try it again.

“Count to 20 in your head and just focus on that,” said Jake Hinmon, directing the piece.

After two or three takes we found a place where everyone was comfortable.

After hair and make-up – love that part -- our second and final scene was filmed at the loan office with an actual First Federal loan officer named Pam Anderson. No, not that Pam Anderson; we had a small budget.

She was wonderful and very nervous at first. But that faded quickly.

Hinmon – director of film and video production – told the three of us to have a conversation about the loan application paperwork on her desk. Since this short clip of us chatting was going to have a voice-over audible it didn’t matter what we said. We just had to look natural and like we were inquiring about the loan process.

And so we did – no one would really hear it, right? True, but those of us filming the scene would.

While filming, Criag told Pam that we need our first house to be located, ‘near a Wendy’s because that’s our favorite restaurant.’ Trying not to die laughing, Pam just looked at me and we continued filming. But Craig’s sense of humor was developing with every take we took. On our third take Craig told Pam this was our third house we’d bought that day because we are ‘so rich.’
He was fun. The crew was fun. And our filming – while hilarious at times – was efficient. We ended much earlier than expected and with some great footage.

I graduated college with a media and film degree – and way too many all-nighter stories from the campus’ television studio. This commercial reminded me of why I love the film industry so much – great people, unpredictable moments, becoming someone else for a little bit and watching the final product with a sense of accomplishment.

I hope the First Federal commercial helps those in Oregon looking to buy their first house. It helped me continue to pursue my love of the arts while making new friends. I miss having cameras around. I’d be a great candidate for a reality show.

That’s a wrap! Back to writing for the newspaper, another passion – hilarious at times, helpful to others and somewhere I feel comfortable being me.

Lonely luggage

So, it's been more than five months since I've gone out of town -- anywhere. Each time I drive in my garage my car points right at two empty suitcases. It's like they taunt me.

I want to feel sun on my skin, start a new book and just not have to think about anything. But, I can't really take time off -- and need to save as much money as possible. Sounds exciting huh? Well, it usually is, I just miss exploring somewhere new. Arizona in November was awesome -- great food, spa treatment and family time.

But, I'm ready to plan the next trip. If money was no object and I actually had a three month summer vacation again (sigh) I'd explore Austrailia, the Caribbean and Europe. All three look so magical and different from here.

Last weekend, the weather was in the 70s for the first time in 2008 and I took a long jog and sat in the sun -- magazine in hand -- and got burnt just before a dinner date with my friend Michelle. Burnt shoulders are not a good look but I didn't care. I was proud that my skin actually did something besides mock Nicole Kidman's paleness. It could win an emmy for best derma dramatic performance. That day was so fun. Nice weather brings out the best in me.

Right now I'm unwinding from a gym date with Tracy and watching "The Girls Next Door." The Playboy girls crack me up. Although I don't really understand the need to always be naked for millions of readers/viewers to see, I do enjoy their ambition, lust for life and fabulous outfits. I've really been noticing patterns and fabrics lately. Very strange. I was at a place called Mother's last night in Portland with my friend Ian and the wallpaper was incredible. It reminds me of Dots restaurante in SE -- gothic, sexy and pretty. I want to design a photo shoot around the rich decadence created around classic Hollywood. And wear something fabulous with my new rich brown hair. And pale skin. For now, that sounds like a fabulous vacation from my routine.