Men We Admire: The Rugged Dude

RD Carson -- The Rugged Dude -- and I go way back. Like waaaay back...to a band we had together in the early 1990's. I was a kid back then, still in high school, and RD (who went by a different name in those days) was the old-school mentor to the rest of us. Flash forward a couple of decades, and RD is still going strong in the entertainment biz. What he is; and why he's here; has to do with reinvention. I had a teacher once who said, "don't measure success by the number of things that work according to plan. Measure it by the number of total disasters you're able to recover from." Well, RD is the perfect model of success in this light: a guy who's taken his lumps and come back stronger than ever at every opportunity. Stoic, honest, patient, and of course rugged, RD Carson is the kind of guy most of us wish we could be. And he knows more venison recipes than any man I know.

Name: I’m known professionally as “RD, the Rugged Dude.” My legal name: Rugged Dude Carson. Passport, driver’s licence, federal firearms licence, the whole shebang. Honestly, I had it changed in 2002 on the advice of a marketing agency in Minneapolis. They said it would be “good for the brand,” you know, all that TV crap and of course, I bought it. But, looking back I wish I hadn’t have legally changed it, just kept it as a “stage name,” as they say. I have a lot less privacy now.

Age: At this time, I am 49, although I look 29… at least that what the mirror tells me. Kind of… well, actually sometimes when I look in the mirror, I look like I’m 149.

Occupation: For the last twelve years I have been working as a television host and producer. Most of my stuff iscomedy-based and pretty “out there.” I did eight seasons (150 episodes) of “Officially Rugged with RD,” which was a fishing comedy series (stupid as hell, actually, but a decent family friendly show.) That was series was seen across Canada, the USA, and parts of Australia and New Zealand.

I just produced another comedy-based fishing called “Moccasin Trails with RD.” We currently have agreements with five or six good sized broadcasters for 2013. If all goes as planned, we’ll start peeling those episodes off this June. The show will be on the air all across North America, along with seven countries in Europe.

For the last two years I’ve been trying to get into the cooking show TV biz… all wild fish and game and again, comedy-based. I did do a show on the Food Network in 2009, as a guest on one of Bobby Flay’s shows and a couple of the director / producers down there suggested I do a pilot. So, I did… but, I’m having no luck finding an executive producer to pitch it for me. I’m doing another one in a couple months...[read more]

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Men We Admire: Aaron Marino

This issue's Man We Admire is Atlanta style and image guru Aaron Marino.

I first came across Aaron's videos on YouTube a few years back when I suddenly found myself single after a twelve-year relationship and was looking for some advice online that would help me get my act together so I could confidently re-enter the dating world. Being a guy in his mid-30's and suddenly having to re-learn the rules was hard enough, and I have to say that Aaron's slightly off-beat sense of humour and his no-B.S. approach to style was a breath of fresh air. What's more, he's also in his mid-30's, which meant that unlike other advice columnists out there, the information I got was well-suited to my goal of looking like a sharp, mature male, rather than an 18-year-old stick figure or a 20-something rapper.

I am extremely proud to say that following this interview, Aaron has agreed to come on as our style expert here at The Man Sphere. You'll find his first article on men's suits over in the Style section, just in time for the run-up to wedding season. But of course, you'll find his whole wealth of knowledge and information at his own mag site, I Am Alpha M. We're just glad we're able to tap a fraction of this guy's insight for our readers.

You're welcome.

Name: Aaron Marino

Age: 35

Occupation: “Bro-fessional” AKA Male Image Consultant…Ever seen the movie “Hitch”? I am the slightly less black real life version.

Relationship Status: Married 5 years (feels like 10…kidding…sort of…no I am…kinda)

Pets: My Wife has 3 cats…I however have no pets

What are you driving: Infiniti

Gadgets: I’m not a gadget kinda guy…I’m more into shoes, sunglasses, jackets…I’m like a gay guy with a straight penis (stop with the eye roll already)

How do you quantify your own awesomeness?: My awesomeness comes from being incredibly secure in myself and the ability to laugh at my own ridiculousness. I also have this unique ability to read people incredibly fast and can make anyone feel like they are my best friend and that I am actually interested in what they are telling me about their kids or their co-worker...[read more]

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Men vs. Women vs. Interviews

There's been a really interesting phenomenon that's come up since I started this blog and subsequently launched the magazine site. It centres around the odd behaviour of men and women when it comes to do agreeing to do interviews.

I confess I started the interviews for Women We Love and Men We Admire as a way of building content, and possibly getting a little extra traffic as a result. The results have been overwhelming, due largely to the encouragement of the fantastic people I've been interviewing. They're all quite happy to provide interesting commentary and insights into their motivations and successes, and I've had a lot of great feedback from readers as well.

But what's been unusual is the responses from interviewees in terms of who does or doesn't get things done. I wouldn't have expected some of these results, but check this out:

Women, in general, are quite happy to do the interviews. Most come from entertainment fields, so that's understandable. Actresses, singers, models, and filmmakers know the value in providing face time online.

Men, by contrast, take a lot of selling. In the main, it's actually far more difficult to get them to agree to do an interview in the first place. I believe it's because they see the value differently. Whereas women see contributing an interview as adding value to their online brand, men want to know what the interview will contribute to their online brand.

From men, I often get questions like, "how much traffic do you get?" or "how do these questions relate to my [product or service] so I can at least get some relevant backlinks?" Women see the value as intrinsic, whereas men question the value from a "what's in it for me" position.

And yet (and here's the funny part), men get the interview responses back to me very quickly, even if their initial response was "I'm pretty busy, so this may take a while." Women, always eager to take on the interview, take much longer to get it done and usually need one or two reminders. Why is this?

Actually, I have no idea. This is just a tendency that I've noticed in doing several of these interviews over the past year. Women are more likely to agree to do an interview, but take a long time to get around to it. Men are less likely to agree to it, but when they do the turnaround time is much faster.

I'm going to keep an eye on this, I think, because it's an interesting phenomenon. It's not a scientific study of course, just a curiosity. I'm wondering if there's some valuable lesson here in the differences between men and women in handling productivity. Either way the job gets done, but in different ways. Worth a look I'd say.

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The Man Sphere Magazine Format Officially Launched TODAY!

It's taken a lot of gruelling horrible work, but we finally launched The Man Sphere in its online magazine format!

Not to worry...stalwart readers of this blog will still get regular blog updates right here. This reformatting and rebranding effort is just a way to separate my personal quips from real content media, which has allowed me to do things like create categories specifically for advince on home maintenance, music and entertainment reviews, and interviews -- all the good stuff that dudes (and not-so-dudes) want to read but don't want to spend extra time poking around a blogger blog for.

If you haven't done so already, swing by The Man Sphere (www.themansphere.com) and check it out. This week (we'll run biweekly and see how that goes) we're featuring interviews with the amazing singer/songwriter Basia Lyjak and the somewhat less amazing but no less admirable Rugged Dude.

And pretty soon you'll be able to follow along right here with my own progress when we launch our Shape Up for Summer Contest 2012. Gonna be fun!

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter too, for lots more fun and lots more stuff guys want to know.

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Men We Admire: Mark McGuinness

Mark McGuinness writes one of the best business anywhere devoted to the field of creative enterprise and the art of dealing with the business of being an artist. His free "Creative Pathfinder" course is a godsend to creative professionals unsure of where they are going or how to navigate the commercial realities of their work. We seldom receive such training in regular education as creative professionals, and Mark's work really ought to be required reading for university students. It is for my private students.

Name: Mark McGuinness
Occupation: Coach and trainer for creative people
Education: Too much. :-) The last formal education I did was an MA in Creative & Media Enterprises at the University of Warwick, UK. But every day is an educational experience, if we pay attention.

I'm a poet so I prefer qualitative measures. :-)  If I'm excited to get to work every morning, and making a difference to the people I work with, that's the awesomeness box ticked for the day.

How did you get started on your current career track? 

I started as a psychotherapist, then noticed my favourite clients were the artists, writers, actors and other creative types, so I decided to specialise in coaching them.

Did you have any mentors who helped steer you on this path?

Yes, John Eaton is the most visible online. Check out his blog at http://www.reverse-therapy.com 

What motivates or inspires you in your work?

The opportunity to do things I personally find meaningful and to help others succeed at doing the same. Also what Yeats called 'the fascination of what's difficult' - if it's never been done before, I'm itching to do it.

Do you have a personal work philosophy?

Very similar to Gurdjieff's: 'Whenever I do something I do a lot of it.'  I tend to focus on one thing to the point of obsession, then move on to the next one when that grips me.

If you weren't doing this, what could you see yourself doing?

I've never seriously considered an alternative.

What are you working on right now?

A new product for creative business owners, to help them deal with the point where their creative ambitions collide with commercial reality. 

To stay in shape, what's your basic diet look like?

I'm pretty omnivorous. I don't really think of food as a way to stay in shape.

What sort of fitness plan, if any, do you follow?

I run around the park. 

What one piece of advice would you give to your own son (hypothetical or otherwise) in the hope of making him a better man?

Question everything - but don't forget to listen to the answers. 

What's next for you? What's your next big idea or project?

I've got several projects stacked in various stages of completion at Lateral Action, about creativity, business or both. And a new poem I've started tinkering with...

What's the one thing about you that never turns up in interviews:

I'm not sure I've ever confessed my admiration for Daddy Pig before. A true gentleman and a great role model for fathers (if not necessarily for children). http://www.nickjr.co.uk/shows/peppa/daddy.aspx

Creative Coaching at Lateral Action
(be sure to check out the "Creative Pathfinder" course. HIGHLY recommended!)

Mark McGuinness's Poetry Site

Follow Mark McGuinness on Twitter 

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Men We Admire: Hubert O'Hearn

When I met Hubert O'Hearn, I was just a pup coming up in the arts sector in Thunder Bay. Hubert had the role of antagonist in a cheesy melodrama production I had the dubious honour of directing music for. One thing about a man who knows his craft; whether as an actor or as a writer; is he knows when the upstart who "outranks" him in production needs a subtle nudge in the right direction, and when to stand back and let the upstart's training speak for itself. When a master ends up working for a student, the master's strength shows in his ability to let the student work confidently.


Of course, being a writer, Hubert's interview took on a prose of its own. So I left it. The answers are all here.


Name: Hubert O’Hearn
Age: 53
Occupation: Writer
Relationship status: Engaged/Common-Law Spouse to Kimberly McInnis
For how long?: 6 years
Kids: Two Step-children: Amanda age 22 and Bradley age 15
Pets: Stella Belle - 2 year old border collie (some Labrador was involved with a grandparent, but that’s a family scandal we don’t discuss much in public)
Car(s): Are fine things. I prefer cycling for exercise, or buses as it is much easier to read while riding rather than driving. Grateful pedestrians endorse this decision.
Gadgets: I’m getting less gadget-y ever since I awoke to people’s bizarre obsession with smartphones. My cell phone died last week and I’m seriously thinking of NOT replacing it. Two reasons: One, I’m not a big fan of brain tumors and the warnings about cell phones in 2011 remind me of cigarette warnings from 1948. Everybody laughs them off now.... Second reason: I hate phone conversations at the best of times, with the exception of friends who live in distant places. And with them even, it makes more sense to arrange a mutually convenient time.
Stats: 6’2” 173 lbs., eyes blue, hair hanging (and I do mean hanging, we’re getting to WWE length) in there nicely
Favourite instruments: I sing with words, baby.
Sports: The aforementioned bicycling. When I finally get time to do nothing, I’ll define nothing as golf and fishing.

Writing was a hobby for me, a nice little earner, a side order of chips to whatever the catch of the day happened to be. I’d first realized I was potentially reasonably good at it all the way back in elementary school. We had these ‘Spellers’ - skinny hard-covered textbooks where each week there was a list of 20 words running down the left-side column of the left-hand page. I’m pretty sure we had these from Grade Two through Grade Seven, possibly Grade Eight. There was always the weekly assignment of writing a short essay using as many of these ‘new words’ as possible within it.

They weren’t new words to me. Our family home had a small library in it, plus bookshelves holding up the walls in the living room and all the bedrooms. I liked to dip in and no one, least of all my mother, ever told me a book was ‘too old’ for me. (That, by the way, was a lesson I brought with me when I directed Children’s Theatre for 4 years in the 1990s and a one year comeback in 2006 - the people who most under-sell children’s abilities to learn great things in huge gulps are their parents.) Anyway, I’d been through mist of Dickens, Hemingway and - in a mighty feat one summer - The Brothers Karamazov by the age of 11. So to find the words ‘suspense’ or ‘indigo’ halfway down the Speller list was no purple-shaded mystery at all.

The challenge was to make these essays interesting. So I turned them ino little one-person plays: mimicking in dialogue Jimmy Cagney, Dean Martin, Humphrey Bogart (I still do an absolute killer Bogart) and whomever else was starring on The Tonight Show that week. The other kids in the class would clamour for me to read these essays and the teachers at St. Mary’s School (since turned into a classroom for hair designers) learned to hold me back for last, or near to last as they must have worried that my ego would burst out of proper Catholic confinement like a baby peacock kicking out of its shell.

So I was good and I knew it. High school was the triumph of style over research. I freely admit this; as the statute of limitations has to have run out by now and regardless I ain’t giving back my Grade 13 diploma. I recall a Grade 12 English class where we were to analyze a Canadian poet - except for Irving Layton and Leonard Cohen at that time in the mid-70s this was the literary equivalent of a Soviet hard labour camp - and I wrote, and got away with, a very nice essay examining the literary merits of Muhammad Ali, who I falsely claimed had been born on a train outside of Oshawa which gave the great heavyweight dual citizenship. 

Did I say high school was the triumph of style? Sorry, I meant bullshit.

Writing though remained a hobby for 25 years. I didn’t want to ‘be a writer’. Or I did and I didn’t. My father had been a  newspaper columnist for 30 years and Dad was a terminal Irish alcoholic. I did NOT want to look in the mirror one day and see his face smiling back. Granted, he was brilliant, but I was fearful of his weaving path.

I stumbled into ‘proper writing’ when I was close to 40. I’d been doing theatre in Thunder Bay - first with Cambrian Players and then with my own Actors Repertory Theatre (ART) when Cambrian and I had a mutual hissy fit. The Chronicle-Journal needed an arts reviewer and I waved my hand and got the freelance gig.

Now at heart, I’ve always said that I am a sportswriter. Sports lays open the whole gamut of passion, adventure, drama, humour and fantasy. When i was assigned to write the weekly golf column around 2000, I had an absolute hoot with it. From there, the C-J asked me to write a weekly TV column and the rest is history - from that end of it. 

But, as to the present, two things changed my world. First, on February 7, 2010 my darling fiancee Kimberly fell to the kitchen floor before my eyes with a burst brain aneurysm. As of this writing, her physical health is pretty good - however she has no short-term memory. None. You could tell her God’s middle name in one second and she will absolutely know it, until a butterfly flaps its wings and then the memory is gone.

I’d started reviewing books for the C-J at the prompting of Elle Andra-Warner just a month or two previously. Through endless weeks, first in Toronto then in Thunder Bay, I quite literally had no other recreation than reading books on teh streetcar or bus, then writing up the reviews on a $300 used laptop I’d picked up on Queen Street East. That started my habit of reading three books a week and writing up the two best. (Except in the rarest of circumstances - when a fraud is being foisted on the public - I won’t do a negative review. Why waste people’s time?)

But then, in February of this year, a true angel appeared in my life. Make no mistake, I adore Kimberly and she is the love of my life and the joy of my heart. But my recent run of success - I am not going to call it luck; I’ve worked way too hard for this - I owe it all to Lydia Cornell.
Lydia starred on Too Close for Comfort in the 80s. While Twittering one day I ran across a tweet of her that had been retweeted and I thought she’d be an interesting interview subject. Well, several hundred emails later, she has become my closest friend and confidant, my inspiration, the person who pulled me out of a depression that I didn’t even know I was in until I came out the other side and looked back. 

Lydia taught - or reminded me - to believe in myself, to act with love, and to always give. The story is way too long to encapsulate here - I could do a book on Lydia and if she doesn’t get hers out on the market soon, I may have to. But the long and the short is that I learnt to let go of fear.

So where am I now? Just since STARTING TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, my marketplace has expanded from Hooterville (pardon me, I mean Dogpatch, er, Thunder Bay - I hate Thunder Bay with a passion, in case you couldn’t tell. That too may be a book, but Sibclair lewis already wrote Main Street, so the material is covered there) to San Francisco, Sacramento, Denver, Winnipeg, an on-line literary review and another large US market about to be announced.

I am planning the Sheer Boredom Tour of Western Canada and the Western US for winter 2012, plus I have received in the last week an invitation to guest lecture at the University of Wolverhampton a year from this fall. From nowhere to everywhere in the space of a month.
But...it can’t all be for me. First it is for Kimberly - when/if...let’s say when...she recovers she has quite a life ahead of her. But even more important, thanks to Lydia and her personal example of giving to others first, I want whatever influence I have to be for good. My plan is for the Tour to be in support of libraries. When interviewers start to ask me what I think of things other than hot new novels, I want to urge a message of peace and dialogue. I want to ‘get people over’ who are great writers not yet noticed.

And I intend to have one Hell of a good time doing it.

Visit Hubert O'Hearn's Blog

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Men We Admire: James Hergott

"I'm too busy working on myself to criticize anybody else."

I met producer/director James Hergott online after seeing a feature article on him in a regional arts and culture magazine. After a few months of emailing back and forth, I can honestly say I've been very privileged to get to know this guy. Body building champion, MMA filmmaker, and supreme motivator, James is the perfect example of how single-minded determination can drive you to your goals and make those around you strive to mirror your success in every sphere of life.

Photo: Edward Kwan

How does one "define" James Hergott?

I would say through my art. With time I want to make some amazing movies that impact people on both an emotional and intellectual level. People die but art lives forever and can change the world.

You recently won a natural bodybuilding competition in Cobourg, ON. Did you have someone behind the scenes coaching you through that transformation?

Yes, Dave Avery and his wife Julie. They created a great diet plan and also helped me prepare for all of the things I would need to know come contest time.

Was there one tweak to your routine that you feel put you over the top?

Change in diet was a big factor in cutting fat. In terms of training I would say that being around MMA fighters helped improve the intensity of my workouts and gave me some new exercises to work muscle groups in new ways.

As a filmmaker, how did you get connected with MMA? Are you a fighter yourself?

I've never fought although I have trained in Judo and a lot of grappling back in the day. I would say I am out of practice now. I was always a fan of MMA and I wrote a script in 2006 titled "Never Submit". The project was before "Never Back Down" and in fact we had attached the lead villain in that movie Cam Gigandet. In fact "Never Back Down" was called "Get Some" back in the day. "Never Submit" never went into production but during the pre-production for the movie I met a number of MMA personalities and my relationships grew from there.

Your 2010 documentary "The Striking Truth" chronicles four years in the careers of Georges St. Pierre and David "The Crow" Loiseau. A lot of media gives a one-dimensional view of pro fighters. What were these guys really like to work with?

Every fighter is different but 90% of the fighters I've met have been really humble and nice people to work with. Many of them grew up around traditional martial arts so they have a disciplined and respectful attitude. Kevin Randleman wanted to kick my ass one day that I pissed him off, other than that everyone's been great. LOL Note to people coming up in MMA: Do not get on the bad side of Mr. Randleman.

James Hergott (l.) and Georges St. Pierre (r.). Photo: Liana Louzon

I can't think of any guy who wouldn't want to say he got in the ring with GSP. Tell me you got a little sparring in!

LOL! I gave him an intense stare, does that count? I'm not a professional fighter so maybe if he tied his arms behind his back it would be game on. When I'm working I'm focused on the goal of making a great film, not to play.

Obviously tackling any war zone documentary has its own challenges just in terms of clearances and safety issues. On "Fight for the Troops," were you involved on the planning end as well, or just brought in to shoot the doc?

The planning was all done by Monica Sanford and a bunch of other people she works with in the military. I was just lucky enough to get the opportunity to go.

Photo: Mark Walton

I believe anyone can achieve their dreams. Most people don't suffer from a lack of intelligence, but rather from a lack of belief in themselves. It is not external obstacles that define people but how they deal with those obstacles. Most people create their own obstacles and design their own failure because they do not believe they truly deserve success.




How much of a challenge was it to get a film like "Fight for the Troops" put together?

The biggest challenge (which really is nothing compared to what real soldiers deal with) was filming while dealing with uncomfortable situations. It is very hot in Iraq and you are sleeping with a bunch of guys in a tent together. You can't drink the drinking water. I brushed my teeth and got sick! Secondary note to those coming up: Don't accidentally bring X-rated material into a Muslim country.

Where can we find these movies?

"The Striking Truth" is currently available in retail outlets throughout Canada including Blockbuster and Wal-Mart (and online at Amazon). Updates on other projects are coming soon.

Can you give us any details about the project you're working on now?

"Own3d" is coming together in a big way. We are filming in Canada. We're signed on with ACTRA (the Canadian actor's union). We are in talks with several MMA fighters and actors and offers have started to go out. The script has gotten so much praise and I think it will shock a lot of people. It won't be what people expect. There are people in the MMA world who get every MMA script anyone has written and I can tell you I have heard several people; agents, managers and fighters; who have read the script say that it kills every other MMA-related script out there. I'm directing the movie. My friend Bobby Razak will be doing the action directing and some other things on the movie. I've never been involved in a project with such positive energy in terms of momentum. We make progress on a daily basis with it and come film time it will be very well organized. We have a great production and legal team working behind the scenes.

"To me, failure is part of the experience of life. Failure helps you improve and become the best you can be. I have never been afraid to fail, so I have never been afraid to try."

James Hergott on IMDB
Owned Entertainment Website

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Men We Admire: Damien Gilbert

I met Dman when he was a student of mine in the film program at Confederation College. This guy is a perfect example of why books have to be read and not just looked at. Yes, he's a skater and a stunt man. But he's also smart, tech and marketing savvy, and phenomenal drummer to boot. My karate teacher used to say, "Watch out for little guys with muscles. They've always got something to prove." He was talking about scrappers at the bar. This little guy with muscles definitely has something to prove: that whatever he does, next time he'll do it better...and have a hell of a lot of fun doing it.

Photo: Jason Stasiw

Name: Damien Gilbert
Age: 27
Occupation: Freelance Film Maker, Youth Program Coordinator, Photographer and Entrepreneur
Relationship status: Girlfriend
For how long?: 6 Months
Car: Nissan Pathfinder
Stats: 5'4”, 180 lbs. 2006 BEAC Award Winner, Best PSA
Favourite instruments: Tama Drums
Sports: Skateboarding, Hockey, Parkour




How did you get started on your current career/lifestyle path?

I was in high school and made prank and stunt videos for my friends and I. There was an audience that wanted to watch these videos. We would sell VCDs out of our lockers. Sold hundreds of them. We then turned to the internet. This was years before YouTube was invented. We posted videos on our site called www.spdst.com. We started receiving so much traffic and views from all over the world it was decided that I should make a DVD. Still in high school at the time, I did my placement with MHR Media and edited the DVD with their help producing. I managed to obtain distribution and have my first DVD--SPDST "Disarray from the Bay"*--in HMV stores across Canada. My distributor also created an online store for the DVDs to be purchased online where I sold several hundred more. 

Many people were steering me along the lines of enrolling in film school. I had never thought of anything like that. I applied in September of 2004 and was not accepted. I wasn't too upset because I was already working on my second DVD. I received a call in December from the college. They told me they were starting a second intake and that I had been accepted. So in January of 2005, I was in film school. I graduated in December of 2006 and was working by January, 2007. Have been busy ever since.

*That's Thunder Bay, for you uninitiated. Ed.

Did you have any mentors who helped steer you on this path?

I have had many people I would consider as mentors, not just in film, but all walks of life. I would say the profs at Confederation College guided me into taking film. I met them prior, and they noticed I had an interest. So, Dennis Austin for always believing in me, Eric Weller for letting me produce my first DVD out of his establishment, Don Delorme, for teaching me the technical skills, and several friends along the way in school like Mikey Williams, Rodney Dwira, Sheree Betker, Dave Clement and Scott Baker's talent, just to name a few. There are several people once I graduated that were a big help too, like Kelly Saxberg and Ron Harpelle.

How has your work contributed to your development as a person?

My work has made me grow so much as a person. I mean working on over a 100 productions, varying from documentaries, fiction, non fiction, action sports, television...it's been a humbling experience. You learn so much from every shoot, whether it's technical experience or just more on a particular topic you wouldn't have known otherwise.

If you had one piece of advice for someone just entering your field, what would it be?

It would be don't leave yourself limited. Multitask, and keep up on technology.

Do you have a personal work philosophy?

Respect.

I have the craziest Pavel Bure Collection. It's kind of bad how much I have spent on a hockey player who has been retired for close to ten years now. 

Photo: Jason Stasiw

What do you do for fun?

A big thing to me is going to our skate plaza and filming some skateboarding. It's like, therapeutic for me. I enjoy seeing some live performances at our local clubs. Spending time with my girlfriend and friends.

What motivates or inspires you?

I get motivated when I watch something that I know could have been created better lol. I get inspired by work that is beyond my capabilities.

What has been your greatest achievement?

I have many things I am personally proud about. I try not to look back in what I did, it's about what's next. Sure, working overseas, and working with childhood idols on the level is cool. But there is much more to do.

What is the one thing you hope to achieve?

Acknowledgement on a grand scale for what I do.

What is your super power?

Thought Process and Energy

Who's your hero?

Buster Keaton

What are you reading (or watching) these days?

Youtube, Vimeo

Thinking back to a time when you had to make a hard choice, how did you decide, and do you feel, in retrospect, that you made the right move?

When I moved out of my mom's house. She thought maybe she did something wrong and took it harder then I expected. But it was for my personal growth and I had to do it for me. It may sound self-centred but I did what I did. My mom was always very supportive of everything I did and still is.

What's next for you? What's your next big idea, project etc.?

Well over the past six months I have been a program coordinator with the Regional Multicultural Youth Council, teaching a Skills Link program to 18- to 29-year-olds who have either dropped out or are currently unemployed. I have learned a lot from this experience and never ever thought I would be in this position where I am the mentor/role model/counselor...on a salary. Never in a million years!

I have lots on the go at all times. I have a shirt company. I'm a musician. I make films and work for others on their projects. I hope to start the 2nd installment of the Skills Link program in October.

What one piece of advice would you give to your own son (hypothetical or otherwise) in the hope of making him a better man? 

It would be to trust you instincts and don't let anyone tell you it can't be achieved.

Favourite workout tip: 21's on the Bi's: In a three-part curl, hit 7 reps half-way up, followed by 7 reps half-way past that, and finally 7 full reps. Thrashes your biceps in no time flat.

iPhone or Android: BLACK BERRY (pssshh...Ed.)
One thing guys should know when talking to a beautiful woman: Respect

Absolute WORST experience on set/shoot:

Haha, it was my first day on a shoot in California. I was the Production Coordinator. I had all the signed release forms in a folder. We were shooting on a beach. A big gust of wind took that whole pile of release forms, created a paper tornado and tossed everything into the ocean and wet sand. It took a while to collect them all, dry them out and wipe the mud off. Good times! lol.

LINKS:

Damien's YouTube Channel

Dman Photography

Damien Gilbert on IMDB

SPDST Home Page

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Men We Admire: Mackenzie Kristjón

I've known Mac for the better part of 20 years. Always inspired, sometimes a little out there (don't believe what he says about his age), Mac keeps me thinking cutting edge when my own work seems to drag me down. Mac is the lead singer and songwriter with the band This Mad Desire, and I was fortunate to be able to draw on his talents to cover some scenes in a short horror film I scored last year. The songs were a perfect fit.

Photo: Patricia Yosida de Oliveira

Name: Mackenzie Kristjón
Age: 29 Forever/18 Again... I usually say that I came down from the mountain about a hundred years ago on my way to the sea but we lost track of time at some point and so here I be.
Occupation: Singer/songwriter at This Mad Desire
Stats: I once won a special trophy for the best new record released on the same day as the Backstreet Boys. I've also won awards for publishing and songwriting but...
Favourite instruments: '67 Strat. Also the black Les Paul that someone stole!!
Sports: Soccer, hockey, anything in the water.



How did you get started on your current career path?

As Lady Gaga says, "Baby I was born this way." My first paid job was playing the piano for a bat mitzvah. Not so long after, I took a job working for a trucking company washing trucks, unloading trailers, and so on. The owner pulled me aside one time and said, "You are absolutely terrible at this job! I'm not going to fire you though. One day you're going to be playing piano in Italy or somewhere and you'll need to have a good story about working here!" Funny guy!  I worked there for almost a year more. 

When I was very young, like maybe 3, I first encountered KISS on TV and magazines and was absolutely mesmerized. Eventually, my mother told me I would have to learn how to read if I was to enjoy these pulpy pleasures. I'm sure that I could read within about 15 seconds. Lord knows I needed to know such important information as what Ace Frehley looks for in a female fan and so on. I already knew this would be integral to my future pursuits. What if I were to have groupies like Ace? What would I do? etc. Very deep philosophical ponderings for a young mind.

Around the same time, everyone started to notice that my hands don't quite work. I have specialists across this entire galaxy trying to name my affliction. One guy wanted to slice part of my brain to see if this would help. On the downside, it could also leave me completely paralyzed. I politely declined. The basic idea is that if I will the muscles in one hand to move, the other hand moves as well. To a limited degree, I can independently control my hands but most people notice I always have one hand twitching! The doctor laughed as he said to my mother, "Oh well. I guess he'll never play the piano!" I kid you not: I was in lessons the next day.

We always had keyboards laying around the house and I always liked them. Luckily no one ever told me not to smash away at pianos. One day I even broke a low G string. For those who are not aware, it's not easy to snap piano strings in general and really not easy to snap bass strings. When this string snapped, it shook the whole house. I was convinced I had destroyed the entire piano. EVERY string was being slapped by these flailing ends of this broken string as it was also cracking against the piano's casing. I've never heard anything so loud in my life!

Did you have any mentors who helped steer you on this path?

I've had some excellent music teachers and especially my piano teacher. Marilyn Wong was so fierce she made my sister cry! She never broke me though. It seems to me that there was one time when I caught her smiling. World wars were averted in that one instant. Other than her, just the usual good teachers, interesting players and collaborators and so on. All the various musicians I've played with always teach me something. Music is such an interesting way of sharing. 

My co-producer on the "Deathstyle::Celebration (Life is too short. Live it!)" record was Andrew McPherson who I also worked with on the "Karma Repair::Sweetness Machines" release. Working with him was a real pleasure as he has a completely different style of working and very different musical sensibilities. One session I remember vividly we had Beate Schwirtlich playing drums in a living room, I was in a kitchen with an amplifier in the basement of this house. Upstairs by the control room was Barzin playing vibraphones. My idea was that we were going to record this track "Dance Me Down" LIVE. For the engineers out there, you will appreciate that this meant that the sound of the raucous drums would "bleed" into the vibraphone tracks. Engineers HATE this sort of thing as it makes editing very difficult. Andrew was not just opposed to what I was insisting upon but very concerned that this was wasting time. 

Don't you know that in the end, it turned out to be one of the more interesting tracks? In fact, Phil Demetro who mastered the record at Lacquer Channel Mastering said it was his favourite cut.

How has your work contributed to a) your development as a person and/or b) the lives of others?

I don't know. That would be pretty pompous of me. As Neil Young sang, "Just singing a song won't change the world." Although.... there was that time one of my vocal lines saved the planet. Basically there had been a rip in the fabric of space and time and some very talented Japanese engineers were able to sew the whole universe back together using this one magical vocal line. It happened very quickly while most people were sleeping but luckily these tourists were right there taking pictures. I don't often mention that event. I think it makes me seem more humble and personable when I don't mention the cosmic forces that are literally at my command and a direct result of my supernatural songs.

If you had one piece of advice for someone just entering your field, what would it be?

Let the music do the talking. In general, I don't think people should give advice. Most people who do give others advice generally don't know what they are talking about. Believe in yourself and don't take no for an answer. That's general good advice. For musicians in particular, learn your instruments. Nothing is more punk rock than intelligence! Stay open-minded. Always have prizes galore. Learn how to fly up the corporate ladder at the speed of sight. Make friends with models and photographers. Wear sunglasses. Take acting classes. Read everything you can. Stay up late. Get up early. Learn every possible secret handshake. Meet as many people as you can. Stay open-minded. Play other people's songs. Play your own songs. Read poetry. Stay open-minded. 

Do you have a personal work philosophy?

Let the music do the talking? Like other very talented people, I've experienced the joy of temp-work and one day I was at an industrial bakery that supplies a major retailer's customers with delicious goodies, bagels, and so on. When they told me I was going to spend an entire day there, I had images in my head of happy bakers dressed in white with flour on their noses. I could not have been more wrong. This is heavy-duty assembly-line factory work. At one point over the roar of the machines, the lead hand said to me, "You've got a really great work ethic! Honestly, there are only 3 people in this whole place who work as hard as you. You should consider working here. It's a real pleasure to be working with you!!" I almost fell down laughing. So the answer is, "No."

What motivates or inspires you?

Passion and honesty. Meeting new people. And of course, money.

What has been your greatest achievement?

Stayin' Alive. Nothing else really matters.

What is the one thing you hope to achieve?

World Slavery. To become the Master of All Time, Space, and Dimension. For realz, one day I want to open the Mactory.. like Warhol's Factory... but MINE ALL MINE, baby. 

What is your super power?

I appear as a character in a Hamilton-based comic called "Mac Attack" (QPM Comics) which is rather significantly based on my persona that I adopt as the singer for This Mad Desire. In that book, I seem to have increased strength and agility plus I can transfer sonic power into pure energy transmissible through my guitar like a cannon. Perhaps other magical powers will reveal themselves as the story continues. I can't wait to find out!

Who's your hero?

Da King B. Steve Martin. Or perhaps Bill Murray. And then in the women department, I tip the hat to Maria Bamford. Many other female comedians refer to Maria as my girlfriend when they talk to me. My musical heros are the Beastie Boys and Bjork. Da Killer B's.

What are you reading (or watching) these days?

I'm always reading The Complete Sagas of Icelanders. I just read a number of Ann Coulter books because I thought I should see what all the fuss was about. I read Pigeon English, the David Rothenberg books Why Birds Sing and Thousand Mile Song. When I feel a strong need to get angry, I read the Camille Paglia books, and I would be lying if I did not confess to reading on a daily basis from Judith Martin's Miss Manners Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behaviour. The books I read while traveling yesterday were A Brief History of The Vikings by Jonathan Clement, The Hedonism Handbook by Michael Flocker and Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends & Influence People. 

Thinking back to a time when you had to make a hard choice, how did you decide, and do you feel, in retrospect, that you made the right move?

Let's be honest. I'm not the leader of a major country or anything. It's difficult for me to imagine that I could really have a hard choice to make about anything. 

If you had it all to do over again, would you change anything?

Yes.

What's next for you?

New record, new book, and a massive public art project. So huge I can't talk about it yet. It's going to be very, very interesting for the good people of Hamilton, Ontario.

What one piece of advice would you give to your own son (hypothetical or otherwise) in the hope of making him a better man?

Don't complain; never explain? Keep finding out that the more you find out, the less you will know. Your goal in life is to remember everything and know nothing. And look out for your sister. 

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