According2g is 4

My, how time flies.

4 years ago on this day, I launched According2g.com.  At the time, I had no idea where the path would lead, but I just put one foot in front of the other, took out my camera, snapped some photos and started writing – 7 days a week!

Flash forward 4 years later and because of this blog, I am now friends or friendly with so many of my heroes.  I’ve had the oppotunity to see and meet nearly all of my living heroes in the realms of music and art.  My stories have been reposted on home pages of internet titans and some of my favorite bands, which continues to blow my mind.  Earlier this year, a video I took of the closest thing we’ll probably ever get to a Smiths reunion and the went viral and landed me on Rolling Stone and NME’s website, two publications I’ve been reading ever since I was a child!  Because of this blog, I had the opportunity to host an episode of “Weird Vibes” for MTV, a channel I’ve been watching since it launched in 1981.  Because of this blog, I’ve had the chance to talk to hundreds of my idols and for all of these things and so much more, I am eternally grateful!

In addition, since I launched this blog, here’s a few “by the numbers” statistics:

- I’ve written approximately 700 posts about encounters with some of the world’s biggest celebrities, artists and rock stars.

- I’ve written close to 800 concert reviews.

- I’ve written over 800 posts about art exhibitions.

-  There are 1460 days in a 4 year period and the only counting these reviews and experiences, in 6,300 plus posts, I’ve experienced over 2,300 events, which equates to over 2 events in a day, 7 days a week!!!  I challenge ANY blog in the world to live up to these standards:  taking your own photos, experiencing the events first hand and writing about them, 7 days a week.  Many other blogs are much more successful than me, but they are nowhere near as hard working.  And that is a fact!

I will not lie and tell you that this blog has helped my bank account as of this writing (but it’s coming, so I’m not worried), but no matter what happens, these amazing life changing experiences can never be stripped from me and that is something you cannot put a price on.

I would also like to put it out there in the world that I am looking to host or appear on more art/rock/celebrity based shows and also would love to collaborate with artists on songs.  If you didn’t know, I’ve been known to write some pretty kick-ass song lyrics (however, I cannot write music, so I need your help!)  I would also like to work with artists on a new line of T-shirts that I have brewing in my head, so if you or anyone you know can help me achieve these goals, please get in touch.

Back to the blog…

I thank all my readers for sharing these stories in their social media circles.

I thank all the artists whose works have inspired me to keep writing even when it seemed like there was no light at the end of the tunnel, and when you think of all the technical glitches and stress that comes with blogging 7 days a week, this feeling happens a lot!

Last and certainly not least, I thank YOU for reading this.

Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

All my love,

G

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Michael Musto

Long before I moved to New York 7 years ago, I would always try and get my hands on a copy of the Village Voice, the legendary weekly paper detailing the must see activities in New York.  Once I arrived in Manhattan, the Voice became my Bible for finding out what is happening in the city.  If there was one part of the Voice that I never missed reading, it was Michael Musto’s “La Dolce Musto” column, which was filled with juicy celebrity gossip and entertainment reviews.  The things Musto wrote about were not just second hand accounts.  Instead, he wrote about his experiences and as he’s been at the Village Voice since 1984, Musto has truly seen and done it all.  He and his column have been a great source of inspiration for me as an impetus for trying to experience as much as possible in a city where life changing events are around every corner.

Yesterday, the Village Voice laid off Michael Musto.  Obviously, this is a sad sign of the times that has affected every industry because nowadays it’s all about the bottom line.  It doesn’t make the news any easier to swallow and thankfully, Musto’s legions of fans have taken to their social media circles to protest this injustice.  Michael Musto is an extremely talented writer who will surely land on his feet and hopefully at some place even better than he was before, but as the voice of the New York entertainment scene for 28 years, it seems like our greatest champion has been prematurely silenced.

I guess this is a case of “when one door closes, another one opens” and I look forward to seeing what new opportunities arise for Michael Musto.  For so many of us, the Village Voice will now be the Village Void without the humor and wit that Musto provided us weekly.

Good luck to Michael Musto and please voice your discontent to the powers that be at the Village Voice at this link.

This story is far from over…

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Nick Allbrook

In a statement on Tame Impala’s Facebook page, they announced that keyboardist and bassist Nick Allbrook has left the band.  Nick is also the lead singer of Pond, but there is no comment on whether he has left Tame Impala to focus on Pond full time or not.  Allbrook will be replaced by Cam Avery.  Good luck to Nick, who I’ve seen as both a member of Pond and Tame Impala many times.

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Veszel

Spotted in LA… right before I lost my head.

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Enrique Iglesias and Geoffrey Dicker

Let me first say that I will probably never wash my shoulder again!  Ha.  I’ve always thought Enrique Iglesias was really handsome, but in person, I will not lie when I say that my knees got weak!  I met Enrique recently as he performed a secret show in Manhattan.  Despite lots of girls (and a few gays) wanting a piece of the man, he did his best to accommodate everyone and we love when that happens.  Thanks Enrique for being so nice and so ffffing good looking! x

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Ellsworth Kelly

Artist Ellsworth Kelly is a few days shy of turning 90 years old!  To celebrate, Matthew Marks Galleries in New York are hosting 3 exhibitions of Kelly’s work.  The exhibition includes fourteen paintings and two sculptures made in the past two years.

A closer look

The galleries are located at 502 and 522 West 22nd Street and 523 West 24th Street.  “Ellsworth Kelly at Ninety” runs through June 29, 2013.  Ellsworth Kelly turns 90 on May 31, 2013.

Ellsworth Kelly (at eighty nine) and Geoffrey Dicker

I was fortunate enough to meet Ellsworth Kelly at the opening night reception and he was extremely nice! Thanks again Ellsworth.  It was great meeting you.  Congratulations on 3 great exhibits and happy birthday in advance!

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Dan Brown and Geoffrey Dicker

Like him or hate him, there’s no denying that Dan Brown is a master of suspense.  I LOVE his books.  I discovered his work slightly before “The Da Vinci Code” became a well-deserved mega blockbuster.  His books “Deception Point” and “Digital Fortress,” were my gateway drug into his writing and as soon as you pick up one of his books, be prepared to not be able to put it down.  Plot twists and turns will have you on the edge of your seat throughout all of his novels.  Then of course, there are the Robert Langdon books.  To craft a character as revered as a ‘modern day Indiana Jones’ is quite a feat and after reading “Angels and Demons” and “The Da Vinci Code,” audiences worldwide are always excited for a new Langdon story.  Good news!   The wait is over!  “Inferno (Robert Langdon)” is on shelves now and I am very excited to read it.  It will be hard to repeat the greatness of “Da Vinci Code,” but even his last book “The Lost Symbol,” which was my least favorite of his books, was still impossible to put down!  Being such a big fan, naturally, I was delighted to meet Dan Brown and he was super cool!  Love when that happens.  Thanks Dan!  It was a pleasure meeting the man that has kept me on the edge of my seat more times that I can count!

“Inferno (Robert Langdon)” is out now!

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Dan Colen at Oko

If you are a fan of Dan Colen, you should definitely check out his latest exhibit “The Spirits That I Called” at Oko in the East Village in Manhattan.  The new oil paintings are a departure from other exhibitions by Colen.  A fun fact: this exhibit was inspired by Disney’s “Fantasia.”

Dan Colen at Oko

“The Spirits That I Called” by Dan Colen will be showing at Oko (located at 220 East 10th Street) through June 15, 2013.

Dan Colen and Geoffrey Dicker

I met Dan at the opening night reception and he was very nice – and much, much taller than me.  Luckily for me, he ducked when we took this photo.  Thanks again Dan!

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Ms. Lauryn Hill and Geoffrey Dicker

Ms. Lauryn Hill is amazing!  She’s only released a few albums in her career but they are genius.  She is sometimes as noted for her outbursts in the press and her reclusive nature as much as her music and she may be serving prison time for tax problems.  With that kind of reputation and an amazing career, you’d think she might not be the friendliest person around, but I am here to tell you, Ms. Lauryn Hill was absolutely delightful in person.  She gladly signed autographs and took photos with a couple of fans who waited quite a while to meet her.  As she signed album covers, she told us some of the behind the scenes stories about the photo shoots and was not rushed at all.  I was so pleasantly surprised by how cool she was and we returned the love because a talent like hers does not come around very often.  Thanks so much Ms. Hill!  I really hope she avoids serving a prison term because we all know that paying taxes is the equivalent of taking a torch to your hard earned money, but that’s a conversation for a different day.  As I said to Ms. Hill, I hope to see her again very soon and no matter how long it takes or what happens before she comes around again, myself and her legion of fans be waiting for her!  Thanks again Lauryn!  Love you sister!

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Paul McCarthy at Hauser and Wirth. Looks just like what you think it looks like.

If you are a fan of artist Paul McCarthy and you live in New York, you’re hitting the mother lode in May and June 2013.  Hauser and Wirth have two exhibits currently showing (and one will close and reopen with another in late June) and there additional sculptures and video installations on view.  Click on Hauser and Wirth’s website to get a full run down of what is happening and where.

Paul McCarthy at Hauser and Wirth

As you can see from this photo, these sculptures are gargantuan in size and they are filled with McCarthy’s signature subversive imagery.  These aren’t the only two sculptures on display however.  There are many more on display and they need to be seen in person to really grasp the magnitude of how awesome this exhibit it.

Paul McCarthy

“Sculptures” by Paul McCarthy is on display through June 1, 2013 at Hauser and Wirth’s new space in Chelsea (located at 511 West 18th Street).

As a bonus, this is what you get to look at as you enter Hauser and Wirth in Chelsea.

The entrance to Hauser and Wirth

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