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October 25, 2005
Catching Up With BK Boreyko & Vemma!
BK Boreyko is the President and CEO of Vemma. By his early 30's he and his family launched the next generation of network marketing - appropriately called New Vision. Founded on the strength and courage of their mother, who lost her battle with cancer the year before, their mission was simple: enrich the quality of families' lives both physically and financially. Within months, Success Magazine trumpeted the new company's unprecedented growth, which was fueled by dynamic field leadership, a 'rocket ship.' Not long afterwards, BK received the prestigious Ernst and Young "Entrepreneur of the Year Award" in Arizona for the company's many innovations and contributions.
Grateful for every blessing he has experienced, BK has used his personal and corporate resources to help the lives of those less fortunate. The total donations to worthy causes such as Habitat For Humanity, the Dream Center, Church On the Streets, the United Way, the Rainforest Foundation and the Dottie Boreyko Foundation (benefiting inner city youths), now exceeds $2.5 million!
On behalf of our entire team at What's Out Next, a huge thank you to Andi Buerger, Leanne Knapp and of course, BK Boreyko for his vision to help so many others! It was a great pleasure and honor to finally meet BK in person. What a great guy! Now, all I can say is celebrate!
Posted by mitchsantell at 01:49 PM
October 21, 2005
Chick & Good Times!
(Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers and David Bowie in 1979)
What inspires us most at What's Out Next are those who came before us who made a real impact on the music business. The best bass player I ever heard was Bernard Edwards. There is no one finer. When you go back and listen to the magic that Nile, Bernard and Thompson made, it was pure magic. The sad thing is the passing of two of the three founding members. Now onto our history lesson!
Chic is an American band that was formed in 1975/76 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. They are best remembered for their disco songs, including "Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" (1977), "Everybody Dance" (1977), "Le Freak" (1978), "I Want Your Love" (1978), "Good Times" (1979), and "My Forbidden Lover" (1979).
Bernard and Nile had former 'Labelle' and 'Ecstacy, Passion & Pain' drummer Tony Thompson join the band. And they performed as a trio doing covers at various gigs for awhile. But they needed a singer to front the band.
And that singer was Norma Jean Wright, who sang lead on their demotape and on all the songs on their first, selftitled, album (1977). Right after the sessions ended for their debut album Chic began to work on Norma Jean's selftitled debut solo album released in 1978. This album contained club hit 'Saturday.' To facilitate a separate but parallel (to Chic's) solo career for their lead singer Chic had agreed to sign her to a separate contract and label from the band. Unfortunately the legalities of this contract eventually forced Norma Jean to leave the band in mid (1978). But not before taking part in the sessions for Chic produced Sister Sledge album We Are Family.
(We dedicate this post to my Daughter Elise, 16, seen here having a good time with your host Mitch Santell.)
But before that, the immediate success of their debut album and the hits "Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" (1977) & "Everybody Dance" (1977), sent Chic out on the road. They performed as a quartet (Nile, Bernard, Tony & Norma Jean) up until February of (1978) but Nile & (Ber)Nard thought that their live performances would improve both in sound and visuals if they added another girl to front the band. Norma Jean suggested her friend Luci Martin and she became a member in late winter/early spring of 1978.
At the same time, Edwards and Rodgers composed, arranged, performed, and produced many influential disco and R&B records for both established artists and one-hit wonders, including Sister Sledge, Sheila and B. Devotion, Diana Ross, and Debbie Harry. Chic also helped introduce the world to a up-and-coming young vocalist named Luther Vandross, who sang on one of Chic's albums.
In the 1980s, the band struggled to obtain airplay and sales and eventually disbanded. Rodgers and Edwards separately produced records for a wide variety of artists. Rodgers was largely responsible for the breakthrough success of Madonna in 1985 with her Like a Virgin album. In the early 1990s, Rodgers and Edwards regrouped and worked on new material (Single Chic Mystique and subsequent album Chic-ism, both of which charted). Edwards died in 1996 in Japan, but Chic continued to tour with new musicians. Thompson passed away in 2003.
In addition to defining the disco sound, Chic helped to inspire other artists to forge their own sound. For example, The Sugarhill Gang used "Good Times" as the basis for their hit Rapper's Delight, which helped launch the Rap/Hip-hop music format as we know today. And the group Queen got the inspiration for their hit single "Another One Bites The Dust" from Chic's familiar bass guitar riffs.
It's all about Good Times!
Risque by Chic was the first track on their third album, Good Times released January 1, 1979.
Posted by mitchsantell at 01:40 PM
October 17, 2005
Charlie Chaplin, Master Composer!
Back in 1943, actor Charlie Chaplin, age 54, marries 18-year-old Oona O'Neill, daughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill. Chaplin had a habit of marrying younger women--his first three wives were also teenagers when he married them. The couple spent most of their marriage outside the United States after being denied re-entry to the United States by immigration officials in 1952. Chaplin, an English citizen, was suspected of communist ties. The couple did not return to the United States for 20 years. Instead, they settled in Switzerland, where they raised eight children.
One of Mr. Chaplin's most amazing gifts was the beautiful music he composed for his films. We tip our What's Out Next! hat to you Charlie. Sometimes to look at What's Out Next, you have to look at what came before. Every time I see Charlie Chaplin or hear his music, it simply makes me smile!
Posted by mitchsantell at 10:12 AM
October 01, 2005
Podcast Interview with Ted King! Part 1 - Show #17
Ted King began his career as a performer, writer and producer for the Walt Disney Company. In 1983, Mr. King joined Landmark Entertainment Group as a show designer and producer. Since then Mr. King has been involved in the development and production of over 100 diverse entertainment projects world-wide. As Vice President/Show Production, Mr. King was responsible for the development and production of all show content for Landmark attractions and live entertainment.
Mr. King has worked in every facet of themed entertainment including the development of attractions such as "The Starquest Adventure" for Samsung, Taejon Korea Asian Expo, "King Kong", "The Ghostbusters Show" and "The Funtastick World of Hanna Barbera" for Universal Studios, Florida. During the summer if 1996, Mr. King supervised media production of two major attractions in the U.S.; the 100 million dollar "Jurassic Park, The Ride" attraction for Universal Studios and "Caesar's Magical Empire", a spectacular themed dining and entertainment attraction at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
Mr. King supervised the design and production of all audio/video media for Landmark’s “Star Trek the Experience” attraction in Las Vegas for Hilton Hotels and Paramount Pictures Corp.
Mr. King also developed and produced the music and sound track for IMAX Corp’s. “Race for Atlantis” attraction, the first IMAX big-screen 3-D motion base simulator experience. In addition, Mr. King joined the IMAX team to help produce the first ever IMAX hi-definition ride film “Asteroid Adventure”, at Phantasialand, Bruehl, Germany.
Mr. King’s work in live entertainment includes the "Master's of the Universe Power Tour" at Radio City Music Hall, and Landmark’s 20th anniversary tour of "Jesus Christ Superstar".
Mr. King recently supervised creative development and production of three new live entertainment pr
ojects in the U.S. They include “Secrets of Castle O’Sullivan” for Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, “Hershey’s Really Big 3D Movie” for Hershey Chocolate World and “The Mask” Special Effects show for Warner’s Movie World near Madrid, Spain.
In 2001, Mr. King served as Creative Director for SeaWorld of San Diego’s “Terrors of the Deep” Halloween event. For this project, Mr. King conceived, co-wrote and produced the “Zombie Zelebration” musical stage show at the main gate stage and designed and directed all pathway entertainment and themeing for the event.
In 2003 Mr. King formed Five Star Entertainment LLC, a show design firm servicing the themed entertainment industry. Under the FSE banner, Mr. King conceived, co-wrote and directed “Mistify”, SeaWorld Orlando’s new multi-million dollar fountain and fireworks spectacular.
Mr. King lives in Carlsbad, California with his daughters Jennifer, Katherine and Christina.
Part One of the Ted King Podcast - Show # 17
Posted by mitchsantell at 05:04 PM