Sean "Mr." Pink is heading out to CO to start a new chapter of his life. We caught up with him to talk about this his time in the Atlanta Dance Music Community. 1. So the beginning...When did you go to your first rave? What was your first experience with Jungle Music? Sean: I first got to Atlanta in 1999, and encouraged by Prince, I went out with a few friends to my first "rave". The Atrium was a pretty big venue, and I had no idea at the time, but I eventually learned that one room was trance, one was house... and one was Jungle! At first I was too overwhelmed to recognize the differences in musical styles- the multitudes of people, the styles of dress, the pretty lights, the vibe of it all! I loved it! So of course I went back out again as soon and as often as I could. And pretty quickly I observed the differences in the genres of music and latched on to what we started calling DnB. And I observed the Jungle rooms always had these circles of dancers hoppin' and poppin' to the music. The crowd seemed to know every song and the people on the dance floor really seemed to be bonded. And in a culture that was already anti-authoritarian, the Jungle crowd seemed even more rebellious- I was in! And soon I would be in the middle of those dance circles havin' the time of my life! I feel lucky I came into it at the right time- it was just as I was learning to use this thing "the internet" to find Jungle events in the area, that Glenn started running events at The Church, and the community really blew up. 2. How have you stayed connected to the music for so long? Sean: I've always loved music, and I've played the drums since I was 10 years old- everything from school orchestra to jazz band to metal (\m/). Jungle made me realize my love for dance and made me feel more connected to music than ever. There were some phases though, when it felt to me Drum and Bass was fading... but it refused to go away! I feel like Jungle has the most fiercely loyal following and determined promoters. That, combined with the bonding we did on the dancefloor, and the new ability for people to keep connected online through sites like lunar magazine and 404audio and eventually Facebook, the connection stayed pretty well. I love that Drum and Bass events keep happening and I know that whenever I show up I'm greeted with hugs from people who've been livin' this life. 3. What do you like to do outside of dance music events? Sean: As i consider my answer to this question, i think i might be a hipster? Yoga, rock climbing, and podcasting! I was invited on to a Game of Thrones podcast (History of Westeros) a few years ago that really blew up(again, I feel lucky to have gotten in to something at the right moment!). There's a whole community of GoT fans out there that i'm happy to have become a part of and the podcast has led to some outstanding moments for me. I've befriended a number of journalists and met several celebrities including Jerome Flynn, Nicolaj Coster-Waldau, and I even got Swordfighting lessons from the first sword of Bravos himself, Serio Forel! But most of all, it's how I met my fiance, Rita =D 4. What are your plans in Colorado? Sean: The main plan is to get married and have kids, but there are still a lot of details to hammer out! Though i do hope to expand podcasting to media outside Game of Thrones. 5. Can you give us a few Torch memories? Sean: The years of Torch memories are a blur! I still remember the moment Stacy got that sweet pic of me that seems to be my permanent profile pic on FB. And it was a great moment when a bunch of us came out with our old AJC shirts. But i'll always think fondly of the drive into Atlanta, the sound of the music as I approach the venue, the stream of greetings as I make way way to the dancefloor, the enthusiasm of the dancers, and of course Chuck's bass claw! 6. What is your take on dancing in the scene over the last few years? Sean: There's always been a mix of people bangin' out on the dancefloor, groovin' on the sidelines, or just bobbin their head as they hold up the wall ;p Sometimes it's hard to separate the dancing vibes evolution over time because there are variables like how big the venue is or the style of music. I feel like the Jungle crowd has always encouraged dancing, but one thing I've observed is it seems to be a bit less testosterone driven than it used to be when the dance circles were dominated by b-boys, but i think we're just getting too old for that now! Haha!. It was always exciting to see those big power moves, but over the years I've realized I prefer to dance with someone than against someone; and I enjoy myself more when I'm connecting and flowing with the music than when i'm testing my athletic ability. But maybe all those thoughts are just to rationalize getting too old for this stuff! Haha! Regardless, I'm still dancing, and I'm not the only one! We want to thank Sean Pink for this interview and all his years of support of Torch and ATL Dance music events! Here is to you new chapter good sir! Sean's Podcast: http://www.historyofwesteros.com/www.historyofwesteros.com/
0 Comments
|
404 Audio
Atlanta Drum & Bass since 2003 Archives
February 2020
|