“[It’s] a major problem with the culture of music right now — of there not being enough patience in the audience. People — even me — will be like, ‘What happened to that person? Did they stop making music or did they die?’ No, they stopped for one month. I think all musicians are struggling with that — trying to make time for themselves and to exercise their craft and refine it.” -Nika Roza Danilova, a.k.a. Zola Jesus, in The Huffington Post.

Also, in case you missed this: My interview with Chicago “bear rapper” Big Dipper, who recently premiered his new “Drip Drop” music video, on HuffPost this week.

“I think there’s a market for everyone out there and the bear identity, to me, is a movement that is growing and more and more people know about it. In the ’90s, people shaved their beards to fit in, but now people are identifying as bears and want to be bears. It’s become a sexy, sexy thing as of late — so this is really a perfect way for me to show my true colors.”

“I really look back to being a little kid and being really fascinated by insects. Every summer, I would raise monarch butterflies and I was fascinated with caterpillars and honeybees to a degree. In college, the economic collapse happened and I was getting more into organic foods and sustainable agriculture, and I was understanding that honeybees were hurting because of, most likely, unhealthy agricultural practices. The honeybee became this mascot of the system failing.” -Jana Kinsman, creator of Bike-a-Bee, an innovative new project that aims to expand urban beekeeping throughout Chicago.. on a bike!

Kinsman was profiled on HuffPost Chicago this week. Donate to Kinsman’s Kickstarter campaign to help get Bike-a-Bee off the ground.

Bucket O’ Blood owner Marc Ruvolo provided me with a strong list of horror films I need to check out yet this month, during our interview for HuffPost Chicago: Anything Corman, anything Jodorowsky, Suspiria.

And also, there was this music recommendation, which sounds promising:

“There is this record by Coven called ‘Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls’ that I probably play way more around Halloween. They were a Chicago band and it kind of sounds like the Doors, only with satanic lyrics. They recorded a black mass here in Chicago which is on the album.”

What are your Halloween season film or music picks?

“I just realize there’s no reason to hold anything back. If you’re going to do what I want to do, you have to do it in the absolute truest sense that you can. I like being able to write lyrics that are actually about guys, it is exciting to care about what I’m saying. It’s very liberating and when you come out you have to sort of go 100 percent out or not at all. You can’t half-ass it. I tried to make the music just as open as I could make it.” -Will Wiesenfeld, a.k.a. Baths, on outness in my new interview with the musician.

Also filed under “keeping it real,” Drew Droege re: his YouTube videos in which he impersonates Chloë Sevigny.

Incidentally, Droege is a comedy instructor at the Groundlings and had a lot to say about Bridesmaids and gays/other non-straight white dudes in comedy. And he has a movie coming out with Amy Poehler. Yes, Amy Poehler.

“It must be weird for [Chloë] to watch some guy play her because it’s such a bizarre choice. If you’re Obama, of course a million people are going to parody you because you’re the President, but for her, an actress on TV, I’m sure she’s just like, ‘Why is this guy doing this?’ I can instantly understand why she may not be able to sit through my videos.”

Full interview linked above.

I love how Manila Luzon keeps it real. She has a couple of appearances coming up in Chicago this month, including one tonight at Spin.

“I am offensive. I’m a drag queen and no one is taking me seriously because I’m not Oprah. I’m a man wearing a dress and wig so take whatever I say keeping in mind that it’s coming from a man dressed up in a dress and a wig. But, you know, all of the big stars have some kind of controversy swirling around them whether it’s Obama or Gaga.. or Maya Angelou.. Or Amy Grant, the most controversial artist that’s out there. If I wasn’t offensive to Asians, I would have had to put out a sex tape or been locked in a closet like Charlie Sheen was.”

Full interview linked above.

As you might already know, Thao and Mirah have an excellent, excellent collaborative album out these days, something that’s very much work picking up and checking out. For those of you in Chicago, the duo are playing two sets this weekend: one tonight at Empty Bottle, another at the Do Division Street Fest tomorrow afternoon.

I was fortunate enough to interview Mirah the other day for EDGE and it’s already launched into my top five personal favorite features I’ve written on a musical artist.

“I recently went running down to the ocean and then up to Heights Park and had this incredible view looking down to see the surfers. I was just watching them and thinking about how wonderful it is when you’re watching other people surf because it’s almost just as gratifying. I really want them to catch a wave and when I watch them accomplish that, I feel like I caught the wave too. I can feel the movement.” -Mirah

Full interview linked above.

Hunx and His Punx :: A ’bad boy’ take on ’50s girl-pop

Musician Seth Bogart has perfected the art of the Twitter overshare. ”Pulling into Boston with the worlds [sic] hardest boner,” he wrote on April 24. “Things I need (bring me?): Hanes size small tighty whiteys, lube - thick not runny, condoms, XL joints, SOUR candy,” he implored on April 16. Bogart is one hunk who lets it all hang out and the Gravy Train!!!! vet’s fans can’t get enough.

I recently interviewed Bogart in the midst of his current North American tour, discussing his new album, love of RuPaul’s Drag Race and his gay root: a nerd in a Darth Vader costume. He hits Chicago’s Empty Bottle on Friday.

Joan As Police Woman, a.k.a. Joan Wasser, freely admits she has never had a “plan B” to her music career.

“Oh, God. Hot air balloonist? Shit, I don’t know!” Wasser said, when asked what career she would have pursued had “the musician thing” not worked out in a recent interview with EDGE.

“I’m glad I don’t have to answer it in real life because I don’t have answer,” she continued. “I don’t know. I’d probably just be, like, sort of wandering the world because that’s kind of what I do now. Except with a very rigorous schedule.”

I very much enjoy this musician and am very proud of this piece. Check it out!